What Car is Right For Me? Help Me Choose!

drj9

I have to order a new company car and my choices are either the Chrysler 300 Base (2.7L V6) or the Volvo S40 2.4 inline 5 (no options in choosing a different engine). The 300 comes with Great American package (safety features, 6 disc stereo & mp3 connection PLUS Sirius satellite radio, 17" aluminum wheels). The Volvo is also the base version but comes with leather seats, moonroof, but the basic stereo (no mp3 connection or satellite). They are distinctly different cars and I am having a hard time choosing.

I am leaning towards the 300 as it is much roomier (2 teenage daughters will be occasional back seat passengers) and has a much better sound system (I will be doing A LOT of highway cruising, but will also be my main car around town, so lots of city driving in traffic also). However the 2.7L engine sounded whiny during my short test drive yesterday. Plus the visibility (esp. out the rear view mirror) was an issue. The Volvo, though, felt crisp even with a small engine and ran quieter, I thought. However the back legroom was very cramped and I am giving up a better sound system as well as front seat storage space. One last factor in the decision is that in 3 years, I can purchase my company car, right when my daughter is turning 16. Seems to me the S40 would be a better choice for a teenager than a 300.

My question to anyone out there driving a base 300 is how you like it for long trips on the highway AND driving in traffic around town? Same question for the Volvo S40. I currently drive a 2004 Impala so the 300 is a slight step up in size and the Volvo is a big step down in size. I think both cars look great, but the Volvo just feels better driving. Any input you could provide on driving the 2.7L 300 would help in my decision. It has a lot more space and entertainment options (does the base 300 have steering wheel radio controls?), but I am concerned about the road noise and engine power. The Volvo also has a small engine but it is 500 pounds lighter. Thanks.

circlew

If you plan to buy for your daughter at lease end, then hands-down the S40. Can you upgrade any options out of pocket? My old company used to allow that. You would be able to choose some of your desired upgrades at your own expense. The other option is ask the dealer if they offer an upgrade to the sound system which you can pay separate.

Good luck.

Regards,
OW

llm

I want to buy a family car and what I care the most are:
1.reliability (less maintenance)
2.safety
3.enough power
could you please help me to decide which deal is the best and most suitable to me?

1. 2007 Nissan maxima SL, with driver preferred package, $27, 000 +TTL
2. 2006 infinite G35, with premium package, $30, 200 + TTL
3. 2006 Volkswagen passat, 3.6L, V6, luxury package, navigation, backing sensor, Dynaudio sound system, etc, $30, 300 +TTL
4. 2006 Volkswagen passat, 2.0T, luxury package, navigation, Dynaudio sound system，etc, $25,900 +TTL

Thanks in advance!

esfoad

With your criteria, I would probably choose the 2007 Maxima. It is significantly larger than the G. It has good power and better gas mileage than the G. While VW's drive well, they still have not shown themselves to have reliability.

taxesquire

I agree that based on the criteria, the Passat should be eliminated from contention. It is safe, but probably less reliable than the other two, and (I think) only the 6 cyl is as powerful as the Maxima. The G will blow them both away.

If you prioritized luxury, that would favor the Passat.

Only negative I've heard on the Maxima is that there is significant torque steer, which can be dangerous for an unwary driver.

lserve

The V6 Passat did score above avg. reliability by Consumer Reports. That said, it is hard to beat the Infiniti's track record in that area. -L

frisconick

torque steer isn't a problem in automatics.

taxesquire

not true, according to the experiences of my friends

frisconick

Consumer Reports and Motor Trend professional drivers said there was not torque steer, mine has none either.

thegraduate

The Infiniti is much smaller inside than the Maxima - something to consider based on how large your family is...

VW as a whole has a dismal track record for reliability, and is fairly well-known to spend time at the shop, costing consumers for repairs AND maintenance.

If these are the only choices, I'd go with the Maxima - known to be pretty reliable (if not the highest in quality), and supposedly pretty fun to drive as well. You have GOT to drive these for yourself before ruling any of them out, but I'd be VERY careful with VW - I know people who have been bummed because of their $2200 repairs at 40,000 miles (was on a VW New Beetle Turbo).

frisconick

The G35 sedan is too small inside? I test drove a g35 sedan in 05 and it seemed roomy.

thegraduate

2007 Infiniti G35 Sedan

Head/leg room, f: 40.5/43.9 in.

