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car to buy / avoid (Golf/GTI/Mini) ?

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Old 09-21-20, 11:10 AM
  #26  
ClydeClydeson
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Originally Posted by bruce19
My Ford Focus ST and my current Fiesta ST are awesome for my purposes. Unfortunately Ford no longer makes them so it would have to be used.
Both those cars were developed in partnership with Mazda.

The Focus and Mazda3 share a lineage and are very similar cars.
The Fiesta and Mazda2 were very similar (identical?) cars, although the Mazda2 is now sold by Toyota as the Yaris Sedan in north America.
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Old 09-21-20, 01:15 PM
  #27  
Mojo31
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Originally Posted by expatCanuck
Thanks. Took a Mazda3 out for a drive two days ago. It's on the short list. My CX-5 has been plenty reliable, as was my 1980 Mazda GLC Sport (5-sp. manual) - my first car.
If you decide to go that route, get a model with the 2.5L SkyActive motor. The smaller motor is a dog.

We are on our second (our son drives it). The first was totaled when it got rear ended by a F150 while away at college (no bikes gave their lives). My kid didn't even want to look at anything else, just wanted another exactly like it. Bullet proof and fairly fun to drive.
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Old 09-21-20, 01:55 PM
  #28  
Steve B.
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Originally Posted by Mojo31
If you decide to go that route, get a model with the 2.5L SkyActive motor. The smaller motor is a dog.

We are on our second (our son drives it). The first was totaled when it got rear ended by a F150 while away at college (no bikes gave their lives). My kid didn't even want to look at anything else, just wanted another exactly like it. Bullet proof and fairly fun to drive.
My wife has the '19 Mazda 3 with the 2.5L, it replaced an Impreza. Peppy and good car to drive. I had to replace the 18" wheels and tires in the first week due to pothole blow outs, cost me a grand, but high performance wheels and tires are on about EVERY car in this class except the very base models. My biggest complaint though is the rear hatch is minuscule and there's not a lot of room behind the rear seat. This would not be my choice of car if I was putting a bike inside on a regular basis, but then all I've ever owned is small wagons or small SUV's (Foresters) which I chose specifically as I put a bike in the back.
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Old 09-21-20, 02:11 PM
  #29  
Mojo31
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Originally Posted by Steve B.
My wife has the '19 Mazda 3 with the 2.5L, it replaced an Impreza. Peppy and good car to drive. I had to replace the 18" wheels and tires in the first week due to pothole blow outs, cost me a grand, but high performance wheels and tires are on about EVERY car in this class except the very base models. My biggest complaint though is the rear hatch is minuscule and there's not a lot of room behind the rear seat. This would not be my choice of car if I was putting a bike inside on a regular basis, but then all I've ever owned is small wagons or small SUV's (Foresters) which I chose specifically as I put a bike in the back.
Ours is a sedan, so can't comment on the hatch. My son puts his bike on a trunk mount rack, but he has a $300 "college kid" bike.

We didn't have any problems with the wheels or tires on the 3. Maybe our roads are relatively good, but we do have problem areas. I don't think anyone in my family has ever blown a tire out in a pot hole.

Consider yourself lucky that those wheels and tires only cost $1,000 in total. The tires on my wife's car and mine are about $2,000 a set (good for about 20,000 miles), and the wheels are between $1,500 - 2,000 each.
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Old 09-21-20, 05:55 PM
  #30  
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GTI for me. It's great to drive, priced right, and has been reliable (I also do my own car maintenance).

Personally, I prefer roof racks. The GTI is low enough that a steep driveway (for example) might have the rack hitting the pavement.
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Old 09-21-20, 06:16 PM
  #31  
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Originally Posted by alcjphil
Too bad the USA doesn't get the Golf Sportwagon. I can fit 2 bikes inside easily
Originally Posted by Skulking
The US does get the Golf Sportwagen. For a while it was branded as the Jetta Sportwagen, but it has been sold in the US as the Golf Sportwagen since 2015.
VW quit selling the Golf Sportwagen and the Golf Alltrack after the 2019 model year, and doesn't plan on bringing the Mk8 Golf Estates to the US.

I went for a ride with a buddy a couple of weeks back. We fit both his SuperSix and my Road Logic in the back of his Z06 Corvette.
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Old 09-21-20, 08:08 PM
  #32  
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Originally Posted by RGMN
VW quit selling the Golf Sportwagen and the Golf Alltrack after the 2019 model year, and doesn't plan on bringing the Mk8 Golf Estates to the US.

I went for a ride with a buddy a couple of weeks back. We fit both his SuperSix and my Road Logic in the back of his Z06 Corvette.
You can still find new 2019's on dealer lots, and given the OP's model year range of 2016-2019, a used one would also be an option. It's a shame that fewer manufacturers are choosing to import the wagon versions they already make for other markets into the US.
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Old 09-22-20, 05:44 PM
  #33  
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If large repair bills are no problem, late 80’s Saab 900. Will hold two bikes easy inside, and great rain gutters for a roof rack.
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Old 09-22-20, 07:14 PM
  #34  
RGMN
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Originally Posted by Skulking
You can still find new 2019's on dealer lots, and given the OP's model year range of 2016-2019, a used one would also be an option. It's a shame that fewer manufacturers are choosing to import the wagon versions they already make for other markets into the US.
If you know what dealers have new 2019s I'd love to know. Every dealer within 300 miles of me is out of stock, and we're looking for a companion to this one. And the Alltrack has only been to the dealer once in the 18 months we've owned it, and that was for the discounted 12 month service. Zero issues with it.

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Old 09-22-20, 08:54 PM
  #35  
Skulking
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Originally Posted by RGMN
If you know what dealers have new 2019s I'd love to know. Every dealer within 300 miles of me is out of stock, and we're looking for a companion to this one. And the Alltrack has only been to the dealer once in the 18 months we've owned it, and that was for the discounted 12 month service. Zero issues with it.

When I check VW's website I find 2 new 2019 Golf Sportwagens and one new 2019 Golf Alltrack at Stevens Creek VW which is the dealership closest to me. On autotrader I'm finding 129 new 2019 Golf Sportwagens for sale in the US. Based on the location in your profile not many of them are near you, but here is a link to what I'm seeing.
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Old 09-23-20, 09:51 AM
  #36  
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Originally Posted by expatCanuck
Greetings -

We're looking to replace our 2014 CX-5 with something smaller. Current candidates include the VW Golf (2016-18), VW GTI (2016-19) or a Cooper S 4-door (2016-19).

I'm wondering if any folks here have successfully hauled 2 bikes with these vehicles -- particularly if they've used a hitch-mount carrier. Or, alternatively, have horror stories to recount.

Any & all insight welcome.

Thanks kindly.
got me a cooper S all4 country man.
thing is fun but basically a bmw. it demands attention and ain't cheap. but fun..
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