Purchase consideration

[TRGTI]

I currently have a 2006 VW GTI (MKV) and am looking for a replacement. I LOVE LOVE LOVE the GTI but it is now pushing 4 years old and nearly 70,000 miles. Time for something new. My wife has a 2010 CC (amazing car) and I am not sure what to get. In the process of looking for the CC we looked at the Altima sedan. It couldn't compare to the CC but the coupe seems like a good car. She wanted 4 doors so the CC with 4 doors was a gimmie when compared to the Altima 4-door.I want to stay with a 2-door with a back seat and my only options with VW/Audi is MKVI GTI (not enough changed), Beetle (REALLY?!) Eos (for girls), A5 (LOVE but cannot afford), TT (no back seat). I am forced to look oustide VWAG. That leaves, for roughly $30k, Accord Coupe (don't like Honda), RX-8 (RWD in Michigan), or Altima Coupe. By deductive reasoning, it seems like a winner.

We drove a 3.5SR coupe and that was a nice car. The Altima sedan was boring in both looks and dynamics but the coupe was much better.

For those that own the Coupe, how do you like it? I am ONLY considering the 3.5SR. The 2.5 is weak, especially coming from a GTI.

Also, what did you drive before your Altima Coupe?

Thanks guys

[ESP]

Sounds like you've really done your research...that's refreshing!

All I know about VW/Audi is that they're almost infinitely tuneable. You won't find that kind of simplicity with the VQ, unfortunately...but everyone here seems to love their immensely! IIRC, the SR is a 6-speed, correct? If so, you're on the right track! If you're planning on boosting in the future, the CVT will let you down (unless you pay through the nose to get a transmission cooler as well).

I've had my coupe for about two years now and I love, love, LOVE it! My only complaint is that it has the worst trunk-space I've ever encountered. Hence, the reason I'll be getting rid of mine in the next year or two. Keep in mind that I have alot of gear to carry around (light stands, soft-boxes, battery packs, etc) so it doesn't really suit my needs, but for you it might be different.

Best of luck with your decision!

[Hussain]

the ONLY regrets i have with my car is that i got a CVT (automatic) and that maybe i should have gotten a RWD (dont have to worry in Cali). in all honesty, the CVT transmission is perfectly fine and works very well. the only reason why I regret it is because i'm 21 and consider myself a "spirited" driver. ive raced my car at the track more times then i can remember and if I had gotten a manual transmission, i'd be looking into forced induction (Turbo or supercharger) for the future.

If you dont plan on doing Turbo, supercharger, or Nitrous, then the CVT will be fine. the car has a lot of power and passing cars is effortless. it has a nice smooth ride. almost everyday i get compliments on my car or turn heads. overall, i LOVE my car.

[TRGTI]

It would for sure be a manual. I do not like CVT in ANY car. Audi used to have it on their FWD A4's, Subaru just launched it on the Legacy (we replaced a 2007 Legacy w/ the CC), and then Nissan has had it for a while. I think it is awful.

I have DSG (dual clutch automated manual) in both my cars now (CC & GTI) and that is ideal. Super quick shifts and 100% control over gears and revs. I will not go back to a traditional auto so I have to have manual, even if the wife cannot drive it.

To be honest, the Altima Coupe would be a compromise to me as I have never really been a fan of Nissan as a whole. I just know I want 2 doors and a back seat around $30k. There isn't much on the market like that. Mustang/Camaro/Challenger are all RWD V-8's which I do not want. The Accord is nice but I WON'T drive a Honda. The RX-8 is nice but slower then my GTI and I don't know how I feel about rotary engines and also RWD. There is the Hyundai Genesis but I would much sooner drive a Honda then a Hyundai. It too is RWD. The Altmia is the only viable choice besides a MKVI GTI.

I suppose I could wait for this...



