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It's a blast. Still gonna have the G for a while though, need to de-mod it when I have time.
Audi already has RS grille, rear sway bar, H&R suspension and an intake. On the Black Friday sale I went ahead and ordered the pulley & tune to bring it up to around 440 AWHP, so that should be fun!
Yesterday I sold my stock wheels locally, i was surprised to get $200 for them in such bad shape. I thought about putting them back on the car to sell but it makes no sense, it would cost me way more to get TPMS and tires installed than just selling it with the TSW wheels already on the car.
Wish I had more space. I'd just keep the G for a winter beater still.
Weekend before T-day I had a chance to drive a 2018 50th anniversary Subie WRX (https://www.topspeed.com/cars/subaru...rsary-edition/) that was completely unmolested. Quick but needs 150 more HP; sharp handling but still a little wallow-y for my tastes. Needs tires, swaybars, and boost increase for me to be happy with it (although not the common blatterhorn exhaust). The shifter was mushy as hell and I have already bought the owner a Cobb shift kit (he's my best friend from childhood) so maybe that will fix one thing... but, it does handle better than any other AWD car I've driven including other subarus. Subari? :shrug: Most AWD to me feel like a numb version of the same car in RWD if that exists.
That's interesting. I have never driven that car, but your review makes it sound like I can easily skip it. I agree with you on hp since cars have become so fast, especially electric cars. My '18 STI Type RA is Cobb stage 1+ and is great for around town speed, but still does not feel crazy fast even with roughly 350 lb/ft. at the wheels.
My car came stock with the "short shift kit," but it was still quite a tall shifter so I upgraded the shift lever and all bushings and it is great to drive now. The steering and suspension is razor sharp. It literally makes my '14 Evo feel sloppy. The only problem is that it is a fairly stiff ride on rough roads and still does not get great mpg. Strangely the rest of the car is so well sorted that the Cobb stage 1+ and shift kit are all it really needed. I almost feel bored due to the lack of necessary mods like my G37 needed that I sometimes forget to take it out on twisty roads and enjoy it. So good at the limit, but definitely not the perfect daily driver.
@4DRZ Were I in the market for a reasonable but fun car, at a lower performance level than the G, the WRX would not be a bad choice. The looks are tamed down from the bad old days, the suspension is civilized but sharp enough for 99% of folks, and the few quirks the car exhibited are relatively easily modified by solid aftermarket choices. I've known Trey Cobb since he was slinging RX-7 parts 2 decades ago and he makes/has made really good stuff - and this is his groove.
I think I was expecting the WRX to feel like an STI, and they are NOT the same car. I also come from the dichotomy of driving a super competent but numb company car and a performance sedan - I think allowing for drivetrain loss the G is near 360 flywheel, and of course RWD.
The shifter flop was between gears - and the throw is pretty long - so the Cobb kit doesn't apparently change the lever length, just tightens it up. Swaybars and sticky tires would bring handling to where I'd want them without needing a mouth-guard on crappy roads, and a Stage 1ish increase would deal with the power - which is really my issue not the car's. It is still worlds quicker and more capable than most cars on the market. I didn't get a chance to try to drift it, but it never stepped out on me at all despite some midlevel hoonage. I can't drive like I'd want in Delaware anyway - 4 lane highways have speed limits of 35 and the way I normally drive would put me right past 'cop magnet' into 'call the national guard' territory. Ah, the days of drag racing on the ocean city boardwalk in the dead of winter are long gone (and the statute of limitations is up as well).
I have been thinking about WRX's for 20 years now lol. I think it's just being in Wisconsin I can never truly escape the idea of having one as a daily to get through winter while my RWD car is put away. Lately I've been thinking about hawkeyes but after seeing those modded new models that would be the dream. I seems dumb that you have to spend another 5 grand just to make them look good though (the new model).
I am getting ready to sell my 2012 sedan 6spd. If Infiniti still made a manual i would be replacing it with a red sport. I am looking at the bmw x3 m40i.
^ I have an S2K now and I love it but it could never be a replacement. It only works as a secondary car. Mainly because there is just no space in it. I have a hard time even using it to go the post office to drop off some packages.
I had an s2k for about a year. Awesome car but definitely not a daily driver.
@4DRZ Were I in the market for a reasonable but fun car, at a lower performance level than the G, the WRX would not be a bad choice. The looks are tamed down from the bad old days, the suspension is civilized but sharp enough for 99% of folks, and the few quirks the car exhibited are relatively easily modified by solid aftermarket choices. I've known Trey Cobb since he was slinging RX-7 parts 2 decades ago and he makes/has made really good stuff - and this is his groove.
