another help me a pick a car thread

[easytoremember]

I have it narrowed down to 3 choices:

Pontiac G8 GT
Infiniti G35 2007 or newer
or BMW 335

Also if I pick the G35 or 335 still trying to decide if I want the X packages for all wheel drive or just put a set of snow tires on it and call it a day?

I'm leaning against the BMW because of maintenance and repair costs. Leaning more toward the G35 because of a wider aftermarket available if I decide to mod it, and probably part availability. I think the Infiniti has the nicer interrior of the 3. thoughts?

[FoxStang]

335 all the way. Turbo, so fairly easy to make power with aftermarket wise, also drives the best of the three (in my opinion at least). Maintenance is always a concern, but I guess that's the price of admission. I'd put the Infiniti last if it weren't for the lack of manual gear box in the G8 GT. Really you can't go wrong with any of them, and I'd only consider the AWD if you live out in the boonies, if things get that bad outside chances are there isn't a great reason to be outside anyways.

[GTSLOW]

Look harder for a 6speed GXP G8? :D

[88Nightmare]

My vote would be for a 5 series BMW

[GTSLOW]

Shits on your BMW's:

http://photos.getauto.com/photos/4/10934/1c/6G2EP57W99L310322-1c.jpg

[GHOSST]

^^^ This.

As a former BMW owner, great cars, but costly and weird german engineering, and too many little electrical pieces to break, lol. G8 all the way!

[Crawlin]

if you are looking at those, you are looking at newer ones that would be certified so you can choose to have the maintenance taken care of for awhile. Resale on it would be ALOT better than your GXP and especially the Infinity. I'm sorry, but look at the cost new vs. what they are used w/ 50k miles on them. Under $20k for those used '06's with miles on it. Which is where you'd be when you go to sell it. Same car as a beamer, you are still above 20 and initial prices are the same. Like mentioned above, I'd step up to 550i if you can find one. My dad's '09 looks just like an M5 minus the fenders. Has the M Sport package. Those are mid 30's used. Hell of alot faster and with his tirerack.com blizzak setup it rivals what my STI does in winter

Still don't know why you'd modify any of those cars though. Money vs. performance gained is minimal and especially dealing with headaches.

Then again, it's all your personal opinion.

[HP ADDICT]

I'd do a 335XI or I. JB4 tune alone will put you in the 12's on pump gas. I'd take a 335xi with a JB4 tune vs a stage 2 sti anyday.

[lordairgtar]

Pontiac

[FoxStang]

if you are looking at those, you are looking at newer ones that would be certified so you can choose to have the maintenance taken care of for awhile. Resale on it would be ALOT better than your GXP and especially the Infinity. I'm sorry, but look at the cost new vs. what they are used w/ 50k miles on them. Under $20k for those used '06's with miles on it. Which is where you'd be when you go to sell it. Same car as a beamer, you are still above 20 and initial prices are the same. Like mentioned above, I'd step up to 550i if you can find one. My dad's '09 looks just like an M5 minus the fenders. Has the M Sport package. Those are mid 30's used. Hell of alot faster and with his tirerack.com blizzak setup it rivals what my STI does in winter

Still don't know why you'd modify any of those cars though. Money vs. performance gained is minimal and especially dealing with headaches.

Then again, it's all your personal opinion.

Didn't know we were throwing motorcycles into the mix!

[88Nightmare]

Who mentioned motorcycles?

550i's are sex! The 545's are definitely a fine choice too. No need to mod a single thing, just enjoy it as it is.

Other options:
2003-2006 Mercedes e55 AMG
2000-2003 BMW M5
Audi S4 or S6

After enjoying my 540, I see now what people mean about the lack of fit and finish on American cars. The car is not impossible to work on. My car was one of the easiest brake jobs I ever did in my life. The only "special" tool I needed for it was a hex socket lol. Spark plugs was also pretty simple. I've had a harder time doing plugs on a 3.8l Taurus lol


Seriously though, it's amazing at how well my 10 year old bimmer is aging. Interior still looks new and doesn't even squeak or rattle over bumps

[FoxStang]

Who mentioned motorcycles?

550i's are sex! The 545's are definitely a fine choice too. No need to mod a single thing, just enjoy it as it is.

Other options:
2003-2006 Mercedes e55 AMG
2000-2003 BMW M5
Audi S4 or S6

After enjoying my 540, I see now what people mean about the lack of fit and finish on American cars. The car is not impossible to work on. My car was one of the easiest brake jobs I ever did in my life. The only "special" tool I needed for it was a hex socket lol. Spark plugs was also pretty simple. I've had a harder time doing plugs on a 3.8l Taurus lol


Seriously though, it's amazing at how well my 10 year old bimmer is aging. Interior still looks new and doesn't even squeak or rattle over bumps

That's what I love about BMW's, they stay together in the long run.

