The Car Searching/Buying Thread

[hammann11]

Good call man, I have heard pretty good things about that car as well. I might actually go browsing this weekend and see what I really like

I have a 2003 jetta tdi and I wouldn't trade it for the world. 55mpg on highway, mid 40s in town and has plenty of power for passing people on highway, my uncle just bought the 2012 and he's been getting low 60's for mileage.

Just my 2cents but they are wonderful cars

 

[ArmyGolf]

I'm in the market for a new (used) car but I have champagne taste on a koolaid budget. Looking into either a Lexus IS350, BMW 328, or Mazdaspeed 6 all pre-owned.
The Bimmer scares me as I hear nothing but bad things regarding long term reliability. The Lexus is tough to find with a standard transmission and the Mazda is alright but when compared against the other two it falls a bit short.

 

[Stribs]

Let me know if you're looking to purchase a new model year Ford/Lincoln vehicle as I can get you the Friends & Neighbor discount! Depending on vehicle, savings can range from few hundred to couple thousand dollars.

 

[fupresti]

I love my VW CC but the Hyundai Santa Fe Sport 2.0T is calling my name.

 

[bobgeorge]

I love my VW CC but the Hyundai Santa Fe Sport 2.0T is calling my name.

Ditto. I checked out all the small mid-size SUVs and the 2014 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport 2.0T w/tech package provides the most bang for the buck if you ask me.

I just picked up a white one with saddle seats three weeks ago. Here are some photos.

 

[fupresti]

Ditto. I checked out all the small mid-size SUVs and the 2014 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport 2.0T w/tech package provides the most bang for the buck if you ask me.

I just picked up a white one with saddle seats three weeks ago. Here are some photos.

Question, can you fit your clubs in the boot without putting the seats down?

 

[bobgeorge]

Sure. I can hold my golf clubs in the back with no problem. I can even throw in my pushcart too.

 

[Speedliner]

The Bimmer scares me as I hear nothing but bad things regarding long term reliability.

I haven't heard of excessive troubles with BMW. Never had problems. The 3 liter twin turbo engine, the N54, had some issues - that's the '35 engine. That was upgraded to the N55 dual-speed turbo, so any 135, 335, etc... from 2011 on will be fine. The '28s are all solid engines.

Lots of complaints about I drive pre-2009. Better after the revamp.

The new Mazda 6 is drop dead gorgeous. Love that car inside and out.

 

[Speedliner]

Just picked up a toy. Since my 3-yr old asked me if I was going to die one day I haven't ridden the motorcycle much. Been missing it, so a mint 2011 135i M-sport was the next best thing and my golf clubs fit in the trunk with the top down.

 

[Wake]

Just picked up a toy. Since my 3-yr old asked me if I was going to die one day I haven't ridden the motorcycle much. Been missing it, so a mint 2011 135i M-sport was the next best thing and my golf clubs fit in the trunk with the top down.

Looks fun, enjoy it.

 

[bobgeorge]

Just picked up a toy. Since my 3-yr old asked me if I was going to die one day I haven't ridden the motorcycle much. Been missing it, so a mint 2011 135i M-sport was the next best thing and my golf clubs fit in the trunk with the top down.

Sweet roller!

 

[ArmyGolf]

I haven't heard of excessive troubles with BMW. Never had problems. The 3 liter twin turbo engine, the N54, had some issues - that's the '35 engine. That was upgraded to the N55 dual-speed turbo, so any 135, 335, etc... from 2011 on will be fine. The '28s are all solid engines.

Lots of complaints about I drive pre-2009. Better after the revamp.

The new Mazda 6 is drop dead gorgeous. Love that car inside and out.

I'm looking at vehicles in the 07-09 range and the BMWs of those years seem to be complete junk based on what I'm reading. Its a shame because the coupes ate drop dead gorgeous.
I just realised the IS350 isn't available with a manual transmission... Nice work Toyota. Geez.
I test drove an Acura TSX which was nice inside but it felt really gutless and heavy...kind of like my dads old Camry. No thanks.

 

[Schanker]

I'm looking at vehicles in the 07-09 range and the BMWs of those years seem to be complete junk based on what I'm reading. Its a shame because the coupes ate drop dead gorgeous.
I just realised the IS350 isn't available with a manual transmission... Nice work Toyota. Geez.
I test drove an Acura TSX which was nice inside but it felt really gutless and heavy...kind of like my dads old Camry. No thanks.

I haven't heard of excessive problems on e90s. As Speedliner said the idrive was improved in 09 and the 335 had some turbo problems, but that's not a problem with the 328 engine. If your looking for a sportier car with a manual transmission there's not a lot of choices out there.

An e91 will probably be my next car. I've had an e30, 3 e36s and an e46.

 

[rtparty]

Love my 2010 BMW 128i. Really wanted the 135i but they are tough to track down in Utah and when you find one they are overpriced. This is my second bimmer and my family's 4th. My 2001 325i had issues at 160k miles. It wasn't engine or trans though.

