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[tryptobphan]

I haven't seen a single Giulia on the road. To be honest, it didn't even hit me till reading these posts that this car is actually on the road.

No manual, no buy for me. That said, if their long-term reliability holds up, I would very likely consider it for my next car.

In ~three years, I know I'll need a 4dr sedan - but I'll still want something fun. Right now the BMW M3 is the most likely candidate - but who knows what I'll want in 2020.

Maybe it's too recent, but I hope the Alfa Romeo's stay in the US now. I've never seen the original Alfa Romeo's in my lifetime.

If you can choose between an Alfa Romeo Giulia or a BMW M3 then that's a great dilemma to have. Good luck choosing it when the time comes. If the reliability holds up for Alfa Romeo Giulia, I'd choose that out of the two since there are already quite a lot of BMW M3's out on the road in the Bay Area. Out of curiosity, what are you driving now?

 

[opticalmace]

Hey AutoGAF, I'm thinking of buying a car this summer but I'm not really sure yet what I want.

Budget is probably 30k max, looking for...
- manual
- RWD or AWD
- asian or european make
- coupe or sedan probably (unless there's a great 2-seater...)
- something fun to drive but not too difficult to live with (maintenance/repair expenses, etc.)
- either new or certified pre-owned, preferably

Haven't really looked much yet but I started to think about the Toyota 86, or maybe Subaru WRX. I've been into motorbikes lately and have just been using a simple economic commuter car (Toyota Matrix), but I'm moving for a job and now is probably the right time for us to go up to two cars.

Any vehicles you'd suggest checking out?

I'm also open to plain used vehicles but some of them seem to be quite expensive used (WRX, S2000, some Miatas), and this is probably a vehicle I'd like to hold onto for quite a while. Any tips are appreciated, thanks!

 

[AlphaSnake]

Maybe it's too recent, but I hope the Alfa Romeo's stay in the US now. I've never seen the original Alfa Romeo's in my lifetime.

If you can choose between an Alfa Romeo Giulia or a BMW M3 then that's a great dilemma to have. Good luck choosing it when the time comes. If the reliability holds up for Alfa Romeo Giulia, I'd choose that out of the two since there are already quite a lot of BMW M3's out on the road in the Bay Area. Out of curiosity, what are you driving now?

A Hellcat Challenger

 

[tryptobphan]

A Hellcat Challenger

Wow, fantastic muscle car... I've never driven one of them before.

 

[nabe_shogun]

Maybe it's too recent, but I hope the Alfa Romeo's stay in the US now. I've never seen the original Alfa Romeo's in my lifetime.

If you can choose between an Alfa Romeo Giulia or a BMW M3 then that's a great dilemma to have. Good luck choosing it when the time comes. If the reliability holds up for Alfa Romeo Giulia, I'd choose that out of the two since there are already quite a lot of BMW M3's out on the road in the Bay Area. Out of curiosity, what are you driving now?

I actually really like the new alfa romeo's that are sold here, though the no manual thing is a huge disappointment. Though if I had the money I'd probably buy a giulia for a daily driver.

 

[v1lla21]

Drive them both they are different cars.

Thanks will do. Gonna fix my car up first and then move on to buying the Miata in a couple of months.

 

[Pinewood]

Maybe it's too recent, but I hope the Alfa Romeo's stay in the US now. I've never seen the original Alfa Romeo's in my lifetime.

If you can choose between an Alfa Romeo Giulia or a BMW M3 then that's a great dilemma to have. Good luck choosing it when the time comes. If the reliability holds up for Alfa Romeo Giulia, I'd choose that out of the two since there are already quite a lot of BMW M3's out on the road in the Bay Area. Out of curiosity, what are you driving now?

I will go out on a limb and say the Giulia will end up being the more reliable one. New Alfas should be quite solid, the Giulietta should be one of more reliable cars in its class (ironically my USB port stopped working)

 

[opticalmace]

Really tempted by the new Miata. I wish you could get heated seats as an option though (and just add it to the base/sport trim).

Going to go tomorrow and check out the 86, Miata and maybe BRZ.

 

[AlphaSnake]

I will go out on a limb and say the Giulia will end up being the more reliable one. New Alfas should be quite solid, the Giulietta should be one of more reliable cars in its class (ironically my USB port stopped working)

Yeah, true. It has a ZF8 gearbox, which has proven itself to be rock solid. And a California T derived motor. I'd say drivetrain would be the least concerning of this car. It's probably the electrics that would have most people scared. Italian cars have tons of really odd gremlins, but then again a lot of the electric stuff is probably sourced from the US, anyway (Chrysler).

 

[friday]

Really tempted by the new Miata. I wish you could get heated seats as an option though (and just add it to the base/sport trim).

Going to go tomorrow and check out the 86, Miata and maybe BRZ.

If you are looking for a sporty non-FWD car than I think the 86 and WRX are the two best options in your price range. If you can get a 2 seater, then the miata reigns supreme for the under $30 price point.

 

[Fallout-NL]

Hey AutoGAF, I'm thinking of buying a car this summer but I'm not really sure yet what I want.

