Did you recently take on (or consider) a loan of 84 months or longer on a car purchase?
A reporter would like to speak with you about your experience; please reach out to PR@Edmunds.com by 7/25 for details.
A reporter would like to speak with you about your experience; please reach out to PR@Edmunds.com by 7/25 for details.
Options
Comments
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
The dealer experience in reading above posts seems like a big deal- Im about price - how much can I get into and out of a car not which has a latte machine. I would rather not be in a dealer at all- knock on wood I wont be again for anything other than a $300 oil change. bUt I can see @graphic_guy frustration given his unreal experience. I also like the fact he's friends with SweeneyBmw which if I was shopping for a BMW no better place then Sweeney.
so I don't really need a luxury spa, since most of the time I am there I am checking out the new cars (at Acura or one of the other dealers in the complex), and if the car needed to stay longer, I would just get a loaner and not hang around.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
http://www.autoblog.com/2015/02/10/acura-ilx-type-s-300-hp-turbo-four/
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
Edmunds Price Checker
Edmunds Lease Calculator
Did you get a good deal? Be sure to come back and let us know! Post a pic of your new purchase or lease!
MODERATOR
2015 Subaru Outback 3.6R / 2024 Kia Sportage Hybrid SX Prestige
Truth told, if Audi had just fixed my S4, I'd still be in the fold. Instead, they lost me. I have to believe I'm smack dab in the wheelhouse of their demographic, too.
Bang for the buck, an S4 is hard to beat.
But, as these things go, every body is stealing from everyone else. My CTS AWD has the trick torque vectoring rear that the Audi Quattro and Acura TL SH AWD have. My CTS has the twin scroll turbo that the BMW 4 cyl has (and more power to boot). Get the V-Sport (last year could be had for high $40s). and you get the 6 cyl with two turbos...wicked fast.
Took a couple of weeks, but once I got used to CUE, I "get it". And, I like it. My understanding is they went through a couple of interim updates to get it to this point, though.
ILX needs that turbo motor. Otherwise, stick with a Civic.
The Civic and Accord are great cars. Are their Acura counterparts worth $X,ooo more? It's not clear cut. So I guess that's pretty telling.
That said, I loved all the Acura I've had. Not sure they shouldn't just go ahead and just be an upscale SUV brand and be done with it. Maybe they're hoping the new NSX will breathe life into their car sales. The ILX and the TLX both need that turbo 4, though. The TLX, in particular, looks like a took a step back going from the sweet 3.7L in the previous gen SH AWD version to the 3.5L in the current car. Not sure what the thought process was there. In the tech dept, where they used to be at the forefront, they're now lagging behind, even with a totally new refresh.
BTW....here's my BMW dealer......http://www.sweeneybmw.com/index.htm
FN....if the prospect of getting $15K+ off a CTS wasn't out there, no way I would have entered the Cadillac showroom. My issues with Cadillac came before the GM "purge". I think the Cadillac dealers had to get into shape or the prospect of GM cutting them became quite real. That was very evident in my experiences with the same dealership 11 years ago, and the experience with them now. Truly, it was a night and day difference.
Drove the ATS. Thought it was a really fun car. A tad small for my tastes (reminded me of the A3, sidewise). Drove the CTS, and had as much fun, only with all the trappings of an E Class, A6, 5 Series......a better suspension than any of those, with better steering, braking, etc. A Cadillac....right? Who'd have thunk it.
Frankly, if I didn't get such a good deal on the CTS, I would have been targeting an IS350 F-Sport, probably this summer. That's a fun car, too. A little on the snug side (and I'm not a big guy).
- Happy Motoring.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
So, at least they're trying to be competitive.
Even my Caddy dealer offers an oil change, tire rotation and inspection for $40. Won't need that for awhile, though given they're like BMW and offer free service for 4 years.
Can the DSG in the S4 handle the upgrade you are contemplating and have a good long life? If not, what is the cost -- or risk in this upgrade?
My dealer says the S4 is going to have a horsepower and torque boost to keep it ahead of the standard V6T in the 2016 A6 line. It means, to me, that they have resolved the DSG issue; wonder if there is the headroom in the current DSG to take the upgrade is my concern.
