9291150

Love the hemi, have a 390hp version of it myself, but the rest of the car is so blah - blah handling, braking, responses...

The GTI dollar for dollar, is more capable in all the areas that make it a drivers car. But myself, I'd go Speed 3 or WRX before either at that price point. All this assuming I need more space for 4 than I currently have with my 8.

dynamho

1talysf1nest, see if you can test drive a DSG model. That transmission is really something else.
With 8 millisecond shifts compared to a fast manual shift of 300-500 milliseconds, the uninterrupted acceleration feels surreal.

Leandrys

Funny to see some american people drooling for a VW Golf GTI... Here, in Europa, they're kinda... Passed. Or ricers for some people even. One of the worst GTI in all brands, this isn't a real sport car around here, not at all maybe.

Don't you have any better car in that price range than that... ? Honnestly, i wouldn't just be thinking of buying this after a RX-8.:S

Voted Charger as you may have guessed, but we don't have the same point of view i know, here the charger is an exotic car, the VW Golf a common and invisible car, most of time grey, destined to buy bread and go to work, GTI or not, i just don't remember the last time i saw any of those on a track day.

1talysf1nest

So I just test drove both the gti manual and gti dsg and damn the car drives pretty dam nice! And the clutch is so much lighter than the rx8! The car can def get up and go and just reacts when I step on the gas compared to my rx8...no offense to everyone on here but I got one too and Im trying to be unbiased about it. I'm liking the gti now after test driving both the charger and the gti. It just has that european feel to it and reminds me of the fiat that my relatives in Sicily have and my mom had back in the day haha.

It drives great, feels great, economical, and easily tunable....looks like gti it is :D

1talysf1nest

By the way, I totally agree with you on how you feel because your opinion is based on what you've been exposed to and what you've seen. In my town and those around it, there are so many camaros and mustangs and chargers. They're all nice cars but after a while like you said its just a common thing. Everyone and their mothers have a camaro where Im from.

A great way to end this discussion is just to understand that everyone has the right to their own opinion and to each their own

TrickWilliams

R/T bra! For real though your going from a super fun ride to two cars that are fun to drive to, nothing like an 8 of coarse. But the r/t is alot more fun then the GTI. IMO

Leandrys

Yup, just one thing, within the DSG gear box, that GTI is non-sense if you go for, that's the main point of pleasure with that car, the manual gear box beeing quite slow and imprecise.

Could you tell me the price of this VW in America if possible ? Would like to compare with our country. ( must be around 40k USD here )

1talysf1nest

What??!?!?! That much?!?!?! You can get a 2011 fully loaded with leather at $30,000

dynamho

FWIW, I think it's a wise choice you made on the GTI (Mk5 or Mk6?) and well said on the POV aspect.

I used to have German classmates when I used to study overseas a while back and they used to go gaga over all the Japanese sporty cars and kept reminding us that in Germany, taxis are MBs and BMWs. Who cares. Good cars are good cars, no?

1talysf1nest

Exactly and I'm going to be going with the mk6...I'm just not sure if I want to go with manual or dsg automatic. The manual one drives very smooth and doesnt feel like its working against you with the foot work and the shifting and the dsg automatic is just seamless! Instant reaction and instant shift! I got sometime till about August to think about it so I'll do further research.

Leandrys

I just take a look, with reduction, 28000 euros, translation in USD : around 40K USD...

And no option, i don't know the basic equipment of the model. :[

Edit : RX8 was 50000 USD around here, when new... By the way, France is one of the most expensive country is the world for everything, and low salaries... I want to live is USA ! XD Are you guys looking for a young and brilliant golf teacher ? :P

More seriously, you won't be deceived by the GTI, specially with the DSG gearbox, it's just that it's far away from the rx-8 concept, can be schoking, depends of your criters.

8upbad

iTrader: (3)

The GTI will always be a mini-minivan to me, I think it's hideous and the front wheel drive would kill me inside. I wouldn't spend money on either personally, but I would go black on black charger if I had to chose.

lesper4

iTrader: (3)

arent these cars like polar opposites? I go GTI

1talysf1nest

Yea they are lol

btw I found this thread on the gti forums and found it pretty dam funny, check it out!

http://myfastgti.com/volkswagen/thre...-dodge-charger...