I think I was expecting the WRX to feel like an STI, and they are NOT the same car. I also come from the dichotomy of driving a super competent but numb company car and a performance sedan - I think allowing for drivetrain loss the G is near 360 flywheel, and of course RWD.
The shifter flop was between gears - and the throw is pretty long - so the Cobb kit doesn't apparently change the lever length, just tightens it up. Swaybars and sticky tires would bring handling to where I'd want them without needing a mouth-guard on crappy roads, and a Stage 1ish increase would deal with the power - which is really my issue not the car's. It is still worlds quicker and more capable than most cars on the market. I didn't get a chance to try to drift it, but it never stepped out on me at all despite some midlevel hoonage. I can't drive like I'd want in Delaware anyway - 4 lane highways have speed limits of 35 and the way I normally drive would put me right past 'cop magnet' into 'call the national guard' territory. Ah, the days of drag racing on the ocean city boardwalk in the dead of winter are long gone (and the statute of limitations is up as well).
You hit the nail on the head for the WRX as a daily driver. Ironically, I had our company's last '21 WRX on order because I did not like the new generation and the same store took in on trade the '18 STI Type RA I ended up getting a few weeks before the ordered car arrived. I love the car and really thought I was going to get back into track days, but it just didn't happen. Now I am struggling to find a competent replacement that is not amped up to 11 all the time. I never knew Trey personally, but I have been tuning Subarus since '98 and was probably one of his first Accessport customers.
Originally Posted by 12g37sedanmt
No manual in a sports car... You dont get my business.
The Q50 has such a great motor and really had the potential to be something great. The car still looks great and maybe with the new Nissan Z coming out, it will finally get a manual. Wishful thinking.
@Lego_Maniac When you mentioned the tires breaking loose everywhere when you drove a GTI were you talking about the new GTI or an MKVII?
Today I took our '23 Autobahn GTI 6 spd. on a much longer test drive to get a feel for real world mpg, see if the infotainment is really as bad as every review claims, and to test out ride quality, steering feel, and handling at the limit. Long story short- Wow! This MKVIII is a LOT of car for the money and is probably unmatched as far as versatility and fun to drive go in a new car.
(Lots of car ideas to follow so read as much as you dare. You may want to pour yourself a drink before diving in. lol.)
The mileage absolutely shocked me. It gets about 10 mpg better than my STI on my daily commute, almost identical to my wife's '21 Sentra that has about 100 less hp. Even more surprising is that it still has all the power and does not even require premium fuel. This would easily cut my fuel costs by more than half. Yes I can afford to put gas in my car, but I still cringe all summer having to pay nearly double to fill up my car versus my wife's Sentra that is the same size.
The other complaint I have with my STI Type RA is the ride. Yes it is excellent at the limit and the steering is nearly telepathic. However, I no longer get as many opportunities to drive like that. The adaptive suspension on the GTI is amazing in that it can completely smoothen out a road with the touch of a button. I wish it was via a steering wheel button like the Golf R, but still pretty simple. The most surprising part is that the handling at the limit is almost as good as my car which is amazing since I drive a laser focused AWD rally rocket. Even more amazing is that this was on summer tires in 25 degree weather. It would probably be even closer in warmer weather. Entering roundabouts at a relatively high rate of speed also made me realize that heel and toe downshifting is actually decent in the heat of the moment. The clutch take up is good and the shifter throws are excellent for stock. I almost forgot to mention the brakes. They are excellent and stop the car much faster than I was anticipating, maybe because it is only 3,100 lbs.
So the large improvements in mpg, ride quality, and cost have certainly got me thinking seriously about a new GTI 40th anniversary. Sure it would not be as fun in the snow or at the absolute limit as my car, but it is honestly about 95% as fun as my car to drive around town because the limits are achieved easier. It is also a bit more liveable on my commute because the clutch and shifter are more forgiving and it actually feels snappier because more torque is available at a lower rpm. I was a bit surprised by all of this.
Now what about the "awful" infotainment? I agree that buttons did not need reinventing, but not once did I hit a steering wheel button I did not intend to. I think all the menus could have been simplified as it takes a bit to set everything up the way that you want. It is similar to getting a new phone. Yes, you could set everything up in the parking lot while your significant other runs into the store, but should we need that much time to enjoy driving? Probably not. The only issues I had were with the wireless apple car play only playing one of the many songs on my phone and XM radio hardly working at all. The apple car play might have to do with a random issue with my phone because it did something similar on my car until I closed the ap, but I could not get XM radio to work reliably at all. I tried shutting the car off multiple times. If I got a 40th anniversary GTI it would probably not have XM radio, but I am going to take another look at that tomorrow.
