40+ mpg, reliable, safe, sharp looking, and a overall great little car.

Not enough umff (power). But hell nothing really compares to my M3.

This is my third VW and my second GTI. My first GTI was an ''''85 as well and I consider that my best car ever! I had it for 5 years and right before it got totaled I was getting 43 mpg and it was fast as hell (for a 4 cylinder), and ever since then I always wanted another GTI either the same year or something similar. When I got this it needed a lot of work. Since I got it I''''ve replaced the seats with the ''''91 style Recaro''''s (front and back), switched out the door panels with black limited edition 16v pleather panels, put new flares and skirts, new badgeless front grill with 16v fog lights along with new ''''big'''' bumpers for the front and back, new Neuspeed short shift, new 16v rear antenna, new clear tail lights, new clear side markers, new clear turn signal lights, new exhaust and a few other misc. items. All in all I plan on bringing the car up to show quality. I still need to do a lot to it. In the future I plan on getting it painted, new rims, stereo system, and possibly a engine swap of a 16v 2.0 or VR6.

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''''74 Datsun Truck, ''''78 Datsun Truck, ''''85 GTI, ''''91 Maxima, ''''89 GLI 16V, ''''93 SHO and ''''98 M3.

Features, features, Features. Great Engine and this car is such a sleeper. OOOOOH boy and the looks you get in this car. :-)

this car Definately NEEDS a short shifter. I beat an Ford SVT truck off the line but lost when going into second. That is really my only complaint, the long throw of it''s shifter. That and the warranty.

One word for this car, FUN. I''ve loved this car since I was like 12 years old. I''m 29 now. I had a 93 Passat and when it was time to buy a new car I already knew what I wanted but looked anyway. NOTHING compared to this car in features. Not even close. When I test drove this car I fell in love with it and just wanted it. When people talk about love at first drive this car is it. It fit me like a glove the first time I sat in it. This car is the epitome of performance mixed with class and style. Like everyone else has said this car IS a sleeper. From it''s storage space to it hidden power. The VR6 engine feels like it could drive forever and just wants to Move. When you are driving slow in this car the Engine feels like it WANTS to go faster and is telling you it does. I paid a decent price for it considering I also got the 6 disc changer and 17 inch wheels with it. When you buy this car the first thing you need for it is a Radar detector because you WILL need it. I''ve gotten some AMAZING gas Milage from this car. I usually get around 25-29 on the highway depending how I drive. Sometimes Driving on local roads I get aroung 15-20. I have gotten 30-31 MPG. I was on a trip to Maine to go Camping, mind you this car was FULLY loaded with gear, I got 40MPG Yes you read it right, I had to look down at the MPG again to make sure I read it right. It was. Overall I''ve been VERY impressed with the GTI VR6. To the guy who got the Auto, THE AUTO in this car DOES SUCK. It''s a travesty to begin with to get this car in anything but the 5 (now 6) speed. I would recommend this to anyone who will listen. This car is definately the BEST bang for the Buck.

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My family is a VW family, We have owned nothing but from a 73 Superbeetle to my Parents 2002 Golf.

See above

Monte Carlo''s, Civic SI''s, RSX, Firebirds, Talons, You name it, (all dusted!)

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Other VW''s, Porsches, Audi products

1.8T Torque and acceleration German Bank Vault feel Interior tactiles Stereo Looks it gets THE JAP SCRAPPER A little German Class

Interior Noises with Sport Suspension Torsion Beam Rear suspension setup NO XENONS, DAMN

I laugh at people who would purchase a Japanese TIN can over this fine German Sculpture. It is funny when you pull up to a light with a TIN can(honda,nissan,toyota,etc.) and yougo and look in your rear view mirror and see the poor tin can still trying to climb to their 9,000 rpm redline to gain power. Why try so hard. Just put a Turbo on it or let the Germans build it. I can''t believe that somebody could possibly buy a Japanese car over this GTI. The magazines seem to compare it to the Civic, Focus, and Nissan, but it should be in the RSX TYPE S category as it is quicker and does hadle about the same considering VW still uses Torsion Beam. I clocked mine at 6.5 seconds to sixty stock and smoked my friends brand new RSX. I do wish they wouldn''t place a limiter on this engine. I guess the Japs got that over us. But they still have no Class.

