QLD Newbie from QLD scouting for a new MkVI GTI

[DoggieHowser]

Hey there

Am planning to move over to Brisbane in July and am looking at some of the promotions they are having now for the GTI. It's a bit difficult trying to buy the car almost "by remote control" since I am not physically there yet.

Unfortunately most of the units are all have the most basic of specs. While I don't particularly care for leather, I would like the bixenon lights especially with the new LED DRLs and dynamic cornering lights.

I would also have liked the adaptive chassis control and the parking distance system.

My wife and I were also discussing the value of the bixenons. The few times I drove in QLD some parts of the motorways looked like they could benefit from having xenons. What about resale value? Is this something buyers look out for or pay a premium for?

At the moment, it appears my best bet is to go for the Adidas trim cos that has xenon as standard and from some online prices, seems cheaper than a basic GTI specced with similar gear, eg 18" and xenons.

The ones I am looking at all say: nothing more to pay. Is there still room for negotiations especially if we are paying cash? We are new in town and I figured with no credit history, it'd have to be in cash anyway. Or is it easier to ask them to throw in a locally fitted reverse sensor if the car doesn't have them factory fitted.

Sorry for what appears to be very newbie questions. Any bones thrown my way would be greatly appreciated

[DoggieHowser]

OK on to other stuff: about me.

According to my dad, I was an avid petrolhead when I was very young. I used to be able to identify makes and models of cars from great distances away while my dad was driving us for holidays etc. But I honestly don't recall this. Must have blocked it out.

For the most part, I grew up without much interest in cars. Sure I had that Lamborghini Countach poster in the bedroom, but I wonder how much of that was due to the car, and how much was cos there was a scantily clad model sprawled on the bonnet.

But I digress..

My first car (that I didn't have to fight over with my dad/mum/sisters) was a repmobile from the company. It was a, wait for it... Vauxhall Cavalier. The only upside to having that car was that at least it wasn't as panned as the Vectra by Jeremy Clarkson hehe.

At that time, I also got a 3 door Corolla hatch for the missus.

When it came time to finally buy my own ride, I opted for the Focus - the original New Age one. It was solidly built, British, and appealed to me cos it looked well, just less blocky than other rides on the road.

The 4 speed auto mated to the anemic 1.6 naturally aspirated engine was nothing to write home about, but that car's suspension was just really well sorted. It was great fun chucking it into corners and driving (as my father in law put it) exuberantly.

The hunger for more power prompted me to trade up to the Celica SS2, again with the autobox. I wasn't really into motoring jargon then so I didn't know the difference between SMG, Selespeed, F1 style or just a crappola torque converter masked with "manual mode". All I knew was the missus had to drive and she would only want an autobox.

Two years later, it dawned on me that she never even drove the car once. And in the interim, I got caught up in this stupid phenomenon known as Initial D. Wait. Don't laugh.

It wasn't the fancy driving that got my attention. Honest, guv. The storyline unfolded IMHO not unlike Raymond Feist's Magician. And I was always a sucker for the underdog.

So I got into car modifications. suspension, brakes, exhaust system etc etc. At one point I even contemplated putting in a Blitz supercharger kit. Thankfully, they never sorted the ECU for the auto box. Which was a good thing in the end, cos I went on to my next car.

The CT9A 8MR. Took me a while to get used to the manual box which I hadn't touched in almost ten years. But driving it was brilliant. Enough power to be fun but not that much to kill myself with. Then again, I did go a bit overboard later on.. HKS2835 full kit for track along with a street legal full extractor/turbo outlet/downpipe kit from Tomei for daily driving, partnered with a street legal Apexi N1 Evolution rear muffler. Endless big brake kits for front and rear. Ohlins FlagL coilovers, Bride seats. Silly dials on the dash. Motec M800 PNP ECU with antilag system, bigger injectors, HKS Kansai carbon fibre air intake box. I went nuts.

Wife grumbled so I got her the Mitsubishi i. For a puny 660cc engine, albeit turbocharged, it was fairly zippy once you got beyond the turbo lag, and the RWD dynamics was quite fun.

Having come into close shaves over the occasional "legality" of my car after track days, I finally traded the Evo in for a 2008 GT-R. This time, I just went for the basics. No squeaky coilovers. Just a conservative Amuse reflash, Alcon rotors and Endless MX72 brake pads. Perfectly balanced. DSG gearbox that even the missus could use. I might have gone a wee bit overboard with the full 5Zigen full turbo back system ;P but the noise was quite intoxicating.

As it turned out, this car had more power than I had balls. The few times I brought it to the track, I could hardly push 6/10ths of it. The few times when I did push the car beyond its limits, it was fun, but they were almost adult diaper moments.

Which brings me to today. Wife says I gotta be more sensible once I move over. Apparently the neighbourhood I am moving into has some covenant against loud cars.

But as sensible as I tried to be, I just couldn't agree to a rear drum brake kitted Fiesta. I mean, come on. A guy's got to have a line somewhere right?

Scouring the interweb, I found out about the Polo GTI. Seemed perfect. Except I couldn't get one. Not for the foreseeable future anyway. And by the time you added up the options, you are awfully close to the Golf GTI anyway.

Which brings me to where I am today.

OK hope this helps.

[team_v]

Jesus, that is a life story.

Have a chat to Andrew Jacques at Highway Auto.
He did the deal for me, i got money off the drive away price and paid cash.

Hope you can pick up what you want for a bargain.

[DoggieHowser]

Jesus, that is a life story.

Have a chat to Andrew Jacques at Highway Auto.
He did the deal for me, i got money off the drive away price and paid cash.

Hope you can pick up what you want for a bargain.

I have do a habit of waffling on a bit

Thanks for the heads up. Is it ok to let me have the details for Andrew? Not sure what the protocol here is. PM or ok to post here.

Thanks.

[team_v]

I have do a habit of waffling on a bit

Thanks for the heads up. Is it ok to let me have the details for Andrew? Not sure what the protocol here is. PM or ok to post here.

Thanks.

Andrew Jacques
Volkswagen Sales
Highway Auto Group

T: 07 3290 8188
F: 07 3290 8100
M: 0423 812 281

Let him know Clay with the Blue Tiguan put you onto him and he might give you a better deal.

[99_FGT]

Sounds like you are coming in from OS right?
The nothing more to pay thing is legislated for new cars here, it must include on-road costs such as dealer delivery, registration and CTP (third party insurance - the C stands for Compulsory)
Agree with the comments on the bi-xenons, but half of the problem is down to poor road design and abysmal line markings.
Oh, welcome btw.
Al..

[DoggieHowser]

Thanks for the information, Clay. I'll call Andrew and check with him.

Al, I'm coming in from Singapore, but was based in Manchester in the UK years ago when I got that repmobile

[99_FGT]

And you are familiar with the Golf R right??

[DoggieHowser]

And you are familiar with the Golf R right??

Don't tempt me even further.



I am already stretching the budget from the Fiesta by a very long way.