Will be a Jetta Coupe set to be released sometime 2011 as a 2012 model. New MKVI Jetta sedan to be released AS a 2011. Think VW A5.More info here.http://www.vwvortex.com/artman...shtml
Modified by TRGTI at 10:17 PM 1/27/2010

[mcheddadi]

I have DSG (dual clutch automated manual) in both my cars now (CC & GTI) and that is ideal. Super quick shifts and 100% control over gears and revs. I will not go back to a traditional auto so I have to have manual, even if the wife cannot drive it.

NO SACRIFICES FOR THE TRUE ROAD WARRIOR!!

hehe, in all honesty I've said it before and I'll say it again

in my case, I've pushed the altima to the limit (without going super custom) handling wise.

Its the best thing to happen to me car wise ever. great engine, great looks, great practicality, safe fwd understeer.

but now that i'm getting older, I just need to pack MORE things in the car, I want MORE grip, I want a dual personality car. great on the track and great as a daily driver.

pros of a stock full equip 3.5se altima coupe:powerful and torquey VQ engine, luxurious ride when full equip with the leather, winter capable coupe with VehiculeDynamicControl and TractionControlSystem, carry 5 (!!) people in sexy style (5'9" in the back max), keyless, autoheadlights (never touch it again), quiet, safe ride (5 stars crash rating), LATCH system for babyseats in the back. GREAT center console layout and easy to use controls. Auto DUAL climate control. GREAT aftermarket support considering the limited worldwide availability of the car. 60/40 rear seats that fold FLAT. GREAT MPGs (I get 30hwy 22city). AUX input for music.

cons: small trunk, stock ride isn't as sporty as i'd like, 4x4 look, tendency to understear when pushed to the limit, uncommunicative steering at low speeds , boring CVT ride, long throws on the manual transmission and clunky feeling on the shifter with the too light shift knob. Nearly 300hp without a limited slip diff. fit and finish isn't perfect, there are some rattles here and there. small wind noise at high speed. Brittle and cheap paintjob. Nissan's LOCKED packages.

the altima is great but too limited for what I have in plan in the future and thats moslty why i might upgrade in two years time.

still not going anywhere anytime soon lol

now what I'm checking for the future is, rx7 revival, golf R, ft-86 (toyotabaru), subaru wrx STI, maybe 370z, possibly M3, rs4 or rs5, and the odd used supercharged s2000s.

*goes on rambling about cars*

[lilg2033]

I had a MkIV before, and now I have a '08 3.5 and couldn't be happier!

[TRGTI]

@mcheddadi

You couldn't have said it better. I know in the sub $30k arena I will NOT find anything with the build/material quality and overall feel of my VW. The fit and finish is as good as they come. Especially in the last 5 years. They build some of the best cars out there. I have also heard things about the uncommunicative responses in Nissan. We drove a Maxima too and it felt about as responsive as a minivan. Looks good, drives otherwise.

I was just hoping the Altima Coupe was different. I like the 3.5 VQ engine. It is a good engine. Not too advanced with this new trend towards downsizing and direct injection and whatnot. 2.0T direct injected in the CC and GTI is 2nd to none in this class. It works well from a $22k Jetta Wolfsburg to a $50k Audi A5. 100% torque from 1800rpm to 5000rpm and 100% hp from 4500 rpm to redline is something that just needs to be felt.

I too would LOVE to get into a Golf-R. However, at likely $35k that gets me to a 128i or A3. Which are great cars. Albeit a bit different but great.

I still like the Altima. Sorry if it sounds like I am being negative but I wouldn't have come here or be considering it if I didn't like it. It is just a trade off from my GTI.

What do I actually gain with the Altima besides aesthetics which are purely subjective?

[TRGTI]

I had a MkIV before, and now I have a '08 3.5 and couldn't be happier!

My first VW was this MKV. The MKIV is NOTHING like the MKV and now MKVI. Huge jump in quality, performance, features. EVERYTHING is better in every way on the MKV. It just has an "X" factor that I cannot find on anything else under $30k. It is MORE then the sum of it's parts. It's the way it all comes together. The Germans just know how to build a car. I wish the Americans stopped making the Asians the target and I wish the Asians stopped making the Americans their target. Look to Europe.

