Car for the girlfriend: GTI vs WRX
 

My girlfriend bought her current car (92 Acura Legend) 4 years ago for $1,000 and its starting to behave like its not entirely healthy anymore. Obviously at that price range, serious repairs aren't going to be worth it.

Shes not entirely car savvy so shes going off of my recommendations. We've figured that we're looking in the $15-20k range. It has to get better gas mileage then the 17/22 her Acura gets(shouldn't be difficult), and she wants a hatchback. It also has to be something that I wouldn't mind driving or be too much of an insurance gouge.

Also her parent's live about 2 hours away in the high desert of Klamath Falls, where there is still snow on the side of the road in some places right now. This is why i suggested the WRX.

So as the title states i've narrowed the finalists down to a MK5/MK6 GTI or a 2007+ WRX hatchback(non STI). I personally have a little experience with both VW and subbie, my brother owns an 09 STI, my father has an 09 Jetta TDI, and I've test drove an 08 R32.

GTI - PROS:
Good MPG 22/29
DGS (Shes not %100 comfortable with manuals)
Cheaper insurance
Nicer interior
More mature

CONS:
Not as "sporty looking" her words not mine
FWD(only matters for visiting parents in winter really)

WRX - PROS:
AWD
More POWWWWAAA(that goes in my pros list, maybe not hers lol)
Boxer rumble
Slightly more interior space
Looks "more sporty" hood scoop/wing etc.
More outspoken(?), for lack of a better term. Could be a + or -

CONS:
Not as good of MPG 18/25
No dual clutch option(i refuse to get an auto WRX)
Only available in hatchback form as 4 doors (she's leaning towards the 2 door GTI)
Used WRX's usually tend to be more abused.


Obviously i could toss this thread around on someplace like the VW vortex but I would think it would get a pretty bias response, so i'm throwing it out to you all.

What one would you pick and why? For you personally or if you were a 22 year old woman.

Any horror stories from either choice?

Any love stories from either choice?

SOUND OFF BELOW

The mk6 GTI with DSG is actually rated higher than that by EPA: 24/33 mpg.

I've got a 2011 GTI 4-door. Ever since I bought my FR-S, my fiancee hijacked my GTI. She loves it. The interior is upscale, it comes with nice features she likes (steerable HIDs, nav, BT, moonroof, plaid seats), and it's quiet on the highway. The suspension tuning is typical German-firm, but there's a good amount of body roll and obviously it doesn't handle anything like an FR-S. The engine's got pick-up down low (full torque at 1800 rpm), but you will get wheelspin from the front wheels. The rear seats on the GTI are surprisingly large, but the cargo area is small unless you fold the seats down. As is typical with German cars, GTI's have some minor issues to watch out for -- creaky door seals, carbon build up, DSG mechatronics, etc., but overall, it's a solid, sporty daily driver.

My fiancee likes the GTI a lot (much better than my STI hatch, which she hated), but every girl is different obviously. We're planning to keep our's until we need something bigger.

This is her getting a speeding ticket in our GTI. She's become a bit of a speeder since driving it lol:

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8337/8...360e71c2_z.jpg

Thanks for the input. I remember reading something about the DSG issues back when i was considering an R32. How common is it for them to misbehave, and how much are they to fix?

On the mk6's, mechatronics issues were very rare.

http://www.golfmk6.com/forums/showthread.php?t=14811

I believe it was more of an issue on the mk5's. It's an expensive part to fix (couple thousand to replace), but should be covered by the 5yr / 60k powertrain warranty. When you go for a test-drive, make sure to pay attention to the transmission in 1st. If the car hesitates moving from a stop, then you hear a loud bang and feel like you got rear-ended, you know the mechatronics unit is going bad.

I would think the mention of insurance would mark the WRX right out since it has a reputation for being owned by... unsavory hooligan sorts. I don't know how the GTI compares for insurance.
As much as i don't like dubs i would say the GTI is probably better overall for her if she isn't completely comfortable with manual (that changes as you start driving it every day but i don't know how much against manual she is) and she gets better mpgs. The WRX would be my personal choice except i wouldn't really want one of those late model hatchbacks, at least until the recent face lift (they are just blobtasticly dreadful looking in my eyes).

