I just got my first job working as a web designer here in the Chicago area. But I desperately need a car and I was looking into a Jetta because I really like them, and their commercials target my demographic so well (20+ caucasian male urbanite)? So I need some help deciding what to do.
Here I am at the BMW-VW-Mazda dealership sitting in first the GLS TDI, which is a nice car but finding diesel in the city is rather hard and the emissions rating is a lot lower on this one than gas powered ones. So it makes sense to me that if I wanted to go all green on this car choice, paying more money for fuel is a better one than releasing more toxins into the air.
Next I'm in the GLS 2.0L automatic, which is rather boring really, but it has all leather interior, which is nice. And it's style is very nice; as I really am partial to the VW-Jetta, and it's design. But it's acceleration makes me feel like it's gerbil powered. So that's no fun.
Finally here I am with the Jetta GLI, Manual. This thing rocks my world. There is nothing better than tearing around in this, changing gears like they are an extension of my soul and just generally feeling like I'm playing Grand Turismo 5 or something. And right about now the insidious sales-person is seeing my expression and thinking "cha-ching".
But here lies the rub, now I love the power of the GLI, but it's upwards of $23,000. First of all, my job is going to give me 3 times that per year, before taxes, but is that a smart thing to do for a first car when I haven't even been working there a week yet? Secondly, couldn't I find a better used car for that same amount of money, and if so what suggestions do you have? And finally, being in the city, am I going to get quickly tired, as my parents suggest, of a manual in the stop-and-go traffic? (I think they just don't have the spirit of the cheetah as I so obviously do, but then again I'm young and naive.)
As I reach out to my internet neighbors in this important time of my life, I thank you for your help.