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Sedans Luxury Lounge
21396 messages, Last post on Nov 26, 2009 at 9:00 AM
You are in the Sedans Forum. Your Hosts are pat & karens
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Took the car out for the 1st time on a long trip. Charleston to MD, 8 hrs each way. Other than the tiny scratch through the paint from road debris, it was very pleasant. I still don't have the steering vibration that seems to be common. I did not feel fatigued after each leg. I did notice the seats could use more upper back support if you have wide wings like me. Something I wouldn't realize if not for the long trip. The car turns a lot of heads & led to a lot of questions from the DC area vs SC. The beltway was a lot of fun (5:30-6:30am) in the morning. I could really wring her out. Afternoon? Forget it! I used my brakes like never before in that stop & go. I'm glad not to live in a city center. No point in this car in that. Tomorrow, I'll work out the mpg figures, but 325 miles seemed liked the safepoint to refill on the highway. Leaving the needle on 1/8. |
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A couple of questions for the board. I'd like to add a nice German sedan with AWD to my stable some time in the near future. I've driven the new style '07 and up S Class and like it. A new S with 4 Matic is going to have an MSRP of close to 100K. On an '09 this late in the game, any dealer should give me maybe 4K off sticker PLUS maybe the 5K that MBUSA has now for dealer trunk money. That means a new S is going to cost me around 90K. Used new '07 S Classes with 4matic are now around 71K if CPOed and around 65K from a non MB dealer. If you go CPO you can buy additional warranty directly from MB. A CPOed S Class with all the extra warranty I could get seems the way to go. However, I looked at an '06 Bentley Flying Spur at a local Bentley dealer with 30K miles with an asking price of 79K. If I wanted it CPOed the Bentely dealer would charge an additonal $3500 per year for up to two years. As of now there is no more factory warranty left on this '06. The car is attractive and goes like heck with the W12 engine (perceptively faster, much faster than the S550). The problem is that it has optional 20" wheels (with Yokohama tires--what is up with that?) which pick up every crack in a Northeastern road. Not a good ride experience. Much worse than the S Class on the same road. The sales guy is going to see if he has any 19" takeoffs but wasn't optimistic. I don't think that extra sets of Bentley wheels are exactly thick on the ground. I like the idea of a Flying Spur. It woul be unique. It would be different than the oh-so-predictable S Class. It wouldn't get old on me as fast a a run of the mill S Class would. Moreover, to pick up a 190K MSRP car for say, 75K appeals to this business guy. BUT, I hear that even to change a heater hose or a power steering hose on the thing is a nightmare and the entire front end has to come off. Remember, it is Audi A8 ish. (Incidentally, what is it with Audi and service accessibility? To change the timing chains on the four cam A6 at the 100,000 mile service interval costs $2300 or so because, again, the entire front end must come apart to get access.). 1) Because of the service issues, am I foolish to even consider the Bentley as a 8-9 year possession, driving it 7K to 8K miles per year for a total of 100,000 miles? 2) There is an individual on the internet based in South FL who dabbles in used Bentleys. He always seems to have 5 or 6 used Continenals and Flying Spurs for sale as an individual, not as a dealership.. Has anyone had any experience with the fellow. He has an Eastern European name. 3) The new E Class is here and apparently selling well and at full sticker price. Will the new E Class ("Our most advanced car, ever" says MB) canibalize S Class sales and drive down the price of a used S Class, making a used S an even better deal?
