What would you choose, and why?

[shin0bi]

Hey guys,
Just trying to gather some ideas for when I’m in the car market next spring.
Lets say hypothetically that you’re in the market for a lightly-used (3-4 year old) luxury car. Something with no less than 250 horsepower, all-wheel drive, and (ideally) 4 doors.

What would you choose and why?

One big factor is repair and maintenance costs (For example, does it cost a lot more to keep a BMW running happy than it does to keep an Acura running happy over the lifespan of the car?).

Some of the vehicles I’m considering:

- BMW 335xi
- Lexus is350
- Audi A4
- Infiniti G37x
- other?

Love to get your guys’ opinins on the matter.
If you were in the market for a vehicle with those parameters, what would you pick? Why?

[NoPulp]

G37x hands down. Though I'd spend the extra money for Sport.

I think they're very nice looking cars while still on the subtle side. Make good power and I like the idea of rwd bias. Plus they sound incredible with aftermarket exhaust. I think they would be more affordable to repair than a BMW? Gs are basically a Z in a tuxedo, no?

[Kloubek]

Why 4 doors, may I ask?

I considered all the cars in your lineup. I wanted something quick (but didn't have to be a track star), comfortable and luxurious, was AWD, and something that wasn't going to kill me in repair costs. I also looked at larger vehicles like the A6, which are maybe bigger than you feel you need. I wanted the extra legroom for my kid in the back, which is one of the reasons I settled on what I did; I ended up with the car in my sig.... m37x.

Why didn't I pick the ones in your list:

BMW 335xi: This one IS the track star of the bunch. Easily modded to 400hp. Even in stock form is quicker and handles better than my M37. However, the interior didn't say luxury to me. In fact, while well built, I really didn't like it at all. Very boring. Yes, repair costs ARE high with BMW and helped keep me away.

Lexus is350: AWD models were often more than I wanted to spend. Good car, but tiny back seat didn't work for me regardless.

Audi A4: Not powerful enough for my liking - though easily chipped to decent levels. Thought I'd like the interior (loved my 2001 A6), but found it rather lower end feeling than I expected from Audi. Again, higher repairs costs... though probably not as bad as with the BMW.

Infiniti G37x: Totally decent vehicle, but for just slightly more I got a car with more space and a nicer interior.

Also keep in mind that most of the vehicles on your list are direct injected. Great to boost power and hence economy, but almost all of them with the exception of Infiniti are direct injected, and will experience carbon issues eventually. (Lexus might not either? I believe the GS350's had a dual injection system which was ok. I imagine the IS350 might be the same?)


Originally posted by NoPulp
I think they would be more affordable to repair than a BMW? Gs are basically a Z in a tuxedo, no?

Yes and yes. If one was not intent on modding the BMW and they were fine with a slightly less direct and refined ride, I agree that the G37 would be the way to go.

[killramos]

335 :dunno:

but my disdain for anything Infiniti is well known.

a C300 or C350 would be a pretty nice car to with 4Matic, more luxurious than the alternatives as well imo.

[Kloubek]

Originally posted by killramos
a C300 or C350 would be a pretty nice car to with 4Matic, more luxurious than the alternatives as well imo.

...starting in 2012 maybe. Pre 2012 models were pretty basic for Mercedes, imo.

[BavarianBeast]

335xi

Huge aftermarket, 380+hp with a chip, cheap to run and maintain, comfortable and luxurious..

[shin0bi]

Originally posted by Kloubek
Why 4 doors, may I ask?

4-door would be lovely because I DJ occasionally and have to haul gear, but it's not necessarily a dealbreaker. Ever since I got the Mazda 6, I've grown fond of having the extra room back there if and when I need it.

Sports sedans are okay by me :D

[carson blocks]

I'd go with the IS350 or the G37 if reliability and maintenance costs are a concern. You couldn't give me an off-warranty Audi.

[Darkane]

Not mentioned but a 2012+ Acura TL SH-AWD fits your bill. You can luck out and find a manual also.

It'll be quicker than all the cars except the BMW. Cheap to run and maintain.

I had a 2010 TL 6sp and it was awesome. One of the better cars I've owned - why owned and not own? Needed a truck or else I would have it still. That and the fact hondata didn't plan to release a flashpro for it.

[msommers]

Originally posted by carson blocks
I'd go with the IS350 or the G37 if reliability and maintenance costs are a concern. You couldn't give me an off-warranty Audi.

Any German vehicle out of warranty is just one giant repair bill waiting to happen. It's no coincidence that so many German vehicles become for sale because the warranty period is running out.

I'd go for the Lexus in this case. I've read that the G37x AWD system isn't that great.

[01RedDX]

.

[realazy]

I just got rid of my 335xi. It's a blast to drive, but the worry of something expensive going to break kept bugging me after the warranty ended.

If you do want a 335i go for a 2011+ with the N55 motor, it seems to have much less problems.