So basically a new GTI is all I really need. It would save a lot of money, still be fun to drive, and even give me the versatility of the hatchback. I am still seriously considering a Golf R for the AWD, extra power, carbon fiber interior trim, and yes, even that stupid button on the steering wheel to change drive modes much more quickly. Trying to justify the extra $15,000 is more difficult.
Here are some other cars I have been giving serious thought to lately if anyone wants to chime in.
Audi S4- Amazing massaging seats with suede inserts and adjustable side bolsters, nearly magic rear differential, beautiful carbon interior trim, great understated styling, excellent stereo and ride, a sweet sounding turbo V6 that also makes it nearly the easiest car in the world to add about 250 lb/ft. of power to. I just hate that it is only available as A/T. Audi S3- Basically a Golf R with sedan styling and the DSG might be fun, but it is not a manual and the Golf R is cheaper. Infiniti Q50 Red Sport- Still looks great for how old it is, excellent engine, RWD based AWD system, great stereo, excellent brakes. Still no stick shift option.
And finally, the oddball Nissan Leaf S- This car I might just buy to keep until an ordered GTI 40th anniversary or Golf R 20th shows up late next year. I keep thinking of this car as the Nissan GTI at least in terms of a fun commuter car with hatchback practicality. The Leaf would be about $10 less than the GTI and about $25k less than the Golf R and cost me nothing in fuel or oil changes. I had one 10 years ago and loved it. Now the range is doubled, it is faster, cheaper, has a near 50/50 weight balance and a low center of gravity with the battery pack under the floor. I might be the only person in the world that thinks this would be a fun car to put some wide sticky tires on to fling around roundabouts. However, I doubt it is entertaining enough to keep long term. The last Leaf I had I did manage to keep the full 2 years of the lease, but 6 months into it I picked up an E46 M3.
And if you read all that, congratulations! You deserve a pat on the back. Now I would love to know what the best group of auto enthusiasts on the internet have to say about these vehicles.
@Lego_Maniac When you mentioned the tires breaking loose everywhere when you drove a GTI were you talking about the new GTI or an MKVII?
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I drove the MK7.5 autobahn. If it was 25*, on summer tires, I'm kind of shocked you didn't get wheelspin. At wide open throttle in 1st gear it was easy to get the tires loose--easier than my G37 with 275 PSS. Maybe I drive like an a&& lol. Probably not reason enough to dismiss a car if it checks out all the right boxes, and I'm sure the MK8 is an improvement on the MQB chassis.
I heavily shopped the STI before getting my R, and you pretty much summed it up--95%+ of the performance, significantly better fuel economy, the adaptive suspension is awesome, and it has an entry level Audi interior. Not to discount the STI--the shifter was better, and the hardware (Brembos, 3 diffs, hydraulic steering, etc) sure is good for bragging rights and street cred, but not much actual benefit for the type of driving i realistically do.
A lot of people say you can live/get used to the new infotainment system. I'm of the mindset you shouldn't have to. Rumor on the VW forum is the R (and RS3) are in really short supply because the rear diff was made in Russia, and VW is moving production to Latvia, so you might be waiting a hot minute for an R. Might just be rumor, but folks that want a R are having a hard time connecting with one.
As for your other choices? S5 for the hatchback. One of my top choices for my wifes next car. Can't imagine choosing the Q50 over S4/5,
If you're willing to go FWD what about the Hyundai Elantra N? New Civic Type R? Integra? Willing to go auto and want to save money? A4 with a stage 1 tune lol.
Here are my thoughts on some of those cars and some others I had been thinking about: Audi S4 - Good styling, good size car and practical. Easily tunable. Interior is nice. I do hate the big fake vent going across the dashboard however, and all the gloss black trim. I would have probably ended up with this car. I do prefer B8.5 styling to B9. Only real downside is the price once you add all the options. Audi S3 - Looks pretty good, I like the car overall. The interior feels a bit cheap but the biggest issue for me is it's just too small. Golf R MK7.5 - I like it, more interior space than the S3. interior quality felt nicer as well. I don't like hatch styling in general though. Pre-covid I was looking into these though, since they were kind of cheap. Infiniti Q50 Red Sport - I was never a big fan of the styling, but the 2018 facelift looks considerably better. After a friend of mine got a Q50 and I drove it a bit I changed my mind on this car, I didn't want one after that. The transmission is terrible, the dual screen infotainment is slow, outdated and crashes and overall nothing felt like an upgrade over my G. Genesis G70 - I liked the first generation, interior was pretty nice and features were good overall. It seemed to have good specs on paper, never got around to driving it but I did sit in one. The facelift is considerably uglier. Kia Stinger - I really liked it, comfy and good features, same drivetrain as the G70. Comes with big brakes. I just can't get over the fact it says KIA on it. WRX - I drove the 2021 WRX and it's..... fine. It's not that fast and the rev hang is HORRIBLE (on the manual). Like REAL bad. I guess you get used to it or it can get tuned out though. Interior is alright. Feels a bit cheap. Overall the entire car did not feel like an upgrade over the G.
