Replacing the Accord - suggestions?

[68_427]

I used to do that in Calgary, but there's no track anywhere near me now.  I loved it...though I was fairly intimidated by some of the guys there.  They're pretty hardcore.

The F-Body guys?

[SVT666]

The F-Body guys?

Some, but mostly it was the old muscle car crowd.  There were several 9 second cars there.  In fact, one of them was a Chevy S-10 with a 572 big block.  The last time I was there atmospheric conditions were such that it was the equivalent as being 10 feet below sea level (Calgary is at 3500 ft).  The guy ran a 9.7XX (don't remember the other two digits exactly).

[Laconian]

The J-body guys.

[GoCougs]

Really?  That's strange.  My centre console has been rock solid and I've got a lot more miles than you do.

Taking the A-pillar covers on and off a couple of dozen times each made their buzzing and rattling mostly go away. I've taken the console partially apart a few times. I'll try a few more times.

[2o6]

The J-body guys.

In all seriousness, the 2.2L Ecotec can make stupid amounts of power with only a little bit of assistance.

[Laconian]

I have a 2nd degree gay network connection to one of the top sales dudes at BMW Seattle. He's really savvy (and brutally honest) about which BMWs are worth pursuing and which ones should be avoided like the plague. He's really pessimistic about the longevity of all of the recent cars.

In warranty or bust, it seems.

[Soup DeVille]

I have a 2nd degree gay network connection to one of the top sales dudes at BMW Seattle. He's really savvy (and brutally honest) about which BMWs are worth pursuing and which ones should be avoided like the plague. He's really pessimistic about the longevity of all of the recent cars.

In warranty or bust, it seems.

Wait a second: there are official degrees of gayety?

This is all just plain confusing now.

[Laconian]

Friend of a friend, like LinkedIn networking.

[Soup DeVille]

Friend of a friend, like LinkedIn networking.

Ahh. OK, that makes a lot more sense then.

[Raza]

Gay network, eh?  I knew there was a conspiracy.  How does your gay agent feel about the Z4?

[cawimmer430]

Import a used BMW 118d 5-Door from Europe. You can drive over a 1,000 km on a 50-liter tank of diesel, drive over 131 mph and you have that all important RWD layout! It's a WIN-WIN-WIN.

[hotrodalex]

Gay network, eh?  I knew there was a conspiracy.  How does your gay agent feel about the Z4?

It gets a 5 star gay-rating. Hope you weren't trying to impress the ladies with it.

[Raza]

It gets a 5 star gay-rating. Hope you weren't trying to impress the ladies with it.

No, I impress them with how nice I am.

[Laconian]

The Z4 isn't to impress the ladies, that's what the watches and ascots are for.

[93JC]

Wait a second: there are official degrees of gayety?

This is all just plain confusing now.

Being gay is sort of like being a Freemason: there are different 'degrees', a lot of people keep it secret, and a lot of people think they have a nefarious agenda.

[hotrodalex]

The Z4 isn't to impress the ladies, that's what the watches and ascots are for.

Don't forget the man bag.

[Raza]

Don't forget the man bag.

You joke, but the women love it.  Everyone loves it.  It's awesome.  Just because your life doesn't have anything you can't carry in cargo shorts doesn't mean having a bag is a bad thing.  

[MrH]

The Z4 isn't to impress the ladies, that's what the watches and ascots are for.

I could totally see Raza wearing ascots.

[Raza]

I could totally see Raza wearing ascots.

I'm not Madman.  Or Fred from Scooby Doo. 

[AutobahnSHO]

Why do they have to invent 'manly' names for stuff women carry when a man wears it??

kilt
ascot
manbag

[Secret Chimp]

PROPERTY SCROTUM

[Laconian]

I think I should figure out how much a 3-series lease would cost per month and divide that by the expected cost of an out-of-warranty repair. If the break even point is just 3 or 4 repairs, then, pbthhh... All the happy BMW owners I talk to are leasers. They say that they love the peace of mind that comes with not being attached to the car if it's a lemon. Coming from a line of Japanese car ownership, this attitude just strikes me as so foreign.

[68_427]

Check out the G37 too if you're thinking of leasing.  Might as well.

[AutobahnSHO]

Coming from a line of Japanese car ownership, this attitude just strikes me as so foreign.

My parents bought Fords forever. Until they had an Accord about 10years ago, they bought a lemon used subaru but went back to Honda. (Although dad has a Ranger to drive to work, they get lots of snows.)

They rave and rave and rave about the Accord and Pilot they have now.  And I dunno how, but my sig ended up kinda Asian....   

[Laconian]

Check out the G37 too if you're thinking of leasing.  Might as well.

The vert is so puffy...

[MX793]

I think I should figure out how much a 3-series lease would cost per month and divide that by the expected cost of an out-of-warranty repair. If the break even point is just 3 or 4 repairs, then, pbthhh... All the happy BMW owners I talk to are leasers. They say that they love the peace of mind that comes with not being attached to the car if it's a lemon. Coming from a line of Japanese car ownership, this attitude just strikes me as so foreign.

The lease term shouldn't exceed the factory warranty term, so you presumably would not have any out-of-warranty repair costs unless you buy out the lease at the end of the term.  And if you plan to buy out the lease, I'm not sure leasing is any cheaper than buying/financing overall.

[AutobahnSHO]

The vert is so puffy...

I can't read that word without thinking this

[Cookie Monster]

The lease term shouldn't exceed the factory warranty term, so you presumably would not have any out-of-warranty repair costs unless you buy out the lease at the end of the term.  And if you plan to buy out the lease, I'm not sure leasing is any cheaper than buying/financing overall.

I think he means leasing a new one rather than buying a used one outright and then dealing with the maintenance headaches that will likely occur.

[TurboDan]

I think he means leasing a new one rather than buying a used one outright and then dealing with the maintenance headaches that will likely occur.

Kevin's a smart dude, but I know plenty of people who have 3-5 year old 3ers and have no problems with them. OK, you might need a water pump at some point. But people talk about them like they're reliability disasters and I just don't hear that from people I know who have them.

[SVT666]