Need help car shopping. Anyone driven these:

I think these come only in a 4-door sedan and station wagon models so, if you are dead set on a 2-door coupe you're out of luck.

Volvo S40 T5

Sticker price: $26,615

Transversely Mounted, 2.5-Liter, 5-Cylinder, Double Overhead Cam, Twin-Scroll Turbocharger with Intercooler and Continuously Variable Valve Timing (CVVT)
218 hp
6-Speed Manual Transmission
Front Wheel Drive
Driver and Front Passenger Supplemental Restraint System - Dual-Threshold Air Bags
Side Impact Air Bags for Driver and Front Passenger
Inflatable Side Curtains (IC)
Whiplash Protection Seating System (WHIPS)
Intelligent Driver Information System (IDIS)
Security System
Safe Approach and Home Safe Lighting
Electronic Key Integrated Remote Control with Central Power Door Locks
Ultra-Slim Center Control Panel
Personal Settings for Locking, Audio and Climate Control
Performance Audio System with Single In-Dash CD
Audio Controls in Steering Wheel
16" Alloy Wheels

The Subaru WRX and STI variants are hot rides but, they lack the interior finish a lot of people want in a "nice" car.

The new Audi A-3 is an interesting car. The DSG equipped (manual clutchless transmission) car is worth looking at.
 
I love my WRX, but I have to agree with Sid Post that it is a driver's car, not a rider's car. The interior is comfortable and smartly layed out, but it doesn't really try for that luxury-car feel. The cockpit is designed to keep the driver comfortable and in control on long difficult drives.

Performance is where these cars really deliver. They give you a lot of horsepower (230 or 300) in a relatively light car with AWD. (My WRX Wagon did 0-60 in 5.5 without modifications.) What gets less attention, and deserves more, is the exceptional handling. My wife said she felt like the car was on rails the first time she took it over a really winding section of road.

--Bob Q
 
Bob W said:
Ron Anderson,
Thanks for the heads-up on the Infinity G35 Coupe. That's exactly the kind of info I'm looking for. Unfortunately the two-door versions seems to be quite rare in this region, at least for used models. That's a huge plus though; I don't buy cars that are like everyone else's. But it makes shopping tougher.
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Hi Bob,

I've had a 6 speed G35C since 4/9/03 and I still love it. The growl it makes on startup never fails to bring a smile. Car has nice grunt (although I wouldn't complain about another 100hp! :-) and handles well. It sounds great, although, ironically, it sounds even better from the outside.

The ride is firm, but not harsh. While there isn't a huge amount of road noise, this isn't a super quiet car, at least with the roads around here and the low profile rubber. So while I like it just peachy, your comment about a lux ride makes me wonder if this car (and this type of car) is really what you are after.

I think you are going to have a bit of a hard time finding used ones because they aren't high volume cards to begin with. Consider I pre-ordered mine, so I have had it more or less since they were available and it has only been a couple of years.

That said, you won't be able to find one on the lot (most likely), but you could consider a "stripper" 6 speed. Basically get zero options other than the 6 speed. It turns out this is still a pretty reasonably appointed car (leather seats, etc). This is the best value for this car. The gotcha is you'll probably have to order it because all the cars on the lot will have premium packages, etc. The upside is you could test drive one of the new ones to see what it is all about.

When I was looking, a stripper six speed (6MT) was about $32k MSRP. At that time, you couldn't get discounts from MSRP. My guess is MSRP has probably creeped up a bit, but I bet you can get discounts below MSRP now so that is probably a ballpark price.

Regarding your dog - My lab, Sophie rides in the back seat of mine every weekday. However, the rear seats are sort of "bucket-like" with a hard console thingy in the center. This makes it less than perfectly comfy for her. I've put a foam pad back there so she can lay down without the console causing undue comfort.

The C5 Vette is also very nice. A friend of mine had one and let me drive it for a day. Man, now that is an engine. Handing is great too. I'd say the ride is similar to my G35C. Interior is horrible tho. No excuse on a $45K+ car. But it can easily be overlooked for that engine and handling.

However, I'd be a bit worried about buying any used sporty car. You really just don't know if it has been flogged.

I also suggest you do some soul searching about that lux ride vs a sporty nature. They just don't go well together IMO.

Good luck!

-john

Also, consider spending some time reading the road tests on edmunds.com:

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/DrivesLanding
http://www.edmunds.com/reviews/

I've found them to give you a pretty good feel for the cars.
 
You all are overwhelming me with your generous advice and suggestions. :) It is most sincerely appreciated.

That Honda looks nice!

Peeked in the window of the Pontiac GTO. Didn't like the exterior styling, and liked the interior even less.

I drove the Sebring convertibles when I worked at Avis in Albuquerque. The were unimpressive, but may have been stripped-out models for the rental business.

