I spotted a NEW (insert make/model) today!

stickguy

I kept trying to convince my wife that the CRV is the best option for her, but she just could not work up any enthusiasm for it. perfectly nice car, but just Eh. And, she said it seems way too much like her current car (An Odyssey), and she wants something different.

of course, her #1 choice is the Acura version of the CRV (an RDX), so I think she is just badge snobbing here!

anythngbutgm

Having driven both, I would say that the RDX is a pretty significant upgrade over the CRV. The V6 alone is worth the upgrade, especially when it gets some of the highest mileage in its class. I also found the visibility to be a little better on the Acura as well, the high rear window on the CRV kind of impedes on outward visibility.

On a side note, and perfectly related to this topic, my wife and I checked out the new BMW X1 last night. This one was the 4-cyl Turbo and was pretty well loaded. It was pretty small, actually reminded me of the Infiniti EX35 in that it was more like a 1 series wagon than an SUV. I bet the ground clearance couldn't be more than a Subaru Impreza at around 6 inches. But the sticker was over 39 grand! Yikes.

I mean, not that it wasn't a nice car but compared to it's bigger brother the X3 and the more spacious Acura RDX, it seemed a bit much... The big pano roof was a nice touch tho and man, 33mpg highway is outstanding.

I still think the RDX is a compelling package, and for the price, features and certainly the mileage (20/27mpg with AWD), I think Acura nailed the segment.

anythngbutgm

New model Nissan Altima. Could've easily mistaken it for a Maxima.

New Escape. Not as common as I would have expected...

Fiat 500 Abarth. Raspy exhaust note on that one.

100 new Camrys... maybe more.

fintail

Might have seen a BMW Gran Coupe yesterday. Could have also been a normal 5er, but it seemed lower. Saw a fairly basic new style Altima with no plate frames, rental already? And there's a golf tournament in the area, they are using Caddy XTS as the "official" car.

stickguy

I stopped at the BMW dealer too to look at the X1. They had a more loaded one (with Navi) at 42K. The normally loaded one was 39K.

Did not get inside to check out cargo room, but noticeably lower than a 3 or 5. Still, nice looking package, and may not be all that much smaller on the inside than an X3, and comparably equipped, a good 4-7K less.

ateixeira

The EX is small for me, that's not good. They shouldn't forget the Utility portion on these.

Did you drive the X1?

anythngbutgm

No go on the test drive. I asked but the dealer said they only had the one and they were keeping it out of rotation till they get some more. TOld me to come back in a bout a week or so and they'll have a tester available.

I'd like to try one but I wish they came in manual...

ateixeira

Saw one this morning. I generally don't like bulbous 5 doors but this is perhaps the best executed one.

texases

I'm interested in the X1 over the X3 for two reasons - availability of a RWD version, and (theoretically, at least) availability without a sunroof (I need all the headroom I can get). And eliminating those two also will save some $$$

stickguy

you can order ala carte of course.

but, a big problem (and I looked into it) is the bundling. You can get the pano roof stand alone (so you can order without it), but then you lose the premium package, and there is no way to get power seats without that. Plus a few other things (auto CC and back-up camera I think are 2).

I really hate the way some companies bundle the options these days.

ateixeira

On the Elantra GT you have to get leather, the wheel upgrade, and I think even Navi just to get a panorama moonroof.

texases

I hate those bundles, but at least the pano roof can be avoided to some degree. It lists auto CC as standard, and the backup camera requires a package that (thankfully) doen't include the sunroof. While I'd like power seats, at least the manual ones are 8-way adjustable. I could live with that...

tifighter

5 series GT last night in dark blue. This must be in a good fight with the Murano CrossCab for slowest seller.

fintail

Both of those make me think "where the hell did these people get their money?" If they had more they'd be in a Maybach, I guess.

ateixeira

Saw one of the new, high nosed pedestrian friendly.

Happy to see M-B put those on a diet. SL550 is back under 2 tons now. The L is supposed to stand for light after all.

Of course base price is also six figure. Yikes.

fintail

High profit margins...at a time where the 1% haven't had it so good in generations, nice to cash in when you can.

The "S" also stands for "sport"...not many SLs have been sporty for an awful long time :shades:

fintail

Saw another Infiniti JX minivan today - they do seem to be selling OK, even with the desperate C-pillar and the chipmunk cheeks full of nuts face (can't remember where I stole that from)

ateixeira

And I like Sporty and Light, so I should be dreaming of those.

Maybe when I'm older and fatter and lazier it'll be my boulevard cruiser if I can afford a CPO one.

That magic glass roof is trick!

anythngbutgm

lol, great analogy!

Spotted a new Audi Allroad this morning. Great looking wagon once again.

fintail

The last light SL was made over 40 years ago. I don't see anything like that coming back. The SLK is much closer to what the dainty SL used to be.

The SL ends up depreciating like week old bread - by the time they hit 5-6 years old, they can be pretty affordable, and 10 year old ones command Corolla money.

fintail

I think that's what I will call Infiniti now - chipmunk cheeks. That brand is trying to corner the market on odd. Not a cool odd.

The Allroad I recently saw was white, doesn't work well with the plastic trim IMO.

ateixeira

I'm happy to see they're paying attention to weight again.

Will have to price one out once I retire. Good car to get back and forth from the beach when it's just the two of us. I'll be ready for something less sporty and more grand tourer.

fintail

They need to do so on more cars. Late model E63 weighs like 600lbs more than my E55 - sure, it is more powerful, but the weight isn't good no less.

