Bad News

[nting]

Well since this thread is really about money, I must commend your wife for keeping you grounded with the home loan and car. It is all to easy to blow our money on things we "need" (a.k.a. "want") as opposed to "really need" (a.k.a. "need"). And at the same time be happy.

The wants and needs will continue to be our personal battles, but it does pay to be a little prudent if you can. There is no point running out to buy a new car when you think things are good only to end up selling it for a lot less a few years later because of changes in circumstances. This does even take into account the thousands spent on modifying it and the money spent on interest. This is such a common cycle to see people go through. The reality is that they lost all that money AND the car, when they could have saved a little more, paid less for the car and eventually kept it. What is the point of enjoying a beautiful car and pouring your time, money and love into it only to be forced to sell it in a few years. Wouldn't it be better to wait (I'm talking a few years, not a lifetime) till you are in a position to really enjoy it and also KEEP it. This may or may not apply to you Autotpia, it's just my own commentary.

Anyway, is it possible to pay a larger amount of the deposit on the novated lease (I don't know how these work), so that you're repayments on the R36 reduce? If so, then perhaps it is better to save up for a slightly bigger deposit so that you can get the R36. Otherwise, enjoy the vRS as I agree that it is a very sensible choice and will no doubt be one of the best sleepers on our roads. Respect to anyone who owns a recent Skoda.

My choice was based on timing, I didn't want to get the Octavia earlier this year as the facelift was coming in. However, I ordered my Passat in January and will only receive it in June. If only I knew that back then....

[passatpout]

Just be aware you'll pay penalties for breaking a fixed rate lease early that can be thousands of $ - it's like breaking a fixed rate mortgage cos interest rates have gone down - very rarely financially worth it.

If you have to change the car anyway so be it, but you be unlikely to save much money by breaking a lease early to refinance at a lower rate.

E.g. I'm 2 1/2 years into a 4 year lease on my Mazda (8% rate), outstanding on the lease is about $32,000, the break fees are $2,000 on top of that...

That's why I said it's "almost" worth doing it..

[revhead]

Like the one I just traded for my R36:

How much better is the R36?, the 3.2 looks fantastic!

My advice on the R36 purchase is do nothing for 18 months and then get the R36,you will be disappointed with anything less and you will be stuck with it for 4 years.

[Lance B]

How much better is the R36?, the 3.2 looks fantastic!

The 3.2lt V6 is an excellent car and with the body kit and lowered suspension it was even better and lloked great, as you say, but the R36 is in another league. The smooth huge power delivery, handling, seats and many of the other extras is something else indeed.

My advice on the R36 purchase is do nothing for 18 months and then get the R36,you will be disappointed with anything less and you will be stuck with it for 4 years.

Agreed.

[SoVeReIgN]

Why is the resale on a g6et a problem??

Sounds more like a solution to me

[Autopia]

I thank you for all your interesting, constructive and humorous comments.

I believe I'm happy to go with the Skoda for the time being and leave the R36 for my next purchase. Hopefully by then they'll have a model update with new bits to get excited about.
And by then I'll be a Divisional Manager with a $21K car allowance.

[nting]

Nice choice! Post up some pics and details when you have them. Enjoy!

[gerhard]

I thank you for all your interesting, constructive and humorous comments.

I believe I'm happy to go with the Skoda for the time being and leave the R36 for my next purchase. Hopefully by then they'll have a model update with new bits to get excited about.
And by then I'll be a Divisional Manager with a $21K car allowance.

Haha, your wife is a truly wise woman

And you will still be driving a superior vehicle to most, and much less common to boot..

Maybe the next R36 will become an R30S, with the Audi 3.0l supercharged donk........

[KWICKS]

Have you consider a near new R36?

7588kms, $59990, sedan.

I'm sure you could twist their arm for $55k, and didn't you say that was your limit? Under LCT threshold then too. And it's blue like your sig...

[SmutsGTI]

A liberty GT with an average weighted foot will drink more juice than an SS, my mate has one and can't wait to see the back of it and lets not talk about turbo lag.

Smuts

[Autopia]

Nice choice! Post up some pics and details when you have them. Enjoy!

Still waiting to here from the leasing firm with the final figures. Fingers crossed.

[V6Passat]

I know you say "a Liberty is well..a Liberty" but for your $55k you could get either a 3.0RB wagon or likely atm a GT if you hammer hard enough, it's an outgoing model so there's bound to be bargains.
No it's not an R36 and no it isn't European but here's my experience;
Cheap to run
Cheap cheap cheap to service (av $200)
(in my case) extremely reliable
Better than most for resale (even in this climate it's fairing o.k)

I've just ordered my R36, it drives better, it's more powerful, the interiors nicer but so it should be for the extra $$$$
The Liberty has been an excellent car and much better than my previous A4TQ in every respect bar interior so don't right it off so easily!
I would say there isn't much around in a family wagon with AWD, decent power for the $$$ that would touch it or maybe you should look at a new Skoda? looks very well priced for what you get (not sure how resale would go on one of these though)
my2c FWIW

I have had a 3l Spec B Sedan and It was great!!! Awesome re-sale and a pleasure to own. Only sold it because changed jobs.

I am waiting for my v6 highline to arrive and will be trading in my focus xr5 Turbo. Great little car but cant live with the manual and sports suspension any more - but i can reccomend it. Good thing is that it is well under your budget AND will mean the wife is happy. As the saying goes, happy wife, happy life.

Cheers

[Autopia]

For those of you who may be interested it looks like I'll be getting an Accord Euro Luxury with nav.
Also getting some performance mods from JTune (CAI, headers, cat and exhaust with an ECU tune to follow later this year).

It was great hanging around on the forum and I enjoyed meeting several of you but I don't think I'll be around much any more.

Hopefully by the time the new Passat "R" model is released I'll be in a position to buy one.

Drive safely.

Sean

[Lance B]

For those of you who may be interested it looks like I'll be getting an Accord Euro Luxury with nav.
Also getting some performance mods from JTune (CAI, headers, cat and exhaust with an ECU tune to follow later this year).

It was great hanging around on the forum and I enjoyed meeting several of you but I don't think I'll be around much any more.

Hopefully by the time the new Passat "R" model is released I'll be in a position to buy one.

Drive safely.

Sean

Congrats on the new car, when you get it. The Accord Euro's are supposed to be a very good thing.

CAI's, headers, cat and exhaust and ECU tune? I thought you were supposed to be trying to *save* money!

[Swallowtail]

Good luck and enjoy...