[mcheddadi]

@mcheddadi

You couldn't have said it better. I know in the sub $30k arena I will NOT find anything with the build/material quality and overall feel of my VW. The fit and finish is as good as they come. Especially in the last 5 years. They build some of the best cars out there. I have also heard things about the uncommunicative responses in Nissan. We drove a Maxima too and it felt about as responsive as a minivan. Looks good, drives otherwise.

I was just hoping the Altima Coupe was different. I like the 3.5 VQ engine. It is a good engine. Not too advanced with this new trend towards downsizing and direct injection and whatnot. 2.0T direct injected in the CC and GTI is 2nd to none in this class. It works well from a $22k Jetta Wolfsburg to a $50k Audi A5. 100% torque from 1800rpm to 5000rpm and 100% hp from 4500 rpm to redline is something that just needs to be felt.

I too would LOVE to get into a Golf-R. However, at likely $35k that gets me to a 128i or A3. Which are great cars. Albeit a bit different but great.

I still like the Altima. Sorry if it sounds like I am being negative but I wouldn't have come here or be considering it if I didn't like it. It is just a trade off from my GTI.

What do I actually gain with the Altima besides aesthetics which are purely subjective?

other than the look, I'd say go for the altima if you want the great feel of the torquey VQ engine. in 2008 when I bought it, it was one of the FASTEST fwd car available in north america. (fastest of all the 08 models). In all honesty I wouldn't have bought this car if not for the VQ. Great, GREAT engine.

to this date I've fixed all the cons of the car with aftermarket parts except the road and wind noise and the crap paint lol. with mods its a totally different beast. and I do stress the fact that WITH THE MODS ITS A TOTALLY DIFFERENT BEAST lol. rides and handles with the best of ems. but its min 3000$ in mods for it to feel like a proper sports car.

1000$ adjustable coilover suspentionshortshift kit + heavier knob = 200ishendlink = 200ishrear sway bar = 200ishsport tires = 500 to 1000ishHLSD = 500ish plus install = 1500ish

it doesn't come cheap but it does make you realize what nissan intended this car to be (not a sports car and more of a sporty coupe cruiser). stupid nissan

[TRGTI]

I guess the only thing I actually do like about this car is the look. It looks like a G37 but with Nissan bits. I wish the interior reflected a G37 a bit more though. As far as the VQ. Though that is a good engine, I prefer the feeling of the 2.0T TSI in VW. I just love how 100% of my torque is available at 1800 rpm. (Altmia is at 4400rpm). Nissan peaks at 1 specific rpm while the VW for both hp and torque has a range of rpms where power is at it's peak. And it also gets better gas mileage. Heck, the GTI gets barely better gas mileage then the 2.5 CVT (2.5 23/32 , GTI 25/31) but performs like the 3.5.Germans just know how to build a car.

Both engines have been on C&D 10best engine list but the VQ is not for this year. It is dated. There is a trend towards downsizing, forced induction, and direct injection. The VQ utilizes none of these trends. The Nissan actually got bigger (3.5l to 3.7l). The 3.5 used in the Altima is the engine that launched on the 350z in 2003. It has not been revised in 7 years now. Not for this car at least. All the Infinitis and the 370z went to the newer 3.7.

Why did some of you buy your Altima Coupe and what else did you consider? That may help me.

[mrodrig2]

Judging by your high esteem of the GTI, which is well deserved, I think that you will feel let down by the Altima Coupe. There are just tons of tiny little things about the car that are annoying. Lots of rattles, crappy paint, crappy OEM battery, low iKey battery life, so-so gas mileage, no trunk space, high stance, crappy OEM tires, lots of road noise, hit-and-miss quality with the CVT, so-so stock stereo... I love my coupe just as much as anyone else on here, but with exception of its fantastic looks, it just doesn't have that 'je ne sais quoi' aspect.