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2001 VW jetta 1.8t, 1998 Acura Integra(First Jap and Last),

Power & Handling. Comfortable & supportive seats There''s really not much to complain about.

tends to rattle a bit over rough pavement. Doesn''t have 4Motion

This car is dangerously fun to drive. I just upgraded from a 98 Jetta, which served me very well. The car feels solid on the road. it''s VERY quick, due to the 177f/lbs. of torque which you get from 1800-5000rpm. there is a slight delay before the turbo kicks in, but when it does, the car leaps foward. i would highly recommend the the sport package, with the stiffer suspension & the 17 wheels. Some might think the suspension is to stiff for normal street driving, but if crank this baby around a couple of corners you''ll quickly forget about that. It does however make the interior rattle & squeck. but i think the standard suspension takes care of that. I really haven''t noticed any blind spots to speak of, the headlights are insanely bright. i''ve had poeple think that my highbeams are on, then i turn them on... ;) it''s a surprising heavy car for it''s size, which makes you feel pretty safe, although the 6 airbags may have something to do with that sentiment. I''ve briefly taken the car into the mountains, it pulls right up the mountain effortlesly All in all, i would highly recommend this car to anyone who enjoys a fun driving experience.

horsepower, torque, responsiveness, and fuel economy of engine, attention to detail, classy looks, ergonomics, economics, firm seats, cargo room, and ride, Ancira of San Antonio - they''re great!(haggling and counter-haggling by email also helped me land the GTI at invoice)

handling(at limits) - solution: upgrades suspension and substitute summer tires quality of shifting - solution: short shift kit

I have had this car a total of three weeks now and I am still finding new things to apprecitate about it. Overall this is not a true sports car, neither is it a true luxury car, but rather a nice blend of the two combined with an excellent price, hatchback utility, and suave good looks that will never go out of date make it a great long term investment. The RSX could not match the utility[(18 cu ft./42 folded down) make the GTI perfect for hauling my bike around], or the personality of the German car. I love the absence of gimmickery and the quality of the interior materials which reminds me of my dad''s BMW. The engine has a very slight delay but then you can hear the turbo kick in and the torque and horsepower come on. The factory engine is good enough and I will probably never modify it(well maybe an intake). I opted for both the luxury package(monsoon stereo which includes upgrades speakers and addtional amp plus a versatile sunroof that I hear is borrow from the Audi line) and the 17" wheels/tire package. Overall the Monsoon is good for most popular music, but maybe not the best for jazz or classical. I also like the list of standard features most notably the ABS w/ 4 wheel disc, 4 airbags plus side curtain, and the defeatable traction control. As I said before though this is not a true sports car as recent magazine tests will tell you a comparable Focus SVT or Honda Civic SI will outhandle, but not outrun, this German hatch. This car in hard corner feels as though is weighs almost 3000 lbs(which it does) and is not exactly "tossable." Its ace however is its compliant, yet firm, ride coupled with handling that is adequate in normal day-to-day driving. This can be easliy remedied for less than a $1000 with new struts, springs, and sway bars which will be my only major modification to this vechile. There are so many aftermarket options with this car that can make it handle close to a BMW(from what I''ve heard). My only other major complaint has to do with the quality of the five speed shifter. It is a little vague and long-throwed for what I would expect in this car and is one of the reasons I almost opted for an RSX/Honda Civic Si. I took care of this to my partial satisfaction by going to a local guy here in Austin(www.dieselgeek.com) and he fixed me up with a short shift kit that reduced fore/aft and side to side throw distance.

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Tested - Acura RSX(base), Toyota Celica GT-S

Power - Handling - Looks - Storage Space - Detailed Interior - Sound System - Comfort - Versatility - I windsurf and ski and the racks are exceptionally well made and very easy to install and break down. I don''t like driving all that much - this car is neary three years old and I have almost 12,000 miles on it - but I live driving this car. No one has ever beat me from a light at an intersection and they do try.

