My Siren Song

"Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo" (thetomselleck)
10/27/2019 at 10:00 • Filed to: None

As you know, the Alltrack and GSW will have ceased production for the 2020 model year. Each are the last two manual, AWD, wagons we will probably ever see in the United States sold new.

I am finding some examples for temptingly cheap prices. !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! is less than a new Corolla XSE hatchback. A white one for similar price that was local sold within a week of me finding that post.

Yes, it’s a Golf wagon with Haldex, cladding, and a slight lift. But part of me thinks that these will be looked back upon rather fondly, especially with the Mk8 in general appearing to be an aesthetic, uh, misfire.

Oodles of space.

No tablet glued to the damn dash.

Simple, clean ergonomics.

Tasty packaging.

I don’t need one... I don’t have the funds for anything, really... But in a few years when I’m looking for my next vehicle, will I kick myself for not picking up one of these new for peanuts?

DISCUSSION (15)

dieseldub > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
10/27/2019 at 10:05

We were robbed. Right as these were coming out, dieselgate happened. We were that close to having a diesel, AWD manual wagon....

CB > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
10/27/2019 at 10:10

I’d give one a test drive. If it’s good, you should be able to buy one used in a few years (it’s a family car, not a collector’s car). If it’s bad, then you’re not missing much.

GoodIdeaAtTheTime > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
10/27/2019 at 10:13

A coworker just got one. He loves it. He is normally a truck guy but couldnt pass u p the deal. Won’ t shut up about the car either, in a good way. His is red too. Looks better than silver or white.

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
10/27/2019 at 10:32

You can get the standard Sportwagen with a manual and AWD too!

Cash Rewards > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
10/27/2019 at 10:32

I have no need for this car. My Civic suits us just fine, even if the boy could use some more leg room. And my experience with VW wasn’t a positive one , even if the new ones are more reliable. But that's a lot of car for the money. That's a heck of a proposition

ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
10/27/2019 at 10:41

Wow, t hese are getting cheap.

HammerheadFistpunch > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
10/27/2019 at 10:43

I'm with you. my local dealer is advertising 33% off 2019 sportwagens. would be nice to drive something that breaks out of the teens for my new longer commute.

InFierority Complex > HammerheadFistpunch
10/27/2019 at 10:49

“would be nice to drive something that breaks”

Something something VW joke.

Sorry, it’s out of context but I couldn’t resist.

jminer > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
10/27/2019 at 11:17

They've thoroughly tempted me too, and I have a 2014 TDI sportwagen. It is wonderful and I love almost everything about it. These poor abandoned spoetwagens are nearly perfect. I have bought 2 cars in the last year though so no upgrades anytime soon...

Textured Soy Protein > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
10/27/2019 at 11:20

Whatever positive attributes it may have are outweighed in my mind by the SUVification and VW badge.

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
10/27/2019 at 12:01

I’m already kicking myself for not getting a manual diesel-gate GSW when they are easily available.

Grindintosecond > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
10/27/2019 at 12:24

I wish I didn't need my truck every other month. It would be my daily. Curious how the auto version holds up....cause of wife concerns.

VW Max > dieseldub
10/27/2019 at 12:26

Some guy on VW Vortex has made a few GTI/R wagons...it can’t be that hard to swap in a TDI engine. And if you can keep a V10 Toua reg running you can make the ultimate Oppo car

OmerCarrothers333 > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
10/27/2019 at 18:26

It’s dumb, but part of the reason I like VW is that their touchscreens are double-DIN and not connected to the HVAC controls.

dieseldub > VW Max
10/28/2019 at 09:06

Iit’s totally doable, just not legally so here in California (technically not legal anywhere in the U.S. by EPA law, but if you live where they dont smog check, who’s gonna know?).

The rule is you cannot do an engine swap from an older car into a newer car. Newer engine into an older car is fine, though, provided that all the emissions equipment is intact. Being that the first model year of the Alltrak is 2016 and last year of the 4 cylinder TDIs is 2015...

I can definitely pull the swap off. Not all that hard since there exists engines that were already designed to drop into that very chassis. And I’ve done such swaps before. Helped a buddy put a TDI into his 97 GTI (nice upgrade in brakes and suspension for the TDI, plus we never got mk3 hatch diesels in the U.S.). I swapped a 97 Jetta GLX VR6 to a TDI and moved to California with it. Found out the hard way California’s rules on engine swaps and what a smog Referee is.

Ad I’ve put an ALH TDI into a Eurovan... which I dont want to do again. That swap sucked.

The other challenge, even if the rule about older engine into newer chassis weren’t so strict? The Mk7 Golf and Sportwagen TDIs all have a torsion beam rear suspension because the adblue tank was too large to allow the otherwise standard independent rear suspension. And the AWD setup is IRS too....

Ssupposedly that's also the excuse as to why we were denied the Golf GTD.