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High End Luxury Cars

24723 messages,  Last post on Jan 28, 2013 at 6:55 PM

You are in the Sedans Forum.

What is this discussion about? Audi A8, BMW 7 Series, Jaguar XJ-Series, Lexus LS 460, Mercedes-Benz S-Class, Volkswagen Phaeton, Maserati Quattroporte, Mercedes-Benz CL-Class, Sedan



Let's try to define this forum as being limited to luxury performance vehicles where the mainstream version in a typical configuration has an MSRP of at least $60k.

A luxury vehicle with a base price of $59k qualifies because it would typically be bought with some additional equipment, bringing the MSRP over $60k.

Vehicles like the E, 5, A6, M, or GS, even if available in certain versions over $60k, don't qualify because they are cars from companies that have higher end cars in their lineups.

Messages Page 1596 of 2473

#15946 of 24723 Re: BMW Sales Report [hpowders] by designman

Jun 02, 2006 (5:39 am)

Replying to: hpowders (Jun 01, 2006 7:46 pm)
As I am becoming more of a victim of slow oxidation, I could see the possibility of an LS in my future. There will come a time when I will have to have a good hard look in the mirror and realize my BMW days are over.
 
I don’t know what you are talking about unless you are just trying to tease the Lexicans in which case it is funny indeed.
 
Where does it say a certain car is for older people? Actually, I believe there are ideally configured cars for them but it has little to do with the brand characteristics we discuss around here. And the more I think about it a BMW would be better suited for them by virtue of its stability and responsiveness.
 
One of the most painful things I ever had to do was take the keys away from my mother who drove until she was 90. It was a jail sentence for her but was necessary. She loved the BMW and Boxster, relentlessly citing the firm ride and always talked about how she preferred a stick shift because it felt you had control over the engine. She was proof that cars have nothing to do with age.
 
BTW, during that ordeal of weaning her from the car I discovered that there are absolutely no laws in New York State regarding driving and the elderly. As long as they can read the eye chart like the rest of us their license gets renewed. They can be totally debilitated and incompetent but the State has no recourse to keep them off the road as they do with DWI. I don’t know if this has changed but this was the case back in 2000.
 
I can’t tell you how painful it was to have to take her car away. She cried on many occasions begging me not to, just like a child who was denied ice cream when all of the other kids got it. She wore her license like a badge of honor. The license itself became a status symbol for her. But I had to do it because of several incidents where innocent people could have been hurt. The last was when she almost took out a row of people waiting at a bus stop. Fortunately no one was ever harmed.

#15947 of 24723 Re: BMW Sales Report [designman] by hpowders

Jun 02, 2006 (6:51 am)

Replying to: designman (Jun 02, 2006 5:39 am)
Yes. That's really tough.
My mom never drove. She always relied on NYC transit, taxis and as a last resort, me.
The toughest thing was seeing this once vibrant, never home bundle of energy looking all shriveled up and barely able to use a walker.
 
In my community, we have several folks in their 80's driving Corvettes, Boxsters and the poor man's version, the Miata.
Most of these older folks around here drive pretty well-probably a little too fast-as one ages, one gets more impatient.
However, one poor old soul was stopped by the troopers for, get this, driving a golf cart on Interstate 75 in the wrong direction, mind you!
Sounds like a future Bush cabinet appointment to me.
 
I'm 20 years away from being 80.
I will be driving a LPS, or HELM as long as I am able.
Still, with almost all my relatives now gone, one can't help taking stock.

#15948 of 24723 Re: BMW Sales Report [designman] by ljflx

Jun 02, 2006 (6:55 am)

Replying to: designman (Jun 02, 2006 5:39 am)
"One of the most painful things I ever had to do was take the keys away from my mother who drove until she was 90. It was a jail sentence for her but was necessary"
 
Designman - My mother is still a 75mph driver as she approaches her 89th birthday. Last year she got pulled over by police on a 55mph local highway near my home. The cop looked at her drivers license and must have been stunned to see her age. She looks about 15+ years younger. He let her go (it was Mothers day) and told her to slow down. I'm amazed at her abilities as she doesn't need glasses for distance or reading - at that age - and is still an excellent driver.

