114 days; Part II
).Better than I thought: 24.2 MPG.
Saturday night I was wiggling through a 30-MPH-marked curvy section, right side a steep snowy hill, when rounding a tight one encountered a deer trying to occupy my space.
We agreed to go our separate ways, fortunately opposite (hence "adult diapers").
Whew.
More about the Toyos: decent acceleration, excellent lateral grip, little whoa-power. All in all an excellent 'performance snow' tire.
Bonus info: Friend got a new 2017 Golf R Saturday and I was allowed to drive it yesterday. 6-speed, loaded, no roof. Given its 19" summer tires (it was 14F and misting snow) my driving style was "not my car"-sedate, but I still developed some impressions.
Anyone with the proper wherewithal and driving style should test this car.
It is very fast, and secure, and its interior accommodations suited me fine.
It is on my list (but the DSG version).
85,312
Saturday night I was wiggling through a 30-MPH-marked curvy section, right side a steep snowy hill, when rounding a tight one encountered a deer trying to occupy my space.
We agreed to go our separate ways, fortunately opposite (hence "adult diapers").
Whew.
More about the Toyos: decent acceleration, excellent lateral grip, little whoa-power. All in all an excellent 'performance snow' tire.
Bonus info: Friend got a new 2017 Golf R Saturday and I was allowed to drive it yesterday. 6-speed, loaded, no roof. Given its 19" summer tires (it was 14F and misting snow) my driving style was "not my car"-sedate, but I still developed some impressions.
Anyone with the proper wherewithal and driving style should test this car.
It is very fast, and secure, and its interior accommodations suited me fine.
It is on my list (but the DSG version).
85,312
Has VW gotten any better with their electrical systems and electronics? Nice cars or not, I can't get past the never ending electrical gremlins VW's constantly seem to have. My brother tells me the 3-5 year old stuff he sees running through inspections at the auction, in general, are still demonstrating various electrical 'issues' across their lineup.
Ron
2010 Kizashi GTS, CVT, iAWD (3/10 build date)
2011 SX4 Premium Hatch, CVT, iAWD (12/10 build date)
2018 Mazda CX-5 iAWD Touring
2014 Wrangler JKUW (GONE, traded
)
1991 Samurai, 5-Speed, EFI, Soft-Top (
sold)
2010 Kizashi GTS, CVT, iAWD (3/10 build date)
2011 SX4 Premium Hatch, CVT, iAWD (12/10 build date)
2018 Mazda CX-5 iAWD Touring
2014 Wrangler JKUW (GONE, traded
) 1991 Samurai, 5-Speed, EFI, Soft-Top (
sold)
I don't think they have improved much overall. Although some VWs do seem to get better at reliability, they don't seem to hold that position. I recall years ago, the GTI earned "above average" reliability from Consumer Reports. However, that was back in 2011 or so. The current ones are said to have dropped well below average. I have also read that the Passats with the 1.8 liter turbo are among the most reliable cars right now, but who knows how long that will last. I think the best VWs were the TDIs. These would get into some seriously high mileage due to the robust nature of diesel engines. However, we all know what happened with VW diesels.Ronzuki wrote:Has VW gotten any better with their electrical systems and electronics? Nice cars or not, I can't get past the never ending electrical gremlins VW's constantly seem to have. My brother tells me the 3-5 year old stuff he sees running through inspections at the auction, in general, are still demonstrating various electrical 'issues' across their lineup.
The GTI and Golf R are nice and polished products, but don't have durability and reliability of their more simple Japanese rivals. The WRX, STI, and Evo are certainly less refined but seem to hold up better despite their powertrain complexities. I hear the Evo is even more reliable than the Subarus.
Personally, I think I'd move up to an Audi S3 if I was in the market for something like a Golf R. Yeah, more expensive for the same thing, but it looks a lot better IMO. Also, the Audi RS3 is said to be coming to the US soon.
2025 Mazda CX-50 Preferred Hybrid
2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sport GTS 6MT (Sold)
2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sport GTS 6MT (Sold)
Stunningly beautiful (warm) winter morning, snow covering every surface.
Wintertime brings a vast cornucopia of 'driving surfaces', from talc-like dust to EVERY kind of snow and ice, and unpaved roads might offer just plain dirt, or dirt-embedded ice, or even dirt on top of ice (think "marbles, on top of ice").
Makes it very interesting when one attempts to carry big speed......pound hard into a corner, fronts hit dirt and find bite, then somewhere in the corner that dirt disappears and you're suddenly sliding on icy ruts, then BANG your fronts find fresh dirt for bite and the back end slews wildly and WHEEEE....and so it goes.
Last tank 22.8 MPG Mobil 89 octane.
86,860
Wintertime brings a vast cornucopia of 'driving surfaces', from talc-like dust to EVERY kind of snow and ice, and unpaved roads might offer just plain dirt, or dirt-embedded ice, or even dirt on top of ice (think "marbles, on top of ice").
Makes it very interesting when one attempts to carry big speed......pound hard into a corner, fronts hit dirt and find bite, then somewhere in the corner that dirt disappears and you're suddenly sliding on icy ruts, then BANG your fronts find fresh dirt for bite and the back end slews wildly and WHEEEE....and so it goes.
Last tank 22.8 MPG Mobil 89 octane.
86,860
I just had an image of all that...made me laugh. Thanks.
Ron
2010 Kizashi GTS, CVT, iAWD (3/10 build date)
2011 SX4 Premium Hatch, CVT, iAWD (12/10 build date)
2018 Mazda CX-5 iAWD Touring
2014 Wrangler JKUW (GONE, traded )
1991 Samurai, 5-Speed, EFI, Soft-Top ( sold)
2010 Kizashi GTS, CVT, iAWD (3/10 build date)
2011 SX4 Premium Hatch, CVT, iAWD (12/10 build date)
2018 Mazda CX-5 iAWD Touring
2014 Wrangler JKUW (GONE, traded
) 1991 Samurai, 5-Speed, EFI, Soft-Top (
sold)Laughing while hanging on for dear life.........
This cycle of cold/warm weather really affects our driving surfaces. Paved roads in places have frost heaves so radically humped that one cannot safely straddle them for risk of tearing up the undercarriage, or so abrupt they become whoop-dee-doos.
Marvelous iciness, wet-seeming but really ice layers, booby-trap the landscape and cause a slide/grab yoo-yoo in corners, dirt and dust and gravel litter every inch of road, and then add ruts and potholes and one might imagine what paying attention allows.......
Last few tanks of Gulf premium 27.9 and 28.0 MPG.
87,640
This cycle of cold/warm weather really affects our driving surfaces. Paved roads in places have frost heaves so radically humped that one cannot safely straddle them for risk of tearing up the undercarriage, or so abrupt they become whoop-dee-doos.
Marvelous iciness, wet-seeming but really ice layers, booby-trap the landscape and cause a slide/grab yoo-yoo in corners, dirt and dust and gravel litter every inch of road, and then add ruts and potholes and one might imagine what paying attention allows.......
Last few tanks of Gulf premium 27.9 and 28.0 MPG.
87,640