Luxury like cars under $18,000

[fleabag]

Whatever, you don't have an S40.

Volvos are all the same nowadays.. I drive an S60 and while the engine and transmission haven't failed yet, I wouldn't be a surprised what with all the things that have been going wrong with the car..

 

[PricklyPete]

I have only driven 3.5L 300C's and 2.7L Charger...and all of them were junk in my opinion. The ride is not bad from a "luxury" standpoint, but with all of them they had crappy transmissions and really went down hill quickly (transmission issues plagued 2 of the 3 I have driven). Interior is fine for what it is...nothing spectacular...but not as bad as some are saying. It is no Audi or Lexus...but it works and has enough soft touch material to make it work.

The Lincoln LS would intrigue me...especially with the V8. I've never driven one, but I'd want to take on for a test drive to see how it handles.

I've liked the Saab's I've driven (BiL's 9-5, Sister's 9-3, and friend's 9-3), but I don't think I'd buy one. As far as "character"... I'd say it has the most...but it really depends on how you define character.

The G35 is definitely a great car...would likely be my pick of the list. May not have the most character, but makes up for it with handling and a sweet engine. And this is not a tarted up Maxima. It is a completely different platform (RWD vs. the Maxima's FWD) and tighter handling in my opinion.

The Hyundai is probably a "nice" car...but ugly in my opinion. The Volvo looks nice...but I've never heard great things about it...especially from people who own them...so I'd probably pass or just get a Mazda 3 which seems to be a much better version of that platform...and for a lot less.

I'd agree with Spidey to check out the last generation TL model. A lot of bang for your buck...although I would imagine they hold onto their value very well...so you might be getting something older than you want.

Have you tried a used BMW or Audi. They will definitely be more expensive to maintain..and are more likely to need to be maintained if the reliability data is to be believed... but they definitely drive very nicely. It's worth a try just to see if you enjoy the way they handle/perform.

 

[casiotech wants a new accord]

Really! You can't tell the difference in the accelaration between an iS250 and a G37? You mean there's no difference between 5.2s and 7.5s?
Also 20 years ago the most power the biggest muscle cars had was under 250hp?
Wow.The more I read your posts the more I smell bullshit. You have absolutely no idea what you're talking about.

is that right, how many hp does a 1993 mustang cobra have?

since you probably don't know, 235hp

and that was considered one of the fastest muscle cars 20 years ago

and yeah, i see ricers passing me left and right because they mash the gas on their 90hp pos cars and go faster than me.

just like i smoke 750s because those people just don't give a damn about speed.

my new car has about 60% more hp than my is250 but i feel maybe 15-20% faster and since the speed limit is 35mph 5.2s and 7.5s feel identical (0-35 would be ~3s vs 3.8s..which is pretty much unnoticeable in traffic)

so go smell your own bullshit

 

[zoiks]

is that right, how many hp does a 1993 mustang cobra have?

since you probably don't know, 235hp

and that was considered one of the fastest muscle cars 20 years ago

and yeah, i see ricers passing me left and right because they mash the gas on their 90hp pos cars and go faster than me.

just like i smoke 750s because those people just don't give a damn about speed.

my new car has about 60% more hp than my is250 but i feel maybe 15-20% faster and since the speed limit is 35mph 5.2s and 7.5s feel identical (0-35 would be ~3s vs 3.8s..which is pretty much unnoticeable in traffic)

so go smell your own bullshit

Yeah, except all the rancid smell is coming from your side buddy. I've driven an IS250 and find it anemic and can't even be compared to a G37. 5.2s compared to 7.5s says it all.

And really your highways are limited to 35mph? And if that's the case, why did you buy a G37 anyway? Don't know what your point is.

Yeah, the biggest old muscle cars were under 250hp for sure.
http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/foru...43-actual-horsepower-60s-70s-muscle-cars.html

 

[casiotech wants a new accord]

I bought it because of it's luxury and status.

I don't drive on the highways I drive on the streets because I live in a large metropolitan area and everything I need is around town (my 06 lexus has 16,500 miles)

Why are you showing me muscle cars from the 60s? I said 20 years ago not 50 years ago.. can you read?