Budget is probably 30k max, looking for...
- manual
- RWD or AWD
- asian or european make
- coupe or sedan probably (unless there's a great 2-seater...)
- something fun to drive but not too difficult to live with (maintenance/repair expenses, etc.)
- either new or certified pre-owned, preferably

Haven't really looked much yet but I started to think about the Toyota 86, or maybe Subaru WRX. I've been into motorbikes lately and have just been using a simple economic commuter car (Toyota Matrix), but I'm moving for a job and now is probably the right time for us to go up to two cars.

Any vehicles you'd suggest checking out?

I'm also open to plain used vehicles but some of them seem to be quite expensive used (WRX, S2000, some Miatas), and this is probably a vehicle I'd like to hold onto for quite a while. Any tips are appreciated, thanks!

Yeah, I think the 86 is your best option.

 

[YuriLowell]

Hey AutoGAF, I'm thinking of buying a car this summer but I'm not really sure yet what I want.

Budget is probably 30k max, looking for...
- manual
- RWD or AWD
- asian or european make
- coupe or sedan probably (unless there's a great 2-seater...)
- something fun to drive but not too difficult to live with (maintenance/repair expenses, etc.)
- either new or certified pre-owned, preferably

Haven't really looked much yet but I started to think about the Toyota 86, or maybe Subaru WRX. I've been into motorbikes lately and have just been using a simple economic commuter car (Toyota Matrix), but I'm moving for a job and now is probably the right time for us to go up to two cars.

Any vehicles you'd suggest checking out?

I'm also open to plain used vehicles but some of them seem to be quite expensive used (WRX, S2000, some Miatas), and this is probably a vehicle I'd like to hold onto for quite a while. Any tips are appreciated, thanks!

Miata RF.

 

[Mazdaspeed]

I know there are a couple of brz/fr-s owners here. I'm thinking of buying a used one, how has the drivetrain reliability been? What is the best forum for these?

 

[Shortt Sirket]

I know there are a couple of brz/fr-s owners here. I'm thinking of buying a used one, how has the drivetrain reliability been? What is the best forum for these?

Thinking of getting rid of the MS6?

 

[Mazdaspeed]

Thinking of getting rid of the MS6?

I am. I had paid to have a new motor built for it last year because I think mine has broken ringlands and it is consuming quite a bit of oil. That fell through, luckily i got all my money back. At this point i could try to go through that again or source a new motor to install myself but it might just be time to move on.

 

[YuriLowell]

I know there are a couple of brz/fr-s owners here. I'm thinking of buying a used one, how has the drivetrain reliability been? What is the best forum for these?

The biggest issue is the idle issue that seems to plague some of the early cars.

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=15577

 

[Shortt Sirket]

I am. I had paid to have a new motor built for it last year because I think mine has broken ringlands and it is consuming quite a bit of oil. That fell through, luckily i got all my money back. At this point i could try to go through that again or source a new motor to install myself but it might just be time to move on.

Shit man, that sucks. I always thought people talking about the fragile MZR motors were just doing stupid shit, now I am worried about mine.

Next obvious question...part out? lol

 

[.Detective.]

Anyone in here have any experience with Audi based on past ownership?

Considering leasing an S3, but I don't have any experience with dealing with the brand aside from the stereotypes. Would appreciate any feedback. Thanks

 

[Shortt Sirket]

Anyone in here have any experience with Audi based on past ownership?

Considering leasing an S3, but I don't have any experience with dealing with the brand aside from the stereotypes. Would appreciate any feedback. Thanks

I might be in the minority but I love the S3 sedan. It looks understated with just the right amount of aggressive body changes to differentiate itself from the normal versions.

And the 300hp turbo four is a great engine for it, although I feel like it could use a small boost in power. Of course, a few cheap bolt ons should fix that.

Again, I don't know much about owning them but I really dig the S3 sedan and would totally grab one.

 

[papersleeves]

Hey guys,

I'm thinking about replacing my 2007 G35S sedan. I love that car but she's starting to feel really old. She has 220000KM and has a few problems:

• 
  Transmission [5AT] knocks a little between first and second and quite a bit between second and third when it's cold (winter). Otherwise it's pretty smooth and a non issue.

• 
  Lots of noise inside the cabin (rattles, wind noise, shocks).

• 
  The isolation band is completely broken on all doors. I constantly have to ice-scrap my windshield inside my car for 5 minutes.

• 
  Car has a tough time starting when it's cold. When it does start, it feels like the engine cannot rev at a correct speed to counter the fact that it's cold so it feels like it's about to stall until it's getting warmer. At that point, it will picks up rev speed.

• 
  Rust started appearing on rear-right wheel panel as well as some little spots on the roof.

• 
  Other minor stuffs.

Truth be told, I think I could do 2-3 more years with her easily with only normal maintenance (brakes, oil changes, tires). But I like driving a clean car and therefore I would like a change while she still has a bit of value. While I do have the budget for a brand new car, I don't have the required budget for a new luxury sport sedan and will therefore have to purchase a used car.

I first started to look for used, great performance cars like the 335i but apparently it's possibly the worst car to purchase used. I've looked at other options like the IS350 which has much better reliability but all of those in my region has mileage close to my current car. I have no doubt about lexus reliability but paying 10K for a car with 200000KM seems excessive. At that point I've decided that I would skip the 10K-20K range and pay up to 30K for my next car.