Head/leg room, r: 37.7/34.7 in.

Cargo volume: 13.5 cu. ft.

The 2005 G35 you drove had less than 32 inches of rear-seat room (2 inches less than the diminuitive Honda Fit subcompact)! That's TINY.

2005 Honda Civic EX Sedan

Head/leg room, f: 39.8/42.2 in.

Head/leg room, r: 37.2/36.0 in.

Cargo volume: 12.9 cu. ft.

The Infiniti has less rear legroom for the family than the old Civic sedan.

Compared to a 2007 Altima, the G35 is tiny.

Head/leg room, f: 40.6/42.2 in.

Head/leg room, r: 36.8/39.5 in.

Cargo volume: 17.9 cu. ft.

goodegg

I drove the 2006 G a few times and thought it was tight. My left knee was always up against the door handle. Boo. The 2007 G is the way to go here bro. They redesigned the interior and took the power seat controls off the seat edge, giving a bit more room. Still a little tight for me, but the G is a nice step up from the Maxima and gets you into a RWD rocket.

graphic8

I've got a 2006 Passat 2.0T, and I'd recommend you hold off on this car for a few years. I've had mine in and out of the shop all year - bought it in March. They're having problems with vacuum leaks, exhaust manifolds, computer problems, etc. I had an '04 that I loved, and this one has been a real disappointment. Yes, it's covered by warranty, but do you have from 3 hours up to 5 days to either sit in the waiting room or be without your car? Just FYI.

frisconick

Plus the G is a real looker. :shades:

Karen_S

A reporter is looking to interview consumers who are annoyed, confused, overwhelmed, frustrated, etc. about all the automotive choices they have/had to consider before making a new car purchase.

Please respond to jfallon@edmunds.com no later than January 31, 2007 with your daytime contact information and a few words about your experience.

wbb56

I have $35000 to spend on a new (or slightly used) car to replace my 9+ year old Explorer (with 245,000 miles). I have narrowed my extensive list to 4:
2007 Toyota Avalon Limited or comparable equipped Touring ($34875)
2007 Lincoln MKZ ($34,397)
2004 BMW 530i ($36,000)-38k miles
2006 Infiniti M35 $(36,000)-26k miles

The Avalon and MKZ are fully loaded--premium sound, Navigation, heated/cooled seats, HID headlights, keyless start, you name it--they've got it. The BMW and Infiniti are nicely equipped--but without NAV, heated/cooled seats--but most everything else.

If anyone has experience with any of the above cars I would really appreciate the help. I tend to keep my cars at least 6+ years--so I want to make a good decision.

Thanks in advance!

scottm123

I'd stay clear of any BMW that's 3-4 years old (I know I'll get beaten up for that one)
I'd say the Infiniti M is most likely the nicest of the bunch.

Being the type who has a 9 yr old car, you need longevity.
The Toyota will never let you down, and that's a very nice car.

Personally, (just my opinion) I don't care for Ford/Lincoln.
But at 9 yrs, you've obviously had better luck than I did.

If I had to choose between the Lincoln and the Toyota, there's not much to think about.
Get the Avy

frisconick

I agree with scott, why by a used car, when you can by the Avy new. I test drove an Avy, and it's a very fast car, and very nice - will last forever too.

bmw55

I don't know if the Avalon's problems have been fixed by Toyota yet...but an article in the Detroit News about 6-7 months ago pointed out some problems with this car that would make it non-sellable. These were problems that couldn't be fixed by the dealer. I don't remember what all of them were, but at the time I felt I wouldn't buy a car with them. Highly unusual for a Toyota.
That was the '06 model, they very well may have been fixed for the '07s. I'll do some research and see if I can find out what they were.

wbb56

That does sound unusual for Toyota--but, thanks very much. I'll check into that also --see what I can find.

pat

Here's a link to the group of discussions that will be helpful to you: Toyota Avalon.

wbb56

Thanks very much Pat!

pat

Oh, sure thing - if I can help you find anything else, just give me a holler!

gduering

97 Honda Accord 95K or 2003 Buick Century 71K both priced about $7900 and they have similar features

kyfdx

I don't know what the Buick Century is worth, but that Accord is over-priced by about $3K..

