Help Me Pick My Next Car....

pokey

pokey

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The lease on my Cadillac CTS is coming to an end in May. I'm shopping for its replacement and thought I would come to all of you for an opinion.

Here are my requirements (set partially by my wife who occasionally drives the car when I've had one to many single malts):

-automatic (I know)
-all wheel drive (I live in Green Bay and this is my winter car)
-four doors (3 boys, 4th baby on the way, I sometimes have to pick them up from school)

Here is what I was out seeing today:
Mercedes C300
BMW 328xi
Audi A4

Color input also needed. I'm thinking black (or a pearl black), given my new found hobby :)

My summer car is in my avatar, a 2009 Eclipse Spyder GT. She's a fun summer toy that I like to keep shinny.

Suggest away, even if its not on the list above. I love to drive, and I want to have a fun car.
 
You're missing one car from your list! I would definitely put the Infiniti G37x on there. I was in your shoes a couple of years ago and I was looking at all the same cars as you are.

In the end I bought a G35x (G37 wasn't out then) because it had more hp, more bells & whistles, and it cost less than all the other cars on my list. In the G you get the hp of the BMW 335 for the price of the 328. Also, the G has the biggest back seat of the bunch.

Also, my mother-in-law has the Mercedes and I'm not impressed with it. The interior material quality is very low quality for a M-B. The BMW is very nice but you pay a $10K+ premium over the G to get in a similar car. The Audi is a nice car as well. I had an Audi once though. It spent more time in the service department than it did with me.
 
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I would look into the new CTS or a Lincoln MKZ.... both nice cars... but I am biased for American made cars...
 
LincolnZephyr2006 said:
I would look into the new CTS or a Lincoln MKZ.... both nice cars... but I am biased for American made cars...
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Being from Detroit, I'm usually partially to the USA. Both of my parents are retired are GM. I'm just frustrated by their attitude over the past years. In reality, I'm their target audience, and they have very little to offer. My parents moved to GB a few weeks ago, and trust me, I'm going to hear it for buying a kraut car.
 
MikeyC said:
You're missing one car from your list! I would definitely put the Infiniti G37x on there. I was in your shoes a couple of years ago and I was looking at all the same cars as you are.

In the end I bought a G35x (G37 wasn't out then) because it had more hp, more bells & whistles, and it cost less than all the other cars on my list. In the G you get the hp of the BMW 335 for the price of the 328. Also, the G has the biggest back seat of the bunch.

Also, my mother-in-law has the Mercedes and I'm not impressed with it. The interior material quality is very low quality for a M-B. The BMW is very nice but you pay a $10K+ premium over the G to get in a similar car. The Audi is a nice car as well. I had an Audi once though. It spent more time in the service department than it did with me.
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You're right, I have to give Infinity a better look. I'm actually now leaning toward the S4 but the Infinity line might be worth a look at.
 
Black is a nice choice but as TRichard (Tad) put it, black is a part-time job. Would you consider silver? There's a 1,000hp Mustang that Asphalt Rocket did and the paint looks dripping wet. Couple that with some nice wheels and Opti-bond tire gel, wow wee!

Out of your list, I would honestly look at another Caddy. My wife and I looked at the C300 and it looked the part, the low end Mercedes, not too impressed either. We are looking at the Altima Couple in white pearl, the Murano (no color picked), and the orange Hummer H3. All different vehicles which makes the decision even tougher! Good luck on your next venture and be sure to clean it up real nice and show it off here!

Richard

*Edit - After posting this I read you're considering the S4, this takes the vote for me now! I love the new S4! One member here has a black S5 that is beautiful! Even captured a nice bird reflection on the hood!
 
pokey said:
Being from Detroit, I'm usually partially to the USA. Both of my parents are retired are GM. I'm just frustrated by their attitude over the past years. In reality, I'm their target audience, and they have very little to offer. My parents moved to GB a few weeks ago, and trust me, I'm going to hear it for buying a kraut car.
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lol
 
I currently own a 2004 Infiniti FX35 and it is the best vehicle I have ever owned! Their quality rocks! I am looking to replace it in the next year or so, so like you, I have been looking as well. Audi makes a damned nice car. I have not driven one yet. I did however drive the Lincoln MKS with the Ecoboost engine...holey moley, I was in love! 110 HP and 100 ft-lb torque over the base 3.5L. I just can't decide whether I need another SUV or not. I also fell in love with the new Hyundai Equus that I saw at the NAIAS. Very, very, very nice. I will look very seriously at that car when it comes out, which is supposed to be later this year. The CTS is very nice, I just find them too common.
 
What about a used Acura RL, 2004+? AWD, good mileage, solid car. But there's also the Saab 9-3 and the Volvo S60 with AWD.
 
Thanks for all the suggestions everyone. I'm not into getting another CTS. I have an 08, love it, but I love variety. I love my wife, and will be with her forever. Cars are a different story, I like to "drive around".

I've never really considered buying used unless I'm buying a classic. This will be the first DD I own instead of lease though (as my job has me driving a lot), so I may have to look into that option.

