HELP? R36 vs 125Tdi Wagon

[MikeeR]

MikeeR, dont feel bad about your decision, life is too short! Enjoy your new car and after all its only a car :O. We each make the best decision we can at the time and go from there!

Thanks for that and you're absolutely right, there's a lot of things in life worth getting stressed about, choosing between two good cars should not be one of them.

[evr]

Thanks for that and you're absolutely right, there's a lot of things in life worth getting stressed about, choosing between two good cars should not be one of them.

MikeeR, nice choice! Wagon or sedan? Oh, did you go for the 125Tdi Highline?

Cheers.

[MikeeR]

MikeeR, nice choice! Wagon or sedan? Oh, did you go for the 125Tdi Highline?

Cheers.

125Tdi Wagon. The Highline is the 3.2V6 I believe. I drove a couple of low km 2nd hand ones of those too, they were very nice. Would have been a viable alternative but there were no new ones in or close to being in the country, from what I heard.

[evr]

125Tdi Wagon. The Highline is the 3.2V6 I believe. I drove a couple of low km 2nd hand ones of those too, they were very nice. Would have been a viable alternative but there were no new ones in or close to being in the country, from what I heard.

Nice one. My wife's Outback is up for replacement & I test drove the TDi 125 wagon myself...lovely.

Regarding the Highline, the 2010 TDi125 is definitely available as a Highline with the same rims & interior as the 2009 3.2V6 Highline (inclusing fog lights, those nicer leather seats as standard, etc) - there is a bit of a price premium though but if yo uwant leather & fog lights, it works out better. In 2010, the 3.2 Highline gets a couple of diferentiators such as the Chicago rims that are currently an option.

The other change in the 2010 model linup is that the petrol TSi147 is being dropped & the entry model will be that 1.4 dual boost (turbo & supercharger) engine that's in the new Golf - oh with a 7DSG. Unfortunately, all the other Passat motors stay with the 6DSG.

Anyway, what are you comparing to in your shopping? I'm curious as I'm in same boat as you.

[MikeeR]

Nice one. My wife's Outback is up for replacement & I test drove the TDi 125 wagon myself...lovely.

Regarding the Highline, the 2010 TDi125 is definitely available as a Highline with the same rims & interior as the 2009 3.2V6 Highline (inclusing fog lights, those nicer leather seats as standard, etc) - there is a bit of a price premium though but if yo uwant leather & fog lights, it works out better. In 2010, the 3.2 Highline gets a couple of diferentiators such as the Chicago rims that are currently an option.

The other change in the 2010 model linup is that the petrol TSi147 is being dropped & the entry model will be that 1.4 dual boost (turbo & supercharger) engine that's in the new Golf - oh with a 7DSG. Unfortunately, all the other Passat motors stay with the 6DSG.

Anyway, what are you comparing to in your shopping? I'm curious as I'm in same boat as you.

OK that's interesting. I had heard nothing about a 125Tdi Highline. The car I'm getting is with leather, mats, cargo tray and towbar but other than that quite standard. My understanding was they'd done away with the 103Tdi model and that incoming 125's were all with leather. Foglights, I'm not even sure about, have to check up on that, don't see them listed in the optional extras.

The 3.2V6 Highline I would have definitely considered as one of the reasons I went away from the R36 was its ride height - we've a steep driveway and the towbar on my Liberty GT used to scrape more than I liked. As I said before though, the dealer I dealt with said new Highlines were months away and I needed a car sooner than that.

My main two options were Subarus or VWs. Originally it was going to be the Outback diesel, then after driving one we considered a petrol 2.5 Outback with CVT transmission, or a similar Liberty. But I just couldn't warm to them. A Tiguan would have fitted the bill but too small - so therefore ended up at Passats, 3.2 Highlines 2nd hand to start with, then onto new 125Tdi's then the R36. Also considered Mazda 6 and CX7s in diesel, dreamt about various Audis and Beamers. I guess I could have gone back to the 6 cylinder Outback or GT Liberty but once I'd driven and been in VWs I didn't want to go back. The VWs offer a lot for the money, the 125Tdi and in particular the R36, if that's the sort of car you're after. Oh, even took a top of the line RAV4 V6 for a spin, 201 kw, went quick alright, but wife started screaming when I pushed it through a few corners - that was not the car. The main thing we're foregoing with the Tdi Passat is AWD. Time will tell how much we miss it.

[Highlander]

V6 or TDI - horses for courses

You guys are not going to like this.....but I've gone for the 125Tdi over the R36. I almost hate to admit it. The more I think about it the more regretful I feel. Damn it all, you're supposed to feel good after ordering a new car, it's one of life's good times....whatever. I like diesels, I liked the demo drive I had in one and for us it's a more practical option. So be it.

Thanks for your advice.

I had the same issues to face, only with a CC. Went looking for an R32, Drove and loved the V6 CC and put my deposit down. Slept on it and considered what I use my vehicle for most... lots of freeway kilometres averaging 600-1000km per week, Cancelled the V6 order and replaced it with the CC TDI and, like you. I wasn't even that excited about picking up my new car. A couple of months and 6000km later I am loving the thing. Quiet, comfortable, looks good inside and out and FEELS good inside and incredible economy with never less than 1000km per tank. Handling is more than adequate even with the FWD for most situations I am likely to encounter

I have even learned to love the simple 5 spoke wheels when it comes to time to clean them.

