Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!
Options
Popular New Cars
Popular Used Sedans
Popular Used SUVs
Popular Used Pickup Trucks
Popular Used Hatchbacks
Popular Used Minivans
Popular Used Coupes
Popular Used Wagons
Comments
Good choice! The G35 is great entry lux sedan.
I wouldn't have bought the 7-series with the 4.0L V8 in it either, even if it was a new engine.
HOw's your G35 equipped? Color? How much discount you get?
Frank
M
I've spoken with several owners of new 745's and while no one hated their car, no one professed undying love for it either. Lot's of electronic gremlins and complicated controls that clouded their driving and owning experience. Recent Merceded products have had their share of the electronic bugs, but their controls are straightforward and with close to 500 horsepower, I'd say the big Mercedes would be my pick as well, if I had 130k to spend.
As is, I just ordered new Pirelli's for my 740 and still think the used '98-01 740i/iL is the best deal out there on the pre-owned market.
M
M
then benz, with 745i on 100+mile/hr I was relaxed and admired BMW engineering while I start to feel the speed on Benz after 90 miles/hr.
I expected the Benz to win, but when I read C&D and there is a BMW in a comparo I assume it will win always....though there are better cars in the comparo (as in this case). This the rare instance their BMW lust didn't take hold.
M
I've just witnessed a brand new (3 month old) 745i parked right next to my 5'er burnt to the ground. The car's engine caught on fire RIGHT NEXT TO MY CAR as he was trying to pull out of the parking space of a shopping center for no apparent reason.
The fireman (came in 2 minutes after called. Good work!) after putting the fire out said that it is probably due to a bad electrical wiring. The owner of the 7, an asian man probably in his mid 50's, was almost crying as he saw his babied 7 go down in flames. Luckily, my car was fine except for the inches of dust that fell on the car from the fire.
I was aware of the electrical issues with the new 7's. But seeing it in person was an awakening experience. I've owned 2 BMW's during the last 7 years and I was dead set on purchasing another one. Today's incident TOTALLY made me change my plans.
WHen you purchase a BMW, they subscribe you the BMW magazine for free as a compliment to the owners. It almost always contain pictures of totalled BMW's with owner's letters thanking them how the car saved their lives. May be so. But it would be nice to see the totalled 7 with the owner face in shock in their magazine.
No matter how great the performance is, it is not worth the risk you are taking in terms of reliability.
I was never a fan of Toyota's (I used to despise them). But right now I think my hard earned dollars are probably going to go to Lexus the next time around. It just makes sense.
Everyone of these cars is up to auto excellence standards and I can't imagine that anyone of them will disappoint the buyer if bought for his/her desired automotive reasons. I've gotten used to great reliability so I'm spoiled by it. The fact that Lexus LS delivers the ride and quietness I love coupled with that reliability leads me back there.
I think autospies is 50% guess and 50% real on facts. I'm interested to see how accurate they are with the 2004 LS redo they talked up a while back. I did read it there first and it was quite a while before anyone else picked it up. By the way I'm curious as to what you thought of the GS redesign they showed. I thought it was a great looking car.
Lastly - where is the A8 redesign in the mix of S,LS,7 and A8? Is it first and in the lead or last and catching up. I always thought it was in the lead on the redesigns followed by MB, Lexus and BMW. If that is the case than you have to measure it vs. the redos of the other 3 as they come out. One great thing about the A8 is its scarcity. With only 2k a year sold here you are rather unique on the road when you drive one.
ljflx,
That board will never be the same without your participation!! Anyway I haven't seen the autospies picture of the GS redo. I'll have to look it up.
It's hard to say who is where with redoing their flagships. The A8 came out in 1994, but wasn't sold here until 1997. So it was out before all of the current S/7/LS models. I guess I don't look at it like that with Audi because the A8 had been around so long.....it's probably safe to say they've leapfrogged the current group of cars. It's a stunner. I want to hear about the RR Phantom the minute you take a look at it.
M
M
The magazine editors probably have their minds made up before any of their comparison tests begin, so it takes a very good car to over come their bias.
