Ok, I did it
 

Based on all your comments in the newsgroup, I took the plunge and ordered a
2004 Golf GLS TDI. If I clear the financing hurdle (should know by friday),
I'll take possession on monday. I am trading in a very high KM 2000 neon,
and getting raped. I guess a 4cyl neon with 230 000km doesn't fetch a good
buck anymore (like it ever did). My payout on the neon was over $4700 and I
could only get 1200 for it. (actually it turned out to be 1600 after I made
them wiggle a bit). It's a good thing they did wiggle, because I'd be out
of luck otherwise.

Now, since I based my decsision solely on people's opinions in this group,
i'll be holding each and every one of you accountable for anything that even
so much as hints at going wrong with this car! If the check engine light
even so much as flutters, you'll all have hell to pay. GIGGLE

I guess I am just kidding.... the insight you guys have here (and at
tdiclub) drove me to realize that taking a 5-yr term on a chrysler product
that averages 4 yr of life (with my driving conditions) just did not make
sense. If I get 5.5 years out of the Golf at 65 000 km / year, I am in the
green depending on how much the gas prices increase that is. Of course, as
the gas prices increase, so does my realized savings with a TDI. 5.5 years
will be about 310 000km.

I'll let you guys know what happens in my saga

Mike

"Mikhael47" > wrote in message
. ..
> Based on all your comments in the newsgroup, I took the plunge and ordered
a
> 2004 Golf GLS TDI. If I clear the financing hurdle (should know by
friday),
> I'll take possession on monday. I am trading in a very high KM 2000 neon,
> and getting raped. I guess a 4cyl neon with 230 000km doesn't fetch a
good
> buck anymore (like it ever did). My payout on the neon was over $4700 and
I
> could only get 1200 for it. (actually it turned out to be 1600 after I
made
> them wiggle a bit). It's a good thing they did wiggle, because I'd be out
> of luck otherwise.
>
> Now, since I based my decsision solely on people's opinions in this group,
> i'll be holding each and every one of you accountable for anything that
even
> so much as hints at going wrong with this car! If the check engine light
> even so much as flutters, you'll all have hell to pay. GIGGLE
>
> I guess I am just kidding.... the insight you guys have here (and at
> tdiclub) drove me to realize that taking a 5-yr term on a chrysler product
> that averages 4 yr of life (with my driving conditions) just did not make
> sense. If I get 5.5 years out of the Golf at 65 000 km / year, I am in
the
> green depending on how much the gas prices increase that is. Of course,
as
> the gas prices increase, so does my realized savings with a TDI. 5.5
years
> will be about 310 000km.
>
> I'll let you guys know what happens in my saga
>
> Mike

I hope that your financing plans for your new Golf include the following:

Lowering springs and sport shock absorbers ($700 if you install
them)
Stainless steel, "cat-back" exhaust ($400 if you install)
Front and back anti-sway bars ($500 if you install)
Jetta hood and front-end, painted to match your car (I don't know,
lets guess $1200)
Angel-Eyes sport headlights ($600)
New sport wheels and sport rims ($1500)
Engine controller software upgrade, or a performance "chip" as
non-engineers refer to it ($200)
Performance air intake ($200)

That's only another $5300 US ($15,000 CDN) , spread out over 5.5
years, you'll never even notice the extra payment. Believe me, once you've
made all of these upgrades, you wonder how you could get along without them!

Even when you get 300K Kms on the Golf, it'll still be worth maybe 7+ grand
in the end. My 99's still worth over 10 grand... Maybe $12+K to the right
person (CND $)
"Mikhael47" > wrote in message
. ..
> Based on all your comments in the newsgroup, I took the plunge and ordered
> a
> 2004 Golf GLS TDI. If I clear the financing hurdle (should know by
> friday),
> I'll take possession on monday. I am trading in a very high KM 2000 neon,
> and getting raped. I guess a 4cyl neon with 230 000km doesn't fetch a
> good
> buck anymore (like it ever did). My payout on the neon was over $4700 and
> I
> could only get 1200 for it. (actually it turned out to be 1600 after I
> made
> them wiggle a bit). It's a good thing they did wiggle, because I'd be out
> of luck otherwise.
>
> Now, since I based my decsision solely on people's opinions in this group,
> i'll be holding each and every one of you accountable for anything that
> even
> so much as hints at going wrong with this car! If the check engine light
> even so much as flutters, you'll all have hell to pay. GIGGLE
>
> I guess I am just kidding.... the insight you guys have here (and at
> tdiclub) drove me to realize that taking a 5-yr term on a chrysler product
> that averages 4 yr of life (with my driving conditions) just did not make
> sense. If I get 5.5 years out of the Golf at 65 000 km / year, I am in
> the
> green depending on how much the gas prices increase that is. Of course,
> as
> the gas prices increase, so does my realized savings with a TDI. 5.5
> years
> will be about 310 000km.
>
> I'll let you guys know what happens in my saga
>
> Mike
>
>

