That's exactly how I would approach it. If the issues aren't too overwhelming, and won't strand you on the side of the 405, then go for it.

Todd - your knee injury is temporary. Why in the world are you considering a new car with auto? I think buying a new car is a fools game especially for someone like you (and me) who seem to cycle their vehicles pretty regularly.

I bought a 1999 GTI VR6 new, drove it four years without a single problem. Not one.

I now own a 2003 W8 Sport Passat. Not a single problem ever.

My next car will be a VW. GTI w/DSG? R32 w/DSG? R36 Passat w/DSG? I don't know. I depends on what VW has on the market in 2007 or 2008. The common theme in all these cars, however, is DSG.

You can read whatever B.S. you want. Some people have trouble with a particular brand. Me, I can't say I'll even consider anything but VW or Audi for a daily driver.

David, I usually keep my cars for the long term. Had the 4-runner for 9 years. Before that had my Toyota p/u for 7 years. The Subie would have been a long term vehicle if I'd ended up keeping a bike to entertain me. But if I'm stuck in a cage, I want something a little different :p

re: TDI, I burn B20 in my mine (the '05) most of the time. It is the only vehicle I've ever owned where the type/quality of fuel burned makes such a big difference. The B20 around here is blended with cetane booster, injector cleaner and all sorts of stuff. It's a really high-grade product and feels like there is another 20HP!

Do you know the trick about filling the fuel tank?

Trick? Please share! I visited the TDI club forum once but came to my senses...one car forum is enough pain for my employer. There's only one place near me to get bio (B100 only), and right now VW doesn't warranty going higher than B5, I think. I'm not up for mixing stuff yet; who knows what kind of black box is in there...

Really? I hear VW is looking into an R36 as they are also trenched in the hp wars. An R36 w/DSG would be hella sweet. :)

I had a Jetta that I ran hard - no issues and still one of my favorites. Air was ICE cold. I would not hesitate, especially with the DSG. Hope you are up moving around soon.

Blue - look into the filler tube. At the 9:00 position there is a small plastic lever. It opens the tank vent. Once you have filled the tank full normally, take the end of the nozzle and hold the plastic lever open - you can then put almost 2 additional gallons of fuel in the tank! Learned that one on TDI Club :D

I have two watercooled VW's
05 GLI 6-speed 15,000 miles no issues

04 Jetta TDI 38,000 miles, tip-tronic. Only issues was the airbag light due to a faulty resister in the steering wheel bag and we just received a reacll notice for the EGR cooler (Was expecting it )

One item I noticed is that the rear brakes wear much faster then the fronts.

I heard they couldn't fit the engine in the car so they had to go back to the drawing board on the R36 which was supposed to have been out already.

I am another GLI owner, the 2003 edition before all the pimped out options, looks like a standard Jetta with the 200 HP VR6 engine. Just hit 27.5k miles and the car runs fantastic. It is a fun car to drive but it is built in Mexico and has had interior quality issues that bother me. I am not a big fan of the dealerships as I have yet to be treated properly but they will suffice until the warranty is up and then I'll decide what to do then.

However, if you can make the drive, Capistrano VW has some of the best reviews in So. Cal.

The R32 Golf will arrive in 2007 as a 2008 model. It will be offered only in 2 door , not 4 door and will on have the DSG. No manual option.

The R36 motor apparently will not fit in the current Golf platform. The only R36 that will be coming - again 2007/2008 model year - is the Passat. What isn't certain is whether it will be on the current model or the "coupe" version which is much like the Mercedes CLS.

I've personally owned a 2000 GTI VR6, a 2002 VW Beetle Turbo and my in-laws have a 1999 Passat V6. I'm not sure if the new golf platform is better but I would say the VWs I've owned have had more than their share of issues. Everything from failed window regulators, to coolant leaks to bad balljoints. I never had any problem that left me stranded on the side of the road, but I won't buy another VW for a long time. Almost every newer vehicle I've owned has been more reliable and spent less time in the shop -- including a Subaru, Dodge, and Mazda.