#15949 of 24723 Re: Great month for Toyota and Lexus [ljflx] by lexusguy

Jun 02, 2006 (7:14 am)

Replying to: ljflx (Jun 01, 2006 3:05 pm)
Here was the sales chart. Lexus was up 9% overall - I misread something before. Amazing though how Lexus has transformed to big car sales this year and this is with an LS on life support given the big changes with the new model.
 
Quite. Notice that the ES beat the RX in sales? I'm sure it wont last, but it is interesting to see nonetheless.

#15950 of 24723 Tiptronic / Paddle / Automatic VS. Manual by tagman

Jun 02, 2006 (7:36 am)

Gentlemen - If you wouldn't mind . . . I have a question I need to ask you. I would really appreciate your opinions and expertise on this.
 
Every "performance" car I've ever owned has had a manual transmission. Sometimes my wife would drive them, and quite honestly, I was tortured by the gear crunching because her good looks don't help her drive one bit . . . they only help me to forgive her.
 
So . . . after I test-drove the Mercedes SL last Friday, I came home and told her about the drive and she gave me one of those nice smiles and mentioned that a 911 would be nice. OK, so I got the message that she'd prefer a Porsche again. (I think I would, too.)
 
I couldn't help but have flashbacks of her shifting and grinding those gears, so I started to wonder about the Tiptronic. Admittedly, and maybe surprisingly, I've never driven the Tiptronic or even considered it.
 
Of course I'll check it out at the Porsche dealer, but I'm guessing that some of you fellow posters know about the Tiptronic. So, please give me the scoop.
 
TagMan

#15951 of 24723 Re: Tiptronic / Paddle / Automatic VS. Manual [tagman] by lexusguy

Jun 02, 2006 (8:53 am)

Replying to: tagman (Jun 02, 2006 7:36 am)
I've driven a Carrera S Cabrio with the Tiptronic box. It's not bad, but it's not amazing, either. It doesn't blip the throttle and match revs when you downshift like Infiniti's 5-speed tiptronic, which I think is the best one I've tried of that type of transmission. A 911 with DSG would be fantastic, but I think you're going to be disappointed with the autobox.

#15952 of 24723 Re: Tiptronic / Paddle / Automatic VS. Manual [lexusguy] by tagman

Jun 02, 2006 (10:39 am)

Replying to: lexusguy (Jun 02, 2006 8:53 am)
Thanks, lg - I guess, in that case, the next question will be how the Porsche 911 Carrera S Tiptronic compares to the Mercedes SL550. Different animals.
 
TagMan

#15953 of 24723 Re: Tiptronic / Paddle / Automatic VS. Manual [tagman] by lexusguy

Jun 02, 2006 (3:34 pm)

Replying to: tagman (Jun 02, 2006 10:39 am)
Well, do you want a pure sports car? Or do you want a luxury GT? The tiptronics go well with the SL, or XK, or 6, but an automatic Porsche seems like you'd be cheating yourself.

#15954 of 24723 Yeah.... by hpowders

Jun 02, 2006 (6:00 pm)

I would love to see Porsche abandon the tiptronic and BMW, the steptronic, but of course, it will never happen.

#15955 of 24723 Re: Tiptronic / Paddle / Automatic VS. Manual [tagman] by blkhemi

Jun 02, 2006 (6:16 pm)

Replying to: tagman (Jun 02, 2006 7:36 am)
The Tip is a smooth shifting autobox, probably the best in any Euro car behind the MB 7-G, Audi DSG/Auto 6, and BMW's ZF used in most of their V-8 cars.(Why can't the performance leg of the lux biz get SMG right?? I thought that by now with the M Roadster(Z4) they'll finally give the Boxster something to worry about, but it's still a lame duck. Steve, there's a 000000000 for ya!)
 
BUT, it doesn't blip the throttle as one would expect in a performance car, much unlike the Infiniti G35 Coupe's automanual, which is probably best in any car behind DSG, but way ahead of F1/Cambiocorsa. And this is why Porsche is working feverishly to install next-gen DSG's in the new Boxter's and 911's.
 
If I were you, I'd save the $3600 and and add another $4k for the Ceramic Brake upgrade, you know, those brakes that never require service and stops the car in 15 lesser feet than the stock brakes.
 
All in All, the Tip dithers the fun factor ever so slightly, but it's enough to become noticeable. If you do want a autobox, what until the Audi R8(poor man's Lambo) comes with the lighting quick new gen DSG. Oh and yeah, this one does blip the throttle.

Messages Page 1596 of 2473

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