[Coupes4Life]

Yo u like the GTi so much so go get another one what r u doing trying to get a car u don't love as much as the VW

[Ranga14]

I currently have a 2006 VW GTI (MKV) and am looking for a replacement. I LOVE LOVE LOVE the GTI but it is now pushing 4 years old and nearly 70,000 miles. Time for something new. My wife has a 2010 CC (amazing car) and I am not sure what to get. In the process of looking for the CC we looked at the Altima sedan. It couldn't compare to the CC but the coupe seems like a good car. She wanted 4 doors so the CC with 4 doors was a gimmie when compared to the Altima 4-door.I want to stay with a 2-door with a back seat and my only options with VW/Audi is MKVI GTI (not enough changed), Beetle (REALLY?!) Eos (for girls), A5 (LOVE but cannot afford), TT (no back seat). I am forced to look oustide VWAG. That leaves, for roughly $30k, Accord Coupe (don't like Honda), RX-8 (RWD in Michigan), or Altima Coupe. By deductive reasoning, it seems like a winner.

We drove a 3.5SR coupe and that was a nice car. The Altima sedan was boring in both looks and dynamics but the coupe was much better.

For those that own the Coupe, how do you like it? I am ONLY considering the 3.5SR. The 2.5 is weak, especially coming from a GTI.

Also, what did you drive before your Altima Coupe?

Thanks guys

My reasons for mine;

1. Loved the looks.2. Engine having a solid track record.3. Safety4. My step bro works for the Nissan plant so I got a discount.

But it sounds like you're more inclined to go with another GTI? I do like them, my friend had a 2002 which I like that body style more than the newer ones. I guess you're just going to have to make a decision on a side by side comparison of every feature and detail to make the best choice.

[TRGTI]

Judging by your high esteem of the GTI, which is well deserved, I think that you will feel let down by the Altima Coupe. There are just tons of tiny little things about the car that are annoying. Lots of rattles, crappy paint, crappy OEM battery, low iKey battery life, so-so gas mileage, no trunk space, high stance, crappy OEM tires, lots of road noise, hit-and-miss quality with the CVT, so-so stock stereo... I love my coupe just as much as anyone else on here, but with exception of its fantastic looks, it just doesn't have that 'je ne sais quoi' aspect.

Enough said. That is the type of response I was looking for. Just honest assessment of its let downs. Even in car mags and reviews they are are always too cautious to mention its negatives.

[TRGTI]

Yo u like the GTi so much so go get another one what r u doing trying to get a car u don't love as much as the VW

I already have one. They didn't really change enough to justify another $30k for one. It is really just a facelift and not a redo. Same chassis, same engine, same transmission. All the updates are cosmetic.Another car I would consider is the revised and updated 2010 Volvo C30 R-design. I just see what $30k can get me with VW or even Volvo and the Nissan cannot compete. It has a lot of nice features but they aren't put together very well.

Like the other poster said. It is missing the "cache" or "X" factor that I call it. You cannot put a price on that.

[RicerX]

Let me go ahead and preface my two sense with this - I owned a 2001 Jetta Wolfburg 1.8T. It was the biggest piece of s*** I have ever spent money on and throughout that ownership experience, I grew to HATE HATE HATE HATE (did I mention LOATHE and DESPISE) the VW/Audi line of vehicles. Anyone that sticks a tube of plastic into the oil pan to reduce costs (and to get money on maintenance when the big orange plastic dipstick tube cracks and breaks every 25,000 miles) is not interested in building a top notch quality product.

That being said, when the damn thing wasn't falling apart, the Jetta was a fun fun fun car to drive. Hell of an upgrade from a 97 Chevy Cavalier. I've drive a couple GTIs before MKIV and MKV... and they're wicked to drive. The Germans do indeed know how to design an engine with a fantastic power curve too. I, too, had 100% torque delivery from 2000-ish to 4000ish RPMs, and it was nice driving around town.

Because of my terrible ownership experience and the $8,000 in repairs I had over the course of the two years I kept the car (which was bought certified used with 30,000 miles on it, STOCK, and driven back and forth to school very mildly), I would NEVER recommend a VW/Audi ANYTHING to ANYONE. I know I'm not the only one that feels that way, but there are obviously many many other people that feel differently, and that's why they're still in business today.