I want reliability and peace of mind without sacrificing too much performance. Because of this, I would rather not think about German cars since they are known to be less reliable than Japanese vehicles and are also a bit more expensive when it comes to maintenance (especially BMW). Therefore, I am currently looking for the 2014 infiniti Q50S and the 2014 Lexus IS350 F-Sport. Unfortunately, I didn't have the chance to tried either of them. But will come soon enough. That said, I had the chance to sit on both during a car show last week and from what I understand, the 2014 model pretty has the same interior than the 2017 model for both of them. I can say that I preferred the interior of the IS350. I felt much more connected to it. I also vastly prefer the exterior. While both cars have a front that I dig, the rear and the side of the IS350 is in a league above.

From what I could gather though, the Q50S apparently has better performance, very similar to my current G35S in fact, but is more economical too. It's also quite a bit cheaper than the lexus. I can get the Q50S for less than $25000cnd with low mileage while the it's nearly impossible to find a f-sport under 30k, let alone the low mileage (though it's a lexus so higher mileage doesn't bother me as much).

Has anyone here have any experience with any of those cars?

Thanks!

 

[golem]

I might be in the minority but I love the S3 sedan. It looks understated with just the right amount of aggressive body changes to differentiate itself from the normal versions.

And the 300hp turbo four is a great engine for it, although I feel like it could use a small boost in power. Of course, a few cheap bolt ons should fix that.

Again, I don't know much about owning them but I really dig the S3 sedan and would totally grab one.

Yeah i like it too, probably too small for my uses but it looks great on the road and seems reasonably reliable for a german car

 

[burgerdog]

Anyone in here have any experience with Audi based on past ownership?

Considering leasing an S3, but I don't have any experience with dealing with the brand aside from the stereotypes. Would appreciate any feedback. Thanks

I haven't had any problems with my 13' S5, the only trips to dealership have been for oil changes. Alpha had problems with two A6s though so it's going to be YMMV type of thing.

 

[tryptobphan]

Hey guys,

I'm thinking about replacing my 2007 G35S sedan. I love that car but she's starting to feel really old. She has 220000KM and has a few problems:

• 
  Transmission [5AT] knocks a little between first and second and quite a bit between second and third when it's cold (winter). Otherwise it's pretty smooth and a non issue.

• 
  Lots of noise inside the cabin (rattles, wind noise, shocks).

• 
  The isolation band is completely broken on all doors. I constantly have to ice-scrap my windshield inside my car for 5 minutes.

• 
  Car has a tough time starting when it's cold. When it does start, it feels like the engine cannot rev at a correct speed to counter the fact that it's cold so it feels like it's about to stall until it's getting warmer. At that point, it will picks up rev speed.

• 
  Rust started appearing on rear-right wheel panel as well as some little spots on the roof.

• 
  Other minor stuffs.

Truth be told, I think I could do 2-3 more years with her easily with only normal maintenance (brakes, oil changes, tires). But I like driving a clean car and therefore I would like a change while she still has a bit of value. While I do have the budget for a brand new car, I don't have the required budget for a new luxury sport sedan and will therefore have to purchase a used car.

I first started to look for used, great performance cars like the 335i but apparently it's possibly the worst car to purchase used. I've looked at other options like the IS350 which has much better reliability but all of those in my region has mileage close to my current car. I have no doubt about lexus reliability but paying 10K for a car with 200000KM seems excessive. At that point I've decided that I would skip the 10K-20K range and pay up to 30K for my next car.

I want reliability and peace of mind without sacrificing too much performance. Because of this, I would rather not think about German cars since they are known to be less reliable than Japanese vehicles and are also a bit more expensive when it comes to maintenance (especially BMW). Therefore, I am currently looking for the 2014 infiniti Q50S and the 2014 Lexus IS350 F-Sport. Unfortunately, I didn't have the chance to tried either of them. But will come soon enough. That said, I had the chance to sit on both during a car show last week and from what I understand, the 2014 model pretty has the same interior than the 2017 model for both of them. I can say that I preferred the interior of the IS350. I felt much more connected to it. I also vastly prefer the exterior. While both cars have a front that I dig, the rear and the side of the IS350 is in a league above.

From what I could gather though, the Q50S apparently has better performance, very similar to my current G35S in fact, but is more economical too. It's also quite a bit cheaper than the lexus. I can get the Q50S for less than $25000cnd with low mileage while the it's nearly impossible to find a f-sport under 30k, let alone the low mileage (though it's a lexus so higher mileage doesn't bother me as much).

Has anyone here have any experience with any of those cars?

Thanks!

Personally, taking into account everything you've said, I'd go for the IS350 F-Sport. I like the Nissan Q50S, but I doubt Nissan's reliability in the last half decade since they've really declined. If you want peace of mind, go Lexus, even if somewhat used. However, I will say that I haven't driven the newer Nissan G37's or anything, but I always thought the Nissan cars handled better than the Lexus cars.

Maybe someone else with more experience with recent models can chime in, but if I'm considering mostly reliability and peace of mind, I know I'd get the Lexus IS350 or IS350 F Sport between them and the Nissan Q50S.

