2005 Volkswagen Jetta TDI: Feeling Nostalgic

If I was in a position like yours, where driving the aforementioned M3 or STI was a semi-regular occurance, then hell yeah. I still miss my old 1986 Buick Regal that got stolen in college.

Absolutely. There are many times when I wish I had my old Accord back. Good times.

1992 Dodge Colt!

my current 'old' car the 2001 sunfire. hmmm, I dont know I still have it. but more likely NO.

" All that was missing was a trunk filled with baseball equipment and my actual old girlfriend. "

Ummm, you kept your old girlfriend in the trunk?

that's why she's the EX-girlfriend :)

88 thunderbird turbo coupe 5-speed....*sniff*

Girlfriend in the trunk + baseball equiment(a bat, among other things) ... I wouldn't want to open the trunk.

I guess there would be some times nostalgia won me over and I'd choose the "college sweetheart" car. But right now, I don't feel nostalgic, so I'd be singing to the tune of a straight six.

I LOVED my 1993 Isuzu Trooper... what a glorious beast.

I had a 1995 Ford Aspire back in college. It was slow, unreliable, and cramped. But I had my first date, my first real job, and a lot of road trips and memories in it. I miss that car so much and would happily give up a night with an M3 or any car to be with it

I still miss my old '89 Accord coupe. Bought it for $1500 with 200,000 miles on it when I was a junior in high school. Drove it for 6 years and put another 200,000 on it. I junked it with 400,120 miles showing. It still ran fine, but it was burning a lot of oil and the body was rusted pretty bad. I teared up when I walked away from her the last time. I've still never owned a car as good as that one.

A 2005 is not "old" by any stretch of the imagination!

My garage contains:

1980 Mercedes 240D, 366K miles

1983 Mercedes 300CD, 280K miles, driven every day, 70 mile RT commute

1992 Mercedes 400E, 155K miles, wife's daily driver and family road-trip car

I do not want to own a vehicle new enough to have a check engine light.

I don't really miss any of my old cars... maybe my 95 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited. However, I think when I finally replace my 1999 Volvo C70 convertible, THAT will be a car that I will miss. I need something more practical, but I know I am going to miss the wind and my hair and the smile that my convertible puts on my face. Maybe a new Jeep Liberty with a sky slider roof?

msh1, your '92 400E does have a check engine light. I also owned a 1980 240D for a while, they're solid old cars.

It does not have OBD.

Meant to add I love the 240D but it's an automatic and so slow that I find myself driving the CD almost exclusively.

Now if I could find a 240D w/ 4sp manual I might be back to driving it again.

98 Mustang V6. I'm sure I'd give up a day in an M3 or STi to drive that car. In fact...I gave up about 5 years and 85k miles lol. It was still clean too when I got rid of it...

That's what I kind of liked about my 240D (automatic, also): merging and keeping up with 70-75 mph traffic felt like I was driving at 10/10ths in that car, with the engine howling so loud I had to shout to talk to the passenger. It required planning and technique just to make a turn into traffic! It's a car that makes the driver think.

You're from Indiana?

I go to IU right now and am actually from IN as well. And you're right, those country roads are nice.

Hmmm, a 1980 Mustang with the 3.3L(90hp due to emmissions equipment, it made a whopping 120 in the 60s) or a M3 with the 3.2L(333hp). There isn't enough nostalgia in the world to overcome that power gap. Plus, the damn thing kicked the bucket ten months after I got it. Ended up with a Ranger. Now that thing could take some abuse.

forgot to add:
I've driven a '92 Honda Accord, a '99 nissan altima, a 2005 nissan altima, and now a 2008 GTI.

Granted, the GTI is the fastest and best-handling of that group, but that old Honda sat so low to the ground and it felt great to drive. I kind of miss that 2005 Nissan Altima too, but man, that old Honda was great.

The GTI though, brilliant on these country roads...

I missed almost all of my old cars:

1st car - 88 Thunderbird Turbo Coupe 5-speed, bought for $200 at a Delaware Auction, driven for 25k miles...falling apart around me, but it had first car lustiness.

