Suggestions

[SVT666]

I need suggestions.  For the 2nd time in 12 months I'm having transmission trouble with the Explorer and it just hit 200,000 kms, so this fall I'm going to retire it to boat duty and dump runs.  We have two possible scenarios:

1. My wife drives a lot for work and the G is killing her fuel budget, so I will take the G as my primary vehicle and we will get a new Mazda3 GT sedan for my wife.

2. This is the scenario where I will need suggestions.  Wife keeps the G as her primary driver and I get the new vehicle. Obviously I would love a Mustang, but at this stage of my kids' lives, this is not possible.  I will need 4 doors, but I would like at least a midsize sedan.  I want performance...and the more performance the better. I will be buying used so I want to stay under 40,000 miles and $25,000.

I will not be importing from the US this time since the US now requires that I use a broker (total bullshit) and the exchange rate sucks a big donkey dick right now.

[68_427]

http://vancouver.craigslist.ca/van/ctd/5077585134.html

Leaves almost $20K for gas and repair bills

[Rich]

Why would you do option 2 if the G is killing her fuel budget?

[SVT666]

My list so far:

- Pontiac G8 GT (perfect size but shitty interior materials and no manufacturer support)
- 2011 Dodge Charger R/T (rock solid Hemi, but shitty interior materials and it's really big)

[SVT666]

Well, Hotrod just blew my whole plan out of the water. Wishful thinking on my part. Oh well. What mods should I make to the G???

[68_427]

Well, Hotrod just blew my whole plan out of the water. Wishful thinking on my part. Oh well. What mods should I make to the G???

Supercharger + headers.

[Rich]

supercharger

[68_427]

Also some G coupe 19s or 370 Rays wheels.

[ifcar]

The 3 is a great little car if you don't need a ton of rear seat space -- I hope she enjoys it! 2.0 or 2.5?

[MexicoCityM3]

The wife is getting the new car.

But, hypothetically: 135i

[SVT666]

Also some G coupe 19s or 370 Rays wheels.

The G coupe wheels are sweet, but expensive as all hell.

Since I have already done the brakes, I think my first mods will be exhaust and suspension.

Normally I would rip out the shitty stock stereo, but with the G that is pretty much impossible according to all the G forums.  I fucking hate the stock Bose system, and there's nothing I can really do about it.

[SVT666]

The 3 is a great little car if you don't need a ton of rear seat space -- I hope she enjoys it! 2.0 or 2.5?

2.5

We drove both and the 2.0 is buzzy and gutless.

[Gotta-Qik-C7]

My list so far:

- Pontiac G8 GT (perfect size but shitty interior materials and no manufacturer support)
- 2011 Dodge Charger R/T (rock solid Hemi, but shitty interior materials and it's really big)

IDK about Canada but the GM dealers here have plenty of parts for my car. Also part suppliers like Pace Performance carry tons of stuff for G8/GTOs.

[Lebowski]

Option 1.




Option 2 doesn't solve her gas mileage problem and I'd prob rather just drive the G, assuming you like it, vs some other used $25k 4 door.

[68_427]

The G coupe wheels are sweet, but expensive as all hell.

Since I have already done the brakes, I think my first mods will be exhaust and suspension.

Normally I would rip out the shitty stock stereo, but with the G that is pretty much impossible according to all the G forums.  I fucking hate the stock Bose system, and there's nothing I can really do about it.

Maybe try something like the JBL MS8.  I've read some great things about what it can do to a stock stereo

[SVT666]

I believe the Infiniti has 12 speakers so I will have to find one of those that can do that many speakers. I wonder if it would even work considering the Bose system is 1 ohm.

[Cookie Monster]

Also some G coupe 19s or 370 Rays wheels.

God damn. I need to do this stuff to my dad's G.

[Raza]

God damn. I need to do this stuff to my dad's G.

Why? Do you want to get back at him by ruining his resale and making his car look like a teenager drives it? 

[SVT666]

Why? Do you want to get back at him by ruining his resale and making his car look like a teenager drives it? 

There is nothing teenagerish about the G in that picture. It might be a little on the low side, but it really doesn't look any more immature than an M3.

[Raza]

There is nothing teenagerish about the G in that picture. It might be a little on the low side, but it really doesn't look any more immature than an M3.

