Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see May lease deals!
Options
Popular New Cars
Popular Used Sedans
Popular Used SUVs
Popular Used Pickup Trucks
Popular Used Hatchbacks
Popular Used Minivans
Popular Used Coupes
Popular Used Wagons
Comments
Not always, MSRP is a figure the car manufacturer determines the car *should* retail for. It's a given number that in the real world has little meaning due to rebates and discounts and haggling and leasing and
trade-ins etc....
But MSRP is set by the manufacturer, not the dealer. What a car actually retails for can be very different than MSRP.
MSRP in not an arbitrary number.
Whatever your decision, I would not put much value in 36k miles vs. 24k. I would actually rather buy a car that has been driven regularly, with a good mix of highway miles, than one only used for short hops. I have 155k mostly highway miles on my 13 year old Nissan Maxima and it has less mechanical wear and tear than cars with 1/3 that mileage driven mostly in the city.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S
i believe carbon fiber is not known for retaining heat, however, and is the silver trim you speak of aluminum or painted plastic?
The only car I really had a problem in was my 350Z. The aluminum shift knob was barely usable on a real hot day if the sun had been beating on it.
You are right, of course, that a sunshade can help. But the aluminum will not absorb any less of the sun's rays in a light-colored interior.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S
I usually will pull aluminum foil straight out of a hot oven with my bare hands because it doesn't hold the heat of the oven. As long as you don't grab it where the hot food or cooking pan is, you're fine.
The fact is that Aluminum is a fantastic conductor of heat.
What this means is that if Aluminum is placed near a heat source, it heats very quickly and holds its heat.
Once the heat source is removed, it cools quickly as well.
The reason you can hold the aluminum edges from the oven is because, as you open the oven door, the heat source is removed (hot air leaving oven) and replaced with cooler air.
You can then hold the edges because the aluminum has cooled in that area.
If aluminum repelled heat, aluminum oven bags would not work.
Aluminum trim in a car can and will become very warm to the touch if the source of heat is constant, like a very hot interior, caused by the sun.
Once the interior cools, the aluminum should cool as well, as long as the material behind the trim has cooled as well.
I had some hope for the 1-series, but was surprised that they're just bringing it in as a coupe. For us, a car that size is not very practical unless it has the extra space that you get with the hatch style. So the 1 is out and the A3 might be in for us, but we're also waiting to see what they do with the Opel Astra when it comes here later this year with a Saturn badge on it.
Anyone have experience with the 3-series specifically?
You will not be disappointed...I drive the '06 330xi and loving it.
Regards,
OW
IS250 AWD: around $35,000 at sticker
Audi A4 2.0T Quattro: around $32,500 MSRP
Regards,
OW
Lends credence to the fact that people do care about cupholders...lol. Disagree about interior, it's to my liking and not as busy as some other interiors.
Save your money, get a few extra goodies and be happy.
Best Regards,
Shipo
Unless you really need AWD (i.e. anticipate driving in snow on more than an occasional basis), you are paying a lot for AWD. It is heavier, less fuel efficient and, depending upon how long you keep the car, prone to more expensive maintenance and repairs down the road.
The A4 Quatro is a heavy pig, IMO. I've been given one a couple of times as a loaner and was anxious to give it back. For all of the drooling others do over Audi's interiors, I just don't get it. I like the interior and ergonomics of my 2004 TL better. On the other end, I am spoiled by my 911, which has best "German" style interior and seats of any car, IMO.
I have not driven the IS250 AWD but, as has been pointed out, it would likely be highest in reliabiity, but lowest in performance and driving dynamics, if that is of any importance. Plus, the rear seat is almost worth a 2+2 designation (closer to my 911 than TL in leg room)
If I were in the market for a new sedan today, the 328/335 would likely be at the top of my short list.
*edit* Or two generations
The new ones are like the new IS350 - bloated and heavy things with no soul anymore. Or wait and get the 3 series of old(idea-wise) in a new package when the 1 series comes out.
I agree that the 3 series has grown practically to the size of the 5 series of 10 years ago. But of the cars under consideration, it still handles that size and weight the best, IMO.
BMW 3er RWD with manual tranny and oh, yeah, add the sport package.
