Thanks guys!
Sorry I took so long to reply. By the time I looked again, there were 8 replies... and responding to all that on my phone was too much. I haven't gotten back to my computer until now!
I love the SHO, but the gas mileage would definitely kill me. It's not as luxurious inside as I'd like, either. I still have the Miata, and I intend to get something even more project-oriented at some point, so I'd rather sacrifice raw power for luxury if it comes down to it!
That being said, the Lincoln alternative isn't a bad idea... though the best Lincoln for my needs might be the MKZ hybrid. Slow as balls, but efficient and reasonably luxurious (if I can forget that it's largely a Fusion...)
I've considered an ES, especially the hybrid model. Cadillac ATS is a thought, though (and this is dumb...) the executive assistant at my job has one (manual, too!) I'd feel weird, like I'm copying her. Especially since she's the only one with a legit luxury car on staff. I might still check one out, though. I wonder how cushy it is. I'm expecting a Camaro in Cadillac guise.
The turbo Mazda6 is out of my range, sadly... but I'm VERY strongly leaning toward a 2018 Touring model (in CB7 terms... an LX. ) I'll need to settle for automatic if I want anything more than a base model, so I'll need to weigh my priorities.
I have some interest in the M35h, oddly. It gets comparable MPG as my current Accord, but it makes nearly 400hp, and it's a much more luxurious car. My only concern is that Nissan's quality hasn't been great, and I'd still be spending $12,000-$16,000 on a 7-8 year old Infiniti hybrid.
XTS is a little thirsty... but probably one of the most luxurious rides, I'd imagine. None priced in my range locally anyway. If I go FWD premium with a V6, the ES is probably the clear cut winner.
I've considered one of the less luxurious hybrids (Prius, Insight, Ioniq). Hyundai would probably get my money if I went that route. The Ioniq is the most efficient, and IMO the best looking in the segment. The Prius went from looking like a suppository to a suppository that wants to be a spaceship. The Insight went from a wannabe Prius (2nd gen on, anyway... 1st gen is still awesome) to something very Civic-like.
I do like the Clarity, though I don't know if a plug-in is right for me. 48 mile EV range would get me to work, and halfway home... so maybe... too bad the local ones are $5,000)+ more than I'd be willing to spend.
I've considered one, actually! My wife is German, so I could probably talk her into a German car. Granted, she's also frugal, and a used late model BMW is probably not the most wallet-conscious choice for a 600+ mile weekly commute.
It does check a TON of boxes, though...
I do miss the stupid battle egg! Though you fixed it up significantly more than I think I would've ever had the patience for. Probably because you saw what it could be... I just remembered what it was (when it was brand new, with 15 miles on it.)
The 6 is my current favorite, for sure. I'm wavering between a base manual and any other model. The auto show featured a top trim model, and I fell in love. The interior, especially the stitched padded bit spanning the middle of the dashboard, was just so classy looking.
I couldn't do an ILX. I laugh whenever I see one. It's a Civic. A barely warmed-over Civic. It's the Acura Cimarron. Granted, the Civic is a great car... but I'd rather just get a Civic and be honest with myself!
I used to despise VW, with the exceptions being the Corrado and Phaeton. Dieselgate actually made them MORE acceptable in my eyes. I kinda feel like they now have to try harder to capture the interest of their target market, which is good for buyers. The Jetta and Passat still bore me, though. I like the newer GTI very much, but it's too "hot hatch" for what I'm looking for here. I either want a car that screams luxury... or a car that quietly, respectfully states it (which I think the 6 actually does pretty well.)
That said... if I could afford an Arteon, I would DEFINITELY be driving one. After sitting in one at the auto show the other day... holy crap. That is a BEAUTIFUL car.
I wasn't impressed with the interior of the Regal GS (and some old guy actually yelled at me at the auto show last year when he asked and I told him my honest opinion... ) It does largely meet my needs, though. Aside from price. I haven't looked, but I doubt I'm going to find one under $20,000 yet.
Someday, I should get a TourX, and do a full Regal GS mechanical conversion (manual included.)
Caprice PPV would be cool, but it would be a cut-rate version of my CTS-V. Same power, same fairly understated design... but with a stripper interior and an automatic transmission. Though that's probably the cheapest anyone can get into a V8 powered Holden-based sedan anymore. The performance G8s are stupid expensive, and the two dozen people smart enough to buy a Chevy SS know exactly what they have.
At my target price range, I'm likely to find one of those "hidden" surprises!
All the turbo 6s around me are going for $25k+. For a used 6, I'd be hoping to keep it under 20... closer to 15 if possible. NA models would likely be sufficient anyway. 180hp isn't crazy, but should be enough to scoot me to 80mph before I get rear-ended on the highway!
I like the Genesis, but even the V6 models seem to fall short of my MPG target. The sedan gets 29mpg at best (highway), and probably less when it's a few years old and driven in real world conditions. My Accord hybrid is rated at 35mpg highway. I get a consistent 28mpg when I drive it like someone that doesn't have feet made of lead.
That power rating with that gas mileage, provided that it had a comfortable ride, would be ideal. Though I don't think I'd find one anywhere near my target price range. As Julian says below, it would likely be 50% higher than my absolute ceiling... and that would be settling for whatever was cheapest, rather than finding the right color and features. Something to keep in mind for my next purchase, though!
