Costco

I was in the same conundrum as you. Some might remember I was considering either a Mazda 6 or an FR-S/BRZ. I think we know how that turned out. I realized I don't give a shit about the backseat, but it is nice to have. Screw practicality and fuel economy.

charliemike

No it had its own platform because America.

Aman

I'm considering a G37. Not easy to find one in good shape for a fair price. Sadly I think the Z/S2000 won't work for me as an only car. We have 4 seasons here.

Thanks guys. GTI so far is the car I liked the most. The one I'm looking at is a MK6, before MQB. My "want" fund doesn't yet have room that new of a car.

You were smart and realized it before pulling the trigger!

I'm test driving a couple of R58 MINIs today. Their reliability is generally on the lower end of the spectrum, but for the price they deserve a look. Feel free to send more suggestions my way!

rockstar143

iTrader: (6)

rockstar143

iTrader: (6)

I actually think I like that one best.

SamDoe1

If your fund cannot support a Mk7, I'd wait until it does. It's way better overall than a mk6.

Edit: Can you not get a mk7 GTI for mid teens these days, if not even low teens? You can easily get a new one for high 20's...

rockstar143

iTrader: (6)

I had to look that up...sounds like they spent so much designing it to benefit them and the manufacturing process although I would imagine
parts would be cheaper if there are more that you can cross shop. I would get the car you like...if he likes MK6 then why not save the 5 to 10
grand on getting that if it suits his needs. My cousin doesn't really like the newer ones in comparison to his.

SamDoe1

If you like one over the other then go ahead and get what makes you happy, it's not my money to spend.

I like the JL wrangler a lot more than the JK wrangler but can't afford one...guess what I plan on getting.

rockstar143

iTrader: (6)

a CJ?

Aman

I would have to shell out another $6-8k for a MK7 GTI. I'm sure it's worth it, and I would love one, but that's not very smart for me right now.

This makes sense as a mostly lateral move, though I'm sure I will end up spending some money. So MK6 GTIs, R56 Mini Coopers, and maybe 86 twins.

00TL-P3.2

R56 would be a fun car, have driven a few S & JCWs.
No idea how they are on the owner side though, IIRC we have a couple on here @is300eater

rockstar143

iTrader: (6)

A tuned Mark 6 will be a lot more fun to drive than a twin, I bet.

is300eater

LOVE my 2012 R56 (S)! Such a pleasure to drive with it's handling... the 2nd gen/R56 ended in 2013, I would say the 2012 and 2013 would be the least "problematic" years... avoid the earlier models (needless to say). If you can pull off a JCW... GO FOR IT!

rockstar143

iTrader: (6)

@Marcelechka can chime in too!

00TL-P3.2

I was always a fan of the quirky Clubman, drove a JCW & the sales guy was tossing it around pretty hard on the drive out from the dealership, so I didn't mind pushing it. Drove it back-to-back with a Cooper S & the Clubman seemed a bit more balanced, I guess from the slightly longer overall length.

Drove a 2018 Clubman S (auto) when car shopping last year & found it disappointing compared to what I remembered from the R56 & R50.

Drove a friend's upgraded R50 years ago, really heavy clutch & S/C pulley, blower screamed at WOT, and gave a bit of whine at about 80mph, so ton of fun, but not too practical.

civicdrivr

iTrader: (9)

I LOVE the R56. But...timing chain cartridge needs to be replaced every 40k miles. It's DIY-able but still a hassle. The 2013s are the least troublesome. I wanted one before I ended up in the GTI, and that was because it was nearly impossible to find a 2013 in green with black leather, heated seats, HIDs, moonroof. and a manual. They were a ton of fun to drive though and plenty quick for what they were.

But you can't go wrong with an mk6. I'd go through the car with a fine tooth comb though - they tend to rust pretty quickly in Canada.

Aman

Timing chain cartridge? I've never heard of that before. Gonna have to do some more reading.

I tried a 2012 Cooper S that seemed pretty sorted. It was fun to drive for sure, and practical enough. The interior styling will take some getting used to.

Part of why I got the Passat is because I've heard VW (and German vehicles in general) use less recycled metal and are thus not as susceptible to rust. Had pretty good luck with previous VWs on that front. The Mazda had actually rusted through the front subframe, which is why I got rid of it.


Either way, I'm in a bit of a holding pattern until the Passat generates some interest. That will probably take some time considering the demand for manual Passats isn't massive, and mileage will only go up. We will see.

00TL-P3.2

Best of luck to you.
Gives you plenty of time to research & test drive multiple potential replacement options.

civicdrivr

iTrader: (9)

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...-recall-431160

I say cartridge only because the way the lower sprocket and the tensioners come out kinda looks like one. Not every car is impacted, but it was enough of a maybe for me to look elsewhere.