 

[.Detective.]

I might be in the minority but I love the S3 sedan. It looks understated with just the right amount of aggressive body changes to differentiate itself from the normal versions.

And the 300hp turbo four is a great engine for it, although I feel like it could use a small boost in power. Of course, a few cheap bolt ons should fix that.

Again, I don't know much about owning them but I really dig the S3 sedan and would totally grab one.

Yeah, I really liked some of the subtle characteristics of the vehicle. It doesn't jump at you with crazy angles or anything, but is refined and controlled looking.

I also liked it considerably more than the other cars in its segment/class.

Yeah i like it too, probably too small for my uses but it looks great on the road and seems reasonably reliable for a german car

From what I know, it's apparently only a couple inches less in overall length compared to the previous version of S4, so not too bad overall.

I haven't had any problems with my 13' S5, the only trips to dealership have been for oil changes. Alpha had problems with two A6s though so it's going to be YMMV type of thing.

I can understand that. I was initially considering financing the vehicle, but how do Audi vehicles rate in terms of value over time? Obviously this one isn't a higher end type like yours, but is there any steep drop off overall?

I currently have a CX-3 GT which is a blast to drive daily but I've always wanted a sports sedan for the weekends.

 

[AlphaSnake]

Anyone in here have any experience with Audi based on past ownership?

Considering leasing an S3, but I don't have any experience with dealing with the brand aside from the stereotypes. Would appreciate any feedback. Thanks

Yeah, I really liked some of the subtle characteristics of the vehicle. It doesn't jump at you with crazy angles or anything, but is refined and controlled looking.

I also liked it considerably more than the other cars in its segment/class.



From what I know, it's apparently only a couple inches less in overall length compared to the previous version of S4, so not too bad overall.



I can understand that. I was initially considering financing the vehicle, but how do Audi vehicles rate in terms of value over time? Obviously this one isn't a higher end type like yours, but is there any steep drop off overall?

I currently have a CX-3 GT which is a blast to drive daily but I've always wanted a sports sedan for the weekends.

As mentioned, I have had numerous Audis. Two A6s (2005 4.2 and 2012 3.0 Supercharged). Also, my wife had an A4 2.0T. All three vehicles were absolute nightmares. I couldn't get rid of them quick enough. That's the short of it. I would never buy an Audi again.

 

[tryptobphan]

As mentioned, I have had numerous Audis. Two A6s (2005 4.2 and 2012 3.0 Supercharged). Also, my wife had an A4 2.0T. All three vehicles were absolute nightmares. I couldn't get rid of them quick enough. That's the short of it. I would never buy an Audi again.

This is what I hear all the time being in the Bay Area, where a lot of people have German cars, but it always shocks me how high Audi ranks each year in the Consumer Reports for Reliability.

 

[.Detective.]

As mentioned, I have had numerous Audis. Two A6s (2005 4.2 and 2012 3.0 Supercharged). Also, my wife had an A4 2.0T. All three vehicles were absolute nightmares. I couldn't get rid of them quick enough. That's the short of it. I would never buy an Audi again.

Thanks dude. This kind of feedback helps with the decision making as well.

The other vehicles I was considering was the XE R-Sport or the Q60, but again, I'm new to this whole luxury sports sedan segment, so I'm weighing my options with caution, before pulling the trigger.

All I know at this time is that I don't want anything Mercedes or BMW.

 

[tryptobphan]

Thanks dude. This kind of feedback helps with the decision making as well.

The other vehicles I was considering was the XE R-Sport or the Q60, but again, I'm new to this whole luxury sports sedan segment, so I'm weighing my options with caution, before pulling the trigger.

All I know at this time is that I don't want anything Mercedes or BMW.

I was in your position a little over a year ago. In fact, I actually asked NeoGaf for advice as well between Audi, Mercedes, BMW, and Jaguar.

Of the four, I would've went for the Jaguar XE. The combination of a less common car, better driving dynamics (I test drove a ton of cars including the A4, TT/TTS, C300, SLK/SLC300, 3/5 series, XF/XE), and the warranty provided for Jaguar was really attractive.

 

[kharma45]

As mentioned, I have had numerous Audis. Two A6s (2005 4.2 and 2012 3.0 Supercharged). Also, my wife had an A4 2.0T. All three vehicles were absolute nightmares. I couldn't get rid of them quick enough. That's the short of it. I would never buy an Audi again.

I could be wrong on this but the German cars you guys seem to get in the US seem to be inherently less reliable than what we get across the pond.

We've had a C6 and a C7 A6 and neither missed a beat. Only niggle with the C7 is the sat nav will randomly decide to call out voice instructions in KM rather than miles.

 

[AlphaSnake]

This is what I hear all the time being in the Bay Area, where a lot of people have German cars, but it always shocks me how high Audi ranks each year in the Consumer Reports for Reliability.

