Article Comments - Comparison Test: 2007-2008 Sport Sedans

475 messages, Last post on Jul 25, 2008 at 4:41 PM

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What is this discussion about? Cadillac CTS, BMW 3 Series, Infiniti G35, Mercedes-Benz 350-Class, Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Car Comparisons, Sedan

Comparison Test: 2007-2008 Sport Sedans - This is exactly why we gathered this group of sport sedans. That is, to find out if the 2008 Cadillac CTS, 2007 Infiniti G35 Sport, 2008 Lexus IS 350 or 2008 Mercedes-Benz C350 Sport can topple the Bavarian champ — the 2007 BMW 335i. In the spirit of the segment, each car in the test is outfitted with sport package hardware — usually a stiffer suspension and bigger wheels and tires — and an automatic transmission. (more)

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#34 of 475 Re: Not "slushy" any more [rustyshepherd] by habitat1 Nov 05, 2007 (1:00 pm)
Replying to: rustyshepherd (Nov 05, 2007 12:33 pm) I'm sure Lexus and others would appreciate your attempt to defend their slushboxes from being called such, but unfortunately, I completely disagree with your assessment. And I think I can lay claim to having driven some of the very best slushbox (torque converter) automatics in the world, including the AMG E55, C32, SLK55 and the 911C2S w/ Tiptronic. Sure, mash your foot to the floor and some automatics will get you to 60 nearly as fast as their manual transmission counterparts. But I don't know of any that will do it faster. The 911 Turbo has a "launch control" feature that takes about 10 seconds to go through, before that run to 60. So the 0.3 second advantage is rahter moot. In the case of my 911S and TL 6-speed, I'll be happy to bet my keys against yours in a straight line test, and I'm not particularly adept at drag racing. The real question is have you ever tried downshifting into a turn, or even having the ability to pick your gear before you move out to pass? Or just wanted to hold a gear at 4,000 rpm while winding through some country curves. Today's "slush" may be better for your automotive enjoymnet compared to dad's Buick, but it is still "slush". And it is not "sport". Replies to this message: drewsrx (Nov 05, 2007 1:58 pm) habitat1 (Nov 06, 2007 5:38 am) drewsrx (Nov 07, 2007 1:05 pm)
#35 of 475 Re: You get what you pay for... [ashguy22] by louiswei Nov 05, 2007 (1:31 pm)
Replying to: ashguy22 (Nov 05, 2007 12:57 pm) If you want the "best" Sport Sedan for under $50k, 335i is the one! $50K What has the world come to?
#36 of 475 Re: You get what you pay for... [ashguy22] by habitat1 Nov 05, 2007 (1:37 pm)
Replying to: ashguy22 (Nov 05, 2007 12:57 pm) *you do get what you pay for!* I have to agree. "Value" is way too subjective. Tell me what's best and what's next and let ME figure out if the difference in price is worth it to ME. If you want to through price into the equation, I'm the best shortstop the Yankees or the Red Sox could hope to get for a salary of $50 per game. Wonder why my phone hasn't rung? Replies to this message: louiswei (Nov 05, 2007 1:49 pm)
#37 of 475 Re: You get what you pay for... [habitat1] by louiswei Nov 05, 2007 (1:49 pm)
Replying to: habitat1 (Nov 05, 2007 1:37 pm) Wonder why my phone hasn't rung? Because Steinbrenner likes BMW better than Infiniti.
#38 of 475 Re: Not "slushy" any more [habitat1] by drewsrx Nov 05, 2007 (1:58 pm)
Replying to: habitat1 (Nov 05, 2007 1:00 pm) The real question is have you ever tried downshifting into a turn, or even having the ability to pick your gear before you move out to pass? Or just wanted to hold a gear at 4,000 rpm while winding through some country curves. You can do every one of those things with these new manumatics, especially in the G35 which will not change gears automatically in DS mode and rev-matches on downshifts. DSG and this are the future, witness the GT-R. I would always pick a manual if given a choice, but this test is 100% valid and makes the most sense for 90% of the people reading it. Replies to this message: habitat1 (Nov 06, 2007 5:38 am) drewsrx (Nov 07, 2007 1:05 pm)
#39 of 475 I like the G Sport but..... by hondacura4 Nov 05, 2007 (3:22 pm)
