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Unfortunately, I'm on my mobile, which makes providing links impractical, vs a pc.
Driver's Edge redemption points are a reward program for a Citi Plat c-card. No membership fees. If you visit Citi website for c-cards you can get all the details.
Off the top of my head, you can rack up a certain amount of pts for one year (I think it's 1K-1500-ish, again apologize for lack of link). You can bank up to 5K rewards pts total at one time (1 pt = 1 dollar).
Racking up pts is something like 1% from any purchase, a higher % for gas stations, grocery stores, etc.
You can redeem pts for documented maintenance over, I think, 25$. They will cover everything except taxes. It does cover labor. Does not cover new tires.
You can also redeem pts on purchase of new or used vehicle (5K limit remember).
In addition, you can register one vehicle for odometer pts. You get pts for miles driven. Submit a voucher of service w/odometer reading & 2 birds are killed w/1 stone.
I'm not trying to advert for Citi, just give some details. I'm positive one can find a free c-card w/comporable benefits in another fashion, like cash back.
I have used the program to pay for maintenance on my fleet for years, including the tranny replacement on my Acura. Roughly 1500, all covered but an appx 30$ tax charge.
Oh well, I'd do the same thing again, just not for him. Ha!
Anyway, Good on Ya!
This one's worth covering up for anyone!
Regards,
OW
But I am busy at work, and with my home windows covered in scaffolds and protective nets, and having meetings with the foreman a couple of times a day. Being up and down like the monkey and the giraffe to inspect the works. Better going to the office or th the lab even for having rest. :sick:
Regards,
Jose
PS: If someone of you golfers would like to watch an interview to Seve Ballesteros at his home after his recovering from a brain tumor (olygoastrocytoma, three surgeries), I could post the link. Impressive how physically and mentally fit looks Seve again.
TM
Panamera test
Most impressive is how Porsche engineers were able to achieve nearly the exact result they were after for this vehicle... smooth, powerful, balanced and highly responsive... all the while accomodating 4 adults in an environment of supreme luxury.
Years ago, I posted that I was looking forward to the Panamera as a car I might want to purchase. Then, after seeing some of the developing news, I started to get less and less interested. Now, my interest is rekindled. I will make an effort to test drive one later this year or early next year.
Gosh... I can't wait to see how the auto community tries to comp this car.
Thanks for the post.
TM
I think the Tesla S in comparison dwarfs it with respect to design and fluid balance upon first looks.
Regards,
OW
TM
Perhaps, but the Porsche actually exists as a production car. Tesla will first have to get over their incessant and childish squabbling between past and current ownership before they can actually make this thing.
Over on the Audi forum I have been reading about some really terrible mpg for the A8 s model, like ten and twelve mpg on fairly long trips and the owners are quite pleased ...I would be shocked... and I personally get twenty two to twenty three mpg now with ethonol down from twenty five-six...I`l stick with the Audi until something comes along--Tony ps Nice pictures
Regards,
Jose
Who woulda thought such a thing was (were?) possible?
A rebadged Lotus? Oh good, maybe this guy can work for GM :P
Uh, are we talking about NA or globally? Because globally Audi A6 crushed all others in sales number.
Feels good to be back :shades:
Anyways, since the last time I heard GM went ch11, does anyone know what will happen to Cadillac?
The NA market. For some reason Americans just don't "get" the A6. I don't know why that is, I think the 3.0T Sport is currently the best car in the segment.
As for Cadillac, they have the new Equinox based SRX, they're supposed to get a new large sedan, the XLR is dead, most likely along with the CTS wagon and coupe. Now that the Vue and Torrent are dead, Saab (even though Koenigsseg technically owns them now) and Buick will pick up the "slack" with more Equinox rebadges. Not even C11 can stop the rebadge masters.
Not sure what you are saying, A8 owners are complaining about getting 10 and 12 mpg, but you will stick with the Audi? I have an A8L, and frequent the user boards, and I get what nearly everyone else gets, 16 around town, 24 on long highway trips. Not too shabby for such a large car.
