Help Me Pick a Winter Beater

[94boosted]

I sold my winter beater at the end of spring and now I need another one. I'm looking for something that is AWD, sporty and fun to drive. I spend a lot of time out on Ghost Lake with the SASC so a good AWD system is important to me. Budget of 30K max. Here's what I've been thinking:

08-11 Mitsu EVO X GSR
Pro's: Great AWD
Con's: Weak Clutch, Weak Clutch Master, S-AWD Pump

08-11 Mitsu EVO X MR
Pro's: Great AWD, Twin Clutch
Con's: Transmission Repair Costs, S-AWD Pump

07-11 Subaru STi
Pro's: Great AWD
Con's: Engines aren't know for their reliability (ring land failures, rod knock etc.)

08-09 BMW 335xi
Pro's: Quick
Con's: X-Drive AWD any good?, BMW repair costs

09-10 Infiniti G37x(s)
Pro's: ?
Con's: Automatic only, depreciate quickly

08-10 Lexus IS250 AWD
Pro's: ?
Con's: Slow

Is there anything else I'm missing? Anything about the above that's wrong?

[muse017]

Perhaps 10-11 AUDI S4 or S5? It's pretty solid vehicle.

[Cos]

.

[94boosted]

I thinkI the 10-11 S4 and S5 are a fair bit over my 30k price point.

The one Sorath sold would of been nice but it was an auto.

[ddduke]

Originally posted by 94boosted
I thinkI the 10-11 S4 and S5 are a fair bit over my 30k price point.

The one Sorath sold would of been nice but it was an auto.

So are the Infinitis on your list.

[G-ZUS]

Originally posted by 94boosted
The one Sorath sold would of been nice but it was an auto.



Originally posted by ddduke


So are the Infinitis on your list.


:thumbsup: :rofl:

[Axe]

Acura TL SH-AWD? There are a few 2010's on Kijiji with manual transmissions. I don't have personal experience with this car so can't comment on pros/cons of the awd or maintenance.

Kijiji (http://www.kijiji.ca/b-calgary/tl-sh-awd/k0l1700199)

I drive a '10 LGT which I love (and with winters on it's great on Ghost) but it's a step down from what you are looking for based on based on your list from a performance perspective :)

[Sorath]

Originally posted by ddduke


So are the Infinitis on your list.

and the evo x mr.

I would steer away for an evo x as a winter beater.

The ayc pump goes in our climate and is costly to replace. unfortunately not a recall despite it happening to almost all, mine was no exception. Luckily i still had warranty if not, at that time wouldve cost me $4000 to fix, though i hear its alot cheaper to fix that now.

Personally out of that list, i would pick 335xi. I loved my e92 in the winter, with studded winters that thing was indestructible in the winter, with the audiophile package, still the best factory stereo to date. Only issue i had with it was the fuel pump, which i hear now is a 10 year warranty(recall). Trying to book a service appointment with either bmw dealerships were a pain too but it being once a year service im ok with that.

[94boosted]

Originally posted by ddduke


So are the Infinitis on your list.

That's why I've got it (Auto) listed as a Con :thumbsup:



Originally posted by Axe
Acura TL SH-AWD? There are a few 2010's on Kijiji with manual transmissions. I don't have personal experience with this car so can't comment on pros/cons of the awd or maintenance.

Kijiji (http://www.kijiji.ca/b-calgary/tl-sh-awd/k0l1700199)

I drive a '10 LGT which I love (and with winters on it's great on Ghost) but it's a step down from what you are looking for based on based on your list from a performance perspective :)

I honestly didn't even know you could get a TL SH-AWD with a manual, thanks for the suggestion. I'm going to have to do some more research on those cars.

Come to think of it I should of added the Legacy GT to my list because I do really like those cars as well.



Originally posted by Sorath


and the evo x mr.

I would steer away for an evo x as a winter beater.

The ayc pump goes in our climate and is costly to replace. unfortunately not a recall despite it happening to almost all, mine was no exception. Luckily i still had warranty if not, at that time wouldve cost me $4000 to fix, though i hear its alot cheaper to fix that now.

Personally out of that list, i would pick 335xi. I loved my e92 in the winter, with studded winters that thing was indestructible in the winter, with the audiophile package, still the best factory stereo to date. Only issue i had with it was the fuel pump, which i hear now is a 10 year warranty(recall). Trying to book a service appointment with either bmw dealerships were a pain too but it being once a year service im ok with that.