2nd car - '97 Jeep Wrangler 4.0 Sahara 5-speed....phenomenal vehicle for everything except highway travel. Just plain fun. Miss it and regret selling it to help fund my engagement ring purchase.

3rd car - $500 1994 Eagle Talon 1.8 liter 5-speed....felt like I was going to die if a bird hit it. Got 40mpg in aggressive highway driving. Loved it's smooth shifting, impossible-to-break personality

4th car - $3350 1995 Volvo 850 Turbo - Great cruiser. Woulda kept it except I wrecked it.

5th car - 2005 Saab 9-2x Aero 5-speed. Traded it in for more than I bought it for after 9000 miles of driving it. Hated the way it shifted, hated the interior, hated the buzziness, loved how it had more cargo room than some SUVs and the engine loved to rev. Nearly killed myself the first time I pulled out into an intersection at 10mph in 2nd gear. Miss that car.

6th car - 2006 Honda Civic SI - 53000 miles down, longest I've ever owned a car. It's a fun car, but it lacks soul. And torque. But it can be thrashed daily without breaking and still get 30mpg.

"You're from Indiana?"

Yep, I lived in Indy for 5 years, including all of high school. Park Tudor HS, class of 2001. Go Panthers.

Joe: You traded your Saabaru for more than you bought it for? That's impressive.

joefrompa, good to see some variety in your choice of wheels. As for me-

1st car - '89 Accord LX-i coupe. See above. Best one of them all so far.

2nd car - 2000 Toyota Tacoma SR5 V6 4WD 5-speed. Great looking truck (black), the women loved it. But at 15 mpg, I didn't. The only vehicle I've ever bent the frame on (a little too rough on it off-road). Once did a 6500-mile circle tour of the US.

3rd car - 2003 Dodge Intrepid Police Package. Bought it off the showroom floor in Phoenix. Had the dog-dish hubcaps, vinyl back seat, heavy duty parts. Very menacing car, looked like an undercover cop. Engine blew up at 96,000 miles. Was great until that point.

4th car - 1983 Datsun Maxima Diesel. Car and Driver readers may remember this car from the "Diesel Beaters" article. Bought it on eBay for $850. Met Aaron Robinson of C/D when I picked it up at Nissan headquarters. Great car, put about 17K miles on it. Ugly as sin, girlfriend was embarrassed to be seen in it. Sold it to an LAPD officer who planned to take it to his home country of Belize. Don't know if he made it.

5th car - 1980 Mercedes 240D. See above. Bought it on a whim from eBay. Looked clean, but was mechanically rough. Had it less than a year.

6th car - 2008 Volkswagen Rabbit. First brand-new car. Only had it for a few months, and happy with it so far. 4-door, 5-speed, GTI 18-inch wheels.

Yeah, I would. My first car was a 1983 Thunderbird Turbo Coupe, and I loved it. I haven't driven that car in over 15 years, so if I had the opportunity to drive a fully restored one, I would definitely take it, even over an E46 M3 (just for a drive, not own). I don't see any of these cars on the road anymore. The early turbos were rare even when they were new (I think only 3,000 were built in 1983), and today they are virtually extinct. I just checked ebay and there are zero 1983's for sale, and only 1 1984 for sale, which is actually selling for more than what I sold mine for 15 years ago, and it's very similar to my car (same color inside and out, although mine had different wheels and steering wheel).
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Ford-Thunderbird-Turbo-Coupe-1984-Thunderbird-Turbo-Coupe-Low-miles-5-speed-MINT_W0QQitemZ300267145358QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item300267145358&_trksid=p4506.c0.m245&_trkparms=65%3A3%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318

Jriz - I bought it for $18,500 (included $500 heated seats). I was offered $20,500 for it on January 2nd/3rd 2006 for a Honda Civic SI....I was greedy and passed it up at that time. When I eventually traded it in 45 days later, I got $19,000-some for it on a 06 Civic SI (brand new at that point). I might have "made money" off of it, but I feel like I lost money...which, in a sense, I lost $1000-1500.

