So I haven't posted on here in quite a while, mainly because (sadly) I sold the P5 at the beginning of the summer. The mileage was getting high, the body was getting rusty, the cat was dead, and it was too small for my needs these days.
I've replaced it with a 2000 VW Passat GLX wagon, which I LOVE. First of all, it was babied by its previous owner and it shows. There's not a single scratch on the thing, which I find impressive for being nearly 15 years old. The interior is top-notch for the time and in great condition as well. It has the more powerful 190 hp 2.8L V6 engine, and it's much more comfortable than the P5. The little bit of extra room is great - no more bumping elbows with your front seat passenger all of the time, and three people can actually physically fit in the rear sit. That's not to mention the cavernous trunk.
It does suffer from some body roll in the corners, so while it is much more pleasant on long highway drives, it isn't as fun in the twisties. But that's what I have my motorcycle for (2thumbs)
It is also lacking in the transmission department. I sold the P5 and needed to buy another car within three days for a road trip, so I didn't have time to be selective about what gearbox I got, and I'm stuck with the automatic. Some days I'm happy it's an auto, but most days I wish I still had a third pedal.
So, all in all, I'm happy I moved on from the P5, but I'm also happy that the P5 was my first car. I'll miss fooling around in the bright blue accident-magnet that it was. I'll miss always being able to find my car in a parking lot. I'll miss everyone in town recognizing who I am out of the corner of their eye. I'll miss the manual transmission and amazing cornering. I wouldn't have wanted any other car, but it was time for it to go.