The 4.2L A6 was great RIGHT up until it's warranty ended at 50K miles. At 51K a sensor failed. At 54K the entire MMI failed (luckily our non-Audi extended warranty covered it). After that the coil pack gave out in the middle of a drive home on the highway (turns out my Audi dealer never performed a fucking recall on it). Imagine driving at 60MPH and suddenly the entire dash lights up and your car starts shaking like a bull trapped in a den? Fuel pump sensor failed after that. Oil sensor. And then the MMI shit the bed again...and I had to pay for it. $2600

All of those sensors weren't even covered too.

Nail in the coffin? Transmission started to fail at 75K miles. What kind of car has a failing trans at that kind of mileage? It was primarily the valve body causing all of the issues (the car would violently buck 3 times when accelerating from a stop at open throttle and the power output became awful). I traded it in for the brand new 2012s when they came out...great car, but by 8K it was burning oil like crazy. 10K miles it started overheating because the thermostat crapped and stuck. 14K again the oil burning returned. 16K the heat stopped working during a 20-degree day (was a glitch that went away after a restart once off the highway). 20K thermostat again. 26K no heat again. Fuck that car.

Not even going to get into the other nightmare of my wife's A4 2.0T. Just trash. And I was a MASSIVE Audi-stan here on the forums. But once mine started shitting on me, I moved away from them promptly.

So far, I'm 3 Jaguars in...I love them. 2012 XF was rock solid. My new 2016 apart from some oddities that no one else on the forums has experienced has also been reliable, and anything I've complained about Jaguar has apologized for and even gave me a check for $2000 as a gesture of appreciating my business (I never demanded any kind of compensation or even raised my voice! Haha). My 2012 XKR I've driven 8K miles since buying it 1 year ago...and I simply love it.

If you like the S3, check out the XE 35t (aka XE-S in Europe) or the American XE-S which boasts 380HP. The XE-S will be out in June, I think.

 

[AlphaSnake]

Thanks dude. This kind of feedback helps with the decision making as well.

The other vehicles I was considering was the XE R-Sport or the Q60, but again, I'm new to this whole luxury sports sedan segment, so I'm weighing my options with caution, before pulling the trigger.

All I know at this time is that I don't want anything Mercedes or BMW.

Man, The XE is such a hoot to drive. It's so damn planted and flat. It reminds of my friend's old E46 on coilovers, but with a much better ride. Plus, I simply love the minimalistic and totally functional interior. It's been a hot button topic, but I really can't stand interior full of buttons, knobs, and shit all over the place. The Jags are all very cleanly laid out and ergonomically make sense. Edit: no question though that the C-Class is far more luxurious looking inside, but that's sort of the point. It's geared more toward luxury, the Jag is geared more toward sportiness.

Even though the US is getting a 380HP XE-S, I'd still go with the XE 35t + options and get the 380HP or 410HP tune separately from Velocity AP, which is a tune covered by almost every Jag dealer I can think of! And yeah, the Jag warranty covers all services for 5 years and 50K miles. The best in the biz.

 

[.Detective.]

Man, The XE is such a hoot to drive. It's so damn planted and flat. It reminds of my friend's old E46 on coilovers, but with a much better ride. Plus, I simply love the minimalistic and totally functional interior. It's been a hot button topic, but I really can't stand interior full of buttons, knobs, and shit all over the place. The Jags are all very cleanly laid out and ergonomically make sense. Edit: no question though that the C-Class is far more luxurious looking inside, but that's sort of the point. It's geared more toward luxury, the Jag is geared more toward sportiness.

Even though the US is getting a 380HP XE-S, I'd still go with the XE 35t + options and get the 380HP or 410HP tune separately from Velocity AP, which is a tune covered by almost every Jag dealer I can think of! And yeah, the Jag warranty covers all services for 5 years and 50K miles. The best in the biz.

Would it be wiser to lease a Jag? Or do these vehicles retain some value over time, with reliability? Obviously not super long term, but at least within a 3-5 year span before considering something new.

I like what I've read about the XE, but it's only been in production since April '15, iirc, so coming up on 2 years soon.

 

[AlphaSnake]

Would it be wiser to lease a Jag? Or do these vehicles retain some value over time, with reliability? Obviously not super long term, but at least within a 3-5 year span before considering something new.

I like what I've read about the XE, but it's only been in production since April '15, iirc, so coming up on 2 years soon.

Where do you live? US or Europe?

I leased my XFs, but bought the XKR. Depreciation hits cars over $50K worse than others. The projected residuals on XEs has been pretty good thus far, but only time will tell. If you can get a solid $500 lease on a loaded XE 35t, with nothing but $1000-1500 out of pocket for tags and fees, then yeah, grab that.

