The Online Photographer

1. The son buys the struts, pays for the insurance and gets the old car. It's very unsettling to watch a newly minted driver backing down the driveway in your (YOUR) new car. Remember what you were like at 16?

2. You're in love with the GTI. The Sonata sounds like a pair of sensible shoes. Marry the GTI -- you'll never be 53 again.

Your rants and raves and missives are the absolute best. Your blog is awesome. You keep writing on any topic you wish. This particular car topic is one many of us wrestle with: practicality vs. want/desire. I say, go with the GTI. It's an awesome car and very highly rated by none other than ConsumerReports.org.

Did you, however, fork over the mandatory $14 to ConsumerReports.org to get the "real" dealer invoice, including, if any, dealer incentives and holdbacks? For without that, you'll have absolutely no basis for proper negotiating. I saved $8,000 off the sticker price on my Acura MDX with one.

Good luck and you can always get back on topic (to satisfy that reader who took you to task) by posting some fine pics of your new GTI.

If it were me, I'd look at the Mazda 3 hatch which some car folks really enjoy tossing around. For a few more bucks, you can get the turbo Mazdaspeed 3 which has, oh, like 270 hp. The fast Cobalt is FAST, but I agree, it's junky. For fun. Try a Cooper S. Cart like handling and an amazing amount of room for a big guy.

I'm big......really big and a Mini fits me.

I believe that VW's have somewhat of a rep for using oil. Although all my car guy friends, all SCCA road racers, sniffed for years, we all agree that Hyundai makes really good cars and that you get major bang for your buck.

I don't know if I'd buy a new car these days. Get a gently used model and save a bundle. For the kid, I've got a volvo 830 with 360 K that ought to do him just fine.

Full Disclosure. I drive a 97 explorer with 160 K. My wife drives the Vol with 360 K and we scoot around on Sundays in our Bimmer 330 XI. Recently sold my SCCA ITA road racer.

I'd save the six thousand, Mike.

And you said a few good things about the Hyundai.

Whereas while seeming to like the Volks, you also mentioned a few bad things about it.

Mike I do not know if you get the option in the states, but if you are going to go VW Golf, get the best GTi get the Skoda Octavia VRS. Same powertrain and chassis but better built and more leg room and more boot space.

Skoda do the best VW's around, newer factory and cost less.

Scrap both options. Get a Honda Element. Fill Honda Element with self, boy, dog, oft mentioned bicycle, today's favorite camera. Drive, chat, cycle, snap.

Mike, I'd stay away from that specific VW. Not only are those the ugliest wheels I've ever seen, it looks like they are 18" diameter. You'll find that "rubber band" tires have a difficult time surviving snowbelt potholes. The ride will suffer, and the tires will be noisier, more expensive, and they will wear out more quickly than 15" or 16" tires/wheels.

what would i do? what i did, a few years back, was buy the gti. i do not regret it even one tiny little bit.

i used a buyer's agent through my credit union to find me one with the package i wanted (no sunroof. absolutely not--both because i believe they will all stop working, and start leaking, either sooner or later, and also because i need the headroom for my head, not for the roof to slide back). that worked out fine.

i agree that those wheels are stupid looking. oh well. you'll want a second set of rims and wheels anyway, so you can put chains on your tires, right? (the low profile tires handle very nicely, but no chains allowed.) maybe back to find a dealer with the package you actually want?

but the main thing is that the car handles the way a car should. you can feel it doing things, and it tells you when you're getting close to its limits. haven't driven that particular hyundai sonata; i hear they've made great strides since the last hyundai i drove. but mazda, toyota, etc just don't seem to be able to comprehend the notion of handling haptics like the germans do. (honda comes closest, but very different aesthetic.) the other cars out there are remarkably capable, and tend to try very hard to do whatever you tell them to do, like an eager golden retriever--right up to the moment you lose it completely, it'll be panting and wagging its tail like there's nothing at all wrong. and then you're wrapped around a tree.

wait, are we still talking about cars?

