Need help, New Car...

[fifelee]

yeah, i'd much rather have my car spontaneously combust in my garage in the middle of the night after a minor fender bender with my wife and children sleeping 30 feet away from it.

oh, and again...lithium....

i'm not saying they are unsafe cars. I just wouldn't go so far as to say "so far so good!" when GM is currently offering to buy them back because they unsafe.

Yet more falsehoods and exaggerations I would love to tackled, but I'll be the bigger man and stop this hyjack.

Go with the Mustang. I'm sure all the all the cars you mention perform great, but for me the Mustangs are head turners. I love how the designers honor the look of classic Mustangs yet make it look totally new and eye popping. Plus I like how Ford is an american company that has stood on its own.

 

[year2beer]

Yet more falsehoods and exaggerations I would love to tackled, but I'll be the bigger man and stop this hyjack.

Go with the Mustang. I'm sure all the all the cars you mention perform great, but for me the Mustangs are head turners. I love how the designers honor the look of classic Mustangs yet make it look totally new and eye popping. Plus I like how Ford is an american company that has stood on its own.

I took a 5.0 out on the town and wasn't really impressed. I've read the reviews on GT500's... but have to say that a sporty ride is just as important.

Unfortunately, I need a car that can road trip or race... and the M3 has that package standard. This means I don't have to screw with coil overs, airbags, etc. suspensions...

I'm excited to test drive the M3... MORE TO COME!

Thanks to all who have thrown their $.02 on this thread... much appreciated. BTW, my wife hates me right now... hahaha

 

[BryanJ]

Um really? There is no contest here, get the gtr.

I was under the impression the the new 5.0 mustang was just as fast and handled on par with the M3.

the Z06 - the fastest production car (off the assembly line) on the planet.

No, you're wrong.

 

[jpc]

Of coarse the Volt isn’t in the same category as the OP’s car list. Frankly the Volt is a category of one (nothing like a prius). It can’t match the HP of an ICE, but it has a very respectable torque of 273ft-lbs (nearly double the prius and close to the range of the other cars on his list) and rides much like a performance car (largely due to the better weight distribution). I only suggested it because it does somewhat fit the criteria listed by the OP.

Decent gas mileage... yeah right!
- Under common driving patterns the Volt is the cheapest car on the planet to operate. Yet you get some great performance.

Smooth ride but sporty when needed.
-Volt fits this perfectly. Remember with an ICE torque is related to RPM. With an electric motor it is instantly available.

Must be reliable... and easy to work on... my other hobby.
-Reliability is yet to be determined but so far so good. Is any car easy to work on any more?

Can go between automatic and manual trans(for the wife)
- Volt doesn't fit this bill, but it does imply the OP likes technology and the ability to play with the car. The volt is a big leap toward what technology we will see in the future and gives ample opportunity to play

Now if the OP wants to soup up a car and stick it on the drag strip then of coarse the volt doesn’t work. But for a daily driver the Volt can be a blast.

These guys (GM-Volt: Chevy Volt Electric Car Site) are the volt experts if any one has questions.

Not so quickly...

Looks like the taxpayer is on the hook for most of the cost of these pieces of dung.

Electric just doesn't make sense financially. The government needs to give tax credits to make vehicles even remotely affordable, and given the costs of electric vs. gas (or better yet, diesel), it would take about 12 years to just break even. Given the cost of electricity where I live, it would be even longer.

 

[jpc]

Um really? There is no contest here, get the gtr.

It goes like stink, but looks like ass, IMO.

 

[hoghead]

Cadillac CTS-V first generations(04-07) were essentially c5 zo6's with a sedan body 400hp, 395lb-ft. Second generations (09+) 556hp. Sporty yet large sedan comfortable.

 

[wildwest450]

Head to head with the M3
Comparison Test: 2011 Cadillac CTS-V Coupe vs. 2011 BMW M3 Coupe

 

[BigUgly]

No, you're wrong.

I should have been more specific for you. Under $300,000 that any normal hard-working American can buy. I really don't consider those faster than the Z06 true production cars when their sticker price is $2,000,000 and they only make 120 of them...

 

[jpc]

Head to head with the M3
Comparison Test: 2011 Cadillac CTS-V Coupe vs. 2011 BMW M3 Coupe

Wow, that is seriously ugly.

 

[brewingmeister]

Head to head with the M3
Comparison Test: 2011 Cadillac CTS-V Coupe vs. 2011 BMW M3 Coupe

I like the wagon better...

 

[BryanJ]

I should have been more specific for you. Under $300,000 that any normal hard-working American can buy. I really don't consider those faster than the Z06 true production cars when their sticker price is $2,000,000 and they only make 120 of them...

You're still wrong and the z06 is expensive car coming in 75+.

 

[BigUgly]

You're still wrong and the z06 is expensive car coming in 75+.

