GasX
Lifer
Well, I stand firmly in the camp of never buy new and don't waste money on a depreciating asset. I also have developed an appreciation for a nice new car as my brother in law gave us an M35 to finish the lease on. So I am now faced with a dilemma. I have to return the M35 in about three weeks and replace it with a car that I pay a LOT less for than the residual on the lease. I plan to pay under $25k.
The M35 is a fantastic car. It's not the best looker out there, but it has a normally aspirated RWD 275HP engine that has gobs of torque at low rpms. It even has a 5 speed auto tranny that is actually a pleasure to listen to the shifts when you open the taps. An added benefit is that the interior is fantastic. Controls are intuitive and there is leather and wood covering everything, heated and cooled seats, and plenty of room in front and back. It is going to be a hard car to replace.
For shits and giggles, I drove a G35 and a 530Xi today. I also looked at a CTS, but despite its nice interior, I don't think I'd ever buy one.
The G35 seemed very familiar. The interior came across as the cheap version of the M35 (surprise!), but everything was in a similar place. The engine sounds the same and my limited test drive didn't reveal any surprises. It drives like a small version of the M35 with the same engine.
The Bimmer was interesting. The interior was nice albeit ruined by the accursed iDrive. Also, I don't get the way they layed out the center console. Driving it was a disappointment. It is clear that it handles well, but I am not used to turbo engines and it is just a dog at low rpm.
Right now, I am leaning towards an Audi A6. It too has a lovely interior and I think I could live without 25HP if the ride is pleasant enough.
any suggestions/recommendations for an old codger like me?
The M35 is a fantastic car. It's not the best looker out there, but it has a normally aspirated RWD 275HP engine that has gobs of torque at low rpms. It even has a 5 speed auto tranny that is actually a pleasure to listen to the shifts when you open the taps. An added benefit is that the interior is fantastic. Controls are intuitive and there is leather and wood covering everything, heated and cooled seats, and plenty of room in front and back. It is going to be a hard car to replace.
For shits and giggles, I drove a G35 and a 530Xi today. I also looked at a CTS, but despite its nice interior, I don't think I'd ever buy one.
The G35 seemed very familiar. The interior came across as the cheap version of the M35 (surprise!), but everything was in a similar place. The engine sounds the same and my limited test drive didn't reveal any surprises. It drives like a small version of the M35 with the same engine.
The Bimmer was interesting. The interior was nice albeit ruined by the accursed iDrive. Also, I don't get the way they layed out the center console. Driving it was a disappointment. It is clear that it handles well, but I am not used to turbo engines and it is just a dog at low rpm.
Right now, I am leaning towards an Audi A6. It too has a lovely interior and I think I could live without 25HP if the ride is pleasant enough.
any suggestions/recommendations for an old codger like me?