IMHO...the vernacular of the today generation....though I am definitely yesterday. I have decades of experience with so many different automobiles that I wrote them down a few years ago so that if I should develop dementia or Alzheimer's, someone might pull out the list of vehicles I have owned, and also the list of motorcycles, and read off from the over 50, yes 50 I have either personally possessed or bought for the little lady (one of any three over the years). And FYI, I have had 31 motorcycles.

Now don't get the impression that I am a money bags exotic motorhead. Far from it. Some of the less than steller vehicle purchases over the years have included such forgettable rides as the Fiat 850 Spider, Ford Gran Torino (thinkl Starsky and Hutch), and let us not forget the Volkswagen Scirocco..what a disappointment.

Okay, Mike, of course you always run the risk of getting a lemon, no matter what motorized fruit you choose, but, again IMHO, Volkswagens are the most over rated, pricey to maintain after the warranty, non-ergonomic, poor excuse of German engineering that ever rolled on four wheels. The Scirocco, a Golf, a Bug (original) and the most painful of the lot, a battle with a brand new (80) Rabbit. The list of lemons have owned is topped by these Teutonic tragic excuses for automobiles.

Now do not get me wrong, I have had loving relationships with three BMWs, two MB, and three BMW motorcycles. Not to mention countless Leicas. They all prove that Deutschland CAN produce finely engineered pieces of equipment.

My conclusion, go with the Sonata. It is TRANSPORATION, not a statment of our position in the world as many seem to feel.

IMHO, Michael

If you were to pick a new camera, you'd do the same: read about different makes and models until your eyes bleed, but still the final decision has to be made with camera on-hand.
Test drive them; if needed, do remember that you're talking to hungry car salesmen and wave a bank statement in front of their eyes, proving that you have enough to buy that car. And while ostensibly holding some catalogue from a direct rival :)
After that, ask for the most extended test drive that you imagine is UNreasonable.
The alternative: rent for a long enough period. You don't wanna discover after buying that your car drives like a champ but it causes extensive damage to your... soft tissue.
(and ofcourse, being an European I'd choose the GTI, but I sincerely don't know what dumbing down happened when crossing the ocean towards the american market; not having a stick shift sounds like a very, very bad dream; almost like permanently attaching a caravan to it)

I dunno if either of these would be my first choice, but I'm a firm believer in buying the car you want, especially if you're going to keep it for a decade. If you buy the Sonata, you'll think about that GTI until you get rid of the Sonata. If you buy the GTI, you aren't going to miss the Hyundai.

Buy the GTI. It's a buyer's market, so get the dealer to throw in the dopey wheels for free, or shop around until you find a dealer with the exact model you want.

Oh boy ... your taste in cars is kinda matched by your taste in boobs I dare say. But seriously, you're not a car guy in the first place,think how many prints, oversize bookcases, odd primes to fit on your 4/3 etc the 6 grand could buy you. And honestly, you'd look simply ridiculous in GTI. A pre-war Volvo yes, a 2CV with the top down, yes, but ... no way.

Buy the Hyundai. Sign me, owner of two Hondas, who would buy a Hyundai if he were in the market, which he isn't, because his family's 19- and 7-year-old Hondas run and run and run.

My wife and I are on our 5th Hyundai. In 2000 we bought a new Accent with a 5 speed. My wife finally reluctantly retired it last year with over 260,000 miles on it. She loved that car. We've got 2008 Elantra now. It doesn't have the 5 speed, and my wife isn't quite in love with it, but our Hyundai experiences have all been good. On the plus side for the VW, if that's what makes your hear pound, and you can afford it, buy it. A few years from now, the extra money you paid for it won't mean anything to you.

What about a Ferrari 599? It might come with its own jazz combo!

I'd definitely go with the Ferrari 599.

What a pickle!!!

