Others car you have considered? Looking to purchase soon.

[advan]

Hello everyone. I'm new here so please excuse me if I've asked a familiar question. ------------------- I've sold my car a few days ago and looking to purchase a new one within a couple of weeks. I've narrowed down to these few selections. Please let me now your feedback. It really comes down to these few cars. In no particular order. Nissan 350Z 6spd + hid + lsd price: $31,000 OTD con: feels like a bathtub when you sit in it and Nissan's cut price plastic is everywhere. pro: However, the handling and engine is a perfect 10. 100% made in Japan. Acura TSX price: not sure con:I feel it's a bit pricey for an I-4 200hp. Exterior is nothing bland like most hondas. pro: Acura fit an finish. 6spd close ratio titanium linkage. gadgets. 100% Made in Japan. Infiniti G35 coupe 6spd + premium package price: $37,000 OTD con: price. at least 7,000 more then an enthusiast 350z. dealer is only willing to do $500 below sticker plus tax license. pro: soul of a 350z, better interior, 2 extra seats. 100% Made in Japan. Lancer Evolution Standard version 5spd + xenon price: $32,000 OTD con: my wife thinks it's a regular US Lancer + add on performance. She can't get over the fact that with $30,000 you get so less for creature comfort. Wondering if I would look like an idiot if I'm over 35 and still drive this in traffic? pro: handling, peformance, 2.0 turbo, huge front mount for stock car. Legacy 2.5GT limited Price: not sure con: not sure about reliability as I've never owned a subaru before. Is this car built hre in the States? pro: 2.5 turbo, plush creature comfort. any feedbacks welcomed.

[Accord Lover]

I heard 350z's were cursed with front suspension which eats up the inside of the front tires....heard a lot of complaints from owners. So i suggest you to not get the 350z.

[advan]

The camber problem has been corrected and it only affected a handful of people that really practice skilled driving.

[Driver72]

Depends what you want here. You've got a bunch of powerful cars that all perform well, then you've got the TSX. A bit out of place in this mix. Oh, by the way the TSX is $27K or $29K with NAV. The EVO is the fastest car in your bunch, but the least comfortable, has the fewest amentities, rides the roughest, is the loudest, but would offer the most thrilling ride. 350Z, next fastest car their. Little utility, cheapo interior. G35 Coupe. Great car, improves upon every area the 350Z lacks and its 98% as fast. But pricey. Legacy GT...base model about $26K and change Limited model $29K and change. Interior on par with G35 Coupe, maybe 1/2 step down. AWD, great motor, but like the G35 Coupe, more of a GT car not "rally" racer like the EVO. I've got one on order, and it's because for $29K it's hard to beat for all around excellence. Great power, good handling, nice interior, nice looking without being EVO-like boyracer flashy, carries 5 people. Subaru's reliability is quite high too. Of your choices, if money is a bit tight the Legacy GT Limited would be up top. If you can comfortable afford a bit more the G35 Coupe is a top choice too. 2004 models will be discounted big soon. For 2005 the G35 Coupe with the Manual gets a 15+ hp bump to over 295 hp. This should be enough now to outrun the 350Z, and have a nicer looking car, with nicer interior and more room. But rest assured, you won't get any deals on it for the first 6 months or so. Good luck, and enjoy

[IwannaSportSedan]

