by "Porsche was my first word" (porschewasmyfirstword)
Published 09/23/2017 at 09:40
by "Porsche was my first word" (porschewasmyfirstword)
Published 09/23/2017 at 09:40
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STARS: 10
Sorry guys, I cant’ stop bragging. You folks reacted so nicely when I posted the Chrysler!
In the last few days our car problems, who bugged us hard for more than 6 month, just dissappeared.
My E46 wagon developed multiple problems (after I hard break up I just hadn’t the temper anymore to care). As I was reset and took care, it wa too late. Problems accumulated. Same with my mom’s Ford Focus. Thing was just done, not worth a minute of repair time or parts because way to serious issues and non-existent value of the car.
Anyways, I told you about the Crossfire. Next day we leased a VW Polo which is sub Golf but bigger than a Fiat 500. You don’t get it over there in the US, so here is a picture for you (yes, that’s my mom’s choice of color.
It has every creature comfort you can think of in such a little car, is small enough for medevial European city yet big enough to do 100 miles Autobahn in comfort.
Things is, VW and associates have a big incentive going on right now. They give big bucks for any old Diesel car if you buy, finance or lease a VW product.
So we got 3,000€ for mom’s worthless Focus to lease the Polo for 4 years with bumper to bumper guarantee.
The very next day we went to Audi. And they made an offer we just couldn’t refuse. They give me 8,500€ for my now worthless BMW (which I bought for 8,200€ more than 7 years ago) to lease this for 3 years at a decent rate.
It has only the smallest engine and yes, I admit, a DSG automatic transmission, and it isn’t exactly the fastest car (I hope to get a decent mileage at least). But I wasn’t in the position to afford a bigger engine or AWD or even more equipment (Europe is different, sometimes even the radio doesn’t come as standard on small models).
I’d loved to have a A5 Coupe instead but there was no way to squeeze it into budget. But there was no way, we stretched it as far as we could.
Now I have the time to care about the Chrysler and maybe, maybe there will be bit of a budget for a small roadster in winter time.
I think of a Toyota MR2 W3 right now. Z3's (which are only a thing with an I6 an manual for me) rised in prices about 50% since last spring.
"FSI - alcohol enthusiast with a car problem" (fuelstratifiedinjection)
09/23/2017 at 09:53, STARS: 0
I quite like the new Polo except for the terrible cheap ass all hard plastic interior door panels which felt worse than a 10 year old Golf.
"boredalways" (boredalway666)
09/23/2017 at 10:11, STARS: 1
...MARCO...
"Probenja" (probenja)
09/23/2017 at 10:11, STARS: 1
I don’t think there is a single car in that segment with soft touch door panel materials, at least the Polo gives you a soft arm rest and dash which is more than most of its competitors. Also a 10 year old Golf would be the MK5 and that still has a really high quality interior, maybe even better than the current one.
"Svend" (svend)
09/23/2017 at 10:13, STARS: 0
The Polo is a great solid car.
Did you consider the Skoda Octavia or VW Jetta in place of the Audi A4?
"FSI - alcohol enthusiast with a car problem" (fuelstratifiedinjection)
09/23/2017 at 10:23, STARS: 0
The Polo 9n from a decade ago at least had some fabric instead of blank plastic.
Most cars I sat in at the Frankfurt motor show had hard plastic door panels which is somehow dissappointing.
"Porsche was my first word" (porschewasmyfirstword)
09/23/2017 at 10:28, STARS: 0
I quite like the new Polo except for the terrible cheap ass all hard plastic interior door panels which felt worse than a 10 year old Golf.
It’s a all new Model. They’ve shown it at the IAA a few days ago to the public for the first time. We were probably the first customers to drive that thing. It went under a cover after the test drive as the official unveiling is just next month.
It’s way better than the last generation. It’s cute little car and most importantly my mother drove it like she had done already 25,000 miles in it.
But you get what you pay for, that’s for sure.
"Porsche was my first word" (porschewasmyfirstword)
09/23/2017 at 10:34, STARS: 0
It’s more like this now. We just don’t have the Virtual Cockpit. Rest is exactly like this. Except it’s not my momat the wheel, it’s my wife (just kidding, pic is from the catalogue).
"FSI - alcohol enthusiast with a car problem" (fuelstratifiedinjection)
09/23/2017 at 10:42, STARS: 0
I sat in it last Sunday in Frankfurt. At €20k + for the model on display I expected a bit more.
"average user" (avgusr)
09/23/2017 at 10:44, STARS: 0
Congrats on the new ride!! Looks like a lot of people are trading in BMWs for Audis lately LOL.