Previous car was the VW, current car the Sonata. Drove the VW until it died and will do the same with the Sonata. Love 'em both.

Do you need the six cylinder? I'm in Houston where it gets H-O-T hot and the A/C on the Sonata blows away the VW because of the bigger engine. Makes a difference to me.

Do you need the space? You can fit more people across the Sonata than you can the VW although the VW's back seats are amazingly comfy. And if your own personal "back seat comfort" is a consideration, the Sonata has it all over the VW. ;)

VW has a great trunk space as well but the Sonata's is deeper.

For me w/ two kids at 5 and 10 I go for the Sonata.

rjsjr

"They have a subway in this hypothetical town not far from Milwaukee, don't they?"

Subway?!? If you mean the sandwich shop, then yes.

Mike

Any new car is a tough purchasing decision to be sure - but it's not like you're agonizing between a Mazdaspeed3 and the GTI. The Hyundai is "the safe choice" (probably in many more ways than we can imagine), and a very different car.

However, when you say "whatever you buy, it's likely to be with you for a very long time" I wince at the thought of a modern GTI struggling to fit that bill. They just aren't made for longevity anymore - almost none of the "really fun, but affordable" cars are. Enjoy them for what they are; impermanent, impractical and bound to break your heart (or your wallet) someday.

(Full disclosure: I've been through it with "fun cars" many times and bought a Hyundai two years ago.)

"Try a Peugeot - they are reliable and they handle beautifully. Or, they handle beautifully and they are reliable."

My "family of origin" was one of the few in America that once owned a Peugeot. When they were first imported into this country in the early 1980s (or maybe it was the late '70s) my mother bought a beautiful "Moonstone" Peugeot 604. Still the best steering I've ever experienced, at least in my memory, and the leather seats were sinfully comfortable.

However, uncharacteristically, my brother rammed it into a car stopped innocently at a stoplight, and the parts for the repair were dispatched from France in a vessel powered by prisoners chained to benches wielding large oars. And the guy with the whip was insufficiently sadistic. The car is probably still in the shop on that repair...if we were to call today, they'd probably say they're just about to get to it.

Ahem. Actually it was eventually repaired, but it never drove the same after that and the maintenance issues and the risks of needing another large repair took all the fun out of it. My mother then bought a long succession of Honda Accords. She now drives a Saab, which--separate story, but here goes--was stolen out of her garage in Boston and then recovered by the police weeks later, in exactly the same condition it was in when it was stolen. How often does THAT happen?!?

Mike

Another vote for a Subaru. Especially with the kind of winters that do tend to occur in Wisconsin.

Subarus may not be as refined as a VW may be, but the all wheel drive system and engines are fantastic. They say once you own one, you won't buy anything else. They are just great, quirky, go-anywhere cars.

I have an Impreza 5-door myself. 30 mpg, all wheel drive and tons of room for stuff in the back. You could get the WRX version and hot rod around as much as you want, no worry of your wheels spinning from a standing start.

And you can't even imagine how much fun all that power and control is in the snow.

"The two door Accord Coupe comes in a 6 speed manual. And It. Is. Bad. Ass."

Seinberg,
I drove one yesterday, after waiting for my dealer to get one in for almost five months(!), and it's very nice, but I wouldn't call it bad ass at all. Maybe the 6-cyl. is, but I drove the 4-cyl. The car is very smooth, with a *very* light clutch and a gearshift that almost isn't there--the action is very light and vague and lacking in feedback. I never mis-shifted--it works great--but I thought the experience as a whole was sorta the opposite of badass.

My biggest complaint about the car is a very strange one--the armrest is way too low, so that in my preferred driving position there was no place to rest my left elbow with my left hand on the wheel. I like a high, close driving position, and obviously the car was designed for a low and far-back driving position. A rather strange "personal fit" issue, one that I've never encountered before.

