General Auto Chat

Discussion in 'Cars, Motorcycles, Boats, Airplanes Talk' started by Maxvla, Sep 26, 2015.

  1. yotacowboy

    yotacowboy McRibs Kind of Guy

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    MK6 GTIs had issues with a cam follower and high pressure fuel pump going bad every 50k miles, IIRC. The PQ35 platform are not bad cars, but for similar $$ the MK7/MQB platform is a significant step up. The Gen3 motor is pretty robust. Not that I'm suggesting throwing a big turbo on it, but guys are getting north of 600hp on the stock bottom end (and head!!!) after going big turbo and supporting parts/fuel/tune. The amount of boost safety/predetonation safeguards built into the stock ECU is impressive. If you look at logs on some of these 30+psi cars, you can see the ECU pulling timing on individual cylinders mid cycle, which means there's very, very little chance of seeing major engine failure due to knock or high cylinder pressures, which means, no bent valves, or rods windowing a block, or head lift blowing a head gasket.

    Anyhow, if you can find a GTI S with the Performance Pack, you get the same brakes as a Golf R and an electronic limited slip diff that actually works.

    Another car I'd put on your radar that can be had in good shape for $15k-ish would be BMW 135i - really great engine, great chassis. A lot of "purists" would say the 135i is the last of the great driving bimmers, even if the turbski N54/N55 isn't in line with what a "real" bimmer supposedly is. Buddy of mine had a 135i and it was an absolute hoot to drive.
     
  2. iDesign

    iDesign Almost "Made"

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    I can only recommend the 2011+ 135i with the N55 engine. The N54 engine used in pre-2011 models had too many reliability issues (e.g. high pressure fuel pump, wastegate rattle, heat and intercooler issues etc etc). It otherwise is a good recommendation.
     
  3. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    S5 V8. A friend of mine has a 2011 or 2012. I think VW made them better back then. V8 because you are in America. Soon, California will pass a law outlawing V8s, and that will spread throughout the country. Have a V8 before your opportunity goes away before the tree-hugging Tesla Model S drivers who lease a car with toxic batteries every 3 years takes away your right to a V8 because they refuse to Thanos themselves for the sake of the climate change.
     
  4. JK47

    JK47 Guest

    Does it matter if your GTI made in Germany or Mexico?
     
  5. SoupRKnowva

    SoupRKnowva Official SBAF South Korean Ambassador

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    I don’t really care one way or the other, is there a reason to?
     
  6. yotacowboy

    yotacowboy McRibs Kind of Guy

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    It doesn't. Lots of VW folks were worried moving production of the NAR Golf to Mexico was going to make the MK7 a shitshow rattletrap warranty fest. The '14 production/early MY15 cars had weak turbo shafts, mostly corrected after October 2015 production. If you're not dicking around with the engine/tunes, don't worry about it. So far with the 7.5, the only issue I'm watching is a stalling issue on the 6MT which seems more due to the new Bosch Motronic or some weird sensor stuff going on.
     
  7. yotacowboy

    yotacowboy McRibs Kind of Guy

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  8. shotgunshane

    shotgunshane Floridian Falcon

    Staff Member Pyrate Flathead IEMW
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    Looking good for 310,000 miles. It’s a 2005 model. I bought it in 2008 with 34,000 miles. I still drive it hard and I’m still on the same rotors and ceramic pads I put on shortly after 100k. This has been a reliable beast.

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    DA06915F-8613-4E44-B255-26BC38A3942F.jpeg
     
  9. LetMeBeFrank

    LetMeBeFrank Won't tell anyone my name is actually Francis

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    Damn dude that thing looks really nice for all those miles. Must be mostly highway if you've had the same brakes for 200,000 miles.
     
  10. shotgunshane

    shotgunshane Floridian Falcon

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    Yeah, when I lived in Georgia for most of those miles, I drove 54 miles one way to work. Mostly highway miles through the ATL. Now I’m 9 miles from work in Florida and no highway. Not sure if I’ll ever hit the half million I wanted too. I also down shift a lot to reduce speed and save brakes.
     
  11. Kernel Kurtz

    Kernel Kurtz Friend

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    I only have....34,000 miles on my '11 3 series. Don't drive a lot but it is all city and it's gonna need brakes soon, even with the manual. Stock brakes wear fast. Will be looking for something drilled/slotted and some non-OEM pads for sure.
     
  12. penguins

    penguins Friend, formerly known as fp627

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    Early 2000's and on E46 would probably be my favorite 3 series overall. E30 may be more raw/analog and easy to work on and fun when handling, but it lacks some of the power and "niceness" of the E46. Hope it keeps running for a long time.
     
  13. mitochondrium

    mitochondrium Friend

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    Very nice car in general and yours looks mint with over 300k on the clock. For me the best looking 3 series ever. The last good looking Beamer in general. Nowadays even some Mercs have nicer looks than BMW. Sweet inline 6 cylindre. A V8 is nice, too. Appreciate things for what they are don‘t pick on them for what they are not. Let us know when you hit the 500k.
     
  14. Pogo

    Pogo Friend

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    No love for pickemups? Been my daily drivers since the early 90's and can't imagine life down low to the highway. Nuthin fancy for me, base models with manual windows and rubber floor mats preferred with high torque powertrains for towing. Current is a 2014 F150 XL screw with a 3.7 NA V6, highway queen at speed with quiet smooth ride and gobs of room. Fun to drive but a bitch to park, yeah I'll take 2 spots when I can.
     
  15. Deep Funk

    Deep Funk Deep thoughts - Friend

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    I love Regular Cars. This is fantastic.

     
  16. philipmorgan

    philipmorgan Member of the month

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    Ended up getting the Q3 in a fun color.

    It drives real nice -- very car-like -- though I haven't had a chance to drive in snow or put winter tires on it.

    Seats are better than the 328d we had. Carplay is nice but mega frustrating w/more than 1 phone. Engine seems appropriately sized powered and geared, but haven't had to push it much. Just a few hundred miles of around-town driving so far. 20" wheels + low profile tires are a mild pain. Already got a nail in a tire and the local import car shop didn't have a tire mounting machine that could handle the job. And winter tire availability in this size is limited.

    Ergonomics are pretty sweet all around. The more upright seating and easier rear storage vs. 328d is really nice.

    I think that's about it for now.

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  17. Gruss Gott

    Gruss Gott Almost "Made"

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    Nice! I gotta say, I've never been an SUV/SAV fan, but maybe because of the new designs or maybe I'm getting old (I gotta be honest, they're easier to get me and stuff in/out) I'm really starting to like them! That's a cool little unit!

    I'm maybe thinking of an X3M in a year ... I have some planned lifestyle changes coming and the X3 would definitely fit better than the convertible i have now ... which is horrible for just about anything other than driving a canyon road. If the weather is nice. and the canyon isn't on fire. and the road doesn't have a fault line crack in it. and I have time. and I feel like it.
     
  18. JeffYoung

    JeffYoung Friend

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    Great colour!
     
  19. squishware

    squishware Friend

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    [​IMG]

    82 CJ7 with a 1989 4.3 GM V6 from a S10. Still riding my bike to the grocery store in the rain waiting on a radiator assembly from Novak.
     
  20. Taverius

    Taverius Smells like sausages

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    Finally got the car back with the - extremely expensive - carbon hard-top mounted.

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    Kinda shitty weather/lighting but that's what I got the hard-top for.

    Its nice having rear visibility in the winter, not to mention much quieter on long trips.
     

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