Wife may have totaled our IS350 ... what next

[Sidekicknichola]

Wife went deer hunting with our IS350 this weekend and when it was hit tore the hell out of the undercarriage.... haven't heard back from the shop just yet, but I wouldn't be shocked if its a total loss.

With that said, based on comps / kbb I see the car being valued at 20k-21k for the payout. That plus a penny stock I just cashed out would put me at like 25k cash for a "new" car. I don't mind financing a little bit to go up to 30k....

As far as my driving, I'm on pace to put on 6,500 miles this year, short commute and I have an RSX is I go anywhere that having high MPGs would pay off. Live in Minneapolis, so winters can be rough, but again have the RSX and honestly the IS350 (RWD) with snow tires did better than the RSX anyway.


I'm currently looking at the following cars for a replacement, anyone with input good/bad/otherwise - I don't want a new car, just new to me.... also must be Auto for when the wifey drives it.

2008 Lexus ISF 52k miles - $28.5k
- wife and I both loved the IS350 (this is my third IS250/350), seems like a logical step up

2011 CTS Coupe 3.6 (AWD) 32k miles - $25k
- beautiful car, awd means I could ditch the RSX too

2012 G37x (leaning towards the coupe) - 10k miles - $25k
AED again is nice, has some zip to it


.... suggestions are welcome the only main criteria I would like:
* Reliable / no ridiculous maintenance schedules (sort of why I rules out 335i and s4)
* Automatic
* Looks "pretty" to the wife - IS350 is her favorite body style to date, use that as a measuring stick
* Quick
* 20+ mpg highway would be nice


Thanks!

 

[CurrentlyPissed]

You can't get the g37x in coupe fyi. Only sedan.

 

[Sidekicknichola]

You can't get the g37x in coupe fyi. Only sedan.

Pretty sure you can, or there are a lot of people lying on the internet

http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/ctd/4377671196.html

 

[monkeydelmagico]

2008 Lexus ISF 52k miles - $28.5k
- wife and I both loved the IS350 (this is my third IS250/350), seems like a logical step up

2011 CTS Coupe 3.6 (AWD) 32k miles - $25k
- beautiful car, awd means I could ditch the RSX too

2012 G37x (leaning towards the coupe) - 10k miles - $25k
AED again is nice, has some zip to it


.... suggestions are welcome the only main criteria I would like:
* Reliable / no ridiculous maintenance schedules (sort of why I rules out 335i and s4)
* Automatic
* Looks "pretty" to the wife - IS350 is her favorite body style to date, use that as a measuring stick
* Quick
* 20+ mpg highway would be nice


Thanks!

Couple thoughts:

If you like the Lexus line you would be best served by another. Infiniti's are not Lexus. Generally they are a bit rougher, visceral, and IMHO more fun.

Why on earth would you rule out the BMW's? They are usually considered top dogs in any category they contend in. The perception that BMW maintenance is going to fiscally ruin you both is silly. Now a Caddy.....that might bankrupt you . The service at most caddy dealers is outstanding though so you might like frequent visits.

 

[MiataNC]

I have never seen a happy Lexus owner happy with anything else.

When my dad's 1998 ES300 with 200K on it was totalled, he went out and got an RX350.

 

[Sidekicknichola]

Why on earth would you rule out the BMW's?

The 335i was a contender but having turbos adds to insurance and is just another thing to break... have the same or more power out of a NA engine is appealing to me

Now a Caddy.....that might bankrupt you .

My first car was a 94' Eldorado.... awful tub of shit. My wife's dad has two CTS (2012 CTSV and a 2012 3.6) and has had nothing but good things to say about them, he is really picky too, so if he likes them, they must be alright.... plus the CTS coupe is just so damn good looking.

 

[Jimzz]

I cross shopped the G37 with the CTS. Ended up with the CTS. The G37 comes with more standard stuff but the interior feels cheaper. That and was able to find a CTS with the performance package and CTS will run on regular gas, G37 wants premium.

Both are good cars but different feel. Test drive both first to see if one feels better to you.

Why on earth would you rule out the BMW's? .