Also, the Accord Coupe is a classic example of a car designed for a bigger 6-cyl. engine that's ends up too beefy for a 4-banger. The little engine seems sprightly enough, but it sure was working hard. I saw some very high revs on the tach just in normal around-town driving.

It's probably a lot better with the 6, but that jacks the price up pretty high.

Mike

I know that you asked about new cars, but, I think you should get a used car for several reasons: 1. As soon as you drive the car out of the showroom it will lose something a third of its value, why pay for all of that instant depreciation?, 2. I hate to say this, but the odds are overwhelming that your new driver son will get into an accident during his first year or so of driving, even if he is a careful kid. Both of my sons got into serious potentially life threatening accidents while still in high school, and neither one was a wild driver. Teenagers just don't have very good judgement and they certainly don't have any experience. You combine those things and they get into accidents at an alarming rate. Given that, you need to get a car that is big enough and safe enough to allow them to walk away unscathed when the inevitable accident happens.

So , IMHO, I think that you need to give the teenaged driver part of this equation priority over your own desires here. I would suggest that you buy a 3 year old Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, or similar hyper-reliable, relatively large, multi-air bag and ABS equipped cars that are likely to get Z out his teens alive until he gets the experience he needs and his frontal lobes finally mature. A car of this vintage will cost you a lot less to fix when the smaller "oops" events occur and you end up having to repaint the whole rear quarter panel.

When he graduates and leaves home you can then give him this car (these cars can go a couple hundred thousand miles if well cared for) and then think about getting a fun car for Dad.

Mike,
You've already answered this question yourself. Go back to your A900 vs. D700 post. The D700 (Hyundai) is the most logical choice, but the A900 (Golf) won your heart. Go with the Golf and enjoy it.

If you haven't tried a Honda Fit yet, I'd at least drive one before making your decision.

I'm 6'2", 260 lbs and enjoying mine. I felt like the audio input jack and cruise control were worth the upgrade to the sport version - I don't remember what the other differences are.

The birth of our first child sparked the switch from our Mustang to the Fit. I like driving both but prefer the Fit. It has a real back seat - it'll fit four adults and two 50 lb dogs easily. You can get an aftermarket cover for the way-back for a dog.

As a bonus - it's really affordable and the manual transmission is easy to find.

We got an orange one - it's what was there on the lot and I basically like orange. What a boon - I have a terrible memory and it's now so easy to find our car in parking lots.

The problem with VAG (VW auto group: VW, audi) cars is that they are the german equivalent of GM. They are designed to last about 5 years and then fall apart. Unfortunately, unlike when they are sold domestically, parts and labor to work on them are extremely expensive here. If you want to buy german, accept nothing less than a BMW.

Modern Hyundais are becoming very good cars. They're well built and designed. They have excellent warranties. However, their depreciation is insane (ironically, only slightly worse than that of a VW/Audi).

That said, who cross shops a Sonata and a GTI? They're not comparable at all. It sounds like the final step of your decision-making process should be:

1) Decide which form factor car you'd like (this is much like deciding how large you want your camera sensor/body to be). How many seats, doors, hatches, and what the external dimensions should be.

2) Decide where you'd like to be on the performance/cost/reliability/economy surface.

3) Cross-shop cars with desired form factor at the appropriate point on the design surface.

4) Purchase something (this is important).

The Sonata is an economical midsize sedan that's available in a 6 cyclinder and you seem to have covered that segment in your blog post reasonably well. But, you've missed the (excellent) Nissan Altima. Pricing on the Altima V6 is under the big Japanese two, and yet the VQ35 is one of the best v6s on the market today.

The GTI is a hot hatch, meaning a practical form factor small car which sacrifices some reliability, practicality and cost for performance (read: a hot engine, stiffer suspension). I'm not a fan of the GTI (in any vintage), largely for reasons of reliability and cost. Consider the Civic Si (the sedan is compact, but more practical and more rigid than the coupe), Mazdaspeed 3 (an excellent excellent class-winner at its price point), Subaru WRX (watch out for the transmission -- it is vague and trouble-prone), and Hyundai Genesis Coupe.

