My GF will be needing a car... here's what we're considering:

VW GTI VR6
Toyota MR2 Spider
Nissan Sentra SE-R V Spec
Possibly a used 3 series beamer


Suggestions, comments anyone?

 

What about the WRX? Mmmmmm... turbo.

The SE-R seems like a good buy.

 

My buddy just bought a Golf 1.8T. He really loves it. You can get one for around 17K. It can be chipped with one of 9 chips from $250-500. It bumps it up from 150 to 200 HP and the torque is well over 200 ft lbs.

 

Friend of mine has the Golf also and it is one cool car. I would definitely look at that as a second car... MY girl has an old 91 BMW 328 and I'm thinking she should get rid of it and actually get the Golf... Nice... check out the interior at night with the cool lighting.

Volkswagons are pretty cool now...

 

at the mini meet in dallas we modded this suburu rx with weapon r intake.
man i like those cars a lot
makes me want another car
too bad its a 4 banger but man oh man

 

The Sentra and a used E46 3 series (99+) look promising. If you are thinking about an E36, don't get the iT models. If he likes the MR2, why not the Miata? Or if he likes the VW GTI VR6, what about the Eclipse or Celica or Prelude?

(P.S. My GF likes the Prius because he can climb in easier than the Sienna! It's probably because of a low-step in height and high roof. It is also more comfortable)

 

I'm probably going to be trading my max in for a 5 speed A4 1.8t in february and then my gf will be getting a 1.8t golf Gls a couple months later. The max is nice but I'm sick of auto and I've always loved Audis.... living in Seattle with all the wet roads Quattro will give me an extra piece of mind. Now geez... I'd love to stay with Nissan.. buy where's my AWD skyline?

 

It's too late! You will have a nice car for one year, but for 2002, the A4 is brand new! Why not wait a bit longer? Or get a 1996 A4 which is almost the same as the 2001?

http://www.audiworld.com/news/00/newa4/

 

I'm not up for a 5 year old car and I like the 2001 A4 better than the 2002 A4. There are also the rumors of the 260 or whatever hp maxima. But an Audi has always been my true desire.

 

Don't suppose your transmission in your Max crapping out in such a short time had anything to do with it

I think the A4 is awesome looking...I've looking at them too. And yes..I have to get back to 5spd land..auto is killing me and boring me death at the same time!

 

Auto tranny going bad... strike 1
Should've gotten leather and sunroof... strike 2
Audi has Quattro... strike 3
Max is nice but I'm starting to hear all the creaks etc... strike 4
Knocking engine considered normal... strike 5
Nissan service... strike 6
19mpg... strike 7

Well... it was my first car I ever bought and if it had a 5 speed I'd probably stick with it. But after having been in the AE and having the sunroof, leather.. 5 speed, my auto just hasn't kept me happy. So if I'm gonna change cars.. gotta go for what I really want.

 

Your answers mirror mine exactly for reasons I want to part ways with MY Max...(well exept for the Quattro ) Never really thought of that.

After driving a loaded SE 5spd I've been down on my car ever since....I'd love to get a loaded up 5spd but I do not dare to roll the Nissan dice...it would have to be an awesome and I mean awesome deal for me to take those chances...

 

If for some reason the A4 deal won't work for me... I might go for a 2002 max if it has the fabled increase in power. Otherwise... WRX?

 

Be loyal. Go for the Sentra.

 

Ummm...loyalty goes with something that works and doesnt double as a taxi to the dealer....

Be smart, get the Audi A4......

And I say all this with a mixed heart....I want to love the car so bad as it does have so many outstanding qualities...unfortunately the bad ones surpass the good ones...I'd love a 5spd without any of the crap I've gone through with my s-box

 

Trying to decide if I will do the trade. It will cost me. I'll have to roll in $4000 in negative equity. I'm looking at a used 2000 (8000 miles) with the luxury package. (Sunroof, heated seats, mirrors, nozzles, and alloys) $21,600 + my negative equity. I'll know by tomorrow. Car's interior and ride blow away the Maxima. I have concerns about the turbo lasting more than 100,000 miles though.

 

Definitely DON'T get a Sentra SE-R! They may be reasonably fast, but they're for kids... just like Trix cereal. Your girlfriend won't get any respect on the road or in the parking lot. :-)

The VW GTI/VR6 is sweet. The Golf Turbo isn't so bad either. Those are definitely both driver's cars... very tight. Plus, they're much better looking than their Jetta sibling.

If I hadn't traded my 3rd gen Jetta for a new Maxima, I'd still be driving Volkswagens... probably the GTI or the Golf Turbo.

Plus, she may want to wait for the new 2002 Altima coming out this autumn. The optional 240bhp engine sounds like a winner.

Cheers!

Maxipad

[Edited by maxipad on 01-30-2001 at 02:06 AM]

 

Granted, the Passat has a cushier ride than the new Maxima... not just the SE but even compared to your GXE... so I won't argue w/ you there.

However, as much as I love Volkswagens, have you tried knocking on the VW's dashboard w/ your knuckles? The dashboard sounds like it's made out of thick cardboard paper! That's definitely not an interior that will "blow away the Maxima."

On the other hand, those blue and red lights on all the new VWs are very pretty and out of the ordinary.

