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Luxury Lounge

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Comments

  • tayl0rdtayl0rd Member Posts: 1,926
    At the risk of being sacrilege, when it comes to in-car electronics systems, Ford's SYNC (with the Nav option) blows everything out there away. It's simply amazing. All the luxury brands could take a class from the SYNC developers.
  • skarieskarie Member Posts: 78
    Next Infiniti M and G to share platform with Mercedes-Benz E Class

    Renault-Nissan and Daimler recently announced a strategic alliance that promised technology and facility sharing that could result in the saving of over $1 billion per year. We'll have to wait a while before we can see any parts or factory sharing, but that isn't stopping the rumormill from running rampant.

    The latest tease comes courtesy of Japanese enthusiast rag Best Car, which claims that the Infiniti M and G will share a common platform architecture with the Mercedes E-Class. The move would make sense from a money-saving perspective, as Infiniti could save hundreds of millions of dollars in development costs. Daimler could reap huge sums of savings through increased economies of scale, while likely receiving funding from Renault-Nissan to help pay for the costs of developing the architecture. The two companies are reportedly also looking into sharing engines, factory space in the U.S. and possibly even commercial vans.

    But while it makes sense for Daimler to share the E-Class platform with Infiniti from a cash standpoint, we're taking this bit of news with a healthy dose of skepticism. Infiniti already has an excellent rear-wheel drive platform and there's a good chance that it's cheaper to build. But then again, if Daimler and Renault-Nissan are truly serious about saving over $1 billion per year, these are exactly the kinds of parts-sharing agreements that will help them reach their cost-saving goals.
    link title
  • lexusguylexusguy Member Posts: 6,419
    I don't get the big deal with that. So what if they still come with cassette decks? I happen to like that fact. There are millions of people out there with old tapes that they still enjoy listening to. That "abandon old technology even though it's still viable"

    I'm sorry, but the cassette deck is not still viable. Why not have an in dash turntable? People are actually buying vinyl. Nobody is buying music on cassette. What I expect to see in a new car is A2DP Bluetooth stereo streaming for mobile phones, hard drive space (and more than the minimal 9GB or so in most cars, it should be 30GB+) and USB jacks for thumb drives and such.

    If you want to be able to hear your tapes in the car, just plug a Walkman or a home cassette player into a computer, and digitize it into an MP3. As far as I'm concerned, in-dash cassette players belong in cars like the Grand Marquis. If that's the image Lexus wants to have that's fine, but I won't be buying their cars.
  • jimbresjimbres Member Posts: 2,025
    Sorry, LG, but as my late sainted mother would say, you're making a mountain out of a molehill.

    Would the presence of a tape deck really stop you from buying a car that you genuinely liked? Of course it wouldn't. If it did, you'd be a low-grade flaming idiot.

    It just so happens that you don't particularly care for the current Lexus lineup, & you've decided to make an issue out of one rather insignificant feature.

    Disliking Lexus cars because they're uninspiring & no fun to drive (as I well know because my wife drives one) makes perfect sense. Those would be my reasons for not buying one. But disliking them because they haven't abandoned the cassette deck -- if that is, indeed, your chief gripe against the brand -- is just plain silly.
  • circlewcirclew Member Posts: 8,666
    edited May 2010
    Well, you might not buy one because it had a tape deck but it sure should raise some flags that there might be some REAL old tech that might kill you!! Brand regardless!

    UA, Anyone?? :surprise: :surprise:

    Regards,
    OW
  • jimbresjimbres Member Posts: 2,025
    FYI: you used 3 exclamation marks to cap your 1st 2 sentences, OW, & 2 question marks to end your 3rd sentence. The only other Edmunds poster who punctuates like that is Rocky.

    So either you & Rocky are the same person or you both use the same cheap Chinese keyboards.

    Just wanted you to know that I was paying attention.
  • lexusguylexusguy Member Posts: 6,419
    edited May 2010
    But disliking them because they haven't abandoned the cassette deck -- if that is, indeed, your chief gripe against the brand -- is just plain silly.

    Of course that's not my chief complaint. I have significant problems with their designs, their materials choices, their lack of interest in driving dynamics, and their failed hybrid strategy.