Thanks for the feedback on the EVO Sorath. Most owners I've talked to basically said the same thing... awesome car but beware of the pump.

My only concern with the BMW is what repair costs would be like compared to say a Subaru, Mitsubishi, Infiniti or Lexus. I've always been a bit nervous about off-warranty German cars lol

[BlueHaloGirl]

What about a Mazdaspeed6?

[BavarianBeast]

Originally posted by 94boosted

My only concern with the BMW is what repair costs would be like compared to say a Subaru, Mitsubishi, Infiniti or Lexus. I've always been a bit nervous about off-warranty German cars lol

N54/N55 is cheap to maintain. The only real problem the N54 had is HPFP and carbon buildup. Chances are the HPFP has already been replaced and a wallnut blast only costs about $900 from BMW and only needs to be done every 90,000km or so.

I would get the 335xi if an S4 is out of the question. Audi > BMW when it comes to Alberta winters imo.

[Darkane]

I have a 2010 TL SH-awd 6sp and it's wicked.

Great sounding v6, 305hp. Honda smooth shifting!

[zieg]

Well the cons you have for the STi aren't really an issue with a good tune. The factory tune has a lean spot which causes those issues but once that's taken care of you're golden. I was lucky enough to find mine with a recent proper dyno tune, and it had been running an OTS cobb tune most of its life. As well the 07s didn't have that problem to nearly the same extent as 08+.

As for the BMW, from my readings xdrive isn't that great on ice because it's relying on ediff technology front and rear, and has no center diff (just a clutch)..

I don't know much about the Lexus AWD system but I was told the newer ones do use a center diff, but nobody knew much about it and I sort of lost interest in the car anyway, so didn't bother looking into it further.

The Infiniti system is called ATTESA E-TS (look it up, lots of info online) and uses a clutch system similar to the bmw but I don't know if it has ediffs front or rear. I found the thing felt like it weighed way more than it actually did and again lost interest before pursuing further.

[Sorath]

Originally posted by 94boosted


That's why I've got it (Auto) listed as a Con :thumbsup:




I honestly didn't even know you could get a TL SH-AWD with a manual, thanks for the suggestion. I'm going to have to do some more research on those cars.

Come to think of it I should of added the Legacy GT to my list because I do really like those cars as well.




Thanks for the feedback on the EVO Sorath. Most owners I've talked to basically said the same thing... awesome car but beware of the pump.

My only concern with the BMW is what repair costs would be like compared to say a Subaru, Mitsubishi, Infiniti or Lexus. I've always been a bit nervous about off-warranty German cars lol

Ive never had an issue with my bmw, with the exception of the fuel pump, which is warrantied. honestly go and drive one if you have never. imo that car drives better than a b8 s4. btw the 335 is much better to maintain than any sti or evo, ive owned so many lol

edit: honestly dont know why the lexus IS and Infiniti G is on that list, It sounds like you want a fun car to drive, that should cancel out those boring cars already.

[BrknFngrs]

Originally posted by Sorath
The ayc pump goes in our climate and is costly to replace. unfortunately not a recall despite it happening to almost all, mine was no exception. Luckily i still had warranty if not, at that time wouldve cost me $4000 to fix, though i hear its alot cheaper to fix that now.


Maybe I'm thinking of something else but I had it in my head that they addressed this issue with a software update a few years back? Something along the lines of delaying the pump pressurizing the system until the fluids were a bit warmer so as to put less strain on the pump?

[Sorath]

Originally posted by BrknFngrs


Maybe I'm thinking of something else but I had it in my head that they addressed this issue with a software update a few years back? Something along the lines of delaying the pump pressurizing the system until the fluids were a bit warmer so as to put less strain on the pump?

Nope, still an issue, i know it has gotten cheaper to replace.

$1500~ IIRC

[flipstah]

I voted for the BMW because it'll be nicely appointed inside while you go sideways. You still want to be comfortable, right?

The interior is boring IMO but it works and is timeless. :thumbsup:

EDIT:

http://media.caranddriver.com/images/media/185013/2008-bmw-335xi-interior-photo-185015-s-1280x782.jpg

vs.

http://pictures.topspeed.com/IMG/crop/201002/2010-infiniti-g37-coupe-6_1600x0w.jpg

[never]

Originally posted by BlueHaloGirl
What about a Mazdaspeed6?

