and the car quest continues...

[nostatic]

My speaker cab fit in the back (that is the first test of any vehicle). There is enough space back there for the gear that I always leave in the car. I'll take my gig bag later and see if it fits in the back seat - that is the other "gotta have." The Fiesta is a small car. I certainly wouldn't want to sit in the back seat. But I don't have to sit back there and I almost never take passengers. It really is about if my basses fit.

I had read a lot of glowing reviews of the Fiesta. Actually I've read a lot of positive ones about the GTI (best thing since sliced bread) and the Focus ST. I really didn't care for the Focus. It felt a bit ponderous and it was slow to spool up and move. The GTI pulled hard and quick, and has the typical nicer German interior. But with the plaid seats even my wife who is 5'3" and not big complained that they were tight across the back/shoulders. I don't think that would be livable for me.

The stock seats on the Fiesta are fine. Materials and fit and finish are what you'd expect in an econobox. Reminds me of my old Subarus. Driving it though - I understand why many gush about it. The best description was from one reviewer who described it as one of those cars that 20 years later you'd say, "remember that car? I wish they still made something like that..." Steering input is instant, it pulls smoothly (no huge rush but it is light enough that it doesn't matter), and you can get the rear end to step out of you want. The weight difference between the Fiesta (2700) and my X1 (3600) is really evident. You can also tell it relative to the GTI (3000).

Between Fiesta and Golf, comes down to cheap fun vs more adult presentation.

[nostatic]

Originally Posted by BlueSkyJaunte

My DD is a 4-door 2015 GTI 6-speed right now. Black leather interior--I had to have the sunroof vinyl wrapped to block out the sun, otherwise I was getting cooked.

I typically hate sunroofs but had one in my '07 GTI that was ok. The current implementation on the GTI with the semi-transparent shade is a complete fail imho. The Fiat had one like that and I bought a sun shield that fit to block it. I think the leather seats on the GTI are more comfortable than the plaid - they seem to be cut a bit wider.

[Jim Richards]

Originally Posted by nostatic

Between Fiesta and Golf, comes down to cheap fun vs more adult presentation.

Well, then, the answer is obvious.

[Jim Richards]

Todd, did you look at the Subie Imprezza 4-dr hatch? I saw one parked in my neighborhood while walking the dog a few minutes ago and it looks quite nice (IMO).

[nostatic]

No. We drove the Crosstrek with the CVT and hated it. The WRX no longer has a hatch which is fail.

[Jim Richards]

OK. Best wishes on the search.

[kaisen]

A friend of mine is a senior editor for Motor Trend. He just bought his wife a Fiesta ST. That's an honest endorsement, if you ask me.

[nostatic]

I tried the Recaros - too narrow through the upper body for me. The stock seats are $2K less and feel fine. My basses fit in the back seat though it is snug. Certainly is a small car but pegs the fun meter for cheap. Plus it comes in orange - though I can't find one without the Recaros in the color.

I may give the GTI another spin - see about the SE with leather seats. Right now TDI is less attractive as diesel is about $0.50 more than regular gas though that fluctuates a lot. The VW certainly is a "nicer" interior.

[BlueSkyJaunte]

The GTI interior is really nice and the leather has held up through six months of kids dragging their dirty shoes across it. I wish I had the same front seats in my 911! We went to dinner in the VW today instead of taking the wife's minivan. Two youngsters and an infant seat in the rear is a bit of a tight squeeze but once you're settled in it's pretty comfortable.

I can fit a pile of basses in sideways through the rear doors and onto the rear seats without any problem. If I had to cart an amp around I think it would be doable, but for what little I have done I've gone direct into the board.

If this car had been available 10 years ago I never would have bought a TDI and gone down that dark path. The mileage is perfectly acceptable and the car is a lot of fun.

I agree with you 100% on the sunroof (obviously) - fortunately $45 at a vinyl wrap shop fixed it. For the record my father's zillion-dollar Audi Q7 has the same sunroof setup. Idiotic.

[bivenator]

After reading this thread I think I will be getting rid of my 3 series.

I like the GTI, I had one built in Mexico and it had some issues but was great fun.

[nostatic]

The GTI is about 3" wider than the Fiesta. My gig bag fits the Fiesta but it is touching on both sides. I have a really compact amp setup and leave one cab, music stand, small pedal board, and cable bag in the back of the car. The GTI has more space in the back but the stuff would fit in the Fiesta. When I need a second cab I put it in the back seat and that would still work.

Interior on the Fiesta is ok. The controls all feel cheaper than on the VW but it is functional. I have to admit that I'm probably more drawn to the VW just because I think longer term it will be more comfortable. I think I'm actually cool with going back to a MT as it was fun on the Fiesta. I liked the DSG on my old GTI but it can be a bit balky around town and I don't like that you have to do an expensive fluid change on it every 40K (like I'll keep anything that long ha!). That said when I'm sitting on the 405 doing 5mph I may end up cursing the clutch.