Marcelechka

Indeed, R52 JCW GP #1735 to be exact. They're super rare.

I was getting ready to twin charge mine, but, pulled the plug on the project.... I do miss it.

The R52 is pretty solid; but yes, I'll agree with the others on practicality though if it's your daily.

Pics courtesy of Rockstar143

00TL-P3.2

Once my kids are both in boosters or out of carseats entirely, something with only 2 doors may work. For now, it sounds like a nightmare to manage.

Might not be as quick, stock-for-stock, but the R52 would be my preference.

rockstar143

iTrader: (6)

Marcel I forgot I took those!
Your Abarth was fuckin cool...watchjrgo just picked one up for $3K on youtube (a channel I watch).
I would not mind one one bit!

Aman

Update! Decided to play it safe and pick up this bad boy. 2019 Chevrolet Malibu, my first new car. Delivery miles. 1.5T/CVT, which is surprisingly torquey. Comes with Android Auto and everything. Pretty excited about this purchase. Going to get nicer photos when I have time but for now, a potato shot from lunch the other day:




































I'm sorry. That's a lie. The 1.5T is not surprisingly torquey. I didn't buy a new Malibu. I am driving one though.

























Recent events have accelerated my search for a new vehicle. From two weeks ago:





Great news, everyone is fine.

Also good news, the decision has just finally been made not to repair the big girl. I'm expecting a phone call early next week to finalize terms. 98% likely I will be car-less by Friday.


The past two weeks have been spent dealing with the messy stuff. Now we can talk about the fun part - figuring out my replacement. I'm going to try and summarize what I've looked at since we last spoke and what my thoughts are on them, in order of increasing interest:

Mazda RX8 R3
Drives great, looks pretty, feels special. All but eliminates people transport duties I get regularly dumped with. Not included in purchase price: reman engine, engine hoist, winter beater with summer beater potential.

2006 Nissan 350Z
See above.

2014 Genesis Coupe R-Spec
Has the hardware. Decently power, Brembo brakes, LSD, comfortable interior. Still haven't figured out how to get excited by it.

2011 Subaru WRX
Really big tachometer. The unique engine note, hood scoop and widened body get points for the drama I want. Interior is nothing special beyond the seats, and a sixth gear would be nice. Most haven't held up very well. I have ownership cost concerns.

8th-Gen Honda Civic Si
Older, higher-mileage, and cheaper than the others, without the longevity concerns (at least in my head). Their chronic clear coat failures don't get me very excited.

E9x BMW 328/335i
Total pleasure to drive. 328 has power across the rev range, 335 has tons more across the rev range. Feels inherently balanced and competent, with no real extroverted display of sportiness. A great car for another period in my life.

MK6 GTI
Yes, much more like it. Great fun to drive. The steering wheel is an intricate leather-wrapped, perforated, flat-bottomed piece of art. I like the drivetrain, I like the interior, I like the size, I like the features, I like the looks, I like the apparent durability so far. It manages to have the appropriate amount of drama for many situations. Would be my clear winner except for the following:

Scion FR-S
It has a sports car platform and feels like it. The engine is underwhelming for half of the rev range and not smooth at all. The GTI is better in every non-driving category and ties it in some driving categories. The best compliment I can give the head unit is that it appears easily replaceable.

But it really feels like a sports car, and engine aside, drives like one. Short shifter, short clutch pedal travel, pedals all spaced pretty well. It's got an LSD. I fit great. Snug, but great. Steering wheel is a simple round plastic piece that still feels no worse than the GTI's piece.



So I think it's between a GTI and an FR-S.

I need to evaluate a few things:

1. I need to put a value on the FR-S's layout advantage. How important is RWD to me this time around? My vehicle portfolio thus far is purely FWD 4-cylinder sedans.
2. Can I live with the FR-S's shortcomings on a daily basis? I consider its shortcomings to be interior amenities and its engine. Space is not a critical issue to me.

Like with most used cars, it will probably come down to comparing individual examples and their cost. I'd take a clean GTI over a beat FR-S for the same price.

I'd love to hear your thoughts. Maybe there's a car I haven't considered or factors I haven't taken into account.

civicdrivr

iTrader: (9)

Sorry to see that you're stuck in a Chevy Malipoo. Good to see that you weren't hurt in the crash though.​

​​​​​​What sort of budget are you working with?

TylerT

iTrader: (1)

The bad influencing side of me says 335i, the practical side of me says GTI.

charliemike

What is your budget because I’m surprised a FR-S and Mk6 GTI are the same price. You can’t get a Mk7 for the same money?

Aman

I'm staying around $13-15k CDN. That gets me late MK6 GTIs, 2013-2015 FRS/BRZs, and early MK7 GTIs.

I test drove one MK7 GTI in my budget with 90k-ish miles. It was nice, but showed signs of age. Dings on the body, interior buttons peeling, etc. Clean ones seem to be hovering around $20k and up.