It's not even that they're back, they never went away. Just as GM was saying "we're not going to rebadge everything we make anymore" during their last so called turnaround, here comes Lambda, with four rebadged versions of the same product. And in a particularly boneheaded move even for them, the volume based Chevy version is last to market. As I've said before, who's in charge here!? The answer of course was no one, but now every congressman that wants to save a plant or dealer in their district is technically in charge. Great.
Other than the tiny scratch through the paint from road debris, it was very pleasant.
I still don't have the steering vibration that seems to be common. I did not feel fatigued after each leg. I did notice the seats could use more upper back support if you have wide wings like me. Something I wouldn't realize if not for the long trip.
The car turns a lot of heads & led to a lot of questions from the DC area vs SC.
The beltway was a lot of fun (5:30-6:30am) in the morning. I could really wring her out. Afternoon? Forget it! I used my brakes like never before in that stop & go. I'm glad not to live in a city center. No point in this car in that.
Tomorrow, I'll work out the mpg figures, but 325 miles seemed liked the safepoint to refill on the highway. Leaving the needle on 1/8.
However, I looked at an '06 Bentley Flying Spur at a local Bentley dealer with 30K miles with an asking price of 79K. If I wanted it CPOed the Bentely dealer would charge an additonal $3500 per year for up to two years. As of now there is no more factory warranty left on this '06. The car is attractive and goes like heck with the W12 engine (perceptively faster, much faster than the S550). The problem is that it has optional 20" wheels (with Yokohama tires--what is up with that?) which pick up every crack in a Northeastern road. Not a good ride experience. Much worse than the S Class on the same road. The sales guy is going to see if he has any 19" takeoffs but wasn't optimistic. I don't think that extra sets of Bentley wheels are exactly thick on the ground.
I like the idea of a Flying Spur. It woul be unique. It would be different than the oh-so-predictable S Class. It wouldn't get old on me as fast a a run of the mill S Class would. Moreover, to pick up a 190K MSRP car for say, 75K appeals to this business guy. BUT, I hear that even to change a heater hose or a power steering hose on the thing is a nightmare and the entire front end has to come off. Remember, it is Audi A8 ish.
(Incidentally, what is it with Audi and service accessibility? To change the timing chains on the four cam A6 at the 100,000 mile service interval costs $2300 or so because, again, the entire front end must come apart to get access.).
1) Because of the service issues, am I foolish to even consider the Bentley as a 8-9 year possession, driving it 7K to 8K miles per year for a total of 100,000 miles?
2) There is an individual on the internet based in South FL who dabbles in used Bentleys. He always seems to have 5 or 6 used Continenals and Flying Spurs for sale as an individual, not as a dealership.. Has anyone had any experience with the fellow. He has an Eastern European name.
3) The new E Class is here and apparently selling well and at full sticker price. Will the new E Class ("Our most advanced car, ever" says MB) canibalize S Class sales and drive down the price of a used S Class, making a used S an even better deal?
Hey there B.I.G.... In light of the cars you have mentioned in your post, I suggest you consider the Audi S8.
TM
Yes. Especially considering you don't even like the ride quality. These cars are not designed to be like the Honda Accord that you keep for 10 years. I think part of the reason they have such epic depreciation is because there's an assumption that the servicing costs are going to be brutal. As is often said, there is no such thing as cheap Ferrari, no matter what the window sticker is. My Audi shop has $100/hr servicing rates. I'm sure Bentley's are much higher.
To me the Spur is just kind of a glorified Phaeton, right down to its outdated Phaeton electronics. I don't get the feeling from a Spur or Continental GT that I do from much slower cars like the Maserati QP and GT, or Aston DB9, or even the Panamera. The Maseratis and Aston are much prettier, and the Panamera is more interesting, and will handle a thousand times better than the uber-heavy Bentleys.
The car most likely to be a trouble free companion for 100K miles is a Lexus LS. If I were going to keep a big luxo cruiser for that long, that's what I would be buying. I've been very happy with my S6 and I've had no problems with it, but its gone when the warranty is up, though I'm not sure what the replacement is yet. Its 100K servicing costs aren't an issue, as I suspect they are not to most Audi owners.