The white one looks fine, the red one looks like something a 16 year old was handed down from his parents.

[SVT666]

I have to listen to a bunch of different exhausts, but from what I have heard so far, Tanabe and Magnaflow are the best.  Before exhaust though, the suspension needs doing.  The OE shocks and struts are done, so I may as well get springs too.  I want the car a little lower (has 4x4 wheel gap right now) but not as low as those pictured in the post above.  I want to tighten up the handling but I don't want a punishing ride.  Eibach is probably my best bet.

[SVT666]

My wife and I talked it all over last night and financially, it makes much more sense to get the Mazda3 (obviously). She loves the Infiniti, but the Mazda suits her needs better. She probably drives twice as much as I do because of her job, so getting something far more fuel efficient takes priority. 

[Raza]

My wife and I talked it all over last night and financially, it makes much more sense to get the Mazda3 (obviously). She loves the Infiniti, but the Mazda suits her needs better. She probably drives twice as much as I do because of her job, so getting something far more fuel efficient takes priority.

And it definitely feels like it's going to be a good car to be in. Not a penalty box like a lot of small cars. Looks premium.

[Laconian]

Factoring in depreciation costs, the Infiniti would probably be a cheaper car overall. The $2-3k drop just from driving the Mazda off the lot would pay for many litres of gasoline.

[ifcar]

Factoring in depreciation costs, the Infiniti would probably be a cheaper car overall. The $2-3k drop just from driving the Mazda off the lot would pay for many litres of gasoline.

But he needs a car too anyway so he can semi-retire the Explorer.

[Cookie Monster]

Why? Do you want to get back at him by ruining his resale and making his car look like a teenager drives it? 

The white one looks great, if a little low for my dad.

Very OEM+

[SVT666]

Factoring in depreciation costs, the Infiniti would probably be a cheaper car overall. The $2-3k drop just from driving the Mazda off the lot would pay for many litres of gasoline.

We need a new car anyway. The Explorer is having recurring mechanical issues and has hit 200,000 kms. Other things are starting to fail now. Rear windshield wiper motor shit the bed last week, second major repair on the transmission in 12 months, the seat mechanism to flip the rear seat forward broke recently, and the engine is having idling issues at startup. I just replaced the radiator, and now it needs new struts all the way around. The brakes will need complete replacement sometimes in the next year as well. Sometimes the cost to keep something on the road doesn't make any sense. 

For the first 4 years it was absolutely rock solid for us, but 12 months ago with the first transmission repair it started going downhill. Now I just see dollar signs when I look at it.  I've spent $2100 in repairs in the last year and I'm looking at another $4500 not including whatever is causing the idling issues, and the truck is worth maybe $6000 and it still has high mileage with more repairs likely to happen simply due to age. Better to retire it to just tow the boat 6 minutes to the boat launch and quick trips to the dump.

[SVT666]

And it definitely feels like it's going to be a good car to be in. Not a penalty box like a lot of small cars. Looks premium.

We drove the GT last summer and it feels pretty much on par with the G in terms of steering feel, handling, ride quality, and comfort. The Mazda is superior to the G for NVH, transmission performance, and interior materials, but trails in power (obviously) and throttle response. Styling is subjective, but they're both great looking cars.  IMHO, the 3 is pretty much as good as the G, and costs half as much (new prices).

[Madman]

- Pontiac G8 GT (perfect size but shitty interior materials and no manufacturer support)

No manufacturer support? 

Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't the small block Chevy engine the most "supported" engine (by both the manufacturer and the aftermarket) the world has ever seen?  And isn't the current Chevy SS essentially an updated Pontiac G8 since both are based on the Holden Commodore?  Seems to me any GM dealer between here and Mars should be able to service a G8 GT for at least the next few decades.  Or am I missing something?   

[SVT666]

Since when does "dealer support" mean the engine? There are many things on a car that might need fixing like bodywork, electronics, interior stuff, and any number of things that were unique to this car. It was only produced for North America for 18 months.  There are only 38,000 of them in North America and therefore will not have the manufacturer support that something like the Charger has. I have experience owning a low volume car in the SVT Focus.  For instance, if I ever needed a new engine I would have been SOL.  Ford didn't make anything for it anymore and the aftermarket was pretty small.