If you want to make mad power with mods, then go for the N54. The fuel and ignition systems on them is really the weak point. They are so finely tuned that any deterioration of parts will give you misfires and make you chase problems.

Spark Plugs, coils, and injectors, the three most common things that WILL fail.
HPFP is mostly rectified with the newer revisions, but could be a problem.
The valvecover tends to crack for no reason, even on completely stock cars, mine cracked in the first 20,000km.
Turbo wastegate rattle, and eventually the turbos failing
Carboned up intake valves that need cleaning every 30,000 kms if you want to keep the fast throttle response like new.

All these things add up, I would expect the car to cost $2000/year or so.

The car is also very un-DIY friendly, lots of things need at least a BT cable and some programming knowledge to install. Lots of BMW specific tools you need to buy, etc.

[blownz]

335 as BMW's aren't that bad after the warranty (I have had several).

Brakes on an IS350 are more money than a 335 and you are stuck looking at the hideous styling and horrible nav controller. And the engine is a dog compared the the 335 as well. They just aren't in the same league.

S4 is comparable and I would suggest, but not the A4. Infiniti feels like driving an Altima (cheap) and the nav screen makes no sense.

[bcylau]

i know its not luxury, but 4 door, 250hp+, awd ...... to me there are only 2 cars

evo and sti. 335xi is similar and i rather have 335i than 335xi

sti/ evo is going to be better than most in the snow if thats why you are getting awd.


if you do your own work, then euros are fine, otherwise go with japanese cars

only problem i have with the japanese cars is that they haven't been updated for quite a while now. but parts are going to be cheaper as most of those cars share platform with mainstream brand.


if your budget is ~30k, then check this one out. enough left over for repairs

http://www.kijiji.ca/v-cars-trucks/calgary/2010-bmw-3-series-335xi-msport-4d/1107438156?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true

[Mitsu3000gt]

You need to bump it up to an S4 if you want to have a comparable Audi in that mix - the 335i is an S4 competitor not an A4 competitor.

Infinity & Lexus = Boring & probably more reliable

S4 & 335i = Way more fun, especially in Calgary, and a bit more of a reliability gamble, but still probably fine if it's well maintained.

[Xtrema]

Out of that list:

Japanese (IS/G/TL) if you are sensitive with down time/repair cost.

German is you don't.

I would consider 2010+ S4 along with 335xi. Merc C class must be 2012 or newer after they refreshed the interior, before that they are horrible. All Germans are expensive to maintain.

Need to know your budget tho.

[know1edge]

.

[relyt92]

I considered an almost identical list and went Infiniti.

[italianstylez]

335.
HPFP is rectified haven't heard of any lately fail, all models covered too 160k anyways .
Spark plugs and coil packs go on all cars anyways cheap to replace and easy.
Valve cover gasket hasn't been an issue lately From my experience.
Only other real major common issue is ecu capacitor failure which BMW says is 2k+ if not covered under warranty
The repair is 30 mins of your time and 50$ out of pocket .
And carbon build up happens on all DI cars , since running water meth mines sparkling clean.
Also you can't baby a DI car needs to be run hard somewhat often to burn the crap off , as you should anyways that's what its designed for.
Mines got intakes , downpipes, full exhaust ; jb4, meth, and I leave most everything on the road behind me it's incredibly smooth power delivery, I go from 100-160 without even realizing it unless I look at the speedo , I've had many modded cars before and some none modded jap cars; BMW has deff kept my interest far more, makes stupid power for easy and relatively cheap, it's smooth as can be, luxury and handles extremely well once you get some real tires and do springs. Had mine about a year now and have zero complaints .
And I've done water pump and thermostat at 119kms which is pricey but I feel it lived it's lifespan ,
I had 2 weak coils changed all 6. And changed spark plugs .
I beat it daily running 23psi and runs better now then the day I bought it .
And after doing coil packs I haven't seen an engine light or limp
Mode since .
And for what the car is , it's got incredible braking , compared to most cars with multiple piston calipers .

[Sugarphreak]

...

[austic]

Out of the list go with the 335, I loved mine and was modded to close to 400 pretty easily.

Downside is what realazy said bang on. My Valve cover went, Injectors and changed my sparkplugs was a nice little $5K service bill. Other than that it was the only major service I had to do. Granted my car was Dinan chipped and modified.

A4 is not on the same level so you would need the S4 to compare.

IS350 was one of the most boring cars I have ever driven. Tough to explain but just feels boring.

G37 will be the cheapest to maintain.

[flipstah]

- BMW 335xi

My star pick. I drove one a while back in the snow and loved how it handled. The interior is bleh IMO but I can live with it. Nice power and I believe they're inline-6 with no forced induction so the power is instant.

- Lexus is350
Boring. Boring. Boring.

- Audi A4
I'm a BIG fan of the Audi interior and I'd rather have this than a BMW interior, but in an S4. A4 isn't enough for me to cough up $ on.

