Cars We Drive!

[mike1445]



Something about Chevys makes them always feel like rental cars. Also, Camaros will not get you girls unless you are in high school in Ohio. Girls are not important to me as I am married, but it sounds like you're single, so take it into consideration.

Haha well stated, the fleet vehicles of the US of A.

 

[EmJay]

This may be one of my favorite threads on the interwebz, and because of that, I'm going to throw out the following situation to see what some of you guys think:

In Dec. 2009, during the economic sht storm, I got a great deal on a 2010 BMW 328xi, basically fully loaded (no sport package, however), with Monaco Blue and Saddle Brown interior. She was pretty, and loved the way the car drove. Once in a while would get annoyed at the stiff steering and suspension when tooling around pot-holed towns, but otherwise, the drive was really great. For the most part, it was a great car.

In November 2011, I decided to sell said BMW to a family friend in an effort to cut costs - I wanted to halve my monthly payments amid being unemployed, and I really wasn't driving around much. Sale was a success, and I jumped into a leased Acura TSX w/ Tech package which again, I got a great deal on. Despite not being Germanic at all, I actually like driving around in it and appreciate the updated tech vs. what I had in my 2010 model year BMW. The Acura is pretty great and suited my needs, except...

I just started a new job that requires a boatload of travel. I a) will blow through my lease miles (I have done 10,000 alone since May) and b) sorely miss the BMW driving dynamics when it comes to 3hr+ trips in the northeast. The Acura just doesn't have any "feel" at all, whereas with the BMW I always felt like I was one with the car. It may seem like I am being picky or dramatic, but there's nothing worse than a 3hr drive in a car that is kind of a snoozer.

So, I am thinking of jumping out of the Acura. I know my lease is underwater, but I'm prepared to take a small hit. Given my situation, I think a CPO type car would be ideal given how many miles I may put on it (so would rather have someone else take the depreciation hit upfront, etc). Ideally, would like to find a dealer who has a sister Acura dealership that could take my car and then CPO it, so I would get more money up front, hopefully.

So at the moment, I'm thinking CPO'd BMW 328xi coupes or Audi A4/A5. I know what to expect with BMW, but does anyone have any experience with Audi service, particularly on a preowned purchase? I know Audi hasn't historically had the greatest reputation maintenance-wise, but wondering if times have changed somewhat. I am aiming for something sub $35k on an outright purchase. Any other thoughts on possibilities or way to get out of the lease more intelligently? I thought about finding a Cayman in that range, but I think it could be too impractical.

Any tidbits would be sweet.

Sob story in cliffs:
Had Beemer, sold Beemer, leased Acura, want out of Acura, thinking CPO'd 328xi coupe, A5 or A4 while minimizing hit on lease exit. Probably driving 30k miles a year min. Thoughts or suggestions on vehicle (looking sub $35k) or lease exit are uber welcome!

 

[Ty_Webb]



Camaros are $60K now? What in the **** is happening in America? I have been gone for too long, I guess.

580 horsepower for less than 60K in a car that can supposedly handle it and actually has a trunk and four seats (after a fashion) is pretty cool.

Thanks all for the thoughts - I'm going to dig in a little more later when I have a minute or ten.

 

[impolyt_one]

From the sounds of it, that guy is either a very cheap rich guy, or someone massively in over his head.

The former; I have an ex-uncle, guy has a 16 year old son (one of my few cousins) who just got his driver's license, guy probably won't buy his kid a car though. He just got married for the third time to some fresh grad school student and he's been spending money taking her Mexico and the Caribbean, putting in a pool to complement his clay tennis court and massive garage where he stores his air-cooled 911 collection. Can't buy his kid a car or ever pay his child support for the past 10 years because his portfolio has been losing money and his dad's estate sale in Boca didn't pull down the kind of money they thought it was going to. His brother lives in Santa Fe and is some sort of 944/968 guru in North America, the two brothers are really living the hard life. lol.

 

[DerekS]



the two brothers are really living the hard life. lol.

i want it...teh hard life.

 

[impolyt_one]



580 horsepower for less than 60K in a car that can supposedly handle it and actually has a trunk and four seats (after a fashion) is pretty cool.
Thanks all for the thoughts - I'm going to dig in a little more later when I have a minute or ten.

I still can't fathom a Camaro being near $60K, even $50K. Are blue-collar jobs that high paying now?

 

[DerekS]



I still can't fathom a Camaro being near $60K, even $50K. Are blue-collar jobs that high paying now?

the 60K camaro isnt the regular camero...i think thats around 25K (which is still far too much) the 60K camaro is supposed to be a beast. Im not a huge fan, and theres no way in **** id pay 60K for a chevy....but its a special edition supercharged blah blah.

worth 60? to some walmart exec it is. not to this skinny bastard though.

 

[impolyt_one]

I kind of gathered that they were trying to downgrade the Camaro to reasonable efficiency - by trying to convince Joe Dirt he only needs the once girl's-only V6 Camaro - but had no idea that getting an SS would be so close to 911 pricing. It's no wonder there's assholes out there financing Audis on $38K a year, then.

 

[DerekS]

this thread is dangerous. im already wanting to upgrade.

 

[impolyt_one]

Get a Maserati Coupe or Spyder from like 2004. Most underrated sports car value out there right now, would be a good upgrade from an XK8.

 

[Ty_Webb]



I kind of gathered that they were trying to downgrade the Camaro to reasonable efficiency - by trying to convince Joe Dirt he only needs the once girl's-only V6 Camaro - but had no idea that getting an SS would be so close to 911 pricing. It's no wonder there's assholes out there financing Audis on $38K a year, then.

Not the SS. The SS is about 35k I think. The ZL1 is a different animal.

 

[DerekS]



Get a Maserati Coupe or Spyder from like 2004. Most underrated sports car value out there right now, would be a good upgrade from an XK8.

I looked at a maserati the week before i got my XK....i say looked as in i walked by it on the lot and got a stiffy and cried because i couldnt afford it. Actually, i REALLY want to trade up to an aston. A guy i know traded his XK for a gorgeous greenish aston...that V12 sounds soooo sexy.

 

[RFX45]



this thread is dangerous. im already wanting to upgrade.

Ever since my car got hit I've been looking at upgrading too, seeing a damaged car does that to you. Been looking at an R8 and Vantage but will likely settle for the new Cayman. The Boxster just looks too nice and I could only imagine how great the new Cayman will look.

 

[DerekS]



Ever since my car got hit I've been looking at upgrading too, seeing a damaged car does that to you. Been looking at an R8 and Vantage but will likely settle for the new Cayman. The Boxster just looks too nice and I could only imagine how great the new Cayman will look.

I got over my porsche boner really quick. still love em, but i much prefer british cars i think. Im biased, but a Vantage would be my first pic out of those. i love the R8, but the vantage is far sexier. (to me)

 

[RFX45]

In the next 3-5 years, I'll definitely have an R8 or Vantage but for now I think a Porsche will have to do since that one will be a keeper and I will have no plan to let it go (Cayman or 911). I'm just glad Audi decided to put the S-tronic on the R8, hopefully the next gen will have that ****** stock (no more manual ****** sadly) and Vantage feels like I don't want to own it if maintenance and breakdowns will be a concern and at this point, I feel that will be a big undertaking so it'll have to wait a few years. The Cayman comes out early next year so it'll be easy to decide between that or the 911.