If you're going to consider the LGT, you should check out the 06-07 MS6s. I had one for a while with some moderate mods and it was a blast in the winter.

Could probably get one fairly cheap now.

[Redlined_8000]

I voted on the G37XS. Solid reliable cars, proven motor, look decent, RWD bias AWD, comfortable for a DD.

Negatives is it will not be competitive for ghost lake and not as fun to drive as the Evo or Sti.

Also G37 has a bit lack of head room for guys 6ft or more. Especially with a helmet (not sure of ghost lake needs helmet)

The biggest negative on the evo is that AYC pump for sure.

Acura TL-SH 6sp is something to look into. Its got a Honda big block motor 3.7L haha.


Also the thing about buying a used Evo or Sti is they will be abused 90% of the time. Almost every owner mods these cars and almost every owner drives the crap out of them. So again might be another positive to look into a G37 or TL for the used market.


G37
http://www.kijiji.ca/v-cars-trucks/calgary/2011-infiniti-g37x-s-coupe-awd-sport-pkg-leather-sunroof/1013718888?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true

TL-SH AWD 6sp
http://www.kijiji.ca/v-cars-trucks/calgary/2010-acura-tl-sh-awd-6-speed-manual-navi-b-cam-leather-roof/1024032965?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true

[clem24]

Man this is hardly a beater thread hahaha. Funny that out of all those, the 335xi is by far the cheapest (as in starting at $12k). It's insane to think how much car that kind of money is buying you in a 335. If you're wanting to avoid issues, why not a 328?

There's also the 535's. Would totally rock a 535xiT 6MT.. :drool:

[94boosted]

Originally posted by BlueHaloGirl
What about a Mazdaspeed6?

I thought those 2.3L engines had issues with their turbo's.


Originally posted by BavarianBeast


N54/N55 is cheap to maintain. The only real problem the N54 had is HPFP and carbon buildup. Chances are the HPFP has already been replaced and a wallnut blast only costs about $900 from BMW and only needs to be done every 90,000km or so.

I would get the 335xi if an S4 is out of the question. Audi > BMW when it comes to Alberta winters imo.

The engine may be stout and cheap to maintain but what about the rest of the car?


Originally posted by Darkane
I have a 2010 TL SH-awd 6sp and it's wicked.

Great sounding v6, 305hp. Honda smooth shifting!

How's the AWD system in those cars? I thought it was FWD biased? So prone to understeer?


Originally posted by ZiG-87
Well the cons you have for the STi aren't really an issue with a good tune. The factory tune has a lean spot which causes those issues but once that's taken care of you're golden. I was lucky enough to find mine with a recent proper dyno tune, and it had been running an OTS cobb tune most of its life. As well the 07s didn't have that problem to nearly the same extent as 08+.

As for the BMW, from my readings xdrive isn't that great on ice because it's relying on ediff technology front and rear, and has no center diff (just a clutch)..

I don't know much about the Lexus AWD system but I was told the newer ones do use a center diff, but nobody knew much about it and I sort of lost interest in the car anyway, so didn't bother looking into it further.

The Infiniti system is called ATTESA E-TS (look it up, lots of info online) and uses a clutch system similar to the bmw but I don't know if it has ediffs front or rear. I found the thing felt like it weighed way more than it actually did and again lost interest before pursuing further.

Thanks for the tip on the tune for the STi.

I've also heard less than stellar reviews about the X-Drive system.

I'll do some more reading on the ATTESA system, but I somehow doubt it's got LSD's front & rear.


Originally posted by Sorath


Ive never had an issue with my bmw, with the exception of the fuel pump, which is warrantied. honestly go and drive one if you have never. imo that car drives better than a b8 s4. btw the 335 is much better to maintain than any sti or evo, ive owned so many lol

edit: honestly dont know why the lexus IS and Infiniti G is on that list, It sounds like you want a fun car to drive, that should cancel out those boring cars already.

I've driven a 335i but never an xi.

Yah fun, quick and a good AWD are most important to me.


Originally posted by flipstah
I voted for the BMW because it'll be nicely appointed inside while you go sideways. You still want to be comfortable, right?



Haha good point.


Originally posted by never


If you're going to consider the LGT, you should check out the 06-07 MS6s. I had one for a while with some moderate mods and it was a blast in the winter.