Oh IDK, maybe he wants a reliable car.

 

[SearchMaster]

IS-F. I don't get the sense you'd be happy with the other two.

 

[Sidekicknichola]

Both are good cars but different feel. Test drive both first to see if one feels better to you.

I've driven the G37 and the CTS sedan (not the coupe yet), and not the ISF, but I would think it will feel like the IS except on steroids.

IS-F. I don't get the sense you'd be happy with the other two.

I think if I never drive it, I may never know how awesome it probably is.... my guess as soon as I get behind the wheel I will fall in love with it... which could be the problem. its not quite the most practical Minnesota vehicle ever and I'm sure the cost of ownership vs. the G and CTS is quite a bit higher.

 

[Naeeldar]

Couple thoughts:

If you like the Lexus line you would be best served by another. Infiniti's are not Lexus. Generally they are a bit rougher, visceral, and IMHO more fun.

Why on earth would you rule out the BMW's? They are usually considered top dogs in any category they contend in. The perception that BMW maintenance is going to fiscally ruin you both is silly. Now a Caddy.....that might bankrupt you . The service at most caddy dealers is outstanding though so you might like frequent visits.

I personally wouldn't want a BMW or Audi outside of warranty and I own an 13 S4. These new transmission new DSG transmissions are so damn expensive among other potential high dollar costs. I'm not saying it's going to baknrupt anybody but an 8,000 repair on a 4-5 year old car is sure going to make it hard to justify selling the car a year or two later etc..

Also the new Lexus cars specifically the newest gen IS and the newest gen GS350 have a much sportier drive than ever before. Candidly if I had test drove the GS350 before I ordered my S4 (was on order before release) I probably would have went with the GS350. NOt as fun as my S4 but it's up there and yet far more luxrious and reliability is second to none.

 

[JulesMaximus]

IS is too small for us. We will probably go with one of the new ES sedans when we replace my wife's IS. I've driven them and they are really nice cars. Roomy, comfortable, plenty of power, nice luxury features. Just a great car all around.

 

[JMapleton]

IS is too small for us. We will probably go with one of the new ES sedans when we replace my wife's IS. I've driven them and they are really nice cars. Roomy, comfortable, plenty of power, nice luxury features. Just a great car all around.

ES = Old lady car.

 

[JulesMaximus]

ES = Old lady car.

You = Not no what ur talk about.

 

[Insomniator]

ES = Old lady car.

Not old lady, just chick car like all lexi are.

 

[Naeeldar]

Not old lady, just chick car like all lexi are.

ANybody who thinks the GS 350 is a chick car is insane.

 

[Midwayman]

Check out the MB 2012+ C class. They did a major redesign and the C350 might light your fire. I'm picking one up tonight. I considered all the same cars you are looking at. The Lexus IS is nice, but a little... understated inside. The 335 was great, but too spendy for what it was. The g37 felt like a 20k car inside, but drove great. Caddy handled well, but just wasn't feeling it.

Edit- And JD power and Consumer reports list the MB as pretty reliable. Its no lexus, but nothing else is.

 

[PhoKingGuy]

ES = Old lady car.

ILX = idiots car.

 

[exar333]

ES = Old lady car.

Agree.

 

[Virge_]

Why on earth would you want this Toyota re-branded at a price premium garbage? Buy a 335 or C350 and move on.

 

[Jimzz]

Check out the MB 2012+ C class. They did a major redesign and the C350 might light your fire. I'm picking one up tonight. I considered all the same cars you are looking at. The Lexus IS is nice, but a little... understated inside. The 335 was great, but too spendy for what it was. The g37 felt like a 20k car inside, but drove great. Caddy handled well, but just wasn't feeling it.

Edit- And JD power and Consumer reports list the MB as pretty reliable. Its no lexus, but nothing else is.

You know those are based on opinions, not hard data right.

 

[ballmode]

I'd actually want to know why you love the IS350. I test drove one and the back seat room was lacking alot. Smaller than my WRX. 1 cup holder, yes I'm an American but I figured it would have at least two.

