ok, all my car shopping and debating and wrangling and thinking and bitching and moaning and test drive has boiled down to TWO contenders.

Let me tell you about the requirements i had.

1) the car has to be able to CARRY a bicycle- as in, bike fits inside the car.
2) the car has to be reliable- i'll have it for 8 or more years and more than 100,000 miles from purchase. So reliability is a must; resale value is relatively unimportatn.
3) It must be relatively fun to drive- by this i don't mean "evo", i mean "spirited." See below
4) It MUST be a manual transmission. Because, let's face it, having an automatic basically means you have no penis.
5) In addition to being reliable, it has to be unique. This is what crossed the RSX, Celica, tC, et all off my list- they were boring Japanese sewing machines that you forget what you just drove after you get out of it. I have to think the car has some positive character to it
6) it has to be safe- since i pretty much drive like an asshole
7) It has to be relatively capable in bad weather- so no mustangs/camaros etc. :-P
8) i just generally have to like it.


so, this has left me with TWO choices.

#1 is the new-style VW Jetta manual, in value edition. It's a beautifully detailed saloon with folding rear seats, high-quality appointments, six(!) airbags, and a lot of standard stuff. It's got a sweet, uber-torquey inline five that's a mite short on horsepower but still lots of fun to shoot through slow corners with (torque is FUN!!!), a nearly perfectly judged suspension (smothers the road but has minimal body roll... very german.) Interior is very well thought out and well constructed, exterior is quiet but attractive, has a unique and power and efficient engine... it's very "b00st". Price: $18,800

#2 is a bit less main-stream: the Saab 9-2x Linear. In layman's terms, it's a Subaru Impreza 2.5RS with a bunch of things fixed. Number one being that ugly post-facelift front end! The saab is gorgeous from the front. It's really an attractive vehicle with the styling changes. The interior is also totally badass. With the "premium package", you get leather seats, a 260-watt stereo and 6 disc changer, xenon lights(!), and some other stuff- and the cold weather package nets you heated seats, mirrors, and windshield washer nozzles. I'd stick with both of those- and the price would be $19,400. But wait, you say- that's only $500 more than a stripped Impreza 2.5RS sportwagon! well, Saab has an absolute SHITLOAD of discounts on the 9-2x now.


now, for some obvious questions- no, i'm not getting the Aero, even though it'd be about the same price stripped as a well equipped linear. I'm headed off to college, and frankly murderous insurance and 20/25mpg on premium gas is not what i had in mind.

pictures below:





*note: aero model shown. To visual aero, subtract 17" alloys and replace with 16" five-spokers, subtract hood scoop, and subtract silly top-mount intercooler from underhood view*





*note- i WOULD be getting those alloys in 17" at some point... the value edition's steel wheels are just too gay to show pictures of. but i woudln't get the retarded clear tails *

WRX!!!! (i choose a saab, jimmay)

Even though I love the Jetta, I think you would be better off with the Saab.

it's not a fucking WRx, it's a pimped out 2.5RS! RTFTA!

Saab

natural aspiration is the way to go, jimmay.


^^ el senor boostie ^^

j....j....j.... JIMMAAAAE!

the saab is so good looking, I saw the first one today at dunkin donuts!

SAAB!

who voted VW?

The Saab, by far. It really seems to be the best bang for the buck.

Don't get the Jetta, it's built in Mexico or Brazil.

thank you, thank you... keep 'em comin guys

final point of assembly: Brazil

major source of parts content: 34% german, 20% mexican. Transmission hungary, engine mexico.

it's a world car :-P

god that SAAB is so ugly, that I can't stop looking at it, man I so want an oldschool 900 now, thanks to your stupid thread

oh and dont get the coro ...err JEtta

I would go with the Saab. The Jetta looks a bit bland to me.

Saab, much more of a classy car that has practicality at the same time.

I think the Saab would be better, and I personally find the new Jetta to be hideous looking.

Just get the saab already james.

You already fuxored a 9-2 so buy that car now, it's obviously your fate.

well that was useful.

Saab because I wouldn't go with VW, just look at statistics and reports, they aren't exactly on the high reliability lists!

and every new v-dubb is uglee

1) Its called a Saabaru 9-2x.

2) Getting a linear when you can have the Aero for the same price basically means you have no penis.

Trust me, the cold weather package isnt that special. Most of the features you will use once a year and I can guarantee you will be kicking yourself for not getting turbo down the road.

please read above. I'm not interested in paying for 93 octane gas at a rate of probably 18mpg the way i drive- it's expensive running my volvo at 18mpg on regular, i don't want to be doing that on premium.

plus, insurance murders me. I'll get something fast the next car i buy, whenever.

and thats what hte plate will say- "SAABARU"

Saab definitely, even the Linear version is pretty quick. I can understand why you won't get it, but I think the Aero version is one of the best performance bargians around, it's practical, stylish (compared to the Impreza, at least), and, most importantly, fast.

Yeah, skip the turbo. With all of the aftermarket parts for impreza's, you can make it faster without needing 93 fuel.

i think the answer is clear.

although.. i wouldn't get the Saab.. i'd get the normal Subaru and save a couple thousand. You're just paying for the Saab name anyways.

actually, i'm not paying any extra for hte saab. In fact, i'm paying less- because before tax/tags and all that shit, the Saab is $18,700. a stripped 2.5RS wagon is $18,800. With the saab i get good looks, xenon lights, leather seats, 260 watt stereo w/6 speakers (vs 80 watts and 4), 6 disc changer (vs single disc in dash), heated seats, fog lamps, and i think that's it. But i mean, functionally it's still a fun-to-drive Impreza but now with luxury stuff. These rebates means that a wickedly overpriced $26,810 car is suddenly a quite nice $19,500 car (plus tax it's a touch under 21.)

Saabz0r is ma choice.

At first I was put off by the Saabaru as it was clearly a marketing scheme by GM to fill out the Saab line in a hurry, but then i heard they had made it better than the Subaru (suspension tuning mostly?). My understanding is that the base Impreza does not have the same interior as the Saabaru - the Saabaru has the WRX interior which is much nicer (and leather is even better). So if you get more/better car for the money then branding issues are irrelevant. These purchasing incentives , are they applicable in Canada?

As for turbo, I am sadly with you on the gas/insurance calculation... I read all these British car mags about B roads and then commute on a crystaline highway with precisely ONE fast turn before I get to work.

As for VW, their interiors were the best but now look average and the outside is a barge sided Toyota 5 Series.

Faster than what?

ok doke, decision made. I'm not telling you which one, but pictures will be up hopefull tomorrow night.

it best be the saab for your sake! i mean come on, your avatar is saab! none of this low-end jetta business. keep up the scandanavian trend where your volvo left off!

9-2x... built in japan...

food for thought!

pictures tomorrow hopefully

Swing the new car over to my house when you get it James! I want to check it out. ( I have a hunch on what it maybe)

in that case i would take the volkswagen, i´m not a fan of volkswagen, but its even better to drive the new jetta than a subaru with a saab symbol an front!