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Replying to: blckislandguy (Jun 28, 2009 5:48 pm) Hey there B.I.G.... In light of the cars you have mentioned in your post, I suggest you consider the Audi S8. TM |
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Replying to: blckislandguy (Jun 28, 2009 5:48 pm) Yes. Especially considering you don't even like the ride quality. These cars are not designed to be like the Honda Accord that you keep for 10 years. I think part of the reason they have such epic depreciation is because there's an assumption that the servicing costs are going to be brutal. As is often said, there is no such thing as cheap Ferrari, no matter what the window sticker is. My Audi shop has $100/hr servicing rates. I'm sure Bentley's are much higher. To me the Spur is just kind of a glorified Phaeton, right down to its outdated Phaeton electronics. I don't get the feeling from a Spur or Continental GT that I do from much slower cars like the Maserati QP and GT, or Aston DB9, or even the Panamera. The Maseratis and Aston are much prettier, and the Panamera is more interesting, and will handle a thousand times better than the uber-heavy Bentleys. The car most likely to be a trouble free companion for 100K miles is a Lexus LS. If I were going to keep a big luxo cruiser for that long, that's what I would be buying. I've been very happy with my S6 and I've had no problems with it, but its gone when the warranty is up, though I'm not sure what the replacement is yet. Its 100K servicing costs aren't an issue, as I suspect they are not to most Audi owners. If the LS simply isn't an option, my next choice would probably be a CPO S8 or W12 that I'd keep for 3-4 years or so, and then move on. A new 750i xDrive isn't a bad choice because of the very low ownership costs, but I still wouldn't keep one past the warranty.
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Replying to: blckislandguy (Jun 28, 2009 5:48 pm) This way, you get to change shoes again in 2011.  Regards, OW
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I am sorry folks that I had disappeared for so long. But here's what happened: A UFO kidnapped me and dropped me off somewhere in Argentina where I was embraced for many months by a vivacious and senusuous tango woman who would just not let me go. OK, ok that excuse could have been used by a South Carolinan politician but I guess it wont work here or with my wife. Now here's the truth and nothing but the truth which in fact more shocking than my UFO excuse. I HATE CARS! Yes folks that is the truth. After the #  ***!!!! experiences with my BMW 335i I feel de-sensitized from any emotions with respect to cars. None whatsoever. So how do I feel about that? Here's the truth which of you fellows may hate. I feel great!!! Tomorrow I am selling my dream machine BMW 335i and picking up instead my spanking new Arctic White Microwave called the 2010 Prius. I have never felt better because now I have escaped that perpetual treadmill called the "New Car Syndrome". Everytime I bought a new car I always anticipated what my next car will be in the future and became obsessed with that future car even during the first day of buying a brand new car. That my friends is sort of like having Argentinian fantasies during your wedding night. Tomorrow I couldn't care less what my next car will be after the Prius. And that folks in itself feels refreshing since I am no long enslaved by that "distant future car" that has always ruled my life. I know the wonders of being enthusiastic about cars and I dont mean to be judgemental towards anybdody within this forum who has such enthusiasms. All I want to say is that life without being a car enthusiast is equally wonderful if not better. 
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Replying to: circlew (Jun 29, 2009 2:53 am) As a side note, do you agree with me that the new E Class with its AMG-ish front end is going to hurt new S sales and lower the prices of used S's?? |
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Replying to: lexusguy (Jun 29, 2009 12:41 am)
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Replying to: dewey (Jun 29, 2009 10:41 am) Well, well, if it isn't the return from who knows where! Welcome back to Hotel California, as you once told me after I made a lengthy departure. Let me just say that I know darned well you have emotions surrounding your new Prius. The first G3 Prius I ever saw in real life on the road happened yesterday... a white one. I like it better than the previous model by far. A part of me was jealous... that bastard was driving one of the latest high-tech cars in the world, getting at least 50 mpg, and merrily rolling along at 75+ mph on California's Highway 5. What could I do? Blow by him with my twin turbos? I knew it wouldn't matter to him, because he was happy in his Prius as he passed all the gas stations on his trip South. All his passengers were supremely comfy and he didn't need to compete with anyone. I'd have to say he was content... as you now are. Content and satisfied with your new car. You love your Prius, and we all know it, because of all the posts that preceded your purchase. I applaud you. You have evolved and matured in your perspective of automobiles and their role in this world. Yours is more of a cognitive enthusiasm. Me? I'm still a kid at heart and need to step on the gas and have some silly fun on the roads, and connect to some good feelings behind the wheel... less cognitive and more emotional. Nothing wrong with that either. But... I repeat... you do NOT hate cars. You love your Prius... as you should. Congratulations Dewey. I am glad for you. Truly.  Please tell me your impressions of your Prius after you have driven it for a while. TM
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Replying to: lexusguy (Jun 29, 2009 12:41 am) I was under the impression BIG wants AWD... therefore I put the S8 in first position on my recommendation to him. Perhaps I misunderstood? TM
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