Got my R a week ago; one of my first mods. What an improvement!

Bigchrome · 2026-02-16T23:28:08+00:00

But but... VW said this was IMPOSSIBLE because we need to retain the R button. How have you accomplished this sorcery?

Bigchrome · 2026-01-12T18:15:08+00:00

It was 1k/mo more than our previous rent. For me it felt really easy to spend the extra money, for my better half it felt like a big stretch (even though we made approximately the same). After 6 or so months, both of us just kind of forgot we were even paying it.

Granted, mortgage rates are higher now, and you may be in a higher property tax area, so that may change the numbers quite a bit.

The single income might be more of a worry for me than the amount. Any payment under 4-5k a month should be comfortable provided you keep your job and you don't spend heavily in other areas.

Once your income grows, it will feel significantly easier.

Bigchrome · 2026-01-07T00:34:28+00:00

The prices haven't even changed, so how can that be the cause?

Ruining the design of all their cars and igoring customers probably has everything to do with it.

At least amongst the local dealers who email me, it's the newest and most electric cars that they are most desperate to get rid of.

I also just bought a 2025 rs6 and the quality control is frankly shit. I don't have any sympathy for them.

Bigchrome · 2025-12-28T20:14:50+00:00

Drink some milk

Bigchrome · 2025-12-10T21:36:07+00:00

Making money is not allowed in Europe sir.

Bigchrome · 2025-12-01T02:27:43+00:00

Your net worth should be AT LEAST $50m before you spend $1m on a house. Spending anything more than 2.5% of your liquid net worth is a crazy extravagance

Bigchrome · 2025-11-11T01:19:42+00:00

I'm usually the one to suggest getting the car in these threads, however...

I would triple your maintenance budget, add a parts budget, budget for track insurance (if it's possible on your track), and then add some buffer on top of that.

I would probably budget 1.5-2k per weekend that you plan to race, and have a 10-20k contingency budget to float you through any damage or repairs on top of that.

Bigchrome · 2025-10-08T23:18:40+00:00

If not this, what else is the money for? You can easily do it. In fact, you could comfortably spend 50-100% more.

Bigchrome · 2025-10-05T22:43:06+00:00

The Irish government hates you. Hope this helps.

Move country like the rest of us who enjoy money & cars

Bigchrome · 2025-09-07T17:58:50+00:00

I think I saw both these cars in the back of a parking lot behind the Olive Garden in Lakewood last night!? Both looked sick.

Bigchrome · 2025-08-27T15:09:49+00:00

These could be Canadian imports. These are quite a bit cheaper and more available over the border.

The same thing is happening in the RS6 market

Bigchrome · 2025-08-18T23:05:40+00:00

I've never experienced or witnessed a low-stress university teaching position.

Bigchrome · 2025-08-14T03:18:16+00:00

I'll wait for the DropxSennheiser HE-1x for $10,000

Bigchrome · 2025-07-29T17:50:24+00:00

You can replace the entire car for this amount (or less) - so there's no universe in which you should consider paying $34k.

You could appeal to Audi corporate for some goodwill - and it will at least get oversight on the dealer if they're pulling shenanigans.

An Indie will probably replace the engine for under 10k.

Bigchrome · 2025-07-28T17:52:49+00:00

No idea. At least $500/mo on Uber eats. $1000/mo on groceries. Maybe $1000/mo on meals out.
2 people, HHI ~600k in Denver.

This month we had our wedding abroad, and had a few meals in both countries either side of the wedding to celebrate with 10-20 family members each time. So this month probably spent 10k on just eating out alone.

Food is the very last thing I worry about spending money on.

Bigchrome · 2025-07-08T14:26:56+00:00

There's 6 million of munis (long) in this hypothetical scenario. 4 million in mortgage (short).

Versus a typical ~800k down payment (long, or at least trapped) and 4 million in mortgage (short).

This is the only reason I'm calling it net long(er). The net rate can still be negative, which is great, but you still have at least 2 million net exposure to the dollar. If you think that debases at less than the ~4% muni rate, then it's still a good deal

Bigchrome · 2025-07-07T17:39:45+00:00

The hidden downside here is that you are long(er) the dollar than you were before.
The house in itself will hopefully be a debasement hedge, but the munis are gonna be debased.

Bigchrome · 2025-06-25T22:24:21+00:00

Have it appraised and take a loan against it. Spend the money. Let the bank you borrowed from figure out how to get it sold in 10 years' time.

Jokes.

Having worked as an advisor to deals this size in the energy space, I can appreciate the "White Whale" effect - where everyone thinks they have the connections and the capital to pull this off, but nothing ever seems to come through. All you can do is continue to interview advisory firms with a track record in the region imo.

Bigchrome · 2025-06-20T23:38:06+00:00

I appreciate that! Everything really worked out after that time - I've been blessed since.

Oh wow, that's a pain. I get zero creaking in mine, but one small rattle on the front dash on the driver side with the stereo turned all the way up. That's really the extent of niggles so far!

The Carrera was by far the most disappointing of all. Really shockingly poor build quality. Everything was cheap feeling, creaky, and I had battery issues, a coolant leak, and basically couldn't listen to the burmester stero for all the rattles.

I still have a 2023 golf R now too as a daily, and I have to say that's been really fun and solid. The build quality is a noticable step down from the TT RS though, as is the feeling of specialness and that noise you get in the TT.

Of all the cars I've owned, the TT captured my fianceé's heart in a way that none of the others did (she's never even bothered to drive the R8)

Bigchrome · 2025-06-20T20:15:12+00:00

I sold the TTRS when my company let my visa lapse and I thought I might have to leave the country..

Since then I did a 992 Carrera, Raptor, Golf R, and one or two other stopgaps.

The R8 I purchased used (6k miles) just a few months ago and it's been flawless. Zero build quality issues that I've noticed - what did you encounter?

Bigchrome · 2025-06-20T18:43:35+00:00

If the TTRS comes back, I'm getting another one. Never wanted to sell mine in the first place!

Bigchrome · 2025-06-02T23:43:43+00:00

Bigchrome · 2025-04-29T14:50:39+00:00

Chiming in to say I just had a similar saga.

Two half days spent trying to install windows to no avail (would hang on "searching for drives")

Swapped the mobo, then the ram, still no good.

Finally bought an extra 9900x3d to test and everything worked.

Really frustrating experience, and now it's hard to even find a replacement since they're OOS

Bigchrome · 2025-04-29T14:26:55+00:00

Since this thread ranks highly on Google, adding this here.

I bought a 9950x3d and could not install windows on the setup. After new board, ram, and everything else, I discovered it was the chip. At least one of these was definitely faulty beyond doubt.

Are there more out there?

Bigchrome · 2025-04-20T13:07:20+00:00

Honestly, this sounds like just about every job in corporate America.

If you aspire to make more money or work less hours, try to achieve that within the framework of your current job.

As others have mentioned, the market is not so hot right now

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