I think I will always have a little of the "if only" when it comes to the V6 but the TDI has been a very sensible choice. And for fun days you can hire an MX5 for $350 half day or $600 at Marulan DTC track. Bargain when I am sure you could take that much value off your $2000 set of Conti3s in a day at Marulan.

[MikeeR]

I had the same issues to face, only with a CC. Went looking for an R32, Drove and loved the V6 CC and put my deposit down. Slept on it and considered what I use my vehicle for most... lots of freeway kilometres averaging 600-1000km per week, Cancelled the V6 order and replaced it with the CC TDI and, like you. I wasn't even that excited about picking up my new car. A couple of months and 6000km later I am loving the thing. Quiet, comfortable, looks good inside and out and FEELS good inside and incredible economy with never less than 1000km per tank. Handling is more than adequate even with the FWD for most situations I am likely to encounter

I have even learned to love the simple 5 spoke wheels when it comes to time to clean them.

I think I will always have a little of the "if only" when it comes to the V6 but the TDI has been a very sensible choice. And for fun days you can hire an MX5 for $350 half day or $600 at Marulan DTC track. Bargain when I am sure you could take that much value off your $2000 set of Conti3s in a day at Marulan.

Yes I drove a CC125Tdi, I can imagine it would be a very nice car to live with, especially with all those freeway kms. Actually that was another thing that swung my decision, I was trying to imagine where and how I use my car and where I need to it to perform. Firstly it was my 100km round trip, across Sydney, commute (mostly out of peak hour on 80-90kmph roads) and secondly, when we go away as a family, usually up and down the coast and quite long distances. We recently drove to Brisbane in the Golf GTD, myself, wife, daughter, black labrador, 3 surfboards on the roof, car full to the top, sitting on just over 2000rpm at 120kmph, very relaxed and economical, but with plenty of torque when needed. The R36 I read is at 2500rpm at 100k's and I thought I'd prefer to taller gearing of the Tdi - I'm sure the smooth free spinning nature of the V6 would feel very nice though.

Yes I'll regret the decision at times too.

[Highlander]

Marrying a good cook

Yes I drove a CC125Tdi, I can imagine it would be a very nice car to live with, especially with all those freeway kms. Actually that was another thing that swung my decision, I was trying to imagine where and how I use my car and where I need to it to perform. Firstly it was my 100km round trip, across Sydney, commute (mostly out of peak hour on 80-90kmph roads) and secondly, when we go away as a family, usually up and down the coast and quite long distances. We recently drove to Brisbane in the Golf GTD, myself, wife, daughter, black labrador, 3 surfboards on the roof, car full to the top, sitting on just over 2000rpm at 120kmph, very relaxed and economical, but with plenty of torque when needed. The R36 I read is at 2500rpm at 100k's and I thought I'd prefer to taller gearing of the Tdi - I'm sure the smooth free spinning nature of the V6 would feel very nice though.

Yes I'll regret the decision at times too.

My mate has suggested that buying the TDI instead of the V6 is something akin to marrying a woman because she is a good cook.

[Rocket36]

And for fun days you can hire an MX5 for $350 half day or $600 at Marulan DTC track. Bargain when I am sure you could take that much value off your $2000 set of Conti3s in a day at Marulan.

On day three of owning my R36, I spent it doing MANY laps around that track and it was a LOT more fun than in one of their MX5 buckets believe me! Tyres? Pffft! Buy new ones when you wear yours out!

[MikeeR]

On day three of owning my R36, I spent it doing MANY laps around that track and it was a LOT more fun than in one of their MX5 buckets believe me! Tyres? Pffft! Buy new ones when you wear yours out!

Yeah but I'll be able to look at the MFD when I get home after a 100k commute and a 12 hour day and say Wow I only used 6.5l of fuel....how much fun will that be!

[Pana]

especially with all those freeway kms.

I actually used the same reasoning to convince myself to go for the R36. My daily commute is 75km and about 55 of them are on the freeway against traffic. If I take the drive nice and easy I will easily end up with average fuel consumption in the high 8's/low 9's (on the MFD). I figured well since I'm using only 2-3L of petrol more (and not ~10L more if the trip was in traffic and avg consumption would be say 15L/100km) I can justify the slightly higher consumption and increased cost in running the car.

If I had traffic and 60km/h roads to contend with every day, I most likely would have gone for the diesel as well as the difference would be significant

[Swallowtail]

Yeah but I'll be able to look at the MFD when I get home after a 100k commute and a 12 hour day and say Wow I only used 6.5l of fuel....how much fun will that be!

Whoopee-doo.... now that will be exciting.

[Rocket36]

Whoopee-doo.... now that will be exciting.

Hahahaha! Took the words outa my mouth...

[Highlander]

Yeah but I'll be able to look at the MFD when I get home after a 100k commute and a 12 hour day and say Wow I only used 6.5l of fuel....how much fun will that be!

100km in 12 hours. Now don't get too excited. Even in my 60's I think I could still jog faster than that and use 0 litres of fuel apart from water and some chocolate.

My CC TDI even looks faster than that "in the garage"

[MikeeR]

Hahahaha! Took the words outa my mouth...

Yeah I'll be hardly able to contain myself.

Ran into a friend in the surf this morning who owns an R36, told him the story of my car choice dilemma. Lets just say he let it be known that I made the wrong decision in a very vocal way.