Ok folks. I could use some help from my the sagacious readers of this blog about an upcoming automobile purchase. Here are the facts:
1. I will spend up to around $55,000
2. It can be new or used. If used, it must be "certified" and have at least one year remaining on its warranty.
3. I expect to purchase the car in February or March of 2010.
4. I currently drive a 2000 Acura 3.5RL with 155,000 miles on it. I have thoroughly enjoyed the car.
Here are the atmospherics:
1. I spend a good amount of time on the road between the Eastern Shore and Washington, and so I want the car to have a fair amount of luxury to it.
2. I am hard of hearing but enjoy talking on my phone while I drive--this means the car must be relatively quiet.
3. I am not ruling out a convertible; it must be a hard-top convertible though, so that I can keep the noise down when I need to.
4. Comfort, quality, attractiveness.
Here are the cars that I think about:
1. Mercedes S550 used
2. BMW 750 Li used
3. BMW 330 CI New
4. BMW Z4 New
5. BMW 650 CI Used
6. Cadillac XLR Used
7. Mercedes SL 550 used
8. Hyundai Genesis new
9. Chevrolet Corvette used
10. Jaguar XJ used
11. Jaguar XF new
12. Lexus LS 460 used
13. Range Rover used
14. Infiniti FX50 new
15. Infiniti M45 used
16. Audi S5 new
17. Audi A6 new
18. Audi A8 Used
19. Volvo S80 new
What I ask of those who answer is for you to provide the make and year of the car you'd recommend given the criteria I laid out above and the cars I'm thinking about, and then WHY you have recommended the car that you have. I realize that I'm all over the map on this, and that's why I'm asking for a little help.
Thanks in advance.
Sunday, August 9, 2009
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14 comments:
I waited a bit to post this just in case your audience had recommendations.
A friend once told me that the major difference between a democrat and a republican is that a democrat still remembers what it's like to be poor.
I note with some interest that only 2 or the 19 on the list are US brand cars, Cadillac and Chevrolet and of course high end XLR and Corvette; and, all of the cars are of significant substance <---read that as peer value.
Why not bring the old car to new status, invest the remainder in the economy and point out on the blog those in congress driving your "think about cars"!
It is what it is.
As a woman whose top car-selection criteria were cuteness and heated seats, I have little to contribute here, except to say that I would find it impossible to take you seriously if you were to get a Corvette. I cringe a bit knowing you're even considering it.
CW, you have indeed put together a listing of some pretty nice cars. Whichever car you get, ensure it has on-board Bluetooth for your Bluetooth equipped mobile phone. It would be nice to be able to gab (pass the time), with the volume up (compensate for your hearing), both hands on the wheel (safety my boy) as you circumnavigate the beltway and sprint out to the eastern shore.
I can't give you a driver's perspective on any of these cars, but my choices are:
Audi S5 (new)
BMW 750 Li (used)
Mercedes S550 (used)
I don't know if they have Bluetooth or not.
You mention you have thoroughly enjoyed your Acura 3.5RL, yet the Acura marque fails to make your list. Please explain.
Jim
Bill,
A couple of things:
1. I've never been "poor", so remembering it would be difficult.
2. We live in a globalized economy. Should I purchase a used BMW, a man in Annapolis and his employees will see money from the transaction.
3. Perhaps you've missed it, but the American car manufacturing industry has had a few issues lately.
PK,
Dear, I daresay you'd take me seriously if I were driving a Pinto.
Doc,
To be honest, when I look at the flagshp of Acura (the new 3.5Rl) it just doesn't compare to the Hyundai Genesis. In any way.
Contact Click & Clack the Tappet Brothers. Wanna ask Click and Clack a question on the air?
Call 1-888-CAR-TALK (888-227-8255)
Tom & Ray Maggliozi. They have the most humerous yet informative radio show there is on NPR, but they have extensive knowledge of automobiles and though they run a garage in Cambridge Mass. Both are graduates of MIT.
http://www.cartalk.com/index.html
I garantee they can give you much more sagacious advice.
I second Smoothfur's recommendation. Plus, these guys will throw in, absolutely free of charge, advice for how to keep in good standing with the Kitten. They are masters of the male condition. And damned funny too.
I'm with Smoothfur on the Tappet Bros.
But, just back from a long weekend in a remote and decidedly unpaved or graded setting with husband, 3YO child, geriatric lab, a couple of kayaks, and a whole lot of camping gear, I found myself freshly appreciating the non-luxury-oriented benefits of the old Volvo station wagon, cracked upholstery and all: size and strength.
Do you have a dedicated farm vehicle and pre-teen- and boat-hauling equipment -- is this new car going to be fully-dedicated to the commute and never requisitioned for home duties? I ask, because I can't tell you how many times I've grumbled while stuffing hay bales, chicken feed, and multiple foor-footed beasts into the less-than-ample hatchback of my commuting vehicle (my sweet little reliable, comfy Prius, which I otherwise adore), and the agony of watching a poorly placed kayak add a non-aerodynamic dent into the roof (temporarily, thank goodness).
