My parents are wanting to get a new (or slightly used) car, and they have come to me for advice. now, i don't know how much they are actually going to listen to from me, since i have a car that i work on more than i drive, but we have narrowed it down to a few choices, but i don't really know a whole lot about each of them:

1) Mazda 6 (new)

2) Subaru 2.5i (new)/ Subaru 2.5RS (used)

3) Audi A4 (used)

4) Acura 3.2TL (used)

5) Infiniti G35 (used)


The Mazda 6 is nice...although i can't convince them about the mazdaspeed version, heh.
but, to tell you the truth i'm telling them about the audi and subaru because of the AWD (they will be driving lots in winter, in country). but, they are hesitant on used cars, even if it's only a year or two old. i personally like the G35 because it is fast as hell, but that's probably not happening (don't think they want me coming to visit just to drive the car, hehe).

anyone have advice/disuss>..

 

The G35 is pretty fun but the 03-04s have a pretty crappy interior. The clutch is also terrible - there are issues with the pressure plate sticking and not clamping all the way that Nissan refuses to acknowledge. With winter tires on, I haven't had a problem in the heaviest of snowfalls (Toronto snowfall mind you). The VQ's torqueyness is great on the street too.

 

Always been a fan of the Acura 3.2 TL. What year are you looking at? Make sure it has the factory front lip and all then it would be pimping.

If its your parents thats driving it so I would suggest a FWD or AWD, I would take out the G35, though that car probably holds up its resale value very well and is a poor man's version of a BMW 325.

 

We had a 98 A4 1.8T. At 95k the timing belt tensioner failed causing the belt to skip a tooth. They are interference motors so it bent 3 valves on three different cylinders. The repair bill was horrific. It also needed a new turbo at the same time. The VW/Audi dealer actually stocked the turbo since they failed so often.

That was the bad, which is very bad but the car was great to drive and IMHO had the best interior of the cars you've listed above.

But if your folks are concerned about repairs on a used car I would lean towards the Acura.

But I am surprised to see no BMW on the list. I would recommend an AWD BMW. A bit pricey but worth it.

 

What about the new Camry? They look pretty slick, but i don't know about the build quality.

 

good replies!

Balzz: they would not be getting a standard anyways (i know, blasphemy!). the G35 is more of a choice i told them about.

Cosmic: most likely a 2003 TL. and yeah, RWD probably not the best (they have said no RWD), but for some reason i have a huge bias against FWD. i don't know, it's like built into my head or something. i can't look at FWD cars without feeling wierd...but, that's why i'm leaning towards the AWD ones

charn: it would be a second gen A4 (2002-2005), so i don't know if that makes a difference. i don't know if the 3.0 V6 is any more reliable than the 1.8 turbo? i have heard audi doesn't have as good a reliability record as acura, bmw, etc., but that seems to create lower used prices for them.
you are right about BMW. it was a first suggestion, but unfortunately an AWD 3-series used is still about the same price as Mazda 6 new, so they wouldn't go for it...

crymson: they mentioned the Camry, and also the Accord, and i'm sure those are reliable cars, but just a little too boring. they want something sportier like the Mazda 6. if it was my choice it would be something even more ,er, useless, like an RX-8, haha...

so, the Acura might be a good choice, hmm...
thoughts on the subarus?

 

I had a 1st gen TL soon after they came out (1999??) and although I'm farrrrrr from a Honda fan, I have nothing bad to say about the car. It was always nice to drive and we had zero problems with it. Being a "Mazda guy" today, it would take a bit to pull me away from a 6, but I would have to at least consider a TL.

Front drive isn't so bad today with all the electronic do-dads they put in them. I couldn't break the TL loose in the snow no matter how hard I tried.

How about a Maxima or even an Altima?

 

I dont get how the g35 is a poor mans 325i? The g35 sedan lists a base model at 31,000 or awd at 32,000 (us figs). the 325i base msrp is 30,900 (US). Anyways not trying to pick a fight it just didnt make sense to me.

I would definately say G35 sedan AWD! sounds like it would be fun, sporty + you get nissan reliability (not as good as honda/acura but still up there.) It would be cool if the coupe came in an AWD version. It would almost (but not quite) be like a new type of skyline..