Crawlin said beamer, which is slang for BMW motorcycles. Bimmer is the car, beemer (or the Americanized version beamer) is the motorcycle.

[88Nightmare]

Ah, never knew that. Learn something new every day.


As for maintenance, it isn't horrible. A transmission service was pricey (Drop the pan, change filter and gasket, and fresh fluid) cost $300 done by a shop. Probably about $175 if I did it myself. Fluid is very expensive for it. All parts are more money, and there's a maze of electrical in the car, but it's built well and stuff doesn't fail too frequently. I think of it as a diesel truck. Doesn't necessarily cost more to drive daily, and requires less maintenance then comparable vehicles, but when shit does break, it can be considerably more.

With that being said, I did pads and rotors myself: $350 for parts, spark plugs myself: $90 for NGK laser platinum 4 prong plugs, a coolant bleeder valve: $5, trans flush, coolant flush, and brake fluid flush by a shop for $450. And now it's running top notch. Things to keep an eye on for the future: bmw's special crankcase breather/ oil&water separator, timing chain guides, and tensionors. Not really anything too crazy or worse than any American car.

Recommended maintenance by BMW is: oil change yearly along with cabin air filters. Also a yearly safety inspection. Every other year: oil change, brake fluid flush, and rear diff fluid change along with stuff recommended for yearly maintenance.

They say the automatic trans fluid is "lifetime" fluid. Can't decide if that means lifetime for the first owner (which is typically a 36 or 48k mile lease lol) or lifetime of the transmission until it blows up lol.

Like any other car, if you take care of it, it will take care of you. I'd invite anyone to take a look at my car and you can see how well a BMW ages. There's a reason why there's so many people on my bimmer forum with well over 200k miles on their 96-2003 5 series cars.

[Crawlin]

I'd do a 335XI or I. JB4 tune alone will put you in the 12's on pump gas. I'd take a 335xi with a JB4 tune vs a stage 2 sti anyday.

Absolutely.... Just the comfort of the car vs. the STI would make me want it. I like my STI, but for what I really use it for, I should have done the C300/335xi instead.

[GHOSST]

I guess you guys are made out of money. I enjoyed my 03' 330C.i. when I first got it, but when something broke after about month 4 of having it, it wasn't cheap, and maybe mine was just crap but some electrical component was always malfunctioning. Luckily most of problems were common, and I was always one thread away from fixing everything that went wrong, oh boy were those wheel bearing replacements fun!

But I won't knock the car when its running top notch, the best ride I've ever owned, handling like a dream with the sport package. Maybe the upper echelon 5 series has better components, but brand new $45,000 (had original invoice) I'd hope the 3 series would have some good stuff too...

I will say though if you've never owned a bimmer then I'd say go for it. I think everyone should own a bimmer at least once, then for from there, thats why I even went for a bavarian in the first place.

[88Nightmare]

I bought my car used for well under $10,000 with only 112k miles on it. Fully loaded 540i minus navigation. Has the sport, cold weather, and premium packages. Even with some repairs and upgrades including m5 wheels and tinted tail lights and windows, I am still well under the $10k mark on the car. Owning a sub $10,000 car hardly makes me "made of money".

[Waver]

should have done the C300/335xi instead.

^^^^ really digging the Benz these days a lot more than the BMWs unless it is a 6 or a M version.

[88Nightmare]

I know what you mean Nick. I like todays C class over todays 3 series, but I like todays 5 series over the E class. The E class has a super sharp front end... I am just not too crazy about the back end. Reminds me too much of a Camry or an MKZ. the 7 series and S class are both hot. Todays AMG and M variations are also fantastic cars. I'd have a tough time picking between an e63 AMG or an M5.

[shoooo32]

The Mercedes are nice commuters but when the roads get twisty they fall flat compared to their bavarian counterparts. Unless you go with an AMG car... But if you thought fixing BMWs got spendy, wait til you get the bill from the merc dealer. Although for 335i money you could get a low mile CL 600, which would make you the only guy on the block with a turbo'd v12.:devil

[-stew-]

http://paultan.org/photo/albums/ALPINA-B7-ALLRAD-xDrive/4.jpg

B7

/thread.

[88Nightmare]

^ mmmmm Alpina

[FoxStang]

http://paultan.org/photo/albums/ALPINA-B7-ALLRAD-xDrive/4.jpg

B7

/thread.

How I miss driving these daily, oh well, on to bigger and better things. Best sleeper land barge ever.

