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Comments
At least you won`t loose as much money as me...I really think I`l keep the Audi a longer period of time due to the depreciation....Apparently all expensive cars plunge in value rather quickly, but I thought (at the time) that Audi was coming up in the world and that the plunge wouldn`t be quits so much....Wrong....My wife gave me a ride the other day in the bmw and it is a splendid riding car, with poor quality materials on the interior, but pleasing...As Tagman so eloquently wrote, it is a shame to have such a thorn in your side, but shortly you will take action to remove it, and I think it would be fun driving the Prius, and experiencing a whole different driving experience.....Wish I were as far along in my decision making progress as you are----I really don`t have a car in sight....Tony
Ha Ha... Don't they usually recruit those anger management clients from the BMW service department's waiting room?
TM
I am more concerned with the overall trend of our discussions. Nothing against the Prius or Hybrids but this used to be The Luxury Lounge! Now obviously we are all concerned about the dismal economy and wish for a speedy recovery but really - this place can be an escape from the everyday BS. When is the last time we had a good dust up about Lexus vs BMW? How about Consumer Reports as our Bible? Does the interior of an A8 resemble an '80's Town Car? Who is the best Model at the Car Show?
I think it's time to suck it up and move forward! Maybe Hemi will buy a Bentley and save the day. Whoever buys Tag's sweet rides better post their impressions here and fire us up about great driving cars.
Maybe you guys will think I'm full of it and we can go back to dreading the economy and talking about cars with skinny hard tires that are boring. I hope not
I also think (or at least I hope) I put some honest but kind perspective on Dewey's Prius purchase and his hatred towards BMW. I don't fault him really. He has been through the ringer lately in life, yet he manages to show up here and share it with us. Gotta give him huge credit for that. Besides, I think his Prius purchase is interesting and a sign of the times.
We can't all have the good fortune of our friend Hemi, for example (I hope he doesn't mind) whom I respect 100%. He knows and appreciates his blessings.
Me? I'm not complaining about the forum. When I want to talk cars, I do so, and when the economy is the topic, I don't mind that much. It's real life, and I'm good with it. That's one of the great things about this forum... The latitude to discuss many things about life, as long as we get back to cars.
Let me say this... If you really want to talk about any of those topics you mentioned, then all you've got to do is start the discussion. Nobody's stopping you. And I'll bet many of us would chime right in. To put it in other words, we all drink what we put in the pitcher. I've always like your posts anyway, so go for it! Fire away.
TM
You`v been here a long time, so you know the subject changes, and rather quickly
No solutions to the financial mess from me, just luxurious fluff! With an occasional reference to my TL, which is quite the luxury now that it is all paid for. Or my ongoing fantasies of acquiring some of the toys that the rest of you boys already have (Ferrari/Maserati of NE has moved up the road from Foxboro to Norwood, former Dodge dealership. I now drive by this dealer twice daily. Bright, shiny, slinky, gorgeous toys do all they can to yank the wheel out of my hands, forcing a sharp turn into their lair...). Overly long tales of little wooden cars and the boys/men that race them. Even an occasional ode to the EW.
So, Jim. I agree, let's lighten up just a touch and have some more fluff! Let's all be fluffers! Oh, wait, that's not right...
Don't make me go out and buy an XLR just to get the fun going!
'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...)
I think somebody else had a new MB truck & I can sympathize with him re brake dust. After 10 days, my wheels were filthy! By the time we had a sunny day here, I had to clean my girl (Trinity) up pretty good. So, no real world pics until I can combine clean wheels w/sunny day & spare time.
I do have some pics of her from the night I picked her up, when she was in the showroom under the lights, but I spend way more time on my mobile than pc. So, once I stop being lazy & get on the pc, I'll post pics.
As I said before, she's an auto, but I can tell you there is a lurch off the line from 1st to 2nd gear. Not a gamebreaker, but sort of annoying. From 2nd on, you really need to pay attention to notice the shifts. Buttery smooth. I think the 1st gear problem could be solved with mashing the pedal, but I'm not comfortable doing that until I feel the engine is broken in. Even then, not sure I want to project that image. & 1st gear seems to last a nano second..
