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5000 mile road trip: best R appreciation moments

drshark

Ready to race!
Five weeks and 5000+ miles from Niagara Falls to Cloudcroft, NM and back. Here's the best comments...

1) From valet at swanky Dallas, TX restaurant (Javier's)
As I hand the keys to the 20-something valet, standing next to the McClaren and the Ferrari, he says "awesome ride, dude". Other nearby diners look startled. Sadly, the R didn't get parked out front.

2) From Ford F-150 Raptor
On I-20 in rural West Texas, I'm doing 85-90 mph. Raptor zooms up from behind, and slows down right next to me. Massey-Ferguson baseball capped passenger gives thumbs up. Then points and wants to have a go. Given the full car with people and travel stuff, I declined. They zoomed off.

3) Gas station in Indiana (right after new tires)
Old man in beat up 80's Chevy at the next pump comments on awesome wheels and tires. Says he doesn't usually like hot hatches, but the combination of after market spoiler, hood vents, and wheels makes for the "right stance".

4) Wedding reception at Dallas Arboretum (yes, I'm the father of the bride)
Two teenagers came up during the reception and asked about the awesome blue Golf R parked out front. One male, one female, by the way. (If you pony up for the wedding, you park right next to the front gate). Way better than my brother's new Mustang, they say, "so cliche, that one"...

Best of all, the wife loves it; the R's a phenomenal road trip vehicle...
 

MonkeyMD

Autocross Champion
Awesome!
For some reason, trucks love to race in Texas. It's almost a daily occurance. And I just drive a regular Golf.
 
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MDLBC

Ready to race!
Location
NYB
Thanks for the stories. I knew this car was a sleeper going in, but aside from one valet experience myself and "Subies" over the course of 20,000 miles, that's it. Sti and WRX drivers have been the best at recognizing us and giving a thumbs up.
 

drshark

Ready to race!
Frankly, the stock R look is too tame for me. Hence the couple thousand dollars on upgrades that have outward visual benefits: vents on CF hood, lighter after market wheels, wider tires, rear spoiler. (Though I will chip it once the warranty is done.)

My R's "thumbs up per mile" ratio: probably once per 1000 miles. Yes, about 15 times in 15,000 miles; making it once per month. To me, an appropriate value expenditure...
 

RadMax8

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
Cleveland
Very cool stories. It's nice when cars can bring people together!

I'm going to a birthday party on Saturday that will have 10 or more STis. Can't wait to bring the VW funk!
 

ElmoProjector

Ready to race!
Location
New Orleans, LA
I was at Javier's last month! That place is a Mecca of awesome cars. Glad to hear you could contribute.
 

Hatcher

Ready to race!
Location
Dallas
Funny, I live in Dallas and just finished a 4,450 mile trip that took me up East Coast, into Quebec, Ontario and back!

Saw most other Rs in Quebec

No problems except had to add a little oil and adjust tire pressures a couple times.

Excellent road trip vehicle and was able to take 2 bicycles
 

admiralackbar

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
Montreal, QC
Funny, I live in Dallas and just finished a 4,450 mile trip that took me up East Coast, into Quebec, Ontario and back!

Saw most other Rs in Quebec

No problems except had to add a little oil and adjust tire pressures a couple times.

Excellent road trip vehicle and was able to take 2 bicycles

VW have always been popular up here (hatches in general) and the R just makes the most sense from a bang/buck winter driving perspective. Subaru has been gouging us for years on the STIs (not a lot of negotiating room) so happy that VW threw this car into the mix. Cannot wait to get mine in the fall!
 

drshark

Ready to race!
Halifax is the home of the R as far as I can tell...

Last year on our trip to Newfoundland and Nova Scotia, we saw more R's in three days in Halifax (five) than the entire last 18 months in the States. Really, two R's in the first 20 minutes entering the city.
 

jfk33

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
VA
great stories, and congrats on the wedding!

I love how this car will help you identify the true car-people, cuz they're the only ones who can tell the difference! I also love it when the "car people" come out of left field (e.g. the old guy in the beatup 80's chevy at the gas station). I once ran out for gas and ended up getting chatted up by a guy in his 70's for about a half hour. Turns out he auto-x's and tracks Corvettes and wanted to show some love for the R! It was awesome.
 

CaptObvious75

Ready to race!
Location
Ottawa, On
Halifax is the home of the R as far as I can tell...



Last year on our trip to Newfoundland and Nova Scotia, we saw more R's in three days in Halifax (five) than the entire last 18 months in the States. Really, two R's in the first 20 minutes entering the city.



Makes sense- they get some pretty incredible snow storms.


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