2

didnt read it

10/25/2005 2:32:58 AM

I gotta say, my 23-year old Cadillac has more in the way of fancy technology than you can find in many new cars under 30k nowadays. Climate control, automatic headlights, I missed the tube radio by a year , digital "navigation" computer that offers gas mileage, range, and usage statistics at the push of a button, and little subtleties like the heat ignoring its setting until the coolant is warm enough to provide it (thereby not pummeling the occupants with artic winds every time they start their car like both of my parents newer and much more expensive cars often do). Almost all of them still function in a 23-year old car, as well, so... I say get a Cadillac

10/25/2005 2:58:47 AM

Quote :

"The biggest knock on the acuras is that they look like a hondas"

Acuras are Hondas.

I guess what you are trying to say is that they don't have an upscale look to them compared to just Hondas.

In that case, go for Lexus or Infiniti, which definitely are a lot more upscale compared to just Toyotas or Nissans, respectively.

BTW, have you considered the Avalon?

New one is 10x better than last year's model.

Has 280 bhp also...

10/25/2005 9:25:59 AM

I am not really an Acura fan...

Also, Honda should stick with regular sedans.

The Accord coupe is ugly as hell.

10/25/2005 9:41:42 AM

The current Accord coupe is meh. The previous-generation Accord coupe was a damn fine-looking car though.

The current Solara coupe, now, that's ugly. You can tell they were going for family resemblance to the Lexus SC430, but it just didn't turn out well.

Back on topic, if your price range is expanded upward somewhat, I'd say you should definitely check out the Cadillac CTS and Lincoln LS.

10/25/2005 10:12:20 AM

I have a TSX 05. I think most ppl that own one will agree that power is not its strong point. However, if you go to higher rpms it'll go. Also the handling is awesome especially if you give it some new tires and possibly a new rear sway bar. The amenities are the TSXs strong point, very luxurious on the inside for the price. http://www.acurazine.com if you want more information to compare the TL and TSX.

10/25/2005 10:52:44 AM

330i. i don't know if i'd even bother to test drive anything else in the class except for maybe the G35. I've driven a G35 coupe, and i don't think it was as good as my dad's old 330i, but i would probably drive them back to back to make sure before i bought the BMW.

10/25/2005 10:56:54 AM

^Too bad the news ones are ugly.

Check out the CTS. If you can afford to look at a BMW 330i then I would definitely check out the Lexus IS300 as well! Cant' go wrong with 306hp! I'd take that any day over the bimmer.

10/25/2005 11:05:37 AM

are we talking about the brand new models, or stuff 2 or 3 years old?

10/25/2005 11:47:39 AM

All brand new Duke

10/25/2005 12:16:18 PM

Roger. Thought we were including all and leaning towards slightly used.

10/25/2005 4:03:43 PM

Quote :

"I would definitely check out the Lexus IS300 as well! Cant' go wrong with 306hp!"

You mean IS350. I already suggested that:

Quote :

"if you are willing to go up to 35k, consider: TL and IS350 as opposed to TSX and IS250 especially the IS350: 306 hp, 0-60 in 5.3 seconds (more powerful and quicker than the GS430!)"

And you said this:

Quote :

"^yeah good luck finding an '06 IS350 for less than $40k"

So what's going on? I suggest it, and you turn it down! And now you are suggesting it, but with the wrong name!

10/25/2005 7:11:05 PM

Quote :

"Thought we were including all and leaning towards slightly used."

I am.

Eventually I will test drive most of these cars.

10/25/2005 7:24:28 PM

^^I dunno how I picked the wrong model name, a simple slip. However, before when I said that lowjack wasn't considering cars in that price range. Then later he said he can go higher, hence I suggested the IS350 since the price was now more in line

10/25/2005 7:59:33 PM

Quote :

"330i. i don't know if i'd even bother to test drive anything else in the class except for maybe the G35."

I'm going to second the 330i. Really nice gearbox, good engine, luxurious, good handling, comfortable, etc. I've driven the G35 and it wasn't as impressive as the 330i overall.

10/25/2005 8:03:08 PM

For anyone who cares, I test drove a bunch of stuff. Here's how I would rank them so far

Performance:

1. G35
2. BMW 330i
3. Acura TL
4. IS 250
5. ES 300
6. TSX (this is the only huge drop off)

mercedes c230 - dont know, didnt try

Luxury

1. ES 300/ Acura TL
2. TSX
3. IS 250
4. BMW 330i
5. c230 (from here down, I would hardly call the interiors "luxury." Big drop off from 1-4)
6. g35

Looks

1. IS250
2. g35
3. BMW
4. TSX/TL/ ES 300 (really nondescript styling, here)

Overall, I would have to say that the TL, ES 300, and BMW 325i are still in the running. I havent test driven the 325i, yet, just the 330i. I hope the performance drop off isn't too much, because i really like how the 330i drove.

I want to like the new IS so much, but the front seat feels a little too small, and I don't think the price is justified (for example, and IS250 costs the same as a similarly equipped and bigger ES300).

The C230 seemed like garbage, especially since it comes with so few goodies standard. Didn't even want to test drive it. Plus the mercedes salesman acted really snooty. The g35 slightly edges the 330i in performance (I hardly push a car hard, anyway), but the inside of the g35 indeed looked really cheap. Only the seats seemed nice.

10/29/2005 10:38:49 PM

^ how can the ES300 have better performance than the TSX?

the ES300 has nothing sporty about it... engine, suspension, tyres, gearing, etc. and the car is not even meant as a performance car, whereas the TSX is. heck, the ES takes 8+ seconds to reach 60 mph.

you DO know that ES and LS are the soft-riding luxury cars, whereas, GS and IS are performance-oriented, right?

10/29/2005 10:52:46 PM

^im just giving my impressions, hoss. the es has more low end power, i would say and felt really smooth. If that gives the illusion of power, so be it. I liked that better than how the tsx felt when accelerating. That is my qualitative assessment of performance.

I know the lexus classes are not the same, but so what? It's useful to compare things in similar price ranges and see what I like more. Thus, i would trade the performance of the is 250 for the luxury of the es 300.

10/29/2005 11:31:41 PM

Dude the ES 300 is just a camry...

[Edited on October 29, 2005 at 11:37 PM. Reason : Nicer interior I guess.]

10/29/2005 11:36:53 PM

yeah, the IS250 isn't meant to be an ES300 competitor. it's a 325i competitor. The IS is made to handle well and communicate to the driver, whereas the ES is more of an appliance (which some misguided souls LIKE...i mean, if you just want to be isolated in your little 4-wheeled capsule, well, the ES might do that better)

the G35 might outaccelerate a 330i, but i liked the way a 330i handles and generally feels better than a G35 (although i drove a 4-door 330 and a G35 coupe, and not back to back)

10/30/2005 12:10:28 AM

the G35 is not a "luxury" car, it is a sports coupe/sedan. if you want the same performance as well as luxury, check out the M class.

10/30/2005 12:13:27 AM

The ES300 is for old women.

Is your definition of "performance" just how the engine feels?

10/31/2005 8:12:54 AM

Quote :

"but the inside of the g35 indeed looked really cheap."

yeah, they'll be that way for a while. ever since the 1st generation.

11/2/2005 3:45:37 PM