Purchasing A New Car

I know this isn't computer-related by any stretch of the imagination, but I'm looking to purchase a new car (new-used, that is). I've all but completely set my mind on purchasing a VW GTI; specifically a particular 2003 that I'm looking at. Well, anyway I've read that maintenance and repairs is a b!+ch on these things, but wanted to see if anyone here knows of a good site / forum for people looking to purchase a new car so I could voice my thoughts/concerns/etc or maybe people here have personal experience about a VW GTI that someone buying one would find useful............

Talk to Scamtron, he sells cars, at least used ones, if not new ones too.

Looks like he gave his self a title.... [shrug]

Thanks for the lead to automotive.com. I did try searching for things like "Automotive Purchase Forum/Discussion" etc, but didn't turn anything up that was of any use.

How's this?

Where do you get Mexican from? VW is a German company. Now VW cars themselves are actually manufactured in Brazil. So you could say that they are Brazilian, but not Mexican; or at least maybe Brazilian-made. However, Brazil is really just doing the leg-work for VW, and the cars themselves are designed by engineers in Germany bringing back to surface the notion that maybe they are actually German cars after all.

Saying VW cars are Brazilian would be the same as if you were architect, and designed this elaborate house that was very nice with a 2-car garage, 6 bedrooms, etc etc and you employed contractors from Mongolia to build the house, your house is now Mongolian because Mongolian contractors built your house and not you yourself. Ok, maybe not the best anology, but concept is the same.

Ok, just did my research and apparently GTI's, Golfs, and Beetles are manufactured in Brazil. Jettas are manufactured in Mexico. Phaetons, Passats, and Touraegs are manufactured in Germany. So I guess I was 42.8% correct, and you were 14.3% correct (unless of course you consider GTI's and Golfs as the same; in which case I would be 33% correct, and you would be 16.7% correct... then again this is considering production of all VW models are of the same volume, which they are not).

Never underestimate the power of paint brush (and lots of extra time at work because we have to work on a day that probably everyone else in the world has off). No, I'm not bitter.

Tru dat... actually I can't complain because around 1230 my manager comes strolling by and sees that I'm not working and asks if I wanna go home (not a pink slip 'go home' either) but being the dedicated worker that I am, I chose to stay and refine my Tom's Hardware avatar.

You were going to buy a used VW....why not a used STi?

The 2k3's are around 18-22 depending on where you live, and how hard they were ridden.

my buddy got a 2004 for 12K because he found a lady who bought it not realizing it was a bullet on wheels and just didn't like drivign it. She had like 12,000 miles on it in 2 yrs and just wanted to dump it. he found it on car trader....she posted it on monday at 10am and he was buying it on his lunch break.

if you can act quickly you can get great deals.

Getcha one of them new Beetles, the chics will dig you and plus, they are so cute!

The mazda 3 is built on the same frame as the volvo s40.. if you're looking at the mazda 3, check out the S40.. 2004.5 if possible.. price tag will be in the low 20s.
I was looking at picking one up but the back seat just didn't fit me for the long term..

Around the coast, post-Katrina, if you want your re-construction repairs done right, you hire local Co's who have hired Mexican sub-contractors...non seem to speak much if any English, and there are hoards of them all over the coast.
Word is the local boys do slower, more expensive work, if the even finish the job at all.

I'd get this car ... comes with some nice amenities it seems ... 8)