I hate to pull the woman card, but I have never felt comfortable buying a used car -- always feel like they have my number when I walk in the lot. But, even if I knew my way around the car and the negotiation, was certain my car would be single use, as you describe, and I didn't remember being poor -- none of which applies to me -- I'd likely still go to my friends for help. So here's the response from a friend, a serious car aficionado:
"Two things not mentioned that are important are a) brand conscious or not, and b) over or under 6 feet. That's how I'd down select. My recommendation:
-If brand conscious and under 6 feet: hard top BMW 3-series. Everyone loves them, hard top works. No trunk (literally if top is down), but really fun to drive, attractive, and highly reliable.
-If NOT brand conscious and under 6 feet: no great answer for this part of the 2-by-2, at least not from the list. Maybe Audi S5? Way fun to drive, but might be a little loud with S set-up. If you really don't care, get a Honda S2000. THAT is a fun car, but you need to be smaller than 6ft to be in it. It's frankly hard to beat the BMW 3-series if you're willing to spend $40k+, until you get all the way up
to super-lux at $150k+ range, at which point you're essentially buying a race car.
-If brand conscious and over 6 feet: Infiniti M45 if you think Infiniti is a good enough brand - wonderful car that's pretty fun to drive and definitely meets all other criteria. Lexus is like driving a couch, a quiet couch, but a couch nonetheless. Audi 8's aren't terribly reliable. Benz will cost a fortune for what you get plus be not that reliable. Jag XF is supposed to be wonderful, but I've never met anyone who owns one....people say the interior fit and finish is best in class. Stretch idea here would be a Maserati Quattroporte. Would have to be used, and would be at slight higher end of range, but maybe could do for $75k-$80k?
-If NOT brand conscious and over 6 feet: Find a used (no longer sold) Volkswagen Phaeton. Absolutely outstanding car. When it came out, the
rap was 'will Americans pay Audi prices for a Bentley disguised as a Volkswagen?' Unfortunately, the answer was no, but if you don't mind driving a VW, this is a terrific car at a terrific price.
On the other hand if you're throwing all that out and want the most fun to drive, get the Corvette, used Z if findable. That car is fast, American-style fast so terrific for freeway time."
... and ditch the Range Rover and Hyundai from your list. RRs are notoriously loud (there is absolutely no way to hold a cell call, speaker or Bluetooth), extremely uncomfortable (you're doing some long stretches) and very unreliable (plan lots of shop time). Hyundai - just no.
"Sagacious readers" are we? Well now, my self esteem just took a huge leap. For a second there I thought you were talking about my Mama but Macs have a built in dictionary so we're cool.
To your question, those are nice vehicles but pretty ordinary. May I suggest an Alfa Romeo. I know what you're thinking, they don't sell 'em in the States. Wrong! Alfa plans to reenter the US market in late '09.
An Alfa has always been a rocket with comfort and style. The quality is typically on a par with BMW and on the autostrada they hold their own with Ferraris and Maseratis. The Carabinieri (Italian national police) all drive Alfas and they don't have any trouble keeping up.
So if you want to venture outside the envelope this would be a good choice.
GHP--many thanks to you and your car aficionado....although I must admit to being a little biased to the Hyundai--it is a scrappy brand that has raised its profile considerably in 15 years, and this new Genesis is a real find. Additionally, why does it not surprise me that your other car is a Prius? :)
GHD--I like Alfa's, but unless it comes with its own mechanic there's no qualified mechanic/dealer anywhere close to where I live.
My Sunday is not complete without listening to Click and Clack!
Save yourself some dollars and go get a tricked out 2010 Accord. This is my dream car of the moment. I'm still driving a 1996 Honda Civic with 230,000+ miles.
The Accord is attractive, quiet, comfortable with a great deal of luxury thrown in.
Good luck!
If you don't believe me, then listen to Joe Diffy (and pay close attention to his "friends").
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGs-T5FNAyc
F-250 Crewcab. Plenty of headspace, quieter interior than you might think, loads of comfort with seats big enough to accomodate my country a**. Before I bought my first truck, my father (by then much smarter than I remembered him in my teens) said, "get a pickup...once you've had one you'll wonder how you ever got by without it." Truer words are rarely spoken.
Another plus, if you end up running over some wing ding's smartcar, you win...and you gain rural style points while aggravating the greenie pissants in their Priuses.
Funny and somewhat related story: One of my urbane NOVA pals from Old Town visited our little burg one weekend with his Bimmer chick car...got so busy on his celleo-phone he drove off with the local Exxon's breakaway gas hose still attached...didn't stop when the oncoming pickups flashed their lights cause he figured that was just country for "Yo dog!" and didn't find out he was trailing ten feet of nozzle till he hit Fredericksburg. The boys at Corner Exxon still chuckle 'bout that one...
If you want to drive it 200k miles, get the diesel.
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