I bought a Sentra SE-R Spec V after the Jetta, and I drove it for 50,000 miles before upgrading to my Altima, and never did anything but routine maintenance. My Altima has been a fantastic car as well. My Dad has owned Maximas, my brother has a 91 240sx (200,000 miles, orig engine and transmission, and still drives it), my buddy has a 93 Maxima (280,000 miles on original engine and transmission and still drives 3 times a week) and I have owned two Nissans - neither of which gave me ANY trouble. I have always had very good luck with Nissan. I believe their products are a serious bang for the buck, I've never had a problem with any customer service, and I've always found them to be very reliable, durable, and solid cars.

The Altima Coupe, however, will not handle like a GTI. Ever. No matter what you do to it suspension-wise, it's not gonna be a GTI. Although, I'd be willing to bet your cost of maintenance will be half that of the VW. The VQ is a pretty damn awesome engine. Tried and true. Even the QR is a great motor (wasn't so much when it first came out, but if you knew what you were doing, you could easily prevent a lot of the problems from coming up that were synonymous with the QR, though all that is irrelevant to you since you'll only consider the VQ)

But if you're looking for hot hatch handling, buy a hot hatch. There are going to be things you'll miss about your GTI, but there will be things you like about the Altima over the GTI should you decide to buy one.

I will also throw this out there - there is a substantial difference in the interior fit and finish if you get the premium package (and include the leather package in addition for 2010 models). The Bose system is fantastic and the seats are comfortable. There are a lot of materials that are very similar to an '08 G35 sedan (headliners and leather are exactly the same, except you don't get an embroidered infiniti badge in the headrests of your altima). As for battery life in the i-Key... um... it's a damn i-Key. And the car is equipped with a push button start. That little remote has to do a bit more than unlock doors. That's akin to b****ing about the battery life with your Blackberry Bold when comparing it to your old Nokia 5190 brick phone. Yeah, the Bold MIGHT take a little bit more juice to operate its 600+mhz processor and its 640 X 480 resolution LCD screen, as opposed to only talking and texting and playing snake on a green LCD screen that looks like a game of tetris on a commodore64.

I'm a bit of a Nissan purist now, so the cars I was considering were a Z, G37S, or an AC. I decided on the AC because I play hockey and I'm a drummer, and I wanted to go a little bit more towards the practical side as it was going to be my only vehicle. Maintenance is cheaper (tires, brakes, etc) on an AC than any RWD sports car (tires on a Z or G with sport package are well over $1000 for a set, and they only last around 12-15k miles, and I put 20,000+ miles on my car a year), and I had to find the line of best fit with my pick.

I think a lot of people that claim they're disappointed with their Altima Coupes bought it under the misconception that it was designed to be a full-on sports car - IT'S NOT A Z. If you want a car to go to the track with, you bought the wrong effing car. Though you can tweak it all you want and "work with what you have", it's still a fun car to drive. Nissan had no, and will have no, intentions of making the Altima Coupe with a limited slip differential and 350 horsepower. It's a simple marketing concept of "product differentiation". The Altima Coupe is NOT a sports car enthusiast's vehicle (though it is sporty and tunable). Though the GTI, to a degree, can be viewed as an enthusiast's vehicle (the R32 being an enthusiast-specific version).

Any car you go to will have its trade-offs. But if you're looking for a well powered FWD coupe around $30,000 (NOT hatchback, coupe), in my honest opinion, there isn't a better pick in the current market than the Altima.

Now if I didn't hate the fark out of VWAudi, I'd totally drive an S5

/rant

[mrodrig2]

2001 Jetta and the 2006 GTI that the OP has are completely different cars in terms of build quality, driving and handling characteristics. So even though your opinion is valid, I'd have to say that carrying the negative aspects up to the new models is unfair.

