My parents have been nice enough to offer to buy me a ~$20K car when I graduate and I would like to hear your advice on which of the following I should get:
- 2008/2009 BMW 325i
- 2008 Lexus is250
- 2009 Audi A4
As this is a gift, investing the money is not an option. I've also driven a Honda for the past few years and have narrowed down what I want to the above three. I'll be making decent first year pay and will be able to afford the insurance bump plus regular maintenance. All of the above will have around 40K miles - what do you think? Which car should I get if my main concern is long-term reliability?
also check out: 2005 S4 / 2004 645i
for your choices, 09 328 if u want a coupe 09 a4 if u want a sedan
if you're dumb is250
I like BMW's, so I'll personally choose a 325i.
However as your intention is long term reliability, it might be a better choice to look at the specs of each car / find feedback from those who have driven the above mentioned cars.
How about a 2005 M3 with 50k ish miles? of those I would rank them 1. Beamer 2. Audi 3. Lexus
No to the M3, even though those '05 M3s are sick, in theory at least until you have to pay for maintenance and eventual repairs. Get the 335 coupe, then chip it out and make it almost as fast as the M3 and that way you can get like an '09 and still come in around budget and maybe even have some warranty left.
long term reliability is overrated. keep your honda if you care about that ur a banker now, have some self respect (and drive euro)
Fiat
Perhaps consider Lexus IS250/350 and Cadillac CTS
I'm in the exact same boat as you and those are what I'm considering
Thanks for the advice so far. Having an M3 would be fucking awesome but also unrealistic; maybe later in life as a track car, but not for a daily commuter. At this point definitely leaning towards either the BMW 335i sedan or the Lexus is250 sedan. My Honda treated me well so I tend to have a Japanese bias, but then the 335i is sexier, any more thoughts?
A5s are sexy.
I go half mast for the Benz E63 AMG.
335 are more than 20k but get one if you can.
Step up your whip game...
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/04-VW-PHAETON-W12-ONE-450-EVER-MADE-1-OW…
Regards
This car doesn't get enough attention. VW is bringing it back to the US in the next year or so. A Pontiac G8 also offers a fantastic drive.
But, if you are moving to the city, I would consider asking for a raincheck on the car for 2 years. The cost of parking it, along with taxes and fees, makes any car kind of a money pit as an analyst.
A chipped 335i or 335d would be pretty incredible although a little out of your price range.
BMW hands down
How many miles do these cars have on them? ~20k for any of these cars seems like they'll have around 40k-60k miles. If that's the case, I'll go with the Japanese IS250, although they're kind of girlish.
Based on your previous posts, it seems like you're gonna be in CA. What city are you going to be in? LA? SF? Not sure if you're planning on staying in CA long-term, but have you considered leasing? I would actually go against buying any of the above cars.
"porsche, there is no substitute"
Cars are more of a hassle than a gift if you're living in Manhattan. Tell your parents you want a nice watch.
I love my 335. However that VW that CPH posted is one of the most amazing cars I have ever driven. A W12 will kill you on gas however.
What better way to say, "I've arrived" then by tell Mother Earth to fuck off? LOL. Sitting in LA traffic would be a pocketbook nightmare but you would feel uber comfortable.
After I found that car I thought, maybe I should upgrade...but I just paid my car off a couple days ago...so I will stick with it for a while.
Regards
I'll be living in a California city where parking isn't an issue and commuting to work every day about 25 miles round trip. Correct me if I'm wrong, but shouldn't a 2008 car with 30K-40K miles on it not cause me any serious headaches?
I like the 335, but the extra 7K for the same year/amount of miles isn't within the price range I've been given. My parents are already being generous so the only way to get the extra 7K is to take out a loan, something I don't want to do for a depreciating asset. Ideally, I'd like a Benz E350, but that model is just too costly.
I'm not a fan of how VWs (my first car was a '80 Vanagon), Pontiacs, or Cadillacs look - thanks for the suggestions anyway. That's kind of why I'm set on the above three models for my price range.
The IS250 is definitely girly, but if the maintenance would be significantly less and less expensive, I would sacrifice the look that the 328i offers. Seems like the consensus on WSO is the 328i hands down.
Those three are pretty plain jane and make up most of the F500 parking lots. I'd suggest opening your horizons a little bit. Look outside the box as some of the others have recommended. M3, G37s, CLS, S4, A5, 370z, Boxter, Cayman, etc. all are a bit more unique.
If you're fine with driving something that blends in and your 'main concern' is reliability, might as well go all out and buy a newish Hyundai Genesis Coupe. You'll get car that's every bit as fast with 90% of the comfort and twice the reliability at half of the as-new price.
Yes, they make up the majority of F500 lots for a reason. Obviously I would prefer an M3, CLS or S4, but if you were paying attention my parents are buying me a ~20K car. I need a daily commuter, not a 2003 model of a car I can't afford with 100K miles on it. I'm trying to be reasonable here, not live with my head in the clouds. I'll buy one of those models when I can afford a lightly used version several years down the road.
If you have any good advice please let me know. And really? A Genesis Coupe over a 328i? I'm going for something that will look and feel fun to drive, not some shitty Hyundai.
.
"He drives a Lexus, I want to sleep with him"- No chick EVER
This is actually one of the funniest things I've read on WSO in a while...and it's 1000000000% correct.
I know a guy that slays chicks and he has a really old Accord that has Slim Jim wrappers on the floor, broken speakers and it shakes and rattles whenever he presses the gas or brake pedal...somehow he manages to get it done.
Regards
I agree the Lexus is a little gay, but no chick has ever made a decision to sleep with someone based on the car they drive. Especially when the difference is between a 325i and an IS250. Thankfully what girls will think of me is not factoring into my car buying decision.
Then why not just buy a "shitty Hyundai"???
Regards
u must not live in los angeles
Touche, haha and thank god I don't.
personally, i'd get the 328i coupe. i doubt you'll be able to find a 335i coupe that doesn't have high mileage or isn't one of the earlier years that was plagued with the HPFP issues.
just get the 328i coupe with as little miles as possible.
There is no way that an A4 is preferable to a 3-series. The 3-series will hold up for hundreds of thousands of miles without effort, while the A4 will be riddled with electrical problems. The Lexus? Doesn't drive nearly as well as the 3-series. However, the Lexus usually ride like a Lincoln Town Car, so eh, if you're an alter kocker, as my ma would say, the Lexus.
My CV: I drove all three in test drives. And the 3 and A4 at high speeds.
used bullit mustang if you can drive stick.
if you just want some practicality get a used tacoma and save the rest for a bike
I have always liked the styling on these jags. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/18-Inch-Wheels-Xenon-Headlamps-Moonroof-… How about 1 of these + a Rolex?
You'll be disappointed in the 325 in terms of power, accel, etc.
I love my Audi but its an RS4 so its out of your price range.
Prius - go green.
I don't know, I hear those baterries are pretty biodegradable.
stay away from the 335 unless you get a new one w/ the single turbo (i think its the N55 engine). Avoid the twin turbo N54. These cars were plagued with problems, specifically the high pressure fuel pump.
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