If you want to do a 50-50 deal I'll buy the Rolls with you. I'm sure neither one of us will mind driving it back and forth to where we live. By the way I like it more everytime I see it in pictures.
I'll post on the other board but not in a circular discussion where everyone has already made their points. I do agree with you on your BMW 7 "fire" point - its a quick jump to a conclusion that may be dead wrong.
If you check autospies for the GS take a look also at the S redesign for 2005 or 2006 they showed. I also thought it looked great though I saw a post on the S board - I believe - where someone said they didn't like it at all. It looked like a logical evolutionary design for the S so I thought it might be accurate. Let me know what you think.
Well you know I think the Range Rover is the best lux-suv on the planet. I personally don't like it's exterior mainly because of Civic-racer tailights and side fins...but the interior is off the chain. I know you think the TLC is the best so I'm really anxious to know what you think about the Range Rover.
I'll check those pics.
M
M
I remember before the last LS430 came out, they showed supposed pics of the 2001 LS430 and they rendered it as having a sloping rear deck like a Jaguar's. They were completely off the mark.
M
http://mbspy.bacosys.be/index2.html
Traffic has slowed considerably at this site for some reason. They were without question the best site for insight into Mercedes-Benz.
M
I was recently looking into this, and from 1993 to 1995 (think that's correct) BMW used a nickel alloy engine, called Nikasil. This alloy, combined with the relatively high sulphur content of gas sold in some US regions, hastened pitting of the cylinder walls. BMW extended the warranty, but if you buy it used, you're probably not going to be covered.
BMW evidently had some success with this engine/alloy in their motorcycle line. It did not translate well to automobiles, however.
TLC/LX470 - 235hp
Navigator - 300hp
Escalade - 345hp
Range Rover - 282hp
I clearly see the inferior engine in the Toyota products. You'll have to do a little better than "hearsay" as far as the RR having engine problems. It's the same engine as the current BMW 540i, thats been around since 1997 so I hardly think it's bug ridden now.
M
M
If I'm going to spend $60k plus on a vehicle I expect perfection or something real close to it. I think in the future you'll see that cars that don't live up to that will lose market share - MB included. People may look past things once but most don't get burned twice.
Sometimes (like in this case) I can't believe that you're seriously holding those two cases against such a fine and completely new vehicle. Since you already have what 3(?) Lexuses I think you should really check out something that isn't a Lexus. Live a little. Even I wouldn't have all Mercedes-Benzes if I were in your postion.
M
http://car.kak.net/modules.php?op=modload&name=news&file=- article&sid=1045
Set to take on the S-Class, 7-Series, A8 and XJ.
M
http://car.kak.net/bilder/maserati/maserati_quattroporte03s.jpg
http://car.kak.net/bilder/maserati/maserati_quattroporte02s.jpg
http://car.kak.net/bilder/maserati/maserati_quattroporte01s.jpg
Maybe I'll have to see it in person and get the full effect of mass and proportion, but right now, the XJ and S-Class are my picks for best looking cars in the class. I do like the Buick-like vents along the side (I'm not being sarcastic - I think they really jazzed up the Park Avenue and look good on the Quattroporte too). The way the doors meet the bottom of the car reminds me a little of the 7-Series though, along with the rather bland, blank sides themselves, and that's not a good thing.
http://car.kak.net/bilder/maserati/maserati_quattroporte04s.jpg
I really want to like the car, but it just doesn't seem "fresh" or "new" or inspiring enough from these pics to capture me yet. The Maserati coupe/convertible were already a few years old before they came here (well, the coupe and its general styling which transfered to the convertible that was new), and I had already seen the coupe in Europe with the different rear end styling - which was more unique and desireable than the U.S. version IMHO. This Quattroporte carries a lot of the same theme, and I find it a little dated already. The interiors I've seen elsewhere were beautiful though. I think I just have to become more accustomed to it, but Maserati's designes seem bland IMO. Just get a volumptuous Ferarri and be done with it, or a Jag or Merc.
http://car.kak.net/bilder/maserati/maserati_quattroporte05s.jpg
I do like the hood proportions and the way the A-pillars meet the body of the car - looks a little Aston Martin to me, but the rest of the exterior of the car dissappointed me.