If you buy, Jaguars have this weird tendency to stop depreciating after 5-7 years of life. For example, clean Jaguar X-Types are still somehow selling for over $10,000.

http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/vehicledetails.xhtml?listingId=450610756&zip=34786&referrer=%2Fcars-for-sale%2Fsearchresults.xhtml%3Fzip%3D34786%26showcaseOwnerId%3D0%26startYear%3D1981%26incremental%3Dall%26firstRecord%3D0%26endYear%3D2018%26modelCodeList%3DXTYPE%26makeCodeList%3DJAG%26searchRadius%3D100%26trimCodeList%3DXTYPE%257C3.0&startYear=1981&numRecords=25&firstRecord=0&endYear=2018&modelCodeList=XTYPE&makeCodeList=JAG&searchRadius=100&makeCode1=JAG&modelCode1=XTYPE

This one has no CarFax or anything, but it's still priced higher than expected:

http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/vehicledetails.xhtml?listingId=446208136&zip=34786&referrer=%2Fcars-for-sale%2Fsearchresults.xhtml%3Fzip%3D34786%26showcaseOwnerId%3D0%26startYear%3D1981%26incremental%3Dall%26firstRecord%3D0%26endYear%3D2018%26modelCodeList%3DXTYPE%26makeCodeList%3DJAG%26searchRadius%3D300%26trimCodeList%3DXTYPE%257C3.0&startYear=1981&numRecords=25&firstRecord=0&endYear=2018&modelCodeList=XTYPE&makeCodeList=JAG&searchRadius=300&makeCode1=JAG&modelCode1=XTYPE

Now of course you have the really old 2002-2005 cars from $4000-6000, but they have really questionable histories, and are in rough shape. In any case, Jags are just odd renaissance cars. Even the really mediocre ones, eventually people just want them. Finding a V12 XJS Coupe or Convertible in good nick is becoming difficult. All of a sudden, people want them. 5 years ago they were scrap selling for $3-5K in great shape! Now they're over $10K for a good example (and obviously questionable accident history, since CarFax didn't exist), and over $20K in great shape with history and service papers.

Anyway, test drive the car. See if you like it. Go for the lease first. If the residual/buy out matches what the car is worth on the market, and you never had an accident during the lease, keep the car. If the car was hit, it's not your problem, move on to the next one.

 

[jongkookie]

Was going through my iPhone pics earlier and forgot that I saw this last week:



It had manufacturer plates from Georgia so I'm assuming they're not out in the wild yet?

That said I'm not surprised to see it in that area... the biggest Porsche dealership in the DFW area is literally right around the corner from where I took this.

Anyway, it looks gorgeous in person... much better than the previous Panamera which looked like an elongated sausaged 911 lol.

 

[opticalmace]

Went and sat in the Miata, 86 and BRZ today. Plus a few others.

I've always wanted a Miata and it seems super rad. Haven't test ridden it yet, as I'm still a couple months out from purchasing, though I've driven the older generations.

Still not sure how I feel about buying a new car vs used... Makes me wonder what else I could be looking at for my money instead of buying a Miata new at 25k+taxes or whatever it approximately is. I've never financed anything so this is new territory for me.

I wonder if I should just get an NA/NB instead and have more money in my pocket...? What would you do? This is a second car (wife has the commuter) so it doesn't need to be practical.

 

[Topfuel]

Went and sat in the Miata, 86 and BRZ today. Plus a few others.

I've always wanted a Miata and it seems super rad. Haven't test ridden it yet, as I'm still a couple months out from purchasing, though I've driven the older generations.

Still not sure how I feel about buying a new car vs used... Makes me wonder what else I could be looking at for my money instead of buying a Miata new at 25k+taxes or whatever it approximately is. I've never financed anything so this is new territory for me.

I wonder if I should just get an NA/NB instead and have more money in my pocket...? What would you do? This is a second car (wife has the commuter) so it doesn't need to be practical.

A nice unmolested S2K could be an alternative and keep its value very well. 90s Japanese sportscars prices are rising and getting more popular. The RX-8 R3 is also a fantastic car, but high fuel consumption.

 

[GHG]

Was going through my iPhone pics earlier and forgot that I saw this last week:



It had manufacturer plates from Georgia so I'm assuming they're not out in the wild yet?

That said I'm not surprised to see it in that area... the biggest Porsche dealership in the DFW area is literally right around the corner from where I took this.

Anyway, it looks gorgeous in person... much better than the previous Panamera which looked like an elongated sausaged 911 lol.

So pretty.

I think I have a fetish for well designed LED lights. So much so that I want to set up a side business that does custom LED's.

 

[tryptobphan]

The 4.2L A6 was great RIGHT up until it's warranty ended at 50K miles. At 51K a sensor failed. At 54K the entire MMI failed (luckily our non-Audi extended warranty covered it). After that the coil pack gave out in the middle of a drive home on the highway (turns out my Audi dealer never performed a fucking recall on it). Imagine driving at 60MPH and suddenly the entire dash lights up and your car starts shaking like a bull trapped in a den? Fuel pump sensor failed after that. Oil sensor. And then the MMI shit the bed again...and I had to pay for it. $2600

All of those sensors weren't even covered too.

Nail in the coffin? Transmission started to fail at 75K miles. What kind of car has a failing trans at that kind of mileage? It was primarily the valve body causing all of the issues (the car would violently buck 3 times when accelerating from a stop at open throttle and the power output became awful). I traded it in for the brand new 2012s when they came out...great car, but by 8K it was burning oil like crazy. 10K miles it started overheating because the thermostat crapped and stuck. 14K again the oil burning returned. 16K the heat stopped working during a 20-degree day (was a glitch that went away after a restart once off the highway). 20K thermostat again. 26K no heat again. Fuck that car.

Not even going to get into the other nightmare of my wife's A4 2.0T. Just trash. And I was a MASSIVE Audi-stan here on the forums. But once mine started shitting on me, I moved away from them promptly.