I know I'm a bit of a mazda fanboy, but have you considered a mazda 3 or even a hatch 6? I always love driving my dad's 04 m3. The steering is just so nice and the shifting is crisp. I'm actually looking into selling my dd civic for one it's that good. The civic is just so boring that i'll gladly take the hit in fuel economy. Plus i want to get a hatchback like you guys because there have been so many times i've wished i had one when i have large odd shaped cargo.

If either of those aren't racy enough for you then there is always the option of looking for a mazdaspeed 3 or late model speed6 (unfortunately the speed6 isn't a hatch though). The speed3 is the direct rival of the GTI anyway so it's a great car to consider at the very least if your into the GTI. At the very least i would go looking for one of each to test drive and see how you like them. I would love to get a speed3 or speed6 as a daily but they are just a little too far out of my price range at the moment. They both also tick very much the same boxes you are looking for. Still more economical than her old legend, practical, and all the speed3's are hatch. I would also think the mazdas have better insurance rates than at least the WRX since it's not as mainstream and you don't have as many ken block wannabes in mazdas ruining the rates.

I'd also consider a Mazda3 hatch. My fiancé has a '13 Mazda3 Skyactiv sedan and loves it. You should be able to get a brand new one for under $20K. They're surprisingly fun to drive for a FWD car, have a great 6sp AT transmission. More torque than an 86, great mileage, etc...


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She doesn't much care for the front end of the MS3 and the MS6 gets pretty terrible mileage(17/23), plus they are hard to find, let alone at a reasonable price. She doesn't mind the looks of the new Focus ST, but the few used ones i've found have still been too expensive.

Both are cool cars but personal experience and statistics show that VWs are maintenance nightmares. Go for the WRX.

The front grill is pretty polarizing. I've found it kind of grows on you though. After looking at a couple i suddenly realized, "why DON'T we have more cars that are this happy!?". I know though that I'm just that kind of person and a grinning car fits my personality and feel more people should lighten up and not give a f***. So haters be damned!

Edit: If you're not that bothered about power, i have heard the non turbo focus with manual is also a great car to drive and is something to consider. As long as you stay away from the horrible dual clutch automatic.

My sis recently got a 2012 GTI.
It was her choice after driving several cars (focus, veloster, mazda3, civic si)
It came down to the SI and the GTI and she liked the GTI better.

She wanted an STI but it was too expensive (well she changed her pricing budget a couple times since lol) and it only came in a manual transmission. Plus from what I understand one does not simply jump into an STI from say a Hyundai Elantra (her old car). Because its that much more hardcore.

Mazdaspeed3 FTW!

Sent from my yotaru

instead of the WRX you can always get the Impreza Wagon(Better Gas mileage!! :})??? lol and jsut throw on the WRX lip/hood/wing on there LOL :thumbup:

Ive thought about that, but it drives me nuts when you see a car that is a "fake" like the guys that drive around with an STI wing on a bug eyed WRX(There were NO REAL bugeyed STI's in the states). Just not our style I guess. Plus for the price of all the styling changes (WRX vs impreza) you'd be close to the price of just getting a WRX anyways. Plus our room mate has an 04 base impreza and her EXACT reaction to it, when i asked, was....."Mehhh".

well as an avid car guy with an unbiased opinion i would say the GTI would be my pick. I am not a VW fan but the GTI is well known as a great car. It is quick enough to not be slow, has that great interior (especially with the plaid seats), has good handling characteristics, gets better millage out of the 2 and is known to be pretty reliable. I think for a DD for a girl that isn't going to be looking for performance numbers its the obvious choice. With the right set of tires you should never have a problem in the snow and really it is a reasonably sporty looking car in comparison to a wrx. only real difference is the hood scoop. If it was me buying for my gf the GTI would be the winner.

To me, the GTI shines in being versatile.