Cracks me up. :P
Best Regards,
Shipo
New high performance snow tires -------> $500
The look on your mechanic's face when you thank him for mounting your 155 mph Z-rated snow tires -------------------------> PRICELESS!
I tend to agree. The interior in Japanese cars looks much more high tech and modern. But it's a toss up between the 3-series and the Audi for worst interior out of the three cars mentioned. Unfortunately there is not much headroom in the IS. The BMW feels a bit cramped, but at least my head doesn't touch the roof.
I would say, get the RWD with manual. Oh, and throw in the sports package.
It's almost 3700 pounds! My father's 1997 Park Ave Ultra is the exact same weight. And it's not a small or unsafe car, either. It's the biggest Buick they made. Ever.
While it is true that you can option up a 3-Series to that weight, the entry level weight of the 328i is 3,340 pounds. To put that into perspective, my 1999 328i was smaller than the current E90 and only 143 pounds lighter (3,197 pounds).
Best Regards,
Shipo
Hence my recommendation to get the 3,340 lb 328i RWD in lieu of the nearly 250 lb heavier 3,582 lb 328ix.
The 328i RWD also comes in at 210 lbs lighter than the A4 2.0 Quatro and a whopping 311 lbs lighter than the dimunitive IS250 AWD. If you are in a "loathing" mood over weight, you might want to redirect you attention to Lexus relative to the 3 cars under consideration.
And, just for the record, a 2007 Buick Lucerne weighs in at 4,018 lbs. The days of my 1995 Maxima SE at 3,001 lbs and with more interior room than the current 3 series and A4 - and way, way more than the Bob Costas sized IS - are, regrettibly, gone. Between techno do-dads, more safety equipment, 17/18/19 inch wheels, etc. etc., the manufacturers have put the pounds on all of the ELLPS's.
Cracks me up. :P
I was thinking of suggested a 911 coupe, since it has nearly as functional a back seat as the IS.
But I knew that would split you right in half. :P
Ask my friend who drives a G35 coupe, when it's time to put 4 people into a car, the 2 extra doors are very helpful. For some of us who don't have the luxury to own more than 1 car, the functionality of the sedan still outweighs the lust for a couple.
I don't want to get technical with you habitat1 but I'll bet my car key to say that the backseat of the IS can handle 2 adults way more comfortably than your 911 coupe.
You'd win that bet. But if you changed "comfortable" to "enjoyable", and "adults" to "kids", my daughters would take my side, especially with the top down. Of course, they'd say that compared not just to the IS, but my TL and a friend's 750il as well.
According to a friend who is currently in the market, the 3 series and TL compare more closely in size and rear seat functionality to the Lexus GS than they do to the IS. Haven't checked dimensions myself, but he claims the IS is uninhabitable by an average adult in the rear seat behind his driver's seat (he's 6'2").
However, a below average adult will fit just fine though.
I chose the Lexus over the BMW because of value and comfort. I am in South FL and the roads are a grid system. Only handling I get to experience is 90 degree turns so the BMW handeling factor was out. The BMW was more and did not include a power seat and leather on the car I test drove. The Lexus luxury is the best quality wise and I continue to marvel at the leather (12 months and 23,000 miles later) - so smooth and soft. Lexus does luxury the best and will appeal to you if you value that.
The Audi was great fun and I like the interior the best (the cab is better than the sedan), but quality was an issue. It maybe cliche to say about the German cars, but I always had a list of things that needed to be fixed under warr in the Audi from the start and even had to get them to cover the top when it was 1,500 miles out of warr and seperated from the rear window (2 years into ownership) Top would have been $6,000 to replace and I figured the car would be expensive to keep. The Lexus is much better than my Audi for the little things that go wrong and are annoying.
The Lexus back seat is tight, but I have had adults in it every so often. Since it is not a weekly thing - not a major factor for me.
I'll wrap it up by saying this:
- Lexus for Luxury and peace of mind quality
- BMW for logo and the privilage for paying a premium for it
- Audi is about to be replaced, but maybe the best price
PS - My IS was $32,500+TTL including Premium, NAV, 18" wheels, minor others. 75% Highway and have averaged 28.4mpg since new which is why the 250 and not the 350.