As you may know, we've had wind advisories the last 2 days, & this car's heft & low profile combat that very well on the 526 bridges. I was very impressed with the traction of this car on the metal surfaces on the draw bridges. I think it's the first time I really felt the grip of Quattro. My old 4x4 truck didn't hold it's line as well.
& my 1st MPG calc under my control was 18.4 I know that's supposed to improve over time, but could be a wash once I'm comfortable pushing her.
Oh, & I've noticed quite a few head turns & pointing. Makes me a little uncomfortable, but this is the 1st car I haven't tinted out...
Phil... I understand completely, but try dealing with the brake dust from a BMW... it's even worse! I've never seen anything that comes even close to the nasty black build-up that comes as often as every DAY or two. I would give anything for a 10-day rest between the buildup. You had better count your blessings.
It was Len that was learning the hard lesson about German cars and their notorious brake dust. He commented that he liked most everything about his GL, but the brake dust was a problem. I had suggested some aftermarket pads, and another member mentioned a particular brand. It may have been Axxis Brakes... that's the name I am familiar with.
I suggest the same for you. Look into some ceramic pads when they become available for your model. I was waiting for them to become available for my ride, cause it was a new model, but now I'll only get them if I keep the car... which is still up in the air.
Keep us posted.
TM
There is a product called Wheel Wax that works pretty well at keping brake dust off your wheels, I'll bet any synthetic wax would probably work as well, just stay away from Carnuba on wheels.
PS - Tag, is that a hint of potentially keeping the 911S?
To be fair, the wheels needed cleaning before 10 days, but the weather wasn't cooperating. I cleaned them this past Sunday prior to the Super Bowl, & as of this am, they're a little dirty, but not offensive. My guess is that by this weekend, they'll be ready for cleaning again. So, looks like it'll be a weekly thing, which isn't too bad after hearing about your 'day or two.' Now, if weather doesn't cooperate for a weekend or two in a row, no telling how ghetto they might wind up looking. :mad:
On the plus side, the wheels are very easy to clean, due to their design (not too many thin spokes), & their need to be cleaned frequently will urge me to spend more time with the car pampering her the way she deserves.
You know the old cliche: "The chase is better than the catch"
Keep on chasing, keep on dreaming, keep on anticipating what your next car will be. That in itself is intenesely exciting. Sometimes even more exciting than owning the car itself.
Excellent post.
I salute you for your choice of owning BMWs and Audis and also it's good to hear that your chief complaint is brake dust. My car has so many problems I dont even notice the brake dust.
There are better choices for an enthusiast than a Prius?
I couldn't agree more. But my choice is not driven by the same motivations as yours. Your choice is driven by performance while my choice is driven by dependability, technology, fuel efficiency, FWD during winters, novelty, quality(as Lexusguy had pointed out very few cars today has the high quality standards of manufacturing as a Prius).
Here's the shocker. Almost every BMW, Audi, Porsche or MB Ad I see I cant help but notice the words "Fuel Efficiency" as the primary focus on those ads. Yes we are living in different times
I am an enthusiast on sabbatial. I know that is hard for any auto enthusiast to understand. But I am going to drive my Prius until the day I start getting a roving eye for a Audi or BMW again. Who knows when that will be?
A Lexus vs. BMW argument?
Go ahead boast about BMW and bash Lexus. And if you do I can assure you those arguments will be rekindled again except that this time I will be attacking BMW and defending Lexus.
you and Tony are about the only two people here who can understand my desire for a Prius.
And yes this is not a mistake. I did write desire and Prius in the same sentence. Enthusiasm can also be battery powered.
'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...)
Hyundai is putting together an improbable run during this improbably awful car market. Its January sales rose by 14 percent compared with a year earlier, to more than 24,500 units.
The company and outside analysts were quick to credit not only the company's heavily promoted Hyundai Assurance program - which was highlighted in a Super Bowl advertisement - but also the surprising success of its recently launched and all-new Genesis flagship, which picked up more than 1,000 buyers in January.
Genesis was named the North American Car of the Year at the North American International Auto Show last month, an honor that "further spurred" the car's momentum, said Hyundai's Zuchowski.
Hyundai's Eastern sales region saw a 20-percent sales increase over last January and Hyundai said the Assurance program, "gets to the root cause of today's economic concerns - fear of job loss - and shows consumers we have faith in them, and faith in our economy."