I have no problem at all with you upgrading your engine, knowing that the transmission will attempt to protect itself when it is pushed beyond its comfort zone. I don't have the money that it would take to self insure against the risk.
Frankly, I think it would be less costly to get a new "S" with the uprated engine -- when it comes out perhaps as a 2016 -- rather than push the DSG with the upgrade.
Of course, if you upgrade and nothing untoward goes down, well your risk will have been proven to be low.
My experience with "chipping" is perhaps why I am concerned -- I chipped my wife's TT and the power and acceleration were thrilling -- but the damn thing went from being reliable (and I assume durable) to needing constant visits to the dealer for things that seemed to have started coincidentally with the chip's installation.
My wife swore (and I couldn't counter her argument) that all the ills that beset her TT were chip related.
We traded the car in for a newer TT with the FACTORY upgrated engine -- the thing was bullet proof.
Summary: good luck and godspeed with your upgrade. I'll just wait for the factory to offer up an amped up S car without any post OEM help.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
My only concern regarding a tune would be warranty coverage on a newer car - most ECUs now have a flash counter. In my experience, if you go with a company that has experience with the engine/platform you should be good to go...
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
It's not a bimmer or an audi but seems like a nice value. Any comments well received!
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
I have no problem at all with you upgrading your engine, knowing that the transmission will attempt to protect itself when it is pushed beyond its comfort zone. I don't have the money that it would take to self insure against the risk.
Frankly, I think it would be less costly to get a new "S" with the uprated engine -- when it comes out perhaps as a 2016 -- rather than push the DSG with the upgrade.
Of course, if you upgrade and nothing untoward goes down, well your risk will have been proven to be low.
My experience with "chipping" is perhaps why I am concerned -- I chipped my wife's TT and the power and acceleration were thrilling -- but the damn thing went from being reliable (and I assume durable) to needing constant visits to the dealer for things that seemed to have started coincidentally with the chip's installation.
My wife swore (and I couldn't counter her argument) that all the ills that beset her TT were chip related.
We traded the car in for a newer TT with the FACTORY upgrated engine -- the thing was bullet proof.
Summary: good luck and godspeed with your upgrade. I'll just wait for the factory to offer up an amped up S car without any post OEM help.
My A3 mods did the opposite of souring me on mods. If anything though, I felt they over advertised the power improvements , or at least overstated them, didn't pass the butt dyno.
I can understand being soured to tuning if you've had issues in the past. However, if the car was old, maybe it was just due to have those same failures anyway? Also, what kind of tune (company?) was it. I got Unitronics with the A3, and part of their sales spiel is that they tune it with OEM like reliability and durability in mind. Of course, my S4 tune will be Revo, so new territory. I find the Audi components to be over engineered so that they can handle these tunes with ease if done right.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
http://www.motorweek.org/reviews/drivers_choice_awards/#/best-of-the-year
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
Not a Chryco fan myself. But, I haven't been in one for a long time. I think the last one was a Chrysler 200 as a rental...the previous generation to boot. Totally forgettable car.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
Lowered S4 being the snow plow is great.
It was a foot of light, fluffy snow. My 2005 FWD Passat did that last week - multiple times.
2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6
Woke up Sunday expecting a plethora of fresh powder to ski...and nothing. It didn't snow the entire four days we were there. The wind did howl mightily, though. Kept lifts closed, so 3 days of skiing turned into more like 1.5. Probably good for me, skied trees and bumps. I ain't 16 like my son. Oh, my achin' back!
'21 Dark Blue/Black Audi A7 PHEV (mine); '22 White/Beige BMW X3 (hers); '20 Estoril Blue/Oyster BMW M240xi 'Vert (Ours, read: hers in 'vert weather; mine during Nor'easters...)
Whatever comes next for the S4 and S5 just have to be incredible. The S3 would not make me swoon -- too crude and rude. But the next gen S4, S5 and SQ5 should be a treat!
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2025 Camry SE AWD