gduering

I probably should have mentioned the Accord is the SE version. When I checked KBB, the values seemed in line with the asking price. I don't have any experience with Honda's. I have owned Chevy's all my life. But my friends keep telling me that Honda's last forever. What is a reasonable life expectancy ? Assuming all the stars are in the right place, could I get at least 75K more miles from the Accord?

pat

There are some posts you might find helpful here: alertik, "Honda Accord High Mileage Success Stories" #1, 23 Jul 2006 1:10 pm and you also should stop by the general Accord discussion. We have several members who have had Accords for quite some time.

gduering

Thanks for your help. Your suggestions have been helpful.

mrcrispy

I drive a 2001 Audi S4 sedan which I purchased in 2004. Its been an absolute joy to drive and own, esp considering that I upgraded from a Honda Civic! I wasn't aiming for a high performance car and was looking at the A4, but got a really sweet deal.

My concern now is with rising maintainence costs as well as the possibility of turbo's going bad, which are notoriously expensive to repair on the S4. So I'm looking for options to replace my car sometime towards the middle/end of 2007, since it still has a decent resale value.

My commute is in the bay area on 101, so its not like I get to drive the car the way its meant to be. Thus, my requirements for the next car are-

- only buying used, I've learnt my lesson, there's no point paying the premium for a brand new car. I'm looking for a car at most 2-3 years old.

- budget is 15k-20k

- want a good mix of performance and luxury. Can't hope to match Audi level interiors but I want to see what my options are.

- names which I will not consider -
BMW: overpriced brand snobbery, and they're too damn common.
Toyota/Lexus: no connection at all to the road, ride is too soft, soulless whales on wheels.
American cars: because of reliability/build quality

- I do want a good built in navigation system, preferably with voice activation. I keep getting lost all the time in SF and this would really be helpful.

- Given my commute and driving, I'm not sure I'll feel the loss of AWD/RWD if I go for FWD. The only time I really get to enjoy the S4 is on freeway merges and passing in high gears. And 250bhp is rather common these days.

- again because of the traffic, I'd rather have an Auto/step/triptronic thingy. I wish I could have a true manual transmission mated to electronic shifter which is the best of both worlds, like DSG/F1, but they're not that common. How does CVT compare?

- Audi is not exactly a chick magnet , its a bit too understated. BMW is on the other end of the spectrum - flash and yuppiness personified. I'd rather have something which is cool yet tasteful.

A few cars which I have in mind are the 2006 Altima, Acura TSX, 2004 Audi A4, Legacy GT.

My ideal car would have the Acura TL satnav, Audi's quattro and interiors, 25mpg, reliability of a Honda, and sex appeal of an Aston Martin Let me know if these are unreasonable demands!

frisconick

Sounds like you could use a TL, an 04 or an 05. The interior is very nice, get 30 mpg on the highway (mine does anyway) very relable.

frisconick

plus I live in San Francisco, so I know your commuting needs.

bmw55

I'm selling my BMW 323i sedan (2000) and buying an IS250 automatic RWD. I'm selling the 323i due to the dreaded collapse of the auto trans that can happen at any time ($5000 repair).
I test drove the IS250 - in a word a fantastic car. 18" wheels without sports suspension, but it handles better than my BMW and incredibly smooth. I only put 8000 mi/yr on a car so I think (hope) that it'll last at least 10 yrs without any major problems.
The IS has more than enough power as long as you're not a full-throttle speed demon like the IS350 guys. Believe me, you can lose your license just about as fast with the IS250 as the 350. Test drive it and you might be sold on it as I was.

mrcrispy

Which year IS250 are you replacing the 323 with? I'm now looking at The TL as well as TSX, G35, Altima and IS250.

bmw55

I'll be getting an '07 IS250 with the Premium pkg with additional items (Premium Package includes:
- Auburn bird's-eye maple interior trim
- Perforated leather-trimmed interior
- Heated and ventilated front seats
Additional Options:
- Bi-xenon High-Intensity Discharge (HID) headlamps and Adaptive Front Lighting System (AFS)
- 18-in Alloy Wheels with Summer Tires
- Preferred accessory package:
- Rear spoiler
The MSRP for this car is $35,577 (it includes around $3440 of options). Unfortunately I live in Tennessee where the great deal the California guys & gals are getting are nowhere to be found.

