Considering buying a new or new used car

[puma1552]

Grab yourself a glass bottle Coke and have a read if you like cars.

I currently have a '13 Jetta SEL w/Nav as a daily driver which I picked up last December, my first new car. There's really nothing like a brand new car, I must say.

Until the Jetta, I've always had RWD muscle cars or RWD German cars. I have a Camaro for a summer toy which I've had for 14 years, so when I bought the Jetta I was thinking ultimate daily driver, meaning maximum creature comforts as I pretty much just sit in traffic all day anyway as I work downtown. I put priority on comforts rather than fun-to-drive factor. The Jetta delivers, with comfort access w/push button ignition, navigation, heated power seats, moonroof, bluetooth, iPod cable, Fender stereo w/subwoofer, etc. Very happy with the features.

But I'm just bored as hell with it already. I think I've spent more time trying to like it than actually liking it. I also don't rag my cars out so I figured for my puttering around town purposes, FWD would be fine, but I'm starting to think that might be half the problem, but I'm not sure.

So, I've talked to the wife and she's cool with me getting into something new in the spring, by which point I'll have had the Jetta close to 1.5 years so hopefully won't take too much of a bath on.

So here's the short list. Note that these cars span the spectrum, some are RWD coupes, others are FWD sedans and everything in between. What do I need in a vehicle? Nothing - I have no kids and no plans to have any during the ownership of this next vehicle, it's just me and my wife and we are small people (I'm 5'5" and my wife is probably 5'3" or so and neither of us are fat) so we don't need a big fatass car either, small cars are plenty fine. I'm simply listing vehicles I like and would consider owning.

I also don't care about gas mileage. Also whatever I buy will be automatic or whatever automatic variant there is (DSG/DCT, etc) - I still have to sit in traffic and today's autos/automated manuals are so good, and I've had my share of manuals and I don't feel the need to impress any dumb kids by saying it's a manual or justifying why I'm going auto. Car will remain 100% bone stock. Better places to put cash these days. Car will also be driven year-round in MN winters - I've never had a problem with RWD here and don't anticipate that changing, I've driven RWD here for years without issue. Whatever I choose will also be optioned with Xenons, not buying another halogen headlighted car. LED taillights are a huge bonus.

As for my budget, it really depends on how things are in the spring but maximum would be $35,000, but better would be a car that stickers around $35,000 but could be had for closer to $30,000. But $35,000 ballpark give or take, plus or minus. If something is $36,000 and fantastic, well, I can find $1,000 to make it work. Also this will be a purchase, not a lease.

If it's not on this list, I'm not interested. I've considered pretty much everything out there. STIs, Evos, Camaros, etc (I know these three will be mentioned)...just don't care for those, just don't do it for me at all.

Truthfully I'd rather have new so I know it's never been in an accident or had paint/bodywork done, as Carfax only tells you so much. Plus brand new with 5 miles and a warranty is great. But, some of the used cars are so enticing that I should at least consider them in sub-20,000 mile iterations.

You'll notice this list doesn't worry too much about features, more looking at subjective fun to drive and looks.

So here goes, broken into new and used, in no particular order -

New:

2014 Mustang GT Premium

Pros:

--Outstanding performance all around
--RWD Coupe
--V8
--Ford build quality is fantastic these days
--Cheap(ish) to own
--Like the car enough that I could probably keep it for 5 years
--Gorgeous inside and out
--End of model run so all bugs worked out

Cons:

--Expensive, around $41k optioned out in a "no-settling" manner, though it could probably be had for $34k
--I think the last day to order a '14 is December/January of this year as they are getting ready to roll out the '15, so I'd probably be stuck settling for a leftover on the lot which I am not willing to do
--$120/month full coverage insurance with a flawless driving record
--Not interested in buying a used one that's been ragged to hell, its new or nothing for this car, this is absolutely a "no settling" car

2014 Challenger R/T Classic

Pros:

--Fantastic looking muscle car in Classic trim
--RWD Coupe
--V8
--Cheap(ish) to own
--Mature product in its 7th model year

Cons:

--"Slow" (only in comparison to its muscle car contemporaries)
--Car is a pig, this thing is huge and needs to lose weight which is the very reason it flat out loses every Camaro/Mustang/Challenger comparison, by a long shot
--8" wheels look like pizza cutters from behind due to sheer size of car
--Interior is too plain, too corporate Chrysler
--Can't really see myself choosing this over a Mustang GT Premium (but you never know)
--No LED tails

