VW Jetta 2.0T or BMW 125i!?!?

[fatjoez]

hi guys

i'm looking at buying a car and need helps
yesterday i test drove the bmw 125i coupe & jetta 2.0T fsi (147)
I'm unsure what to buy now
I've liked the jetta for a long time and only test drove the 125i cause the dealer didn't have the jetta on time

but comparing the 125i to the jetta it's like..

the 125i felt so safe and secure where as the jetta I duno just felt like a big standard boring saloon.
the jetta definately had power but I noticed that on the lower speeds it wasn't as powerful as the bmw (3.0L 220HP engine)
I do know though that if I got the JETTA i would get the APR tuning which would give it 250hp (so more power than the bmw)

but yeah I'm still unconvinced as to the sort of overall handling and all that of the jetta
I was quite nervous to push it around corners and i recall that at one point where I did the back left wheel like slipped (perhaps from the uneven road at that corner)

But then there's price

the BMW is $65,000 Australian Dollar (new, used prices are rediculously high (about the same))
the jetta (used, which is what i'd buy) with sunroof and everything is $28,000 Australian Dollar

So thats like $37,000 difference in price...

Just don't know what to do.
Logic tells me to get the jetta cause it's a load cheaper, but it just didnt' seem as enjoyable a ride as the bmw

Also I'm curious if you guys think now (september) is even the best time to buy a car?
I'm wondering if I should wait until say january/february with the thinking that maybe new &/or used prices will come down a bit then seeing as it's the new year?

Thoughts/feedback?

[minijet]

I have previously owned the 2.0T jetta in campanella white and now own the 135i

i have to say thought that they are both very different vehicles. The 135i is a great fun car with heaps of power (mind you the jetta is no slouch in power though) and handles much better than the jetta but lacks the practicality of the jetta ie 4 doors, HUGE boot, cheaper servicing costs, also with VW you can extend the warranty.

Im even looking at getting another Jetta 2.0T (or possibly Q5) to compliment the 135i.

The jetta is a great car but its no performance car like the 1 coupe is. The dsg is notchy on a standing start but the fuel economy is much better than my 135i. With Sydney city use I was getting about 9.5L/100km as compared to the 135i which im getting 13.1L/100km.

As I said above, its up to you but they are two different cars with different purposes in mind. Also if you are looking to get a 2nd hand jetta, at least you can get VW approved extended warranty which you can’t get with the BMW

Let me know if you have any other questions about it

Originally Posted by fatjoez

hi guys

i'm looking at buying a car and need helps
yesterday i test drove the bmw 125i coupe & jetta 2.0T fsi (147)
I'm unsure what to buy now
I've liked the jetta for a long time and only test drove the 125i cause the dealer didn't have the jetta on time

but comparing the 125i to the jetta it's like..

the 125i felt so safe and secure where as the jetta I duno just felt like a big standard boring saloon.
the jetta definately had power but I noticed that on the lower speeds it wasn't as powerful as the bmw (3.0L 220HP engine)
I do know though that if I got the JETTA i would get the APR tuning which would give it 250hp (so more power than the bmw)

but yeah I'm still unconvinced as to the sort of overall handling and all that of the jetta
I was quite nervous to push it around corners and i recall that at one point where I did the back left wheel like slipped (perhaps from the uneven road at that corner)

But then there's price

the BMW is $65,000 Australian Dollar (new, used prices are rediculously high (about the same))
the jetta (used, which is what i'd buy) with sunroof and everything is $28,000 Australian Dollar

So thats like $37,000 difference in price...

Just don't know what to do.
Logic tells me to get the jetta cause it's a load cheaper, but it just didnt' seem as enjoyable a ride as the bmw

Also I'm curious if you guys think now (september) is even the best time to buy a car?
I'm wondering if I should wait until say january/february with the thinking that maybe new &/or used prices will come down a bit then seeing as it's the new year?

Thoughts/feedback?

