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<rss xmlns:ps="http://trailfire.com" version="2.0"><channel><title>"New Car Shopping" by MikeP</title><link>http://trailfire.com/MikeP/trails/4869</link><category>MikeP/trails</category><ttl>60</ttl><item><title>Perkowitz : Photo : Lulu clouds</title><link>http://trailfire.com/MikeP/marks/3831</link><description><![CDATA[I like the GTI because it combines fun, practicality, and luxury and wasn&#39;t too expensive. A replacement would have to do at least as well. I&#39;m a big fan of hatchbacks, and I also didn&#39;t really want to shell out for another front-wheel drive car.]]></description><category>New Car Shopping</category><author>MikeP</author><pubDate>Sat, 27 May 2006 09:13:41 -0700</pubDate><guid isPermalink="false">trailfire:markId:3831</guid></item><item><title>GTI - Overview</title><link>http://trailfire.com/MikeP/marks/3832</link><description><![CDATA[I considered the new GTI, which by all accounts is a great car, but I finally decided I wasn&#39;t going to spend $20k+ on another front-wheel drive VW.]]></description><category>New Car Shopping</category><author>MikeP</author><pubDate>Mon, 19 Jun 2006 17:41:31 -0700</pubDate><guid isPermalink="false">trailfire:markId:3832</guid></item><item><title>2004 Volkswagen R32 - Test Drive - 2004 Volkswagen R32</title><link>http://trailfire.com/MikeP/marks/3833</link><description><![CDATA[I also flirted with the R32. Being basically an uber-GTI, it in some ways is my perfect car. But there were only 5000 made, and rarity had kept the price up. And I finally decided that spending in the mid-20s for a used car that would feel a lot like being in my old car just didn&#39;t sit well. Still, when the new R32 (or R36) comes around, I&#39;ll probably look.]]></description><category>New Car Shopping</category><author>MikeP</author><pubDate>Mon, 19 Jun 2006 17:41:45 -0700</pubDate><guid isPermalink="false">trailfire:markId:3833</guid></item><item><title>The 2006 Audi A3</title><link>http://trailfire.com/MikeP/marks/3834</link><description><![CDATA[The obvious one to look at was the Audi A3. Ever since I saw the (not available in the US) previous generation A3, I wanted it (especially the sportier S3). They finally brought the A3 to the US, but unfortunately, you can&#39;t get it with quattro without plunking down $35-40k. You get a lot of car for that, but that&#39;s sure a lot of money. I also don&#39;t like the new A3 as much as the previous generation -- especially in the 5-door (no 3-door in the US), it&#39;s pretty large and heavy for a &quot;hot hatch&quot;.]]></description><category>New Car Shopping</category><author>MikeP</author><pubDate>Mon, 19 Jun 2006 17:42:12 -0700</pubDate><guid isPermalink="false">trailfire:markId:3834</guid></item><item><title>optic - Testdrive: A3</title><link>http://trailfire.com/MikeP/marks/3835</link><description><![CDATA[I did take the A3 for a test drive though. Verdict: just not worth it.]]></description><category>New Car Shopping</category><author>MikeP</author><pubDate>Mon, 13 Mar 2006 16:13:15 -0800</pubDate><guid isPermalink="false">trailfire:markId:3835</guid></item><item><title>MINIUSA.COM</title><link>http://trailfire.com/MikeP/marks/3836</link><description><![CDATA[Next up was the Mini. I know I said I wasn&#39;t looking for front-wheel drive, but the Mini was pretty universally agreed to handle like a dream and feel like being strapped into a go-kart.]]></description><category>New Car Shopping</category><author>MikeP</author><pubDate>Mon, 13 Mar 2006 16:15:00 -0800</pubDate><guid isPermalink="false">trailfire:markId:3836</guid></item><item><title>optic - Testdrive: Mini</title><link>http://trailfire.com/MikeP/marks/3837</link><description><![CDATA[But I&#39;ll let the test drive tell the story. Verdict: a terrific drive, but gimmicky interior, high price, and long wait adds up to no thank you.]]></description><category>New Car Shopping</category><author>MikeP</author><pubDate>Mon, 13 Mar 2006 16:16:26 -0800</pubDate><guid isPermalink="false">trailfire:markId:3837</guid></item><item><title>SUBARU.COM : MODEL CONSIDERATION : IMPREZA</title><link>http://trailfire.com/MikeP/marks/3838</link><description><![CDATA[Next on the list: the Subaru WRX or STI. This was a long shot, since I couldn&#39;t see spending that kind of money (about $35k for the STI) on a car that I thought was sort of ugly and, luxury-wise, had a mostly econobox aesthetic. I really wanted to try it out though.]]></description><category>New Car Shopping</category><author>MikeP</author><pubDate>Mon, 19 Jun 2006 17:43:05 -0700</pubDate><guid isPermalink="false">trailfire:markId:3838</guid></item><item><title>optic - Testdrive: STI</title><link>http://trailfire.com/MikeP/marks/3839</link><description><![CDATA[The test drive was kind of annoying, because I didn&#39;t really get a feel for the car. But I was still divided between respect for the performance and contempt for the styling/luxury. Plus, my girlfriend hated it. Verdict: pass.]]></description><category>New Car Shopping</category><author>MikeP</author><pubDate>Mon, 19 Jun 2006 17:43:17 -0700</pubDate><guid isPermalink="false">trailfire:markId:3839</guid></item><item><title>BMW M Coupe (1999)</title><link>http://trailfire.com/MikeP/marks/3840</link><description><![CDATA[And then there was this car. I admired it when it came out, for its weird styling (I like hatchbacks, remember) and performance. And every review was pretty much ecstatic (though people differed on the looks).]]></description><category>New Car Shopping</category><author>MikeP</author><pubDate>Mon, 19 Jun 2006 17:43:32 -0700</pubDate><guid isPermalink="false">trailfire:markId:3840</guid></item><item><title>Test Drive Notes: BMW M Coupe 1999</title><link>http://trailfire.com/MikeP/marks/3841</link><description><![CDATA[I found a used blue one in good shape and test drove it. It was great, and even better looking in person. I hesitated a bit: no back seat, a bit of a rough ride, and rear-wheel drive could get squirrelly in the Seattle wet.]]></description><category>New Car Shopping</category><author>MikeP</author><pubDate>Mon, 19 Jun 2006 17:44:04 -0700</pubDate><guid isPermalink="false">trailfire:markId:3841</guid></item><item><title>optic - Mine</title><link>http://trailfire.com/MikeP/marks/3842</link><description><![CDATA[But I bought it anyway. If any of those things turn out to be drawbacks, I&#39;ll deal with it then. But so far I love it. I hope to keep it for a good long time, even if Minis, STIs, and A3s all still turn my head sometimes.]]></description><category>New Car Shopping</category><author>MikeP</author><pubDate>Mon, 19 Jun 2006 17:44:24 -0700</pubDate><guid isPermalink="false">trailfire:markId:3842</guid></item><item><title>optic - Mine</title><link>http://trailfire.com/MikeP/marks/3843</link><description><![CDATA[oh, and I&#39;ve gotten chatted up by cute girls more since I got this car than ever when I had the GTI. friends really liked the GTI, but no one like stopped me on the street to breathlessly ask what it was. My girlfriend doesn&#39;t mind -- she gets to ride in it.]]></description><category>New Car Shopping</category><author>MikeP</author><pubDate>Mon, 19 Jun 2006 17:44:35 -0700</pubDate><guid isPermalink="false">trailfire:markId:3843</guid></item></channel></rss>
