My current top ten possible Jetta replacements

[68_427]

My list would be

M Coupe
Mustang V6
BRZ

All around the same price, with the BRZ being cheapest most likely.

[S204STi]

WRX is Meh eh?  4.9 seconds to 60 is still pretty quick.  Let me take you for a ride in the mountains sometime like I did for Jacob and your opinions will change.

R is pretty sweet on paper as well.

[sportyaccordy]

Gas mileage doesn't concern me too much, which is why the M5 is at the top of the list.  I thought the M coupe would be hard to find, but there are actually a lot on Autotrader, and priced competitively with the good years of the M5 and the E46 M3.  The E46 M3 is a great choice, and probably the best all-rounder on the list.  I know I've been in cars with good interiors thus far, but it's about the lowest thing on the list for me when it comes to importance.  A few engine failures in 996s isn't worrying either, but repair costs are what drop this amazing car down the list. 

The BRZ is a very attractive car though.  Very.

If gas mileage isn't a concern... M5, all the way. You only live once. And they are like $15K now

[Xer0]

WRX is Meh eh?  4.9 seconds to 60 is still pretty quick.  Let me take you for a ride in the mountains sometime like I did for Jacob and your opinions will change.

R is pretty sweet on paper as well.

The WRX is the oldest of the bunch and is due for a revamp any moment now and, since it and the Imprezza are splitting apart (whatever that means) the new one should be one to look for.  The new WRX never did have the charm of the old one (maybe it was the boring styling) but just the fact that its fast doesn't mean much.

[S204STi]

In its current form it rocks socks over the 08 revamp. 

But it is true that the new WRX won't be out for another year or so and might be a significant departure.

[68_427]

If gas mileage isn't a concern... M5, all the way. You only live once. And they are like $15K now

Those will have 130K miles.

[Raza]

My brother's got probably over 90k on his E46 M3 without too many major hitches, but he's had some pretty pricey maintenance items done at an indy BMW shop. I don't know if I would buy a used high-end German car if you're going to be racking up the miles on it, but I also wouldn't want to eat the depreciation cost of a brand new car if you're going to be racking up the miles on it. (edit: though I'd guess that the FRSBRZ86 wouldn't depreciate too much during at least the first few years)

Used G37 Coupe?

I really don't like the G37 coupe.  And it's far from being as special as any of the other cars on the list.  It's such a douchebag's car.  At least around here, it's safe to drive BMWs again--all the assholes drive Infinitis (or Nissans, if they don't have money).

[CALL_911]

I concur. I've started to develop a liking for the G37S sedan, however.

The Nissan Maxima/Altima are some of my least favorite cars on the road.

[Raza]

They will probably be uber rare, but have you thought about a slightly used 1M?  BMW didn't bring many over and I don't know how well they're likely to hold their value (probably very well) but it?s supposed to be excellent.

+1 on the Mustang and the Camaro is supposed to be getting some significant upgrades soon IIRC.  I personally wouldn't bother with the WRX or R (WRX is very meh, and the R just seams needlessly more expensive then the GTI) or the E39, E46, and 996 (all three will be really, really old and probably abused one way or another by their 2nd/3rd owner who will probably be some young 'meet me at White Castle to street race' punk)

The 1M is going to be over the price range used; they're expensive as is, and since they're so rare, depreciation is going to be light.  A 135i is far more likely, but still, not that likely.  I haven't run any hard numbers, but I want to avoid leasing this time around, which is the main thing that drives the new car budget up (please do not turn this into a discussion about leasing, I know the pros and cons already), so the used car budget is more like $25K, with some breathing room.

[SVT666]

Why would you put an E39 M5 on your list?  They're pretty old now.

[S204STi]

Why would you put an E39 M5 on your list?  They're pretty old now.

It's still considered to be one of the best M-cars ever.

[MexicoCityM3]

Why would you put an E39 M5 on your list?  They're pretty old now.

Because it?s awesome? 

[MexicoCityM3]

The 1M is going to be over the price range used; they're expensive as is, and since they're so rare, depreciation is going to be light.  A 135i is far more likely, but still, not that likely.  I haven't run any hard numbers, but I want to avoid leasing this time around, which is the main thing that drives the new car budget up (please do not turn this into a discussion about leasing, I know the pros and cons already), so the used car budget is more like $25K, with some breathing room.

