OT: sportwagen

[Mzilliox]

it was that quick, the deal was too good and the test drive too nice!
it was the dealers last new 2018 on the lot, which meant deal time.
S series in silver white. not my top color choice by any means, a good negotiating tool though.

it drives so lovely, and when compared to an outback, well, im not sure how they sell so many outbacks.

[IMG]New Sportwagen by Matt.zilliox, on Flickr[/IMG]

[R3awak3n]

I like that color actually. Its such a weird one, looks white but silver at the same time. Congrats.

Wife has an outback so I am very familiar with both. The VW drives 100000x better, faster, snapier, sportier. The outback awd system is better... not that I have noticed but I have read a lot about. For you and I it probably does not matter.

To me, the vw is a wagon, the outback is a mini SUV.

[sailorboy]

Yea, I like the color as well. I got a used white '16 GSW S back in April and still loving it. Even at the stripped down trim level, it has apple car play, decent enuf head unit and stereo (loads better than the base unit in my previous BMW) gets about 35mpg easy on my weekly back-forth from Philly to Baltimore. Sunroofs are overrated and with these things they are known to leak. Oh, and just to be safe I got the extended warranty b/c its a vw and all of the electronics will probably fail shortly after the basic warranty expires.

It's so good I actually picked up a used GTI this year as well for my play days. I'm all-in with veedub as they say.

[mkbk]

Originally Posted by Mzilliox

it was that quick, the deal was too good and the test drive too nice!
it was the dealers last new 2018 on the lot, which meant deal time.
S series in silver white. not my top color choice by any means, a good negotiating tool though.

it drives so lovely, and when compared to an outback, well, im not sure how they sell so many outbacks.

[IMG]New Sportwagen by Matt.zilliox, on Flickr[/IMG]

Very Nice! Congratulations! My Honey has repeatedly tried to turn my GTI momentum towards the Sportwagen. If my VW experiment goes well I would not be surprised to see a VW replace her Volvo V60 RD in the future.

[Mzilliox]

Originally Posted by R3awak3n

I like that color actually. Its such a weird one, looks white but silver at the same time. Congrats.

Wife has an outback so I am very familiar with both. The VW drives 100000x better, faster, snapier, sportier. The outback awd system is better... not that I have noticed but I have read a lot about. For you and I it probably does not matter.

To me, the vw is a wagon, the outback is a mini SUV.

well, i rarely get stuck places or anything, and i do have a ford f250 4x4 for hard work, but my one regret with this car will be if we get it stuck on a dirt road or in the snow here. it doesnt snow often, and our dirt roads are in usually good shape, but i just hope i never have to say, man, i wish i got the outback. if that does happen, ill trade it for the alltrack or whatever the adventure one is.

the reality is most of the driving i do is on fair roads in fair conditions. and yes, it drives so very much better than a subaru outback. if the outback drove well id already own one of the several ive test driven recently.

and sailorboy, thanks for the report, it never hurts to have an impulse buy reaffirmed by those who have experience in the matters, haha.

[charliedid]

Congrats. Very nice looking car!

[pjm]

This is what I would do if it were mine. 18 inch BBS SR’s. Use the stock wheels in the winter.

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by R3awak3n

I like that color actually. Its such a weird one, looks white but silver at the same time. Congrats.

Wife has an outback so I am very familiar with both. The VW drives 100000x better, faster, snapier, sportier. The outback awd system is better... not that I have noticed but I have read a lot about. For you and I it probably does not matter.

To me, the vw is a wagon, the outback is a mini SUV.

Not a car wrench but the VW AWD system is the same as the one in Audi and methinks, pretty dern good. Yup, subaru has had theirs for a long time but as mentioned..subaru seems to cheapen things like fit and finish and ride qualities in favor of their AWD system/engine, while sticking to a certain price point.

I know the local subaru dealer sells cars 'at invoice', all day, everyday..don't even look at the 'sticker'...means nada.

mzilliox writes-

if that does happen, ill trade it for the alltrack or whatever the adventure one is.

Remember that VW has an 'S' version that's 4Motion but not the added $ of the Alltrack model..A sales lizard tried to push that over on me..The S is the same 'guts/engine/4motion but w/o 17inch wheels, sunroof and leather(ette?) seats but $3500-$4000 more...I have the 'S' 4 motion...even has heated seats..