So far, I'm 3 Jaguars in...I love them. 2012 XF was rock solid. My new 2016 apart from some oddities that no one else on the forums has experienced has also been reliable, and anything I've complained about Jaguar has apologized for and even gave me a check for $2000 as a gesture of appreciating my business (I never demanded any kind of compensation or even raised my voice! Haha). My 2012 XKR I've driven 8K miles since buying it 1 year ago...and I simply love it.

If you like the S3, check out the XE 35t (aka XE-S in Europe) or the American XE-S which boasts 380HP. The XE-S will be out in June, I think.

Wow, that is definitely some crazy history. I've never owned an Audi but only heard horror stories. I always hear horror stories about Mercedes, BMW, and Audi right around the 40-50,000 mile mark, once the warranty ends. It feels like they engineer their cars to work up until that point and then things go wrong on purpose sometimes. My family had 3 Mercedes S-Classes throughout my childhood up until I went to college. All I remember about them were that they went into the shop often, especially after a few years of getting them. We had a L series Lexus near the end of my high school years and that thing lasted a while before we sold it. Go figure, I doubt my story is unique according to the reliability reports out there.

I'll also chime in and say that the Jaguar XE is amazing to drive. It's a really fun, sporty car that handles exceptionally well when compared to its rivals. Definitely worth a couple test drives at the very least. Even the Jaguar XE 25t is worth checking out if you can't afford the 35t.

I'll also agree with AlphaSnake that every interior is a bit different. Jaguar XE's interior has been criticized by being lackluster in terms of the infotainment, buttons, etc. and also the lack of rear passenger space. I am not 6 feet tall so I have a lot of room in the back and my friends all fit when I was test driving. I also found the Jaguar car's InControl infotainment system easy to use. But the Mercedes C300 definitely feels more luxurious and everything. However, I also know that Mercedes has its issues for the C class in regards to reliability from both co-workers and Consumer Reports reliability survey. Not sure about Jaguar reliability but the warranty definitely made up for it when I was looking last year.

I say just test drive everything you're even considering. It's worth it to at least know how each car feels out on the road, how it functions, and how it makes you feel.

 

[No Love]

Went and sat in the Miata, 86 and BRZ today. Plus a few others.

I've always wanted a Miata and it seems super rad. Haven't test ridden it yet, as I'm still a couple months out from purchasing, though I've driven the older generations.

Still not sure how I feel about buying a new car vs used... Makes me wonder what else I could be looking at for my money instead of buying a Miata new at 25k+taxes or whatever it approximately is. I've never financed anything so this is new territory for me.

I wonder if I should just get an NA/NB instead and have more money in my pocket...? What would you do? This is a second car (wife has the commuter) so it doesn't need to be practical.

A nice unmolested S2K could be an alternative and keep its value very well. 90s Japanese sportscars prices are rising and getting more popular. The RX-8 R3 is also a fantastic car, but high fuel consumption.

I second this. Get a clean 2006+ S2000. It will shit on all of those cars.

 

[YuriLowell]

I second this. Get a clean 2006+ S2000. It will shit on all of those cars.

I've driven both an AP1 and an AP2, and while they are fun cars, I still like the Miata more despite it making 100 hp less. I think its because I can go flat all of the time and not really worry about anything.

Maybe test drive a Mazdaspeed NB.

 

[Evo X]

Was going through my iPhone pics earlier and forgot that I saw this last week:



It had manufacturer plates from Georgia so I'm assuming they're not out in the wild yet?

That said I'm not surprised to see it in that area... the biggest Porsche dealership in the DFW area is literally right around the corner from where I took this.

Anyway, it looks gorgeous in person... much better than the previous Panamera which looked like an elongated sausaged 911 lol.

They are out. We just got our first one on Tuesday. Sold the very same day for MSRP. Crazy.

Guy hasn't picked it up yet so I played around with the PCM a bit in our pre delivery detail area. It looks gorgeous on the outside, but the interior and tech are the biggest upgrades.

Will get much more experience with it in Atlanta next week.

 

[matmanx1]

I've driven both an AP1 and an AP2, and while they are fun cars, I still like the Miata more despite it making 100 hp less. I think its because I can go flat all of the time and not really worry about anything.

Maybe test drive a Mazdaspeed NB.

Yep, one of the most fun things about the Miata is that you can wring it out quite often and still not be at stupidly dangerous speeds. Mine makes me grin unexpectedly every time I drive it (including this morning on the way to work).

 

[friday]

I second this. Get a clean 2006+ S2000. It will shit on all of those cars.

The powerband of the S2000 can be hit or miss for certain people. When it comes to public roads I think midrange of more torquey motors can work better.

But, do test drive one. You might love it.

 

[YuriLowell]

The powerband of the S2000 can be hit or miss for certain people. When it comes to public roads I think midrange of more torquey motors can work better.

But, do test drive one. You might love it.

Also Clean AP2's are going for 15-20k.

 

[Fallout-NL]

The powerband of the S2000 can be hit or miss for certain people. When it comes to public roads I think midrange of more torquey motors can work better.

But, do test drive one. You might love it.