I think you?d enjoy a manual 125i a lot (on my previous post I was suggesting the current-gen coupe, not the next-gen turbo 4). You seem to value the overall driving experience over sheer power, and a 125i is a better handler than a 135i and the N/A engine is fantastic. I have driven both.

In 6 months you?d get one of the last built cars of the current 125i so reliability would probably be very good.

[SVT666]

It's still considered to be one of the best M-cars ever.

Yeah, but it's old (9 years for the newest one) and they aren't cheap to repair.

[Xer0]

The 1M is going to be over the price range used; they're expensive as is, and since they're so rare, depreciation is going to be light.  A 135i is far more likely, but still, not that likely.  I haven't run any hard numbers, but I want to avoid leasing this time around, which is the main thing that drives the new car budget up (please do not turn this into a discussion about leasing, I know the pros and cons already), so the used car budget is more like $25K, with some breathing room.

Honestly, I would stay at just new if I were you.  Personally, the BRZ sounds like the best of the group.  Wait for reviews and test drive the cars, obviously, but I think that would probably be the best choice.

[Raza]

I think you?d enjoy a manual 125i a lot (on my previous post I was suggesting the current-gen coupe, not the next-gen turbo 4). You seem to value the overall driving experience over sheer power, and a 125i is a better handler than a 135i and the N/A engine is fantastic. I have driven both.

In 6 months you?d get one of the last built cars of the current 125i so reliability would probably be very good.

Is the 125i different from the 128i they sell here?

[MexicoCityM3]

Is the 125i different from the 128i they sell here?

My bad. We get the 125i, you get the 128i. Same car, yours has slightly more power. So, I recommend a manual 128i.

[Raza]

Yeah, but it's old (9 years for the newest one) and they aren't cheap to repair.

The heart wants what the heart wants.  Those looks, that engine, pretending to be The Driver on the way to work everyday.  Blue, black, or red.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ViwWtm8TyBc

[Raza]

My bad. We get the 125i, you get the 128i. Same car, yours has slightly more power. So, I recommend a manual 128i.

I'll definitely have to consider it.  230bhp is a good amount in a car that size and the price is reasonable.

[SVT666]

I just don't see the point in buying a car that old that costs as much as it does to repair.  Cool car?  Yes, but I just couldn't pull the trigger.

[CALL_911]

The heart wants what the heart wants.  Those looks, that engine, pretending to be The Driver on the way to work everyday.  Blue, black, or red.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ViwWtm8TyBc

I love that video so much.

[SVT666]

In the entire USA:

2001 BMW M5 - 54,000 miles $24,980

2001 BMW M5 - 51,000 miles $25,995

2003 BMW M5 - 48,141 miles $32,990

2003 BMW M5 - 45,997 miles $33,990

2003 BMW M5 - 30,905 miles $36,000

2003 BMW M5 - 17,818 miles $40,990 (only one in USA with less than 30,000 miles)

[MexicoCityM3]

We have a couple of club members here that each own both an E39 and an E60 M5. The E39 is their favourite M5 in both cases and reliability has been better than the E60.
Now that is really expensive to repair. The E39 is not as sophisticated which in this case is good.

[CALL_911]

That's what I was thinking. The S85 must cost a fortune to fix every time something goes wrong (which something will).

[Raza]

In the entire USA:

2001 BMW M5 - 54,000 miles $24,980

2001 BMW M5 - 51,000 miles $25,995

2003 BMW M5 - 48,141 miles $32,990

2003 BMW M5 - 45,997 miles $33,990

2003 BMW M5 - 30,905 miles $36,000

2003 BMW M5 - 17,818 miles $40,990 (only one in USA with less than 30,000 miles)

I'm not super concerned about mileage. 

[SVT666]

I'm not super concerned about mileage. 

Really?

[Cookie Monster]

Look on m5board if you want an M5.

[Raza]

Really?

My car has 70K now.  I'd be comfortable driving it for the next 4-5 years, easily.  Under 100K I'm okay with.

[Vinsanity]

My car has 70K now.  I'd be comfortable driving it for the next 4-5 years, easily.  Under 100K I'm okay with.

I'd like to take my car to 150k-200k, provided I won't have to constantly pour money into it. But when I'm buying another car, it should have under 50k-60k. Anything after that feels like taking over someone else's problems.

[Lebowski]

Didn't you just get the Jetta?

I'd said A5 or Golf R. I like the e39 but not sure I'd get one given the age and cost of repairs.

And yeah, except for business owners leasing is for idiots.  I wasn't going to mention that until you said not to.