If you're at all interested in a hatch without the hot engine, heavily consider the ford fiesta, honda fit (an absolutely fantastic car in every way for 90% of people's drive cycles), and the upcoming mazda 2 (which is a fiesta doppleganger).

Mike,

You have already laid out the rationale for the GTI. Just do it! Had a Jetta GLI for 18 years and loved it. There are more reliable cars, but most are boring.

Our '98 Passat came with the sport wheels. I just refused to pay for them. Absolutely refused. It helped that this Passat was the only 5-speed in several states, and *nobody* wanted a manual transmission Passat. It also had almost 600 miles on it, though it was still new. I hate buying cars, but I was able to get that Passat for a decent price.

That Passat was a great driver -- handled well, great gearbox and clutch, quick in the corners. For a 4-door sedan, it was much more fun than the competition Accord and (ick) Camry.

NOW, all that said, that Passat was the worst car I have ever owned from the standpoint of reliability. It was always in the shop, and the parts came over from Germany in a friggin' rowboat. Terrible problems with the electrical system, body integrity, etc.

When we finally sold it after 10 years, my wife wanted to buy a 3-year old GTi. I would not let her.

Do yourself a favor, buy the Hyundai.

The other, outside, wild-hair possibility...a Toyota Tacoma "access-cab" pickup. It has a certain cachet of its own, which would fit well in Wisconsin, the elbow-out-the-window plaid-shirt look. You would comfortably fit in it. You can get it in a five-speed standard transmission, and put the dog in the back of the cab, and the bike in the truck bed, and, it *starts* under $20K. The only problem is if you want to be able to take three or four people, in which case, you'd have to pay an extra couple of thousand for the crew cab. I think the crew cabs start around $23K. The truck actually gets pretty good mileage, and there are lots of accessories, and if TOP goes belly-up, hey, you've got the basic equipment to start a lawn-care service. And your son could throw a mattress in the truck bed...never mind. They are probably the most common pickup out here in California, and people routinely get 150,000 miles out of them. If you get one, I will send you a cowboy hat, although, not an expensive one.

JC

The Golf R32 is the one you might want. Same shape as the Golf GTI, but with extra horsepower and 4 wheel drive. A recent one should be about the same price range.

A) Keep up the OT posts. This post has as much to do about TOP as any other.

B) I had a long ramble written but I was swayed by the other commenters. Get the 599.

C) Ok, for reals. Don't get the Sonata, it has no soul. I love a golf. I wanted the diesel 1.8 (i think) so I could get amazing milage and also look cool. But my job at the time required me to buy a minivan to haul gear around. Man, what fun! I'm a single guy and drive a minivan! Don't buy the sonata.

How about pre-owned? As a consumer I hate the concept of an item losing up to 40% of it's value the second it leaves the lot.

Don't buy a 10 year old clunker, but look into a 2-3 year old trade in that has been through a dealer's hundred-and-umpteen point inspection and has a warranty of its own.

I'm proud of you for saving up for a downpayment. It's fiscally sound.

If you can find a 2008 VW anything buy it and love it. :-)

This is advice. It might even be good.
Listen to it and then make up your own mind.

I trust you not to be swayed (too much) by the likes of me.

Mike,
Two thoughts: I spent 14 years in the car business and when customers had trouble deciding between two cars and asked my advice I always told them it was much easier to make payments on something you like rather than something for which you settled.

Secondly $6k over 12 years (a guess but easier math) is a buck thirty something a day.
Terry

Gee, from the number of responses, perhaps you should also start an automobile blog!

I don't know about US delivered cars, but in OZ the VW Golf/Jetta/Polo have got a less than sterling reputation for reliability over the last few years, though it is said VW have picked up their game. Lots of little annoying problems and a few big ones as well.

On the other hand Hyundai have an extraordinarily good reputation for reliability with their models from the last 4 years or so.