Rarely do you find engine or trans problems on bimmers. It's all the small stupid things that break and cost a ton to repair. You can save a ton of money though doing repairs yourself or finding a good European shop. Avoid BMW dealers at all costs. They are a joke to deal with.

 

[ArmyGolf]

I'll admit I am really picky and want a decent mix of sport, luxury, and economy...with a manual.
Anyone drive a car with paddle shifters? Do you have full control or is it a bit of a gimmick?

 

[TeedUpThoughts]

I'll admit I am really picky and want a decent mix of sport, luxury, and economy...with a manual.
Anyone drive a car with paddle shifters? Do you have full control or is it a bit of a gimmick?

Audi A4 or A5 not on your radar? How about a VW R32?

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[ArmyGolf]

Audi A4 or A5 not on your radar? How about a VW R32?

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Everything I've read says that Audi/VW is terrible for long term reliability. J.D.Power gives them the worst rating of any manufacturer and says that owning one out of warranty is like walking around with a hole in your wallet.

Its a crying shame because the Audi's are really cool cars and pretty much exactly what I'm looking for.

But I'm the kind of guy that believes with everything in me that a $30,000 piece of machinery should not break down and if it does I instantly hate it. I already own one turd (my GMC Sierra) and I'm really paranoid of buying another.

 

[TeedUpThoughts]

I've had Audis and VW's and rarely had a problem. I've read those reviews as well though...

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[Wake]

I'll admit I am really picky and want a decent mix of sport, luxury, and economy...with a manual.
Anyone drive a car with paddle shifters? Do you have full control or is it a bit of a gimmick?

Paddle shifters are hit and miss. I've driven some cars where they are pathetically slow, but others that offer full control and somewhat replace the enjoyment of a manual.

 

[Speedliner]

Anyone drive a car with paddle shifters? Do you have full control or is it a bit of a gimmick?

Well my last two Tauruses had paddle shifters and as you can imagine they're a joke on that car.

The 135i has paddle shifters and it's phenomenal. Starting in 2011 BMW added a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission. They advertise it as a manual with auto mode and I have to say that's fair. In manual mode shifts are very fast. The engine rev matches when downshifting. It really drives like a manual experience without a clutch pedal and is very fast in that mode. It's a real joy.

You know, if you don't need back seat room, a 128i is a nice option. Keeps the cost down, has plenty of room up front and a fairly big trunk. Because of the smaller size, each engine provides more performance. The 135i was tested by Car and Driver at 4.7 sec 0-60 and it feels capable of that. The 128 around a second slower which is still fast. In fact the 135i is too fast. By 2nd gear and 4 seconds you're already on the next car's bumper.

The 128i with a stick is perfect. Look is different and not for everyone but a phenomenal driver. I'd stick my neck out and say that a 128i or 328i with stick are the perfect stick/engine combos anywhere near their price range.

From what I read, the 2014 Mazda 3 and 6 with manuals are also very sweet.

 

[Speedliner]

Thanks for the comments folks. I love the car. If I didn't get a fleet vehicle I couldn't have it though. Not a practical daily driver with the m-sport suspension. Gets fatiguing after awhile.

But the sound of that engine with the std performance exhaust they put in the 135i...just sweet. I rarely turn on the radio.

 

[Speedliner]

Army, trying to think of a sweet driving stick and the G37 comes to mind. That was a sweet car and the sport package with manual was really a great, sporty car with excellent reliability. Would be a good buy as well.

 

[ArmyGolf]

Army, trying to think of a sweet driving stick and the G37 comes to mind. That was a sweet car and the sport package with manual was really a great, sporty car with excellent reliability. Would be a good buy as well.

Yeah the G's are pretty nice and I'll give them a good look. It's amazing to me how much better the 2dr looks than the 4dr in those cars.

Does anyone here drive a Lexus IS250 or 350 with the paddle shifters? How responsive are they? Is a guy like me who has driven standard his whole life going to like the control it offers or hate it? I checked out the Lexus forums but you have to wade through steaming mounds of bravado and fanboy-ism to try get any real answers.

 

[tequila4kapp]

I test drove an Acura TSX which was nice inside but it felt really gutless and heavy...kind of like my dads old Camry. No thanks.

I assume you test drove the standard v4. That's what we own and I generally agree it isn't really a performance car like some others in its class. However, this is a really good car and can be had virtually new in your price range, so I'd say you should give the v6 a test drive and see how it reacts. Another big factor in favor of the TSX is that maintenance costs are reasonable.

 

[ArmyGolf]

I've decided to drop my price range considerably and go with an 8-10 year old car with lower mileage. I'm pretty solid with the wrenches and can fix most things myself and I just refuse to pay an extra $10-15g for a car that's 3 or 4 years newer.

So after testing a few vehicles it seems I just have to make a basic decision. My brain says that I need to make a responsible decision here and go with a little 4cyl TSX, not at all a performance car, but reliability and comfort aren't going to be an issue. On the other hand, my heart says that I've driven an econo-box long enough and it's time to love driving again...something like a BMW 330i.

Any of you guys ever have to decide between your brain and your heart? Which way did you go? Do you regret it?