Thanks Phil. That was very informative. I won't be in the market to buy another car for a long time as my financial affairs are, uncertain, at this time. I just had to borrow $1800 from my father to keep the Forester out of repo. I'm hoping to find a real job at some point in the future.
What kind of car should I get?
- Thread starter rangisrovus19
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Phil Ayesho
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Good luck with that...
I am similarly hoping to keep my business running despite everyione being too timid to spend money on new design.
I am similarly hoping to keep my business running despite everyione being too timid to spend money on new design.
So I've been car-less for awhile now and I am considering these few:
2004 Acura TL
2003/4 Infiniti G35 (coupe preferred)
2004 BMW 325ci (seden fine, coupe preferred)
has anyone had any of these and if so what can you tell me about them? Are they reliable? How much more expensive would it be to work on a European car than a Japanese car? Problems?m etc...
thanks
2004 Acura TL
2003/4 Infiniti G35 (coupe preferred)
2004 BMW 325ci (seden fine, coupe preferred)
has anyone had any of these and if so what can you tell me about them? Are they reliable? How much more expensive would it be to work on a European car than a Japanese car? Problems?m etc...
thanks
Don't know much about prices of fuel over the pond. But i'd seriously consider a diesel. Maybe a volvo c70 if you like your coupe's.
BlackCock85
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2004 Acura TL
Great car, comes from the Honda so it will be nice and reliable. The only thing I'd make sure that you know about this car is that fuel & up-keep will be expensive. I have a friend that had a TL and he traded it in for a Civic because he said the money spent on upkeep was just not worth it. I mean it's pretty much a dressed up Accord, so a nice alternative could be a newer Honda Accord / Civic. Otherwise this is a great fun car, build quality is high as is the materials used in and out. Also front wheel drive so good for the winters if you live somewhere that it snows a lot.
Price: $18,490-$22,000+/- (depending on mileage & options)
Infiniti G35
Also a great Japanese car, this is coming from Nissan so it is also reliable and fun to drive. Like the TL this car since it is a premium brand will be a little more expensive for upkeep. Also think about if you're in a place that it snows a lot, this car is rear-wheel drive so you'd have to worry about changing to snow tires in the winter and traction in inclement weather. They offer a AWD option in the G35x which would be better for the winters....but would bring the mpg down a little. An less expensive alternative to the G35 would be say a Nissan Altima / Sentra, depending on exactly what you're looking for.
Price: $15,840-$20,000+/- (depending on mileage & options)
BMW 325
Now out of the three, this is the one that I'd be the most careful about. BMW's though they're getting better are known to not have the best reliability. And looking at a model 4yrs old may mean that it is no longer under warranty, if you would like that warranty I'd say go to a BMW dealership and make sure to get a certified pre-owned BMW. This car if something goes wrong will also be the most expensive to fix. Otherwise this car is beautiful inside & out and also great performance wise. This car is also rear-wheel drive so if you're worried about winters the 325xi has AWD and can help. A less expensive alternative I would say would be an 05+ Volkswagen Jetta.
Price: $17,840-$24,000+/- (depending on mileage & options)
I based these numbers off of 40,000mi. and most options.
Other alternatives you may want to consider.
Audi A4
Lexus IS250 / IS250 AWD
Out of the choices I would go with the Infiniti G35, out of all the cars in the same class if it were me I'd go with a Lexus IS250.
Hope this helped, and remember to not only look at the price but make sure that you get a car that was taken care of from the last owner, happy hunting =)
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Bmw, not reliable. Are you kidding. Unless the engine is a different spec to the european versions there bomb proof. You see 200k mile beemers for sale over here all the time. And if it was the diesel one as long as it was for the right price i wouldn't bat an eyelid at buying one. But out of the choices you gave i'd get the infiniti. I had a g20.
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Great advice. I'm a huge fan of German cars, so of course, I recommend the BMW. I've been a BMW owner for 11 years now. About 6 months ago I purchased a used '06 325 sedan. Shortly after I got it, the clutch went out, but it was replaced under warranty and I've had no other problems. I'm also selling my '98 318ti if you're interested. :biggrin1:
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finlandboi
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If fuel economy is a big issue for you, the 3-series has a great gas mileage as far as I know.
i bought a ford escape and am very happy with it. given the economy, they cut me quite a deal.
- Qua,
Their engines are bombproof. No disputing that. It's the other extraneous drivetrain parts and assembly that are sometimes questionable. You won't need to replace an engine, but depending on the model and year you may have issues fixing leaks and replacing random parts. Which can add up. It's a gamble, but yes, you can and do find Beemers at 150k+ just fine. But the failures are long off the road.
I agree. Wonderful engines, wonderful ride.
But the rest of the car will nickel and dime you to death. They may have improved in recent years, but I had a 2002 328i on which the various electronic bits and computers were a constant source for trouble. Plus it rattled.
Maybe I had a lemon, but I cursed that car a lot in the 16 months I owned it. Sure it was under warranty, but it was a pain in the butt going to the dealer all the time. They couldn't sort it out and had this arrogant attitude, like ''We're BMW and you're not". The Mercedes I had before was much better quality.
I drive a Ford Focus now and it's a great car. Ugly, but really a well made econo-box. Nothing happens to the car. Nothing. 105,000 and not one problem or rattle, and this is on Turkish roads.
