seadoo2006

Well,

I got ride of the Civic for a 2001 Volkswagen GTI GLX VR6 ... Top of the line, every option ... 5 Speed Manual, 49,300 Miles, Monsoon audio system, black heated leather, ASR, brand new 16" Yokohamas, brand new front and rear brakes. Got it all for the trade on my 54K mile 2003 Civic EX Sedan + $1400 out the door including tax and title.

I love the thing and it pulls like hell...nothing like a 0-65 sprint with one gear change. 174HP/173TQ stock from dealer.

//Excuse the dirty pics. I drove it home to Athens, OH from Grand Rapids, MI during that awful blizzarding snowstorm we got this past weekend.

skoot

iTrader: (2)

Do you have to feed it 93 octain? I know most VW's require 93 vice regular 87.

drunkenmagnum

iTrader: (5)

nice, but that wood grain doesnt look right on the door and shifter.

i thought a VR6 would have had more power seeing as how it is a six instead of four. a K20 puts down more power than that.

good purchase though. i am sure you will enjoy it much more. any plans for mods?

M_Mullins

Good choice, nice looking car.
A friend of mine has one and he wouldn't change it for anything.

ONE7thREBUILT

Nice, I like the VR6 used to have a 98 Jetta GLX. The problem was when it started going bad it went bad fast, that was at like 160K though, good luck with it.

beadebaserr

iTrader: (7)

motor has MUCH more torque than a stock k20.

not bad man, i think you'll be much more satisfied with the GTI. i hated my first 7thgen that had a d17, haha. oh and p.s. this is horCHATA from ohiohondas. didn't know you were on here too!

chkolny

i thought that a stock k20 was closer to 200 tq? i could be wrong though

seadoo2006

Hey everyone, thanx for the comments!

Skoot and drunken magnum: Yes, the car requires 91 octane or higher, but not a big deal. On a 12 gallon fill up its only like 0.35 * 12 = $4.20 more per fillup. Well worth the money. I have the 93 octane chip on order, that should give me another 10-12hp to the wheels and about the same to my torque numbers. The VR6 also responds to IHE very well, so thats my next step. Saving for coilovers currently. The other think is while the K20 may have more HP, the way this car is geared, you can to 65+ in second gear making runs much faster. And as beadebaser said, the low end torque is where this engine comes alive.

Also, this has the 12v VR6 engine...not the 24v. In the 2002.5 cars, the 24v VR6 makes 200hp and comes with the 6 speed manual, except they made it drive by wire and I can't stand the pedal feel. It's the same way I didn't like the new SI. Drive by wire still can't replace the good ole throttle cable to pedal.

In addition, I think it has one of the most unique, guttural, awesome sounding engine notes of really any modern car out there.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...03178484226739

seadoo2006

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_K_engine#K20A

nope....140-150 torque numbers depending on the model engine.

Alpha 5

iTrader: (8)

Nice ride, I like it.

amexicancarguy

well at least it can play cassettes ...

haha jp, nice ride!

djmota

iTrader: (34)

IMO should have kept the vic. not all that powerful but it would have lasted much longer than the vw. Once that thing starts nickle and diming you, fix it and sell it quick.

seadoo2006

Only nickel and dimes you if you take it to the dealer. Otherwise the 60 bazillion VW forums out there will have help. Hell, in Northeast Ohio alone we have 3 forums for Audi's and VWs. Just use the VAG-COM computer software and diagnosing and fixing problems is a short step away.

Plus, meh, the 03 Sedan had no style factor and wasn't nearly as nice of a car. I only live life once, might as well have the car I want, than the car I settle for.

djmota

iTrader: (34)

I agree completely.

FoSho

Agree'd.......but.....I see maybe 3-5 VW through my dealership a month as used cars. They generally don't even make it to the lot they have so many problems.

VW's use to be very good reliable cars.......they are absolute junk now

just my 2 cents!

