New DD, Help, S3,RS3/MacanTT/MB45AMG
01-12-2019, 10:52 PM
#1
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New DD, Help, S3,RS3/MacanTT/MB45AMG
Hi all...
I will be moving to europe for a couple years and need a car for my wife and i.
I am selling my 997TT but taking a Cayman GTS as one of my cars but need a second.
I do not want to take my Trackhawk because of the size and gas milage.
Therefore i am looking for a "practical" fun DD to compliment the Cayman.
Criteria are: 4 doors, AWD, smallish (for small euro roads/parking), and gas milage ($7/gal ya know, looking for something at least 20MPG avg). Here are the cars im kinda looking at, thoughts?
*Macan Turbo/GTS (Used $50-65k)
-worst gas milage and biggest
*Audi S3/RS3 ($40-65k used/new)
-least luxury/features but fun size
*Audi S5/RS5 Sportback ($50-85k new, used basically unavailable)
-worst resale, s5 maybe souless, rs5 overpriced?
*GLA/CLA45AMG ($30-60 depending on yr)
-intriguing but maybe not as fun as audis. Good price. Dash layout looks like a 2005-2009 luxury car.
As you can imagine with these specialty cars they are somewhat hard to find to drive. I have driven an older cla45, the macans, and briefly an S3 and came away undecided. On inital thought the RS3 is the most intriguing to me.
Thanks for your opinions.
I will be moving to europe for a couple years and need a car for my wife and i.
I am selling my 997TT but taking a Cayman GTS as one of my cars but need a second.
I do not want to take my Trackhawk because of the size and gas milage.
Therefore i am looking for a "practical" fun DD to compliment the Cayman.
Criteria are: 4 doors, AWD, smallish (for small euro roads/parking), and gas milage ($7/gal ya know, looking for something at least 20MPG avg). Here are the cars im kinda looking at, thoughts?
*Macan Turbo/GTS (Used $50-65k)
-worst gas milage and biggest
*Audi S3/RS3 ($40-65k used/new)
-least luxury/features but fun size
*Audi S5/RS5 Sportback ($50-85k new, used basically unavailable)
-worst resale, s5 maybe souless, rs5 overpriced?
*GLA/CLA45AMG ($30-60 depending on yr)
-intriguing but maybe not as fun as audis. Good price. Dash layout looks like a 2005-2009 luxury car.
As you can imagine with these specialty cars they are somewhat hard to find to drive. I have driven an older cla45, the macans, and briefly an S3 and came away undecided. On inital thought the RS3 is the most intriguing to me.
Thanks for your opinions.
01-19-2019, 02:35 PM
#2
Moving to Europe is like saying moving to the US - you can be in FL or CO and both places "require" a different DD IMO. Which country are you moving to?
FWIW, I just bought an S5 sportback for my DD, going in for a tune in three days since it's a little sluggish. My requirements were about the same as yours.
FWIW, I just bought an S5 sportback for my DD, going in for a tune in three days since it's a little sluggish. My requirements were about the same as yours.
01-20-2019, 02:10 AM
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Moving to Europe is like saying moving to the US - you can be in FL or CO and both places "require" a different DD IMO. Which country are you moving to?
FWIW, I just bought an S5 sportback for my DD, going in for a tune in three days since it's a little sluggish. My requirements were about the same as yours.
FWIW, I just bought an S5 sportback for my DD, going in for a tune in three days since it's a little sluggish. My requirements were about the same as yours.
01-20-2019, 06:04 AM
#4
Got it.
I'd avoid anything expensive to fix since Italians use bumpers while parking to really bounce off another car if they don't fit in the parallel parking space :-)
Another thing to consider: US real world gas mileage is vastly different from European real world gas mileage. When I rent a car with 4.0L V8 in the US, I'm able to get 18mpg in the US but the same car will get barely 12mpg in Europe. Why? Freeway speeds are much higher in Europe - everyone (except the Swiss) drives at around 150kph or higher and city traffic is very different as well.
Size of the car as you mentioned. I presume you've been to Europe before. If your driving is going to be mostly done around bigger cities, consider buying an extra small car that you won't really care about (fiat 500...). Roads are way narrower than in the US and traffic is more "packed".
I'd actually stay with the boring Audi IMO. Since you're going to be in Northern Italy and want to drive around Switzerland and Austria (don't forget the freeway stickers! And don't speed in Switzerland!!!!), I'd get a reliable 4x4 with good range.
Maybe one more thing to consider is the new 3.0l bi-turbo diesel from Audi. I'm not a diesel fan myself but that thing is insane - 300+ hp and enough torque to move the earth if you can get a solid anchor in the universe. All that at 30 real world mpgs in an A6 with quattro.
I'd avoid anything expensive to fix since Italians use bumpers while parking to really bounce off another car if they don't fit in the parallel parking space :-)
Another thing to consider: US real world gas mileage is vastly different from European real world gas mileage. When I rent a car with 4.0L V8 in the US, I'm able to get 18mpg in the US but the same car will get barely 12mpg in Europe. Why? Freeway speeds are much higher in Europe - everyone (except the Swiss) drives at around 150kph or higher and city traffic is very different as well.
Size of the car as you mentioned. I presume you've been to Europe before. If your driving is going to be mostly done around bigger cities, consider buying an extra small car that you won't really care about (fiat 500...). Roads are way narrower than in the US and traffic is more "packed".
I'd actually stay with the boring Audi IMO. Since you're going to be in Northern Italy and want to drive around Switzerland and Austria (don't forget the freeway stickers! And don't speed in Switzerland!!!!), I'd get a reliable 4x4 with good range.