If the LS simply isn't an option, my next choice would probably be a CPO S8 or W12 that I'd keep for 3-4 years or so, and then move on. A new 750i xDrive isn't a bad choice because of the very low ownership costs, but I still wouldn't keep one past the warranty.
This way, you get to change shoes again in 2011. :shades:
Regards,
OW
But here's what happened:
A UFO kidnapped me and dropped me off somewhere in Argentina where I was embraced for many months by a vivacious and senusuous tango woman who would just not let me go.
OK, ok that excuse could have been used by a South Carolinan politician but I guess it wont work here or with my wife.
Now here's the truth and nothing but the truth which in fact more shocking than my UFO excuse.
I HATE CARS!
Yes folks that is the truth. After the #@***!!!! experiences with my BMW 335i I feel de-sensitized from any emotions with respect to cars. None whatsoever.
So how do I feel about that?
Here's the truth which of you fellows may hate. I feel great!!!
Tomorrow I am selling my dream machine BMW 335i and picking up instead my spanking new Arctic White Microwave called the 2010 Prius. I have never felt better because now I have escaped that perpetual treadmill called the "New Car Syndrome". Everytime I bought a new car I always anticipated what my next car will be in the future and became obsessed with that future car even during the first day of buying a brand new car. That my friends is sort of like having Argentinian fantasies during your wedding night.
Tomorrow I couldn't care less what my next car will be after the Prius. And that folks in itself feels refreshing since I am no long enslaved by that "distant future car" that has always ruled my life.
I know the wonders of being enthusiastic about cars and I dont mean to be judgemental towards anybdody within this forum who has such enthusiasms. All I want to say is that life without being a car enthusiast is equally wonderful if not better.
As a side note, do you agree with me that the new E Class with its AMG-ish front end is going to hurt new S sales and lower the prices of used S's??
Well, well, if it isn't the return from who knows where!
Welcome back to Hotel California, as you once told me after I made a lengthy departure.
Let me just say that I know darned well you have emotions surrounding your new Prius. The first G3 Prius I ever saw in real life on the road happened yesterday... a white one. I like it better than the previous model by far.
A part of me was jealous... that [non-permissible content removed] was driving one of the latest high-tech cars in the world, getting at least 50 mpg, and merrily rolling along at 75+ mph on California's Highway 5. What could I do? Blow by him with my twin turbos? I knew it wouldn't matter to him, because he was happy in his Prius as he passed all the gas stations on his trip South. All his passengers were supremely comfy and he didn't need to compete with anyone.
I'd have to say he was content... as you now are. Content and satisfied with your new car. You love your Prius, and we all know it, because of all the posts that preceded your purchase.
I applaud you. You have evolved and matured in your perspective of automobiles and their role in this world. Yours is more of a cognitive enthusiasm. Me? I'm still a kid at heart and need to step on the gas and have some silly fun on the roads, and connect to some good feelings behind the wheel... less cognitive and more emotional. Nothing wrong with that either.
But... I repeat... you do NOT hate cars. You love your Prius... as you should.
Congratulations Dewey. I am glad for you. Truly.
Please tell me your impressions of your Prius after you have driven it for a while.
TM
I was under the impression BIG wants AWD... therefore I put the S8 in first position on my recommendation to him. Perhaps I misunderstood?
TM
Right. LS460 AWD, or LS460L AWD.
Yeah, I know. It's too bad Mercedes doesn't make AWD versions of their AMG cars, as the AMG S class has always had steep depreciation, and an S63 would close the acceleration gap significantly. An '08 is less than $90K.
For me, I just can't imagine a situation where I would need more than the S8's 450hp. The S8 also looks crisp and modern compared to the somewhat (IMO) bulbous and doughy Spur, and the Spur's interior reminds me too much of the bad old days that Jaguar will be leaving behind with the new XJ. The materials are very nice sure, but there's too much of that "ye olde Arnage" look in there.
Regardless, I don't think Spur is a good purchase. Sure it looks cool, classy outside and so darn luxurious inside, but imagine the maintenance costs. Makes me shiver just thinking about it, and Spurs around my area (unlike it's sibling Continental GT) tend to have myriad minor problems. Minor in problem, hefty in price.