"Porsche was my first word" (porschewasmyfirstword)
09/23/2017 at 11:29, STARS: 0
Congrats on the new ride!! Looks like a lot of people are trading in BMWs for Audis lately LOL.
Personally I don’t like the BMW looks anymore (except 2-series). But the real reason was the Diesel incentive.
BMW offered €2,000 vs. €8,500 by Audi. Plus unbeatable leasing conditions. I don’t know what the other brands are thinking. I mean, You can snap up to almost €12,000 in incentives (EV plus), but most of the time there was a catch.
Ford for example had a price incentive going on if you looked at the homepage. Almost 10% off the old MSRP for a limited time. But you couldn’t combine it it with the “get rid off your dirty Diesel bonus”. So instead of the advertised €6,500 for a Kuga (Escape in the US) it was only a €2,500 bonus in reality. I was interested in a decked out Kuga (tad over the price off the Audi I now ordered). Official Ford page calculator showed me €180 leasing rate. Dealer offered €520.
We then had an argue about that (of course) and that was the second time I had such a experience at Ford. They won’t see me again, period.
I looked into a VW Passat wagon, almost the same play. Almost double the rate it should have been. (Polo my mother leased was a different play, that was not even overwhelming but fair enough).
Audi was so very different. I walked in and picked up the flyer with the offers which woke my interest in the first place. Sales person walked up, asked nicely: “How can I help”.
I pointed at the flyer and said “I want that!”
Salesman: “Then we will get you that!” Turned out it was the boss and he sent over one off his guys (nicest ever) and we had a pleasant chat (after he offered the best Cappucchino and sparkling water), he didn’t try to talk me into configurations and it was the easiest thing ever. He even lowered to leasing rate by almost 10% without me asking for any benefits (was happy enough to get money for my done BMW).
It was so convincing it didn’t even test drive. Just as I didn’t saw the trunk of the wagon. He had a car in the color I was interested in that was the only thing he insisted in: that I look at that color.
I saw it and was sold. For decency I sat a brief moment behind the wheel but it wasn’t even necessary anymore.
"average user" (avgusr)
09/23/2017 at 12:24, STARS: 0
I live across the pond and I don’t have a diesel so that doesn’t apply to me but I am awed by the service at dealerships in Europe. Here it is all about pushing you into something.
"Porsche was my first word" (porschewasmyfirstword)
09/23/2017 at 12:27, STARS: 0
I sat in it last Sunday in Frankfurt. At €20k + for the model on display I expected a bit more.
Is it because cars are so expensive today? We recently had a latest model Skoda Fabia (which is due to replaced I admit) and a latest model Renault Clio rental. Neither came close to how good the Polo felt.
I mean, If I see a €40,000 tag on a Golf I too need a reality check.
Was there a subcompact economy car/C-segment car that felt better to you?
"Porsche was my first word" (porschewasmyfirstword)
09/23/2017 at 12:42, STARS: 0
I am awed by the service at dealerships in Europe.
I was too. I mean, by accident I was present at the workshop were Audi discussed the future sales strategy for the next years (thus as up to right now). Worked as a photographer and had to document everything. So I had a pretty good idea what Audi was planning.
But I was very impressed how they played that out.
Only similar experience I had was at a Volvo dealership and at Mercedes. Another big exception: Porsche. Porsche has the “treat every person that walkes into the dealership as a certain future buyer”-strategy and they execute. Exceptions are very rare.
I once walked into a Porsche dealership with friend during summer time in t-shirts and shorts because we had some time to waste, both obviously under the age of 30. Walked up to the GT3. Salesman came by and offered help in the nicest way. We were stunned and just mumbled something like “no thanks, just looking”. And he was like “Anyways, don’t bother to ask anything if you have questions and if a test drive is a thing for you, don’t hesitate to come forward.”
When my ex bought her Volvo every budget car company was just short of a catastrophe. No matter if it was Ford (the worst ever), Opel, Peugeot. BMW was pretty arrogant so far (in my experience).
"FSI - alcohol enthusiast with a car problem" (fuelstratifiedinjection)
09/23/2017 at 19:11, STARS: 0
Maybe my expectations are too high. But if the predecessors feel as good or better than the current model then you’re doing something wrong imo.
"pjhusa" (pjhuskinja)
09/23/2017 at 20:13, STARS: 1
As a 330i (F30) Touring owner, I love the A4 Avant. We rented one when we were in a Germany last month—Mythosschwarz, 2.0 TDI/DSG (190 PS), Sport model with Black Alcantara/Leather upholstery. I have to restate: it was a sublime car. Congrats on the new arrival!