[quote name='advan'] Nissan 350Z 6spd + hid + lsd price: $31,000 OTD Acura TSX Infiniti G35 coupe 6spd + premium package price: $37,000 OTD Lancer Evolution Standard version 5spd + xenon price: $32,000 OTD Legacy 2.5GT limited Price: not sure con: not sure about reliability as I've never owned a subaru before. Is this car built hre in the States? pro: 2.5 turbo, plush creature comfort. any feedbacks welcomed.[/quote] Advan, You've got some interesting choices in there. Couple questions though. You haven't said much about how you'll use it? is it a commuter that you'll want to have fun with, or a sports/sporty car that will occaisionally have to make itself useful. How many people are there going to be in this car? is there even a possibility for needing more than 2 seats? I start with the last, first, though. The legacy GT. Why do you list US built as being a con? The Subaru Factory in Indiana is not a Big 3 factory. It isn't even unionized, I beleive. I guess I go by company and their build quality results, rather than by country of origin. I tend to like european cars, and tend to not be satisfied with American car build quality, but I don't rule out a car for being built in the US, and the Legacy seems to be one of those cars that proves the exception. To be fair, I've not yet owned a subaru, either. I have known for a lot of years that they have a HUGE reputation for building pretty bullet-proof cars. Nobody's perfect, of course, but I have heard great things about Subaru's technical and engineering quality. The Legacy is the first car to be truly over-the-top good looking, though. The Impreza 2.5RS coupe and SVX were close, but there were odd things about their styling. Most other Subarus have been much too boxy and plain for me to enjoy looking at, though. As for your other choices: Most of this is my opinion, but maybe it'll help. 350Z - Fast, cool, with a peach of an engine. Styling, while original, may not age well, kind of like Art Deco. You really have to like it to start with. I have heard of some drivetrain problems. you probably know more about these than I do. Not practical. I [the wife] already have a Miata, so I can't justify another sportscar. G35 Coupe, Same as 350Z for me, Styling a little less of a "fad", I am not completely in love with the headlights and grille on that car. Back seats are nice, but I'll need more than that, such as doors for those seats. Interior is nicer but more "artsy" than driver oriented. TSX - Nicer than honda, but still Honda. Nice looking, but FWD, which is a big black mark for me. Seems to rely more on it's looks and gadgets than it's performance, especially when compared to the Legacy GT. If you like gadgets and a pampering interior, though it might be the right fit. Lancer EVO, while a performance powerhouse, it seems a little rough to be useable every day. Maybe not, though. Depends on your tolerance for Noise, Vibration, and Harshness, as well as your space needs. Seems like one of those cars that are WAY fun when you have the right setting, but in the day to day slog, it would get tiresome and a little uncomfortable. The miata gets that way after a long period of time, because I am a big guy (6'2" and not a lightweight, we'll leave it at that.) and that is a small car. The noise through the convertible top, the jouncy suspension, the tight quarters, all serve to make me tired after a while. I wouldn't give the thing up, though. It is fun as anything I've driven, and most of the time on regular or short trips, is just fine. It all depends on what you're looking for. Let us know more about what you want the car to do for you, and perhaps we can be better help for you. I do hope you find that right car for you.

[advan]

thanks all for their insightful replies. It's mainly me and my wife for the weekend, occasionally a 3rd person be it a friend or family member. As for the built in the US comment. We've owned a couple early and late model Hondas, which supposedly were known for HONDA QUALITY. Unfortunatley the later models we did own were built in Michigan and had the V6 transmission failure. Our family and friends with the 3.0/3.2/ V6 all have this problem. American Honda to date is still unwilling to address this issue and offered little or not fix at all. Honda dealer will only take your car based on their opinion. So really, unless you get the car towed in, they won't give you a new transmission. It's just aggravating driving on the freeway with the thought of transmission failure while your going 70mph+. This maybe a special issue, but all Hondas we've owned before that was 100% from Japan never gave us a problem other then the routine wear. Ofcourse not all cars built in Japan are bulletproof. I've never owned a Subaru , neither has any of my friends or family. Not exactly sure about the reliability especially being a first year model.

[Deer Killer]

Defects caused by factory almost always break under warranty. The engine/tranny is from japan, so no worries there.