2014 Volkswagen CC R-line

Pros:

--Price (dealer currently has a '13 with a sticker of $34,300 listed for $28,800 to move it)
--Absolutely beautiful car - "panache", "svelte", "elegant", you name it this car defines it, especially from the rear with its sexy LED tails. Looks like $100k car at dusk at a glance
--Few people have ever heard of it, let alone seen it...great rubberneck factor
--Frameless doors (pretty cool for a 4 door)
--VW's great engine
--Very sensible choice and very realistic for a 29 year old young professional "grown/growing up" car
--Quality feel and materials
--Just had a midcycle refresh for 2013

Cons:

--FWD (then again FWD isn't necessarily a crime for nasty MN winters)
--4 doors (albeit considered a 4 door coupe due to slope of roofline a la Mercedes CLS)
--Feels bigger than it is
--Questionable reliability based on forums but no major known issues
--Worst resale by far of any car I can think of for no apparent reason

2014 BMW 320i

Pros:

--Good torque curve (200 lb/ft from 1200-4500 RPM) so even being a 180 hp base model it should scoot around town plenty fine (my Jetta makes 177 lb/ft north of 4000 RPM so even the 320i should feel much faster)
--RWD
--Nice interior
--Same platform as a $65k 335i so build quality-wise it should feel like a bargain
--Resale should be pretty good
--Sensible car

Cons:

--Stigma that people think you just want the badge since it's a base model
--Not a lot of negotiation room on BMWs
--4 doors
--Price, just want Sport/Lighting/Heated seats/Moonroof but that's nearly $38k
--Questionable reliability

2014 Nissan 370Z Sport

Pros:

--RWD Coupe
--Good power/performance
--Mature product
--2013 midcycle refresh (tiny refresh though, looks nearly identical to earlier models)
--Nissan reduced the MSRP by $2500-$3100 depending on model for 2014 to fight absolutely lagging sales (they only sell 7,000 a year, ouch, sucks for anyone who bought a '13)
--Nissan build quality and reliability

Cons:

--Maybe a little too boy racer for me, kind of gets into the Evo/STI/GTI grouping which isn't really my style or what I want to associate with
--Really getting stale and long in the tooth, Nissan does virtually nothing year over year with this (probably contributes to lagging sales) and a redesign expected for 2015 - unlike the 2014 Mustang which I expect to age well against the redesigned '15, I don't see Japanese cars aging well so it could look seriously dated in just 12 months' time once the '15 is out
--Kind of a fat car

2015 Audi A3

Pros:

--Great size
--Stunning interior
--Nice looking exterior, especially in S-line trim
--Price should be competitive with 320i (could be pro or con)

Cons:

--4 doors
--FWD or Quattro (I don't get a huge boner for AWD like a lot of people)
--Probably have to buy either a FWD with a gross CVT or be pushed to an 8 speed auto with quattro, driving price up (won't buy a CVT, no thank you)
--Option pricing unknown but probably adds up quick
--Won't be out until next spring so I'd be an early adopter
--Same lack of negotiation/incentives on it like the 320i I would imagine

2014 BMW 228i

(pictured is M235i)

Pros:

--RWD Coupe
--Pretty good power (240ish HP)
--Small

Cons:

--Won't be released until next year so I'd be an early adopter
--Pricing unknown but same ballpark as 320i I would expect - likely zero incentives for early adopters
--Questionable reliability

Used:

~2011 BMW Z4

Pros:

--I've wanted one of these since they came out in 2003
--Retractable hardtop on 2009+ models makes year-round driving just fine
--RWD
--Good power/performance (probably be looking at an sdrive3.0i rather than 3.5i for price reasons)
--Beautiful in and out when optioned right
--Would still be worth pretty good coin by the time it's paid off making a healthy down payment on my next car
--Could see myself driving this for 5 years

Cons:

--Still expensive
--Terrifying out of warranty costs
--Would hate to see that retractable hardtop mechanism break outside of warranty
--Not a sensible choice from a purely financial perspective
--Really hard to find in the north, let alone optioned how I would want with the miles I want and absolutely flawless; it's probably out there but it would take a long time to find and I'd have to pay pretty close to asking price
--Already 3 years old

~2008 Corvette

Pros:

