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Sedans Luxury Lounge
21284 messages, Last post on Nov 10, 2009 at 11:17 AM
You are in the Sedans Forum. Your Hosts are pat & karens
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Replying to: bmlexus (Oct 19, 2008 3:50 pm) That statement, my friend, is very interesting. I'll have to think on it for a while... It's true for some models, but not true for others. In some Honda interiors, the design is great, but the quality of materials is lousy. In some Toyota models, the interior design is stale, but the quality of its materials is reasonably good. Same inconsistency applies to the exterior designs as well. I mean, it's hard to believe that the Pilot has taken a design turn for the worse, and yet the CR-V is an amazing SUV. The Ridgeline is a smart truck that is pathetic looking, to put it nicely. And the Element is even too weird for generation X, Y, or Z. LOL. Toyota's SUVs and trucks couldn't possibly be more boring. The Corolla and Yaris are horrible looking. The upcoming Prius is messed up with that badge that is connected to the hood's leading edge... a terrible design idea that ruins the front end of Toyotas that are adorned with the ugly thing. It makes them resemble a Yaris. The FJ Cruiser Frankenstein SUV has been cancelled, and for good reason. The Civic is a highly successful vehicle, and I have always been a supporter of this latest generation Civic. I personally think it is one of the smartest small economy cars ever built, although a little better use of materials inside would help out, IMO. There's way too much here to talk about. Like I said, your statement is a big one. I haven't even touched the tip of the iceberg, considering that there are additional models to discuss, and that there is also the Acura and Lexus divisions that could be compared in terms of design and materials. Poking at Acura would be all too easy, and that would counter your statement that Honda is gaining on Toyota in terms of design and materials, at least as far as the Acura division goes. Anyway, lots more to discuss on the comparison of recent trends with Honda and Toyota. BTW, do you agree with me that Honda's Insight kicks the Prius in the butt? TM
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Replying to: lexusguy (Oct 16, 2008 2:10 am) No, it did not. I don't think that would've changed my decision though  Speaking of the C5 A6 (last-gen), one day I met up with somebody else who works in my office who was driving a 4.2 (I had a 2000 A6 2.7T at the time). Both were black and you could barely tell them apart. We switched cars for the day. The smoothness and torque of the V8 were nice, but I came away thinking I had made the better choice. I think he agreed with me. '08 BMW X5 4.8i • '06 Audi A3 2.0T DSG • '05 Audi S4 Cabriolet
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Replying to: m4d_cow (Oct 17, 2008 10:14 pm) Huh? When did I say this? The A4 3.2, like just about every other 3.2-spec Audi, is a waste of money. Unless you REALLY need the smoothness of a six-cylinder engine (in which case I would tell you to get a BMW), the '09 A4 2.0T blows it out of the water. It gives you more torque, a decent amount of power (more with a simple ECU flash), a feeling of agility that the 3.2 lacks, and best of all, great MPGs. It gets better mileage than any other car in its class (328i, IS250, C300) by a very wide margin... AND the best acceleration. Sounds like a winning combo to me. However, I think the A4 3.0TDI will be an even better choice when it arrives in the next few months. I would write off the E350 because it's going to be replaced so soon. I know you can get a great deal but it's really painfully low-tech these days and while it's a very pleasant car it's not a particularly impressive performer. It's a buyer's market, so you can get a good deal on ANY luxury car now, short of a GT-R, R8 or Ferrari. '08 BMW X5 4.8i • '06 Audi A3 2.0T DSG • '05 Audi S4 Cabriolet |
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Replying to: bmlexus (Oct 18, 2008 9:18 am) It's nine inches shorter than the 6 Series coupe. You tell me which one it's closer in size--and price--to. '08 BMW X5 4.8i • '06 Audi A3 2.0T DSG • '05 Audi S4 Cabriolet
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Replying to: dewey (Oct 18, 2008 7:31 pm) What made you decide to come back? Great to see you posting here.  '08 BMW X5 4.8i • '06 Audi A3 2.0T DSG • '05 Audi S4 Cabriolet
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Replying to: bmlexus (Oct 19, 2008 3:45 pm) esf, sure the 2.0 is the better deal, but even a loaded 2.0 already cost about $45k. In comparison, a loaded 335i here can be had for $46k tops.
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Replying to: esf (Oct 19, 2008 8:28 pm) If you've never tried the current 4.2 S-line, you really should. I've driven the C5 A6 on three occasions, a 2.8, a 4.2, and the 2.7T S-line. The 2.8 was an absolute slug, and probably the most boring German car I've ever driven. It was like a big Teutonic Camry. The 4.2 (non sport) was better, at least the power problem was solved, but it resisted quick direction changes and really didn't like to be pushed. It basically felt like it had one of those "16 Ton" weights from the old cartoons welded to the front bumper. The 2.7T S-line on the other hand was quite enjoyable and fun to drive. Maybe not a match for a 540i Sport, but it was much better than the old E430, and definitely the best of the C5 generation short of the old RS6. The C6 is heavier, larger, and more "mature" than the C5, and I agree that the standard suspension setup (as before) is boring. The sport suspension really does make a big improvement though. The 3.2 S-line would probably be the better handler, but there just isn't quite enough power for all that mass. The new 3.0T S-line will finally be a proper replacement for the old 2.7T, but the 4.2 S-line really isn't bad. No, it's not as fun as an XF, 5, or M45 Sport, but the A6 never was the sportiest car in its class. |
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Replying to: m4d_cow (Oct 19, 2008 9:37 pm) Um, the new 7 already has the 3.0L TT engine. It's called the 740i, and produces 326hp and 332ft.lbs. |
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Replying to: tagman (Oct 19, 2008 4:59 pm) Yeah, your correct, If compare the camry with the accord, IMO the accord has the better interior, there is also the Acura and Lexus divisions that could be compared in terms of design and materials. Poking at Acura would be all too easy, and that would counter your statement that Honda is gaining on Toyota in terms of design and materials, at least as far as the Acura division goes. As I mentioned Toyota has forgotten itself,its only making Lexus more luxurious, but the Toyota brand is getting rather more and more simple. BTW, do you agree with me that Honda's Insight kicks the Prius in the butt Yes, 100% unless the Prius production version changes.
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Replying to: esf (Oct 19, 2008 8:41 pm) It's nine inches shorter than the 6 Series coupe. You tell me which one it's closer in size--and price--to Closer in size, 3 series, Price,3 series as well! Your correct, 6 series is in a different category. If I wanted a coupe, would chosen the A5 S5. |
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