I expect to be in my current job for quite a while, so my income isn't likely to increase drastically (it's not bad... but I'll never be rich doing what I do.) I'm not sure yet if I'd like to shoot for my boss's job once she retires (or aim for a similar job once I have the experience.) That would put me in a position to comfortably buy such a car, though.
I felt much the same way regarding VW... though I do feel that some of the extreme limitations we've put on diesel vehicles were a bit much. Regardless, I don't condone any business that will fake results to bypass any law, regardless of whether or not they agree with it. Just like with our old cars... sure, we can gain a few horsepower and save money by deleting our cats, and the amount of pollution one car will make is negligible....... but I don't agree with doing it at all.
I haven't looked into the Q70 hybrid yet. I'll check it out! I assume it's the successor to the M35h, which I've considered (and it's still not totally out of the question.) Ever since Infiniti just started calling all of their cars Q*, I can't keep them straight.
I just don't know how much faith I have in Nissan. Their quality lately has been very rental-car worthy. I know Infiniti is a step up, and they seem to still be doing things right with that brand... but is a 300+ mile weekly commute going to turn a used Infiniti into an empty wallet? At that point, I'd seriously be weighing that car against diesel and hybrid versions of German luxury.
Sorry I took so long to reply. By the time I looked again, there were 8 replies... and responding to all that on my phone was too much. I haven't gotten back to my computer until now!
Originally posted by CyborgGT
View Post
That being said, the Lincoln alternative isn't a bad idea... though the best Lincoln for my needs might be the MKZ hybrid. Slow as balls, but efficient and reasonably luxurious (if I can forget that it's largely a Fusion...)
Originally posted by owequitit
View Post
Originally posted by SSMAccord
View Post
I have some interest in the M35h, oddly. It gets comparable MPG as my current Accord, but it makes nearly 400hp, and it's a much more luxurious car. My only concern is that Nissan's quality hasn't been great, and I'd still be spending $12,000-$16,000 on a 7-8 year old Infiniti hybrid.
Originally posted by owequitit
View Post
Originally posted by thepowderblue
View Post
I do like the Clarity, though I don't know if a plug-in is right for me. 48 mile EV range would get me to work, and halfway home... so maybe... too bad the local ones are $5,000)+ more than I'd be willing to spend.
Originally posted by sonikaccord
View Post
It does check a TON of boxes, though...
Originally posted by Julianachos
View Post
The 6 is my current favorite, for sure. I'm wavering between a base manual and any other model. The auto show featured a top trim model, and I fell in love. The interior, especially the stitched padded bit spanning the middle of the dashboard, was just so classy looking.
I couldn't do an ILX. I laugh whenever I see one. It's a Civic. A barely warmed-over Civic. It's the Acura Cimarron. Granted, the Civic is a great car... but I'd rather just get a Civic and be honest with myself!
I used to despise VW, with the exceptions being the Corrado and Phaeton. Dieselgate actually made them MORE acceptable in my eyes. I kinda feel like they now have to try harder to capture the interest of their target market, which is good for buyers. The Jetta and Passat still bore me, though. I like the newer GTI very much, but it's too "hot hatch" for what I'm looking for here. I either want a car that screams luxury... or a car that quietly, respectfully states it (which I think the 6 actually does pretty well.)
That said... if I could afford an Arteon, I would DEFINITELY be driving one. After sitting in one at the auto show the other day... holy crap. That is a BEAUTIFUL car.
Originally posted by Straight Success
View Post
Someday, I should get a TourX, and do a full Regal GS mechanical conversion (manual included.)
Caprice PPV would be cool, but it would be a cut-rate version of my CTS-V. Same power, same fairly understated design... but with a stripper interior and an automatic transmission. Though that's probably the cheapest anyone can get into a V8 powered Holden-based sedan anymore. The performance G8s are stupid expensive, and the two dozen people smart enough to buy a Chevy SS know exactly what they have.
Originally posted by H311RA151N
View Post
Originally posted by verothacamaro
View Post
I like the Genesis, but even the V6 models seem to fall short of my MPG target. The sedan gets 29mpg at best (highway), and probably less when it's a few years old and driven in real world conditions. My Accord hybrid is rated at 35mpg highway. I get a consistent 28mpg when I drive it like someone that doesn't have feet made of lead.
Originally posted by Rilas
View Post
I expect to be in my current job for quite a while, so my income isn't likely to increase drastically (it's not bad... but I'll never be rich doing what I do.) I'm not sure yet if I'd like to shoot for my boss's job once she retires (or aim for a similar job once I have the experience.) That would put me in a position to comfortably buy such a car, though.
Originally posted by Julianachos
View Post
Originally posted by blazercrx
View Post
I haven't looked into the Q70 hybrid yet. I'll check it out! I assume it's the successor to the M35h, which I've considered (and it's still not totally out of the question.) Ever since Infiniti just started calling all of their cars Q*, I can't keep them straight.
I just don't know how much faith I have in Nissan. Their quality lately has been very rental-car worthy. I know Infiniti is a step up, and they seem to still be doing things right with that brand... but is a 300+ mile weekly commute going to turn a used Infiniti into an empty wallet? At that point, I'd seriously be weighing that car against diesel and hybrid versions of German luxury.
Comment