He said after being "encouraged" by the company's strong start in January, Hyundai executives are "hopeful that this energy can be sustained into February as we launch the new Genesis Coupe and Elantra Touring."
Sales of several other Hyundai models - Accent, Sonata, Santa Fe and Veracruz - also increased in January over a year earlier.
I might look at a Genesis myself!
Regards,
OW
Regards,
OW
BTW, you might appreciate this sketch of the 2010 Hyundai Equus Interior...
Too bad it's not coming to our shores...
TM
That issue will probably resolve itself once the shift logic has fully adapted to your driving style. The S6 needed about 3 weeks or so for the transmission to settle in. I have no jerkiness issues with it now.
As for the wheels, a bit of P21s should take care of dust right away.
Um, is it just me or is that a carbon copy of the '01 LS430?
It's you.
TM
Sure. While you wait for the shift logic to lighten up a bit, you can always shift out of first yourself. That's what I did after a cold start for the first week or so.
If you say so. It certainly looks nice, it's just to me it seems like a retread of interior themes from 5-10 years ago. A bit of Lexus, and maybe a bit of Mercedes CLS. Of course it could certainly be worse, they could be following Mercedes down the path to a return of 1986.
Bangle has left BMW!!!
Amazingly indifference prevails here . Not too long ago Bangle debates within this forum had stirred major cataclysmic turmoil.
Well, you are right in that it uses the more typical center console / center stack approach... but many others still do as well. And it's just a sketch, of course. But who would have thought that Hyundai would provoke legitimate comparisons with Lexus or Mercedes?... which you also used as comparisons, albeit from this past decade. To me, it all shows that Hyundai is successfully expanding their image upwards... something most of you guys thought to be impossible. And they are doing it without a separate marque or dedicated dealer network... at least for now.
TM
Actually, I did notice, as perhaps others did, but never posted on it. But, the bigger question is, what will it mean moving forward? What do you think the impact will be?
TM
According to Inside Line, Audi officials confirmed that they are working on a car that car take on the Lamborghini Murciélago LP640. That’s impressive for two reason. First, Audi controls Lamborghini, so using a corporate sibling as a competitor is a little odd. Second, the V10 in the 5.2 R8 is plucked from the Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4, so to get a car to compete with the next Lambo up the ladder is going to take a lot of work.
A natural starting starting point for this car might be the Audi R8 V12 TDI diesel concept car, but as it turns out that’s been officially killed off. Instead Audi is working an even faster supercar. We don’t have any real details on this car. Plus the current economy and potential for cannibalization of a corporate sibling make this car a little hard to understand. The one thing that we do know is that there can never be enough supercars in this world...Bring it on Audi.
http://www.topspeed.com/cars/car-news/audi-wants-a-new-murcielago-competitor-ar7- 0091.html
Got my new plate in the mail today & was relieved to find out it's a traditional metal stamped plate, prison style. ;-)
Why the worry? Well, SC just changed plate designs over the past year. To my eye, it's obvious that the newer plates are no longer 'prison style.' They look like pieces of cardboard with the alpha-numerics painted on (cheap to my eye).
The evidence/contrast to me has been overwhelming, including specialty plates. So, one of my most trivial fears was getting one of these new plates.
Bottom line, I'm pleasantly surprised to get an old style plate, but have no idea for the variation out there, & haven't heard anything about it.
Anyone have a clue?
TM
Quick responses:
Brake dust: yeah I had the same problem with my 330i, swapped the brakes with PBR Axxis, problem solved.
SC License plate: what's so offensive about it?
Bye-bye Bangle: I've just heard it here. So does that mean BMW will go back to old fashioned classic muscular deisgn or go ahead with the current B.L.A.N.D theme?
Probably won;t be online so often from now on, busy busy busy....
m4d_cow, it's not the new design/art of the plate that bothers me, but the way the new plates were being made. The stamped, or raised alpha-numerics were being replaced with a 2D plate that looks more like a decal. IMO, the new plates were taking on a very cheap look, sort of the same as my temp dealer tag. Cardboard looking, if you will.
