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

texases

One a recent drive from Urbana to Ann Arbor I saw the Challenger and a buch of Camaros at the rental car place, along with several new Mustangs. I was most disappointed by the Camaro, seems overstyled and chunky. The Challenger's better, still chunky, too big. The new Mustang's OK, but I like the prior version better. Also rented a new Accord with a 4 cylinder. What a disappointment. Very noisy on the road and rough riding. Got 30 mpg highway, not much better than the 28 I get with my smoother, more powerful ES300. Good rear seat room, at least.

ateixeira

I think a lot of those folks hit their peak earning years a decade or two ago, and that's when they bought those houses (and cars).

Middle manager gets laid off, and he keeps his house, but no new cars for a while. Hence the 19 year old Benz.

Could also just be happy with the cars and not feel the need for a new one. I bet a 95 LS is still pretty decent if it was well taken care of. Same for the 90 Benz.

boomchek

Could also just be happy with the cars and not feel the need for a new one. I bet a 95 LS is still pretty decent if it was well taken care of. Same for the 90 Benz.

That's what I thought too. Maybe they're wise with their money, buying higher end products for the quality and longetivity not just for the flash, hence they haven't changed them because there's no need to just yet.

fintail

I was thinking the same thing...the house is probably from the late 80s, so if it was bought by an affluent person when new (under 500K then without a doubt), their peak earning years likely have passed, and they are now a little more conservative with their money. The place also has a property tax bill well north of 10K, that can eat into car money too.

Those cars are both good examples of models from prestige badges that are easy to live with, so it might just be sensible too.

stever

Parked on the street - maybe that's part of it. City cars tend to get dinged up quite a bit so why put a fancy one on the curb?

Talked to a guy with a new '09 Murano ten minutes ago. I sold him a canoe and he had to stop leaving my driveway. He had popped the hood thinking it was the e-brake release.

He came out of a Mazdaspeed3 manual transmission (new kiddo in the household), yet really liked the Murano CVT.

Nice looking rig, even if it was black. :shades:

fintail

Saw 2 new E-class sedans and a new E-class coupe at the local MB dealer today.

I stopped in to get a light bulb as one of my parking lights was acting up, and I couldn't tell if the top or bottom bulb in the housing operated this, and I also couldn't get one of them loose. They gave me the bulb for free, pretty nice...makes me feel bad about bad-mouthing them.

tlcruz

I work at a BMW/Lexus/Toyota/Scion dealership and we got our first 2010 IS250 C in Ultrasonic Blue Mica with black leather. I think it looks really good, Can't wait to see more of these

fintail

Saw a Q5 today, and an Astra...that still counts as about 15 of them have been sold so far.

kyfdx

A really nice looking econobox wagon... The first Hyundai that I've ever been attracted to.. in any form..

texases

That Touring's got my attention, too - a recent review made it sound like a good-handling car, like a Mazda 3.

andys120

-New Camaro in bright yellow, nice color but way too large for a four-seater and kinda blocky looking.

-New Fusion in black, not as attractive IMO as the Gen I as it looks like it has gained weight.

ateixeira

How is the back seat?

I thought it looked small, and that surprised me given Lexus already has the SC to cater to people who don't need one.

anythngbutgm

The IS essentially replaces the SC once its model run is up. Not sure if there will ever be a market for true 4 seater convertibles.

ateixeira

I didn't realize they were going to drop the SC. Interesting.

I'm just bummed that finally some sporty RWD 4-seat hard tops come out and none of them seem to offer comfrot for 4. The G37 is the other one.

anythngbutgm

Ya, I can understand. I'm sure that if it wasn't lower insurance rates and spreading the costs of a dedicated platform, both the IS and G37 verts, along with alot of others in the past would've probably been true 2 seat roadsters.

andys120

both the IS and G37 verts, a long with alot of others in the past would've probably been true 2 seat roadsters.

Not neccessarily, BMW sells a lot more 4 seat convertibles than they do two-seaters.
People mistakenly perceive the four-seaters as being more versatile. As a former owner of convertibles with four seats I can tell you that, except for kids, no one ever wants to ride in the back of those.

fintail

Spotted another new Z4 yesterday...why isn't it a Z5?

Also saw a couple of new oddball rentals - a Mini and Impreza.

I will see some new cars Friday as I decided to attend the local dealer's official unveiling of the new E-class. I received one email "RSVP" announcement, ignored it, then received another....they must want me to go.

andys120

Spotted another new Z4 yesterday...why isn't it a Z5?

Very good question. BMW used to have wonderfully consistent nomenclature for their different models but they've allowed it to degenerate into a confusing mess.

boomchek

BMW used to have wonderfully consistent nomenclature for their different models but they've allowed it to degenerate into a confusing mess.

Sort of like Mercedes :sick: :confuse:

texases

I think BMW is now even worse. You can get the new Z4 as a "Z4 sDrive30i" or a "Z4 sDrive35i", while the AWD vehicles now have 'xDrive' added in. At least the sedans have escaped (for now). :sick:

anythngbutgm

Couple of Kia Souls and Nissan Cubes this week. Also, a new Z4 and X6. Something different amongst the sea of Camrys, Accord, Altimas, Pilots and Highlanders. They really stand out.

ateixeira

So if they offer an AWD A4 it could potentially be called:

BMW Z4 sDrive35i xDrive

andy wrote: "no one ever wants to ride in the back of those"

Thanks for reinforcing my decision to just get a 2 seater and pocket the change.

fintail

I parked next to an X6 the other day. Weird thing...been out for about a year now, but I barely see them. I don't know who they are aimed at...maybe that prestige SUV group that consists of overpaid upper-middle management sucks, pretentious trophy wives, spoiled children of those two groups, and successful young drug runners.

