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Entry Level Luxury Performance Sedans

11073 messages,  Last post on Jul 16, 2009 at 1:47 PM

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What is this discussion about? BMW 3 Series, Infiniti G35, Acura TL, Lexus IS 350, Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Cadillac CTS, Lexus IS 250, Audi A4, Acura TSX, Car Comparisons, Sedan

#10805 of 11073 First-time poster looking for advice by pcampos Mar 16, 2008 (8:14 pm)
I don't have much experience buying cars (I bought a new Corolla in 1987, drove it for eight years, then bought an Accord which I've driven ever since). I've decided I want to get something nice. Situation: I drive about 8000-10,000 miles a year. For the next three years I don't want to spend more than around $300 a month on car payments. After that, I'm going to be in a far more flexible financial situation and will be able to afford a very expensive car if I want to go that way. So I'm considering the following options: leasing something for around $300 a month for 36 months, or buying something used but fairly nice in the the 12K-15K range, and then trading up three years from now. So far I've looked at the Acura TSX and the Audi 3 to lease, plus a five-year-old SAAB 9 to buy. Thanks in advance for any feedback! Replies to this message: blueguydotcom (Mar 16, 2008 8:15 pm) cdnpinhead (Mar 17, 2008 4:58 am)
#10806 of 11073 Re: First-time poster looking for advice [pcampos] by blueguydotcom Mar 16, 2008 (8:15 pm)
Replying to: pcampos (Mar 16, 2008 8:14 pm) Buy used. A used TSX will run well, serve you nicely and in the end you'll have something, unlike a lease.
#10807 of 11073 Thanks blueguy by pcampos Mar 16, 2008 (8:44 pm)
I've noticed the TSXs don't seem to depreciate much at all in the first 2-3 years. I also understand that a redesigned model is coming out in a couple of months. So maybe I should be looking at something around five years old? It's tempting to lease, which I've never done, but since I'm a low mileage driver and am pretty easy on cars in general maybe it makes more sense to own something used for three years and hope it doesn't depreciate much in the interim.
#10808 of 11073 Don't buy foreign cars! by jpstax1 Mar 16, 2008 (9:08 pm)
Instead buy a Buick LaCrosse Super. It has all the features of most of the entry level foreign-made cars for a lot less money. Test drive one if you don't believe me. Replies to this message: shipo (Mar 16, 2008 9:34 pm) jpstax1 (Mar 17, 2008 8:28 pm) shipo (Mar 17, 2008 8:52 pm) and 35 more... sjaieve (Mar 18, 2008 9:13 am)
#10809 of 11073 Re: Don't buy foreign cars! [jpstax1] by shipo Mar 16, 2008 (9:34 pm)
Replying to: jpstax1 (Mar 16, 2008 9:08 pm) I assume that you're joking. Yes, no? Ain't no way a Buick anything should be mentioned in the same breath with any of the cars categorized as "Entry Level Luxury Performance Sedans".   Best Regards, Shipo Replies to this message: jpstax1 (Mar 17, 2008 8:28 pm) shipo (Mar 17, 2008 8:52 pm) circlew (Mar 18, 2008 3:07 am) jpstax1 (Mar 18, 2008 6:30 am) and 33 more... sjaieve (Mar 18, 2008 9:13 am)
#10810 of 11073 Re: First-time poster looking for advice [pcampos] by cdnpinhead Mar 17, 2008 (4:58 am)
Replying to: pcampos (Mar 16, 2008 8:14 pm) ". . .Acura TSX and the Audi 3. . ."   Since I decided I could tolerate FWD this time around, I ended up looking at exactly those two cars. Since the RWD choices may improve over the next few years, I wanted something that wouldn't depreciate horribly over a 3-4 year period. I went with the TSX, and that'd probably be your best bet as well -- Audi depreciation is nothing to write home about. Going used, as has been suggested, is the only way to keep the payment as low as you want it.   Honda depreciation is amazingly low; I'm shopping for a car for my mother-in-law, and Civic vs. Corolla used car prices have to be seen to be believed. A 1-2 year older Civic with 40-50K more miles sells for the same money as a newer much less used Corolla. Audi isn't even in the same ballpark.   You'll enjoy either car, by the way. The TSX is working out nicely; it's meant to be an interim solution, but if I bond with it in a big way, I may still be driving it in 8 years, as I did my last car. I've driven rental A3s in Europe & really loved them. I did serious Audi research, going back seven years, as a result.   Let us know how this turns out.

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