Could probably get one fairly cheap now.

But it is a FWD biased AWD system right?

[94boosted]

Originally posted by Sorath


Nope, still an issue, i know it has gotten cheaper to replace.

$1500~ IIRC


Originally posted by Redlined_8000
I voted on the G37XS. Solid reliable cars, proven motor, look decent, RWD bias AWD, comfortable for a DD.

Negatives is it will not be competitive for ghost lake and not as fun to drive as the Evo or Sti.

Also G37 has a bit lack of head room for guys 6ft or more. Especially with a helmet (not sure of ghost lake needs helmet)

The biggest negative on the evo is that AYC pump for sure.

Acura TL-SH 6sp is something to look into. Its got a Honda big block motor 3.7L haha.


Also the thing about buying a used Evo or Sti is they will be abused 90% of the time. Almost every owner mods these cars and almost every owner drives the crap out of them. So again might be another positive to look into a G37 or TL for the used market.



It's just the automatic only transmission in the G37X that's kind of a killer for me.

If an AYC pump is $1500 that's not to bad, I'd rather replace a $1500 pump in an EVO than a $5K engine in an STi :dunno:

Finding an unmodified EVO or STi driven by an older fellow is definitely not easy, good point.


Originally posted by clem24
Man this is hardly a beater thread hahaha. Funny that out of all those, the 335xi is by far the cheapest (as in starting at $12k). It's insane to think how much car that kind of money is buying you in a 335. If you're wanting to avoid issues, why not a 328?

There's also the 535's. Would totally rock a 535xiT 6MT.. :drool:

Ok, maybe not a beater, a fun winter car.

Yah but the same fact can be used against 335's, if they're selling for that low now they'll just keep dropping in value. I'd hate to spend 25K now and have the car worth 15K in 2 years, whereas with STi's and EVO's they hold their value very well.

328's are just a bit too slow for my tastes and 535's are just bigger, heavier 335's :dunno:

[Canmorite]

I've had three Subarus over the winters and the STi is a lot of fun. A big difference between the EVO/STi's and the other cars is rawness. You hear pretty much everything in the STi (can't speak for the EVO but assume it's similar) and if you're not into that, a 335xi would be a better choice.

However, locking the diffs and hitting the ice is fantastic :thumbsup:

[sneek]

Originally posted by 94boosted


I thought those 2.3L engines had issues with their turbo's.


How's the AWD system in those cars? I thought it was FWD biased? So prone to understeer?


I have heard a decent number of engine issues with the MS6's. It looks like a super enticing package on paper though. I have never owned one so I can't add anything else.

SHAWD is pretty slick! It is front bias but the torque vectoring makes it a pretty fun car to drive. It has a slight understeer, but for a massive sedan it handles pretty well.

If you don't really care about vehicle theft I would get a modded B5 S4. It understeers but you can put down insane power. The use a timing belt unlike the V8s in the B6/7. Just keep some extra money for replacement turbos down the line.

[Darkane]

As said above honda's SH system is front drive bias however it can send up to 70% rearward And up to 100% to any one wheel.

It's a super good system. If you're careful with your driving you won't understeer. I understeer when I throttle IN the corner. If I break the car loose before the corner I can beautifully slide it. It's hilarious for a big car.

Edit: forgot to mention the nannies can be turned off 100%. Not all vehicles can do that.

[Aleks]

Originally posted by 94boosted



The engine may be stout and cheap to maintain but what about the rest of the car?



Unless your turbo(s) fail maintenance/upkeep is on par if not cheaper than Lexus/Audi/MB/Acura if you take to dealer. If you go for a 2009-2011 most of the annoying little glitches will have been taken care of by now. The only other thing would be the water pump.

It may not be as reliable as aTL/IS250 for example but none of the cars you listed there can touch the engine in the 335i despite the ratings on paper. It's a beast.

[Sorath]

Originally posted by Canmorite
I've had three Subarus over the winters and the STi is a lot of fun. A big difference between the EVO/STi's and the other cars is rawness. You hear pretty much everything in the STi (can't speak for the EVO but assume it's similar) and if you're not into that, a 335xi would be a better choice.