I will say MBs naming conventions are more consistent.

ateixeira

I prefer the X5, to me it even looks better, but I will point out that the X6 gets substantially more powerful engines, both turbos, while the X5 makes do with normally aspirated engines.

So at least BMW differentiated it with different powertrains.

fintail

Yeah, I guess it is sportier, as sporty as something of such bulk can be, anyway.

ateixeira

Who was it that said

You can teach an elephant to dance, but you're still dancing with an elephant.



I've simply always preferred driving smaller cars, regardless of whether or not they have sporting pretentions.

fintail

I don't mind larger cars...my E-class seems like the perfect size for me...but after a certain amount of mass is reached, the pretending should sometimes be toned down a little. Even my car is a bit heavy to be truly sporty. Speed doesn't always make sport, either.

ateixeira

The last E-class I drove was OK, pushing the limits of size, but not elephantine at all. The S-class I didn't like at all, in fact unless I had a chauffer I'd actually prefer to drive an E-class.

fintail

At 37xx lbs, mine might be a bit much to toss around the track....although with the tuned suspension, it holds its own in any spirited driving I do. The newer ones are heavier. A S is a tank, although they can me made to go extremely fast.

qbrozen

My G is over 3700 and I track that. But it definitely can be quite a handful in the tight transitions. Takes alot of effort to force it through.

fintail

I think my car is better suited for a dragstrip...and the newer models even more so.

W212 E63 will probably weigh like 4300 :surprise:

texases

I like the X5 over the X6, also. Ignoring all the practical reasons, I think the X6 and the coming 5 series "GT" just look odd/strange/ugly from the rear:

anythngbutgm

I guess the word is the same treatment/model is expected to be applied to the next generation 3 series as well. :sick:

fintail

It really is awkward. The rear window looks too low, as well.

texases

That low/small rear window is what really caught my attention.

ateixeira

I agree.

I actually like low-slung sedans like the CLS and Passat CC, I can see the point at least, even though I'd just get the E class or regular Passat for the extra head room. But at least they're more attractive outside.

Not so with the X6. It looks like a gigantic hatchback. Sedans and SUVs are simply more attractive. The raked rear window kills cargo space and end up looking...awkward, like you said.

qbrozen

Saw one yesterday on the drive home with the temp tag still attached.
I didn't know it was out yet.

Edmunds doesn't even list it that I can see.

lemko

Dark blue Dodge Avenger
Dark gray Pontiac G8
Black Lincoln Navigator with the baroque grille.
Black Mercedes M-Class SUV
Dark blue BMW 3-Series coupe
Black Nissan Versa

fintail

I'm at least a little taller than average, so I think I might have trouble with a CC or CLS - although from a styling standpoint they are very successful at what they do, and the market has responded positively. I also like visibility, so the chop top sedans would annoy me...I like my tall old style E class as it is easy to see out the windows. However, if on my upcoming trip to Germany I was upgraded to a CLS320 CDi as my rental, I wouldn't cry :shades:

ateixeira

I sat in a new Mazda6 and felt the same way - very cramped rear head room, and hard to get in, also (gotta duck your head else you bump it).

Form over function, big time.

fintail

I don't like the new 6 - the old one was a evry nice design, and it aged well...but the new one just seems too big and impractically low, as you say. Too much bloat in the Asian midsizers.

stever

Saw one yesterday on the drive home

Was the driver showing signs of range anxiety?

Karl drove a MINI E the other day and tweeted a bunch about it. It's being added to the Edmunds long term fleet but hasn't made it to the long term fleet page yet.

It'll probably take a little while longer for it to hit the New Cars pages.

ateixeira

Some are even full-sizers now.

fintail

The Accord must be

qbrozen

Karl drove a MINI E the other day and tweeted a bunch about it.

Ugh. You just touched on a nerve.

The site is called twitter, therefore the messages SHOULD be called twits and people are twittering.

And, yes, I am aware of what a twit is, and, frankly, I think it is quite appropriate for 99% of what can be found on twitter.

There! I've said it! It is off my chest!

lemko

Upper Class Twit of the Year

stever

Karl is on the live chat right now and pointed out that the MINI E is only going to be offered in 3 states and there's only going to be 500 of them made, at least initially. And the rollout for those 500 will probably take 18 months.

Don't look for the E to show up under the New Cars link anytime soon, in other words.

fintail

I have seen several Insights over the past couple days. One was doing duty as some kind of delivery vehicle for a HVAC company.

ghulet

I agree totally about the 6, also about the Mazda3....both have become a bit garish (as has become the norm stylistically for MOST cars lately, IMO). I'm a big fan of low-sill, high roofline cars, too many newer designs feel claustrophobic to me.

qbrozen

hmmm... may have to go on twitter and twit that link.