The 455.72-cubic-inch (7,467.9 cc) 455 Buick V8 used a 4.3125" bore and a 3.90" stroke. It was produced from 1970 to 1976 and was based on the 400/430 V8. The regular Buick 455 was rated at 350 hp (261 kW), while the 455 Stage 1 was underrated at 360 hp (269 kW). In all actuality, the Stage 1 produced around 425 hp (317 kW). The regular 455 produced a rated 510 ft·lbf (690 N·m) of torque at 2800 rpm, more than any other muscle car engine. The horsepower was somewhat reduced in 1971 mainly due to the reduction in cylinder compression ratio, a change which was mandated by GM in order to cope with the introduction of new federal laws which would require new cars to use unleaded gasoline in an effort to reduce exhaust emissions.

Then, starting in 1972, the horsepower rating on paper would be reduced again, down to approximately 250 hp (190 kW), this time due to the new measurement of horsepower as SAE net horsepower, rather than a gross horsepower rating.

lolololololololololol

I wonder what the 0-60 is on all those old cars, probably piss poor compared to today's cars.

ETA:

Tom McCahill tested the car and recorded a 0-60 time of 9.5 seconds and a top speed of 110 mph. Again the car came with Buick's 280 hp 350-4 engine but now it was mated to the new Turbo 350 transmission.

rofl

 

[zoiks]

I bought it because of it's luxury and status.

I don't drive on the highways I drive on the streets because I live in a large metropolitan area and everything I need is around town (my 06 lexus has 16,500 miles)

Why are you showing me muscle cars from the 60s? I said 20 years ago not 50 years ago..

lolololololololololol

I wonder what the 0-60 is on all those old cars, probably piss poor compared to today's cars.

I'd reply back to you but you sound moronic enough. I'd encourage you to keep adding comments since bullshit only smells and never makes sense.

 

[casiotech wants a new accord]

good retort

you're so full of bs it's not even funny

and so is everyone who "thinks" they need over 250hp cars.

 

[ayabe]

I bought it because of it's luxury and status.

Poser.

 

[casiotech wants a new accord]

buying a new $36,000 car that doesn't make me a poser, that makes me the real deal

buying a few year old used luxury car (think 2002 acura) for $6,000 would make me a poser....

 

[ayabe]

buying a new $36,000 car that doesn't make me a poser, that makes me the real deal

buying a few year old used luxury car (think 2002 acura) for $6,000 would make me a poser....

I'd say someone labeling everyone else on this forum as a poser, followed with some wildly inaccurate claims, followed by an admission that you purchased your G37 for status reasons makes you the poser buddy.

 

[Vette73]

500hp or 300hp feels the same in traffic

my new g37 has 328hp over my is250 which has 206hp

i can't tell the difference, of course I don't drive hard.

just because a car has 2x as much horsepower doesn't mean the 0-60 will be 200% as fast. Maybe 20% 1.5s faster (3.7s on a m5 vs 5.2s on a g37) which means nothing in the real world.

most of you are posers anyway who drive 100hp cars acting like you know anything about speed or horsepower. Lol 250hp is more horsepower than even the biggest muscle cars had 20 years ago. More HP than luxury cars had 10 years ago. Pretty standard today.

you want speed, try a Ducati.. 0-60 in 2.5s.. bet you never drove a Ducati before.. what do you drive an Aveo?

Casiotech

:awe::thumbsup:

 

[beduion]

I own a 2005 LS, V8. Great car.

 

[casiotech wants a new accord]

I'd say someone labeling everyone else on this forum as a poser, followed with some wildly inaccurate claims, followed by an admission that you purchased your G37 for status reasons makes you the poser buddy.

no sorry, you were the one spewing bs about how great 60s car were even though 350hp cars back in the day did 0-60 in 10s...

then you got back handed when i pointed out that pretty much all muscle cars of the early 90s/late 80s had below 250hp. And how irrelevant having 500hp really is in a world where 90% of cars on the road have under 150hp.

do you think i would buy an infiniti if I didn't want status? lololol keep it up your trolling is great!

you don't even know what a poser is. A guy driving a 1999 750 that he bought salvage for $10 grand is a poser. He wants status even though he can't afford it. So he does the next best thing, he buys a name brand car for a no name price even if it means he's stuck on the side of the road waiting for a tow every other day. But at least the hoes think he's ballin.