I think the warranty is a little weak - come on now . . . Two years? I had the usual glitches mentioned in other posts here - window regulators failing - Oxygen sensor malfunctioning - and I seem to have a recurring sagging door issue on the drivers side - I get it adjusted every six months or so. These things are annoying but don''t detract from my overall rating of SUPER - GREAT - WONDERFUL - FUN car! I am one of those guys who was never that into cars growing up and I tend to trade in when the warranty is up but I plan on keeping this one for as long as I can!

I love this car! I lived in Germany for a year or so and this car is very popular there. That is one place where they take their transportation very seriously.

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Honda CRX Mazda Miata Mazda 626

This is probably the best series of the GTi in my opinion. Although not as fast as the 16 valve, the bottom end is stronger which suprises BMW 318is drivers in city environments. This chassis is heavier than the previous model, but with a minimal loss of handling. Power is improved greatly across the powerband over the previous GTi. This car will startle you in it''s handling abilities, it is a very forgiving car. Parts are extremely cheap for this car, don''t listen to anyone who says otherwise. It costs more to get my 92 Toyota 4 cylinder truck tuned up than most medium-sized repairs on my GTi. Mileage is great for such a quick car, about 24 highway and 20 street after about 210,000 miles, no rebuilds. Finally, It''s the last breed of VW that a true garage mechanic can mess with. Very roomy and open engine bay allows for easy repairs. P.S. For those interested in modifying this car, this model of GTi remains one of the cheapest cars to modify with an astounding range of after-market products to use. VW Motorsport parts are even available from the Rally teams in Hannover!

Be prepared for rattles galore in a well-used model. Fortunately, I''m using it for autocrosses as well s a daily driver so had an excuse to remove most of the interior. Also, the transmissions have a tendancy to self-machine themselves after about 180,000. Not dangerous, but expensive. Oil pressure is always something to be wary of in this model, high-milage engines will tick pretty loudly as they age. Although this is considered somewhat normal for this car, it does scare you the first few times you hear it.

I bought my GTi pretty cheap, $1200 with about 120,000 miles. It was my first car, and I plan to keep it. I''ve put on close to 100,000 miles since with no rebuilds, just basic maintenace, and I don''t baby her at all. The iron blocks VW uses are bullet-proof. This is not a car for the "A to B" driver. This car pushes you to stretch it, if you want better gas mileage and a softer ride get a golf or jetta.

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1996 VW Golf

V6 power, great leather seats, fine handling, large interior, smart safety features

Most of the interior mechanical parts, too much plastic, milktoast stereo, those damn window regulators, worst warranty in the business, confused VW service people.

I should have known something was up when we picked up our car. The rear ID badge was for a Golf, not the GTI badge. On the way out of the parking lot I noticed the rear view mirror was shaking and thus difficult to see anything from. Within a week, the mirror had fallen off, and the rear hatch lock had broken off and fallen into the inside of the hatch itself. One month later (after all the initial bugs were fixed) the passenger window regulator failed sending the window crashing into the inside of the door. 4 months later the Check Engine light begins to randomly appear, but is diagnosed by the service people at the dealership as "not having the gas cap on tight enough", a month later, the car squeaks and farts into the dealership barely running. The oxygen sensor is replaced and the car get it''s 10,000 mile service. One week later, the driver side window regulator fails, and ends up inside the door again. This time it''s really cold outside, and it''s a 45 minute drive! All of the times the car ran well, I loved it. The engine is smooth and responsive, the interior is comforting, and the handling is rather impressive, but the overall finishing of the vehicle is a joke.

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2000 BMW 325ix, 1999 Audi A4 Avant, 2001 Subaru WRX wagon

The car was hit hard in the rear end knocking my car into the two cars in front of me. It may not have fared well, the verdict isn''t in. It was obvious to me when I calmed down that the car was a strong sturdy piece of equipment which protected me from serious injuries. Miraculously my lap top and a bottle of wine in the rear also survived this impact.

Lights cost a lot of money, fly wheel and starters seem to be weak in VWs

Handled beautifully. Expensive to maintain, but this is probably the case with most nicer new cars.

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1992 Jetta, 1980 Rabbit, 1977 Rabbit