Here's how I look at the VCR & your Cash.
Your talking about 1/4 ? Of your starting funds. Allocated, basically, to reducing a "hard" maneuver from 2 Hits to 1 Hit needed. And reducing EXTREME maneuvers from 3 Hits to 2 Needed. 9 Dice is going to average 3 Hits.
Not counting your Edge, I think your still in shape to pull most moves out fairly easily. You just might need edge to save your bacon in a combo of highly dangerous move + bad dice rolling comes into play. Which shouldn't be more than once a mission or so, in most cases.
Again, that is based on my minimal understanding of the VCR in 5E as I'm currently playing a magic user. But I have read up on the section a little.
IMHO, I'd shoot for VCR-1 now, grade dependent on cash for other options........... And then shoot for a VCR-2-Alpha/Beta/Delta as a long term goal.
Sensei? Is that the L3 one for 1K. That is my next favorite one at Char-Gen after the Ikon.
For for the parts/contact. If you were asking him to repair a Helo or Tank or something w/ an Assault Cannon mounted on it. Then sure, maybe Connection is going to come into play. But the NPC is a Mechanic. He should have a full repair shop. Basic/Upgrade car parts shouldn't be an issue at all. Even Drones have to be pretty common at repair shops in 2075.
Page 45 of SR5: Thresholds table: Easy - 1, Average - 2, Hard - 4, Very Hard - 6, Extreme - 8-10. That means my rating 2 rig makes Hard tests a threshold of 2, and Extreme tests anywhere from 6-8 hits needed. Not that that isn't strong, it is, since the possibility of having an Extreme test is very unlikely, but a rating 1 rig makes even Hard tests 3 hits still. Unless I'm interpreting it wrong and most vehicle tests don't even come close to Extreme on the scale, it still can be fairly difficult.
Another things on page 266 of SR5: "When you’re jumped into a vehicle, drone, or other device, the limits of that device are increased by the rating of your control rig. This includes vehicle and drone Sensor, Speed, and Handling, and the Accuracy of mounted weapons when used by the rigger. The control rig also connects more smoothly through an RCC when operating in VR." Seems pretty beneficial to me, but I should point out that I have never been in a Shadowrun game ever, so maybe those stats are already high enough. That section also only relates to jumping into vehicles, not just giving them commands, so that is another thing.
However, your point is sound, and I think I probably will drop it, if I need the money. It actually constitutes about 1/3 of my money, but I want to see what else I can rearrange first, and if I need excess cash, then I will lower it to rating 1, since it does give me about 40k more nuyen.
Yes, the Renraku Sensei is the 1,000 nuyen one that's right in the middle. I personally think it's good for a commlink that isn't too expensive yet still is functional.
Thanks for clarifying about the contact, I probably can drop the connection to one. However, one last question, what about Aerial vehicles? Obviously, I can't afford one at Char-gen, but I plan on getting a Banshee at some point, simply because it is such a cool plane. Would repairs for that require more parts?
If I come off as being rude, I don't mean to, I greatly appreciate your advice and input. I'm just one of those people that likes to understand "the why" of everything.