Anyone who owns/leases a new luxury car is not a poser.. and probably doing a whole lot better than you.

 

[PhoKingGuy]

no sorry, you were the one spewing bs about how great 60s car were even though 350hp cars back in the day did 0-60 in 10s...

then you got back handed when i pointed out that pretty much all muscle cars of the early 90s/late 80s had below 250hp. And how irrelevant having 500hp really is in a world where 90% of cars on the road have under 150hp.

do you think i would buy an infiniti if I didn't want status? lololol keep it up your trolling is great!

you don't even know what a poser is. A guy driving a 1999 750 that he bought salvage for $10 grand is a poser. He wants status even though he can't afford it. So he does the next best thing, he buys a name brand car for a no name price even if it means he's stuck on the side of the road waiting for a tow every other day. But at least the hoes think he's ballin.

Anyone who owns/leases a new luxury car is not a poser.. and probably doing a whole lot better than you.

Depending where you are, Infiniti isnt a status car. Here, it definitely isn't. They're all owned by ricers that grew out of their civics into something more expensive.

Frankly, you sound just like them.

 

[DivideBYZero]

Yeah, since when did badge engineered Nissans become 'Status cars'? And there is 100% irony in the fact he also drives a car well over 250hp, while scoffing at anyone else who does the same.

Why is The Garage getting filled up with useless trolling meat-bags lately?

 

[ayabe]

no sorry, you were the one spewing bs about how great 60s car were even though 350hp cars back in the day did 0-60 in 10s...

then you got back handed when i pointed out that pretty much all muscle cars of the early 90s/late 80s had below 250hp. And how irrelevant having 500hp really is in a world where 90% of cars on the road have under 150hp. [/I]

Better check yourself, that wasn't me.

 

[lastig21]

I wasn't going to post again, but this thread is a mess. This seems to happen frequently now.

$18k can buy alot of car, but Luxury probably wouldn't define many of them.

If you are honestly happy with the Mercury Grand Marquis (as much as the other cars on your list), just buy it. You could save $6k or more off what you are willing to spend, and probably get a more reliable car with fewer miles. Its big, its comfy, and its a proven platform.

The LS is a nice car, but a good deal smaller than the Mercury. You don't get nearly as much value for your dollar.

The Chrysler is a very big car. Do you like it $6000 more than the Mercury?

I don't know alot about the Hyundai, but its more expensive then the Mercury. I would pass.

The Jag is unreliable, Volvo's future is uncertain, and Saab is all but dead. I wouldn't touch these cars.

The G35 is much smaller than the Mercury or Chrysler. You need to pick what type of car you want. At $18k, its going to have a lot of miles. I don't care for the interiors on the earlier models, but they are a blast to drive. Finding a G35 that I would be satisfied with buying at $18k would be difficult. I don't know what your standards are for stains/spills/smells etc. The more miles, the more "used" an interior will look.

 

[EightySix Four]

Yeah, since when did badge engineered Nissans become 'Status cars'? And there is 100% irony in the fact he also drives a car well over 250hp, while scoffing at anyone else who does the same.

Why is The Garage getting filled up with useless trolling meat-bags lately?

I was going to ask the same question. I swear someone is playing a sick joke or something...

 

[hanoverphist]

Really! You can't tell the difference in the accelaration between an iS250 and a G37? You mean there's no difference between 5.2s and 7.5s?
Also 20 years ago the most power the biggest muscle cars had was under 250hp?
Wow.The more I read your posts the more I smell bullshit. You have absolutely no idea what you're talking about.

chevy small block

Ford FE

dodge 360

heres the main muscle car engines for that era (20ish yrs ago). all of them are under 250 or right around it. my 79 chevy truck was modified, and i thought i was doing good at 220hp. indeed it was, considering how choked the stock motor was. there were plenty of specialty motors that were over 250 tho. hell, my 318 still only rates at 215hp stock. the new 4.7 or whatever puts out more.