Mbtech - I'm still discovering what I love. I'm always tempted by cheap speed, but I think my next move needs to be a high-end german sports sedan. I'm thinking I'll regret it if I don't. A nice 2003 BMW 540i M-Sport 6-speed should do the trick.

Variety is the spice of life. Except in wives.

Joe

Stingray - Ididn't realize we had such similar beginnings. I sold mine with 151,000 miles on it for $750....I had tried to "clean" the wheels with a wire brush, the passenger inside door panels were falling off due to college-age repair attempts, and the pass. side was most likely in an accident at somepoint as the door rocker panel was solidly spiderwebbed from a crappy paint job.

But it would run 17-18 PSI of boost all day long, roast the rear tires, and it was a sweet ride. I'd buy it back for $1000 today if the current owner was selling.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Cars-Trucks___1988-Ford-Thunderbird-Turbo-Coupe-Collectors-Classic_W0QQitemZ260303728132QQddnZCarsQ20Q26Q20TrucksQQddiZ2282QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item260303728132&_trkparms=72%3A727%7C39%3A1%7C65%3A12%7C240%3A1318&_trksid=p4506.c0.m245

Here's a version similar to mine, except picture it being red-velour cloth interior throughout :)

Joe

I bought my first car over this past summer, but when we part (hopefully a long time from now), I'm probably gonna be cryin' like a baby...

One word for you... "Rosebud"

Everyone loves to go back.

One word for me... the "funmobile..." 1979 242 Volvo GT with an engine that sounded like a vacuum cleaner and seats with a red vinyl "racing stripe" that burned your back on hot days.

The old '95 integra was Funmobile jr.

The 2007 VW EOS is the Sunmobile (wife banned the funmobile name, otherwise it would have been the third).

Learned to drive in a '74 Pinto. Added a tach and pinstripes. Still wasn't cool. Then had a '77 Accord that had a weird 2-speed auto tranny but it got through the snow great. My best friend backed his Dodge Ramcharger into it. End of story. Then got a '76 Fiat X1/9. That's the one car it would be fun to have again. Incredibly small vehicle (even by early 80's standards) and really slow, but it handled great.

That e-bay T-bird is very clean. I'm hard pressed to see any clean MN12's around anymore. My mom had a 90 base model, bought brand new, and got rid of it for my (old) Mustang.

My collection has been rather eclectic:
1973 240Z -- first car. Puke green, had a rollbar (the previous owner auto-Xed it) and whitewall tires. I took up to an indicated 125 in NC and it was stable, but I could feel the front end lifting. I loved it and should have kept it.
1982 Charger 2.2 -- Decent car, got decent gas mileage. I hated the steering wheel, though. The 240Z's was a Momo; the Charger's looked like it was from a van.
1982 Z28 -- With the cross-fire injection that never ran right. For some reason, women loved this dark blue car with t-tops. That really is the only reason I liked it. Oh, and it was the first time I experienced real torque. Thank God I traded it for:
1986 VW GTI -- My first taste of Germany, by way of Pennsylvania. This was my first new car and my favorite of all time. The experiences I had in this little car are enough for a book.
1994 Probe GT -- Sexy little beast. Ran great, looked great, I loved it.
1995 PGT -- An automatic tranny version of the 1994. Didn't like it as much.
1998 Caddy Catera -- Bought from dear old dad after my first divorce. Spent more on repairs than what I paid for it. The only good thing was it cruised like a German (because it was an Opel anyway).
2001 VW GTI -- Ahhh... back to the GTI fold! Great car. Saddened when the lease ended. But I was able to get ...
2005 BMW 325i -- I have to emphasize that this car has the sport package and is a manual. I think 3-Series automatics are for poseurs. These are driver's cars! It rivals my '86 GTI for how much I love it. And it has affirmed my decision to acquire an E46 M3.

My favorite of the bunch has to be the '86 GTI. It is the car I really learned to drive in, and it never let me down, no matter how hard I beat it up.

And I have to emphasize the only automatics in my group of cars were the Z28, the Catera and the '95 PGT (that my first wife drove quite a bit).

