roninsoldier83
Ready to race!
So, allow me to explain... I got an amazing deal on a house a few months back, one that I couldn't pass up. Unfortunately, it resulted in my commute more than tripling. My son is also in a good school (in my old neighborhood) that has resulted in significantly more time spent commuting in light-to-light traffic taking him to school. Overall, I've been getting a little burnt out on driving a manual for a daily driver while commuting so many miles, dealing with traffic. So, I decided to look into getting a family friendly automatic that could serve as my new daily driver. The final plan was to also get another weekend play-toy/project car, likely another Miata, to help sate my "hooligan at heart" desires. 
I had a few requirements:
-Automatic (obviously)
-4 doors are a must (wife + 2 kids)
-AWD is a must (I live on the west side of Denver, literally 10 minutes from the mountains; we get a bit of snow here )
-Must be relatively sporty. I can't stand the thought of driving an SUV (no offense to SUV owners, it's just not my thing).
-While fuel economy would be nice, I value power/acceleration over fuel economy.
-I'm a big fan of options like leather, heated seats, Xenons, Bluetooth & SiriusXM, ect.
-Under $35k
So, I set out to see what was out there.... I looked at the 3-series and A4 first.
I drove the A4.... when it comes to interior and exterior design and aesthetics, it easily topped my list. Then I drove it... honestly, my absolute biggest complaint was the overly-light, numb electric power steering. Yes, I know my Golf R has electric power steering, but IMO VW did a much better job weighting it. I couldn't hardly get past it- I disliked it that much. The motor was adequate, with lots of low-end torque, but it seemed to struggle a bit on the freeway. With options I wanted, it would have been well over the $35k cap I set, but with a bit of negotiating, I could have probably gotten somewhere around that $35k mark.
Drove the 328xi.... I liked it. Had plenty of grunt, good chassis balance, ect. Steering was a bit more numb than previous E90 cars, but still better than the A4 IMO... then came the price... with the simple options I was looking for, we were pushing the $45k mark. Not a bad car at all, but there's no way I could justify $45k for a turbo 4-cylinder. I don't care about current marketing/engine trends, it's just too rich for my blood. I likely would have stretched slightly past my pre-set budget to get it, but not $10k past my budget. It's a good car, but not a whole lot of "value" in it IMO. YMMV.
Which led me to the 3-series rival for many years, the Infiniti G37x. Since Infiniti launched the new Q50, they announced they were going to continue making the G37 and chop $4800 off of the price. This got me interested. With every option I was looking for, the AWD G37x priced out to be right around the $38k mark. I drove it... much more weighted steering (hydraulic) with more feedback vs the A4 & 328xi. 3.7L V6 making 328hp. Although, to be honest, at this elevation (5200 ft) the turbo'd 328xi felt peppier, but the G definitely pulled harder on the freeway vs the A4. Longer warranty, higher reliability ratings, ect were a plus. So, I talked to a couple local dealers and one of them was willing to let a brand new 2013 G37x with Premium package (moonroof, Bose sound, rear sonar, ect) go for a whopping $33.2k. So, under my projected budget.
At that price, the choice was clear.... and I now have a new G37x parked in my garage and have been driving it for a few days now.
I'm over 30 years old and admittedly have have had far too many cars for my years (although several of them were owned concurrently). In my vehicle tradings over the years, I have never had a case of "buyer's remorse".... until now. Although, I would aptly rename the condition "seller's remorse". Don't get me wrong, the G37x is a great car and a phenomenal value.... but it's no Golf R.
Where to start? Well, the engine bay is a good place to start I suppose... The G37's motor has plenty of grunt to it and continues to pull hard to redline. However, I actually preferred the R's mid-range torque. At sea level this might not have been the case, but at this elevation the R's boosted advantage was very nice. They accelerate at a very similar pace, but I really did like the R's powerband, as it didn't need to be wound out as much in order to pickup the pace. There is something to say about an NA motor, and normally that's what I prefer, but the R's mid-range was just nice for playing sporty car driver. In daily traffic, the G's V6 is MORE than adequate and has much better throttle response. In traffic: G37. On the freeway: Tie. Back roads: Golf R.
Handling... They're actually about a wash for steering weight, with the G37 having a bit of an edge for feedback. Obviously the G has a MUCH longer wheelbase, so it has high speed stability in spades. However, for a short wheelbase car, the R did very well IMO. Far better than it's exterior dimensions would suggest... I would give the G the nod for stability, but only slightly.
