If you are considering buyback which cars are you looking at as replacements?

[Jeta Life]

Q5 is very nice. I have a 3yr old and a 10 week old so need the backseat room of the A6. Wife has a 2013 MDX Tech w/only 23k on it that she is hinting that she wants to trade in for a new Q7. No need for us to have two SUV's. Would love an S6 (complete other direction from my current ride) but too steep for my budget.

The transition from Volkswagen to Audi, Mercedes or BMW has crossed my mind. I was just stoping one day to buy beer when an E250 BlueTec parked right beside me. At that moment I was so close to parking my Jetta, waiting 2 months for the check and just going to search for an E250 which gets 40mpgs.
I too have 2 children and a wife and have been going thru a midlife crisis of sorts. When I bought my TDI as a CPO about 4 years ago I needed FE as RUG was near $4 a gallon. Plus my 70 mile daily commute was wearing away at me.
When you look at an Audi, Mercedes or BMW you just know that they're in another level of comfort. For me now I have come to the realization that I can't continue driving like a maniac with my Jetta and must settle down and just get a luxury make so I am sort of relieved I can turn in my Jettta for a good amount.
Audi Q5 or Q7, Mercedes GL 450 or E250 all as CPOs in the 30k range have all crossed my mind as they are barely broken in at that point and still under warranty but sure do depreciate quickly.
Of course I've considered the Asian luxury makes like Lexus GS with AWD, Infiniti and Acura too but there is something about the German brawny, thicker and stronger peace of mind when putting the kids in the car.
My family's other car is an S60 so we're kind of cramped right now and just want to get that "high horse" feeling of an SUV with all that extra cargo capacity and less cramped seats.
Audi Q7 is one awesome looking truck as is the Mercedes GL450.

 

[Q-Ship]

Buick Regal GS Turbo w/ 6 speed manual.

 

[kjclow]

When my wife got her Golf TDI, it had a subwoofer in the trunk on top of the spare tire (which meant no full-sized spare). I am not a fan of subwoofers in general - I make her turn the thing off when I am in her car, and frankly I would rather have the full-sized spare.

The Volvo has no spare tire at all - just a can of fix-a-flat and a compressor that you plug into the cigarette lighter . I am not sure, but I think there is still room in the trunk for the spare - I just have to go out and buy one. Believe it or not, the car did come with a jack and a wrench, but without a spare it isn't clear how that is ever going to be useful.

Most tire failures I've had have been catastrophic and no can of fix a flat can put a tire back together. If I ended up with a Volvo v60, I would add the spare before driving off the lot.

 

[kjclow]

In case nobody else has responded already, it's the S4:
https://www.audiusa.com/content/dam...odels/2016/news-2016-audi-a4-s4-media-kit.pdf
Check out the configurator...

Says the manual is standard on the S4 and optional on the A4. Twice the choices but still priced as an Audi.

 

[14PassatTDISE]

The wife wants a new Benz GLC 300. I want a CPO BMW 328i. I guess we are getting a Benz then.

 

[bird67]

The transition from Volkswagen to Audi, Mercedes or BMW has crossed my mind. I was just stoping one day to buy beer when an E250 BlueTec parked right beside me..

Last spring I bought a 2015 GLK250 for my wife, CPO. I bought it to replace her 09 Mini Clubman. I like it a lot. Observed MPG for mostly short trips around town is 36 mpg. It is a well-built vehicle. YMMV, but if you're considering a small CUV you might put it on your radar. BUT, it's a unicorn hunt to find one with xenon headlights. I had to go 1500 miles from home to find one. The base headlights are terrible and replacing them with xenons is not reasonable. For city folk I suspect it doesn't matter but for anyone who drives dark roads...the xenons are mandatory.

If VW's 3.0 settlement includes buy-back I'll at least consider alternatives to my '14 Touareg. The pickings are few. GLK/GLC is not a match for the Touareg's mass and build quality. XC90 is nice but I like the Touareg better. GLE, perhaps...but I already chose the Touareg over it in '14. Not a fan of the Asian options.

Jaguar F-Pace? Anyone driven one? Is it a match for the Touareg/Q-7/Cayenne chassis in terms of solidity and drive?

