Wagon or Hatch with great handling and turbo for the Rockies

Michael, thanks for posting. Trans: I would strongly prefer a manual or double clutch but will accept an auto- I'm realistic.

I had mistakenly assumed the X1 CPO would be well over $30k- that is a good suggestion. I drove one once and was pretty impressed with the handling for a CUV and that turbo 4 is a really nice motor. On the downside the flat, fake leather seats were pretty bad support-wise. Seems like even BMW now assumes that seats must be modeled around a 250-lb+ driver. The worst seats in any VW are better. Also the interior was small relative to the exterior dimentions I thought. I will go drive one again.

I tried to drive a Focus ST but the dealers near me don't stock them and they are between models. Also, I'm a 52 year old manager/adjunct professor so I worry about the "boy racer" factor. I think it is a super sharp looking car, but one that is typically owned by a twenty-something wearing his cap backwards. Taking peers out to lunch or to the airport might make make me seem a bit silly- no? The GTI's reserved styling is an advantage for me there.

Visited the VW dealer- new GTI's with the performance package (highly desirable LSD) are very tough to come by and cannot be ordered. Maybe VW will give dealers a chance to order again in a few months. Maybe not. REALLY hate crap like this: I've got $30k to spend and you can't manage your production and order fullfillment any better than that? There are a couple dozen Golfs sitting on that lot, going nowhere fast. They come off the same line. In Euro/U.K. ALL the Golf purchases/production is custom. Grrrrrr!

Yes, the recent 328i wagon is soft- much softer than the X1 IMHO. And there are a total 5 of them under $30k/40k miles in the entire U.S. and all are the older 3.0 motor.

A 2012/13 Golf R (non-CPO) can be had for about $26-$28k with low miles. That's about $5k more than an equivalent GTI. The R started out $10k more expensive, is loaded, can handle mods much better as you note, has AWD and will provide much better % resale as a limited run model with AWD here in the Rockies. I'd guesstimate it will net cost me an incremental $2-3k in 5 years of ownership (including higher parts cost). $500 a year for an R over a GTI? Pretty good option to my thikning, especially since I can't get the new GTI with the LSD.

Drove the X1 (couldn't find sport pkg CPO), Speed3, Golf R and Focus STI, WRX (all used/CPO) and a new GTI, again. All my intitial impressions basically were affirmed. X1 is good value, great motor and ugly and the standard seats are terrible. Speed 3, Focus and WRX all have great drivetrains, smaller interiors than the Golf and exude the "dude" thing in a big way. The Speed3 and WRX interiors are cheap. The GTI/R has the most space and most mature image of the hatches. All but one CPO R near me has mods- likely invalidates the CPO warranty. Dealers were pretty clueless or lying about this. Still, great car if I could have found the right private seller with a low miles car not too far away. But most are on the coasts.

Found a new GTI in Texas that fit the bill: Base S 4-door, Performance package (LSD for snow), lighting & adjsutable suspension. The only fabric interior I really like. Smooth and quiet drive given the handling- like my 335 with sport package. FWD less of a performance deficit with the LSD. $28k and I can get under 1% financing on a new car. Give up sunroof and leather (minor things for me). Unknown relaibility with the new model but I have a good dealer within a mile and 5-year powertrain provides some comfort. Still a bit immature looking compared to my BMW but I'll swap out the wheels for something more conservative and that will help. A rear seat I don't have to apologize for.

Fly out tomorrow to pick her and drive back to CO- very excited! Thanks for all your advice.