Sgude - My observation is that in a BMW 3-series, the difference between sport and non-sport is the equivalent of the difference in most cars between an antiquated 4-speed trans or a sexy, perfectly geared 6-speed manual. It transforms the driving experience.

You shared a top speed story, I wanted to mention an event about that 88 T-Bird turbo coupe I had.

My wife was doing some work in near the PA border with delaware. I went to a Party in Lansdale, PA. Around midnight/1am, I got a call from my then-girlfriend (future wife) that she was scared of this guy who had been drinking and she thought he was going to sexually assault her.

You can imagine what that does to a guy. I was an hour away (at normal speeds). I took the thunderbird onto the PA turnpike and then Route 202. The speedometer went to 85mph and then had hash marks to around 95-100. I had the needle so buried that I can only estimate my speed based upon RPM/gearing in 5th gear. I'm guessing I was at a steady 120-130 for the full 30 minutes it took me to get there.

That thing was loose, had crappy tires on it, and made lots of clunking sounds. But at that speed, the sheer force of the air pressing down on the car made it hunker down, seal up, and fly like a bat out of hell. It was one of the most dangerous things I've ever done...but I was scared for someone else and needed to get there quickly.

Anyway....thought I'd share that as I hear alot of "I took 'er up to 120 once" stories from first cars. But my car ran like that for about ~40-50 miles straight.

I can understand why doing 130-150 on the autobahn would be exhausting.

Joe

That's a good story but don't leave us hanging! What happened with your wife? Did clean the guys clock?

Some things should be left out of permanent writings, and left up to the imagination instead.

1990 Mitsubishi Eclipse GSX, had it all through college and beyond for a few years. Super fast, great in the snow. Clunky transmission but overall fun to drive. Passing was accomplished in the blink of an eye.

I would definitly pass on both to go back and drive my old 1991 Mercury Grand Marquis LS. I learned to drive in that beast, and it had a ton of sentimental value to me. It was big, classy, and everything else a rear wheel drive American V8 should be. I love my Ranger, but I miss that car like crazy!

1986 white ford escort wagon, rear hatch held shut by bungee cord, muffler tied up, flames painted on hood. otherwise know as the, "war wagon". good times, but i'll take the STI please!

Yes, I would definately give up the M3 for a night. My old car was a 1989 325is. Red/Black leather. That car was so fun to drive. I had it for 12 years and traded it in on an E90 235is. I wish I would have kept that car.

mlevere - You traded an e30 325is for an e30 325i or 335i sport package? And you'd prefer to have the e30 back? I'd love for you to expand upon that...

Joe

"Stingray - Ididn't realize we had such similar beginnings. I sold mine with 151,000 miles on it for $750..."

I sold mine with about 110,000 miles on it in 1993 for $2,500. It was in damned near perfect condition though. Anything that broke on that car I immediately fixed, and I always kept it in immaculate condition. The only reason I sold it was because I ended up inheriting my father's car when he passed away that year, and it was a 1985 version of the same car, in red, with only 35k miles. Although it never ran as well as my '83.

yes, mlevere, please expand on that!

Joe -- I did top speed runs in several of the cars. The '86 GTI got up to an indicated 120, but that was going downhill off a long bridge (it cruised very nicely at 105 over Lake Ponchatrain); the 01 GTI saw 125 (indicated) in New Mexico; the 95 PGT went up to 120 (it had a lot more, I felt) in California; I have had the Bimmer up to 125 (with an Accord chaser). In fact, that engine is so sweet, I find myself routinely punching it up past 100 -- only when the road is clear, however! :-)

I haven't had to do escape velocity to get to my lady and/or a potential situation, however. The fact that you're both still around leads me to believe you both made out okay.

Indeed. But I was curious how fast the t-bird would go, so I welded the wastegate shut and floored it in 5th until the turbo went....I hit 165mph....

Joe

P.s. Just kidding.

My 1972 Toyota Celica GT, most comfortable seats, best brakes, and best shifter of the 20+ cars I have owned in my life.