[fatjoez]

thanks man thats helpful

i'm considering the 125i so I guess it'd be a bit better on fuel economy
and it's really mainly me driving all the time so I don't mind too much about having 4 people in the car a lot but if it happened it wouldn't be that much of a crisis..
boot space also isn't much of an issue for me cause I never really have anything in there.

for me the real uncertainty is from the price difference. 37grand so to speak.
i'm just thinking though if I got the 1 series, and kept it for like 5+ years which I can definately see happening I mean I don't see why not right? (I'm 22 years old)
then I reckon it could be an ok choice..

But at the same time if I was to say yeah ok 125i it is, I'm actually thinking I'd probably wait until January/February next year to actually buy.

What do you think pricing will be like then?

I really would have liked to buy used to save a little money but christ the used prices are basically the same as new prices.....

[dontask]

Have you considered the 130i? You can get one for $AUD low 40s (maybe lower w/ haggling) second hand with low Ks. More performance than the 128i. (arguably) more practicality than 128i.

Just bear in mind that you can't tune a 130i very much - although that goes for the 128i too.

[fatjoez]

you must be talkin about hatchback?
i don't want hatchback to be honest, especially not in 4 door variety lol
else I would have gone for VW Golf.

But speaking of that, i keep reading that the 125i has a detuned engine

does that mean you can tune it and get a bit more power?

I know that for the VW Jetta I could spend $2000 Aus dollar and tune the engine with an APR ecu flash to get 252HP as opposed to the 200hp stock, that would be a lot more than the BMW's power

But that said the BMW felt powerful enough for me...
just the price that's got me thinking twice

There'll be new pricing in january/february right?

[minijet]

Yea that APR/GIAC flash is going to give you quite a bit of kick for the money. GIAC is quite a bit cheaper than APR so you might want to look into that, but you might want to be aware of the possible limitations of the DSG box in handling all that extra power for the 5 years that you might be looking to keep it for.

Or wait for the new MKVI Jetta?

Seeing your situation and your age, I would go something sporty, and whilst the Jetta is a great car its not that sporty. With the ECU flash it will give you that extra power but you still have the issue of handling. I had H&R coilovers on my jetta and it dramatically improved the handling of the car…. But at the expense of ride quality…

Originally Posted by fatjoez

you must be talkin about hatchback?
i don't want hatchback to be honest, especially not in 4 door variety lol
else I would have gone for VW Golf.

But speaking of that, i keep reading that the 125i has a detuned engine

does that mean you can tune it and get a bit more power?

I know that for the VW Jetta I could spend $2000 Aus dollar and tune the engine with an APR ecu flash to get 252HP as opposed to the 200hp stock, that would be a lot more than the BMW's power

But that said the BMW felt powerful enough for me...
just the price that's got me thinking twice

There'll be new pricing in january/february right?

[dontask]

Originally Posted by fatjoez

you must be talkin about hatchback?
But speaking of that, i keep reading that the 125i has a detuned engine

does that mean you can tune it and get a bit more power?

There have been numerous posts about this... Apparently the difference between 125i and 130i is in the intake manifold (1 stage vs 3 stage). The current educated guess is that this would require some rework, new wiring, controller and update to the ECU.

If you want a car that you can tune, get the turbo.

[x5mad]

It seems your heart is set on the 125. Prices are still too high at the moment due to it being new. If you wait until Jan/Feb then I am sure you can haggle more as well as the inevitable price drop. However if you are looking at finance, I see that rates are on the rise so it may make not much difference.

[MikeVictor]

For the money would you consider a 2nd hand R36 Passat?

Even so I think the 125/35 are great cars and a real treat to drive. If you can afford it, go for it.

[fatjoez]

thanks again for the responses, they're informative & helpful

Personally I wouldnt consider a passat cause I want something compact thats why I'm looking at Jetta, and perhaps why I like the 125i so much

in terms of tuning I don't really care so much about tuning the BMW,
the reason I said I'd tune the Jetta is cause I just know the APR ecu flash is widely known / tested and at $2000AUD wouldn't mind getting it to enjoy a more powerful ride

That said I didn't know what minijet about the DSG handling the increased performance.
I thought that the APR ecu flash was quite safe in terms of added stress on the engine/gearbox?
So that parts news to me.