Changing directions is another matter entirely.... the R is about ~500 lbs lighter and you can really feel it. VW really had a perfect balance of comfort and sport IMO. The R changed directions so easily and without drama. I can't say enough about how much I truly miss the way the R handled.... Not too labored, not too darty; in a word: Perfect. The G does well for a big, heavy sedan; much better than it should for a 3800 lbs car, but it wouldn't hold a candle to the R. It feels like it is very stable for higher speed sweepers, but it does not transition quickly when compared to the R. Not a whole lot of body roll for the G, but it just isn't as eager to play around in tight bends; which is to be expected.
Braking.... Both actually have pretty good feedback all around and are fairly easy to modulate. I want to say that the R's pedal was tuned a bit better, offering better initial bite, but honestly, I might have just been used to it to a greater degree. Only time will tell. I never experienced fade in the R, but then again, I never really tracked it either... if I was a betting man, I would put money down on the R resisting fade to a greater degree, but I'm just speculating at this point.
Interior.... Neither of them is "cheap" and neither of them feels cheap either. However, the G feels dated when compared to the R. I would almost go as far as to say the R has an overall better fit and finish, if only slightly. The tech in the R is more intuitive and has superior functionality IMO. All of the controls on the R seem to be more well thought-out and better placed. I know it's a "lowly VW" vs a "luxury brand", but the G is an older chassis and it's age is starting to show. Don't get me wrong, the G is a nice place to be inside, but I think the R really had a much nicer interior than it's price-tag would suggest. One sad thing I feel inclined to point out: the R's "base" stereo system actually sounds worlds better than the G's "premium" Bose system. A bit disappointing to be honest.
Seats..... R. Hands down. No contest. The R's seats were possibly the best sport seats of any [factory/stock] seats I've ever had. Perfect balance of bolstering, support and comfort. I miss them dearly. Well, to be honest, the only seats I've ever had that I possibly liked better than the R's seats were my old MK6 GTI's cloth plaid seats! I prefer leather for cleaning, ect, but for keeping me planted, I did love the GTI's plaid cloth! The G's seats? "Meh". They're alright... the leather fit and finish on them is nice, but they're not nearly as sporty as the R's seats. To address this, Infiniti's Sport Package seats might have helped, but unfortunately, there were no Sport Package G37x sedans left in the state when I bought mine.
Interior comfort... I prefer the seating position in the R. The G has more leg room & it's nice to never have my right leg pushing against the center console, but there's a trade-off: I had to adjust the driver's seat repeatedly in order for my hair not to touch the roof in the G. Legroom: G37. Headroom: Golf R. Although, this likely would not have been an issue if the G37 didn't have a moonroof. For reference, I'm not all that big of a guy, but am around 6'2" 212 lbs.
Back seat.... Golf R actually seems to have more headroom and leg-room... even though it's a significantly shorter car. Not a big deal since the kids are so young, but for adults, I think the R would have been the better car. The swooping roof-line on the G37 is no bueno for tall drivers.
Storage/trunk space.... you guessed it, Golf R. Granted, if you're taking the wife & kids to the store, the G has more trunk space with the R's seats up. However, while the G has a bigger trunk, the R's trunk is more accessible and easier to place and remove things from. With the seats down (which the G won't do), the R becomes a monster of storage space for such a small car... I picked up a new lawnmower from Home Depot in the R a few months ago without issue....
Fuel economy... Golf R again. Not by much, they're both piss poor as far as modern day cars go, but shifting myself I was able to average ~26mpg or so with the R in my commute to work, which seems to be more than I'll be getting out of the G.
Transmission... auto vs manual. Apples to oranges. This was probably one of the R's weakest areas, as the 6-speed manual was a bit notchy, specifically the 1-2 shift. The clutch was nicely weighted, but the shifter never felt very direct, specifically when compared to cars like my old NA Miata (we're talking not even close to the shift action of a 20+ year old Mazda!). Not horrible by any means, but not very good either. To be honest, my wife's WRX with the SPT package (that includes a factory short shift kit) on it has better shifter feel, and given Subaru's reputation for having a rubbery 5-speed, that's saying something. The G's 7-speed auto is actually pretty decent. Very quick shifts and it's smoother than some of the reviews for it would give it credit for. It's not nearly as much fun as a manual is on the right road, but for a daily driver, I have no issues with it at all.
I want to say that I think a lot of the deficiencies I've found in the G would have been found with almost anything in it's price range. Again, irregardless of my review, the G is actually a really good car, I just don't think it's a better car than the R for the money. It is nice to be able to relax a bit more during long stop and go commutes, but there was truly something special about the R that I have a hard time describing. The R was a bit slower then my wife's 2013 Subaru WRX, but being given the choice, I picked the R every time. Maybe when VW brings the R back with a DSG... well, I suppose only time will tell.