...I cant get over the lack of refinement compared to the 335i Sport. This is a major decision breaker for me when I purchase a car (along with a list of other things), manual or not. Yes I will pay extra for a better meshed together, more efficient, more powerful drivetrain and better overall chassis composure. But, I understand that some will not and cannot ignore the value of the Infiniti G Sport. All of these cars will be interesting to individual buyers but the 335i Sport is still the best car for ME! A 335i Sport 4dr door the way I want it would cost $45,900. This includes the Sport pkg, Premium pkg, Cold Weather pkg, and Comfort Access. No this isnt cheap, but none of the other cars offer that FREE MAINTENCE for 4 years or 50K as that in itself is hard to overlook. Replies to this message: louiswei (Nov 05, 2007 3:32 pm) drtravel (Nov 05, 2007 3:51 pm) lovemyclk (Nov 05, 2007 8:12 pm) 2001gs430 (Nov 06, 2007 5:17 am) strangeman (Nov 20, 2007 11:58 am) circlew (Nov 20, 2007 12:12 pm) louiswei (Nov 20, 2007 12:27 pm) kdshapiro (Nov 20, 2007 12:44 pm) and 7 more... drtravel (Nov 20, 2007 6:48 pm) scottm123 (Nov 06, 2007 6:43 am) circlew (Nov 06, 2007 7:32 am) 2001gs430 (Nov 06, 2007 8:01 am)
#40 of 475 Re: I like the G Sport but..... [hondacura4] by louiswei Nov 05, 2007 (3:32 pm)
Replying to: hondacura4 (Nov 05, 2007 3:22 pm) none of the other cars offer that FREE MAINTENCE for 4 years or 50K as that in itself is hard to overlook. Agree that free maintenance BMW is offering is hard to overlook since no other cars in this segment (maybe MB does this but I am not sure) come with this. However, come to think of it, 4 years/50K miles for a BMW means 3 (at most 4) oil changes and probably 1 tune up. How much does BMW dealers charge for oil change now? Replies to this message: drtravel (Nov 05, 2007 3:51 pm) lovemyclk (Nov 05, 2007 8:12 pm) 2001gs430 (Nov 06, 2007 5:17 am) strangeman (Nov 20, 2007 11:58 am) circlew (Nov 20, 2007 12:12 pm) louiswei (Nov 20, 2007 12:27 pm) kdshapiro (Nov 20, 2007 12:44 pm) louiswei (Nov 20, 2007 12:51 pm) and 5 more... drtravel (Nov 20, 2007 6:48 pm)
#41 of 475 Re: I like the G Sport but..... [louiswei] by drtravel Nov 05, 2007 (3:51 pm)
Replying to: louiswei (Nov 05, 2007 3:32 pm) Agree that free maintenance BMW is offering is hard to overlook since no other cars in this segment (maybe MB does this but I am not sure) come with this. However, come to think of it, 4 years/50K miles for a BMW means 3 (at most 4) oil changes and probably 1 tune up. How much does BMW dealers charge for oil change now? Also includes brakes and the "option" of upgrading your service (better oil etc.). Getting an appointment is sometimes harder than non-free maintenance because the service department makes more on customer paid service plus they might not have a loaner. Not that I've been through this or know any BMW mechanics - NOT! Both BMW and MB (especially MB) also give you the opportunity to spend some quality time in their service departments fixing warranty repairs. It's free except for their premium cafes and my time.
#42 of 475 Re: You get what you pay for... [ashguy22] by drtravel Nov 05, 2007 (3:57 pm)
Replying to: ashguy22 (Nov 05, 2007 12:57 pm) all I say is you do get what you pay for! If you want the "best" Sport Sedan for under $50k, 335i is the one! What if I want the best sports sedan for under $39K? I'm guessing that maybe a $50K car should probably be better than a $50K car!? There's only so much I'm willing to spend for that badge.
#43 of 475 Re: Impressive comments... [kdshapiro] by drtravel Nov 05, 2007 (4:04 pm)
Replying to: kdshapiro (Nov 04, 2007 5:28 pm) Shouldn't reliability be a factor also? The psychology involved in purchasing these cars is exceedingly important. The American buying public has a far different perception of these makes which dictates their purchase decisions. This perception has little to do with on-the-edge performance. Now keep in mind I'm not talking about the extremely knowledgeable Edmund's forum authors! I'm referring to the average Joe (and Joanne) who buys a large majority of these cars. Replies to this message: kdshapiro (Nov 06, 2007 4:46 am) drtravel (Nov 06, 2007 8:54 am) kdshapiro (Nov 06, 2007 10:49 am) and 1 more...