In terms of buying the car itself
My dad will most likely help me out and I pay him back
so I probably wouldn't be getting it on finance

though that's why as I said i was thinking maybe it's best not to buy right now, and wait for January/Feb next year so that if I do buy a used Jetta (or 125i) I will be able to haggle more with the car being 1 year older so to speak

The other thing is I'm actually going back home to new zealand for december-january, and possibly going to europe for 3-4 weeks in October.

So really I think perhaps now is not the best time to buy given all these circumstances / variables?

Does anyone know if BMW have a new pricing plan for the next few months or if the september prices (for dealers) will be relatively the same going into the next few months / 2010

[Alpine*]

OR forget a tune and get a mint 135i

[d3syd]

It all boils down to price and intended function. Between the two, I'd go for the 125i if I could afford it. But on the other had to have 4 doors and the space, I'll pocket the difference and go with the VW. I might use the change to go shopping for a nice 2nd hand MX-5 or Renault Clio Cup.

[Guran]

Maybe you should have a think about what you want from your car before you ask for an opinion on your choices.

[ORIGIN M.]

Go ask this opinion on the VW Boards, and then post the link here.

Now that would be a good read.

[wmj73]

i voted 125i cause I'm biased but I think you should really think about what you're actually looking to get due to such a big variance in price, 37k. Looking at the fact your considering the jetta, 37k is a big deciding factor. Goodluck with the decision.

[Zuzu]

Originally Posted by Guran

Maybe you should have a think about what you want from your car before you ask for an opinion on your choices.

+1.. Didnt vote, because I dont understand the comparison between the two cars when you have $37K difference...

The poll doesnt make any sense at all, when there is such a broad variety of cars in between that will fit your needs IMO..

[Breville]

Yup, not a comparison. Obviously you need to buy the bimmer

[WAY]

Owned a MkV GTI with APR. It will go harder than the 125i for sure. DSG is sensational. But Jetta TFSI isn't a GTI, and it doesn't handle as well. If you want to save money and still have a cracker of a car, buy the Mk6 GTI which is coming anyday now...or AlpineM3E92's 135i.

[fatjoez]

I hear ya

I swear when I was test driving the Jetta, I went around a corner and Im sure i felt the back left tire like slip out (whats the technical term?)
so yeah I was just fully uncertain about it being much of a good handler

Slightly offtopic but you speak of Golfs new MK6 GTI
Have you seen photos of the new golf R20 from frankfurt motorshow?
looks good & the 2.0 is more powerful then the 3.2L engine lol





re: buying a 135i, don't think I can go that far financially on a car at this stage

[WAY]

It's just called Golf R, not Golf R20. It's the same engine as the S3 and TTS, but for a lot less money (hopefully!). The 2.0 litre is more powerful than the 3.2, because of something call a turbo! It's gonna be a great car though. If I can work out where to put it, I may buy one when it comes. But apparently it isn't lobbing here till this time next year...

[Taymaishu]

My experience with the 125i compared to my old WRX has been amazing.

I jumped in the old WRX on the weekend to go into the shops, did not feel the same.

There's plenty of fun to be had in the 125i - either auto or manual. The runflats are quiet (even compared to a Subaru Liberty Grange on regular tyres) and the fuel consumption for me is now around 8.8L/100km in peak hour Sydney driving - phenomenal!

Cruising back from Berrima on the weekend i was steady at 130-145km/h. Can't notice the speed. Just felt lovely....Fuel consumption? 7.7/100!

On that note, i was giving a colleague a lift home last night. Just after jumping off the harbour bridge, we burnt up the freeway @ 130kmh (80 zone!)... I told her what speed we were doing and she didn't believe me and had to look at the speedo to make sure!

It's a luxury car when you want it to be - it's a load of fun when you want it to be. Turn DSC off, go hard lock and floor it and you'll be doing donuts for hours.

[wkthyk]

Taymaishu, watch out on Warringah FWY~ I just got booked 10km over 80km zone on Tuesday night, just pass the Manly exit... &^%$*^(%^& the cops must be sufferring in financial crisis.