 

G35 AWD is a sweet ride for sure, but even used it costs about the same as a new mazda 6
i wish i could convince them to get a mazdaspeed 6, i would love to drive that thing, heh.

aside from not fully trusting used cars, they also mentioned they would not spend as much for a used car because financing from the dealership is much better than the bank.

another problem is a lot of good used cars are in the toronto area, and they don't want to drive 5 hours to look at used cars.

lastly, WARRANTY. they really don't want a car without some sort of warranty.

the subaru 2.5 might actually be a good choice. reliability is supposed to be decent on them, and of course the AWD. but, not as many extras and features as the acura, audi, etc...

johnnyg: 1999 would be too "old" for them. they have a hard time on the audi because 2002 is old, which makes sense if you are wanting a new car.
we haven't really looked into a altima or maxima yet, thanks for the suggestion.

 

Subaru GC RS no question about it.. even the GDA 2.5 is a smokin' deal now. the other used cars you mentioned are over priced and over weight. not worth it.

acura is greatly overpriced for parts and repair
I've yet to come across an A4 that didn't end up with head issues in the V6 version and the 1.8T in that car is a gas sucker.
Unless your parents need some sort of 'status' car, or they drive to Fla. the G35 is silly for just two people.

 

My pick would be the Infinity.....
quick question though-
Don't you mean Toyota?

 

whoops i mean't 330i haha

 

You've got a wide range of cars there!

Knowing the roads in and around Pembrooke, I'd say AWD is a priority. Sure FWD with snow tires is good, but after you own an AWD vehicle and drive it in the snow, FWD seems inadequate.

There are some questions your parents need to answer:
How big of a car do they need?
How long do they plan on keeping the car?
Will this ba a workhorse or a secondary vehicle?
How mechanically inclined are they (ie will they do any work themselves?)
How "sporty" of a car do they want?
What are their priorities in a car?
How "luxurious" do they need a car to be?
What do they drive now?

Here's the thing: Cars like the Audis, BMWs and Infinities are "luxury" cars. If they were to buy one it would have to be a few years old and they are EXPENSIVE to maintain. It doesn't matter which one, they are all expensive. If they wont be doing their own work, then I'd advise against the used premium cars - especially if this is to be their workhorse.

Personally, I'd point them to the Subaru Dealership. Last week I test drove an inprezza wagon and loved the ride and handling - but it was too small for our needs so we got something else. That said, if rear seat legroom isn't a priority, the car would be a great deal. So too for the Legacy. If the imprezza is a bit small, the Legacy offers that much more space and luxury. Even better is that with a new car you get the warrantee and reliability built in. Tell them to go for a few test drives.

I'd also recommend they go to a Volvo dealership and try some AWD volvos. Lets not forget that the mazdaspeed6 is AWD! hehe

Here's the other thing: Cost. If your parents plan on financing a car, new cars offer deal like 1.9% financing. Used cars start at something like 7.9%! That means a $25,000 used car will cost you the same as a new car that is way more expensive. If it isn't a financing situation this is no big deal.

 

You lost me there.

 

I was prodding the inaccuracy of the G35 being.....apparently made by Nissan.

I was under the impression that Infinity was a Toyota product? Hence....
BTW, Im just razzin ya....

 

Lexus is a Toyota product, not Infiniti!

 

Quick Refrence:

Lexus = Toyota.
Infinity = Nissan.
Acura = Honda.
GM = Garbage.

 

DAYUM I got owned......

 

great post Nick.

the range of cars i mentioned are around the same size, being mid-sized sedan. but, a slightly smaller or bigger sedan is fine if they like it. they already have a van for bigger transport.

they don't get a new car very often. so basically for the vehicle lifetime.

more of a "workhorse" i guess you could say. primarily short trips around town (to work, store, etc.), and occasionally longer trips.

they won't do work on it themselves at all. i could work on it if needed, but i'm in Ottawa most of the year.
the Mazda 6 or A4 is about as sporty as they are looking at. just something a little more driver-centric and more features than the usual accord or camry.