However, locking the diffs and hitting the ice is fantastic :thumbsup:

if you're going to pick between evo and sti, i would pick evo. you will get bored of the sti so fast because its so boring to drive. Ive owned both. All canadian gen sti's i have driven and all of them are boring, i owned the most "raw" one the 06 hawk eye, so bored of it i wanted to sell it after 1 month. I cant speak for the 15, but from 04-14 they all suck imo

Also if you plan on keeping it stockish, MR is the way to go, i loved mine. if you're planning doing more than bolt ons, i would probably stick with the gsr. The MR tranny cant hold much power past 350 wtq and clutch packs are $$$$$$$$. Also another quick fact about the MR, one thing i hated was that the transmission would overheat after 5 laps at race city, i did not get the transmission cooler kit from spg at the time which seemed to solve alot of that issue. just some food for thought

lol ive owned majority of the stuff you are looking to buy, and imo the 335xi takes the cake

[never]

Originally posted by 94boosted
But it is a FWD biased AWD system right?

The car is normally FWD but the rear comes in seamlessly. In the snow, it was easy to hang out the back end and drift around corners.

[clem24]

Originally posted by 94boosted
But it is a FWD biased AWD system right?

I had a '05 LGT 5MT with rear viscous LSD. AFAIK, the autos were 90/10 F/R and the MT's were 35/65 F/R. The viscous coupling on the AWD system made them strange beasts. It took me a while to figure it out but indeed you could have fun with it - you had to unsettle the car going into a car to get a oversteer condition. Otherwise it'd just plow.


Originally posted by 94boosted
Yah but the same fact can be used against 335's, if they're selling for that low now they'll just keep dropping in value. I'd hate to spend 25K now and have the car worth 15K in 2 years, whereas with STi's and EVO's they hold their value very well.

328's are just a bit too slow for my tastes and 535's are just bigger, heavier 335's :dunno:

The cheapest 335xi 6MT on Kijiji right now is a higher mileage example for $13.9. PERSONALLY high mileage doesn't scare me and if anything says that the car was driven and didn't spend it's life at BMW getting fixed.

As for the 535s, yes BUT they can be very very close in price to the 335s and offer quite a bit more luxury. The 328s aren't THAT much slower then Infiniti G's and faster than the Lexus IS, which was in your original poll.

[flipstah]

Originally posted by Canmorite
I've had three Subarus over the winters and the STi is a lot of fun. A big difference between the EVO/STi's and the other cars is rawness. You hear pretty much everything in the STi (can't speak for the EVO but assume it's similar) and if you're not into that, a 335xi would be a better choice.

However, locking the diffs and hitting the ice is fantastic :thumbsup:

I think that novelty will wear out quick. Sometimes, you just want a day of peace and quiet.

[tehwegz]

Volvo s60 t5 AWD. They have polestar tunes to up power by as much as 20% if you get bored. Id pick that over comparable German cars.

[Axe]

The 2010-12 LGT's use a 50/50 split with the manual (only transmission available for the GT). "2.5GT models with 6-speed manual transmission use a viscous-coupling locking center differential to distribute the power 50:50 front to rear" That said, it still understeers when pushed.

It seems to be relatively low cost (under $2K to attain 300hp and similar TQ with the cobb accessport mapping and some tuning)

[sputnik]

Just pick the one with the most savage.

[Twin_Cam_Turbo]

Winter drive the Corvette....

[94boosted]

Originally posted by Canmorite
I've had three Subarus over the winters and the STi is a lot of fun. A big difference between the EVO/STi's and the other cars is rawness. You hear pretty much everything in the STi (can't speak for the EVO but assume it's similar) and if you're not into that, a 335xi would be a better choice.

However, locking the diffs and hitting the ice is fantastic :thumbsup:

I don't mind the "rawness" I've driven lots of STi's and EVO's and I do enjoy them. I don't need this car to be comfortable just fun. I'm honestly only going to put on less than 5K km's per year, if that.


Originally posted by sneek


I have heard a decent number of engine issues with the MS6's. It looks like a super enticing package on paper though. I have never owned one so I can't add anything else.

SHAWD is pretty slick! It is front bias but the torque vectoring makes it a pretty fun car to drive. It has a slight understeer, but for a massive sedan it handles pretty well.

If you don't really care about vehicle theft I would get a modded B5 S4. It understeers but you can put down insane power. The use a timing belt unlike the V8s in the B6/7. Just keep some extra money for replacement turbos down the line.

I'd have to drive a TL SH-AWD on ice to know how it behaves but I hate understeer.

