I've been getting sick of our boring grey Mazdas so last week I started thinking about what to do to replace them. We already got the Mini in the summer and it effectively replaces the 3 (just need to sell it), but it was a bit more difficult to replace the 6 wagon because I wanted to keep a more "practical" car in the garage.
The 6 has given me a bit of trouble lately, nothing too bad on a car that is 9 years old and has 190k on it, but it is also rusting and I can't stand that. My initial thought was to get a used 4Runner or Wrangler and then eventually get a summer car (read: E90 M3) along with it, but that would mean daily driving a truck for a year or two and I've been putting off buying a more fun car for too long.
I also would have considered an E91 wagon with a stick + sport package but they're rare and not cheap. Not sure I want to pay $30k+ for an '11 model.
The other thing I had considered was a '14 Golf TDI manual wagon, especially since you can get the Wolfsburg Edition in red but then my dad bought that exact car on my recommendation. I was also apprehensive about buying a new car at the end of its cycle because it would mean missing out on new tech features (I know some hate them, but I enjoy them) and the Golf wagon drives nicely enough but isn't really sporty.
So the other day I drove by the local VW dealer and they had a red GTI parked out front. I was hoping it was a stick but it was a DSG. The saleswoman (who sold me the Mini and my dad his wagon) said she was getting a black six-speed GTI in a few weeks and she knew I preferred a stick but invited me to test drive the DSG.
Long story short, I was quickly sold on the GTI. It's a good balance of what I'm looking for in a car: It's fairly luxurious, having a lot of creature comforts and room. Even the rear seat is surprisingly spacious as is the hatch. At the same time, it's a lot of fun to drive while still being refined. I fell in love with the car at the Montreal Auto Show this year and the short drive lived up to my expectations so I pulled the trigger.
I should have it in two weeks. I'm getting the five-door Autobahn model with a six-speed in red, with the optional leather and technology packages. The only thing missing is the not-yet-available performance package. I ended up leasing for three years thanks to the excellent residual (55%) and rate (1.9%). Got an okay discount as well, though nothing crazy.
I had considered getting a new Jeep but decided against it because again, I wanted a sporty car. The WRX probably would have been in contention too but no hatch, no sale – sorry Subaru. The Mazda 3 GT was barely cheaper to lease than the GTI despite a $5k difference in price and I just couldn't get excited about it. Would have at least given the Focus ST a shot but none were at local dealers.
It's going to be a long couple weeks but at least I'm going out of town next week. With any luck it will be here when I get back! I'm quite excited, I've never had a brand new car.