 

[Airpizz6]

The wife wants an MB E-Class. I want a diesel. Not many E250's on the market. Not seriously looking yet, because I intend to keep the Passat till '18. In the meantime, the wife has to be content with our 2000 C-Class which we bought new and only has 67K on the clock. Still a nice car, but it only delivers about 21MPG on unleaded premium. Bugs me every time it gets thirsty.

 

[RalphVa]

Buick Regal GS Turbo w/ 6 speed manual.

Interesting, one of the few manuals among the auto sea.

It's 4 cylinder engine beats even the BMW 328/2.0 for hp and torque. These two are among the few that'll compete with the TDI for torque. They cannot beat its mileage, but the BMW may be much closer.

 

[RalphVa]

Oh, I'm going manual all the way... No worries

It was fun having 5 or 6 sales guys and an awkward customer watch me bring my sax into the show room, but it fit! Diagonally, but it fit. If it didn't have the molded carpet around the trunk-lid arms, I bet it would have fit side to side like in the Jetta. The simple fact that it fits without folding seats is huge in my book. (I still find much irony in "large" cars that have small openings).

Test drove the only stick they had, a sport model with no extras. I liked how it rode on the choppy pavement. I think the longer wheelbase helped, plus it had 17's with 55 series tires, so I'm sure that makes a difference. I'd like to get into a Touring trim with 19s to feel the difference and try out a touch screen. Overall, I was impressed with the comfort and feel of the car. I think it fits me well.

I looked at the 6 as well. Could get it with something other than black leatherette in the majority of the 3s.

Cannot get the 6 with heated seats and manual transmission, unfortunately.

It's actually closer in size to the Jetta than the 3s are. Mazda is weird. The 3s somehow barely qualify as compacts, and the 6s barely qualify as mid sized.

Main difference is the 6s have a bit more rear seat space and a bigger trunk.

The trunk on the 3 is the same size as our Benz 240D that we had for 25 years. Big enough. Very rarely have used the full trunk space of the Jetta.

 

[Jeta Life]

Last spring I bought a 2015 GLK250 for my wife, CPO. I bought it to replace her 09 Mini Clubman. I like it a lot. Observed MPG for mostly short trips around town is 36 mpg. It is a well-built vehicle. YMMV, but if you're considering a small CUV you might put it on your radar. BUT, it's a unicorn hunt to find one with xenon headlights.

Excellent pick, certainly a unicorn. GLK diesels are very attractive, I did a search and there are several 13s & 14s in the $30K range with low mileage. I will add it on the "to do" list of vehicles I hope to test drive. Outstanding visibility and high stance is sort of sportier than a E250 sedan. I've had sedans my whole life.

The Touareg and Cayenne are also on my radar, haven't really ruled anything out. I suspect there may be buying opportunities from MB ML & GL diesel owners who are in panic mode ditching their rides due to Dieselgate's association perhaps. Just a theory.

Amazing vehicles with all that weight and can still get the 30 to 35 mpgs on diesel wonder fuel.

Which diesel SUVs have the least issues ? Of course most will not accept the potential/level of risk associated with high dollar bill repairs, but these high testosterone rides have got to be phenomenal compared to neutered Asians.

Should I put down my green tea cup and get a German beer mug ?

 

[ATR]

I test drove a used 2013 audi a6 2.0T today.The auto transmission seemed really well tuned to what the driver is looking for the car to do. The thing that struck me was how well it handles. It was large and had a ton of room inside, yet it felt much like my golf! It just became my favorite sedan. Just a touch over $30k to boot.

I'll always long for a hatch if I got that a6 though. So my final list of cars is currently...
Mk6 or mk7 gti/Golf R
Mk5 R32

Maybe a q5? Didn't get to drive one yet.

 

[bizzle]

Couple of things. Kia and Hyundai owners love the 10yr/100,000 mile warranty. That brings quite a bit of customer satisfaction right there. Then there is residual value or what you can sell it for down the road, Hyundai and Kia certainly don't excel yet in this area, but they are improving.
Historically both Honda and Toyota have had a good track record for reliability. So much so that many people are repeat buyers or trade up to newer models. With a lot of cars, the infotainment systems are some of the biggest problem areas as well as government standards on emissions or mileage that bring along trade-offs in some of the tried and true methods of the past.
For me, I just went out and test drove a lot of them and found the one which felt right to me. Choice #1 was the Honda Accord. Choice #2 was a Chevy Malibu. Between the 2, I felt the Honda would end up being more reliable, a little more simplistic to fix (no turbos, etc), and it had more features that I liked that simply couldn't be had on the Malibu.