Did you get the lighting package? I have to admit that is another draw as I can get that on the VW. I find that the xenon headlights make things much easier to see at night. One downside of being on the wrong side of 50. Kinda hard to find an SE in manual with lighting but they are out there. The $500 below invoice things helps but it still ends up being a $30K car...

[pavulon]

Does it have to be new? If not, a 3rd gen Subie WRX STi hatch could be great! Why does this thread seems so familiar?

[BlueSkyJaunte]

Originally Posted by nostatic

Did you get the lighting package? I have to admit that is another draw as I can get that on the VW. I find that the xenon headlights make things much easier to see at night. One downside of being on the wrong side of 50. Kinda hard to find an SE in manual with lighting but they are out there. The $500 below invoice things helps but it still ends up being a $30K car...

Actually, I have no idea! I'll have a look at the window sticker. The dealer had gotten in two '15 GTIs and I simply bought the manual one. I think the black interior scared off a lot of folks (can't really blame them).

Lighting options have never really done anything for me. My '10 Golf GTI had the "steerable" lights (whatever they're called) and they were amusing for the first 15 minutes. My "thing" is that I dim the interior lights as much as possible, anyway, to save my night vision. It gets pretty dark out in the boonies where I live, and there are no streetlights in our little 100-acre community.

You're planning to get a 4-door, right? My Golf was a 2-door and that sucked--especially with the kids.

[tabs]

So this is how we walk/talk our way through our decision making process...

[aigel]

I would go back to the TDI and check it out. Try it with a 6 speed. That's what I have. You can be VERY lazy shifting, as it has so much torque all the way down to idle. You can keep it in 2nd almost to a stop. The clutch is light too. I have commuted in LA with it extensively and now in the Bay Area again. I never felt the shifting was much of a drag at all. I don't get why seats hugging you are such a bad deal. Nothing is worse than a sofa seat in an old Buick. One thing that'd concern me on the TDI now is that it is made in Mexico, where the previous version was made in Wolfsburg of 75% German parts, including engine and transmission.

G

[nostatic]

Definitely 4-door. I need that for gear access.

"Sport" seats are not a one-size fits all proposition. The sport seats in the X1 fit me fine. The leather ones in the GTI fit me ok iirc. The plaid though - just too tight through the mid back. At 6'1" 185lbs I'm not big boned at all, but I have broad shoulders. Really aggressive side bolsters with a narrow seat basically jab my ribs. I don't like a flat seat - I like bolsters but they need to fit.

The new Golf/GTI are still German parts with assembly in Mexico. Evidently the plant is pretty amazing and highly automated so I'm not sure that it is a big downgrade in qc. Time will tell.

The lighting option has the adaptive lights (which I don't care about) but they are HID rather than halogen. Also has LED running lights and tail lights. The HIDs make a big difference in being able to see things at night at least for me. No difference in interior lighting which I also run almost off.

[ZAMIRZ]

Too bad Honda doesn't make a Fit Si, as that sounds like exactly what you're looking for.

[aigel]

Originally Posted by nostatic

Definitely 4-door. I need that for gear access.
...
The new Golf/GTI are still German parts with assembly in Mexico. Evidently the plant is pretty amazing and highly automated so I'm not sure that it is a big downgrade in qc. Time will tell.

I don't get the need for 4 doors for gear access? I have 2 doors and it becomes a delivery wagon if the seats are down. Just stack from the hatch side and you can still get to small stuff through the folding front seats.

Glad to read they are still using a lot of German parts. The engines and transmissions aren't from Bulgaria yet? You think the Mexico assembly isn't a big deal? I just would like to see my money go to democratic place where workers are paid properly. Cars are one of the last goods where this is possible (i.e. compared to electronics).

Final question: When, if ever, is that GTD going to come? That's what will make me sell mine, I am afraid.

G

[ninelevenick]

The six speed manual is really a treat on the GTI. The clutch has just the right amount of pressure.

[speeder]

I realize that it's your car/money/life/etc. but since you're putting it out on this hugely public forum for comment, I have to say that I'm SMFH.

Is this a money saving move? Or is there truly some psych condition that causes you to compulsively buy/lease new vehicles every year? Because it seems like you're ditching an almost new entry-level BMW in a great color you had to have for an entry-level Ford or common VW. I wouldn't ask if you hadn't told us all how much you love the BMW, how perfectly it hauls your stuff and yet is small and sporty, etc., etc...

And of course, it's orange.

I guess this would make a small amount of sense if your income just jumped precipitously and you were ditching the just leased BMW for a new Tesla or Porsche but this is a real puzzler. That's all.