--RWD Coupe
--Awesome power/performance
--Lean, hasn't gotten fat/bloated like the other muscle cars
--Great looking
--Low miles shouldn't be a problem to find being toys for most owners

Cons:

--Tough to daily drive on bad roads due to ride height
--Would possibly feel a bit foolish seen driving this in a snowstorm
--A lot of money for a pretty old car, tough to justify $30k+ for something going on ~6 years old
--Unknown history, could've been ragged hard (but more likely owned by an old blue hair)
--Not sure where a Vette falls in terms of ownership/maintenance/repair cost, it is an American RWD V8 but it is also a Corvette
--Interior is decent but not great
--Not sure on insurance price
--I may have too much hair to join this club

~2011 Audi TT

Pros:

--Good size
--Decent power/performance

Cons:

--Long in the tooth, getting kind of boring
--Interior is just OK
--Wife drives a redesigned '12 Beetle and this just seems too similar
--Out of warranty reliability/costs

~2010 BMW 135i

Pros:

--Good looking
--Great size
--Fantastic performance
--Great resale, would still be worth good money when paid off
--Great drivers car

Cons:

--Interior is pretty damn plain for the price point
--Soon to be replaced with 2 series
--Turbo replacement ($$$$$$$$)
--Like the other BMWs, out of warranty costs and reliability are an issue
--Nearly impossible to find and when you do you're going to pay an arm and a leg because when they come up they sell immediately so forget negotiating
--Almost guaranteed to be ragged very hard
--Getting old for the money

 

[TSE]

As a 20 year Minnesotan, I wouldn't drive any of those expensive sports cars, ESPECIALLY RWD in Minnesotan winters. I didn't read your full post, but if you have a second, cheaper, better snow car, those are always good. My friend picked up a 1997 AWD Subaru for $1200 and only drives it in the winter, and it has worked out for him incredibly well. A second car is advised... It's not so much that a lot of those cars can't handle them, because a lot of those FWD cars can.... it's the salt they throw on the street completely disintegrates the bottom of cars, and that's not something you want on a $40k car. Our 2001 Acura TL 3.2 V-Tech FWD is a fun car to drive, and is surprisingly good in the snow, but the bottom of the car already looks rusted out although we went through carwashes every one to two weeks during the winter months.

I think the new BMWs have really caught up in good value per dollar, and the industrial design has certainly improved. Of your choices I would recommend the new BMWs.

And also to note, the Challengers, while power and some of the best looking cars of any current American muscle car, aren't that fun to drive... lots of body rolling in turns, and they are just boats compared to the Mustang and Camaro. They do have a really fun sound while driving them though and you can honestly feel the power while driving, though.

TL;DR:

-If you NEED to drive these cars in the winter, don't go RWD
-The new BMWs are great value per dollar as far as fun cars go
-A second, cheap AWD or 4WD car is recommended, not only for better snow performance but to increase longevity of your $40k car
-You can't go wrong with the options you have listed, except for maybe the Challenger

 

[ucfgrad93]

-If you NEED to drive these cars in the winter, don't go RWD
-The new BMWs are great value per dollar as far as fun cars go
-A second, cheap AWD or 4WD car is recommended, not only for better snow performance but to increase longevity of your $40k car
-You can't go wrong with the options you have listed, except for maybe the Challenger

Agreed. Going with a RWD option as your only car is a bad idea. I like all of your possible selections, but I wouldn't choose some of them for a all year car in Minnesota.

 

[Tsuchiya]

Have you considered a 2011-onwards C-class with AWD or an A4/A5?

If I didn't have to worry about winters though, the 320i fresh from the showroom would be my pick of the bunch. Muscle cars are nice, but I wouldn't pick one as a daily driver and the other options have achilles heels that can't be ignored (old gen, poor transmission, FWD, ****, combination of above)

Options on the 320i aren't cheap though.

 

[G51989]

I would personally for the new generation Ford Fusion Ecoboost Turbo, not a bad car. Good price, and can be ordered with AWD

http://www.ford.com/cars/fusion/trim/titanium/

Though personally, if you want the best daily driver and don't care about gas. Nothing beats an F350 If a Prius gets in the way, just run it over

 

[shinji]

From reading your opinions on these cars, it really sounds like you want a BMW.

Go with a 3 series and be done with it. It has more oomph than the Jetta, and the price after all is said and done wouldn't be that much more than you want to spend.

