I have three questions.
1. I see a GTI in carmax I am interested in purchasing -
https://www.carmax.com/car/21433468. As seasoned GTI owners, can you comment on the car and if spot anything that might be off about it. Also, when I look at its carfax report and it says the tire(s) were replaced once on 41k miles mark and once again tire(s) were replaced on 47k miles mark. Is that a yellow/red flag? Should I stay away from the car assuming that it belonged to someone who abused the car? My motivation for getting a car is to have a decent sized car that can roar when needed (but not always). Definitely hoping to not get a car that may have been modded or abused.
2. I know this is a GTI forum and I'll get a response tending towards GTI but here I go anyway. I'm torn between impreza and gti. I know they are not in the same category but size wise they seem to be. The power that is lost in impreza, it makes up for it a bit in awd. Is that a fair comparison?
3. Also, when is AWD really useful? It doesn't snow where I live. Do you think I will have any use for AWD?
Pros: Lighting package (my 2019 S did not have the lighting package, and so I had to buy aftermarket lights). Also, it visually looks like it's in decent shape. With that said, not a lot to be derived from photos alone. Call up a dealer and provide the VIN, verify the car has not been TD1'd. Also call the major tuners (APR, Uni, etc) and see if they have any record of tuning the car. Being a DSG, you're more likely safe on that front as you don't have a situation where someone drove it on the stock clutch and then decided they didn't want it anymore, and preferred not to spend the coin on a clutch.
Cons: Not really a
con but more of a timing issue, I paid similar money for my 2019 S. That might have the performance pack though, which would mean the LSD (which is very nice to have).
Questions: Is that the factory battery still? The batteries on these things aren't that long-lived, so you may need a battery in the semi-near future.
Tires: I would imagine the second set of tires on the car were OEM replacements, and they suck. A lot. My tires were getting pretty low around 20k, so I bought a new set of wheels AND tires for the car. I would find it feasible to imagine that someone didn't like the OEM tires, and wanted a more appropriate set. NBD.
Impreza vs GTI: All day long, I'll say that Subarus feel like driving a tractor. The GTI is a highly enjoyable car, and IMO much better looking. They've got lots of room for activities, and AWD isn't going to be the end-all, be-all, last word in poor weather traction. Spec your tires appropriately, and you'll be fine. Furthermore if it doesn't snow where you live, you'll likely be able to get away with a more aggressive tire.
If you're not sure, have a trusted mechanic/car friend go over it before you purchase. Places like Carmax/Vroom/Carvana/etc aren't going over cars with a fine-toothed comb, you want to be sure you catch any signs of modification. If spark plugs haven't been changed yet, it's likely due for plugs, as well as diff service (assuming it's PP).