this car will be replacing a Honda civic. my dad also occasionally rents vehicles for business (going to Ottawa/GTA), so he will be driving this instead. they want a "nicer" car basically. the civic was not that great in the winter, and a lot of things broke from just abuse driving around. not looking really for too much luxury, just more than the usual. for example, they liked the Mazda 6 GT with the options.
they have a Honda Odyssey for longer trips/moving stuff.

so an Audi would be a bad idea? i told them that it would cost more in maintenance, but to me it is more car for the money than the 6. but maybe i'm wrong.
the new Legacy is a nice car, but pricey. i don't know if they want a used legacy.

you are correct about financing, which they will be doing. that's why if they go used, it has to be a good value and significantly cheaper than a new car.

we are going to be looking and testing a bunch of cars this weekend. good tip on Volvos, i will look into that too. thanks.

 

The G35 is also very thirsty.

 

Bang for the buck... Contour SVT... spanked BMW's and A4's in tests the years it came to Canada. Not a winter car though. Nice ones available for $8K-10K.

 

Haha, I've just spent two weeks doing the same thing so I've got all this fresh info in my head!

Looking for deals on premium cars will just lead to headaches. A used Audi / BMW / Infinity / Lexus will cost a lot to maintain. I'd say that since they are looking for a car to drive for its lifetime, then don't buy used. With the financing available on new cars these days, used cars are often the same price as their brand new equivalent!

That being said, your new car options become narrower with price. Since they have a van and are replacing a civic, I'll make a few assumptions:

1) They want to retain some decent fuel economy.
2) They don't need a car that will carry 5 adults often.
3) They want a car that will be versitile.
4) Bells and whistles, walnut trim, leather seating, nav systems are not things they really want.
5) The car needs to be reliable.

Looking at all these factors I think that they should drive a Subaru Imprezza Wagon. The AWD system is buletproof. The 4 cyl engine is torquey and efficient. The hatchback is seriously versitile and the car is smooth. It won't win any awards for interior design and finish, but it is a solid car that will last a long time.

The Mazda 3 is the same price as the Imprezza. The new Rabbit is the same price too but their financing is 7% - instead of 2.9 for Subaru. The Matrix is another option as it can be AWD and is absolutely bulletproof.

Once you move up to a bigger car, retaining the AWD option is a hard thing to do in this price range. The Legacy is a possibility - you never know what deals they'll offer. If you'd go FWD, the 6 is an awesome car. The accord wont win hearts but it makes a lot of sense.

The key is to take a full day, make a list of cars and drive every single one before you make any decisions. The first place you go will want to do a deal right away. Drive everything then go back to the cars you liked to talk numbers. The more cars you drive on the same day, the better prepaired you will be to make an educated decision.

 

Mazda 6 is a nice sporty sedan. But have you considered TSX? I personally think it looks very sporty, and acura has a pretty nice build quality too~

My bro recently got the 06 WRX. It is very nice... If you don't mind the interior, which is a little plain. But if you are considering 2.5RS why not consider WRX? very Fast for a sedan~

But I think for your Parents, TSX may be the best bet~

 

Great car, but with no options at all, the TSX is almost $43K. That's 13K more than an Imprezza / Mazda 3 / VW Rabbit / Lancer Ralliart / Matrix, and more money than the Legacy that he already said was expensive. As a used option it would be fantastic. But good luck finding one that has cheap financing with it too.

 

I'd reccomend a Subaru Imprezza. My mom's got a 2005 2.5RS, and it's a wonderful car. I've driven it a bunch and it's got good power, good fuel economy, good handling, it's comfortable and practical. It's really nice to drive on the freeway and it pulls up hills in 5th no problem.

She had (still has, but it's not her DD anymore) a 96 Outback. It's got about 300K on it and it's been very reliable. There were only a few issues with it, like it's gone through several fuel pumps, but they're easy to replace, and it's had 2 clutches (Subarus are hard on clutches), and it had a leaking rear seal replaced under warranty. Other than that it's been dead reliable and was largely neglected for maintenance other than oil.

Around Kamloops, where my parents live, there's TONS of Subarus. It's hilly and we get compact snow and ice, then it melts and freezes a lot, making AWD very popular. Both my parents know several people with Subarus and they're all very happy with them and don't have reliability issues.