Just my 2 cents. :shades:
I know how you feel. Years ago I had simply had it with Mercedes and their service. I was done with what was at the time the luxury brand. I just wanted a spacious, comfortable car with big leather seats that would work like it was supposed to, and a dealer service department that did not act like they were doing me a favor by pretending to fix my car yet again.
The LS400 was that car. Sure it looked boring and was boring, but it got the job done, day in and day out. An XJ or 7 would've been just as likely to be a nightmare as my Mercedes, and I wasn't willing to go down that road again.
I was satisfied with the LS and its LS430 replacement for quite awhile, but eventually I wanted a bit of fun from my daily driver again. I'm still generally not interested in Mercedes products (partly because of my history with them and partly because I just don't like their designs), and I suspect you may feel the same towards BMW for quite awhile.
However, you may find in 5 years, 10 years, or sometime down the line as I did, that you have an interest in cars again and the Prius is no longer enough.
I am shocked at your perspective. I would have thought that the requirement for AWD would have put the Audi S8 so far at the top, it would have ruled out an LS entirely... yet you put the LS on top of the S8. Personally, I admit I did not consider an AWD LS to be a worthy AWD candidate anywhere near the same league as an S8. Heck, I even thought about BMW AWD, but I still put the S8 first.
Interesting you recommended an LS. After you bought your own LS, you eventually needed more than it could deliver. I usually understand your point of view, but I don't get it this time.
I still think the S8 is the obvious standout recommendation,... by a country mile. The S8's exterior style, interior style, and performance all blow the LS off the map.
TM
Well, I ranked them first and foremost in order of what I think would be the smartest choice for somebody who wants to keep the car 8-9 years and for 100K miles. AWD really isn't even a factor in that equation. If somebody says to me: "I wan't to buy a full size luxury car, and I want to keep it for 10 years, what should I buy?" my answer is going to be Lexus LS every time.
It's not my favorite car, or what I would buy, or anything like that. And I certainly recognize that the S8 kills it in just about everything - except long term durability. Over a typical 3 year or even an extended 6 year ownership period the rankings would be very different. When we're talking 10 years and 100K miles though, long term durability becomes very important.
If I were going to buy an S8, it would be a two year old CPO, I'd keep it for four years, and then sell it. Partly because I wouldn't want to own one out of warranty, and partly because Audi has stuff coming up like the A7 and the D4 generation A8, and I'd be looking to trade up.
TM
Hahaha. The boring choice starts to look pretty attractive when the S8 turns into Dewey's 335i a year out of warranty. That's the risk, and why I think the best route is to let the S8 lose $30K of value before buying it, drive it for 3-4 years, and repeat the process. That way you still get to have a fun car, minimize the risk, and get a car with reasonably fresh shocks, weather seals, etc. Also, super pricey items like the $6K B&O stereo are essentially worthless in the CPO cars, which is definitely a nice bonus.
June 3 (Bloomberg) -- Bayerische Motoren Werke AG’s U.S. chief said its BMW brand, leading Toyota Motor Corp.’s Lexus in U.S. sales through May, has a “good opportunity” to unseat the Japanese automaker as the top seller of luxury autos.
“It is a good opportunity for us to obtain No. 1 this year,” Jim O’Donnell, president of BMW of North America LLC, said in a Bloomberg Television interview today. “I think there is a good possibility that we will do that.”
Lexus has held the top spot in annual U.S. luxury sales since 2000. A loss of that ranking would be another blow for Toyota City, Japan-based Toyota, which posted its first full- year loss in 59 years for the period that ended in March.
Full article: Luxury Lead
Regardless of the perceptions, BMW seems to have a better formula. Lexus is tops on quality but not even close with performance. Lexus is following close to Buick and better make some changes....FAST. :mad:
Toyota is a hurting corp. at this time. Hyundai has the best marketing campaign of any car firm out there. Now they want to lock in customers at $2.49/gallon of gas guaranteed as they bet the price will rise to $3.00/gal. in the U.S.