Boilermaker1

iTrader: (16)

One thing you guys are missing is that a VR6 has a power curve as flat as Kansas. It just goes, its not a peaky honda motor.
The VRs are fun motors as long as you dont have to fix them. Watch the chain tensioner.
VR6s make cool noises... VRTs make even better ones.

seadoo2006

If I had the money, I would definitely go VR-T or VR-S. Stage 1 superchager is $5000 though . Anyways, yes, VWs are on the whole less reliable than Hondas, but they are easily maintainable.

- Don't mix coolant types or you'll gel your system.
- Always get your oil changed on time and use the recommended synthetics or you run into sludge problems.
- Take care and keep your electrical system clean and running or the German gremlins will attack anything electrical.
- Change your timing chains ever 80,000 miles or at the slightest rattle around 1200rpm.
- Change your coil packs if they haven't because they eventually fail due to design.

If you just read and pay attention to what your car is telling you, the VR6s are solid cars. You run into problems when something isn't diagnosed (big reason for investing in a VAGCOM) and you let it get out of control.

But, seeing that these cars are solid up to the top speed of around 140-150mph, I'll take my chances with maintenance. If you take care of your car, your car will take care of you.

Boilermaker1

iTrader: (16)

Another convert who looks like the Dub homework was done
Have fun with it

white2K2EX

Great choice! My dad has a 24v GLI - very fun car, too. You should give that baby a full detail and it will look awesome.

Perhaps you are seeing a skewed selection as those are obviously the people who wanted to get rid of their cars. People like my dad, on the other hand, who have had no problems with their VWs, like to keep them for many years.

seadoo2006

It's getting a full detail as soon as I get back to Cleveland. No sense doing it now if its just gonna get salty traveling the 200 miles back there for spring break.

blackonblack

meh... i like civics better but to each his own. congrats

RoadieJodie

I used to work for a body shop in southeast Houston, we mainly rebuilt Pre 80's VW engines, and restored ghias, bugs, etc.

Ever since then I tend to collect these people around me who purchase Volkswagens.

The S/O bought a '05 1.8 Turbo GTI about five months ago , and my dad purchased a '97 GTI around a month ago.

It's very easy to over compensate with these cars, when driving at 40MPH it feels like you're hardly moving at all.

Steering is also really, really, stiff.

Overall, they are very nice cars . . . I would never own one though.

I'd end up either in jail or without a few limbs.

TemjinX2

iTrader: (11)

nice upgrade. VW's have always been known to have good low end torque and power to get you moving.

You should've got the 1.8T though. I know you can get power out of those engines easily for very little money. unless your keeping the engine stock.

Just watch the electrics though. German electrics are horribly unreliable and expensive to fix.

FoSho

Two words....Hitlers Revenge....haha

dryft

whatchyu know bout switchin lanes on that wood grain

beadebaserr

iTrader: (7)

you'll have no trouble with your car, especially living in cleveland. i mean akron has one of the biggest VW mailorders around, not to mention the shitload of VW/audi dudes all around cleveland, youngstown, and akron. and like you said, the huge number of forums, especially vortex.

i've had a large handful of friends with VWs, stock and modded, and honestly i havent seen many problems other than ones you'd have with any other car. not to mention if you're someone who is into cars for performance and as a hobby, you're obviously going to be a bit more meticulous about maintenance versus the business man with his wife that uses it to take kids to soccer and gets the oil changed at fastlube every 3k miles.

seadoo2006

I was looking at the 1.8T, but unfortunately, finding someone who has kept synthetic in there the entire time is hard, and if it develops a sludge problem, well, VW looks at the oil used to void any warranty they might have. Also, starting with a bigger displacement N/A 6-Cylinder gives you the one ups on any of the turbo ones. Plus, I'd rather be a supercharged VR6, than a turbo'ed 1.8t. :-D

WgnrNick

iTrader: (3)

Not bad. Looks good to me other than that wood nonsense thats going on in there, lol.





Wagner

gearbox

iTrader: (95)

thats the only thing i dont like is the boxy interior, bmw is like that too and it makes it old looking. reminds me exactly of my old 87 jetta styling lol.

Envy

iTrader: (1)

nice car! i think a gti is one of the few cars id trade my civic in for.