Personally, I'd go with the 370z. I don't think it's STI/Evo'ish at all. It's a very cool car, which might very well also be the most reliable choice here. The Z4 would be my second choice.

 

[puma1552]

As a 20 year Minnesotan, I wouldn't drive any of those expensive sports cars, ESPECIALLY RWD in Minnesotan winters.

Agreed. Going with a RWD option as your only car is a bad idea. I like all of your possible selections, but I wouldn't choose some of them for a all year car in Minnesota.

RWD really isn't bad if that's what you learned to drive with, I spent fifteen years driving RWD in winter, it's not as bad as people make it sound.

Have you considered a 2011-onwards C-class with AWD or an A4/A5?

I have, the C is really nice but my wife already claimed dibs on either a C or CLA for her nextc ar so it's not allowed.

The A5 is nice but used ones around here are still damn expensive, plus there's something slightly off about the look to me. Not sure what, too rounded or plain from the back? S5 and rS5 look amazing though. A4s are nice but by far the most common luxo cars around here and to me they really don't look like much going down the road. S-lines look good though. In the end though it reminds me a lot of my Jetta. The CC at least has that four door coupe look going for it, but the A4 just seems too sedan, and not in a driver's car way.

I would personally for the new generation Ford Fusion Ecoboost Turbo, not a bad car. Good price, and can be ordered with AWD

http://www.ford.com/cars/fusion/trim/titanium/

Though personally, if you want the best daily driver and don't care about gas. Nothing beats an F350 If a Prius gets in the way, just run it over

Fusion isn't really in the league of the above list, and I may as well keep my Jetta. Fusion is a nice car though, but I don't need a big family car.

From reading your opinions on these cars, it really sounds like you want a BMW.

It's love/hate for me with BMW. I've had an E30 coupe and an E36 sedan, the latter of which was the biggest pile I've ever owned and turned me off to BMW for an entire decade. I found both to be overrated, but fun enough to drive to not get terribly bored. BMW's pricing has gotten disgusting but everyone just keeps drinking the Kool-Aid and pays whatever they ask, which is why you can now spend $65k on a non-M 3 series or a ridiculous $70k for a non-M Z4. I come back to BMW with a lot of hesitation and trepidation, though I've never had a new one with a warranty. If I get a 320i, it's sport, lighting, heated seats, and moonroof, not gonna let BMW nickel and dime me into a $45k base model 3 series (which should be a crime).

I'd much prefer the new 2 series since it's a coupe, but I'm really curious to see where 228i pricing falls compared to 320i pricing. I suspect the 228i will be slightly more, but if it's not, I think BMW will force you to buy the premium package in order to get the lighting package, which means $4500 for xenons. They do this with the 128i, which is why I won't even consider a new one - forcing someone to spend $4500 and get a completely unrelated package just to get xenon headlights is stupid and a lost sale. Then again they might stick the pricing just under the 320i price but pull a dirty move like that so that the 228i comes out more expensive every time, and prices it out of my budget, which would push me to the 320i.

 

[shinji]

It's love/hate for me with BMW. I've had an E30 coupe and an E36 sedan, the latter of which was the biggest pile I've ever owned and turned me off to BMW for an entire decade. I found both to be overrated, but fun enough to drive to not get terribly bored. BMW's pricing has gotten disgusting but everyone just keeps drinking the Kool-Aid and pays whatever they ask, which is why you can now spend $65k on a non-M 3 series or a ridiculous $70k for a non-M Z4. I come back to BMW with a lot of hesitation and trepidation, though I've never had a new one with a warranty. If I get a 320i, it's sport, lighting, heated seats, and moonroof, not gonna let BMW nickel and dime me into a $45k base model 3 series (which should be a crime).

I'd much prefer the new 2 series since it's a coupe, but I'm really curious to see where 228i pricing falls compared to 320i pricing. I suspect the 228i will be slightly more, but if it's not, I think BMW will force you to buy the premium package in order to get the lighting package, which means $4500 for xenons. They do this with the 128i, which is why I won't even consider a new one - forcing someone to spend $4500 and get a completely unrelated package just to get xenon headlights is stupid and a lost sale. Then again they might stick the pricing just under the 320i price but pull a dirty move like that so that the 228i comes out more expensive every time, and prices it out of my budget, which would push me to the 320i.

2010'ish Boxster as another idea?

 

[puma1552]

2010'ish Boxster as another idea?