[05LegacyGT330Ci]

Only talking from the two we own but the Legacy GT so far has been great. Goes very well, nice transmission, good features and handles well for what it is. The car does have AWD which is nice and so far everything works on the car and from what I've always heard Subaru has good reliablilty. Cons are that it does have a bit of body roll but this is good for its class just more then I would like in my cars. The clutch is also way too light for me I like to be able to feel my clutch when I push on it. The 350Z we have is an '03 and has had a few problems that the first years were having. It had the tire feathering issue and the car was not driven that hard (a 53 year old woman is the primary driver). The gearbox is nice though a bit notchy but all the gears are easy to find. The interior is blah but oh well Nissan had to do that to make it affordable and I understand that part of the car. The seats are very nice and supportive with good position. I like the clutch on the car has a heavier feel to it and feels really solid when shifting whether at redline or not. The handling is also great on the car. The tires arent the greatest but they do the job. The car can get a bit squirrely on wet or damp roads though, more so then the other RWD cars I'm used to (the tires mostly I think) THe suspension is harsh but on the '04s they fixed this with a little better dampening and such I heard. THe storage is decent, it can hold two golf bags if you need it to and it has 3 cup holders. Though big boxes will need to be in the front seat so don't bring a passenger. Overall the car is good at what its ment to do. Not an only car though as I was often left with it when my mom needed a car that could actually hold something either people or cargo while still be sporty.

[Driver72]

[quote name='"IwannaSportSedan"'][quote name='advan'] The legacy GT. Why do you list US built as being a con? The Subaru Factory in Indiana is not a Big 3 factory. It isn't even unionized, I beleive. I guess I go by company and their build quality results, rather than by country of origin. I tend to like european cars, and tend to not be satisfied with American car build quality, but I don't rule out a car for being built in the US, and the Legacy seems to be one of those cars that proves the exception. [/quote] Keep in mind, most Toyotas sold in the United States, are built in the United States. They still have top quality and reliability records. It's not "where" they are built, it's what they are built from and the quality of people who are building them. You could take Lexus parts, but ask a bunch of uneducated, 30 cent an hour workers to put the Lexus together, and you're going to get crap. Subaru makes great parts, great engines, great drivetrains and everything else...and the people putting them together here in the United States, are most likely trained, well educated, and well paid people who take pride in their jobs and care about the results. Plus have American safety and reliability standards (Fed-OSHA) to work by, not to mention Subaru's own standards. Put those two things together and you have a very good product! I also don't rule out buying a car based on where a car is built...unless it's Mexico or similiar place. :) for the obvious reasons (mainly the lack of the qualities listed above).

[Opie]

And Subaru has been building Legacy's in the U.S. since the early 90's, and all of those car's have an excllent reliability rating

[450Thumper]

Cars I considered and test drove; Accura TSX - Interior was adequate, I liked the phantom dashboard. Power wasn't what I wanted. Volvo S40 - Great interior, cool floating console, power sucked. Lexus IS300 - Great interior, fit me well, I like the responsiveness of the car, didn't like the rear wheel drive. BMW 325i - Great interior, good handling, mediocre power. Volvo S60 Turbo AWD - I really liked this car, great interior, wonderful sunroof, little turbo lag, AWD. I actually probably would have bought this car, but the dealership sold it before I made up my mind. Subaru Legacy GT Limited Wagon - I love the phantom dashboard, leather interior, and AWD. What sold me on the wagon over the sedan was the extremely cool panoramic sunroof! The power is awesome and now I am very happy that the dealer sold the Volvo S60, because I like this care much better!!! John

[Stef]

Moving to Other Cars. Thanks!

[Radian]

One other car you might consider is the RX-8. It has the same problem as the TSX (lack of power), and also gets abysmal gas mileage. But the handling can't be matched by anything else. If you can stretch the budget and buy non-Japanese (doubtful, but who knows), the new Corvette is unmatched in the handling and power combo. Basic advice: You should definitely test drive all the cars you're considering. If you can overcome your concerns about reliability, a weekend car is an emotional car. You have to go with what makes you (and your wife) feel the best. My experience: Considered lots of Mazdas but decided to wait and order a base Legacy GT due to AWD and more power. After having it for 2.5 months, my only real complaint is the suspension is softer (more roll/dive/lift) than I would have preferred. It's definitely softer than any other car you're currently considering, but that may be the comprimise you desire. However, for only $400 (estimate for performance springs from Subaru when they're available) that problem should be solved.

[Drift Monkey]

G35C for me....but in the end....4doors etc. Won me over. Being a former WRX owner probably has something to do with it....

