Hey everyone!
Sorry I haven't been posting much. I'm here many times a day keeping an eye on things, but I haven't been as active as I once was. That's changing, I hope!
The last year and a half has been nonstop craziness... some good, some bad, and some just plain exhausting. Things are finally on the upswing, though.
Anyway, part of the craziness is that I just started a new job. This job is 30+ miles away, all high-speed highway driving. Unlike my last job, with a commute that involved a ton of traffic, this job is quick and easy!
When I got my last job, I picked up my current 05 Accord Hybrid. It's nice enough, but it's pretty beat up. I like the power, the fuel economy is acceptable, and it's reasonably comfortable... but I think it might be time to step it up.
I'm currently exploring my options for something to replace the old Accord. The CTS-V might be sold to help fund whatever I settle on, which means I'll have more cash to work with.
If I sell the CTS-V, I'm thinking I can spend $20,000-$22,000. If I don't sell the CTS-V, then probably $10,000-$12,000. I'm expecting to get $2,500 for the Accord.
Here's what I'm looking for:
-30+mpg (I can skew heavy on the highway mpg ratings, since the majority of my travels will be at 65+mph.) I'm not opposed to hybrid or diesel.
-Reliability. Sadly, that means no Alfa Romeo for me!
-Comfort. Seriously. I want to drive a couch to work.
-Noise insulation. Going hand in hand with comfort... I want a quiet, serene ride to and from work. I've never really had this in a car, and I'd like to experience an isolated cabin for once!
-Attractiveness. I don't simply want an appliance. I want something pretty. I know that's wholly subjective.
-Power. I don't need a ton... but I'll be merging onto a 2 lane highway where people are regularly going 80+ in both lanes... so I need to be able to get up to speed! Most modern cars will probably meet my needs... but I just want to put that out there.
-Newer. I don't plan to buy new, but I want something fairly current. Ideally, something current-generation, or recently departed last-generation. Depending on the car, 2012 is the absolute oldest I'd consider.
Bonus:
- Fancy features - I don't need much, but I at least want Bluetooth connectivity. I could always add aftermarket stuff to get the cool features, but it's better if a car just comes with them! Again, probably not hard to do in a newer car.
- Prestige - A fancy badge isn't a necessity... but anyone who has read my threads on this topic in the past knows that I'm a sucker for a luxury brand.
- Manual transmission. It's not an absolute necessity, but I wouldn't mind a stick again. I opted for an automatic for my traffic-clogged commute to my old job, but it is no longer a necessity.
- CPO warranty. Again, not necessary... but since I'm still looking at used cars, CPO gives me near-new protection, which is nice.
Handling doesn't matter. It can handle like a moose on ice for all I care.
FWD, RWD, AWD... doesn't matter.
I'm not looking to modify whatever I get. I still have the Miata for that, and I intend to get at least one or two other project cars down the line.
I definitely DO NOT want another Accord, and likewise, no Camry. I've had enough of Accords, and even though the last two generations have been fantastic, I just want to get away from them this time around! The Camry has never appealed to me, and while it definitely meets practically every one of my wants, I just... can't.
Currently, my sensible side is telling me to get a Mazda6. 2017-2018 model years are well within my target price range. Mazda isn't a luxury brand, but they've REALLY stepped up their game. To get a really good one, though, I'll need to sell the Caddy... and it hurts to dump my hotrod Cadillac for a Mazda sedan that doesn't even make 200hp.
My less sensible side is considering hybrid and/or diesel models from BMW, Lexus, Mercedes Benz, Infiniti, and Audi.
Sorry for the long rant! Can anyone help me brainstorm?
I'm open to suggestions, personal experiences, and pretty pictures.
Sorry I haven't been posting much. I'm here many times a day keeping an eye on things, but I haven't been as active as I once was. That's changing, I hope!
The last year and a half has been nonstop craziness... some good, some bad, and some just plain exhausting. Things are finally on the upswing, though.
Anyway, part of the craziness is that I just started a new job. This job is 30+ miles away, all high-speed highway driving. Unlike my last job, with a commute that involved a ton of traffic, this job is quick and easy!
When I got my last job, I picked up my current 05 Accord Hybrid. It's nice enough, but it's pretty beat up. I like the power, the fuel economy is acceptable, and it's reasonably comfortable... but I think it might be time to step it up.
I'm currently exploring my options for something to replace the old Accord. The CTS-V might be sold to help fund whatever I settle on, which means I'll have more cash to work with.
If I sell the CTS-V, I'm thinking I can spend $20,000-$22,000. If I don't sell the CTS-V, then probably $10,000-$12,000. I'm expecting to get $2,500 for the Accord.
Here's what I'm looking for:
-30+mpg (I can skew heavy on the highway mpg ratings, since the majority of my travels will be at 65+mph.) I'm not opposed to hybrid or diesel.
-Reliability. Sadly, that means no Alfa Romeo for me!
-Comfort. Seriously. I want to drive a couch to work.
-Noise insulation. Going hand in hand with comfort... I want a quiet, serene ride to and from work. I've never really had this in a car, and I'd like to experience an isolated cabin for once!
-Attractiveness. I don't simply want an appliance. I want something pretty. I know that's wholly subjective.
-Power. I don't need a ton... but I'll be merging onto a 2 lane highway where people are regularly going 80+ in both lanes... so I need to be able to get up to speed! Most modern cars will probably meet my needs... but I just want to put that out there.
-Newer. I don't plan to buy new, but I want something fairly current. Ideally, something current-generation, or recently departed last-generation. Depending on the car, 2012 is the absolute oldest I'd consider.
Bonus:
- Fancy features - I don't need much, but I at least want Bluetooth connectivity. I could always add aftermarket stuff to get the cool features, but it's better if a car just comes with them! Again, probably not hard to do in a newer car.
- Prestige - A fancy badge isn't a necessity... but anyone who has read my threads on this topic in the past knows that I'm a sucker for a luxury brand.
- Manual transmission. It's not an absolute necessity, but I wouldn't mind a stick again. I opted for an automatic for my traffic-clogged commute to my old job, but it is no longer a necessity.
- CPO warranty. Again, not necessary... but since I'm still looking at used cars, CPO gives me near-new protection, which is nice.
Handling doesn't matter. It can handle like a moose on ice for all I care.
FWD, RWD, AWD... doesn't matter.
I'm not looking to modify whatever I get. I still have the Miata for that, and I intend to get at least one or two other project cars down the line.
I definitely DO NOT want another Accord, and likewise, no Camry. I've had enough of Accords, and even though the last two generations have been fantastic, I just want to get away from them this time around! The Camry has never appealed to me, and while it definitely meets practically every one of my wants, I just... can't.
Currently, my sensible side is telling me to get a Mazda6. 2017-2018 model years are well within my target price range. Mazda isn't a luxury brand, but they've REALLY stepped up their game. To get a really good one, though, I'll need to sell the Caddy... and it hurts to dump my hotrod Cadillac for a Mazda sedan that doesn't even make 200hp.
My less sensible side is considering hybrid and/or diesel models from BMW, Lexus, Mercedes Benz, Infiniti, and Audi.
Sorry for the long rant! Can anyone help me brainstorm?
I'm open to suggestions, personal experiences, and pretty pictures.
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