- It's got a nice interior, is comfortable/quiet, and gets good gas mileage, so it makes a great DD.
- It's sporty enough to be fun on backroads or on the track/autocross.
- It's practical, so it can comfortably haul 3 friends or a mountain bike or luggage.

I haven't seen many cars that are as good all-around, for the price.

I liked my MKV GTI quite a bit for the couple years I owned it. It was due for a DSG fluid change I think at 40k, had just hit 30k, so I asked about it. They said they wanted 350 bucks to do it, lol. Best thing you can do though is have her test drive both and get what she likes the most. Expect the WRX to be a good bit more in insurance cost.

Lastly, and this might come across a little harsh, but it's her car. If she wants an automatic, get an automatic. I promise you'll live even if you had to get over yourself and drive an automatic WRX. You already have your toy, let her be confident and happy with what she owns.

I think you're placing too much importance on power and handling when it sounds like your GF is more interested in looks and practicality.

For the same money as a WRX, she'd get a much newer NA Impreza with lots of factory warranty. I wouldn't touch an out of warranty DSG GTi, nor any other out of warranty VW for that matter.

Take it from an old bloke, even if she finishes up with a pink convertible covered in flower stickers ... if she likes it and you helped her get it, you'll be happy too.

I'm with coyote on this one - let her get what she wants. It sounds like you're letting your bias towards sporty, powerful cars show up a bit too much in the choices. If she's OK driving a '92 Acura, she probably doesn't need a sports car, and if gas mileage is important to her, your choices (especially the wrx) aren't really the greatest. It also doesn't sound like you've done much research into the choices either - you mention that you refuse to get an auto WRX for example (the WRX only comes in stick). Figure out what her priorities are (not yours), and then make your choice accordingly. The goal here should be to find something that makes her happy, not something that she is willing to put up with to make you happy.

For what it's worth, between those two options, I'd lean towards the GTI (given what you said her priorities were), but I'm not entirely convinced it's the best option.

I traded in a white 11' GTI w/DSG for the BRZ. It was a GREAT car. I would completely 100% recommend one to anyone.

While power and handling are important to me, they are near the top of her list too. We went through just about every car in this price range that i could think of from Honda Accord to Toyota Tacoma.

Her mom has an Accord and she doesn't want anything that slow or "grandma looking"

Well obviously i'm bringing my bias's into this(how could i not?). But her views aren't far off of mine. She got the Acura because it was her first car and it was what she could afford at the time, it was merely a tool, a means of conveyance, now she wants something that she can have a little fun in, while still remaining slightly practical.

They actually DID make auto WRX's, although maybe not anymore SEE .

TDI Golf.

It's hard to argue with 40+mpg and torque. But hey.. warranty that sucker.

http://www.fuelly.com/car/volkswagen/golf/2012

Go test drive them all and let her get what she wants, if she allows you to be the voice of reason, then be such, if not... well then I can't help you.

GT500 IMO, it's the most practical option.

























WRX works too I guess :thumbsup:

I didn't see it here, has anyone mentioned the horrid shifter in the Subaru?

I vote for a bus pass. Womens houldn't be able to drive (being very sarcastic)

between the two though, I would go for the subie, just because it is awd and we have snow here. My wife will tell you that she cannot live w/o awd (maybe seh can, but not in the snow haha)

It has not been mentioned. The few that i've experience(09 STI and 04 WRX) felt fine to me, although i've probably got less then 100 miles of experience with them. What is so horrid about them?

The public transportation in southern Oregon is almost non existant ;).

It only snows about 3 inches(maybe) all winter long where we live, so the subbie would only really have the advantage for that 1% of the time when she/we are visiting her family. Not to mention she's survived her entire driving life in a snowy area and FWD+chains/studs without any incident. The WRX would just be an extra safety net in winter.

I found them vague, rubbery and very hard to shift in a hurry. They just don't feel at all like they belong in a sports car. Honestly, the stock shifter in my ten year old beater Neon can be shifted faster, without feeling like I have to get angry with it.

TL;DR anyone suggest a Mini?