So yeah, overall conclusion is I would have probably ended up with a G70 or an S4 (probably s4). I still prefer a sedan but in my situation the S5 made the most sense. (It looks the best out of all of these as well)
I drove the MK7.5 autobahn. If it was 25*, on summer tires, I'm kind of shocked you didn't get wheelspin. At wide open throttle in 1st gear it was easy to get the tires loose--easier than my G37 with 275 PSS. Maybe I drive like an a&& lol. Probably not reason enough to dismiss a car if it checks out all the right boxes, and I'm sure the MK8 is an improvement on the MQB chassis.
I heavily shopped the STI before getting my R, and you pretty much summed it up--95%+ of the performance, significantly better fuel economy, the adaptive suspension is awesome, and it has an entry level Audi interior. Not to discount the STI--the shifter was better, and the hardware (Brembos, 3 diffs, hydraulic steering, etc) sure is good for bragging rights and street cred, but not much actual benefit for the type of driving i realistically do.
A lot of people say you can live/get used to the new infotainment system. I'm of the mindset you shouldn't have to. Rumor on the VW forum is the R (and RS3) are in really short supply because the rear diff was made in Russia, and VW is moving production to Latvia, so you might be waiting a hot minute for an R. Might just be rumor, but folks that want a R are having a hard time connecting with one.
As for your other choices? S5 for the hatchback. One of my top choices for my wifes next car. Can't imagine choosing the Q50 over S4/5,
If you're willing to go FWD what about the Hyundai Elantra N? New Civic Type R? Integra? Willing to go auto and want to save money? A4 with a stage 1 tune lol.
Thanks for all the input. I knew I could count on you for some good VW info. If I dropped the clutch from a start on the GTI I could get some wheelspin, but I think the MK8 is a lot better than the previous generation in terms of grip. VW claims they "eliminated" understeer. Not true, but it is significantly better. Of course you were more easily able to get wheelspin on a FWD car with significantly narrower tires with less grip than your G37. I'm sure you figured that out.
The STI would have been an awesome track toy and is a pretty good daily driver and I feel like the GTI completely reverses that which is a better fit for me now. The GTI is a much better daily driver and it could probably even be mildly entertaining at a track day. The brake feel and stopping power really surprised me.
The infotainment system really is not that bad. In fact I prefer the haptic touch buttons for volume as you can change it much quicker or just go one click at a time like my current car. I would have preferred a few more actual buttons, but no car is perfect. Good to know about the Golf R rear diff. situation. I am really struggling to justify the huge price difference compared to a GTI. Part of this is due to the fact I do not get an employee discount on the Golf R like I do on the GTI.
I have considered the Elantra N, but it is a better track car than street car. The interior is extremely cheap, the "Bose" stereo is awful, and rear seats do not fold down. Great performance though. I did consider the Type R, but I hate the red seats, red carpet, and big spoiler. For that money I would rather have the Golf R. I should probably start acting my age and get something at least a little bit more "grown up." lol
Originally Posted by iCrap
Here are my thoughts on some of those cars and some others I had been thinking about: Audi S4 - Good styling, good size car and practical. Easily tunable. Interior is nice. I do hate the big fake vent going across the dashboard however, and all the gloss black trim. I would have probably ended up with this car. I do prefer B8.5 styling to B9. Only real downside is the price once you add all the options. Audi S3 - Looks pretty good, I like the car overall. The interior feels a bit cheap but the biggest issue for me is it's just too small. Golf R MK7.5 - I like it, more interior space than the S3. interior quality felt nicer as well. I don't like hatch styling in general though. Pre-covid I was looking into these though, since they were kind of cheap. Infiniti Q50 Red Sport - I was never a big fan of the styling, but the 2018 facelift looks considerably better. After a friend of mine got a Q50 and I drove it a bit I changed my mind on this car, I didn't want one after that. The transmission is terrible, the dual screen infotainment is slow, outdated and crashes and overall nothing felt like an upgrade over my G. Genesis G70 - I liked the first generation, interior was pretty nice and features were good overall. It seemed to have good specs on paper, never got around to driving it but I did sit in one. The facelift is considerably uglier. Kia Stinger - I really liked it, comfy and good features, same drivetrain as the G70. Comes with big brakes. I just can't get over the fact it says KIA on it. WRX - I drove the 2021 WRX and it's..... fine. It's not that fast and the rev hang is HORRIBLE (on the manual). Like REAL bad. I guess you get used to it or it can get tuned out though. Interior is alright. Feels a bit cheap. Overall the entire car did not feel like an upgrade over the G.
