Why I Got a Volkswagen Golf Alltrack: Part 1

"Under_Score" (tomtheatum) 07/03/2020 at 21:31 • Filed to: Under Score Alltrack

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Note: Before I begin, I’d like to provide some good news in terms of my current insurance scenario. Though it’ s more expensive than what most of y’all probably pay, I was able to get a new insurance policy last night. This policy starts in two weeks & is much cheaper than my other options. Insurance will be a discussion in this post, too, so let’s get started!

In early April, I was in an awkward place in life. Not only was the news filled with gloom about the coronavirus and the falling stock market, but I was bothered by the decisions my school was making. I wasn’t a social person down in Milly Vegas, but the fact that USG canceled in-person instruction & activities for the remainder of the year made me feel terrible. I was one of the least affected people by this decision, but I knew it was brutal for a lot of my peers. I tried bouncing between Milly Vegas and home, but my new time in Milly Vegas was marked by barely eating, getting mad about the media’s reaction to the coronavirus, and pacing around my apartment.

There was something great for me about the coronavirus: the car deals. The idea of interest for a car loan was something that didn’t occur to me, especially because I have pretty good credit (thanks Mom!) However, 0% financing, AND no payments for SIX MONTHS, AND a massive discount off sticker, on a car I like, close to me? There was no way these discounts were real. If I went the Tacoma route, I was gonna wait for something towards the end of the summer & make it a road trip with my dad if the truck was far away. Shoot, this serious car buying search I was gonna save for the end of the summer was starting now!

On April 4, I began my search for car insurance quotes. I received some terrible news: because of my driving record, I couldn’t get my own USAA policy. There was no issue staying on my parents’ policy, but I needed to look elsewhere if I wanted to be independent with car insurance. I spent the day looking at quotes for my 2012 Toyota RAV4 Limited and a 2019 Volkswagen Golf Alltrack. In fact, I made a post about this insurance search, and the rates I got appalled y’all. $500+ per month or companies that wouldn’t accept me. The cheapest rate I got for the RAV4 and the Alltrack, separately, was around $250/month with Allstate. At least I had an idea how much insurance would cost for the car.

On April 6, I headed to the Volkswagen dealership, Jim Ellis VW Kennesaw, to take a look at the green Alltrack. This was a brand new car with lots of features, well under $30,000 (my personal budget), and had cool incentives. Upon arrival, I learned that the green Alltrack was the showroom car. There were two other Alltracks for sale: a white SE DA&A and a red S. With the green one in the showroom, I asked to drive the white one. The white one had identical equipment to the green one, so it would be more accurate. To practice “social distancing,” they sent me out on my own for a test drive. Looking back, I highly appreciate them for trusting me, a younger guy they knew nothing about, to drive a car with a sticker of $35,000. I’ve since learned that most other dealers would grill people, especially younger ones, before going on test drives. I don’t even think I filled out a credit application before driving.

I didn’t like driving the Alltrack alone, so I just drove on 41 a bit, did a u-turn, and came back to the dealership. The controls were very different than the RAV4's, so it was harder to get used to. However, I liked the car. I told the guys at Jim Ellis about my current scenario because it couldn’t be explained by a credit application. I believe I did fill out a credit application, and that’s when they told me I may need a co-signer. Though my credit is great, I was making maybe $300/month at the time. This was some important stuff to think about, but I was just getting started.

Once I got home, my dad made it clear that I couldn’t get a car until I graduated & got a job. Though I had the fund as a cushion & had money to make insurance payments initially, he still wanted me to be earning a full-time income. My parents would gladly co-sign if I met those requirements. I tried telling my dad that the deals were very good & the car was likely going away soon, but he wasn’t budging. My mom, however, seemed to have a new idea: you can get a new car, but you must sell the RAV4.

During the week, I thought about the Alltrack some more. I moved almost everything out of my apartment, utilizing one of the best features of the RAV4 for the last time: the expansive cargo space. I was now back home for good.

I was planning on keeping the RAV4 & the new vehicle together, but my parents thought it was stupid for me to have two cars. With that new wisdom from my mom, I decided to visit the dealership again on Saturday, April 11 to discuss the Alltrack further. This is where the search went from casual to stressful . Very stressful.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Under_Score 07/04/2020 at 00:17

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Buying a car is always such a hassle, but I’m glad you got the bright blue lifted wagon of your dreams. Guess where I wandered off to today when I got there early for me Chipotle.

Jim Ellis of Kennesaw had this orange Jetta R Line 6 speed for $25,000 new. So much want.

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > Under_Score 07/04/2020 at 01:26

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When I got my Focus ST, I traded in my Fiesta ST that I was having some powertrain issues with. On top of those, I was going through a rough breakup and I had a lot of memories tied up in the FiST. But I decided that since I was never going to see that deal again (I was right, I got the FoST when the FoST had deals on deals, but the FiST was still lacking rebates so I had a high trde value and a low purchase price) I would bite the bullet and do something to help my emotional health.

I got an unexpected piece of advice from someone on Oppo that I think is relevant here - Car buying is as much an emotional decision as it is a rational/financial decision. As long as you aren’t putting yourself into a completely unsustainable financial situation, sometimes you just need to listen to your emotiona l side and do what puts a smile on your face in the morning.

Car buying isn’t always straightforward but I’m glad people on Oppo are often quick to share their stories, like you, since it helps us all in the long run when it comes to vehicle purchases.

avalonian > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 07/04/2020 at 10:07

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You go one and they have HUGE discounts. And the R-line is purely aesthetic. No performance whatsoever 

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > avalonian 07/04/2020 at 12:53

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I really want a GLI in that color.

policywanker > Under_Score 07/04/2020 at 14:00

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I bought a 2017 Alltrack SEL from Jim Ellis VW in Chamblee. I managed to get $7500 off sticker because of the time of year I bought it. I drove it for a bit less than 3 years before buying a Kia Stinger GT2 from Jim Ellis Kia in Kennesaw a few weeks ago. I started negotiating with them in May when the incentives were really heavy and managed to get $11,500 off the Stinger. I really liked the Alltrack, though . It was my first VW and the first 4 cylinder turbo car I ever got heavily into modding. With a bigger turbo, an ECU and TCU tune, and some other performance parts, I had it up to about 300HP and a bit over 300 lb/ft of torque.

Even though the Stinger GT2 (ceramic silver, red leather interior) has been my dream car since they came out, I was actually a little hesitant to let the Alltrack go. I think as long as you don’t get one with a leaky sunroof, you’ll really enjoy it and for a long time. There’s a great modding community out there and you can do so much to the platform. I’d wait to get into engine modding until the warranty is out just because of your financial situation, but whether you want to lift it and make it more of an offroad beast or lower it, give it a better intake, etc, etc, and make it more of a street racer, it’s a fun car that you can do a lot with.

Under_Score > policywanker 07/04/2020 at 15:36

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Thank you! I knew there was a silent audience enjoying my Alltrack saga.

I got my Alltrack from Stone Mountain, and I love it so far. I was only able to get close to $7,000 off, but that’s because I had the 0% & deferred payments.

When it was for sale.

And now!