    What bugs me about the cassette decks isn't really even the stale technology itself. It's the laziness behind it. The cassette decks are still there because Lexus is lazy. They let the previous GS sit on the market for nearly a decade because they are lazy. They have done the same thing with the SC for the same reason. The SC still has a cassette deck because Lexus never bothered to update the interior. All they had to do was replace the head unit, but that's too much to ask, apparently.

    Infiniti replaces the G and M with lighting quick frequency. Lexus lets their cars sit, and age. They don't seem to care.

    Edit: I stand corrected! I just looked at the Lexus website, and it appears that the tape decks have finally been banished in the '10 cars. In the SC it's pretty obvious that they just blanked out the space where the deck used to be, but hey, progress is still progress. Still have no interest in their cars.
  • circlewcirclew Member Posts: 8,666
    edited May 2010
    FYI: I would NEVER buy a car current gen car with a cassette deck! (Rock might, however, only if it was made by Government Motors.)

    One exclamation mark. Any ?'s? ;)

    Go Hyundai! Korean...just like my tires.

    Regards,
    OW
  • jimbresjimbres Member Posts: 2,025
    FYI: I would NEVER buy a car current gen car with a cassette deck!

    Why not? (I won't ask you what "car current gen car" means.) If you liked everything else about the car - ride, handling, acceleration, ergonomics, styling, price, etc. - why on earth would you allow the presence of a tape deck to stop you from buying it?
  • circlewcirclew Member Posts: 8,666
    edited May 2010
    Because the presence of a tape deck means one of the following: the engineers are throwbacks, the brand is problematic (marketing to the wrong demo) or they don't care about advancements in technology (playing to repeat customers only). It would be a red flag.... unless it looked like this, that is! Red color but damn the cassette deck. ;)

    Unless it was used and saving 30%, why pay full price when you can store 15,000 songs on an on-board drive? (only used one QM to prove I'm NOT "The Rock")

    image

    Even at that, they should hide the cassette deck under the seat, at least. Might as well have a reel to reel. Sheesh! Put out the flag! they finally took it out at Lexus. As was previously mentioned, Lexus/Toyota is eerily becoming quite GM-like lately. Honda/Acura as well. :sick:

    That's just me,,,one should float one's own boat, err, I mean Ark. :blush::blush:

    Regards,
    OW
  • blckislandguyblckislandguy Member Posts: 1,150
    If anyone needs any data to convince a spouse that a Porsche 997 might be a good idea, take a look at Edmunds TCO calculator. A 2007 Porsche 911 with AWD is less expensive to own for five years than either a S550 4 Matic or a BMW 7 Series.

    Interesting stuff.
  • Kirstie_HKirstie_H Administrator Posts: 11,148
    I love the TCO for that reason - a cheaper car can actually be more expensive due to anticipated maintenance & repair costs. Not that my car is a luxury car, but I was dissuaded by detractors from buying my Infiniti instead of a Toyota, which had a cheaper purchase price. I've put regular maintenance $ in my Infiniti, but not one cent in repairs (same with my previous Infiniti). Others with the Toyota model I was considering have spent way more in repairs than I have, to the point where I would've spent more, overall, on the alleged "cheaper" vehicle.

    Now, if I can just convince my other half that what we REALLY need is another totally impractical vehicle, I'll be driving that 997 in no time.

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  • reality2reality2 Member Posts: 303
    What is IPL? "A new catalog of in-house developed upgrades which – according to the filing – will include everything from air filters to cat-back exhaust systems, and – more intriguingly – "automotive engine parts, namely turbochargers and superchargers." Most like Infiniti’s version of the Nissan’s Nismo and the F-Sport line for Lexus

    So the Japanese premium makes said they would never model their strategies after the Germans, but now Infiniti is doing something called "IPL" to mimick quattro GmbH, M-Werks, and AMG. May work in the US, but it won't work in the backyards of quattro, M, and AMG. I think Cadillac is going to do the same thing soon as well. The thing that the Japanese and Americans are forgetting (and hopefully they will learn and copy) is that quattro, M, and AMG are not just simply uptuning base models creating S/R/RS, M, and AMG versions, but they are responsible for the motor sports divisions of their respective marquees. This is the substance that the Japanese and American versions lack.
  • blckislandguyblckislandguy Member Posts: 1,150
    edited May 2010
    Kirstie, for a host you surprise me.