True. The S2K engine is beautiful, but I much prefer the added torque from my Boxster on public roads. The S2000 is the better looking car though, the rear at least. Front... I'm starting to really like my 986 for some reason.

 

[Stinkles]

They are out. We just got our first one on Tuesday. Sold the very same day for MSRP. Crazy.

Guy hasn't picked it up yet so I played around with the PCM a bit in our pre delivery detail area. It looks gorgeous on the outside, but the interior and tech are the biggest upgrades.

Will get much more experience with it in Atlanta next week.

Any idea what the cabin/road noise is like?

 

[AlphaSnake]

Wow, that is definitely some crazy history. I've never owned an Audi but only heard horror stories. I always hear horror stories about Mercedes, BMW, and Audi right around the 40-50,000 mile mark, once the warranty ends. It feels like they engineer their cars to work up until that point and then things go wrong on purpose sometimes. My family had 3 Mercedes S-Classes throughout my childhood up until I went to college. All I remember about them were that they went into the shop often, especially after a few years of getting them. We had a L series Lexus near the end of my high school years and that thing lasted a while before we sold it. Go figure, I doubt my story is unique according to the reliability reports out there.

I'll also chime in and say that the Jaguar XE is amazing to drive. It's a really fun, sporty car that handles exceptionally well when compared to its rivals. Definitely worth a couple test drives at the very least. Even the Jaguar XE 25t is worth checking out if you can't afford the 35t.

I'll also agree with AlphaSnake that every interior is a bit different. Jaguar XE's interior has been criticized by being lackluster in terms of the infotainment, buttons, etc. and also the lack of rear passenger space. I am not 6 feet tall so I have a lot of room in the back and my friends all fit when I was test driving. I also found the Jaguar car's InControl infotainment system easy to use. But the Mercedes C300 definitely feels more luxurious and everything. However, I also know that Mercedes has its issues for the C class in regards to reliability from both co-workers and Consumer Reports reliability survey. Not sure about Jaguar reliability but the warranty definitely made up for it when I was looking last year.

I say just test drive everything you're even considering. It's worth it to at least know how each car feels out on the road, how it functions, and how it makes you feel.

The new XE 25t is coming out this Summer too (I think they said early June in the press release), with an all new turbo motor that is no longer Ford sourced. It's a Jaguar Ingenium motor, more horsepower and gobs more torque. Better paired for the ZF gearbox too. Should be a very impressive thing.

 

[BigBeauford]

Hey AutoGAF, I'm thinking of buying a car this summer but I'm not really sure yet what I want.

Budget is probably 30k max, looking for...
- manual
- RWD or AWD
- asian or european make
- coupe or sedan probably (unless there's a great 2-seater...)
- something fun to drive but not too difficult to live with (maintenance/repair expenses, etc.)
- either new or certified pre-owned, preferably

Haven't really looked much yet but I started to think about the Toyota 86, or maybe Subaru WRX. I've been into motorbikes lately and have just been using a simple economic commuter car (Toyota Matrix), but I'm moving for a job and now is probably the right time for us to go up to two cars.

Any vehicles you'd suggest checking out?

I'm also open to plain used vehicles but some of them seem to be quite expensive used (WRX, S2000, some Miatas), and this is probably a vehicle I'd like to hold onto for quite a while. Any tips are appreciated, thanks!

Have you looked into an Accord Coupe?

 

[Evo X]

Any idea what the cabin/road noise is like?

No. I didn't drive it since it's a sold car.

I'm really interested to find out though since it seems to be a much more refined car than the previous one. Wonder how close it comes to the benchmark S Class in that regard.

 

[jongkookie]

So pretty.

Agreed. It sorta looked like the previous gen Panamera when it was behind me, but as soon as I saw the taillights, I was smitten. Those lights are absolutely gorgeous.

They are out. We just got our first one on Tuesday. Sold the very same day for MSRP. Crazy.

Guy hasn't picked it up yet so I played around with the PCM a bit in our pre delivery detail area. It looks gorgeous on the outside, but the interior and tech are the biggest upgrades.

Will get much more experience with it in Atlanta next week.

Interesting. I looked at the inventory of that Porsche dealer I'm talking about and they supposedly have one, albeit it's "coming soon" with no photo lol.

I'm actually sorta curious on which Porsche would be the best daily driver, this or the Macan.

Yep, one of the most fun things about the Miata is that you can wring it out quite often and still not be at stupidly dangerous speeds. Mine makes me grin unexpectedly every time I drive it (including this morning on the way to work).

Yep. Driving it everyday is probably the only reason why I find my 9-5 tolerable. I always look forward to the end of the work day to sit in my NC and do some shenanigans without breaking the speed limit lol.

Also Clean AP2's are going for 15-20k.

And that's the biggest problem with S2k's imo... it's almost out of the "not worth it" price range. At that price point you can pick up a 370Z, Mustang GT, Camaro SS, V8 Challenger, and a number of other cars that can smoke an S2k easily.

Really the only reason why an S2k would be worth it to someone is if, A - you're a Honda fanboy, or B - you want a faster Miata(I say Miata coz you can get 3 of the cars I mentioned with a 'vert).