In the long run if you are going to keep a car a long time what is more important is how it stands up as the miles add up. Lots of cars drive great off the show room floor then turn to garbage as they get a few miles up. I have had 2 new Mazda 6s that fell into that category.

Get over the name badge and look at the car and the company record, you would just have to go for the Hyundai. It may not have the appeal of the VW crotch rocket right now but in 5 years time it won't break your heart either.

In OZ hard nosed fleet managers and car hire companies love Hyundai.

And frankly if the Sonata had a BMW badge on it then I suspect praise would flow from all corners.

But of course a Porche 911 would be very nice.

I don't own a car, so I can't speak to ownership, but I've borrowed, shared and rented quite a few different cars.

Having said that:

Hatchbacks are more practical than sedans. Take that, head!

I haven't driven the latest Sonata, nor any with a manual transmission, but none of the several Hyundai's I've ever driven (including a couple of Sonata's) was fun to drive.

VW has a certified-pre-owned program.

I assume you ruled out MINI because of the tight squeeze into the back seat, because I can't imagine any car being more fun to drive. It puts you relatively low to the ground, though, if that's a concern.

Finally, if I had to move to a Wisconsin-like climate tomorrow and had to buy a car to share with an inexperienced driver and a medium size dog, Subaru would be at the top of my list.

God, I thought you were describing me.... Damn how did you know??

I have driven a LOT of rentals for work and I pick different models all the time. If you can get past the $$ get the GTI as it's just plain better but if you choke on the $ the Sonata is a decent car to drive and as you say a move sensible choice.

There that help :-)

One thought about a car for your son: don't let me have the new one. New drivers are terrible drivers. My parents bought me a 15 year old, $400 beater at a local auto auction. I sold it when I went to college for $400 and all the dents and dings I put into it didn't matter. That was about 13 years ago, but I plan on doing basically the same thing for my kids when they're older.

Or:

Ford Unveils New Car For Cash-Strapped Buyers: The 1993 Taurus

Since you *often* seem to be a pretty pragmatic guy, why not make a more pragmatic decision? The cost of depreciation and insurance on this new car (especially with a teen driver) will dwarf all other costs from a "total ownership" perspective for the next 10 years. I bet there will be a clear winner if you check into cost of ownership and call your friendly insurance agent for a quote with that teen driver. And that 3X insurance hit that he'll quote you? Yes, that's common for a *male* teen driver. Maybe you don't want to put him behind the wheel of a new car. The purchase price is ultimately only one way of looking at cost.

Mike,

Don't buy new; the smell of fresh plastic isn't worth it. Get a low mileage used whatever and let some other sucker eat the forecourt-leaving depreciation

Mike, the VW's are shaky from a build standpoint. Somewhat known for electrical issues. My Mom has a Jetta. Horrible post warranty expiration record...and it's true, the thing is always b r o k e.

You should buy a '69 Cadillac Coupe DeVille hardtop, black and shiny as you can get it. That is one sweet car, a bit tough on the environment but had some big style. You will look good in it, guaranteed, because you are a friggin' pimp.

: )

Feh. Auto lust.

I'll probably never buy another *New* car again. Get something that's a year or two old and save another $5K

'Course, I'm driving a '95 Jeep Grand Cherokee w/ just about 300,000 miles on it and it runs perfect and I love it, so what do I know...

if these are the best two you've found... you're hopeless ;-)

As you said, you're planning on keeping the car for a while. Once you experience electrical issues with these newer cars -even if the car WAS a blasts to drive- you'll be ready to cry AND drop it from a tall mountain ;-)

You should be looking at reliability first, if you intend to keep the car for 10 years.

There are lots of reliable, fun to drive cars around. I bet Hyundai is not on top of anyone's list, considering these two requirements.

Buy a 2-3 year old infiniti FX35. I imagine, it would be cheaper than the new GTi, and lasts MUCH longer.