Nope, a rear-wheel-drive car isn't the most practical winter vehicle. The Mark VIII is a sled on ice, but with the traction control system it's better than the Cougar I used to have. I generally prefer the way rear-wheel-drive vehicles handle the rest of the time. And having a winter-capable vehicle isn't a priority for this car - my work truck is an F150 four-wheel-drive, and wife is shopping for front-wheel or all-wheel drive car too.

I also suggest you do some soul searching about that lux ride vs a sporty nature. They just don't go well together IMO.
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Yeah, that decision will be processed on test drives. What I'd really like is a miniature Mark VIII. Fat chance...

-Bob
 
I vote for the SAAB 92x aero. I'm biased because I own one, but it is basically a Subaru WRX wagon with a better looking front end, leather interior, and a moonroof. And they usually sell for the price of a base WRX wagon. SAAB snobs don't like them because they are made by Subaru and Subaru people don't like them because they don't say Subaru. They usually go for $10000 less than MSRP. Look on Edmunds.com!:thumbup:
 
The BMW M3 is a cool car. I have a coworker that is into racing and sport cars and he was quite impressed by it when he went for a test drive (he said those horses from BMW must get better food than others :)). It was the model E36 too, the one that got discontinued in '99. The newer E46 (from 2001 up) should perform even better. I don't know how much they cost in the USA, in France they are quite expensive, but in Germany you can find them (used) at decent prices if you look arround a bit ...
 
OK - bearing in mind that my driving history is MUCh less glamourous than some who have posted before me... I have driven an older Honda CRx, Volvo old 7 series, new Ford F150, a company Ford Taurus, our Toyota minivan and NOW my ride is my used BMW 328i.

You will get thousands of suggestions - drive them and price them. If you are like money - money IS an object so, don't forget about that.

Ipicked up my 98 BMW328i (loaded) off Autotrader.com for a song. (in my book.) I did that only after I was considering something much more "practical" like a Maxima or Camry...until I realized that the used prices for both cars are SO similar and the things you receive with the 328i (in my opinion) were fantastic. Also, if youare looking used - do some real research about longevity. I REALLY read the books and Edmunds,com reports (and others) about reliability, etc.

I feel that I got a GREAT car for a good price and have had ZERO problems with it. The 3-series is the funnest car (remember my perspective) that I have ever driven. It is not a drag car or a street racer, but I am dad with 2 kids and a dog, how often do I drag? but when the sunroof is open and the iPod is cranking and I want to enjoy a little SPUNKY ride on the way home - this car delivers. It is SAFE and looks REALLY good.

Good luck and let us know how it goes...
Sproles
 
I mentioned a Jaguar XJS. I found you a nice one :)

2d_20.JPG


AIRBRUSHED Jaguar
Price: C $20,000.00 (Canadian)

Jaguar S-Type 2001, V6, auto, no accidente, excelent condition, all luxuary options.
Blue exterior, Grey interior.
93000 km
 
Ugh! No four-doors please! I wonder how you'd ever get that airbrushing off? :D

I like the older Jaguar convertibles with the V12 engines, but wife pointed out that if anything went wrong, it's a 3-hour tow to the nearest Jaguar mechanic...

I definitely need a trip to town to see some of these vehicles in person. Just came off a 30-hour shift, so naturally don't feel like a four hour drive today. Maybe tomorrow if I don't have to go back on duty again.

From my initial online research - reading reviews and specs, I'm liking the Inifinity more and the Crossfire less. The 350Z deserves a second look too.

Hmmm... The new Eclipse is a coupe only, and there's no '06 Spyder at the Mitsubishi website...

-Bob
 
e36 m3 or C5 frc/z06 vette. There's a reason these cars are so popular in autocross and roadracing circuits.

What about an f-body? Too young looken for ya? I drive a 99' z28 hard top with an m6. Bought if for just under $14,000 with 27,000 miles on it. It was some women's weekend warrior. They have a bad rap in the handling department because of shitty stock shocks and tires. Do those two things and the car will amaze you.
 
Here's my new fun car: 1994 MR2 Turbo. Fun stuff! I was driving it the other day, stopped at a light behind a Camry and realized I was eye level with the key hole on the Camry's trunk. This thing is a total go-cart. 200 hp, 2,900 lbs or so, bigger interior than a Z3, mid engine, rear wheel drive, leather, t-tops, fun!

The BMW 325i in the background is my daily driver. 2001 model with sport suspension and manual transmission, it's plenty of fun, too.

IMG_1053Small.jpg


IMG_1047Small.jpg
 
I was actually shopping for an mr2 turbo when I ran across my camaro. Sweet little cars. So easy to up the boost too!
 
brewthunda said:
I was driving it the other day, stopped at a light behind a Camry and realized I was eye level with the key hole on the Camry's trunk.
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Yup...I know that feeling. From my driving position, I'm looking UP at Honda Civics. I feel that if I take a speed bump too quickly, I'll need butt surgery. When I drive my wife's Accord, I feel like I'm driving an 18 wheeler.
 