Okay then, what mass produced car is faster, and still affordable ($75k isn't $300k)

 

[BigUgly]

By the way, I actually know nothing about cars. Just fact that should be known.

 

[hoghead]

What is considered affordable is situational.What about the Corvette ZR-1? ~$100,000

 

[Boleslaus]

M3 is far and away the best car on that list.

 

[seabass07]

Gtr is by far the fastest car on that list. It will handle as well as the others as well. I prefer an awd car though...

 

[wildwest450]

Wow, that is seriously ugly.

Says you, I actually prefer the sedan, but it is way nicer looking in person. It's actually nice to see some sculpted lines on a car, way too many bubbles out there for me.




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[year2beer]

Gentlemen! I've just come back from the BMW and Audi dealerships...

Although the S5 is a wonderful vehicle... the M3 is speaking to something deeper. Probably rooted from my childhood... LOL

I'm currently leaning on the M3... test drive may happen next week... currently there are no "demo" models here locally. I would have to go to Germany to drive it. I've watched a ton of videos... checked the specs, etc...

The M3 is the superior car of these 2. The GTR is "kind of" out of the price range... but I'd stretch if I had too. The Gas mileage sucks on ALL of them. The Z06 is too much for me right now... I'd just end up with a ton of speeding tickets, cause everyone would want to race me. HAHA

I really enjoyed the cadillac comparison and now have it on the list as well. More to come.

 

[wildwest450]

I really enjoyed the cadillac comparison and now have it on the list as well. More to come.

Tilt your nose so it is level with the ground and go drive one, you'll be shocked.


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[jpc]

Says you, I actually prefer the sedan, but it is way nicer looking in person. It's actually nice to see some sculpted lines on a car, way too many bubbles out there for me.




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Oh, I've seen them in person, and thrown up in my mouth a little. The front looks like a snow plow, a la Acura. The ass is far too high in the air. The side just doesn't look right, with the windows cutting into the side lines.

A few years back, when I had my 2004 S4, I had some fun at the track with a CTS-V. He could blow past me on the straights, but I would catch him in the twisties (even with my 4000+ pound pig of a car). We'd take turns leading during the session and playing "cat and mouse" for a while.

 

[year2beer]

Tilt your nose so it is level with the ground and go drive one, you'll be shocked.


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LMAO! Tilt my nose huh... thanks. Just to be clear, I've waited 12 years to buy a car of this caliber...been driving used honda's and nissan's, and putting money away when I deploy--and just want to be sure it is the best purchase for my needs.

I have no doubt I will enjoy the cadillac... but can I buy it fully loaded for under $60K? Probably not...HOWEVER, I can do that with a BMW/Audi being military in europe.

 

[fifelee]

Not so quickly...

Looks like the taxpayer is on the hook for most of the cost of these pieces of dung.

Electric just doesn't make sense financially. The government needs to give tax credits to make vehicles even remotely affordable, and given the costs of electric vs. gas (or better yet, diesel), it would take about 12 years to just break even. Given the cost of electricity where I live, it would be even longer.

Setting it Straight: Chevy Volt vs. the Government - TheStreet
Get a demand meter to charge at night and most can get really cheap electricity.

 

[seabass07]

Ok. That's great...it's not a piece of sh*t. Maybe it handles ok for what it is, but it is slow as a snail....

 

[wildwest450]

A few years back, when I had my 2004 S4, I had some fun at the track with a CTS-V. He could blow past me on the straights, but I would catch him in the twisties (even with my 4000+ pound pig of a car). We'd take turns leading during the session and playing "cat and mouse" for a while.

Driver error, it's faster on the Nürburgring with real drivers.


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[wildwest450]

I have no doubt I will enjoy the cadillac... but can I buy it fully loaded for under $60K? Probably not...HOWEVER, I can do that with a BMW/Audi being military in europe.

The sedans can be had for low 60's. How much is it to ship a car to the states?


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[year2beer]

The sedans can be had for low 60's. How much is it to ship a car to the states?

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$0... the govt ships 1 vehicle free of charge. Or, it gets shipped to a dealership in the states for $875... which they can waive if I negotiate right.

The M3 with the auto tranny(faster 0-60)... is 54k.
That means I don't lose any equity driving it off the lot. The deal is the best you can get on any German cars...

 

[Randall]

Lexus ISF?

 

[seabass07]

The GTR is "kind of" out of the price range... but I'd stretch if I had too.

Then M3 it is!!

 

[jpc]

Setting it Straight: Chevy Volt vs. the Government - TheStreet
Get a demand meter to charge at night and most can get really cheap electricity.

What if I work the third shift? That won't work.

Electric cars are a folly.

 

[jpc]

Driver error, it's faster on the Nürburgring with real drivers.


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You're also talking a different generation...

But my main complaint still stands-- it's ugly. My other complaint is that it's a GM...