250hp in a mid size car is well over what the standards were 20 years ago, and is indeed plenty of power for the average driver.

edit: not main muscle cars, main engines. imo the muscle cars used the specialty engines that werent considered "stock" and had to be ordered.

 

[Elfear]

250hp in a mid size car is well over what the standards were 20 years ago, and is indeed plenty of power for the average driver.

True, but the issue some of us had with Honda Boy's post was that 250hp is all that is needed period. Anything over that is useless. I think most drivers would be happy with 250hp but that doesn't mean that NO driver would have a better driving experience with more horsepower.

 

[DVad3r]

That actually looks like a fairly good deal. The LS430 was called the "greatest car on Earth" by FORD's CEO recently (Alan Mullaly). 65K miles is peanuts for an LS.

It's an amazing car. I read somewhere that Toyota spent so much money in R&D developing the V8 engine for the SC 400 when it came out. This engine has that R&D in it and it's an evolved version. That mileage is nothing for a car like that, and you are getting true luxury and performance, driving that car is like driving a tank.

 

[DVad3r]

Wtf are you talking about? 18 k will buy you a Luxury car, it might not be the newest latest/greatest but it will still be luxury. You're telling me the 05 Lexus LS 430 is not luxury? lol... sry there Mr. Bentley, I must have been mistaken.

You can also buy a shit load of other cars, like BMW, Mercedes, etc.

I wasn't going to post again, but this thread is a mess. This seems to happen frequently now.

$18k can buy alot of car, but Luxury probably wouldn't define many of them.

If you are honestly happy with the Mercury Grand Marquis (as much as the other cars on your list), just buy it. You could save $6k or more off what you are willing to spend, and probably get a more reliable car with fewer miles. Its big, its comfy, and its a proven platform.

The LS is a nice car, but a good deal smaller than the Mercury. You don't get nearly as much value for your dollar.

The Chrysler is a very big car. Do you like it $6000 more than the Mercury?

I don't know alot about the Hyundai, but its more expensive then the Mercury. I would pass.

The Jag is unreliable, Volvo's future is uncertain, and Saab is all but dead. I wouldn't touch these cars.

The G35 is much smaller than the Mercury or Chrysler. You need to pick what type of car you want. At $18k, its going to have a lot of miles. I don't care for the interiors on the earlier models, but they are a blast to drive. Finding a G35 that I would be satisfied with buying at $18k would be difficult. I don't know what your standards are for stains/spills/smells etc. The more miles, the more "used" an interior will look.

 

[casiotech wants a new accord]

infiniti/lexus/acura/bmw/mercedes/audi etc or anything over 35 grand is status period

it doesn't matter where you live

i love the jealous peeps on forums that are like

"that's infiniti is a nissan"
"your acura is just a honda"
"enjoy your over priced toyota"
"nice vw audi"

complete car nubs.. yeah i love how my infiniti handles like a nissan you know with the FWD handling it has

lololol you could only be so lucky to own one of the aforementioned line of vehicles one day.

not that there's anything wrong with Nissan, a nicely equipped 2010 maxima with dual moonroof, prem package and 19" rims is status too.

my second choice (before the accord exlv6)

 

[TruePaige]

infiniti/lexus/acura/bmw/mercedes/audi etc or anything over 35 grand is status period

it doesn't matter where you live

i love the jealous peeps on forums that are like

"that's infiniti is a nissan"
"your acura is just a honda"
"enjoy your over priced toyota"
"nice vw audi"

complete car nubs.. yeah i love how my infiniti handles like a nissan you know with the FWD handling it has

lololol you could only be so lucky to own one of the aforementioned line of vehicles one day.

not that there's anything wrong with Nissan, a nicely equipped 2010 maxima with dual moonroof, prem package and 19" rims is status too.

my second choice (before the accord exlv6)

You sound like a tool...

 

[PhoKingGuy]

You sound like a tool...

Casiotech

Edit:

Just wait till he posts about buying Diesel jeans, then it will be all over