[BoxerGT2.5]

The 350Z's feathering problems with the front wheels has been resolved and was primarily involving the 2003 models. It is a nice car on the outside with a good amount of power, but the inside is rather poopy. I was considering this when I was buying my Rx-8. The G35 is a 350Z that is more refined (ie...better interior), but does not have the classic sports car look that the Z does. However, your gonna pay for the Infiniti name in the end. I choose the Legacy because I love the looks and the power (it's sneaky fast). My wife didn't believe me that it was faster than my 8 (until she drag raced me..hehe) because it doesn't look like a sports car. When I look at the GT I see a ton of potential. I also love the AWD, in chicago it will come in handy. I can't comment too much on the TSX or Evolution cause I've never driven one. Radian is right though...if your considering the TSX and power is not your biggest priority; then take a drive of the Rx-8. Handling wise the car smokes all of those on your list. Oh...and the sound of a rotary....mmmm. :)

[wunderkind]

not sure why you say the feathering problems for the Z has been resolved. AFAIK and can be confirmed by a browse thru the Z boards, this problem still exist even with the current models. Unfortunate really.

[godwhomismike]

I also considered a 04 Mach 1 Mustang and 04 Audi TT. I liked both, but I felt I needed something that offered practicality and wouldn't cost a mint like the TT. I still drool at the both of them even though I test drove them both and chose the Legacy over them. I really wish I had $23K sitting around so I could also but a Mach 1 in my driveway, but that's not a reality. I don't want to be flamed for being obsessed at a high hp rwd muscle car. There is just something about it, the shaker hood, the insane V8 roar, and the muscle car image. - Mike

[Drift Monkey]

[quote name='godwhomismike']I don't want to be flamed for being obsessed at a high hp rwd muscle car. There is just something about it, the shaker hood, the insane V8 roar, and the muscle car image. - Mike[/quote] :mullet: :wink:

[eamiller]

[quote name='advan']thanks all for their insightful replies. It's mainly me and my wife for the weekend, occasionally a 3rd person be it a friend or family member. As for the built in the US comment. We've owned a couple early and late model Hondas, which supposedly were known for HONDA QUALITY. Unfortunatley the later models we did own were built in Michigan and had the V6 transmission failure. Our family and friends with the 3.0/3.2/ V6 all have this problem. American Honda to date is still unwilling to address this issue and offered little or not fix at all. Honda dealer will only take your car based on their opinion. So really, unless you get the car towed in, they won't give you a new transmission. It's just aggravating driving on the freeway with the thought of transmission failure while your going 70mph+. [/quote] I believe this was addressed recently in a recall notice. There were some friction problems inside the transmission that caused wear problems and eventually failure. I believe this issue was addressed in a running change made during the 2004 model year. If your dealer was giving you hassles, perhaps you should have contacted Honda headquarters, or taken it to a different dealership. Squeaky wheel gets the grease as they say. Also, Hondas are built in Marysville, OH, not Michigan. The only Japanese car I know built in Michigan is the Mazda 6. [quote name='advan'] This maybe a special issue, but all Hondas we've owned before that was 100% from Japan never gave us a problem other then the routine wear. Ofcourse not all cars built in Japan are bulletproof. [/quote] Yes, I believe it's an isolated issue to only 1999-2004 5-speed automatics. I think you'll find the rest of the car didn't give you problems. Every manufacturer slips once in a while (unless you're like Chrysler and manufacture bad transmissions for going on 12 years). You should see the number of people at work that post on the newsgroups that their 1 or 2 year old GM car is throwing CELs left and right. The funny thing is, my company makes most of the parts in a GM car..

[skibud2]

If I was to buy a non- all wheel drive car, I would of seriously considered the Mercedes C230 sedan, Audi A4 1.8 T, G35 sedan and BMW 325 series. Of course several of those models come in AWD, but then they become much more expensive. If AWD is not needed, and you are looking for a lot of luxtury, all of the above cars are great. By the way, I got my legacy GT limited for $100 below invoice, so you could too.