I always recommend used infiniti's to friends and family. They are as good or better than ANY luxury car, but with less than stellar resale value. Therefore you could buy a used one, and keep it forever ;-)

Disclaimer; 6yr old Honda, 9yr old MB 320CLK coupe, 12yr old inifini --- LOVE the CLK

Mike, I'm weighing in a bit late here. As a retired Volkswagen test engineer I had the opportunity to evaluate lots of cars that were not part of the VW line up. I'll give you the same advice I give my friends when they ask what to buy: Test drive (more than ten miles) the cars you think you like and know you can afford. Buy the one you enjoyed driving the most.

Hi Mike, just did the car shopping thing yesterday after our last car came to an untimely end. Wanting a smaller quality car with reasonable performance, good resale (although we tend to keep cars 8 or more years), low emissions and reasonable economy only one came anywhere near our desires...the GTI. Just drive one and I bet the cheque book comes out. We had a few must have extras in mind - in particular GPS and bi xenon lamps but ended up having to take some others to get just these, such is life, and there goes the budget. So sitting here with a week long wait and great anticipation of the fun ahead. Good luck with the decision it is one you will have to live with for some time, so choose what will give you the greatest pleasure.

I've got two things to relay to you, Mike:

1) In 1985 my dad bought a Volkswagen Jetta. He's still driving it today.

2) In 1986 my mum bought a Volkswagen Passat hatchback. She's still driving it today (it now belongs to my sister, actually).

Just sayin'...

Mike, I would have the Hyundai in a heartbeat.

I've owned 3 BMWs (all straight sixes, all bl**dy quick) 2 Golf GTIs (non-turbo and turbo) and an Alfa Romeo V6 (bl**dy scary but sounded great) but I don't think I ever got to use any of them close to their potential - and there are LOTS of twisty roads in the UK.

Now I drive my wife and a load of gear to the South of France in relative luxury, the cruise control at a steady 80mph, as my wife and I chat away in a normal voice and she passes me a can from the cooler on the back seat.

Yep, I traded down to a nice big Skoda turbodiesel estate which eats miles and sips fuel and can cover 600 miles on a tankful. And qith a nice torquey motor, its a blast to drive up twisty hills as well and it will overtake trucks without even changing down.

OK its not so much fun on the bendy bits, but it's not actually that bad....probably better than the Alfa!

It's the first time I ever actually though long and hard about what I needed a car for and bought the one that was an exact fit for my lifestyle. The sheer smugness of having made the perfect choice, not to mention saving many thousands on purchase, and several hundred every year on gas and insurance, easily outweighs the occasional ego trip, adrenalin buzz (and speeding ticket).

Oh, and did I say the latter Golf (2000 GTI Turbo) was a reliability disaster - worst car I ever owned. The other Golf (1989 GTI) was fine, the Beemers were 100% reliable and so was the Alfa, amazingly enough.

I have to vote for Subaru. Especially in Wisconsin (I live in Canada, snow sucks). Although, you may want to be skeptical about my advice; I shoot an Olympus SLR.

Com'on, the obvious best deal out there has to be in a Toyota or a Lexus.

You probably take a bigger risk crossing the street.

Golf TDI (Diesel!). Lots of torque, cheap fuel (and more efficient), built-in sirius sattellite radio. Get one with DSG - it's the best of both worlds: Auto/manual transmission, shifts in .3 seconds, even on auto uses less fuel than most drivers can manage with manual transmission. And Non-stupid looking wheels.

Folks, the OP still has not clarified what he needs that new car for.

It could be better for him to spend the money on training lessons or just holding out an meeting in some local group, perhaps even engaging in a contest or two and see if he is on par (or birdie ;-)) and it's really the equipment holding him back... uh, what was the question?

Anyway, only buy a car you really like if you can say "No problem, it's only a car" to your son after he misjudged his abilities (or join him in some local group, engage him in some contest or two... sorry, wrong line)