[dookie]

Wife had a TDI that was bought back and I hated to see it go. 6-speed manual with the TDI grunt was tons of fun.

And that was before the Malone tune. If you have an oil-burner, get you some Malone!

[Mzilliox]

Originally Posted by oldpotatoe

Not a car wrench but the VW AWD system is the same as the one in Audi and methinks, pretty dern good. Yup, subaru has had theirs for a long time but as mentioned..subaru seems to cheapen things like fit and finish and ride qualities in favor of their AWD system/engine, while sticking to a certain price point.

I know the local subaru dealer sells cars 'at invoice', all day, everyday..don't even look at the 'sticker'...means nada.

mzilliox writes-


Remember that VW has an 'S' version that's 4Motion but not the added $ of the Alltrack model..A sales lizard tried to push that over on me..The S is the same 'guts/engine/4motion but w/o 17inch wheels, sunroof and leather(ette?) seats but $3500-$4000 more...I have the 'S' 4 motion...even has heated seats..

more concerned with the clearance than AWD, but i get ya. i stuck with the s because it was a good deal, but also because i dont need the other features at all. some i dont even want. im sure itll be plenty of car, i dont recall the last time i was stuck somewhere dumb.

[Mzilliox]

Originally Posted by pjm

This is what I would do if it were mine. 18 inch BBS SR’s. Use the stock wheels in the winter.

is this just for hot looksies, like carbon clinchers? or is there a purpose to this upgrade?

[AngryScientist]

Originally Posted by Mzilliox

more concerned with the clearance than AWD, but i get ya. i stuck with the s because it was a good deal, but also because i dont need the other features at all. some i dont even want. im sure itll be plenty of car, i dont recall the last time i was stuck somewhere dumb.

exactly.

for wagons or sedans, the main purpose of AWD is for increased starting traction on slippery surfaces, like snow and rainy roads. if you're going to get stuck on a back road somewhere, in a wagon, that's almost always a case of ground clearance than driveline issues.

anyway, if you frequent the offroad in a 2WD, a simple set of traction boards works wonders. way better at getting you unstuck than AWD.

[beeemmjay]

Very slick, great colour!

[R3awak3n]

Originally Posted by oldpotatoe

Not a car wrench but the VW AWD system is the same as the one in Audi and methinks, pretty dern good. Yup, subaru has had theirs for a long time but as mentioned..subaru seems to cheapen things like fit and finish and ride qualities in favor of their AWD system/engine, while sticking to a certain price point.

I know the local subaru dealer sells cars 'at invoice', all day, everyday..don't even look at the 'sticker'...means nada.

mzilliox writes-


Remember that VW has an 'S' version that's 4Motion but not the added $ of the Alltrack model..A sales lizard tried to push that over on me..The S is the same 'guts/engine/4motion but w/o 17inch wheels, sunroof and leather(ette?) seats but $3500-$4000 more...I have the 'S' 4 motion...even has heated seats..

subaru has a better reputation for reliability... now if that is true or not, can't say but why people love subaru. And the VW system is similar to audis quattro which is great, just different that the subbie.

I think both are great cars for different people. I don't want an outback but my wife does, for example.

[Mzilliox]

Originally Posted by AngryScientist

exactly.

for wagons or sedans, the main purpose of AWD is for increased starting traction on slippery surfaces, like snow and rainy roads. if you're going to get stuck on a back road somewhere, in a wagon, that's almost always a case of ground clearance than driveline issues.

anyway, if you frequent the offroad in a 2WD, a simple set of traction boards works wonders. way better at getting you unstuck than AWD.

oh, good idea on these traction boards, was just gonna keep some chains and something else in there, but had never seen these. will be getting some for sure. the fishing thing sometimes takes me to places that are a bit sketchy, usually its fine.

mainly i need the capacity for gear, like fly rods, float tubes, camp gear, bikes and dogs, and needed something that doesnt drive like a turd and eat fuel like an suv.

i think im gonna like this vehicle, i already cant wait to drive it back to the dealer to get my truck later, haha.