Nah, definitely not my style and I'd be terribly afraid of repair costs, more so than BMW.

 

[G51989]

Nah, definitely not my style and I'd be terribly afraid of repair costs, more so than BMW.

I would trust a Porsche more than a BMW, having owned a BMW in the past, and heard lots of horror stories, I can say at least in my opinion, they aren't worth the money, and you don't get a high quality vehicle for the money you pay, they consistently lag behind most major manufacturers in reliability.

I recommended the fusion as it has AWD and isn't a BMW mostly. What about a Lexus?

Or, the Corvette? I have a 2012 Grand Sport, and its great.

Maybe I'm just biased, I'll never go back to that junk brand again after my 2005 M3 left me on the ride of the road six freaking times.

 

[quagmire]

What about a Lexus?

You want to kill the guy via boredom?

Or, the Corvette? I have a 2012 Grand Sport, and its great.

Corvette is definitely a good vehicle.

Have you looked at the Cadillac ATS? Can probably get a good deal on a 2013 model year if they have one close to your liking or get a decently equipped used one.

 

[puma1552]

I would trust a Porsche more than a BMW, having owned a BMW in the past, and heard lots of horror stories, I can say at least in my opinion, they aren't worth the money, and you don't get a high quality vehicle for the money you pay, they consistently lag behind most major manufacturers in reliability.

I recommended the fusion as it has AWD and isn't a BMW mostly. What about a Lexus?

Or, the Corvette? I have a 2012 Grand Sport, and its great.

Maybe I'm just biased, I'll never go back to that junk brand again after my 2005 M3 left me on the ride of the road six freaking times.

I can definitely relate with the BMW, hence my hesitation. I spent $8,000 on repairs on my E36 in four years - straight up repairs, on top of maintenance. Lexus is great in terms of comfort, reliability, and quietness, but it's clear you are in a tarted up Toyota and they have that appliance feel. Definitely not driver's cars.

I'd say the most realistic cars on my list (in order) would be the CC or the 320i, with the Z4 being the most likely to be bought used option on my list. The Mustang is realistic but I don't think come spring I'll be able to get it how I want since order banks close in a couple months meaning I'll be stuck with wonkily optioned ones on lots (usually no option cars with something wonky like park distance sensors or tech package only) and that's a car I'm just not willing to settle on. For me to go used at this price point I'd have to REALLY love the car and the Z4 tops the used list above. Not to say test drives can't surprise me, hence why there are others on the list.

On one hand $35k gets a lot of car, but on the other hand sadly it kind of doesn't, new anyway in the enthusiast market.

----------

You want to kill the guy via boredom?



Corvette is definitely a good vehicle.

Have you looked at the Cadillac ATS? Can probably get a good deal on a 2013 model year if they have one close to your liking or get a decently equipped used one.

I did and it's a nice car but it's a victim of forcing you into one that's over $40k for xenons. Forcing me to buy a much higher trim to get something that should be an option results in an automatic lost sale, unfortunately. The car would be higher on my list if xenons were a standalone option I could add to any trim.

I actually find it ridiculous those aren't flat out standard on $30k+ cars in 2013, they've been around since the late '90s ffs. Wife and I drove through the Merc lot today and they had 15 C classes lined up in a row and not ONE had xenons. 4/5 $50k+ E classes had low tech halogens as well, what the hell? For some reason that irks me so much, nothing makes a luxury car look base/cheap as crap as halogen headlights. Sad thing is so many people go to the lot and buy whatever without doing any research or probably have never even noticed that xenons exist on the road. Getting off on a tangent, but Cadillac should rethink their packaging a bit. Great car otherwise, can't wait to see what a home run the next gen will be with such a fantastic first shot.

 

[G51989]

I can definitely relate with the BMW, hence my hesitation. I spent $8,000 on repairs on my E36 in four years - straight up repairs, on top of maintenance..

I got fed up after a transmission failure at 12,500ish miles meant it wouldn't be able to do my Florida road trip, but my 5 year old 28K Crown Victoria seemed to be up to the task .

I eventually dumped the bimmer after a year.

When I mean Lexus, I mean used ISF, can easily be had for 35K in good condition

 

[adk]

You mentioned "29 year old professional" and "grown up car" a few times. I don't know what you do for a living but the car you pull up to the office in daily makes a big statement. Maybe it's stereotypical, but I would feel hesitant about using a CPA who came to work every day in a Hemi Challenger or a lifted pickup truck.