    The reason why a used Porsche is less expensive to own than an S Class or a 7 Series is there is less depreciation. The reason why a used Volvo wagon is very expensive to own is, again, depreciation. Depreciation is the biggest cost of ownership. Maintenance has little to do with it.

    The TCO calculator forces us to think not just about acquisition cost but also the difference between what we acquired it for and what someone will pay us for it in 5 more years. The difference between what we paid for something and what we later can sell it for is essentially the true cost of ownership of anything. We would have avoided a lot of the recent real estate bubble if people had considered this.
  • Kirstie_HKirstie_H Administrator Posts: 11,148
    Oh, I get that too... but I bought my last vehicle used, after someone else took the bulk of the depreciation hit. On the truck that we purchased, depreciation was more of an issue, as maintenance considerations for any truck of the vintage we bought are relatively the same.

    That aside, depreciation isn't what kills me on vehicles these days, as I tend to pound the living daylights out of them with mileage and usage, til they're worth only a fist full of dollars.

    TCO is a great tool for a variety of reasons. Then again, some of my purchases have clearly been made using the "I want it" tool, with complete disregard for TCO.

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  • anthonypanthonyp Member Posts: 1,860
    Spoken like a `true` human Tony
  • skarieskarie Member Posts: 78
    edited June 2010
    Lincoln

    Make no mistake, the most significant news coming out of Ford last week was not that the company was fading out Mercury, but that it was about to go "all-in" on Lincoln after years of spinning its wheels with its luxury brand and never really gaining any traction for it beyond maintaining what little momentum was already there in the market. And this while its crosstown domestic luxury rival – Cadillac – had at least made a noble attempt at reinventing itself over the last decade to muster a fight against Audi, BMW, Lexus and Mercedes-Benz, and with more than a modicum of success too.

    But I will caution that before too many conclusions are jumped to in this situation, it should be made clear that the parallels to Cadillac only go so far, because in reality Lincoln is in nowhere near as bad of shape as Cadillac was when GM made a commitment to jump-start its luxury division. At that time Cadillac was an amalgam of fits and starts, playing with Northstar V8 engines and flirting with improving driving dynamics on the one hand, while its dealers were clinging to the Vogue whitewall-vinyl “top hat” era on the other. And it wasn’t pretty.

    Ford management at least made sure Lincoln has had the latest corporate technology at its disposal in recent years, and a new design language was painstakingly established, two very crucial things for the brand going forward. So Lincoln is not starting completely from scratch by any means.

    But beyond that, the challenges with resurrecting Lincoln’s image and stature in the luxury market are monumental.

    Lincoln’s first task? Lincoln marketers must understand where the brand has been and where it is now – in very realistic terms, I might add – before they have a shot at figuring out where they want to go with it and what they want it to be when they launch it out of its now perennial “intermittent sophisticated luxury (sort of)” holding pattern.

    After all, where do you begin? Is Lincoln going to be going after the German luxury-performance dynamic - like Cadillac has tried to do - albeit with a boldly American design presence? Or is it going to wimp-out and align itself with the “blissfully unconscious” school of luxury that Lexus has called its own for going on decades now? Or what about taking aim at Audi’s hard-won positioning as the sophisticated, technology-laden, thinking person’s ideal of advanced German luxury-performance?

    What would I do with Lincoln? Well, first of all, I wouldn’t do any of the above. It’s fine to be soberly aware of your competitors and their strengths, weaknesses and capabilities, but it’s quite another to get lost in “chasing” another competitor’s persona. That’s nothing but a dead-end road filled with abject disappointment.

    No, Lincoln has to carve out a new identity all its own, not only keeping in mind that that its name has been part of the American fabric for decades, but also being very aware that for many its current image and reputation are nonexistent, or at best wrapped-up in the black sedans of the livery trade.