If he was primarily interested in looks I'd say go for it. However, the OP seems to be looking for a car that will wow him in a lot of aspects. While the Altima coupe is definitely a spectacular entry sports/touring type of coupe, it just has a lot of potential quirks and letdowns. As mcheddadi pointed out, it could be a much better sports car with a few mods, but not in stock form.

Since he's looking for an 'x-factor'/'complete package' type of car, I'd just wait to see how the new VW coupe or Subie/Toyota coupe pan out, or even just a current STI. At that point you could still get an Altima if the others don't live up to the hype.
Modified by mrodrig2 at 4:31 PM 1/28/2010

[RicerX]

2001 Jetta and the 2006 GTI that the OP has are completely different cars in terms of build quality, driving and handling characteristics. So even though your opinion is valid, I'd have to say that carrying the negative aspects up to the new models is unfair.

That being said, ... , the Jetta was a fun fun fun car to drive. I've driven a couple GTIs before MKIV and MKV... and they're wicked to drive. The Germans do indeed know how to design an engine with a fantastic power curve too. I, too, had 100% torque delivery from 2000-ish to 4000ish RPMs, and it was nice driving around town. ...Because of my terrible ownership experience ... , I would NEVER recommend a VW/Audi ANYTHING to ANYONE. I know I'm not the only one that feels that way, but there are ... other people that feel differently, and that's why they're still in business today.

I don't really see how that's unfair to anyone? I'm certainly not losing any sleep at night driving a Nissan over a VW, but I'm not saying everyone should feel that way just because I posted my opinion about it, either. There are plenty of other drivers in the world that would recommend a VW to someone, I'm just not one of them To each his own.

[mrodrig2]

Not fair as in right or wrong, fair as in accurate/correct or inaccurate/incorrect. Like I said, your opinion about the previous model that you owned is valid, but it's not a good characterization of the more recent model.

[TRGTI]

^^^^VW has come A LONG way since a 2001 Wolfie. There is not ONE thing that is the same in the new models. Everything from parts, engineering/design, and pure assembly process has changed. I know that there have been issues with VW in the past but as a current owner I can say that in my almost 4 years and 67,000 I have had nothing more then routine maintenance (which is a bit expensive). I had a few issues with a turbo downpipe but it was covered under warranty.

Also, now, for 2010 VW has put a 3 year free routine maintenance in place. This helps with the cost. VW is increasingly more reliable everyday.

Also, for your perspective. Do you think Toyota is a reliable car? Will they be seen as a reliable car in 9 years. Sure. No matter what, all cars will have issues. The 01 Wolfie you had is one of those cars.

I do want to mention I had a co-worker of mine who has a 2003 Altima 2.5 that needed an entirely new transmission at 75,000 miles. This was just this past year. $3,000 and out of warranty. It can happen to any car.

I do not plan on keeping any car more then 4 or 5 years. 3 is ideal but I was unemployed for 6 months and wasn't able to get rid of the GTI. Good or bad or whatever, reliability is about the last thing I look at with a car. That and fuel consumption. Both are nice to have but not deal breakers for me as nearly any car these days will be fine for 4 or 5 years, minus the occasional lemon.

[QR25DE]

My beater when my turbo was being installed...

Review:

Car: 1984 or 87 VW Jetta.Engine: 59HP of diesel goodness.Trans: Manual (Holy eff longer throws).

Pros: The heat worked... had to or it would overheat if it was turned off. A tank through the snow.

Cons: Rusted to f***. Grinded 3 / 5 gears. Glow Plugs not working, took 5+ times to start in the cold. 1 Speaker worked... but it was blown. 1 wiper nozzle worked. The radio reception sucked... however the radio antenna was a piece of coat hanger... it fell off while driving (the coast hanger antenna)

5th Gear:



Cons: Continued..

Dash lights didn't work, mirrors were stuck in place, I couldn't adjust them. Rear defogger didn't work. Right turn signal stayed on when you put on the brakes while turning right. I'm sure I'm forgetting things....

Would I buy a VW: NO. Well that's not fair... lol. Yeah I'd buy a newer one, they're a cool car haha.