I was able to manage 28 mpg going about 40mph, 32 around 60mph. In town though I found the transmission sluggish, the paddles unresponsive, but I did like its turning radius for parking.

I found a 2010 CPO with about 38k miles up in MN last week for $24k 1 owner last week but it sold.

It's not the first car on the list anymore after the test drive but I couldn't pass up a good deal.

Have you considered the new ATS? If you are willing to spend around 28k you could get the turbo 4 or the V6 with the magnetic shock suspension

 

[Midwayman]

You know those are based on opinions, not hard data right.

Surveys for the numbers and types of issues. That's a little different than just an opinion. You have a better publicly available source?

 

[tortillasoup]

DO NOT BUY A BMW. I spoke with an older woman about 2 days ago who bought a BMW X5 for $65K back in 2008 and she has had nothing but problems since the day she bought the vehicle. The car has like 38K miles on it now and I regretfully informed her that due to the years, there is no way she can lemon law the vehicle. The car has DIED on her twice in the middle of an intersection. She had the entire cooling system replaced under warranty due to the vehicle possibly overheating and dying. There are just endless issues that have been unresolved with her vehicle that I was actually surprised she didn't complain sooner. I looked at 14 pages of work (3 of the pages pertaining to the cooling system were omitted due to being @ a different dealership) and I just couldn't believe that a vehicle with so few miles and is so new had more pages of service done to it than my 20 year old Lexus LS400 which it was also serviced @ a dealer. Googling some of the issues she has seemed to indicate that she isn't alone in this.

Couple thoughts:

If you like the Lexus line you would be best served by another. Infiniti's are not Lexus. Generally they are a bit rougher, visceral, and IMHO more fun.

I drove my neighbor's Infiniti M35 and compared with my ES350, even though the M35 was rear wheel drive, I really didn't enjoy the vehicle much at all and even though I despise the fact that the ES350 is just a super luxury V6 Toyota Camry, it made me appreciate how much better of a vehicle it is. There is no low end torque and fewer gears in the M35, the gas mileage was atrocious in that car and the handling wasn't worth mentioning. I really expected the Infiniti to be more fun to drive but it wasn't.

 

[thedarkwolf]

That is a lot of money to spend on a car to only drive 6500 miles a year. Maybe go a lot more used and cheaper.

 

[Sidekicknichola]

Why on earth would you want this Toyota re-branded at a price premium garbage? Buy a 335 or C350 and move on.

Find me the Toyota version and then we'll talk.... in the late 90's early 2000s I would have agreed, the two have separated pretty far these days

hat is a lot of money to spend on a car to only drive 6500 miles a year. Maybe go a lot more used and cheaper.

Neither the wife or I want headaches of "a lot more used" ... sure a civic with 150k is probably fine, but there is no loan on the car currently so I could always put the check into savings, but we're solid there too... maybe just me, but there is something to be said for getting into a car you don't hate.

I'd actually want to know why you love the IS350.

70% of the time its me in the car... 25% wife and I.... 5% someone in the back. So the back seat is really more of a "dog" seat for us and leg room doesn't really matter. Having a back seat / 4 doors more than anything just helps insurance. There is a second cupholder in the armrest, but again, vast majority of the time there is just one in the car.
As far as our MPGs, I get around 25 +/- driving around Minneapolis, if I'm doing 75 on the interstate its more like 28/29, and if I can keep it to 55-60 mph I've had 37 mpg... for the power, I think it does great on gas.
.... other things we love about the car -
* Aesthetically pleasing - I know this is all matter of opinion, but there aren't many 4 door cars that look better to me
* Reliability - my first IS250 sold at 160k miles when I sold it - Only money I ever spent on it was brakes, oil changes, and spark plugs....great car. First IS350 went to 135k when I sold it, same thing as the first, zero problems.... new job now and rather than 35k+ miles a year I do 6k a year.... just nice to know the car can be counted on.
* Size of the car is perfect - easy to park downtown, doesn't feel big and clunky on the road, and still has 4 doors
* Quick lil' sucker - the 3.5 in this car is incredibly zippy, I will agree with above the transmission is a bit blah