    The “new” Lincoln must have a bold and unmistakable design presence. Its new design “face” – the one that is slowly making its way throughout the current Lincoln lineup - can only be a starting point. From there I want the words “dramatic” and “stunning” to be instantly associated with the brand. There should be no mistaking that it’s a new Lincoln on the road, no matter what segment it is.

    As for technology, if I was running Lincoln I’d want all of it. Lincoln must be the “tip of the technological spear” for the Ford Motor Company in every respect. That means Lincoln must have state-of-the-art dynamic capabilities, advanced electronic capability and connectivity, the very latest in safety technology, and a concentrated emphasis on overall operating efficiency, with the advanced and sophisticated drivetrains that are required to be taken seriously in this market.

    Read more link title
  • jimbresjimbres Member Posts: 2,025
    As long as you're posting a link to an article, there's no need for you to also copy & paste the text from the same article. The link by itself is all that we need. We can take it from there.

    Interesting article, though. Thanks for the link.
  • skarieskarie Member Posts: 78
    Np
  • skarieskarie Member Posts: 78
    edited June 2010
    Apple vs Goggle

    link title
  • qneshycutieqneshycutie Member Posts: 1
    I love that color pink...it is so pretty. Is there anyway you could get me the color code? Please........it sure be on the inside of the door if it's not custom painted. I'm getting my car paint monday from gold to candy purple but after seeing this photo I think I've changed my mind. Write me back as soon as you can. Thanks
  • anthonypanthonyp Member Posts: 1,860
    Hi

    I just got back from our dealer, and again saw your car, s5 in a grayish blue silver...I think you got the best of the lot , and that car has sure grown on me...Stay in touch Tony
  • rockshocka1rockshocka1 Member Posts: 310
    Hi Tony!

    Color preference is up to the individual, but I'm with you on this. Meteor Gray is my fave, & I'm glad I changed my mind before the car went into production. My original order was for the standout blue that I can't remember the name of. I think I would have stuck out more than I'm comfortable with & probably tire of the color.

    It's been a fantastic car for over 20k miles, with no unscheduled service appointments. There is high probability I will keep this car past warranty, unless things start to fall apart the next 20k miles. It'll need new tires at 25k, but that's 5k more than I thought I'd get.

    Got a couple paint chips on the hood, but that's to be expected when you drive 526 as much as I do with all the rocks the big rigs kick up.

    Since you are warming up to the car, you might want to put the upcoming A7 on your list. Just tell the back passengers to duck their heads upon entry. I'm very fortunate to not need 4 doors, so I can enjoy the sexy beast the S5 is.

    Hope you are doing well, nice to hear from you.
  • anthonypanthonyp Member Posts: 1,860
    I always liked the s5, just now when I get to see it again up close, it is outstanding...My 8 really has been the most trouble free car I have ever owned, and that is a compliment to it....I look forward to the new one coming, but what I have learned from you, if it is just electronics, then everything will be obsolete in nothing flat, so I sure won`t fall into that trap....Tony
  • clemboclembo Member Posts: 253
    Tony - I am on my second A8 and both have been great. The lease on my current car expires on Sept 30th, so I am looking forward to getting the new 2011 by then.
  • lexusguylexusguy Member Posts: 6,419
    Ouch. The last gen 5 lost out to the M a few times in previous C&D comparos, so it's perhaps not a huge surprise that it once again lost to an M. Getting trounced by the A6 though? A 2005 design on death's door? Yikes. Not good.
  • anthonypanthonyp Member Posts: 1,860
    Which one are you thinking about----regular or long, ?? People say it is something when seen in the flesh, so I want to see it first......I also understand that to get the wood vs the aluminum highlight you have to get the long....

    I just watched the building of a Rolls, and my what alot goes into that car...It`s not my thing, but for those that it is, a really well built car...In person it is huge...Tony
  • clemboclembo Member Posts: 253
    I wll get the regular version, I too want to see it first, my dealer says that they are getting their demo in July. I have been looking at the order guide as you have, it is still a bit confusing on some of the interior features, I prefer wood over aluminum so your point is something that I need to get solved.