I think this is what I read:
http://www.jdpower.com/cars/articles/automotion-blog/5-car-quality-myths-busted

I was calling around trying to score a deal for a Jetta Hybrid and one salesperson asked me if I had considered a Hyundai Sonata. I told him that I hadn't been in a Hyundai since the 80's and I think they were about $5K new. He told me that they've changed significantly and that I should try one out. I followed up on that advice and did test drive a Sonata PHEV, which was very nice truth be told, but if I'm going to spend $40K I'm going to get an Audi. Then again, if I'm going to get an Audi, the eTron needs more than 20 miles of EV range...so I'll wait a few more years until my eGolf lease is up and see what VW is doing

 

[chadbag]

I think this is what I read:
http://www.jdpower.com/cars/articles/automotion-blog/5-car-quality-myths-busted

I was calling around trying to score a deal for a Jetta Hybrid and one salesperson asked me if I had considered a Hyundai Sonata. I told him that I hadn't been in a Hyundai since the 80's and I think they were about $5K new. He told me that they've changed significantly and that I should try one out. I followed up on that advice and did test drive a Sonata PHEV, which was very nice truth be told, but if I'm going to spend $40K I'm going to get an Audi. Then again, if I'm going to get an Audi, the eTron needs more than 20 miles of EV range...so I'll wait a few more years until my eGolf lease is up and see what VW is doing

I had a Hyundai rental 2 years ago. It drove well enough, but the cockpit seemed poorly designed and it seemed like while all the individual pieces were well engineered, the whole was just a bunch of well engineered pieces thrown together. The whole was not well engineered, if you know what I mean.

Last I looked, one of the local VW dealers had like 4 or 5 Jetta Hybrids and all were significantly reduced (around 26k IIRC from 33k). This from a dealer that only ever had 1 on the lot previously and they always took 5-6 months to move.

 

[JCTDI]

Buick Regal GS Turbo w/ 6 speed manual.

Manual transmission is no longer offered.

http://www.gminsidenews.com/forums/f74/2016-buick-regal-gs-drops-manual-transmission-option-217865/

 

[Vidgamer]

So I went a little crazy and my 2016 AMG GLA45 is on the way to my local dealer.
....
Anyway, the GLA45 is . . . well . . . sick . Got to wait for the car to get here,....

Could have bought a 2016 GTI Autobahn w/ Performance Package AND their 2013 Golf R from my local VW dealer for the same price though. That part is shocking. ....

The GLA45 is just too expensive for me. I might be able to swing a normal GLA, but reading about it, it sounds a bit wimpy compared to the competition. Still, seems like something I should look into. Seems to press some of my buttons...

 

[Mark SF]

Most tire failures I've had have been catastrophic and no can of fix a flat can put a tire back together. If I ended up with a Volvo v60, I would add the spare before driving off the lot.

The problem is, you can say goodbye to half the trunk space if you do that.

 

[GyroRon]

How come no one is talking about the Jeep Grand Cherokee Eco Diesel? Seems if some of you guys want to stick with diesel and want a SUV it would be on the radar

 

[Conrad -JSW]

How come no one is talking about the Jeep Grand Cherokee Eco Diesel? Seems if some of you guys want to stick with diesel and want a SUV it would be on the radar

Have you seen the starting price on those things? Hardly comparable.

 

[ATR]

How come no one is talking about the Jeep Grand Cherokee Eco Diesel? Seems if some of you guys want to stick with diesel and want a SUV it would be on the radar

Because if you thought vw had reliability issues get ready for a whole new kind of crazy with a Chrysler product. Sure they have roots in MB, but they constantly have issues with recalls (some quite serious).