A used SL can be tempting for some , as it seems they do sell to retirement aged people as a boulevardier. Most mint late 90s-early 00s models I see are driven by older men.

ateixeira

I think once a new-look model comes out, the values of the old ones plunge, because they are after all about prestige.

fintail

That does do a lot. 2003+ SL is set to go off a cliff now.

ateixeira

Did a quick search on Cars.com, for under $20k within 100 miles of here, and found one '03 and one '04.

The '03 had a lot less miles.

I bet soon there will be dozens.

I'd be a bit afraid of a $9000 bill for a new top mechanism (how reliable/durable are those anyway?). I think this is the type of car you'd have to set aside a nice reserve for repairs.

fintail

The tops are better than the air suspension - on an 03 or 04 especially, that is more likely to break. I wouldn't touch one of those cars.

ateixeira

I'm not crazy about the guitar shaped headlights.

That whole body style sort of leans forward too much for my tastes. The prior one aged better even though it's very conservative.

When they they ditch the air suspension? Or was that optional?

fintail

The prior one was introduced in 1989, to have still been a new model in 2002 is amazing.

03+ models have airmatic. It seems to be a lot less troublesome after 06. I'm pretty sure the new one has it.

It's too much of a car for women with stretched back eyes, for me...S65 would be the only way to go, and maintenance on that has to be like restoring a castle.

ateixeira

a car for women with stretched back eyes

I like to bust stereotypes.

fintail

Men with stretched back eyes?

I'd call it a significant demographic rather than a simple stereotype. Well-kept non-working women like those things.

kyfdx

Around here, 60+ year old men are the only demographic for SLs..

Similar to an S2000, I've never seen a female driver...

fintail

I usually see older men in non-current model SLs. Same guys who like the football Lexus SC.

SC was manual only, right? That with its motorcycle-like power band would turn off all but a few.

kyfdx

Lexus SC was automatic only...

If you meant the S2000, then yes.... manual only..

I was following a WRX STi the other day... Noticed it had pink STi badges and stripes... female driver...

That is a rare sight...

fintail

Oops yeah I meant S2000. I don't know if I have ever seen the fairer set driving one.

A female co-worker once had an STi - bought at the urging of her bf. She was not the type I would expect to drive such a car (she's very restrained and quiet), but she seemed to like it. No dorky pink junk though. She doesn't have it anymore...I think she found it too harsh, now drives a Hyundai.

boomchek

When I used to sell Hondas I had a lady customer who took an S2000 out for spin with me. She wanted a convertible. She got in and was shifting at 2500rpm and driving fairly slow. She turned to me and told me "I don't know what the big deal is with these cars".

I explained to her that you have to shift at over 5000rpm to squeeze more power out of it. We switched seats and I showed her how to drive it properly. She was impressed but it was a bit too much for her.

boomchek

My good friend bought an 03 SL500 for about $13k (plus fees/taxes = $16k) at a local auction. Needed brakes but otherwise drove good.

He liked it quite a bit but replaced it with a CLS500 about 3 months later as they have a young son and the SL wasn't good for family outings.

fintail

I don't like that non-linear power band. If I want that feeling, I'll ride an aggressively tuned sportbike. I've had the E55 so long, the torque has spoiled me. Being able to get around town with barely giving it any gas (although it still burns plenty) is more pleasant to me.

fintail

On both cars, airmatic can be a headache - especially on an 03 SL. I saw one sitting on a local high end lot not long ago, front end sitting way too high - oops. If it hadn't failed yet, it will. Early CLS (500 badged car is an 06 only) seems to have less of those issues, but still some glitches.

fintail

Saw an Evoque today - parked at a bodyshop, crashed. Also saw a big Range Rover that had been the victim of a fire - didn't look like a crash, just a fire. Britain...

Also drove by the Toyota dealer holding lot and spotted at least one Scion Freeze. And a new style Quest that wasn't a rental.

kyfdx

I saw the new Scion, as well. It's an attractive car..

ateixeira

Lexus had an SC300 with that smooth straight 6 related to the Supra's engine, that thing came with a manual. Rare, I'm sure.

Michael Jordan had an SL when he was here in town working with the Wizards. The pic of him driving off after getting fired got a ton of hits.

ateixeira

$13k (plus fees/taxes = $16k)

That's a lot of fees/taxes! :surprise:

ateixeira

Being able to get around town with barely giving it any gas

No replacement for displacement.

I think fewer and fewer cars will offer that given the CAFE pressures.

Even AMG engines are getting smaller and relying on forced induction. They can beat the performance but it'll never feel as linear.

ateixeira

Saw one on the road but so quick I couldn't tell you which brand it was.

fintail

I suspect the new twin turbo V8 is a pretty smooth operator - and it gets good mileage too. I'd like to try one out, but all cars they are in are still out of my league :shades:

Effortless is good - I guess I don't like to feel like I am murdering something to make it move, especially if in a heavy car. I guess it can work on a 350lb bike or 1900lb roller skate car.

fintail

That does irk me about those - can't tell what they are unless you get close (unless there's a clue I have missed). And like ky said, they aren't bad looking.

Oh yeah, saw a new MDX, and someone in my parking garage just got a new Tiguan.

ateixeira

1900lb roller skate car

Hey I resent resemble that remark.

ateixeira

Originally I was hoping Subaru's would have AWD, later I thought perhaps Subaru's version could be a roadster.

They hardly distinguished them at all.

CR preferred the Scion. So I'll take the BRZ.

Actually, my MX-5 is one of the prime targets, even though I really wanted an open car and would not have considered a coupe.

fintail

I'd probably take the Subie too, if anything just because I don't like the rather cynical born-from-marketers idea of Scion.

I swear I just saw a 2013 Accord drive past my window.