If professional image is important to you I'd stick with one of the German cars from your list.

 

[G51989]

You mentioned "29 year old professional" and "grown up car" a few times. I don't know what you do for a living but the car you pull up to the office in daily makes a big statement. Maybe it's stereotypical, but I would feel hesitant about using a CPA who came to work every day in a Hemi Challenger or a lifted pickup truck.

If professional image is important to you I'd stick with one of the German cars from your list.

Eh, who cares what others think? I often come into the officer parking lot in my Corvette, I'll take it over a boring BMW or Audi any day

 

[MyiBill]

You said that you dont like the looks of the A4 but the A3 is almost exactly the same only smaller. You could get a new A4 with auto, quattro, sun roof, heated seats, and the lighting package for close to $30k

 

[G51989]

You said that you dont like the looks of the A4 but the A3 is almost exactly the same only smaller. You could get a new A4 with auto, quattro, sun roof, heated seats, and the lighting package for close to $30k

The only with an Audi, is that their reabilty is questionable at best. They are well known for frequent breakdowns, being maintenance intensive, and very expensive to service. You pay for a badge with Audi, and that's about it.

 

[MyiBill]

The only with an Audi, is that their reabilty is questionable at best. They are well known for frequent breakdowns, being maintenance intensive, and very expensive to service. You pay for a badge with Audi, and that's about it.

Depends on the dealer with the maintenance and service. I bought the A4 and got a service plan/extended warranty/tire and wheel insurance for $20 a month for 5 years. So if anything happens to the car in the next 5 years Im covered, even if I run over rocks and need 4 new tires and wheel Audi will come pick the car up and replace the wheels and tires with brand new ones all covered for the $20. I dont know if thats a dealer thing are an audi thing but I think its great. Oil changes and other maintenance is covered as well.

 

[G51989]

Depends on the dealer with the maintenance and service. I bought the A4 and got a service plan/extended warranty/tire and wheel insurance for $20 a month for 5 years. So if anything happens to the car in the next 5 years Im covered, even if I run over rocks and need 4 new tires and wheel Audi will come pick the car up and replace the wheels and tires with brand new ones all covered for the $20. I dont know if thats a dealer thing are an audi thing but I think its great. Oil changes and other maintenance is covered as well.

Thats fairly standard with any car these days.

My reasons for saying he should avoid Audis is due to the reliability issues, sure Audi will tow the car aware and get it fixed for you free of charge, but the fact is, you were still left on t he side of the road with a failed transmission or half shaft.

Where as with a Cadillac, Lexus, BMW or Merc, the chances of that happening are far less.

Theres a guy I know who has a very sexy and very nice modified R8 V10, and its in the shop all the time for whatever failed this time. I've seen it overheat and break down at the treat before. While my lowly American made Corvette Grand Sport just pounds the laps out all day long without even a glitch, and already has almost 50,000 miles on it without a single failure.

 

[MyiBill]

Thats fairly standard with any car these days.

My reasons for saying he should avoid Audis is due to the reliability issues, sure Audi will tow the car aware and get it fixed for you free of charge, but the fact is, you were still left on t he side of the road with a failed transmission or half shaft.

Where as with a Cadillac, Lexus, BMW or Merc, the chances of that happening are far less.

Theres a guy I know who has a very sexy and very nice modified R8 V10, and its in the shop all the time for whatever failed this time. I've seen it overheat and break down at the treat before. While my lowly American made Corvette Grand Sport just pounds the laps out all day long without even a glitch, and already has almost 50,000 miles on it without a single failure.

Yes but any "super car" is not bought for its reliability nor are they expected to be driven as a daily driver, a corvette is more comparable to a camaro ss or mustang gt, both cars that are able to be used as daily drivers. I wouldnt use my R8 to commute to work or school or whatever a corvette maybe.

 

[AustinIllini]

People misunderstand Porsches (i'm one of them). If you're looking at a new BMW, a used Porsche might be a better options (They're Lexus reliable).

OP, if you are worried at all about the prices of fixing the car, do not buy anything manufactured by Volkswagen (See J.D. Power and Associate ratings. Audi, Volkswagen are awful. porsche is the exception). If you want the BMW, get the BMW. You won't regret it, and they at least maintain their value.