Pretty savvy stuff on top of the assurance program. They are leading and others merely following. BMW at least gives free maintenance before you have to dump the cars! Lexus would do well to follow that immediately.
Regards,
OW
Well, LG, then THAT sounds like a MUCH better recommendation than the LS. 100,000 miles in superb increments.
BTW, AT&T cell coverage absolutely sucks here in Malibu. Going to the Sprint store today or tomorrow. Might have to settle for the Pre. Don't know what else to do.
TM
Their entire lineup is uninteresting, and many of their cars are not as reliable as they used to be. Lexus is getting squeezed on all sides. The Germans have made massive improvements to their overall quality in the last few years, Infiniti can match them on reliability with cars that are actually fun to drive, and they've been embarrassingly slow to enter many segments.
Doh. Since my E90 is unlocked and I'm long out of contract, I could hop on to T-mobile tomorrow if I wanted to. Going to Sprint or Verizon though would unfortunately mean a new phone.
It could be worse though. I think the Pre will eventually shape up to be a decent platform. A beta version of the SDK was just released, so applications should start showing up in earnest by the end of the year. Verizon's got nothing. I think the Storm is awful, and besides that there's an upcoming Bold clone and some mediocre WM phones.
Wow, I envy you a lot. I actually ended up renting a car on this vacation to avoid having to pilot my mother-in-law's Prius for the week we are here. She loves the car and its been pretty much dead nuts reliable. My life would be so much less complicate if I was just willing to succumb to the slushbox transportation pod mentality (which would probably also better align with my budget) but I can't do it. I think its great that others can!
Nice turn of phrase.
However, the concept of the car as an appliance seems to work nearly every time it's tried. Zero input of any kind -- oil checking (who needs a stinkin' dipstick?) & gear shifting (who cares what gear I'm in?), plus tire pressure monitoring & no spare.
We're a dying breed, 'boy.
Finally, over a vehicle's service lifetime its position in the duty roster changes. As a couple's third car it may see only weekend use. Or it goes to the beach house for 6 months a year.
Just a thought.
I think you certainly put your finger on the real cost--depreciation--I have decided not to get an extended warranty on either the BMW or Audi...Both have been excelent cars well maintained, and there should be no reason for them to have some major breakdown...I`l see..
I almost got the Bentley Continental, and think it a very attractive car, that four years ago didn`t cost as much as they are asking now...Still very steep depreciation, which makes a person think before they jump again....Over on the Audi d3 board there is a person named Bruce that buys cars for certain people , and I think you may find his service to be reasonable if you do not buy from a dealer...Good Luck with your decision...Tony
So true, & yet not widely understood or appreciated. This is why non-business leasing has always struck me as financially senseless. You're buying the most expensive portion of a car's life - the early years, when depreciation is most costly - in return for the purported peace of mind of warranty protection. Those big post-warranty repair bills that you're afraid of are a possibility, but depreciation is a certainty.
In effect, you're paying $1.25 (or more) today to avoid paying $1.00 tomorrow.
It depends on the car. There's no way I'd buy a brand new S8 or XJR. These cars lose buckets of money in their first two years, and with CPO programs and extended warranties and such you can still enjoy a lightly used example while saving $30K or more, and have the piece of mind that if the Jag's supercharger fails, you're not on the hook $6K for a new one.
On the other hand, when we got the X3, BMW was subsidizing the leases so heavily that it was the only option that made sense.
Gas Futures Tumble
Tsakos Energy Navigation Ltd. Chief Executive Officer Nikolas Tsakos today said 60 million barrels of refined oil products are being stored on ships at sea.
“That volume at sea is going to weigh on the market come winter,” said Lipow.
Regards,
OW
BTW - Brought the Infiniti in for service and my keyless entry key fob device was low on battery power. I'm not even sure how I check this on the GL450 or LS460L. I now realize what that battery signal on the dash means when I turn on the G. In the past I noticed it but never really looked long or hard enough to see that it was giving you a battery charge level on the keyless entry key fob. If that battery dies on you can you still get in the car? and if you do can you start it with that key fob in the ignition? These are little details I never thought about or read up on, nor were they pointed out by Infiniti, Lexus or MB dealers on car delivery.