Jagboyxtype, what do you think of the new A8?
M
CAR did a comparison that I gave a cursory glace at, but I did not read the whole article; just the captions for the pictures - and you know what car I was interested in within the group. Didn't the A8 win the comparison? I believe it did, and the Jag didn't do so badly either. They were rather harsh to the Bimmer, saying something along the lines of it trying to scare the Jaguar away with its ugly rear end, and at another point saying that although the XJ was following the 7 in the photo, the XJ was a superior vehicle. I didn't read much about the A8, and that might be its only flaw - it doesn't grab attention so much as the curvy Jag and sleek Mercedes (at least in photos) - even the 7, though not aesthetically pleasing in the traditional sense, grabs your attention. But that is the problem with photographs - the proportions and sheer mass of the vehicle do not come through to create the car's presence, and Audi's styling, being modernized, sporty-simplistic, relies a lot upon balance and dimension for its true effect. A lot of the beauty of the car is in its 3 dimensions.
For market shars, the other cars it is against also all have names that carry solid reputations: BMW is supposedly "the Ultimate Driving Machine" and the hot thing right now - it is known to be a great drive and technologically advanced to a perplexing degree; Mercedes is more luxury oriented but massively powerful and holds its own in terms of performance, it is to some the ultimate status car and is known to be solid all around with technology under every panel that doesn't confuse the driver like iDrive does, though Command may have to be learned for a few minutes; Jaguar, though with a bad rep for quality (despite being one of the top brands in terms of quality in reality), also carries a powerful name that to some is up there with Mercedes-Benz, it is slightly mysterious being that its numbers are more limited and its world class wood and leather interiors are iconic along with the leaping jaguar hood mascot - from its Le Mans racing history, the words "Jaguar" and "speed" have become synonomous, and the beautiful cars feature styling like no other - they also carry a reputation for having snooty drivers, but the repuation is half of the fun - they are ultra smooth with fantastic rides and perhaps the epitome of refinement. The A8 and Audi, however, are still developing a meaning as I'll call it, and while Audi has gotten a pretty good connotation, "A8" is not as widespread as "7-Series", "S-Class", or "XJ." Maybe this will be the A8 to solidify its name into widespread fame and acclaim; it seems like it is off to a good start.
M
M
The three BMW's that I owned (I still have a 2000 model), all have had numerous problems with them. The first was a '94 525i. I spent an extra $11,000 on the car fixing it after the car overheated and killed the engine. Plus, the glass fog lights kept breaking every few months whenever a small rock hit it. The second was a '00 323Ci. I had to replace the speakers, amplifier, wood trimmings, instrument cluster, outside temperature gauge and door moldings (twice). The 2000 328Ci that my wife drives has had the VANOS intake system, wood trimmings, and door moldings (twice also) replaced. The only reason I haven't traded it in is because my wife likes the way it looks and likes to drive cars until it is at least five years old. A BMW specialist told me recently that BMW's are not made to be owned more than 60,000 miles. They are sprinters; not marathon cars like Japanese vehicles.
I've been following the news about the 2004 Audi A8 L every since I first saw it at Autoweek.com. It's the best luxury sedan I have ever seen. I even sent AudiUsa.com an e-mail telling them how in love I was with it when I saw it. I wish that I could afford one, but not in this economy right now. Maybe someday.
For those of you who don't like Japanese luxury cars, I tell you this--no car, in general, will last as long and as easy to maintain as the Japanese brands. Many of my relatives and friends own them, and they all have never had any complaints about them. They may not look as good or drive as nice as the Germans, but they are fine cars if you intend to keep them for several years.
If there are any owners out there who like or dislike their luxury cars, please post on this board or e-mail me at dwongswong@yahoo.com telling me the likes and dislike about these fine cars. I want to know so that I can have an idea about what luxury car I want to get next. Also, if there is anyone who just got the 2004 A8, please let me know about your experience.
Thank you! And as always, drive safely out there.
M