Definitely don't want anything that's been modded lol.


Originally posted by Darkane
As said above honda's SH system is front drive bias however it can send up to 70% rearward And up to 100% to any one wheel.

It's a super good system. If you're careful with your driving you won't understeer. I understeer when I throttle IN the corner. If I break the car loose before the corner I can beautifully slide it. It's hilarious for a big car.

Edit: forgot to mention the nannies can be turned off 100%. Not all vehicles can do that.

But I believe it's default is to send 90% to the front and only 10% to the rear so it sounds like it will behave like a FWD car until the system reacts and sends more power to the rear.


Originally posted by Aleks


Unless your turbo(s) fail maintenance/upkeep is on par if not cheaper than Lexus/Audi/MB/Acura if you take to dealer. If you go for a 2009-2011 most of the annoying little glitches will have been taken care of by now. The only other thing would be the water pump.

It may not be as reliable as aTL/IS250 for example but none of the cars you listed there can touch the engine in the 335i despite the ratings on paper. It's a beast.

Good to know. I'm going to go test drive a 335xi this week. I guess my only issue is now with the X-Drive AWD system from reading this (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_xDrive) article it sounds like the 335's don't have DPC only DSC aka E-Diff's which isn't ideal. Which echoes what Zig-87 said.


Originally posted by Sorath


if you're going to pick between evo and sti, i would pick evo. you will get bored of the sti so fast because its so boring to drive. Ive owned both. All canadian gen sti's i have driven and all of them are boring, i owned the most "raw" one the 06 hawk eye, so bored of it i wanted to sell it after 1 month. I cant speak for the 15, but from 04-14 they all suck imo

Also if you plan on keeping it stockish, MR is the way to go, i loved mine. if you're planning doing more than bolt ons, i would probably stick with the gsr. The MR tranny cant hold much power past 350 wtq and clutch packs are $$$$$$$$. Also another quick fact about the MR, one thing i hated was that the transmission would overheat after 5 laps at race city, i did not get the transmission cooler kit from spg at the time which seemed to solve alot of that issue. just some food for thought

lol ive owned majority of the stuff you are looking to buy, and imo the 335xi takes the cake

Yup whichever car I go with will most likely stay stock, studded winters and that's it.



Originally posted by clem24


I had a '05 LGT 5MT with rear viscous LSD. AFAIK, the autos were 90/10 F/R and the MT's were 35/65 F/R. The viscous coupling on the AWD system made them strange beasts. It took me a while to figure it out but indeed you could have fun with it - you had to unsettle the car going into a car to get a oversteer condition. Otherwise it'd just plow.



Do all LGT's from 05 onwards have a rear LSD?



Originally posted by tehwegz
Volvo s60 t5 AWD. They have polestar tunes to up power by as much as 20% if you get bored. Id pick that over comparable German cars.

I believe the Volvo's are auto only again with a front biased AWD system?


Originally posted by Axe
The 2010-12 LGT's use a 50/50 split with the manual (only transmission available for the GT). "2.5GT models with 6-speed manual transmission use a viscous-coupling locking center differential to distribute the power 50:50 front to rear" That said, it still understeers when pushed.

It seems to be relatively low cost (under $2K to attain 300hp and similar TQ with the cobb accessport mapping and some tuning)

The newer LGT's just look so big and round lol, I think the 05-09's looked much better personally.

So what's the big difference between the LGT and STi's Center, Rear & Front Diff's? I know the STi's front and rear diff's are LSD and the Center diff can be controlled manually.


Originally posted by sputnik
Just pick the one with the most savage.

Probably and EVO or STi then.

[94boosted]

Originally posted by Twin_Cam_Turbo
Winter drive the Corvette....

Hahah, just raise it a few inches and presto.

[94boosted]

Originally posted by tehwegz
Volvo s60 t5 AWD. They have polestar tunes to up power by as much as 20% if you get bored. Id pick that over comparable German cars.

Thank you for the suggestion. For shits & giggles I went and test drove a S60 AWD R and absolutely fell in love with it haha. The torque (350ftlbs) is addictive and the haldex AWD system is a beaut, it hardly understeered, and was perfectly happy doing nice long slides. Not to mention the thing is gorgeous IMO. And even though it's automatic in sport mode the upshifts are surprisingly fast.

