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Going to buy a new car by October. Suggestions?

waynesun said:
if you're into speed and tuning, try a Subaru WRX STi, or an Mitsu Lancer Evo 9 MR. i'd prefer the older model STi, over any Evo, build + quality (interior) is better. Lexus IS 350 + 250 is a good investment, Toyotas/Lexuses hold their value pretty well, as well as Acura/Hondas. Acura's turbocharged RDX is coming later this year, you can look into that too. As for Used, Used Acura NSX's can go for 35k on the market if you look hard enough. Why don't you invest that money into some house, sell it, and make even more money? I guarantee you'll be able to buy something along the lines of a Vette C6/Z06. You'll have the best of both worlds: 500 HP + exotic killer and you'll be able to go to your local chevy dealer for maitenance(sp). Good luck with the buy, there are a lot of great cars out there nowadays.

VOLKSWAGENS! - BEWARE, V-Dubs are infamous for their electrical problems, my family owns a Passat GLS and that has had nothing but ECU problems. Although a select few get very lucky from time to time.

JAGS - SAME PROBLEM. reliability is ****. Again, this goes for a large margin of buyers that actually report these on car forums. Other companies (you'd be surprised) would include Audi, Volkswagen, Porsche, Ferrari etc.

get a cheaper car. you'll thank yourself in the long run.
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Japanese cars are sexy like a toaster. Or a microwave.

Part of having a sexy car (or trophy wife) means you'll pay for upkeep. So what? That just adds to the charm in its own little way. Real car guys will know what I'm talking about. You take a little pain with your pleasure.

The Lotus is an interesting idea as the purest driver's car out there, but I still give the Jags the highest mark for sexiness (unless you move up to an Aston Martin, but that's a whole different salary range there).
 
pseudobrit said:
Japanese cars are sexy like a toaster. Or a microwave.

Part of having a sexy car (or trophy wife) means you'll pay for upkeep. So what? That just adds to the charm in its own little way. Real car guys will know what I'm talking about. You take a little pain with your pleasure.

The Lotus is an interesting idea as the purest driver's car out there, but I still give the Jags the highest mark for sexiness (unless you move up to an Aston Martin, but that's a whole different salary range there).
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Other than bragging rights and making your neighbors feel envious or making the feeling that you "belong:; why waste the money? Just because one can afford it - does not mean they should buy it.

IMO we have become too greedy. As much as I would hate it, I wish we would have another "Depression Era" to show what life is truly like. We are too "fat" and too "selfish" today IMO.
 
Having a 2006 model myself, I would recommend the Passat as well, but it depends on what you like. Even if someone offered me the highest end Passat out there, I would still get the Value Edition I got ( which was mostly because the 22k was in my uncle's price range ) just because it is a stick shift. For me, that was really the number 1 priority for me. I first thought about the Audi A4 by making my uncle let me pay for some of it, but I definitely wouldn't do it because it has the same engine as my Passat, unless you get the higher one, and the space inside is MUCH less. I am a decent height guy, about 6'1 or so, and anyone my height can sit behind me with no problem at all. In the A4, legroom really sucks.

But that said, maybe you don't plan on carrying more than one other person, so who cares about legroom back there? My wife-to-be is definitely going to get a Mini Cooper soon just because she is in love with the car and can enjoy it now before she starts having little ones to tote around.
 
NewbieNerd said:
Having a 2006 model myself, I would recommend the Passat as well, but it depends on what you like. Even if someone offered me the highest end Passat out there, I would still get the Value Edition I got ( which was mostly because the 22k was in my uncle's price range ) just because it is a stick shift. For me, that was really the number 1 priority for me.
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As much fun as VW's are to drive, I will never buy another VW till they take and address the South America manufacture of their cars. I had a '99 Beetle that was nothing but a problem. It was fun to drive when it worked. Toyota, Honda, or Subaru for me.
 
pseudobrit said:
Because it's a sexy car. Or a fast car. And some people value such things.
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I tend to agree. For some, a car is a tool, a utility to go from A to B. For others, it is the journey that matters and the pride of ownership of something that is well designed and well made. One of BMW's slogans is "Point B is not the point." I don't choose a car for its value as a status symbol or to feel like I belong in some exclusive club. Actually I despise cliques...passionately.