- Infiniti G37x
I haven't driven one but I like how it looks.

[Sugarphreak]

...

[flipstah]

Would you consider a 4Matic? C-Class>A4 in everything, IMO.

Also, if OP wants luxury then be prepared to back it up with maintenance. Should be irrelevant or get an Acura TL. :thumbsup:


Originally posted by Darkane
Not mentioned but a 2012+ Acura TL SH-AWD fits your bill. You can luck out and find a manual also.

It'll be quicker than all the cars except the BMW. Cheap to run and maintain.

I had a 2010 TL 6sp and it was awesome. One of the better cars I've owned - why owned and not own? Needed a truck or else I would have it still. That and the fact hondata didn't plan to release a flashpro for it.

:werd:

[01RedDX]

.

[thinmyster]

Originally posted by Sugarphreak
Audi A4

Great cars for what you get, and that 2.0L turbo is such a reliable and torquey motor

This. I had a similar dilemma and went audi A4 (make sure you get the sport/black optics package) only 900$ and you get the all-black interior, sports seats and flat bottom wheel. Adds a lot to the interior!

The oil consumption issue was fixed in ~2012 I believe but double check this if buying used. Otherwise the car seems reliable

I really wanted to go lexus but I didn't like the new IS and the new GS was too expensive.

[A790]

3-4 year old IS's have a pretty "meh" interior. 2014+ if you want a sweet inside :)

[killramos]

Originally posted by flipstah
- BMW 335xi

My star pick. I drove one a while back in the snow and loved how it handled. The interior is bleh IMO but I can live with it. Nice power and I believe they're inline-6 with no forced induction so the power is instant.


All of the 335's are turbocharged. I don't think bmw even makes a NA car anymore lol.

Some (N54) are twin turbo, some (N55) are twin scroll single turbo.

[Strider]

How about bumping your timeline ahead and jumping on the TLX lease deal in the other thread?

[03ozwhip]

I have an N55 335 xdrive and I love it. I went with the N55 because from everything I've read, it's the least problematic motor.

Highly recommended. The interior, Ya, it's not luxury. At all. But it's functional and the exterior and motto make up for it.

Go N55 335.

[CanmoreOrLess]

The conversation ends at Infiniti or Lexus, "One big factor is repair and maintenance costs" all on zero warrantee. Nothing German is going to have soft expenses going forward. You'd almost be better off getting a Jaguar at a fire sale price (pad the repair fund) than with what the Germans are offering. I love German cars on warrantee or as a third Sunday driver, nothing new there as we all do.

[J.M.]

Stick to IS350/G37X for repair/maintenance costs. Acura TL SH-AWD gets my vote though.

[blownz]

Why do so many people settle on a worse vehicle just to save a few bucks in the future? lol

Should we all drive Toyota Corollas because they are the most reliable? I will be the first to slit my wrists. :barf:

[killramos]

Yup, people are satisfied to drive something completely boring in order to eek out another 5 percentage points on the problems per 100 vehicles scale :dunno:

It really comes down to do you care if your car is sporty? If so go BMW.

If you care about getting from A to B buy something made by Toyota.

Or if you are so paranoid just go lease something new or with warranty.

I know i don't lose sleep over my BMW blowing up :dunno:

[realazy]

Originally posted by killramos
Yup, people are satisfied to drive something completely boring in order to eek out another 5 percentage points on the problems per 100 vehicles scale :dunno:

It really comes down to do you care if your car is sporty? If so go BMW.

If you care about getting from A to B buy something made by Toyota.

Or if you are so paranoid just go lease something new or with warranty.

I know i don't lose sleep over my BMW blowing up :dunno:

That's because you did option C, went with something with warranty...

[Strider]

Originally posted by killramos
I know i don't lose sleep over my BMW blowing up :dunno:

Easy to say when you buy a brand new BMW with warranty...

I've gone through phases of wanting an E60 M5 just for the sweet sweet v10 noises, but could never bring myself to do it knowing a $5k-$10k repair bill could happen at any time.

[A790]

Originally posted by realazy


That's because you did option C, went with something with warranty...



Originally posted by Strider


Easy to say when you buy a brand new BMW with warranty...

I've gone through phases of wanting an E60 M5 just for the sweet sweet v10 noises, but could never bring myself to do it knowing a $5k-$10k repair bill could happen at any time.


Apples to apples, amirite? :rofl:

[BerserkerCatSplat]

Maybe not the kind of thing you're looking for, but a Chrysler 300C AWD does tick all the spec boxes you'd mentioned. V8 power, decent gas mileage, and if you break something it comes out of the cheap Chrysler parts bin. Engine (5.7) and transmission (722.6) are quite reliable.

[killramos]

Originally posted by realazy


That's because you did option C, went with something with warranty...

The choice i made wrt the cams on my GTI. '07 time bomb.