[DAAN.]

While the Altima coupe has numerous merits, you seem to acknowledge German engineering - so replace it with the more luxurious Audi or performant BMW

[Coupes4Life]

If u want another hatch turbo i would say go with a Mazdaspeed 3 my bro has one it halls a** and he has full TRB exhaust, top mount, CAI, 2 step , WOT box, turbo inlet, BOV, and it has killed pretty much anyone he has raced i've seen it beat Nismo 350z and he is willing to trade my car for his evenly ( but he is going to get an 04 Cobra out of it

[PHENOMenalVinyl]

ok its not a step up or a step down from ur gti sooo w/e its up to u it all depens on what YOU want from the car......mendi has said everyting n so has everyone else the long responses was crazy..

i <3 the cc my uncle just got one they r sexy as hell

[TRGTI]

A MS3 would be a downgrade for me. I know they are fast but that is all they are. They are no where near as nice as my GTI. Fit and finish and refinement and features and amenities. Everything is worse, but they are faster. Not worth the trade off in my book.

Also, the Altima may not be a downgrade, it is not an upgrade either. It would be a lateral, AT BEST, move and not worth the $30k. I am on to other European cars. I just can't go back. The way I see it, it is America < Asian (minus Korea) < European.

VW is the cheapest/worst Euro brand sold in the states and is better then all non euro brands but say Cadi, Lexus, Infiniti, and Acura. I am now cross shopping between a GTI, Volvo C30, or BMW 128i.

[Hussain]

Judging by your high esteem of the GTI, which is well deserved, I think that you will feel let down by the Altima Coupe. There are just tons of tiny little things about the car that are annoying. Lots of rattles, crappy paint, crappy OEM battery, low iKey battery life, so-so gas mileage, no trunk space, high stance, crappy OEM tires.

idk why people keep saying crappy paint. the paint is fine. idk what you guys expect, paint made out of Kevlar or something? in that case you'll probably be looking for something more expensive or with a custom paint job. I've never seen any issues with paint. the only people I see complaining about the paint are people who live in areas with crappy weather and I'm sorry you people have to deal with the crappy weather but that doesn't mean theirs anything wrong with the car, it just means theirs something wrong with the place you live. and the low key battery? really? mine lasted me 2 years. my dad's 2003 Mercedes E500 needs his key's battery replaced every 2-3 months.... so much for "the Germans really know how to do build quality" my 3.5se with CVT was $25,000 before taxes brand new. good luck finding a new car with an engine like the VQ35DE and the looks and the features of the 3.5se altima coupe for under $25,000.

oh ya, not trying to attack you mrodig2. Its just I saw those 2 points and have seen others state those 2 points and with my personal experience of having my car for 2.5 years, I just think those two points are ridicules and are just myths which i have never experienced.

ends rant.

[Hussain]

A MS3 would be a downgrade for me. I know they are fast but that is all they are. They are no where near as nice as my GTI.

they are no where near as nice as anything....

ANYTHING > station-wagon..... 5 door hatch= station wagon, which = EPIC FAIL beyond anything someone could possibly imagine.

[ESP]

they are no where near as nice as anything....

ANYTHING > station-wagon..... 5 door hatch= station wagon, which = EPIC FAIL beyond anything someone could possibly imagine.

You take that back! The A3 is sexay!!!

[mcheddadi]

they are no where near as nice as anything....

ANYTHING > station-wagon..... 5 door hatch= station wagon, which = EPIC FAIL beyond anything someone could possibly imagine.

station wagons are hot

and so are hatch backs



you just never got the chance to experience the bad a** ones

[Hussain]

You take that back! The A3 is sexay!!!

lol the A3 is hella ugly. its like the old golfs that are hella boxy. its too boxy to be a hatchback in my opinion

and mehdi, I love all the cars you posted EXCEPT the 5-door hatchback lol i love 3-door hatchbacks but the 5-door hatch backs are ugly station wagons.

EDIT: actually, the civic is ugly too. so just the Ford is focus RS is good. lol