I buy a car that is engineered for the enthusiast. It is the combination of performance, handling, technology, and styling that turns me on. There are many car makers out there to suit the tastes of many types of buyers. For me, it is BMW that best designs and engineers the car I want. Audi comes next. Mercedes does not rank anywhere on my list. Neither does Porsche (you either love 'em or hate 'em). Neither do any Japanese models. The Italians rank high with me, but most are out of my price range.
 
I'm a bit biased but go with the TL. I own a 2005 TL and it's an awesome car and my 4th Acura. I can afford to buy pretty much any car I want and I keep choosing Acuras. It's quick, handles beautifully and has lots of nice toys (awesome stereo, BT for phone). Acura's have excellent reliability and their service department treats you like a king.

As a VP of an extended warranty company, I'd advise staying away from BMW and Mercedes. Reliability and cost of repairs are pretty bad these days.
 
Yeah, it's like someone put their soul into designing the car. Yes, almost all cars are made in a similar fashion, but the design process is much different.

I don't believe Japanese companies don't have a passion for well-enginneered cars. They do have a passion for driving, but they also value some things that have nothing to do with "driving" or "cars" (ie: safety, fuel economy, reliability), and I think that makes the difference. Safety, fuel economy, and reliability are a part of the design process that's just as important as performance numbers. Japanese companies balance their design budget to not only provide excellent performance, but safety, economy, and reliability as well because lets face it, the Japanese value these things highly, so for them, it's important to provide balance of all these things.

A lot of German and Italian car companies have a different mindset --- they design the "driver's" car. Yes, safety, economy, and reliability are factors, but they're weighted less on the priority list, while performance is a greater priority. Their cars are meant to be driven, full stop. Safety features have to be there, of course, but they're not going to start designing with safety in mind.......it's not #1 priority. As a result, you'll get a different feeling from driving a BMW than you would a Lexus.

American cars.......well, I'm under the impression that they build cars for the sake of building them. They're built to get you from A to B. They do like smooth, quiet cars with softer suspensions, so that should give you an idea of how driving them would be like.
 
Oh no, not at all. Safety ranks extremely high in the design process for BMW, Mercedes, Audi, and everyone else. BMW and Mercedes have been at the forefront of safety technology for years. Their passenger cages have historically been much more resistant to collapse from front, rear and side collisions. They have been among the first to enhance both passive and active safety systems such as front and rear crumple zones, side impact protection with reinforced doors and airbags, head restraints on the seats (even this simple thing has been standard in BMW and Mercedes for decades), etc. Mercedes offered a "virtual" third brake light by pulsing one of the two standard brake lights at a higher intensity. BMW today has Brake Force display -- during hard braking, a larger area of the brake light section illuminates. Mercedes has a system that detects an imminent collision and applies hard braking automatically, rolls up the windows, closes the sunroof, and sends out an SOS. BMW, Mercedes, and Audi also use extra-large disc brakes and rank among the best in stopping distance. BMW was among the first to move the navigation/LCD screen up to the level of the instrument panel. Why? Because your peripheral vision now stays on the road even as you look at the LCD screen. The Lexus ES still uses a recessed screen which causes you to completely take your eyes off the road. Even most Mercedes models have recessed LCDs, but everyone is following BMW's lead by placing them higher up.

As for reliability, this is often achieved through the use of fewer and simpler parts. If each part has a certain probability of failing, then you must multiply the failure probabilities for all parts to arrive at an overall MTBF for the car. You can make each part more reliable or you can reduce the number of parts. Historically, the Japanese have produced simple designs without a dizzying array of technologies. That is changing today in the luxury models from Acura, Lexus and Infiniti. But the Germans are still more aggressive in the introduction of new technologies. Witness the new Mercedes S Class.

Infiniti is the first to offer Lane Departure Warning, so it's good to see that more companies are pushing the envelope.
 
I think this thread is so popular bc it puts all of in the shoes he's in and let's us dream of what car we'd buy if we had that money to spend. :D
 
pseudobrit said:
Japanese cars are sexy like a toaster. Or a microwave.

Part of having a sexy car (or trophy wife) means you'll pay for upkeep. So what? That just adds to the charm in its own little way. Real car guys will know what I'm talking about. You take a little pain with your pleasure.