Triangle Man

I love RWD as much as the next guy, but I think I'd lean more towards the GTI. The Charger is...well, down here in North Carolina it has a whiff of the "ah gots me a Hemmeh" Dukes of Hazzard attitude to it (and also the Orwellian highway patrol drives Chargers). Not sure what I'd go for in the RWD four-door market beyond a well-kept Bimmer M3. I personally tend to punish Charger drivers by treating each of them like they're a stealth cop, and thus gently slowing down to two or three below the speed limit so they pass me. Seriously, NC highway cops are no joke.

The GTI is lovely and very easy to soup up - as is the 'speed3. Or perhaps a lightly-loved 'Speed6?

1talysf1nest

hahaha I totally understand what you mean about the charger and its persona. I myself am leaning more towards to the gti as well. I just love everything about it and its got better gas mileage than my rx8 and doesnt drink oil like I drink espresso! lmaooo

Just noticed the gti has 13 votes vs the charger with 7 votes....looks like ppl are agreeing with me haha...but still to each their own

1talysf1nest

A friend of mine got me thinking about another car that ive managed to overlook and that is the new wrx....what do you guys think...its the same price range same options more power and awd but it is slightly worse on gas...its at 19/25 where the gti is at 22/32...imo im actually starting to consider the wrx more so than the gti rite now lol

bse50

The GTI is a piece of crap like most modern VWs. Avoid it. Great sellers but as soon as the facelift comes out the older models all disappear. People either lease it or sell as soon as they can.

New Yorker

I doubt you'll find someone who's extensively driven both. So all you're getting is why drag racers prefer the Charger R/T, and why automobile enthusiasts prefer the GTi.

YaXMaN

The new Charger's *** looks like....... ***.

I look at the GTI as a car for lost souls. It's just so gutless. I can't condone getting one. I've driven them, and there are better cars out there for the money. I'd keep looking. I think you have your priorities straight, but just haven't found the right car yet.

1talysf1nest

Yeaa I hear what you mean. I've been also looking at the WRX now as well and I've been looking at the STI. I get all nostalgic when I check out the STI since it reminds me of my Evo X that i once had, which I decided to trade in for an rx8 since it was less expensive.

The WRX is more on the realistic side rite about now but I'm not gonna totally forget and disregard the STI. Who knows, i might end up with an STI.

I've gotten $hit from everyone about how I downgraded from an Evo X to an rx8 but I do believe we make sacrifices so that down the line we can live a better life and hopefully that time is coming soon and maybe I can get a STI

dynamho

My 2 cent opinion: WRX and EVO strike me as being for the younger demographic. I think they're cool to have as a second car if you have a more age appropriate one on the side. After all, they are fun as hell to drive, and if you get the hatchback WRX, very practical too. WRX hatchback was on my shortlist but I opted for the Speed6 as compliment to my RX-8.

I still think GTI MK5/6 is more sensible if it's to be the only car in the garage.

1talysf1nest, not sure if you saw Season 5 Episode 6 of Top Gear. It features the GTI MkV.

Here it is:
http://www.streetfire.net/video/top-...t-1_188572.htm

YaXMaN

In Texas, there are plenty of mature professionals that drive WRX's. I see them every day on my commute. I like the WRX and the STi. I'd consider owning one as well.

Hell, I'm looking at that Subaru FT-86 and salivating.

dynamho

Me too. Somehow, the boxer seems better as a front-mid-mounted RWD car than the symmetrical AWD setup where the engine is mounted ahead of the front axle.

1talysf1nest

Haha hey Im 20 going on 21 this year I still fall in the younger demographic. Actually theres two sub catgegories under that: young and dumb and the young and more experienced...I fall under the last one haha

^Agreed. The same way there are rich people driving sports cars like ferraris and lambos, why would it be unheard of to see the older crowd driving an sti or evo? Theyre just more affordable sports cars. But hey what am I gonna tell you...HOW DARE YOU THINK THAT WAY!!! Lol no so again, we all have different point of views, so to each their own.