Maybe one more thing to consider is the new 3.0l bi-turbo diesel from Audi. I'm not a diesel fan myself but that thing is insane - 300+ hp and enough torque to move the earth if you can get a solid anchor in the universe. All that at 30 real world mpgs in an A6 with quattro.
01-21-2019, 02:08 AM
#5
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Giulia QF might be a fun option.
I’d also check the laws for your scenario and see if you could/should consider bringing a unique American car over with plans to sell it in country (perhaps after a year, all depends on the laws). A Wrangler could be a fun option. A muscle car or pickup truck would also be interesting but those would be painful as DDs.
In general the factory warranty you have on a US car will be ineffective in Europe. If this is a concern, you could just buy a car there. (I remember the Finns always went to Germany to get better prices.) You might enjoy driving something you can’t get in the USA for a few years. They have lots of great hot hatches for instance.
I’d also check the laws for your scenario and see if you could/should consider bringing a unique American car over with plans to sell it in country (perhaps after a year, all depends on the laws). A Wrangler could be a fun option. A muscle car or pickup truck would also be interesting but those would be painful as DDs.
In general the factory warranty you have on a US car will be ineffective in Europe. If this is a concern, you could just buy a car there. (I remember the Finns always went to Germany to get better prices.) You might enjoy driving something you can’t get in the USA for a few years. They have lots of great hot hatches for instance.
01-21-2019, 12:27 PM
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Giulia QF might be a fun option.
I’d also check the laws for your scenario and see if you could/should consider bringing a unique American car over with plans to sell it in country (perhaps after a year, all depends on the laws). A Wrangler could be a fun option. A muscle car or pickup truck would also be interesting but those would be painful as DDs.
In general the factory warranty you have on a US car will be ineffective in Europe. If this is a concern, you could just buy a car there. (I remember the Finns always went to Germany to get better prices.) You might enjoy driving something you can’t get in the USA for a few years. They have lots of great hot hatches for instance.
I’d also check the laws for your scenario and see if you could/should consider bringing a unique American car over with plans to sell it in country (perhaps after a year, all depends on the laws). A Wrangler could be a fun option. A muscle car or pickup truck would also be interesting but those would be painful as DDs.
In general the factory warranty you have on a US car will be ineffective in Europe. If this is a concern, you could just buy a car there. (I remember the Finns always went to Germany to get better prices.) You might enjoy driving something you can’t get in the USA for a few years. They have lots of great hot hatches for instance.
Even with a cheap car im not sure how my soul will be able to take people constantly bumping into my cars. We'll see i guess
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01-23-2019, 10:34 PM
#10
Rennlist Member
Got it.
I'd avoid anything expensive to fix since Italians use bumpers while parking to really bounce off another car if they don't fit in the parallel parking space :-)
Another thing to consider: US real world gas mileage is vastly different from European real world gas mileage. When I rent a car with 4.0L V8 in the US, I'm able to get 18mpg in the US but the same car will get barely 12mpg in Europe. Why? Freeway speeds are much higher in Europe - everyone (except the Swiss) drives at around 150kph or higher and city traffic is very different as well.
Size of the car as you mentioned. I presume you've been to Europe before. If your driving is going to be mostly done around bigger cities, consider buying an extra small car that you won't really care about (fiat 500...). Roads are way narrower than in the US and traffic is more "packed".
I'd actually stay with the boring Audi IMO. Since you're going to be in Northern Italy and want to drive around Switzerland and Austria (don't forget the freeway stickers! And don't speed in Switzerland!!!!), I'd get a reliable 4x4 with good range.
Maybe one more thing to consider is the new 3.0l bi-turbo diesel from Audi. I'm not a diesel fan myself but that thing is insane - 300+ hp and enough torque to move the earth if you can get a solid anchor in the universe. All that at 30 real world mpgs in an A6 with quattro.
I'd avoid anything expensive to fix since Italians use bumpers while parking to really bounce off another car if they don't fit in the parallel parking space :-)
Another thing to consider: US real world gas mileage is vastly different from European real world gas mileage. When I rent a car with 4.0L V8 in the US, I'm able to get 18mpg in the US but the same car will get barely 12mpg in Europe. Why? Freeway speeds are much higher in Europe - everyone (except the Swiss) drives at around 150kph or higher and city traffic is very different as well.
Size of the car as you mentioned. I presume you've been to Europe before. If your driving is going to be mostly done around bigger cities, consider buying an extra small car that you won't really care about (fiat 500...). Roads are way narrower than in the US and traffic is more "packed".
I'd actually stay with the boring Audi IMO. Since you're going to be in Northern Italy and want to drive around Switzerland and Austria (don't forget the freeway stickers! And don't speed in Switzerland!!!!), I'd get a reliable 4x4 with good range.
Maybe one more thing to consider is the new 3.0l bi-turbo diesel from Audi. I'm not a diesel fan myself but that thing is insane - 300+ hp and enough torque to move the earth if you can get a solid anchor in the universe. All that at 30 real world mpgs in an A6 with quattro.
01-24-2019, 03:50 AM
#11
Originally Posted by bkrantz
Wow, what's wrong with the Swiss?
the one and only time I was speeding in CH when I drove a car with diplomatic tags.
01-24-2019, 10:02 AM
#12
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01-24-2019, 10:03 AM
#13
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08-23-2019, 11:51 PM
#14
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Get the Alfa 4C! It's super fun and realiable. No other car feels like the 4C except the Elise or Exige. You won't regret it.