03-17-2014, 12:21 AM
So we finally went test driving!
First to Audi. CPO A4 Avant. Lovely car in every way. Could use a bit more juice, but it'd do.
Next to VW. New TDI Sportwagen. Quicker than I was expecting. Comfy. Basically the same damned car as the GTI. Problem with that is she doesn't fit in the driver's seat or something. I don't know. I'm not going to try to know. Not the car for us. Also looked at the Tiguan, but that had 0 more cargo space (okay, maybe like ~10 square inches) than the GTI. What's the point?
Then to Subaru. Crosstrek and Outback both have absolute garbage interiors. They drove alright and the Crosstrek wasn't quite as scary slow as the reviews say it is, but still a little scary slow; a Nissan Versa pulled away from me while I was flooring it as we merged onto the highway. Did I mention 1994 Sentra plastics yet? Not only in the Crosstrek, but also the $32k Outback? The Crosstrek also had this "premium" stereo system that looked like it was running a 1997 build of Redhat, which featured three dozen font types, sizes, and weights. It was painful to even look at. Took a look at a nicely equipped used Forester XT too and it was actually pretty nice, but had just been sold so no test drive.
So the A4 was the pretty clear winner, but we owe it to ourselves to hop in an XT before we make the move. We weren't big on the color of the A4 anyway so we may have some time on our hands.
Favorite moments from test drives were both Audi and Subaru salesmen having us bomb into corners and explaining how great the all-wheel drive was. Le sigh.
Another gem was the Subaru guy telling us to park in the handicap spot because handicapped people don't buy Subarus because they aren't outdoorsy.
The VW guy was annoying as hell (do all salesmen tell dry jokes the entire time they're selling to you? They all did today, but this guy was the worst). Tell me how we'll never have an AWD Jetta (I think VW announced it for next year already?), the Passat wagon will never come back, and how awesome his 2004? VR6 GTI w/ big turbo and roll cage is for getting to work fast. No, he had never been on track and had no plans to.
A mind numbing day, but productive.
First to Audi. CPO A4 Avant. Lovely car in every way. Could use a bit more juice, but it'd do.
Next to VW. New TDI Sportwagen. Quicker than I was expecting. Comfy. Basically the same damned car as the GTI. Problem with that is she doesn't fit in the driver's seat or something. I don't know. I'm not going to try to know. Not the car for us. Also looked at the Tiguan, but that had 0 more cargo space (okay, maybe like ~10 square inches) than the GTI. What's the point?
Then to Subaru. Crosstrek and Outback both have absolute garbage interiors. They drove alright and the Crosstrek wasn't quite as scary slow as the reviews say it is, but still a little scary slow; a Nissan Versa pulled away from me while I was flooring it as we merged onto the highway. Did I mention 1994 Sentra plastics yet? Not only in the Crosstrek, but also the $32k Outback? The Crosstrek also had this "premium" stereo system that looked like it was running a 1997 build of Redhat, which featured three dozen font types, sizes, and weights. It was painful to even look at. Took a look at a nicely equipped used Forester XT too and it was actually pretty nice, but had just been sold so no test drive.
So the A4 was the pretty clear winner, but we owe it to ourselves to hop in an XT before we make the move. We weren't big on the color of the A4 anyway so we may have some time on our hands.
Favorite moments from test drives were both Audi and Subaru salesmen having us bomb into corners and explaining how great the all-wheel drive was. Le sigh.
Another gem was the Subaru guy telling us to park in the handicap spot because handicapped people don't buy Subarus because they aren't outdoorsy.
The VW guy was annoying as hell (do all salesmen tell dry jokes the entire time they're selling to you? They all did today, but this guy was the worst). Tell me how we'll never have an AWD Jetta (I think VW announced it for next year already?), the Passat wagon will never come back, and how awesome his 2004? VR6 GTI w/ big turbo and roll cage is for getting to work fast. No, he had never been on track and had no plans to.
A mind numbing day, but productive.
I Am Mike
4 wheels: '01 RAV4 (Formerly '93 Civic CX, '01 S2000, '10 GTI, '09 A4 Avant)
2 wheels: '12 Surly Cross-Check Custom | '14 Trek Madone 2.1 105 | '17 Norco Threshold SL Force 1 | '17 Norco Revolver 9.2 FS | '18 BMC Roadmachine 02 Two | '19 Norco Search XR Steel (Formerly '97 Honda VFR750F, '05 Giant TCR 2, '15 WeThePeople Atlas 24, '10 Scott Scale 29er XT, '11 Cervelo R3 Rival, '12 Ridley X-Fire Red)
No longer onyachin.
4 wheels: '01 RAV4 (Formerly '93 Civic CX, '01 S2000, '10 GTI, '09 A4 Avant)
2 wheels: '12 Surly Cross-Check Custom | '14 Trek Madone 2.1 105 | '17 Norco Threshold SL Force 1 | '17 Norco Revolver 9.2 FS | '18 BMC Roadmachine 02 Two | '19 Norco Search XR Steel (Formerly '97 Honda VFR750F, '05 Giant TCR 2, '15 WeThePeople Atlas 24, '10 Scott Scale 29er XT, '11 Cervelo R3 Rival, '12 Ridley X-Fire Red)
No longer onyachin.