"Mikhael47" > wrote in message
. ..
>Based on all your comments in the newsgroup, I took the plunge and ordered
>a 2004 Golf GLS TDI.

Eh? You can't order a '04 because they don't make '04s anymore.

They are still shipping from Germany according to my dealer.

It was in stock, so 'ordered' wasn't a good word.
"Matt B." > wrote in message
news:Ues4d.352820$sh.137149@fed1read06...
> "Mikhael47" > wrote in message
> . ..
> >Based on all your comments in the newsgroup, I took the plunge and
ordered
> >a 2004 Golf GLS TDI.
>
> Eh? You can't order a '04 because they don't make '04s anymore.
>
>

"Mikhael47" > wrote in message
. ..
> They are still shipping from Germany according to my dealer.

Strike #2 for your dealer, well assuming you're in the US or Canada.

US and Canadian Golfs come from Brazil, not Germany.

Probably bought one still on the lot, or maybe coming in from another dealer
who has his colour/options etc... Our old 91 Golf had to be shipped from
Halifax (to Brampton Ontario) in late 1991 because we insisted on a base
Golf in a certain colour.
"Mikhael47" > wrote in message
. ..
> They are still shipping from Germany according to my dealer.
>
> It was in stock, so 'ordered' wasn't a good word.
> "Matt B." > wrote in message
> news:Ues4d.352820$sh.137149@fed1read06...
>> "Mikhael47" > wrote in message
>> . ..
>> >Based on all your comments in the newsgroup, I took the plunge and
> ordered
>> >a 2004 Golf GLS TDI.
>>
>> Eh? You can't order a '04 because they don't make '04s anymore.
>>
>>
>
>

Actually he said from montreal (where the port is) I assumed it came from
germany
"Matt B." > wrote in message
news:QkB4d.353031$sh.260480@fed1read06...
> "Mikhael47" > wrote in message
> . ..
> > They are still shipping from Germany according to my dealer.
>
> Strike #2 for your dealer, well assuming you're in the US or Canada.
>
> US and Canadian Golfs come from Brazil, not Germany.
>
>

> Jetta hood and front-end, painted to match your car (I don't know,
lets guess $1200)

Why would you want to make a Golf look like a Jetta? If you want a Jetta
with the advantages of a hatchback, get the Jetta Wagon.

In article >,
"£¢$¥" > wrote:

> Lowering springs and sport shock absorbers ($700 if you install
> them)
> Stainless steel, "cat-back" exhaust ($400 if you install)
> Front and back anti-sway bars ($500 if you install)
> Jetta hood and front-end, painted to match your car (I don't know,
> lets guess $1200)
> Angel-Eyes sport headlights ($600)
> New sport wheels and sport rims ($1500)
> Engine controller software upgrade, or a performance "chip" as
> non-engineers refer to it ($200)
> Performance air intake ($200)
>
> That's only another $5300 US ($15,000 CDN) , spread out over 5.5
> years, you'll never even notice the extra payment. Believe me, once you've
> made all of these upgrades, you wonder how you could get along without them!

If Mikhael47 lives anywhere in snow country, he'll think long and hard
about lowering the car any more. As it is, my A4s ('99.5 Jetta and '03
Jetta Wagon) barely clear some of the frozen "droppings" on the road.

As for transforming a new car into a Jolf, why not just buy the Wagon
to begin with?

Drive the thing first. Then figure out what you might want to fix.
Might even be the car loan.

sd