Btw, have you seen the new 2002 Passats? I went to the L.A. Auto Show a few weeks ago and saw them for myself. Pretty sweet. The front end looks more like an Audi.

VW's Passat website (http://www.vw.com/passat) says that the new Passats are arriving this spring, so you might as well wait a few more months if you really are insistent on a Passat.

Choose wisely.

Cheers!

Maxipad


[Edited by maxipad on 01-30-2001 at 02:07 AM]

 

GTI is a good choice.... but I would go for the new sentra...
looks very sharp and should be pretty quick..

 

The VW's are laid out very nice inside....speaking of knocking on dashboards..have you knocked on a Max's dash? Sounds like a bunch of loose changes and clicks and clacks..I'll take the cardboard please

My friend has a Passat Wagon 2.8 V6 5spd. Talk about a fun car to drive even though its a wagon. Very comfortable leather heated seats and the engine just hums...pretty tourquie too! One thing the Max does have over the VW's is the radio buttons...nice and big ala Pontiac's buttons lol

Sat in a GTI when he was shopping for his car...the interior just wanted to hug me! Nice, nice car....

 

The new Passat is nice, but I hate the chrome treatment they gave it. My local dealer already has them in stock. I think they are taking lessons from Ford and GM. I test drove every engine/tranny combo in the Passat. That 5 speed tiptronic is the best automatic I've driven. It shifts at redline crisply. The manual is smooth as silk. German precision. From what I've read on the Vortex, the drivetrain really holds up. The engine's are over-engineered. The problem is with the small stuff: electric windows, switches, diverter valve, etc.

 

My only complaints on VW from from when I test drove a 98 gti a while back.

1. The manual shifter has the whole golf ball thing going on.

2. The turn signal switch was a little awkward.



As far as cars go, we're getting Alysia a 1.8t golf and we're gonna chip the bugger... WOOHOO!!

 

If you chip it, make sure you get a spare ECU. Most VW dealers will void the warranty if they discover the performance ECU. I think the Golf is a low-mid 15 second car stock. Chipping it will get lower you a full second.

 

The bad news is she wants an auto... oh well, her car.

 

One guy ran a 14.3 with a chipped 1.8T with tiptronic. Check out the Vortex.

 

I thought you needed a second car so you'd have something nice to drive when your car's in the shop. (instead of metro's and prizm's)

 

Deciding which car FOR HER could be a fatal mistake down the road. If the car's a lemmon or things go wrong who gets hassled????

Before we bought our Max, we zeroed in on 4 cars I could have lived with: The Maxima
V6 Passat
Outback Ltd.
Accord v6

MY wife drove them all herself..and I let HER decide. It's way more democratic and will heighten her sense of enjoyment of the car, knowing she made the decision.

I was sweating bullets, but kept my fingers crossed..thank god she picked the Maxima!!!!!
Passats have a LOT of wind noise at the windshield's top end, and German quality aint whats it used to be, especially in that price group, Japanese build and long term reliability is way better.
My mom's 1 year old Beetle is turning into a classic reminder of deterioroation of german quality. Thankfully it's on a lease. I pity whoever buys it second hand, and according to Consumers Reports used car buy, VW doesnt often make it into the "Recommended Used car buy" They are usually in the NOT Reccommend list.To my mind, a car becomes a "used car" the minute you drive it off the lot brand new

[Edited by LeoB on 01-30-2001 at 11:49 AM]

 

I just pick the performance options ie engine size, suspension etc... all she cares is it cute and how does it feel to drive.

 

...for cute...the vw bug????
havent met anyone who thinks it's not cute..running gear=same as golf and they get way more attention

 

This is one thing that bothers me about VW. Their short term reliability looks very good. In the CR list of recommended used cars, there isn't one VW. The Sentra, Altima, and Maxima are all there. My desire to "upgrade" is diminishing. The VW guys counter that the newer VW's are much better, but I think they've been saying that for close to 10 years now.

 

I refuse to let her have a bug... I HATE them. Just a personal opinion on their looks/popularity and marketing (new color every couple months).

 

ERrrrrrrr....so you WOULD in fact impose your feelings about the bug on her. Say she decided on a Bug...how would you refuse to let her have one?..and how would that then be totally her choice of car??? just curious!
as a social scientist of sorts I am always intrigued how the predominantly male driven culture of cars works with the males' "women folk"..and how the decisions about buying cars are made in relationships. Sounds like your planning on making the decision FOR her..if it comes to a BUG. It would sort of be a "slippery slope" from there to other decisions wouldnt it?

[Edited by LeoB on 01-30-2001 at 01:19 PM]

 

Well I'm no jerk boyfriend dominating bastardo.. if she really had to have a bug it is her choice. I just strongly suggest cars I like. The choice is in the end hers.

 

And you seem to have a sense of humour too. If we were just a bunch of Maxima guys in a bar discussing this topic, you wouldnt take any offense, because you would notice none was intended..
so cheers..

here's to you and to the new wheels..whatever they are!
best o' luck

 

Well.. I may not be ditching my max yet... the negative equity would not be fun and the tranny repairs are supposed to greatly increase the performance... we'll see either tonight or tomorrow. But the Golf is 99% assured.