My 1987 Mustang 5.0 5-speed, still the best straight line car I have owned.

Lastly, My 1971 Bronco. Hurst shifter, MGB seats. It was not so slowly rusting away to nothing, but I loved that truck and it would probably be at the top of my list were I able to buy a car just as an occassional toy.

joefrompa - I traded for a 2006 E90 325i, Red/Black non-sport package, leatherette, auto. I had a typo in my previous post. Believe me, the E90 is a nice car but it does not have the same soul as the E30. It is more like I wish I hadn't traded the E30 in for the E90 and I had them both. I would either restore the E30 to 'as new' condition or turned it into a track day car.

If I would have restored it, I would have done only tastefull upgrades like new leather coverings for the seats with suede inserts and black alcantara headliner. Black carpet instead of gray and probably recover the door pannels with better leather.

The E30 was built like a rock. I had the car for 12 years and put on over 100K miles on it myself. I spent good money ($900) at about 90K for a new timing belt and other regular maintenance to make sure that I got another 90K out of the engine. Other than that, all I had to replace were brake pads & rotors, shocks and rear shock mounts. Just wear items.

Now I keep looking on Craig's list, eBay and Cars.com for decent condition E30s for me to restore. I loved that car and it is the longest that I have ever owned a car.

There are certain cars in life that consistently, damn near universally elicit love from their owners. The BMW e30 325is and the BMW e39 5-series are two such cars.

It's one of the reasons I'd like to own a e39 530i/540i manual transmission, sport package one day....

Joe

Well, it wasn't MY car, but my dad had the original '85 Monte Carlo SS. Midnight blue, purchased new. I had only had my license for about a year when he bought it, so this was a pretty freakin' cool event. One time he went on a trip with his new girlfriend for a week, so I finally got to have the SS all to myself -- which I treated as a vacation from the '81 Mazda GLC wagon that I was driving at the time.

About four years later, the SS got stolen right out of his driveway. (It's funny how popular that car became with the gangsta set.) The insurance company replaced it with a white '86 model, but somehow it wasn't the same.

Glad you have fond memories of your old Jetta. But really- where are the reports from the 2009 Jetta TDI that you've got. Not a single one posted so far?

Oh I love to talk about the old cars, good to see some nice variety.
1st 1984 Celica GT-S coupe. Neighbor hit it and ended its life early but I got more out than I paid.
2nd 1988 Mustang coupe, ended up being a POS.
3rd 1992 Civic Si - my favorite all-time wish I never sold it. Left it stock except for upgraded 16 inch wheels and window tint. Would be worth as much now as what I got out of it in 2000.
4th 1998 Integra GS- Quick, stick good MPG.
5th 2002 Liberty Limited 4x4
Currently: 2006 Explorer Limited 4x4 V8 and 2002 Audi A4 1.8T that I love, handles like a champ.

some may laugh, but my old '98 Taurus was always a great car. In 2002 while looking for a new car, I distinctly remember driving a brand-new black Accord. I turned around halfway through the test drive and drove back to the dealership. That thing was nosier and shook more than anything I've ever driven. It was a relief getting back into my Taurus.

after my experience with the Honda, I ended up buying a 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited. Still have it and it's my wife's daily driver. We have no regrets. The Taurus is my nephews car now and is running strong with ~140,000.

My favorite car from my past was a brand new 1995 Mustang GTS that my wife and I bought a few months after getting married. The GTS was similar in idea to the LX 5.0 Mustangs of the previous generation (big engine but 6-cylinder equipment). Laser red, manual, gray interior. We lived a few miles from the Saleen organization in Lake Forest, so the car ended up with a cat-back, chrome 17" Cobra wheels, and some minor engine mods.

If I close my eyes, I can still remember the deep rumble just after the 1/2 shift. What a wonderful sound! I had to drive it with a lot of restraint, as every high schooler who pulled up next to it wanted to race :-)

Sold the car three years later to buy an Infiniti i30, car seat was tough in the back seat of the Mustang. What a mistake. Maybe a new GT500 would make me feel better.