For the record, I think I actually would have felt about the same if I had bought either the A4 or the 328xi. If it wasn't a manual, I don't think I would have sold my R.... and in retrospect, I might have spent more time considering keeping the R and buying an automatic beater for the daily grind. However, not worrying about timing belts, cam followers, carbon build-up and general electric gremlins will likely prove to be a good thing in the long run.... but driving the R will sorely be missed. That's just my $.02
Now, where's that new Miata I was talking about? :thumbsup:
Cheers,
-Brandon
I had a few requirements:
-Automatic (obviously)
-4 doors are a must (wife + 2 kids)
-AWD is a must (I live on the west side of Denver, literally 10 minutes from the mountains; we get a bit of snow here
) -Must be relatively sporty. I can't stand the thought of driving an SUV (no offense to SUV owners, it's just not my thing).
-While fuel economy would be nice, I value power/acceleration over fuel economy.
-I'm a big fan of options like leather, heated seats, Xenons, Bluetooth & SiriusXM, ect.
-Under $35k
So, I set out to see what was out there.... I looked at the 3-series and A4 first.
I drove the A4.... when it comes to interior and exterior design and aesthetics, it easily topped my list. Then I drove it... honestly, my absolute biggest complaint was the overly-light, numb electric power steering. Yes, I know my Golf R has electric power steering, but IMO VW did a much better job weighting it. I couldn't hardly get past it- I disliked it that much. The motor was adequate, with lots of low-end torque, but it seemed to struggle a bit on the freeway. With options I wanted, it would have been well over the $35k cap I set, but with a bit of negotiating, I could have probably gotten somewhere around that $35k mark.
Drove the 328xi.... I liked it. Had plenty of grunt, good chassis balance, ect. Steering was a bit more numb than previous E90 cars, but still better than the A4 IMO... then came the price... with the simple options I was looking for, we were pushing the $45k mark. Not a bad car at all, but there's no way I could justify $45k for a turbo 4-cylinder. I don't care about current marketing/engine trends, it's just too rich for my blood. I likely would have stretched slightly past my pre-set budget to get it, but not $10k past my budget. It's a good car, but not a whole lot of "value" in it IMO. YMMV.
Which led me to the 3-series rival for many years, the Infiniti G37x. Since Infiniti launched the new Q50, they announced they were going to continue making the G37 and chop $4800 off of the price. This got me interested. With every option I was looking for, the AWD G37x priced out to be right around the $38k mark. I drove it... much more weighted steering (hydraulic) with more feedback vs the A4 & 328xi. 3.7L V6 making 328hp. Although, to be honest, at this elevation (5200 ft) the turbo'd 328xi felt peppier, but the G definitely pulled harder on the freeway vs the A4. Longer warranty, higher reliability ratings, ect were a plus. So, I talked to a couple local dealers and one of them was willing to let a brand new 2013 G37x with Premium package (moonroof, Bose sound, rear sonar, ect) go for a whopping $33.2k. So, under my projected budget.
At that price, the choice was clear.... and I now have a new G37x parked in my garage and have been driving it for a few days now.
I'm over 30 years old and admittedly have have had far too many cars for my years (although several of them were owned concurrently). In my vehicle tradings over the years, I have never had a case of "buyer's remorse".... until now. Although, I would aptly rename the condition "seller's remorse". Don't get me wrong, the G37x is a great car and a phenomenal value.... but it's no Golf R.
Where to start? Well, the engine bay is a good place to start I suppose... The G37's motor has plenty of grunt to it and continues to pull hard to redline. However, I actually preferred the R's mid-range torque. At sea level this might not have been the case, but at this elevation the R's boosted advantage was very nice. They accelerate at a very similar pace, but I really did like the R's powerband, as it didn't need to be wound out as much in order to pickup the pace. There is something to say about an NA motor, and normally that's what I prefer, but the R's mid-range was just nice for playing sporty car driver. In daily traffic, the G's V6 is MORE than adequate and has much better throttle response. In traffic: G37. On the freeway: Tie. Back roads: Golf R.
Handling... They're actually about a wash for steering weight, with the G37 having a bit of an edge for feedback. Obviously the G has a MUCH longer wheelbase, so it has high speed stability in spades. However, for a short wheelbase car, the R did very well IMO. Far better than it's exterior dimensions would suggest... I would give the G the nod for stability, but only slightly.
Changing directions is another matter entirely.... the R is about ~500 lbs lighter and you can really feel it. VW really had a perfect balance of comfort and sport IMO. The R changed directions so easily and without drama. I can't say enough about how much I truly miss the way the R handled.... Not too labored, not too darty; in a word: Perfect. The G does well for a big, heavy sedan; much better than it should for a 3800 lbs car, but it wouldn't hold a candle to the R. It feels like it is very stable for higher speed sweepers, but it does not transition quickly when compared to the R. Not a whole lot of body roll for the G, but it just isn't as eager to play around in tight bends; which is to be expected.