 

[kjclow]

I think this is what I read:
http://www.jdpower.com/cars/articles/automotion-blog/5-car-quality-myths-busted

I was calling around trying to score a deal for a Jetta Hybrid and one salesperson asked me if I had considered a Hyundai Sonata. I told him that I hadn't been in a Hyundai since the 80's and I think they were about $5K new. He told me that they've changed significantly and that I should try one out. I followed up on that advice and did test drive a Sonata PHEV, which was very nice truth be told, but if I'm going to spend $40K I'm going to get an Audi. Then again, if I'm going to get an Audi, the eTron needs more than 20 miles of EV range...so I'll wait a few more years until my eGolf lease is up and see what VW is doing

I looked at the Hyundai and Kia models a few years back. Both my daughter and I felt like we were driving in a cave. The curve of the roof cut off most of the usable back window.

 

[kjclow]

How come no one is talking about the Jeep Grand Cherokee Eco Diesel? Seems if some of you guys want to stick with diesel and want a SUV it would be on the radar

Have you seen the starting price on those things? Hardly comparable.

Because if you thought vw had reliability issues get ready for a whole new kind of crazy with a Chrysler product. Sure they have roots in MB, but they constantly have issues with recalls (some quite serious).

One of the dealers here in Charlotte has 2 2015s sitting on his lot. Current online price is around $42,000 US. I've been thinking about it but at 28 mpg highway, it may not fit The desire to not give up too much economy. The CRV and RAV4 gasser so are supposed to get at least that good of mileage at about 10 grand less.

 

[Vidgamer]

When I've traveled with our RAV4, I've gotten around 30 MPG (or even better) highway. That's not exceptional -- what is, it was getting something like 24 MPG around town, last I recall. Seems pretty good for something with that much room. I'm only getting around 30mpg with the TDI (or often less!) on these short in-town trips!

When I had a longer commute, the TDI was awesome, though. I could get 34 to 36mpg mixed driving, and mostly enjoy doing it. ;-)

But yeah, look at the RAV4 or CRV if you want an SUV with decent mileage. I don't know how Toyota does it. Variable valve timing?

 

[pparks1]

Have you seen the starting price on those things? Hardly comparable.

Yeah, the fact you have to get such a high trim level to get the diesel was a big disappointment.

 

[gopack471]

Just bought a '16 Passat SE for 6 grand off MSRP - $22,880

 

[ATR]

Today I picked up a 2017 gti sport (has lighting and performance package) w/6mt. Before fees and taxes it was right around 26k. Out the door price was 29k even.

I also tested the dsg, but that didn't stir my soul the way the manual did.

 

[drshaws]

Today I picked up a 2017 gti sport (has lighting and performance package) w/6mt. Before fees and taxes it was right around 26k. Out the door price was 29k even.

I also tested the dsg, but that didn't stir my soul the way the manual did.

Congrats. Looks awesome. We're looking to score a MY16 GTI.

Do you think you'll miss the fogs not present on the Sport? I know I missed them on our JSW (coastal, backroad life you actually need them).

 

[USCGTO]

Just bought a '16 Passat SE for 6 grand off MSRP - $22,880

I was quoted similar price for a 2016 SE with lightning package. Essentially 6k off.

 

[RalphVa]

I'm a girl and I agree... I will always opt for a manual over any kind of automatic

Car shopping was SUPER frustrating for me two years ago because even then finding anything decent with a MT was almost impossible... now there are even fewer options, however the Golf AllTrack coming out next year is tempting... unless they release it without any kind of tow rating at all. If that happens I may strongly consider just keeping my TDI.

Wife and I both drive MTs, too. Tough finding one with all the goodies we wanted. Found the Mazda3 and plan to drive up to Pittsburgh (6 hours) to pick it up this Thursday. The Mazda3 has been a favorite of car testers for many years.

 

[ecupip]

Yeah, the fact you have to get such a high trim level to get the diesel was a big disappointment.

Not much different than the VW's. The TDI's were always the highest or next to highest trims available.

 

[bennybmn]

I looked at the 6 as well. Could get it with something other than black leatherette in the majority of the 3s.

Cannot get the 6 with heated seats and manual transmission, unfortunately.

It's actually closer in size to the Jetta than the 3s are. Mazda is weird. The 3s somehow barely qualify as compacts, and the 6s barely qualify as mid sized.

Main difference is the 6s have a bit more rear seat space and a bigger trunk.

That's a bummer about the heated seats... One of those things I've gotten used to. I think I'd survive, but miss it! Still a front runner.

The bigger trunk and back seat are a big deal for me too.