Yes, I've expanded my budget a bit to fit in the S4. When I looked at the specs I drooled. I have to research the Infinity some more. No close dealership so I have to do it online for a while for I make the trip.
 
the newer generation CTS is miles ahead of the last car .. and a deal to boot with nice resale value which is typically not available in GM cars. If you have an 08 then youve experienced that and only the wagon or coupe would be newer choices. Id then revisit the Infiniti line, too much old stuff in the Lexus line.
 
Depending on how long you keep the car, used may work better. That way, someone already took the depreciation hit before you did and it lets you move your budget around a bit more. Also another car to consider is the Ford Fusion.
 
As far as looks I like the CTS better then the cars you mentioned
 
What about the 2010 Honda Accord Crosstour? Here's some info on it from Edmunds.com:

Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options
The 2010 Honda Accord Crosstour is a crossover wagon available in EX and EX-L trim levels. The EX comes standard with 17-inch wheels, foglights, a sunroof, power front seats (10-way driver, four-way passenger), a multifunction steering wheel, dual-zone automatic climate control with second-row vents, a 60/40-split-folding rear seatback and a seven-speaker audio system with a six-CD changer and an auxiliary audio jack.
The EX-L trim level adds 18-inch wheels, automatic headlights, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, driver-seat memory functions, leather upholstery, heated front seats, a cargo cover, Bluetooth and an upgraded stereo with a USB port and satellite radio. The lone option is a navigation system. It's only available on EX-L models, and it includes voice-activated controls and a back-up camera.


Powertrains and Performance
Front-wheel drive is standard on the 2010 Honda Accord Crosstour, with all-wheel drive available on the EX-L only. All Crosstours come with a 3.5-liter V6 that produces 271 horsepower and 254 pound-feet of torque. A five-speed automatic is the only available transmission.
In Edmunds performance testing, a front-wheel-drive Crosstour went from zero to 60 mph in a class-competitive 7.5 seconds. Fuel economy, according to Honda, is 18 mpg city/27 mpg highway with FWD, 17/25 with AWD.


For more info see Edmunds.com and/or Honda.com. Just a thought.
 
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My former boss has the turbo 3 series BMW coupe. Unsure if it was AWD though. Is that the 328 you're talking about? If it is I'd highly recommend it. Comfortable as hell, still handles great, surpisingly good power. Did a couple roadtrips with him, both driving and riding shotgun, great car.
 
So here is where my research is leading me:

The G37x sedan (AWD) fully loaded vs. the S4

The S4 with the options I want carries a $12,000 premium over the G37x. Now I'm curious if anyone out there has driven both cars and what your opinion is. I want a fun to drive car. The S4 would be that, but I'm wondering if the G37 would meet those needs as well.
 
pokey said:
So here is where my research is leading me:

The G37x sedan (AWD) fully loaded vs. the S4

The S4 with the options I want carries a $12,000 premium over the G37x. Now I'm curious if anyone out there has driven both cars and what your opinion is. I want a fun to drive car. The S4 would be that, but I'm wondering if the G37 would meet those needs as well.
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If you want fun to drive you need a Sky
 
pokey said:
So here is where my research is leading me:

The G37x sedan (AWD) fully loaded vs. the S4

The S4 with the options I want carries a $12,000 premium over the G37x. Now I'm curious if anyone out there has driven both cars and what your opinion is. I want a fun to drive car. The S4 would be that, but I'm wondering if the G37 would meet those needs as well.
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The G is fun to drive, but I can't say it would be as fun as the S4. You might even want to look into the G37xS to amp up the fun factor (S is for sport). What I can say is that my G has been ROCK SOLID. I haven't had a single problem with it yet. When I last had an Audi the day I picked it up several of the buttons were mis-wired. Personally, I'm not sure I would ever want to own another Audi. I know too many people who have had quality issues with Audis.
 
CieraSL said:
What about the 2010 Honda Accord Crosstour? Here's some info on it from Edmunds.com:

Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options
The 2010 Honda Accord Crosstour is a crossover wagon available in EX and EX-L trim levels. The EX comes standard with 17-inch wheels, foglights, a sunroof, power front seats (10-way driver, four-way passenger), a multifunction steering wheel, dual-zone automatic climate control with second-row vents, a 60/40-split-folding rear seatback and a seven-speaker audio system with a six-CD changer and an auxiliary audio jack.
The EX-L trim level adds 18-inch wheels, automatic headlights, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, driver-seat memory functions, leather upholstery, heated front seats, a cargo cover, Bluetooth and an upgraded stereo with a USB port and satellite radio. The lone option is a navigation system. It's only available on EX-L models, and it includes voice-activated controls and a back-up camera.


Powertrains and Performance
Front-wheel drive is standard on the 2010 Honda Accord Crosstour, with all-wheel drive available on the EX-L only. All Crosstours come with a 3.5-liter V6 that produces 271 horsepower and 254 pound-feet of torque. A five-speed automatic is the only available transmission.
In Edmunds performance testing, a front-wheel-drive Crosstour went from zero to 60 mph in a class-competitive 7.5 seconds. Fuel economy, according to Honda, is 18 mpg city/27 mpg highway with FWD, 17/25 with AWD.


For more info see Edmunds.com and/or Honda.com. Just a thought.
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Good thought, but no offense, I find those things FUGLY. Good HP and AWD tho..
 
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