    I did look yesterday at the new Jag, it is pretty nice, the interior seems a bit cramped, but well done, I didn't drive it.
  • anthonypanthonyp Member Posts: 1,860
    I have been told you could get any outside color you wanted for an extra fee....If by chance you could order an interior the way you wanted it, with a leather and wood, then I do believe I would just stick with Audi, if it wern`t too expensive :)...The a8 has not aged as far as I am concerned, even after more than four years...My first experience with this development....In fact there really isn`t a reason to change , so the new one will have to be really nice....

    I further think I would get an electric -combo-, if that were available....Something is going to have to give with the gasoline situation, but the obsolescence factor would then raise it`s `ugly` head....Tony
  • skarieskarie Member Posts: 78
    Tesla Motors

    Let’s start with the whole Tesla Motors charade. As in are you kidding me? Really? The frenzy going on out there right now for the Tesla IPO is simply stupefying. Are people really that gullible, naïve, flat-out stupid, etc., etc., enough to talk themselves into going “all-in” on a glorified kit car company that has managed to cobble together 1,000 wildly overpriced $100,000 sports cars for sale in the entire history of the company? And that has managed to lose $246 million over the last three years while doing it? And now they want to raise money in an IPO to allegedly – and I mean that in the strongest possible terms – build a new “Model S” that will supposedly be “affordable” at $50,000 and will instantly transform the auto industry overnight?

    Remember the old adage that there’s a sucker born every minute? Memo to all of you out there screwing yourselves into the pavement while chomping at the bit to get a piece of the action: Welcome to the Club.

    A Club, by the way, that was unfortunately endorsed by the rumbling, bumbling, stumbling idiots in our Federal government at the Department of Energy who ponied-up a staggering $465 million loan to Tesla so they could build a Shiny Happy Green factory that would build Shiny Happy Green Smiley cars someday that will more likely than not never see the light of day, at least not in the volumes that anyone is dreaming about anyway.

    link title
  • anthonypanthonyp Member Posts: 1,860
    Hola Jose

    I sure am pulling for Spain to take the `cup` Just thinking of you :) Tony
  • jlbljlbl Member Posts: 1,333
    Hi Tony, always my pleasure reading your posts. Missing this forum in its older version, BTW. Thinking of Pat from time to time, too.

    I watched the semi-final against Germany in my daughter's place in Barcelona with all her friends. Great time. Tomorrow I'll drive to watch the final at home. Enjoy it! Of course, I'm wishing La Roja 'mucha mierda' for tomorrow. A por ellos.

    Nothing to say on Luxury cars however. In my CarSpace Albums, I've put a pic of a Fiat Panda 4x4 on duty as a small community police car in Sardinia Island, Italy. Early this week I was there invited because of my job whilst taking advantage to spent a few-day holidays with my wife. You can see that my recovering from the ski accident is going pretty well.

    Best regards (to you and to all other usual posters here),
    Jose
  • anthonypanthonyp Member Posts: 1,860
    I couldn`t read your response due to it being cut off....It was nice to read what I could, though and assume you are recovering nicely.....I too miss Pat and the posts here about different cars....Merc must be somewhere, and I am afraid something happened to Howard---Mr H -- to me :)....later Tony
  • anthonypanthonyp Member Posts: 1,860
    Congratulations ....A very exciting ending...:) Tony
  • jimbresjimbres Member Posts: 2,025
    Please show rajan84 to the door.

    Thanks.
  • jimbresjimbres Member Posts: 2,025
    edited July 2010
    Re msg. 22055: would you please show frank147 the door? He's posted this link in at least 8 discussions today.

    Thanks.
  • blckislandguyblckislandguy Member Posts: 1,150
    edited July 2010
    A quick scan of the Bimmer option and price list is interesting and maybe revealing. A 7 Series has a list price of roughly 85K depending upon if it is the standard or LWB model. Then the fun begins. Did you want a heated steering wheel? Oh, well that's bundled in with rear seats, room for a ski sack and a couple of other unrelated things.

