Okay, need some ammo for the old wife... I've driven a jetta for the past 4 years, love it! Want to get a new gti. Wife has been driving a toyota camry (1995).
She wants me to get a toyota as money is a little tight these days. I hate toyota, they are good cars i admit, but i need something FUN to drive.
She does not understand why I need something FUN!!! How can i convince her??
Since money is a little tight but we need a new car as the jetta is out of warranty and has been in the shop several times (though only once for major work). She wants me to get a toyota as her's has never been to the shop for anything.
I need something FUN!!! I admit, vw are nowhere as well made as toyota or as reliable, but you trade fun for reliablility in my opinion!
GET THE GTI, they're all sorted out now... your Jetta must have been of a similar vintage as my 99.5 Golf, and had a nice share of problems from the factory that all got sorted out later on. Coils, MAFs, Window clips were the big ones on various models.
The Toyota has never been in the shop??? EVER??? in NINE YEARS.
In a mere five years my car has gone in for probably 16+ oil changes, one set of rear brake pads, one set of new front rotors and pads, timing belt, coolant system flush, transmission fluid flush/filter change, brake fluid change, new tires, new shocks (I drive hard over bad roads and carry lots of weight quite often... its my own fault - the OEM shocks weren't gone either, I just wanted less body roll and pitching about as I drove) new tie rod ends (I corner hard too), i've had the tranny computer reset once (free of charge since it was in for an oil change anyways, it only takes a sec), i've had the suspension inspected twice, with the steering system once, three alignments that I know of.... And three unshedualed visits - Replacement of almost everything on the right hand front of the car due to accident avoidance maneuver which resulted in curb impact. Replacement of window clips/regulators under warranty, replacement of MAF sensor under warranty. 3 things in 5 years and 105K Kms isn't bad IMO.
I'm still convinced if I drive a Toyota, I will NEVER have to see the dealership again until I decided many years later down the road, when I have finally worn thru the seats - that it's time for a new car. And the original factory oil will still be golden!
1) since this is the old wife, see what the new will let you do! ;-p
2) Total the cost of repairs and inconvenience over the last year, divide by 12, and compare to monthly payments....it becomes pretty obvious...in fact you could convince her to get a second VW, so when one is in the shop, the other is ready, and STILL come out cheaper than payments!
Well, maybe you could point her at this page: , which lists Toyota recalls for all product lines over the last six years. Toyotas may be the best-built mass-produced cars on earth, but they're not perfect.
The poster who suggested figuring out monthly average repair costs vs. new car payments is right on, too.
snipped-for-privacy@mailcity.com (mark) wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@posting.google.com:
The camry will probably run to 300,000 miles before it needs anything fixed.
Unfortunately, your wife is right. Toyotas are cheaper, better engineered, and beter built. Someone mentioned recalls, but that's a red herring. Compare this group to toyota groups. Toyota groups are dominated by posts about driving and tricking out the cars, whereas VW lists are dominated by posts about fixing things. Most of the fixing things posts on Toyota lists are rather simple fixit stuff, like the O2 sensor or the spark plugs.
Make you both happy and buy an 95 MR2 Turbo. I had my 93 for 250,000 miles (driving it hard), and the only thing that ever went bad was a rear wheel bearing.
If part of the reason money is tight is the fact that the jetta has been in the shop frequently, I think that's a pretty clear statement as to what you should do.
If money was tight for me, and I _had_ to buy a new car, it wouldn't be a VW. Don't get me wrong, I've been very pleased with our '02 Jetta (and had a wonderful 2+ year love/hate relationship with an A2 diesel), but you can't ignore the fact that VWs tend to require a bit more attention as they get older. If you buy a new VW to get around that very situation that you're facing with your old one now, you'll be in the same boat in a few years if your financial position is similar.
Like another poster said, do the math re: repair costs to your current Jetta vs. car payments on anything new. I think you'll find that it makes the best financial sense to keep the car you have. If it's beyond repair, I think you'll find that the VW isn't the most economical choice for a replacement.
That said, I do understand your interest in having a fun car... this is one of those times in your life where you have to weigh all of the factors and make a decision. Spending more money than you "should" on a fun car could haunt you for years to come...
||Okay, need some ammo for the old wife... I've driven a jetta for the ||past 4 years, love it! Want to get a new gti. Wife has been driving ||a toyota camry (1995). || ||She wants me to get a toyota as money is a little tight these days. I ||hate toyota, they are good cars i admit, but i need something FUN to ||drive.
Thanks for all the responses. Money is going to be tight for the next several years as we're planning on having a few kids.
I did test drive a new gti v6, and it drove real nice...
By the way, of course her car has been in the shop for the 'routine' stuff, ie. oil change, brakes, new battery, etc... But its never been in for 'non-routine' maintainence. I guess I may have to go with what she wants to do as it does seem to make more sense in the long run... But not for at least a few more months!!!
I know exactly what you mean... I'm 14.5 months into the first one now, and mom is staying home. We saved our pennies and bought the Jetta wagon while we were still dual income so that we could be payment free for the first few years of life with kids. It could be interesting when the wagon gets a few years out of warranty... ;-)
Do you do the maintenance on your Jetta yourself? If not, purchasing a Bentley and learning could save you a lot of $$. Doing the repairs that do crop up will save you even more. I wouldn't have bought a VW if I didn't do my own service.
For the most part, it seems that the major components (i.e., engine, trans, etc.) will last for many miles, it's just the smaller stuff that tends to break. Paying shop labor for that stuff can be spendy.
The two can be combined in one car. We have a Jetta wagon with a 1.8 turbo, 5 speed and sport suspension. It is fun and fairly practical...
Some of those Mazda & Subaru wagons look like they could be fun and practical too. Maybe they give up a little to the VW in "luxury", but I believe they're priced accordingly.
Withdraw the amount of money that you can afford and come home with the car you want...
She might get pissed for a few nights, so what... thats why god gave you a right hand. For all you know she could put you in the dog house for coming home with a toyota that doesn't match her kitchen cabinets.
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