keelime

My head is spinning. I thought I had it all figured out. I was set to buy the Passat 2.0T. Read Consumer's Report and it was the top pick for performance. I love the way it handles, especially the great turning radius, and it is very comfortable. Just as I was about to plunk down my $$, CR came out with another report and the Passat scored "poor" in reliability. Figured I better go back to the drawing board. Drove the 4 cyls in the Accord Acura TSX, and Camry. The Camry XLE doesn't have fold down seats, so that's a negative. The cheaper models do, go figure. But I like the classier interior. Accord is okay, but the interior appointments are a bit cheesy compared to the Passat and it is less stylish IMNSHO. The Acura TSX has a hard ride and is more expensive. I'm stumped. Should I get the car that appeals most to me or heed the CR warning?

taxesquire

The Passat has, far and away, the nicest interiors of the cars you mentioned. As cor Cr's report, I haven't seen it, but I am a bit surprised - the Passat has been a "CR pick" for the last 5 years or so (if my recollection serves).

Anyway, I would consider what CR says - what, in particular, do they say is problematic? How long would you stick with the car - beyond the warranty period?

circlew

VW in general has low reliability, IMO. I now someone who owned a 2000 Passat and swore never to lease one again due to her experience with low reliability (at least she got to give it back!).

I also know someone who worked at VW until 2006 and as an insider, also depicts many, many unhappy customers due to this exact problem.

Just my personal knknowledgen this manufacturer. Not a papanaceabut just a tid bit.

Regards,
OW

keelime

They don't say what the problems are. THE CR report was a very short preview of their upcoming Annual Car Issue which is due out later this month.

circlew

Here is a link with some information for you to read.

link title

Regards,
OW

pat

You'll want to check out other CarSpace community members' experiences with Passats, also.

bmoff84

Trying to decide between Acura TLs under 50,000 miles (probably an '04), or Honda Accord EX-L V6. Pre-owned TLs have special financing right now, but new Accords have special lease deals. If I went with an Accord, I'd rather buy a used '06 if I could find one I liked. My price range is up to $24K. What would you choose between these two? Is there any other cars I should add to my list? I want something fun to drive (would like a V6; drove a TSX and it was too slow), reliable (will drive to +100k miles), with a nice interior. Thanks!

taxesquire

Used TL or new Accord, huh? First thing to do is test drive them - they drive very differently. If you do not notice a difference, then I'd suggest choosing between a used Accord and a new Accord.

Also, while I am thoroughly enjoying my '04 TL, that was the 1st year fo the redesign, so there were more "bugs" than usual, the most troubling being the engine shifting too soon somewhere between 40 and 60 mph, resulting in unwanted vibration.

pat

This discussion may be very helpful to you: Acura TL vs Honda Accord.

frisconick

But I would bet TL 04's go fairly cheap.

thegraduate

Trying to decide between Acura TLs under 50,000 miles (probably an '04), or Honda Accord EX-L V6. Pre-owned TLs have special financing right now, but new Accords have special lease deals. If I went with an Accord, I'd rather buy a used '06 if I could find one I liked. My price range is up to $24K.

Accord EX-V6 models without navigation can be had for around that $24,000 you mention. Check out the Accord Prices Paid Forum (Linked Here) Accord Prices Paid Forum for more information. If I had to pick between the two, I wouldn't pick the 3 year old car, I'd pick the new one.

frisconick

I believe you would regret not getting a TL. Accords are nice however.

thegraduate

The TL is nice, but you'll be missing out on most of its warranty, and the feeling of having a brand new car. If none of that matters, and you don't mind a little light wear and tear on a $24k car, go for the TL.

I think both are great vehicles, but just personally I'd go for the Accord without the makeup (which at its heart is what the TL is, although it is GREAT makeup ). I do wish the Accord had better exterior styling, although the interior is gorgeous and very well built for its price point.

frisconick

you make some great points thegraduate, but really, an accord with makeup? :P

thegraduate

Yes. Under their skin, they are much the same vehicle, but the TL has frills, styling, different "foundations" if you will - for handling and such. It also comes with a heavier features list, as it should at over $34k. I don't mean it to be bad thing. Some people couldn't live without things like memory seats, etc...

Some of us can!