    Maybe you like the idea of a full leather interior, a la Porsche? Yep, the upscale full leather interior will cost you $7700 or so and include such unrelated components as 20" wheels with performance tires. To anyone who lives north of Richmond, VA running 20" wheels with summer tires mean that either you are going to not get home many a winter night or you are going to have to pop for a TireRack winter wheel and tire package. This option also includes a four inch wide piece of chrome running across the back of the trunk that reads "BMW Individual". Your employees or patients are going to love it when you pull in to the office with that on the back. Why not just wear a T Shirt with a target on the back?

    These are just two examples of product planners run amok with bad packaging decisions. They seem like poorly disguised efforts to simply extract more money from the customer without adding any more "value add". (Twenty inch tires to most people would have a negative value and certainly no connection with their proclivity to spend more money on an up-fitted interior. )

    Your Mileage May Vary, as the NevadaBanker used to say years ago.
  • james27james27 Member Posts: 433
    I entirely agree, the packaging choices are a dealer convenience, not a user one. The same vehicle in Germany can generally be ordered a la carte. They still offer packages, which often can save money if you want most of the pieces, but you still have the ability to order what you want with few exceptions. If you are going to order one, I say, let us order it the way we want! Not the way some marketeer says makes sense to them.

    My biggest bug-a-boo is forcing a sunroof on people. The cars offered in Europe, generally have that as an option, and the cars have generous headroom without one. But, for someone like me who is long-waisted, forcing the sunroof on us just means that most models don't fit. Irks me greatly that it narrows my choices so much. At least with bigger wheels, you can change them to something with enough sidewall to make it through a pot-holed winter and have some traction, but you can't get more headroom once the sunroof is there.
  • blckislandguyblckislandguy Member Posts: 1,150
    I don't even think that these packages make sense to the factory marketeers. Rather they are a way of bundling things to extract the max $$ from the customer. Take, again, my example of the new, full leather interior option on the 7 Series BMW. I think that they figure that they can get an extra 7K from people by offerring a "custom" interior provided they throw in some other goodies like 20" bling type wheels and tires and chrome door jams that say "BMW Individual". If offerred a la carte they probably realize that no one is going to pay more than a $1500 up charge for better and more leather.

    I agree on the issue of headroom. This is a very popular option when offerred as an option and standard on most lux sedans. Curiously enough, I rarely see anyone with one open. Thats an expensive way to allocate $1200.
  • james27james27 Member Posts: 433
    The panoramic sunroof that is standard on the GT in the USA cost $1400 Euros (over $2k, not counting the taxes) in Germany. As you might imagine, it is optional there on all of the models. Personally, I don't want that heavy piece(s) of glass, motor, tracks, etc. up there, the loss of headroom, the potential leaks and squeaks, and I was told, higher insurance premium for something I didn't want in the first place. One dealer told me they always try to order loaner cars without a sunroof, as the insurance premium is less. Don't know if that is universal, but another piece of breakable glass certainly seems like it might be a liability.
  • jimbresjimbres Member Posts: 2,025
    LG -

    IIRC, your wife is currently driving an Audi Q5. Is she happy with it? What are your thoughts?

    For reasons related to health (recent major surgery), I'm beginning to think the unthinkable: replacing my beloved 330i with an upscale, compact SUV. And despite my horrific experiences with Audi back in the 1980s, I'm drawn to the Q5. It's just the right size, & the cabin seems like a great place in which to spend some time. I've also looked at (but haven't driven) the GLK-350. I didn't particularly like it; it seems to me that MB has cheaped out on the interior. Also, the GLK's back seat is harder to get into, & there isn't as much legroom as there is in the Q5.

    For 2011, the Q5 is available with the 2.0 turbocharged FSI direct injected 4 coupled to an 8-speed transmission. What are your thoughts about this?

    As always, your comments would be greatly appreciated. What else would you look at in this market segment? I'm also considering Infiniti's EX35, which will come with a 7-speed for 2011.
  • circlewcirclew Member Posts: 8,666
    Would you consider the Acura RDX? Probably not upsacle enough but take a peek. ;)

    Regards,
    OW
  • jimbresjimbres Member Posts: 2,025
    It so happens that I was in an Acura showroom a few days ago & I looked at the RDX. Unfortunately, I also looked at the MDX, which has a much nicer interior. Once you've sat in an MDX, you'll pretty much stop thinking about the RDX. It's really too bad, because the RDX is exactly the right size for me; the MDX is too big, & I don't need the 3rd row.