I was pleasantly surprised that my plate arrived old school 'prison style.' :shades:
Dewey , I also read about Bangle (Chris) moving on, but as Howard rarely posts here now a day, I though I would leave it in peace....I didn`t care for the rear design, but the Sportwagon didn`t have that problem, and the 7 series is just a monster of a car to me, and am really happy I didn`t get one...
Jose` I see where the coming `storm` will give you a break on the wind generating electrical bill......I can just see you looking out the window at the turbulent sea, and turning up the heat as it will be for `free`.
and for the rest of us, the break dust is miserable....
Tony
The place: Overland Park, KS, ranked as the 9th best place to raise a family in the USA last year. I think it is a bit boring, but the food here is amazing in general. There are more than 500 restaurants within a 4 mile radius of my corporate apartment. My client just expressed their wish to retain my service for at least another four months to build out their data warehouse, so I think my waist line is going to suffer immensely by the end of the extension.
The people: very nice people with large families (compare to Toronto’s standard). A number of my co-workers have 3-4 children each, and no one is complaining.
The automobiles: I saw at least a dozen new LS460s on the road, and lots of LS430s. I really like how the new LS looks on the road. Not too many S550 or A8, and no new 7 series. People here also seem to like the big SUVs .
The weather: It’s been considerably nicer comparing to what I am used to in Toronto. There have been days with temp in the 60-70 in Jan, and the people would show up on the local golf course next to my work place. This is nothing for you guys in CA, but it is a big deal for us from the North Eastern corner of the continent.
I don’t care what they have to do to rescue the economy. I just want the stock market to get back in good shape. I’ve lost the equivalent of half year of my earning just from Nov until now.
Dewey, do you want to rent my almost new IS350 to tie you over until you get your state of arts Prius? I have been missing it so much every time I get into the rental subie , Hyundai, or Chrysler here.
Good luck to you there!!
But, I must share this with you... You will soon see my (well, previously mine) Porsche Carrera S Cabriolet driving around town there very soon! I just sold it to a very nice guy who lives there.
BTW, these were the latest pics of my Porsche. I don't know if I ever posted any here... I just can't remember. If I did, please forgive the re-post... (LG... I'm still waiting to buy a decent camera)...
And, while I'm at it, I guess I might as well post some pics of my 135i convertible, which, sadly, is now for sale.
Who knows... maybe it'll end up in Overland Park, too... LOL.
Now that I've done some pic-posting... maybe, just maybe, Phil will now post some pics of his awesome new ride.
Anyway, hope you guys enjoyed them.
I'll post a few pics of the Jag one day. Afterall, it's all that I'll have left!
TM
I promise to get some pics ready for carspace, but if I eff it up again, may need your valuable assistance...again. ;-)
If it turns out you need help with your pics, I will be more than happy lend a hand. I'll look forward to seeing them!
TM
Good luck with the sales and enjoy the Jag. Old becomes new again...this ,too, shall pass.
Regards,
OW
Absolutely beautiful Porsche. Not a common color - at least in this area. It's stunning, possibly the best looking color I've ever seen it in.
I'll share one of my inspiration videos and it'll surprise you as to its content. I've had a lot of good fortune for a long time now but in times where inspiration was needed this video on You tube (and I have a copy of the ESPN DVD that the race was duplicated from) was one I turned to. Gives me instant pick-up and it's special to me because I'm a big horse racing fan and this was horse racing's greatest moment. It was also the first horse race I ever went to and I was fortunate enough to see the greatest racehorse of all time run the greatest race of all time. Plus the guy who made the video used the great music from Rudy, which in and of itself is inspirational.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2c_ylcxgCaI
-------------------------
BTW, I'd have to say you've had a good dose of positive feedback regarding those Axxis replacement ceramic brake pads... might be time to get some and tell us how they work out.
TM
Somewhere in my home I have the winning ticket. Like thousands of others I saved it as a souvenir. Secretariat only paid $2.20 as he was a 1:10 favorite (although Sham was also considered a great horse), as he not only won the triple crown but he set the records, which still stand today in all three races. He ran the 1 and 1/2mile race in 2:24, won by 31 lengths and the second fastest Belmont ever run is 2 seconds slower (15 lengths in distance behind). The time of that race is a record that will probably stand forever. I believe the winning ticket is worth thousands today but I have no idea where my wife put it in our house. Wherever it is it's with historic papers I saved including a NY daily news cover that shows a tornado moving across NY Harbor south of the Statue of Liberty.
