Advantages: Cheap and up to date, Takes new gfx card Disadvantages: built in graphics are basic
FOXCONN MOTHERBOARD
The Foxconn K8M890M2MA-R2SH is a really cheap and cheerfull Socket AM2 motherboard. There's only one way that a manufacturer can come up with a motherboard that sells for such a low price, and that's by using every feature that the chipset has to offer without bolting on any extra gadgets.
The chipset in on this board is the VIA K8M890 which includes VIA/S3G DeltaChrome graphics (cheap and nasty) and a VT8237R Plus Southbridge.
There are two DDR2 memory slots so you get dual channel memory support, and if your a gamer and the integrated graphics aren't sufficient you can plug a proper graphics card into the PCI-E x16 slot provided.
There is also a PCI-E x1 slot and two PCI slots. The Southbridge supports RAID 0 or 1 for the pair of SATA connectors and there are four USB 2.0 ports on the I/O panel ...
Advantages: performance, extra optional equipment, boot, price, versatility, understated Disadvantages: costs, heat, understering in wet
've put subwoofer amp and changer and there is still more than 2/3 of the boot space left) ensure for its versatility, and the leg room on the back seats isn't that bad either although driving with more than 2 passengers on the back is realy better avoided (the back sinks to the groud and makes the car look like a boat :P). Being a VR6 it also has a lot of nice extra options on-board (i.e. electric all windows sunroof and mirrors, 2 airbags, sporty seats, trip computer, remote central locking, thermotronic, etc.) which are quite cool and unique for a 11 year old car. The pleasure of driving a vr6 car is very high, the car has a very good throttle response (after the initial auto-box lag of course) and at cruising speeds I'm bearly touching the gas pedal at all. It might lose-out to some gti and turbo cars at the traffic light sprint but when ...
Advantages: Speed, comfort, vw reliabilty, vw resale value Disadvantages: Its thirsty! If it does go wrong it can get expensive. Thief magnet!
I have been a fan of Golfs especially the GTI's for many years since owning my first MkII 1.88V GTI. It was a very high mileage abused example, but performed fantastically despite minimal attention to servicing for three more years. When I was offered this 1997 example of the MkIII VR6 by a friend I jumped at the chance of owning another higher spec GTI.
I'll get the specs over with first. The VR6 came in a number of different guises - luxury GT spec with heated leather interior and Air-con and auto boxes (more your older drivers car) to basic 5 speed manual options with cloth trims for the boy racers! My version was a rarity - AIr-con and sun roof but no leather interior with a 5 speed manual gearbox. All VR6'sare based on the same V6 2.8 engine block which is what I would call a "nearly V" 6 as it has a very narrow V profile more ...