The Lotus is an interesting idea as the purest driver's car out there, but I still give the Jags the highest mark for sexiness (unless you move up to an Aston Martin, but that's a whole different salary range there).
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Lexus?
 
If you are considering a Porsche Boxster, my advice would be to skip the base model and do the "S". HUGE improvement in performance. But, Porsche doesn't try to appeal to the budget-conscious among us. Someone told me once that buying the Porsche is the easy part -- paying the maintenance and repairs is the expensive part. In other words, if you go Porsche, don't try to cut corners. But, good lord there is nothing like driving a Porsche. Once you own one, you'll be hooked for life and will need to have one in your garage. I understand motorcycle riders suffer from the same affliction. :)

VWs are good cars, but as someone else mentioned, they seem to be possessed with some bizzare electrical gremlins. Also, the Passat is in it's first year, which generally isn't a good idea.

Acuras are extremely well designed and manufactured. But, as with most Japanese cars, there is no "soul" to them. And front wheel drive absolultely blows. Lexus is another well-built vehicle, but again the "soul" isn't there when comapred to a German car.

A few posted have mentioned Subaru and while I'm sure they're fine automobiles, the resale factor is terrible and the sexiness factor is zero.

Audi is an upmarket yet nice VW. Not a bad choice when equipped with their quattro all-wheel drive.

Disclaimer - have at one time or another owned VWs, Audi, BMW, and Porsche
 
pseudobrit said:
There's a reason I didn't recommend a Yaris. Or a Lexus. Or a Volkswagen. If sexiness of the car is your primary concern, the Jag is your ticket.

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Sure, great cars - but well out of his price range I'd assume.

My aunt's 2005 XJ8 Vanden Plas is insanely wonderful. Very cozy, fast and scary clam at 100 +...
 
SharksFan22 said:
ksz - you're killing me!!! :D
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A thousand pardons!! :)

Reminds me of my trip to the BMW museum in Munich where all of the self-running videos showed Mercedes cars as yellow taxis! A little Harvard/Princeton rivalry! All in good fun.
 
Thanks to everyone who's replied!

I didn't know that the Acura TL was FWD only. That REALLY hurts. I've driven FWD and RWD cars and RWD is a thousand times better. I don't care how nice the car looks or drives or how much power it has, that stings. Unfortunately, I'm going to have to scratch Acura off of my list. I mean, if I'm going to be spending 40+ stacks on a new car, it better be as close to flawless as possible.
 
saabmp3 said:
I think what you need to do first is decide on a few points:

a) speed or luxury:

- My buddy has a Suburu WRX that can beat the pants off my 2001 Saab 9-3. However, in my oppinion, I wouldn't even consider a Suburu. In the 35 to 45k range for car prices, this is going to be your major trade off.

b) body type:

- Roadsters and Sedans are VERY different beasts. A roadster can be one of the most fun cars to drive, granted you can park it and drive SOMETHING ELSE as a daily driver. I know this, as I have both a Saab 9-3 and a Jeep Cherokee as potential DD's (mostly the Saab) and an Austin Healey roadster for fun. I spent a good amount of time looking at roadsters and came to the conclusion that the practacility of a new one was just absurd. I love my decision to spend a little less on my Saab and pick up the Healey as a complete toy.

c) Breed:

- An accura TSX just isn't the same type of car as a BMW, same as a Jag. All these cars have their associated quirks that you're going to need to learn to love. If reliability is a high point for you, then look towards a Lexus or Acura. If the name is of the most importance, then look at the BMW's, maybe a MB as a far contender. If overall build quality are of main importance, then Audi, Saab, MB and the new Jag's will be your ticket.

In my opinion, I would look at the MB's and Audi's for sedan choices. I was trying to decide between a Saab and an Audi 2 years ago (the 9-3 vs A4 or S4). I ended up going with another Saab just because I could get a good deal from the dealer. If I didn't have that opportunity, then I might be driving an A4 right now. They're both amazing cars. A MB is really a step up from these models.

If you want a convertible (which I think is a great choice at 22), the saab 9-3 arc or viggen convertible is, without a doubt, the best car out there for the money (in the body style). My father bought one a couple years ago (surprisingly when I showed him my Healey..but that's another story). Every time I go home and get the chance to drive it, I love it. I love the styling of it, the pep of the turbo, the roof, and the total experience (the smaller details such as road noise, handling, ergonomics). It will seat 4 adults and give you room for golf clubs in the trunk, something most won't.