Kartboy short shifter :)

Mini Cooper S currently occupies the #3 choice. No dealerships within an hour's drive though.

If I had a choice between those two cars and only those two cars.

WRX.

I don't care. WRX.



WRX.


Orgasmic boxer rumble.

WRX.

Look cool as fuck in that car. WRX.

Drive faster in rain. WRX.

AWD = Sexy WRX.

GTI = @ette 's fuel pump problem = Get WRX because WRX.

Ok I love my GTI. Almost don't want to get rid of it when I get my BRZ. It's practical, fun, and everything I was looking for (other than RWD). But why not check out a golf R? With the AWD? The maintainence hasn't been that bad other than my evap leak. The hatch has enough room and it can haul ass. Also, my ex had a WRX and I grew to dislike it for the same reasons I love my car. The WRX is fun and all, but I wasn't used to the much stiffer suspension and even though I have a smaller turbo, it spools fast enough to enjoy driving around the city. The DSG is awesome, but I wish I had went MT. Hope the female rant helps :\

I'd love to get an R, but they started at like 33k(?) only a year or two ago and i haven't seen one for under 28k yet, so still too expensive.

The MKV/MKVI GTI is a way better car than the WRX. It's 85% of the performance of the WRX and twice as much everything else.

Are you looking for a tuner car or a nice fast daily for your GF?

True - they did make them for the first year or two after their introduction to the US, but they didn't sell very well, so they stopped making them. As a result, I'd be hesitant to get one (the rarity doesn't bode well for repairs if something were to go wrong with the transmission, and given the market for a wrx, it probably would hurt for resale value as well). I'd still probably lean towards the GTI though - its steering feels a bit better to me, the engine feels a bit more refined and smooth (though it doesn't have as much raw power), and the interior quality is a bit nicer. The WRX is somewhat raw, and kind of loud inside (especially at idle), which is great if you like that kind of thing, but it's kind of a polarizing factor (actually, one friend of mine just got a new WRX limited sedan, and another friend just got a new GTI, so I've had the chance to experience both recently). As for the WRX shifter? It felt fine to me. My friend ordered his with the factory short shifter, and honestly, it feels better than my Cayman (but worse than a new BRZ/FRS). I haven't driven one older than about an 09 though, so I can't comment with regards to the older models.

Back to the original point though - by all means, she should get a sporty car if that's what she wants. The original question you posted didn't really make that clear though - it sounded more like you were the driving force behind the desire for sportiness.

Another car possibly worth considering (if she wants an auto) is a recent Lancer Ralliart - the recent ones come with a halfway decent double clutch setup, and the engine is quite nice.

After much discussion, research and craigslisting we found a 2004(mk4) golf GTI 1.8T. 97k miles on the clock and its very clean and unmolested. To be perfectly honest, i'm a little jealous of the low end torque compared to my FRS, but we can't have everything.

This is her second car and the first manual, shes picking it up much quicker then i expected. The day she got it, she told me "I think this is going to be the start of a long lasting affair with GTI's". I'm sure in a couple years we'll be looking for a newer mk6.

She's happy, i'm happy.

Thanks for everyones input.

Congrats man! Having a GTI and FRS is a good combination, in my experience. They complement each other well.

Thank you sir. I totally agree, FRS for fun, GTI for practicality, also fun too.

The only problem is that the tuning potential for a GTI is insane. For the 1.8t, $250 intake, $500 tune = 200hp and 240ft lbs(over 180/180). If you have a mk5 or newer with a 2.0t you start at 200/200, but the same $750 gets you 250/300 :eyebulge: The FRS may get a little neglected when we upgrade to her next car haha

Haha yeah I've been thinking about going stage 2 (downpipe + tune) on my GTI, which bumps power to 270/300. The problem at that point is FWD :(.

BTW APR is having their summer sale right now. Good time for a tune or CAI.

Oh trust me, I know haha. The turbo's got 97k miles on it though and i'd really rather not risk it, not sure how long they last. I'll probably just throw a cone filter(for sound) on and call it good.