 

[puma1552]

You mentioned "29 year old professional" and "grown up car" a few times. I don't know what you do for a living but the car you pull up to the office in daily makes a big statement. Maybe it's stereotypical, but I would feel hesitant about using a CPA who came to work every day in a Hemi Challenger or a lifted pickup truck.

If professional image is important to you I'd stick with one of the German cars from your list.

I work in engineering, but most engineers couldn't give two turds about what they drive, let alone what someone else in the office drives. I doubt anyone would even know what I had, since I pretty much never go out to lunch. The "29 year old professional" bit was more just personal feeling than outward impression.

You said that you dont like the looks of the A4 but the A3 is almost exactly the same only smaller. You could get a new A4 with auto, quattro, sun roof, heated seats, and the lighting package for close to $30k

I just went to the Audi site and it looks like I'd actually be north of $40k for those options. Too expensive, and I know the B9 A4 will be out soon which looks awesome, but I'm sure the A3, while intentioned to be a cheaper alternative to the current A4, will almost certainly end up in current A4 pricing within a couple years because I believe the B9 is going upmarket. I still would prefer an A3 sized car, so spending more on a car that's larger than I would like wouldn't be the way to go for me. I really like the upcoming A3 for a small Audi.

People misunderstand Porsches (i'm one of them). If you're looking at a new BMW, a used Porsche might be a better options (They're Lexus reliable).

OP, if you are worried at all about the prices of fixing the car, do not buy anything manufactured by Volkswagen (See J.D. Power and Associate ratings. Audi, Volkswagen are awful. porsche is the exception). If you want the BMW, get the BMW. You won't regret it, and they at least maintain their value.

It's funny you mention that about VW, my wife and I have two, bought brand new, and neither have had any issues at all (and hers is a first year redesigned '12 Beetle) and the service has been excellent from our dealer. Would not hesitate to buy another. That said, I would still hesitate to keep one much out of warranty. The two BMWs I had were the worst cars I ever owned, lol.

I can't stop drooling over Z4s tonight.

 

[AustinIllini]

It's funny you mention that about VW, my wife and I have two, bought brand new, and neither have had any issues at all (and hers is a first year redesigned '12 Beetle) and the service has been excellent from our dealer. Would not hesitate to buy another. That said, I would still hesitate to keep one much out of warranty. The two BMWs I had were the worst cars I ever owned, lol.

I can't stop drooling over Z4s tonight.

Her '12 beetle probably isn't old enough to really start having problems. I'm specifically referring to the used models, however. At 70,000 miles they will just stop working. Something will break multiple times, and they are expensive to fix. If you can get a new model with a long warranty, VWs are fine I guess (except breaking cars are still super inconvenient as mentioned in a previous post), but to buy used is just silliness.

 

[puma1552]

Her '12 beetle probably isn't old enough to really start having problems. I'm specifically referring to the used models, however. At 70,000 miles they will just stop working. Something will break multiple times, and they are expensive to fix. If you can get a new model with a long warranty, VWs are fine I guess (except breaking cars are still super inconvenient as mentioned in a previous post), but to buy used is just silliness.

Yeah, the only VW on my list in the OP is a new one...luckily I would be able to afford the CC brand new.

I don't plan on keeping any of these cars to 70,000 miles, unless it would be the Mustang or maybe the Z4 (but who knows, life circumstances may change or the car may end up being flawless).

Anxiously awaiting the 2-series unveiling later this month and official pricing and options packages.

Another car I would really love that I didn't put on the list is an E92 coupe or convertible (another retractable hardtop so just fine for year round driving). But, I don't see there being any way that I would choose an E92 convertible over a Z4, so I left it off the list.

I found a gorgeous Melbourne Red on black 2011 Z4 sdrive30i with 24k miles and nearly two years of factory warranty left (very late '11 build) with Msport, auto, nav, heated seats, premium, bluetooth, iPod, etc., pretty much everything you could want for $33,800. Too bad it's not next spring and I'm not ready to buy, damn.

 

[G51989]

Yes but any "super car" is not bought for its reliability nor are they expected to be driven as a daily driver, a corvette is more comparable to a camaro ss or mustang gt, both cars that are able to be used as daily drivers. I wouldnt use my R8 to commute to work or school or whatever a corvette maybe.

An R8 is supposed to be used as a daily driver, I wouldn't really put it in super car territory. An R8 is fairly practical ,and is advertised to be used every day.

I find it hilarious that my Corvette is much more comfortable inside, more reliable, as well as faster than any R8