But, in the end, make the choices above, then start to narrow down the field.

Ben
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Thanks for the reply. Yeah, the main thing I'm worried about is that although a roadster would be fun to drive, it will be too uncomfortable to use on a daily basis. Unfortunately, the only other car I will have is my current car, a relatively clunky '99 Saturn sedan with no power steering. Really, the more I think about it, the more appealing a luxury sedan is becoming as far as a daily driver is concerned. Something like an Infiniti G35 or an Acura TL (if only the TL wasn't FWD. Dangit!), or an IS 350. Or even a nice Coupe like the 330Ci.

I've been checking out the Saab 9-3 as instructed by a lot of the posters. The thing I don't like about the 9-3 Sedan is that it's quite a bit below my price target. But the 9-3 Convertible is over $10,000 more than the sedan, which seems quite a bit overpriced if you ask me. Someone want to give me some additional details about their Saab driving and ownership experience?

Audi is kind of out for the time being. My girlfriend is in love with the A4 and if we end up married, then we'll buy her an A4 in 4-6 years, assuming the A4 is still a quality car then. If I got an Audi for myself, my girlfriend would probably be so jealous she'd break up with me. ;)

Something about Jag kind of rubs me the wrong way. It can't describe it. I'll probably test drive an X, but I doubt I'll be going that route.

I've decided I can't afford an MB SLK280. With the options I'd require it pushes the price too high. The C350 Sport sedan looks pretty good, it's as high a Mercedes as I could afford. But I think someone mentioned that the C series is overpriced for what you get. Care to elaborate on that a bit?
 
anubis said:
I've been checking out the Saab 9-3 as instructed by a lot of the posters. The thing I don't like about the 9-3 Sedan is that it's quite a bit below my price target. But the 9-3 Convertible is over $10,000 more than the sedan, which seems quite a bit overpriced if you ask me. Someone want to give me some additional details about their Saab driving and ownership experience?
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Oh, a car is too cheap? What a horrible problem...Seriously, as I understand it, Saab has deliberately lowered prices on their offerings while making improvements to them - to attempt to make them more enticing in a very competive field. So you may end up getting a great value for your money. Perhaps you should look at it that way. BTW, Saabs have always been FWD, which has it's pluses and minuses.

I have an older Saab, the end of the run 9000 (1997) - the ancestor of the 9-3 line. I love it, but it has some driving quirks that modern Saabs no longer have - like torque-steer and elastic power delivery (turbo lag issues). It also has a hatchback, allowing for cavernous cargo hauling - and an elegant and intuitive interior (though no glove box). The 9-3 has a refrigerated glove-box and the ever-present ignition between the seats.

Obviously, my 9000 drives much different than a modern 9-3, but it's quirks are endearing to me, and I love the total package - although some cars can obviously out-perform it. The 9-3 will perhaps never rival a BMW 3-series in pure driveability, but you may find yourself liking it more anyway - give it a shot. Also, although they now offer a V6 turbo engine, the venerable turbo 4-banger has great fuel efficiency for performance, if it is enough for you.

My Saab has been pretty decent maintainance-wise, although as a european car, I am a big believer of preventative maintainance, and religiously check and replace components at mileage-related intervals. Repair costs were expensive, but less so than some in it's class.

Hopefully, a 9-3 owner will give you some more direct information. Also, the 9-3 wagon (the sportcombi) is the sexiest wagon I have ever seen.
 
anubis said:
I've been checking out the Saab 9-3 as instructed by a lot of the posters. The thing I don't like about the 9-3 Sedan is that it's quite a bit below my price target. But the 9-3 Convertible is over $10,000 more than the sedan, which seems quite a bit overpriced if you ask me. Someone want to give me some additional details about their Saab driving and ownership experience?
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Front wheel drive.
 
anubis said:
I really f*cking hate front wheel drive.
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Fact is most cars today are FWD. If you find a car that is FWD, find out if it has AWD as an option. FWD isn't that bad. The only thing bad about it that you will most likely see is Torque-steer.
 
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