Now... where did I put that?
TM
This turned out to be a car bombing incident with the bomb placed near the car. Apparently the bomb detonated as he left his home and was walking to the car so it seems that he never even reached the car.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/07/us/07explode.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=Town%20takes%2- - 0car%20bombing%20to%20heart&st=cse
In truth, the XF, which we named a 2009 All-Star, has garnered far more accolades than it has condemnation. Editor Jean Jennings called it "just a beautiful, powerful, lush car-the proverbial velvet fist. Powerful delivery is immediate, as are the brakes, which are very nicely modulated."
A sampling of other comments about the XF's dynamic performance:
"The ride is ever so slightly rough at low speeds, but the high-speed ride and handling are fabulous. Class-leading, no doubt. If anybody ever wants to see an example on how to do steering perfectly, they need to drive this car."
"It there's one thing Jag does well, it's suspension tuning. And this thing is a comfortable, tossable, flickable, involving monster. I love it."
"What a wonderful, fluid machine this is to drive. Chassis, steering, and throttle are all beautifully matched in their feel. Fast and smooth just comes naturally. Very, very nice."
Of course, because we are so fond of this car, it makes us that much more disappointed when we encounter problems, such as the following:
* The right rear window regulator had to be replaced because the window made a scraping sound when raised or lowered.
* An odd vibration from the rear of the car, that we at first suspected was due to snow-packed wheel wells. But then we noticed oil dripping from the rear. We suspect a problem with the rear diff.
* The glovebox sensors don't always seem to work properly. As on staffer put it: "It's a glovebox. How in the world can you make that complicated?"
Of course, all one needs to do is drive this car, and almost all is forgiven. As West Coast editor Jason Cammisa puts it: "As much as I'm a stickler for a well-built, works-as-advertised reliable car, it seems I'm even more of a sucker for vehicle dynamics. I'd love to hate the XF because of its problems, but I love its driving dynamics way too much."
Regards,
OW
I have historically been willing to forgive a whole lot of faults... but more recently I have admittedly shifted my view. I no longer can justify too much poor quality. I just don't see any excuse for it. These manufacturers have enough experience in manufacturing automobiles to know better. It's shameful.
I don't mind if we start a flame war over this issue, frankly. Clembo can be happy about that... LOL... j/k.
Oil leaking out of the cat's rear? Scraping window? Defective gas gauge? Even a glovebox that doesn't work? Pitiful! It sure looks like the current generation XJ will be proven to be the only vehicle in Jaguar's history that will have been known to be very reliable.
The XF is a good-looker that unfortunately needs a different front end. That's my chief complaint about its appearance. The front grill and those lights really don't work for me.
If the front end was as beautiful as the rest of the car... and if the quality was proven, instead of the car having issues... I'd have given serious consideration to updating the XJ to the XF. But, given the truth about the XF, there isn't a chance in hell that I'd do that.
Y'know... there is this thing about Jaguar that makes me yearn for their success... I think it's because Jaguar historically teases the world with off-the-chart potential, but then falls short.
Imagine an incredible super-model that walks down that runway, captivating everyone with her stunning beauty and elegance... but then somehow always stumbles along the way. We forgive her, and make excuses for her because she is sooooooo gorgeous, and we want so badly for her to do well... but we also feel the pain of watching her slowly destroy her own career, as she proves to us that she will never truly live up to her potential, and she will stumble time and time again. (Eventually, and sadly, she disappears into the sunset... and becomes a memory.)
Jaguar truly breaks my heart.
TM
I hear you. Alas, so does Michael Phelps.
Agree that at this day and age, quality should be a given. What is the problem? Can a perfect Jag like your XJ not be repeatedly duplicated for the XF model?
Regards,
OW
Ahhhh, yes... Michael Phelps... was worth $50 million... what was he thinking?
Hope he has learned his lesson.
Can a perfect Jag like your XJ not be repeatedly duplicated for the XF model?
Guess not. Sadly, the super-model stumbles again. :sick:
TM
I actually seriously considered the XF last fall, if it had AWD I may have gotten one instead of my second A8. I am glad I didn't, the A8 is terrific, and the glove box works well.