I am kind of in the process of buying a car and figured I ask everyone for their suggestions. Current top choice: '12 Acura TL AWD with Nav. Next choices in order: Infiniti G37 Sedan, Lexus IS 350 Other considerations in order: Audi A4, Benz C Class, BMW 3 Series. Reasoning for TL is price (37500+TTL, MSRP is 43K or so), reliability/quality and overall value. The german cars look the best and probably drive better but I am considered about the cost of repair and reliability especially after warranty runs out.
Buy a pre-owned vehicle. That's a no-brainer. I would go with the 335. The engine is sick (bi-turbo).
yes pre-owned is the way to go... i will never buy a brand new car again unless i can pay it in full...
The GS starts at 46K for the 2012. I need to look at 2010/11 since people might be trading up for the new one. I was thinking the other day..buy used if lexus/acura and new if german. I need to research the CPO market a little better. the fear of repairs is what keeps me from bmw. like I have an acura mdx and in the last 2 years (22500 miles), the only thing i had to do was tire rotations and 2 oil changes.
If you've only had your last car 2 years and you're looking to replace, sounds like you don't keep cars a long time. Which means you should look to buy something like a BMW where they cover everything for 4 years, including your oil changes.
I would go with the BMW. Acura would probably be one of my last choices. I have driven plenty of Acuras. In fact one of my first cars was a mid 90's Legend Coupe... very fond memories. But to me, they don't seem to stand out anywhere. They're not the best value. They're not the best performance. If price was a real real issue, you could find other cars not currently on your list that would be better, imo. My choice would be between BMW and Lexus. They're both clearly the best at what they're targeting. You won't find a better ride in the group than the BMW. You won't find better combination of luxury and brand in the group than Lexus.
And I see why. But it depends on how you look at it. If you want to maintain some resale value I'd go with the Acura/Lexus + if you keep it long term you know it wont be a headache. If you do buy German, yeah, you should go new, but you'll lose a ton of money if you sell it or have to deal with mechanical issues down the road (which you will).
If you are thinking about getting an Acura, might as well just buy any Honda out there. Acura's are just plain and pretty much a waste to spend 30+ grand on. I'd go with a BMW as well. 335's are sick man. 50,000 warranty is great just make sure to get extended warranty, it is definitely worth it. I have an 06 330 which I bought with 10,000 miles on it a few years ago. The maintenance has not been a problem at all. The tires are pretty expensive, but other than that you should be fine with the warranty.
My fiancee's brother runs a mechanic shop. They always tell me never to buy an Audi or Volkswagen. I'll trust 'em on that. They always recommend Toyota/Lexus. So then I get torn between a BMW 3-Series, the car I dreamed of as a high school student, and an Lexus IS250 or 350. I'll probably get an IS250 some time this year (I don't really need the beefier engine on the 350). My mom has an Infiniti G37 coupe, but I hate it. The visibility is quite poor, and the brakes and accelerator are awfully stiff. Maybe it's because of the "sports-tuned suspension," but I just feel very jerky whenever I drive it. TL;DR breakdown of 4 models: Audi A4 - Unreliable junk, according to fiancee's mechanic brother. Infiniti G37 - Drives like a brick, IMO. BMW 3-Series - Good, but expensive to fix anything and I've noticed douchebags tend to drive them (not in all cases, obviously). Lexus IS250/350 - I'll probably get this if it drives well.
Everyone I know with an Infinite G35/37 hated it. As a bimmer fanboy I'd recommend 328i/335i. The new 328i has been tested to output 265hp/270lb torque at the crank, which arguably makes it a better buy than 335i (I know that's words of sacrilege to some people).
i know. but this is out of character for me. I bought an SUV (for reasons too complicated to describe here) but now regret that decision. I want to go back to a car. Plus who wants to get 17mpg. I am hoping to keep this purchase under 40K so I don't have to pay a lot more after the trade in (should be worth around 38K). So if i go the BMW route, i would have to end up getting the 328i. hmm.
^No on the 328. And why would you trade in a car? Sell it privately. Trade-in + buying new = stupidity.
Ya the only reason I even mentioned the Audi is because of the looks. I have always wanted a bmw..but when I discuss it with people who own one..they hate the maintenance part.
Trade in = easy and convenient. You select the exact time you want to get rid of your car, put no work into selling it. You pay extra for this. Buying new = Get the exact car, color, model, options you want. Know the complete history of the car and the awesome new car smell. Much less time shopping. You pay extra for this. Someone who is willing to pay for a better product or services isn't stupid.
Maybe that was a bit harsh. You do pay for convenience. As far as getting the color, options, etc...that's pretty easy to find online.
I'm definitely not an expert on cars, but I don't agree that the G37 drives like a brick. Or maybe I misunderstand what is meant by that. I feel like the G37 is quite responsive and is definitely super fast (my fiance has one). For the price, I think it's a much better value than the IS, which is much smaller and slower. I mean, I really feel cramped in an IS. However, the IS does have a very smooth ride, which Lexus seems to be known for. The interior of the TL looks almost exactly like an upper model Accord to me, which is a turn off. Just my 2 worthless cents.