Trying to avoid 2013 Toyobarus. Two sellers have already told me they refused to do the valve spring recall because of engine rebuild horror stories. I'd rather not worry about either valve springs or quality of an engine rebuild.


If my budget and mileage allowed, I would more strongly consider something like a 335is. Those are cool.

charliemike

I assume you want a stick from the sound of it?

Yumcha

Happy shopping, sir!

Would you also consider an Audi S4 and join the CuckClub?


Also, give the Infiniti Q50/G37 to see if you like the drive?

teh CL

iTrader: (1)

How about a MK6 R?

Quick kijiji search showed more than a few below 20k. They were higher mileage (200k KM or less) & I'm not sure how they are with higher mileage but I'm sure it comes down to previous owners/maintenance history like anything else.

6MT/Turbo/AWD... sounds like a party

rockstar143

iTrader: (6)

I would push you toward the GTI.
Having gotten my hands dirty on that 2.0t myself...it is simple enough in it's design, easy enough to work on and parts weren't retarded.
oh and did I mention fun to drive? Like, really fun to drive?
My cuzzo has a Mark VI with a stage 1 tune, intake exhaust and springs and boy is that thing fun to drive.


I'm not sure if the B8 S4 is in that price range with the Canadien Maple syrup conversion from US dollars but it's a solid car too...fast and robust
drivetrain and awd probably wouldn't be bad.

RWD is fun for sure...but how often will you be doing doughnuts really? I had it, you know it...and I don't miss it much...I enjoy being able to hit a sweeping curve
and pushing the envelope without leaving oversteer tire marks on the ground while I simultaneously leave the same skid marks in my panties.

rockstar143

iTrader: (6)

teh CL

iTrader: (1)

That's the truth..

SamDoe1

I wouldn't buy a mk6 Golf R with 200k miles without a trust fund to back it up and a spare car.

Mk6 GTI is fine but will require more maintenance than others on your list. The FRS/BRZ are slow cars meant to be driven slow and still be exciting. If you have a need to carry people on a regular basis, then I'm not even sure why one of these is even on your list.

If I were you, and were on a limited budget, I'd get the Civic Si and call it good. It's fun to drive, cheap to buy, cheap to insure, cheap to maintain, and it'll run forever with minimal care. Please note, this is coming from a VW owner lol.

teh CL

iTrader: (1)

Best option IMO, 07/08 TL-S 6MT.

rockstar143

iTrader: (6)

not bad suggestions, that's for sure.
fine...I'll say it
pontiac solstice.

Aman

Definitely want a manual.

Thanks Yum. S4s that would be in my price range would kind of scare me, to be honest. I'd pocket it as another option for later in life. For some reason a G37 doesn't particularly excited me, but maybe it's worth a drive.

Wow, didn't realize they were in this price range. Definitely intriguing. I think I still want something lower mileage, that at least feels new. But I'm gonna be keeping an eye out for a deal.

This is what I struggle with. Winter provides ample opportunity for RWD shenanigans, and I would start doing autocross and lap days with whichever car I get. I'm very not concerned about deep snow or traction issues. I think I need to try owning something RWD, at least for a while. I can always switch to the more practical GTI in a few years.

I might have mis-phrased the people carrying thing. It's easier to say "sorry, nobody fit" than tell my lovely extended family members to walk dey bum-asses home from church

Civic Si is still an option, but a solid third I think. Cheapest, but it wouldn't have the nice interior of the GTI nor the dynamics of an 86.

Still a big FWD sedan

I saw a Saturn Sky on the road last night and seriously considered it for about 4 seconds




I think I want to try owning a BRZ or FRS. It would be considerably different to what I've owned before, and now the time to do so when I don't have any true people or cargo carrying demands. If life changes in the next 2-3 years I can hop into a Mk7 or Mk8 GTI. Plus, I'm having an easier time finding clean private examples.

teh CL

iTrader: (1)

Would be stretching your budget a bit but seems like the 2.0T ATS' are dipping into the high teens... come to the dark side

rockstar143

iTrader: (6)

@MEKO
If you're pointed at FRS he can give you some insight...Winter and RWD and whatnot...
and I've seen him drive in person. He's a fucking nut.

@civicdrivr I'm a little shocked you weren't more vocal about dissuading him.

civicdrivr

iTrader: (9)

Calling Mehmet a nut behind the wheel is just barely scratching the surface

We had a convo off forum about it - I felt if I carried over my dislike of anything Subaru, it would be seen as beating a dead horse.

But really, if you're dead set on an 86, I'd stick to 2017+. By that point, they had received many improvements that made them a decent car, but the price is obviously higher.

My vote is Mk6 or Civic Si. But have you considered Focus STs? Or even the Fiesta ST? NC Miata or even early ND?