Well, as some of you may already know, bad news comes in threes. At least for me:
1) Couldn't sell the Porsche in time
2) Lost my job in Vancouver
3) Wife's car got hurt in an accident and needed repairs, meaning that her car budget is shot and she's not getting a 4 passenger car anytime soon

With these three bits of bad news, I was unfortunately required to pass on the CE car. Hopefully #9 has found a happy home with someone who will love it forever as I would have liked to. In the interum, I was forced to purchase a more 'practical' car, ie. one that can be driven in winter, hold 4 adults + luggage and one that costs about 30k or less. Although it may be a mistake, I went with a VW GTI, and that will have to hold me until the 2008 JCW car comes along!!!

In the next little whilel I hope to post a complete comparison of the GTI to the Cooper S (as she lives in my dreams). In the meantime, my time is being spent job hunting and finding someplace to repair the huge-ass rock chip the new car got while in transit from Vancouver to Calgary last week. The car goes in to Trim Line on the 10th for a clear bra, and I' have to get the chip (and its smaller friends) taken care of first. So if anyone knows a place that does small chip repairs in Calgary (and does a good job), please let me know! I'm willing to spend just about all the money left in my account to make sure that this car stays nice, since its resale value in '08 depends on it...

I'm really quite disappointed that things worked out this way, but, life is life. Overall I cannot truly complain, since although I don't have the car I wanted I do have a really nice one. If you guys keep letting me play with you I promise to let you drive it ;)

Sorry to hear that.
I know how much you were looking forward it.


So I guess you'll be hanging out with those GTI guys we saw in Bragg on the last Mini run. :biggrin:

Sorry to hear that things didn't work out for you, Mr. A. Especially after all those months of indecision. :p

I suspect we'll still let you join in the fun at the MINI runs.... but only if you invest in a roll of electrical tape and put bonnet stripes on your Golf....

:D

I don't think I'll start hanging with the VW boys... I'm sure they're nice enough but they aren't MINI folk. As for the bonnet stripes, I'll see what I can do... I'm pretty sure they'll look quite fetching. The car is a little white right now...

Sorry to hear that, but I'm sure you'll be happy with the GTI in the mean time.

Now who will be the first to challenge the GTI to auto-x in the new year....:D

Bad news :( But I hope things pick up for you again soon.

Sorry to hear that things didn't work out for you, Mr. A. Especially after all those months of indecision. :p

I suspect we'll still let you join in the fun at the MINI runs.... but only if you invest in a roll of electrical tape and put bonnet stripes on your Golf....

:D

Poor Porscher. Being replaced by a VW! what is the world coming to? Mr. A may not want to join the runs. We haven't yet told him about the freshman initiation ritual we have set up for VW entries!!!! :D

i guess the MINI wasn't quite German enough ;)

sorry to hear that you've been having some troubles i guess you will be able to flaunt your 2008 Turbo Charged JCW to us eventually so it's just a minor setback

I guess nobody's buying 300+ hp "winter" vehicles this year. C'mon people, it's all wheel drive...

Too bad, Mr. A. Hopefully the GTI forums are as good as this one... ;) Your previous post about getting a chipped windsheild was curiously lacking just which car it was...

Are you parking the Porsche until spring or keeping it listed?

-M

That's a bad run of luck, Jonathon, but hopefully you have seen the end of it. Enjoy the GTi, keep posting, and do bring it to the auto-x in the springtime.

Well, if we get a couple of auto-x runs in early springtime, I may be able to bring both cars out... if I can get enough electrical tape I'll put bonnet stripes on 'em both as well :)

whats wrong with GTIs? :) post some pictures, and what options did you get?

What's wrong with a GTI?.........It's not a MINI!!:D

I like GTIs, but I'd still take a MCS non JCW over a GTI! That said, if you need room for 4, the new gti/rabbit line is quite decent, performance is quite good too. Other than the fact that they look like big bars of soap with wheels they're really good cars! :D

Other than the fact that they look like big bars of soap with wheels they're really good cars! :DIsn't that moniker reserved for the new Chrysler 300C? :p

Isn't that moniker reserved for the new Chrysler 300C? :p

Or ANYTHING from Toyota.

Or ANYTHING from Toyota.Speaking of Toyota's....

Has anyone else noticed how their new Avalon has a big "Bangle Butt"-like rear trunk that looks suspiciously similar to the BMW 7 series that was introduced a few years ago? Yup, lots of imagination there.... :rolleyes:

Speaking of Toyota's....

Has anyone else noticed how their new Avalon has a big "Bangle Butt"-like rear trunk that looks suspiciously similar to the BMW 7 series that was introduced a few years ago? Yup, lots of imagination there.... :rolleyes:

A toyota that doesn't look like a bar of soap does take a lot of imagination to do :D

Speaking of Toyota's....

Has anyone else noticed how their new Avalon has a big "Bangle Butt"-like rear trunk that looks suspiciously similar to the BMW 7 series that was introduced a few years ago? Yup, lots of imagination there.... :rolleyes:

Not to worry, I'm sure those Toyotas will be around long after the last BMW 7 series has died, and is rusting somewhere in a field. No one will even remember they were similar.

I haven't seen the new Avalon, but I agree that most Toyotas have that bland bar-of-soap look. The one exception might be the current RAV4, which is, in my very humble opinion, the nicest looking SUV out there. Of course, that's like saying it's the best tasting of all the mud-pies, but my views on SUVs are pretty dim overall.

I've been pretty busy getting my new home squared away and trying to find a job that I would enjoy, so haven't had time to post my comparison yet. Hopefully I'll get to it soon... for now I've got to say that the GTI is not terrible, but is no MINI. And that no, the styling really doesn't grow on you after you own one :D

Oh, and regarding the question of what options it has: pretty basic stuff. 2 Door, leather and sunroof package, 6-spd manual transmission (the DSG was good, but not good enough!) 17" rims with continental snow tires, monster mats and a clear bra on the front end. I'd post pictures, but to my everlasting shame I haven't even bothered taking any... which kind of shows how special I think Gunther (my GTI) really is! Gunther will get some mods in the spring, though: namely some Euro Spec springs/bump stops to bring the car down to below SUV height and possibly some new rims to go with summer tires. I was debating a body kit, but don't think I want to sink that much money into a car that is mostly just utility for me.

Not sure if you noticed but I put a token GTI in the rotating banners on the spiriteddriving.com test site for you... I thought people would 'get' the tribute.

Not sure if you noticed but I put a token GTI in the rotating banners on the spiriteddriving.com test site for you... I thought people would 'get' the tribute.

oh, so now its a site dedicated to German engineering!:biggrin:

Not sure if you noticed but I put a token GTI in the rotating banners on the spiriteddriving.com test site for you... I thought people would 'get' the tribute.

I hadn't noticed that yet, but thanks :)

oh, so now its a site dedicated to German engineering!:biggrin: You would know if you bothered to sign up :p

You would know if you bothered to sign up :p

No slant on the website, but apparently I suffer from "commitment phobia". That's why drive a MINI Cooper and not a MINI Van.:tongue: