A friend of mine just bought a 2005 Hyundai XG350 with 40k miles for just under $9000. This is an amazing car. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw it. It had black leather seats, power everything, heated seats, Sweet sound system and a beautiful overall interior. Great car for the money. Huyndai doesn't make XG350 any more but they have Azera that replaces XG350. I would defnitely look into this. Huyndai is a far more serious comtetitor now to Honda and Toyota than it was few years ago.
I recently found a buyer for my (first) car. I drove it about 40K since 2004 and I am looking for another car.
Since I am planning on shifting, I may hold off a bit until I get settled in the new city, but I have already started looking at cars. Since I have had a great experience with my BMW and belong to a loyalty program, I would certainly consider them again.
My father, an old school Pakistani, always has a soft spot for Mercedes, so I have looked into them as well. So far used BMWs are beating out Mercedes in terms of price. A few thoughts:
That C230 Kompressor is a piece of crap. Ugly interior (cloth seats, cheap plasticky dash) and derivative exterior (the front is classic mercedes, the tail is trashy hatchback). I would rather buy a Civic and be done with it.
BMW 325 still looking sharp. I didn't really like the new design inspired by Chris Bangle. The car handles well and is pretty comfy.
Mercedes C240: Very sweet ride. Looks well built. Need a few more test drives to see whether it is worth it. Right now it is comparable to the BMW.
This may seen off-topic but my goal is to mention that you can go with the JD Power, Motor Trend, and other surveys or you can drive the car yourself. Remember that things on paper may not suit your needs and styles.
For family cars, you need to be sure about the safety, particularly if there are little children riding in the back. If you're single and male, the style and performance take a greater priority :)
I agree 100R, no substitute for test driving the car and seeing how it feels to you.
but test driving would not really tell you what type of problems the car can have long term. and thats where quality reviews by experts come in handy, because they are not just opinion but are based on data.
I agree 100R, no substitute for test driving the car and seeing how it feels to you.
but test driving would not really tell you what type of problems the car can have long term. and thats where quality reviews by experts come in handy, because they are not just opinion but are based on data.
Good point about the long term problem, but what if you sell it much earlier? I mean I love my current car but I am selling it so that I can get a newer model, different brand etc.
More importantly, I never buy 'zero mile new' because of the depreciation loss. I brought my current car back in 04 with 6,000 miles on it, but at a price 27% below the new model. I brought it in August of 2004 and made out like a bandit with full warranty and a scheduled service plan (another feature that the Jap cars lack).
So this time around, I am doing the same thing. My parameters are:
European Manufacture
Less than 10K miles
At least 20% knocked off the 'new' price
2006-2007 model
So I pretty much avoid any and all long term problems. Even American made cars can do up to 50,000 miles without a hitch. Besides, I keep the car well serviced and in top shape, so they look like new, when I sell. My strategy is not exactly original but it is guaranteed to work, unless you're driving a pinto or something.
To me personally Acura is simply a glorified honda…same goes for Lexus but anyway it really depends on you. If you want practicality with the better price, then Accord is the way to go.
..since luxury cars have more comfort. My mian ji is planning on getting acura TL or Lexus (which Im not a big fan of I’d choose the BMW instead)..
Currently I like driving sedans so much better then my current SUV…mainly because of driving it everyday on freeways …cars just have just so much more grip of the road…and speed wise/performance wise v6 or v8 are so much better .I think I havent yet driven a v4, only the v6 and a v8.( i hope Im using the v terminology correctly:cb:
