Time for a new car

[SVT666]

The SVT Focus is officially for sale and it's time for a new car.  This will not be strictly my car like the Focus currently is and it will be used by my wife when she needs to go out of town for work (hence the auto transmission).  I am willing to travel almost anywhere to get the right car, though I don't want a Northeast car unless it has never been driven in the winter.  Here are the criteria:

1. Fun to drive
2. Automatic (preferably with manumatic shifting)
3. Good highway mileage (26+ mpg)
4. Sedan or Convertible
5. Leather seating
6. If it's a convertible it needs to be a real 4 seater, not a "you can fit 4 people if the front occupants don't mind being killed by airbag deployment" kind of 4 seater.
7. If a sedan it must have a sunroof.
8. Prefer a V8 for power but mainly the noise, but a V6 will do.
9. $20,000 limit, but if I have to I will go to $25,000.  Going to $25,000 will not strain us financially at all, but it's a self imposed limit.
10. No more than 5 years old and 40,000 miles



Cars we have already looked at so far:

1. 2011 Dodge Charger R/T (Can't find any under $25,000)
2. 2008-2009 Pontiac G8 GT
3. 2009-2010 Infiniti G37 Sedan
4. 2008 BMW 328i


Cars we have thought about and have to go see:

1. 2007-2008 Mustang GT Vert (We have to throw our kids in the back seat and see if there is enough room or not, though I suspect not)
2. 2008-2009 Volvo C70 Vert T5 (not sure if it's fun or not)
3. 2009 VW Eos (not crazy about the looks, but my wife likes it)
4. 2008-2009 Audi A4 Vert (Might be too small)
5. 2008-2009 BMW 128i Vert (Might be too small)
6. 2008 BMW 528i

[CALL_911]

The 328i's awesome.

[Eye of the Tiger]

You will regret this. So much.

[Vinsanity]

What did you think of the Caddy?

[Raza]

Cadillac CTS.  It's the biggest good car in your price range. 

[SVT666]

What did you think of the Caddy?

Cadillac CTS.  It's the biggest good car in your price range.  

I drove the CTS and I liked it.  The only thing was all the creaking and groaning during cornering that comes from the center console.  It makes me really worry about the ability of the interior to stand the test of time.

EDIT: I'm also concerned with buying a GM product because of the quality issues we have had with every single GM product our family has ever had.  My parents have had an ongoing issue with their Trailblazer where they can't open the rear hatch half the time and the rear glass ever, their fuel gauge doesn't work, and they have two warning lights on their dash at all times despite there being nothing wrong.  Their 2006 Cobalt SS feels like it's had a hard life and my 2003 Focus that has been driven much harder feels newer and better put together.  I'm not convinced GM has improved things.  That's what worries me about the G8 since it's a discontinued car.

[Northlands]

Think about the Fusion with the 3.5? 29mpg hwy!

[Raza]

I drove the CTS and I liked it.  The only thing was all the creaking and groaning during cornering that comes from the center console.  It makes me really worry about the ability of the interior to stand the test of time.

It probably can't.   

[Vinsanity]

I drove the CTS and I liked it.  The only thing was all the creaking and groaning during cornering that comes from the center console.  It makes me really worry about the ability of the interior to stand the test of time.

My interior's still holding up well at 8 years old, though it's always made that same creaking noise you describe during cornering. And it may be possible that the materials used in the newer model *might* not be as durable as in the older model. The newer design is much more pleasant, but it have a little bit of a model-home furniture feel to it compared to mine.

[Lebowski]

328i

[GoCougs]

Based on the stated requirements the objective best car on those lists (to include reliability, resale, and ownership costs) is the G37 sedan (esp. in AWD guise).

[2o6]

Infiniti M?

[ifcar]

Have you looked at the 300/Charger V6 to see if its power is satisfactory? I wouldn't be surprised if it's not, but you never know.

[SVT666]

Based on the stated requirements the objective best car on those lists (to include reliability, resale, and ownership costs) is the G37 sedan (esp. in AWD guise).

We can only get the AWD up here, so if I do get it, I will definitely buy it in the US so I can get RWD.

[SVT666]

Have you looked at the 300/Charger V6 to see if its power is satisfactory? I wouldn't be surprised if it's not, but you never know.

Not interested in the V6.  It's a heavy ass car.

[SVT666]

Infiniti M?

It's ugly and expensive.

[SVT666]

Think about the Fusion with the 3.5? 29mpg hwy!

Actually I haven't.  It might be cool, but it's also almost impossible to find.

[GoCougs]

It's ugly and expensive.

My hunch is 2o6 meant the 2nd gen M. Problem is the 2nd gen G is higher performance (even vs. the M45) and all around a better car. The G's only deficit vs. the M is interior room.

[MexicoCityM3]

How much is an E60 528i? I think prices should have come down now that the new 5 is out. Large, great driving and pretty reliable with the N/A 6.

The 128i vert probably won?t meet your 4 people requirement. Having said that, I did fit four people in my convertible MINI a few times.

[SVT666]

Thanks for that.  I assumed the 5 series would be out of my price range, but a 2008 lands right in that $20-25K range.

[CALL_911]

Thanks for that.  I assumed the 5 series would be out of my price range, but a 2008 lands right in that $20-25K range.

See if you can get a newer one, the LCI 5er had its fair share of problems its first year. Anecdotally, my dad's 2008 was a reliability nightmare compared to his 2010, which has been flawless (knock on wood).

Oh, and they're fantastic, fantastic cars. My dad adores his- it feels like it was hewn from a solid block, handles very well for its size, is quite economical (he usually pulls about 25 mpg in his AWD 535i, and his commute includes a long stint on Brooklyn's Belt Parkway) and is very roomy. After driving an F10, he refused to budge from his E60. A 528i is a very good call.

[SVT666]

See if you can get a newer one, the LCI 5er had its fair share of problems its first year. Anecdotally, my dad's 2008 was a reliability nightmare compared to his 2010, which has been flawless (knock on wood).

Oh, and they're fantastic, fantastic cars. My dad adores his- it feels like it was hewn from a solid block, handles very well for its size, is quite economical (he usually pulls about 25 mpg in his AWD 535i, and his commute includes a long stint on Brooklyn's Belt Parkway) and is very roomy. After driving an F10, he refused to budge from his E60. A 528i is a very good call.

The E60's first year was 2003.

EDIT:  You BMW clowns and your codes.  What the fuck is an LCI?

[CALL_911]

The E60's first year was 2003.

EDIT:  You BMW clowns and your codes.  What the fuck is an LCI?

Life-cycle injection, fancy BMW speak for a facelift.

Actually, I can see a 528i being fine, seeing as it wasn't a new engine for 2008 (it's pretty much the same thing as the old 525i/530i). We had a 535xi, which gave my dad problems.

[MexicoCityM3]

Life cycle impulse.

[CALL_911]

Life cycle impulse.

Some bullshit like that. Just like how the X5 isn't an SUV, but an SAV.

[MexicoCityM3]

Actually, I can see a 528i being fine, seeing as it wasn't a new engine for 2008 (it's pretty much the same thing as the old 525i/530i). We had a 535xi, which gave my dad problems.

Yeah, I probably wouldn?t go anywhere near an early N54 turbo. But the N/A engine should be fine.

[2o6]

STS V?

[Rich]

Something with a drop top

[SVT666]

STS V?

[CJ]

The C70 isn't terrible to drive. It's a comfortable cruiser, not a canyon carver.

That said, I'd buy a Mercedes wagon.