So yeah, overall conclusion is I would have probably ended up with a G70 or an S4 (probably s4). I still prefer a sedan but in my situation the S5 made the most sense. (It looks the best out of all of these as well)
I agree with everything you said here. Pretty much dead on with my thoughts. Thanks for the input.
So let me throw a new twist at you guys. I am considering the pearl white GTI Autobahn we have here now mainly because it has all the features of the Golf R (except AWD) and surprisingly has cloth seats (which I prefer) due to shortages. This includes a $1,225 credit and I get a substantial employee discount on this car to the point that it would be almost $12,000 less than a Golf R but about $4,500 more than waiting for a 40th anniversary with a lot less equipment.
I was originally not considering pearl white again (similar color to my G37), but I do like how the red accents seem to pop more on this color than a red GTI. Looks like I could also wait and order a white 40th anniversary too. Then again the Tornado Red which is exclusive to the 40th anniversary looks sharp too. It's a tough call because there are no features I need on the Autobahn, but many that are nice. The Harman Kardon stereo is pretty good, but if someone finally makes an adapter for this new GTI (which I'm sure will happen eventually) I am sure I could upgrade the stock stereo to sound even better.
If you can get over the KIA emblem, the Stinger is a good in the middle option for price/performance/size. I was looking and couldn't find a decently low priced/low mileage at the time $30-35k range. I'm not sure how much more performance (bolt-ons) you could squeeze out of an S4/S5 over the Stinger to be honest. I traded in my 13 G37 Sedan for a 19' Q50 3.0t Luxe and am satisfied with the purchase. I think the transmission is a little snappier than the G37, but not great like you mentioned. I purchased a JB4 for it, curious to see how daily drivability will be affected. The S5 does look real sharp!
The replacement for my G may come sooner than I thought, I may buy a 2016 Audi S5 from a family member (for really cheap). Only 44k miles, it mostly sits these days. My only concern with a german car like that is really the reliability, but from my research it seems like the B8.5's are fairly reliable. Also, 440hp with basic mods and a tune sounds fun.
The car in question:
Thoughts? kind of makes sense to me
iCrap, you've started a thought that has been festering in my brain for some time now. Although my new job comes with a company car so I'm in no great hurry to sell the G or purchase another car, I've been looking and kicking the tires on the Audi RS 5 and have to say its very intriguing. Very comfortable and while not an autocross car it still holds its own. A blast to drive and very stable in heavy rain and whatever snow we get in the foothills of California. The price new is on par with the Cadillac CT-4 Blackwing (CT-5 Blackwing has become ridiculously expensive and is just more car than I want to deal with).
Its early in the game but honestly the Audi feels a bit more comfy to me than the Cadillac
iCrap, you've started a thought that has been festering in my brain for some time now. Although my new job comes with a company car so I'm in no great hurry to sell the G or purchase another car, I've been looking and kicking the tires on the Audi RS 5 and have to say its very intriguing. Very comfortable and while not an autocross car it still holds its own. A blast to drive and very stable in heavy rain and whatever snow we get in the foothills of California. The price new is on par with the Cadillac CT-4 Blackwing (CT-5 Blackwing has become ridiculously expensive and is just more car than I want to deal with).
Its early in the game but honestly the Audi feels a bit more comfy to me than the Cadillac
If you like the performance of the RS5 take a serious look at APR's E85 tune for the S5. Significantly more power than the RS5 and you can get suede inserts in your seats so you don't sweat all summer and freeze all winter.
The CT4-V Blackwing is in a completely different performance category than both cars and available with a stick shift. It is an amazing piece of engineering and almost 10 seconds a lap faster than the RS5 at Lightning Lap- Car and Driver's annual hot laps at VIR. (Cadillac actually got the CT4-V Blackwing to over 10 seconds a lap faster than the RS5 with their own driver.)
11-28-2022, 03:03 PM