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j174/94boosted/_20_zpse6b149f8.jpg

[Sorath]

nice car, looks good. dont know much about it

[4doorj]

I love both my old Evo x and 2015 sti.
I found the evo x to seem way faster. And the motor was strong never afraid of it. Might get a lot of hate but sometimes I felt it was kind of soft. Didn't feel the road much. Computers did everything. It drove itself, you could drive it with one finger.

Sti you feel everything. I love how it's so raw. But it's always in the back of my head then the motor will blow. I'm scared of losing warranty haha. Mine will be one of the rare sti that really isn't beaten. It's my family car. Sometimes I might accelerate fast to merge to deerfoot hahha

Either one of these cars are amazing choice though. I had a hard time of buying another evo x again or a 2015 sti. But the evo x interior and lack of modern updates made me choose the 2015 sti.

Other thing is the Mitsubishi dealerships are wayyyy better then the subaru dealerships. Going to a subaru dealershup feels like going to one of those second hand car dealerships. It seems so ghetto. Shopping at a subaru dealership in calgaty makes me not want to buy another subaru.

[94boosted]

Thanks for all the input everyone. After driving many cars on the list and others I would of most liked an EVO X MR or an STi but finding an unmodified, not bagged one with low mileage proved nearly impossible.

I ended up going with the 2012 Volvo S60 AWD R-Design shown in the picture above only because the deal I got was amazing, plus it's a CPO car with 3 years of warranty remaining. It's a Haldex AWD system same as the Audi TT, A3 and S3. I pick the car up on Thursday and got some studded Hankook Winter i-Pikes on order :D

[4doorj]

Nice congrats. One of the few "what should I buy thread?" Where someone actually buys a car.

[94boosted]

Originally posted by 4doorj
Nice congrats. One of the few "what should I buy thread?" Where someone actually buys a car.

Except I didn't end up buying anything from the original list :rofl:

[Redlined_8000]

Nice choice man! Should be a killer winter car :)

[Twin_Cam_Turbo]

I want a ride at ice training sometime!

[94boosted]

Originally posted by Redlined_8000
Nice choice man! Should be a killer winter car :)

Thanks :)



Originally posted by Twin_Cam_Turbo
I want a ride at ice training sometime!

You can have a drive if you want man.

[never]

I voted "other" so I win!!

Nice purchase...have fun with it!

[94boosted]

Originally posted by never
I voted "other" so I win!!

Nice purchase...have fun with it!

Haha thanks

[clem24]

Great stuff. I actually want a Volvo - for the seats hahaha. I still can't get over how comfy the seat in the XC70 was.

[flipstah]

Originally posted by clem24
Great stuff. I actually want a Volvo - for the seats hahaha. I still can't get over how comfy the seat in the XC70 was.

Volvo makes the best car seats IMO. Our XC90 is awesome when going long-haul. :bigpimp:

[Tik-Tok]

Good choice, my co-workers wife has one, and it's pretty decent. A little heavy for too much "fun" though.

[Sorath]

good choice, i just bought those same tires and studded them on my focus

[max_boost]

Originally posted by 4doorj
Nice congrats. One of the few "what should I buy thread?" Where someone actually buys a car. :werd: Congrats! Looks like a cool car. :burnout: :thumbsup:

I have iPikes on all my vehicles. :winter:

[A2VR6]

Let me know when you're going to take on the ice next, want to check this thing out!

[94boosted]

Originally posted by clem24
Great stuff. I actually want a Volvo - for the seats hahaha. I still can't get over how comfy the seat in the XC70 was.

Originally posted by flipstah


Volvo makes the best car seats IMO. Our XC90 is awesome when going long-haul. :bigpimp:

The seats definitely seem very nice and comfy.


Originally posted by Tik-Tok
Good choice, my co-workers wife has one, and it's pretty decent. A little heavy for too much "fun" though.

It's definitely no sports car but it'll do.


Originally posted by Sorath
good choice, i just bought those same tires and studded them on my focus

Originally posted by max_boost
:werd: Congrats! Looks like a cool car. :burnout: :thumbsup:

I have iPikes on all my vehicles. :winter:

I've never tried a studded i-pike so I'm curious as to what they'll be like.


Originally posted by A2VR6
Let me know when you're going to take on the ice next, want to check this thing out!

I should be there for all the remaining SASC schools and for the Feb 1st CSCC Ice Dice so you can take it for a spin whenver.