Braking.... Both actually have pretty good feedback all around and are fairly easy to modulate. I want to say that the R's pedal was tuned a bit better, offering better initial bite, but honestly, I might have just been used to it to a greater degree. Only time will tell. I never experienced fade in the R, but then again, I never really tracked it either... if I was a betting man, I would put money down on the R resisting fade to a greater degree, but I'm just speculating at this point.
Interior.... Neither of them is "cheap" and neither of them feels cheap either. However, the G feels dated when compared to the R. I would almost go as far as to say the R has an overall better fit and finish, if only slightly. The tech in the R is more intuitive and has superior functionality IMO. All of the controls on the R seem to be more well thought-out and better placed. I know it's a "lowly VW" vs a "luxury brand", but the G is an older chassis and it's age is starting to show. Don't get me wrong, the G is a nice place to be inside, but I think the R really had a much nicer interior than it's price-tag would suggest. One sad thing I feel inclined to point out: the R's "base" stereo system actually sounds worlds better than the G's "premium" Bose system. A bit disappointing to be honest.
Seats..... R. Hands down. No contest. The R's seats were possibly the best sport seats of any [factory/stock] seats I've ever had. Perfect balance of bolstering, support and comfort. I miss them dearly. Well, to be honest, the only seats I've ever had that I possibly liked better than the R's seats were my old MK6 GTI's cloth plaid seats! I prefer leather for cleaning, ect, but for keeping me planted, I did love the GTI's plaid cloth! The G's seats? "Meh". They're alright... the leather fit and finish on them is nice, but they're not nearly as sporty as the R's seats. To address this, Infiniti's Sport Package seats might have helped, but unfortunately, there were no Sport Package G37x sedans left in the state when I bought mine.
Interior comfort... I prefer the seating position in the R. The G has more leg room & it's nice to never have my right leg pushing against the center console, but there's a trade-off: I had to adjust the driver's seat repeatedly in order for my hair not to touch the roof in the G. Legroom: G37. Headroom: Golf R. Although, this likely would not have been an issue if the G37 didn't have a moonroof. For reference, I'm not all that big of a guy, but am around 6'2" 212 lbs.
Back seat.... Golf R actually seems to have more headroom and leg-room... even though it's a significantly shorter car. Not a big deal since the kids are so young, but for adults, I think the R would have been the better car. The swooping roof-line on the G37 is no bueno for tall drivers.
Storage/trunk space.... you guessed it, Golf R. Granted, if you're taking the wife & kids to the store, the G has more trunk space with the R's seats up. However, while the G has a bigger trunk, the R's trunk is more accessible and easier to place and remove things from. With the seats down (which the G won't do), the R becomes a monster of storage space for such a small car... I picked up a new lawnmower from Home Depot in the R a few months ago without issue....
Fuel economy... Golf R again. Not by much, they're both piss poor as far as modern day cars go, but shifting myself I was able to average ~26mpg or so with the R in my commute to work, which seems to be more than I'll be getting out of the G.
Transmission... auto vs manual. Apples to oranges. This was probably one of the R's weakest areas, as the 6-speed manual was a bit notchy, specifically the 1-2 shift. The clutch was nicely weighted, but the shifter never felt very direct, specifically when compared to cars like my old NA Miata (we're talking not even close to the shift action of a 20+ year old Mazda!). Not horrible by any means, but not very good either. To be honest, my wife's WRX with the SPT package (that includes a factory short shift kit) on it has better shifter feel, and given Subaru's reputation for having a rubbery 5-speed, that's saying something. The G's 7-speed auto is actually pretty decent. Very quick shifts and it's smoother than some of the reviews for it would give it credit for. It's not nearly as much fun as a manual is on the right road, but for a daily driver, I have no issues with it at all.
I want to say that I think a lot of the deficiencies I've found in the G would have been found with almost anything in it's price range. Again, irregardless of my review, the G is actually a really good car, I just don't think it's a better car than the R for the money. It is nice to be able to relax a bit more during long stop and go commutes, but there was truly something special about the R that I have a hard time describing. The R was a bit slower then my wife's 2013 Subaru WRX, but being given the choice, I picked the R every time. Maybe when VW brings the R back with a DSG... well, I suppose only time will tell.
For the record, I think I actually would have felt about the same if I had bought either the A4 or the 328xi. If it wasn't a manual, I don't think I would have sold my R.... and in retrospect, I might have spent more time considering keeping the R and buying an automatic beater for the daily grind. However, not worrying about timing belts, cam followers, carbon build-up and general electric gremlins will likely prove to be a good thing in the long run.... but driving the R will sorely be missed. That's just my $.02
Now, where's that new Miata I was talking about? :thumbsup:
Cheers,
-Brandon