[GHOSST]

I bought my car used for well under $10,000 with only 112k miles on it. Fully loaded 540i minus navigation. Has the sport, cold weather, and premium packages. Even with some repairs and upgrades including m5 wheels and tinted tail lights and windows, I am still well under the $10k mark on the car. Owning a sub $10,000 car hardly makes me "made of money".

I got you, I did mean anything bad by it. I'm just pointing out that one of the reasons we sold ours because the maintenance cost was becoming to much, and for our DD we were losing money. Like how no shops around here would touch it for an alignment so we had to travel 3 hours to a bimmer dealership to get one, and we all know how cheap dealers are. Overall it wasn't a bad car, but a series of small annoying mishaps and headaches with the car left my experience in dabbling in bavarian motor works (something I always wanted to do) unsatisfying. It always comes down to the little things that make or break your feelings on a car. I just know I'd never willingly buy a bimmer again when there's so many nice GM products out there for money.

[88Nightmare]

I'm not super crazy about some of the older 3 series. I feel some things were cheaped out on, but I've seen far worse from gm over the years. My old mans 99 cavalier hit a pothole and it cracked part of the dashboard in with only 130k miles on it.

[GHOSST]

Mines was an 03, but I'd honestly take it over a 99 Cavy any day, hahaha. Like I said though overall the car was great, BMW is definitely innovative in their technology, I was always finding some little cool thing the manual missed, talk a about driver convenience totally. I do miss the comfort of the car...

[88Nightmare]

Ironically, after an issue we had with a Local chevy dealer and gm itself with in regards to my girlfriends new car, I dont think we will ever buy another new gm vehicle ever again. It was one of the worst cases of customer service I've ever received, both GM and the dealer. Both basically told me to fuck off... In not so few words.

Meanwhile, I take my 10 year old 5 series to international auto and I am treated fantastically. I called BMW north America about a question regarding my gauge cluster and they were very polite to me, answered anything I wanted to know.

[GHOSST]

Yea, you got a good point. I never liked or like going to the dealer. I just had a run in with the closest Chevy dealership a few towns over, regarding a bill. No one here in this bumfuck town could do my alignment after I installed my lowering springs, so had no choice but to go the dealership with their more than likely up to date alignment machine. They got me right, aligned me right up, but it took about 3 hours, and they said it was because the guy couldn't get the steering wheel straight, so they wanted to charge me the $96 an hour labor fee, plus the 69.99 alignment charge, and oh I had some words with them. It came down to a $42 labor charge plus the alignment, $111 which was still b.s., but I just said screw it, and went on my way.. but its funny you mention dealerships.. and now that I think about it, Schaeffer BMW was pretty cool... lol.

[88Nightmare]

Our local dealership forgot to install a brake fluid cap on my girlfriends brand new chevy. We drove it in the hot humid summer for 5,000 miles until it was discovered. When I asked for a brake flush they told me it was unnecessary. When I demanded it, they basically told me to leave. It took well over 2 hours total on the phone with gm customer service to get them to send me a voucher for a brake flush.

[Wagonbacker9]

My fiance has a G6, all in all not a bad car. But I have no idea why you'd group it with an infinity and a bimmer...

edit: holy fuck I'm tired. Reread.

I vote G8 GXP...

[GHOSST]

Our local dealership forgot to install a brake fluid cap on my girlfriends brand new chevy. We drove it in the hot humid summer for 5,000 miles until it was discovered. When I asked for a brake flush they told me it was unnecessary. When I demanded it, they basically told me to leave. It took well over 2 hours total on the phone with gm customer service to get them to send me a voucher for a brake flush.

Damn! Shall that dealer not be named? I'd be pissed.

[88Nightmare]

I guess it doesn't matter. It was Boucher Chevrolet in Waukesha. My dad works for Boucher and sold us the car. Real classy how they treat family of employees... I'd hate to be some schmuck off the street...

Boucher wasn't the only asshole though... GM was an even bigger one for telling me my complaints were invalid and the dealership was correct

[GHOSST]

That is pretty bad when family of employees don't get some kind of decent treatment, but whats even worse, higher HQ can't even help!

[FoxStang]

That is pretty bad when family of employees don't get some kind of decent treatment, but whats even worse, higher HQ can't even help!

There's quite a difference between can't and won't.

[88Nightmare]

There's quite a difference between can't and won't.

Exactly. What's a brake fluid flush cost? $10 in brake fluid and half hour of labor, so maybe $75? That's all it would have taken to keep me a happy GM customer, and neither Boucher NOR GM would spare it.


I'd rather go buy a pile of shit Dodge and get good customer service... At least they would be there to help me when the transmission shits out all over the road.