Ron Andersen said:
Yup...I know that feeling. From my driving position, I'm looking UP at Honda Civics. I feel that if I take a speed bump too quickly, I'll need butt surgery. When I drive my wife's Accord, I feel like I'm driving an 18 wheeler.
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That's how I feel in my Thunderbird when I come up beside an SUV or even a mid-sized car. My T-bird has an upgraded factory suspension so it's a bit lower than the standard factory offering (while still remaining factory stock), so I look up at most things as well.

I've never driven one of the new Thunderbirds, but mine is a lot of fun to drive for such a big car. The new ones have a little more powerful engine (mine is a 4.6l DOHC v8 at ~210hp, same as the Mustang GT). Fast as hell (0 to 60 in around 5 seconds) and handles wonderfully. Sucks on gas though.

I'm not a big fan of the new 350Z either. I really like the '70 - '72 240Z a lot and the '90 - '96 300Z (the two seaters without T-tops). The Z really lost its unique look when they added the back seat to the 280.

When my T-bird dies (it's a 97 at about 108k miles) I'm thinking '91 300Z or an early 80s Thunderbird with the big 5l v8.
 
(mine is a 4.6l DOHC v8 at ~210hp, same as the Mustang GT). Fast as hell (0 to 60 in around 5 seconds) and handles wonderfully. Sucks on gas though.
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That was the same engine in the '94 Cougar I had. The Cougars were mostly identical to the same-year Thunderbirds, but I definitely preferred the Cougar styling. Same engine, but I wonder if they were geared or tuned different - the Cougar had fantastic upper-end accelleration, but wasn't what I'd call "quick". My '94 Cougar got pretty good mileage though; on highway trips it was around 28-30.

My '95 Mark VIII gets 28-32 on highway, depending on wind and how fast I'm pushing her. Turning just over 2000 RPM while cruising at 80mph.... Not too quick, especially at this elevation, but the upper-end is absolutely incredible. 70mph to 95mph happens in a blink, and 95mph to 105mphn is two more blinks. I've read there's a governor at 125, but I'm never going to find out personally.

an early 80s Thunderbird with the big 5l v8.
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My first Cougar was an '86, baby blue with the 302 (Mercury had three engine choices, the V-8, a V-6, and a turbo-charged 4-cylinder). That was the first year that Ford fuel injected the 302 5.0L, so I wouldn't buy one older than that. 20 gallon tank and 30MPG, you could drive all day without stopping! That was my favorite car ever, but she slipped off in a ditch one night on a muddy road and fell over - totalled.

When I drive my wife's Accord, I feel like I'm driving an 18 wheeler.
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At work I drive a 2-1/2 ton army truck. After being in one of those for an hour, my F150 feels like a Miata!

Best Wishes,
Bob
 
Haven't owned either one, but good friends with people that have owned at least the Miata and Thunderbird

Thunderbird. Pretty comfortable, pricy, a cruiser, not a sportscar. Don't know how they hold their value.

Mazda Miata: sporty, fun to drive, pretty cheap. TINY. I'm only six feet tall and I have trouble fitting in it unless the top is off. If you're wide too, forget about it.

Here's one that nobody's mentioned. A Jeep Wrangler. Convertible, quirky, fun to drive, pretty much as impractical as the sportscars, but you can drive it all year around.
 
Here's one that nobody's mentioned. A Jeep Wrangler.
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You know, that's what wife says. I tell her I'm buying a convertible for the yellow lab - you can't have a blonde without a convertible you know. :) Wife says Sadie would rather have a Jeep so I can take her to the mountains more often.

I do like the Jeeps and have driven quite a few Cherokees at work. With a five-speed and 4.0 straight-6, those Jeeps got just about anywhere. But I drive in scary 4WD situations for work so often, that I just can't consider it a recreational activity any more. :)

Additionally, Jeeps pretty much suck for highway travel. I've been thinking about the sort of driving I do most often and enjoy teh most. A "cruiser" type car, like the Thunderbird, probably makes more sense than a more single-minded sports car.

Thanks for the suggestion though.
-Bob
 
Take a look at the Nissan Maxima or Altima, both available 5 speed 260+ Horsepower. They handle well. They run forever. I've had 3 never less than 200k miles on each and getting 25+ mpg right to the end. Resonable to fix and plenty of creature comforts. I especially like the automatic headlights.

It is a bit of a compromise between a sport sedan and a "family" car, but may fit your need. YOu should drive one.
 
Hey Bob, if you like the Jag convertibles but want simple maintenance, just replace engine and trans with an LT1 from a vette and a turbo 350 trans from GM... a friend had an older XJ6 with the 12 cylinder and the mechanic blew a piston so my friend replaced the engine with a mid 1980's early 1990's LT1 from a corvette and put a TH350 transmission on it, upgraded the exhaust and made it real quiet. this thing was a sleeper and I am sure you could do an XJ 12 like this for under $15000 dollars.
 
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