Your next car?

[Colin]

Well a diesel will almost always be more economical than a petrol........ but you will need to build a cost model to see if the extra cost of the car and the fuel is balanced out by the better consumption. For someone doing your sort of mileage, Dave, I'd be surprised if it is.

(You can make it more sophisticated, of course, if you add in residuals, different cost for insurance, cost of money etc)

[dazzleman]

Well a diesel will almost always be more economical than a petrol........ but you will need to build a cost model to see if the extra cost of the car and the fuel is balanced out by the better consumption. For someone doing your sort of mileage, Dave, I'd be surprised if it is.

(You can make it more sophisticated, of course, if you add in residuals, different cost for insurance, cost of money etc)

I think you're probably right.  The one wild card that I don't know that much about is reliability an repairs.  How would you say that varies between gasoline and diesel?  What about ability to start/perform well in cold weather?

[Onslaught]

Petrol superior. Diesel inferior.

[Colin]

Reliability - probably nothing in it, certainly not for the mileage you are likely to do. There are plenty of taxis in Europe with 300 - 500,000 miles on them still performing perfectly acceptably, though some of the latest innovations (complex automatic boxes etc) may well not have that sort of inherent longevity.

Cold weather performance? If you lived in Minnesota, I might worry about a diesel, but even in your moderately chilly winters, there should be no issues with the dread diesel waxing. Most fuel companies use additives these days to remove the problem.   

[Raza]

I just took the Audi A6 for a test drive.  I was blown away by it.  Fucking loved it.  The pickup was fantastic, as were the suspension and steering.  I think this is the one!

I think it's a great choice for you.  Which engine?  3.0T?

[dazzleman]

I think it's a great choice for you.  Which engine?  3.0T?

Yes.

[CALL_911]

S4, Dave?

[NomisR]

Ha!  So this morning, I drove to work with my wife because she's coming down to this area again in the afternoon, so she thought it would be easier to go home with one car.  She's telling me that I should get myself a car that can drive in the car pool lane..  Only reasonable choices available right now is the Volt and the Prius plug in... but i'm thinking to myself....  fuck that.. I want a C7....

[Colin]

S4, Dave?

Good call, Ro.

[FoMoJo]

Yes.

So the Audi it is...or are you still looking?

[dazzleman]

S4, Dave?

Probably too small.  I think the A6 is the one for me.

[dazzleman]

So the Audi it is...or are you still looking?

I haven't made a final decision yet, but I'm leaning that way.  It may come down to which car I can get a better deal on.

[Vinsanity]

...or are we not spending that much $$$?

[dazzleman]

...or are we not spending that much $$$?

How much is that?

[Vinsanity]

holy crap...!

[Laconian]

No way

[ifcar]

Probably too small.  I think the A6 is the one for me.

It's probably worth a test sit at the very least, no? What are your space needs?

[CALL_911]

Probably too small.  I think the A6 is the one for me.

Worth a try, dude. What do you need all that room for? My dad sometimes regrets not having bought a 335 over his 535.

[280Z Turbo]

Worth a try, dude. What do you need all that room for? My dad sometimes regrets not having bought a 335 over his 535.

Dave needs room for three 400 lb whores. He also likes Amazons so legroom is important.

[Raza]

S4s aren't that roomy in the back if you've got to put adults back there. 

[Lebowski]

I don't blame him for wanting A6 size vs S4, as an only car plus he's older.  S4 is tight in the back (granted I haven't been in a new one).

[CALL_911]

Who cares if its tight in the back?

[Raza]

Who cares if its tight in the back?

Dave does.  He said he needed more rear seat space because he often carries adults (presumably conscious) in the back seat.

[Lebowski]

Who cares if its tight in the back?

Once you're older than like 22, you care.

[Raza]

Once you're older than like 22, you care.

Sounds funny coming from a 34 year old who had a Corvette as his only car for years. 

[Northlands]

He's right. Four doors and decent rear leg room make a big difference if you are the chauffeur of choice in your circle of friends.

[Eye of the Tiger]

Once you're older than like 22, you care.

I don't care.

[MrH]

Dave does.  He said he needed more rear seat space because he often carries adults (presumably conscious) in the back seat.

Bold assumption

He's right. Four doors and decent rear leg room make a big difference if you are the chauffeur of choice in your circle of friends.

Solution: buy a 2 seater, and never be stuck being the chauffeur. One of the BRZs selling points actually.

[Northlands]

Bold assumption

Solution: buy a 2 seater, and never be stuck being the chauffeur. One of the BRZs selling points actually.

Pfft. You still have another seat. You are now chauffeur to one!

[Catman]

Drop the stupidity on Cadillac and check out the new CTS.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-11-07/cadillac-s-cts-takes-aim-at-bmw-5-series-jason-h-harper.html