    I wish that Honda would upgrade the RDX's interior to the level of the MDX. Most of the people who buy the MDX now would still buy it because it's more spacious & has that 3rd row, so Honda wouldn't lose many MDX sales. At the same time, they'd certainly sell more RDXs.

    I might yet buy an Acura. I'm partial to Honda products because my experiences with them go back more than 35 years to my 1st Civic & have been uniformly good. But if I do that, I'll pick the MDX - not the RDX. The RDX is off my list. Acura would sell more of them if they didn't display them right next to the MDX.

    Actually, I think that the Honda CR-V in its top-of-the-line EX-L trim is more appealing & certainly a better value than the RDX. If you gave me the money to buy an RDX, I'd use some of it to pay for a CR-V EX-L & spend the rest on base pleasures of the flesh.
  • lexusguylexusguy Member Posts: 6,419

    IIRC, your wife is currently driving an Audi Q5. Is she happy with it? What are your thoughts?

    The Q5 has been great, and my wife is very pleased with it. Pretty much the exact opposite of how she felt about the X3 after it came back from the dealer the second time they tried to fix the infamous transmission in that car.

    When we bought the Q5, nothing else came close. The XC60's interior is cheap, fuel economy is poor, and the electronics are terrible. The GLK is tiny inside and very bland to drive, and it's also a gas hog. My wife wanted her friends to be able to sit comfortably in the back, which they could in the X3 and Q5. In the EX, not so much. Infiniti really blew the packaging with that car.

    The RDX can't come close to the Q5. The interior is about at the same level as the Volvo's. It's really not a luxury product. The power delivery is old school turbo, it's a bit laggy and uneven, and not refined. Like most of the others it also gets 16 or 17mpg, while my wife usually gets around 20 in her Q5.

    At this point, I think the only one with the potential to knock the Q5 off of its perch at the top of the class is the second gen X3. It's a bit roomier than the Q5 and has more cargo space, and its using the same ZF 8-speed that BMW is rolling out in the rest of their cars, as opposed to the piece of junk in the first gen. It seems like BMW has done a pretty good job, but it would be extremely difficult to get my wife to consider another X3, no matter how much better it is. Fool me once and all that.

    As for reliability, both my S6 and the Q5 have been fine. Audi Care isn't as good as BMW ultimate service, but it does cover most maintenance costs, and there haven't been any problems with either car. Since around '06-'07 Audi seems to be taking quality a lot more seriously than in the past.

    The 2.0T is definitely worth a test drive. The 3.2 is very smooth, but I'm sure my wife would be willing to trade that last ounce of refinement for a few more miles to the gallon.
  • jimbresjimbres Member Posts: 2,025
    Very helpful comments, LG, & much appreciated.

    I'm in no rush. For one thing, I have to sell 2 cars - my BMW & my '06 CR-V - before I buy anything. (I'd rather sell privately than trade. That way, I squeeze the maximum value out of my old car while also simplifying the new car buying process.) For another, I really want to see the new X3 before I make a decision. Nine years of nearly trouble-free service from my 330i have left me partial to BMW products. And, if I decide that I'm not yet ready for an automatic (almost all of my 40+ years of driving experience have been with sticks - I never really mastered automatics), then I'll have to go with the X3.

    Right now, it's the Q5 (today's favorite) vs. the upcoming '11 X3 vs. the MDX, which is really too big for this category but which wowed me with its interior.

    (You're right about the RDX. Around here, you see 5 MDXs for every RDX, even though the MDX is considerably more expensive. You'd think that someone at Honda/Acura would notice this & do something about it.)
  • lexusguylexusguy Member Posts: 6,419
    I'm surprised you were so impressed with the MDX's interior. I can't stand any Acura interior at this point. Acura charges over $50K for acres of wood like plastic, a button explosion center stack, and the same cheap feeling Honda parts bin steering wheel that they use in everything else they make. The EX has wood from trees at $35K.

    The Q7 is just in a different league on the inside.

    http://www.audipic.com/audi/2009/09/2010-Audi-Q7-3.jpg
  • jimbresjimbres Member Posts: 2,025
    My impression was that the quality of materials in the MDX was top drawer - certainly better than the stuff used in the RDX. If you order one of the packages - Technology or Advance - you get a better leather than you do on the base. The front seats were among the best that I've ever sampled, & I'm picky about seats.

    The controls were on the busy side but nothing that you couldn't master in a half day. The smallest buttons, in the center of the stack, control secondary audio functions that most people would use only occasionally. More frequently used controls - climate control, for example - are easy to see & use.

    I haven't driven the MDX - in fact, I haven't driven anything at all & don't plan to until I'm much closer to the actual buy date - but its car-like ride & handling have gotten rave reviews.

    For me, the MDX's biggest drawback is its size. We're empty nesters & we just don't need something that big. We certainly have no use for the 3rd row seat. We're also not DIYers - the most frequently used tool in my house is our checkbook - so we don't spend a lot of time at Home Depot stocking up on stuff. If I picked the MDX over the Q5, I'd be dragging around an extra 450+ pounds every time I fired up the car. That's the equivalent of 2 average mothers-in-law in the back seat.

    The Q5 is the perfect size for us. Although I'm shopping for me, I'm also mindful of my wife's preferences - she'll drive it in bad weather or when I'm drunk - & I know that she would be unhappy with something as big as the MDX (or the Q7, for that matter).
  • circlewcirclew Member Posts: 8,666
    edited August 2010
    I understand you concerns and agree. My CR-V-EX (which goes to my daughter in 6 months) is really the best value I've experienced so far. No leather fits her lifestyle at the moment.

    I am favoring the MDX for my wife to replace the '03 Yukon Denali in a few months. Funny how the resale value fluctuated from $10K in '09 at the height (depth) of the recession to over $15K today for the GMC. Makes a man smile! Didn't know regarding the upclass leather on the pkgs. Interesting.

    Anyway, try the CR-V EX-L only if you you you are light on the pedal straigtaway but you'll love it in the twisties. Damn near decent, I say! (upgraded the tires one size @ 23K, fit is perfect, response is outstanding with the stock set-up).

    AFAIC, you might have been half-joking about the CR-V but you'd be spot on perfect for your desire to keep your wife happy and blow away the value proposition vs. the RDX. It's really that good for the Ladies. My daughter thinks it's great and she drives me to the BMW dealer every week to see what's going on (good practice on the permit)! That says a lot! ;)

    For me, I'm following a friend who is trading in an '06 S-4 in a few months...

    Regards,
    OW
  • jimbresjimbres Member Posts: 2,025
    AFAIC, you might have been half-joking about the CR-V but you'd be spot on perfect for your desire to keep your wife happy and blow away the value proposition vs. the RDX.

    I have an '06 (last year of the previous generation) CR-V, & I really like what Honda has done with the current generation. It's a tidy little package that deserves its sales success. I for one prefer the CR-V's styling to that of the RDX.

    What Honda should do is take the CR-V, replace the I4 with a small displacement V6 & upgrade the interior with higher quality materials & more goodies, such as power passenger's seat, a killer sound system, etc. That would be more appealing than the current RDX. In my area, I see a half dozen MDXs for every RDX, even though the latter is much less expensive.

    For me, I'm following a friend who is trading in an '06 S-4 in a few months...

    Interesting. Very interesting. You must keep us posted.
  • jimbresjimbres Member Posts: 2,025
    LG, is your wife's Q5 equipped with factory navigation? According to Audi's build-your-own configurator, which hasn't yet been updated to reflect changes for 2011, the nav package costs a cool $3K extra.

    My gut tells me to skip this because (1) my new $220 (from Amazon) Garmin nuvi 765 has all of the navigational functionality that I need & (2) Germans just don't do electronics as well as the Japanese do, & factory nav is just 1 more thing to go wrong down the road. Unfortunately, you have to buy Audi's nav package to get a rearview camera, as far as I can tell.

    What are your thoughts?
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