My list of current vehicles that I might consider

[moribundman]

The BMW M6? Another "bangled" design. No thanks. I wouldn't mind owning a mid-'90s 850.

Pablo, I would want a diesel and not a gas engine in a van. No, I havent driven the Ody. Let me try yours...

 

[goodoleboy]

So are you buying a car or Just stating if you decided to buy a car it would be off the list?
I remember you saying that the aAdi was the last internal combustion engine you would buy. What steared you away from the alternative fuel sources?

Also What were your thoughts on the mazda 3 relaibilty wise? In a few years im looking to buy a used car and that looks like aa nice car.

 

[moribundman]

The list is just a list of hypothetical choices! I do intend to drive my A4 until it's worn out beyond the point it makes sense to keep. I'm surprised you remember my comment about the A4 being my last (new) car with internal combustion engine. I'm still serious about that, but right now I don't see any alternative fuel vehicle that I really like and, at least at this time, I'd rather buy a used car than a new one. Who's to say what choices we will have in 5-7 years?

As far as the Mazda 3 goes, I put it on my list, because it drives very nicely, like a small BMW, and because I like its styling and design inside and out. Cost taken into account, the Mazda 3 seems like a good value and I would not get bored quickly with it. To me it looks much nicer than its Ford Focus twin. I really can't say much about reliability, as I simply don't know, but I haven't heard anything bad about the Ford Focus in that regard.

 

[mikemc]

My list of cars I'd love to own:

-2006 Ford Mustang silver
-2006 Ford Mustang gray
-2006 Ford Mustang black
-2006 Ford Mustang blue
-2006 Ford Mustang red

Guess I'd have to do some test drives to see which i like best.

 

[moribundman]

Add a yellow and a green one, and you got one for every day of the week!

 

[goodoleboy]

" "I'm surprised you remember my comment about the A4 being my last (new) car with internal combustion engine."

Your comment really got me thinking about how times are changing, or not..

 

[Quattro Pete]

97tbird, the E46 330ci is still being made. They haven't redisigned it yet like they have done to the 330 sedan, so the "ci" is still pretty.

 

[Bret Chase]

Personally I'm kind of scared of Audi's.. everyone I know who has/had one had it more or less self destruct after about 100k. my dad's partner's wife has an Allroad.. about a month after they bought it used with about 20k on it the turbo crapped out to a tune of $3500... he told me that if it wasn't under warranty, he'd find a way to stuff it up the salesman's ***.

 

[Audi Junkie]

First Audi? I cry tears for him.

I won't even buy an allroad even though it's my favorite.
My A4 Avant w/o sport package is sorta similar to the allroad. My costs are under $.04c a mile over the last 100,000 miles, inc timing belt and transmission fluid service. Oh well, I can't feel sorry for someone who buys over-their-heads. If $3,500 is a lot of money to him, he bought the wrong the car.

 

[Bret Chase]

it's alot of money to him because the car's only had 20k miles on it.. the sad part is his wife doesn't really like the car.. I asked her how she liked the Allroad.. she gave me halfhearted "it's all right".. she liked her Acura better.

 

[Audi Junkie]

Should be warrantied. What exactly is wrong anyway? $3500 is a pretty big repair. Trans or whole engine is about that. Did he/she drive it w/o oil or something? I'm sensing there is more to this story. I know owners who joke about how low/minimal their allroad services are and swear I should get one. The allroads are pretty unique, 250-350hp, adjustable ride-height (as high as an X5 or MB 430 but lowers *below* stock A6 ride hight for hwy) skid plates etc. Killer vehicle. So, what's the rest of the story?

[ January 01, 2006, 10:56 PM: Message edited by: Audi Junkie ]

 

[97tbird]

I like the BMW 330ci a lot, but not the post-2003 style.
If you want to consider a non-boring older Lexus, how about the earlier style SC-400 coupe with the 4.0L v-8? (or the sc-300 with the i-6) I think the last year was 2001 for that style, and then the ugly convertible-sc came out.

I still think it's one of the nicest dashes/interiors ever designed.(former sc-series)

 

[Bret Chase]

it was under warranty.. what happened to it was a line (oil or coolant I don't know) failed to the turbocharger, which killed it. the dealer had to order parts from Germany and she was w/o the car for almost a month. that was about a year ago.. they've not had any more trouble with it that I know of.

 

[moribundman]

So, this is turning into another Audi thread?

By the way, for 3500 bucks you do not get a new Audi transmission or engine. I was quoted $9k for a new Audi MT in '97!

 

[Quattro Pete]

Do you know how the line failed exactly? I'm guessing it did not just come off dumping oil everywhere because then probably the engine itself would also suffer due to lack of oil pressure/lubrication. So, did it get clogged up, coked up? I haven't really heard of too many such incidents with the 2.7TT engine - it seems to be more of an issue with the 1.8T engine which lacks after-run oil/cooling pump.

I'm guessing it was serviced according to the standard maintenance schedule, ie. dealer-provided dino oil changed every 10K miles? Wonder if that had anything to do with it...

 

[Jim 5]

What I could see buying with my own money...

- Mid '90's Landcruiser (legendary reliable inline 6), a motorguard bypass filter system....and a reason to drive huge miles just to see how many miles I could go on one OCI....and if I could hit 1 million miles without a rebuild.

- 2003 (pre-Bangle) BMW 540i w/6speed and 4.4L V8 and several spare sets of rear tires

- a '98 full size two door Tahoe - Black (if there was a magic intake manifold leak preventer)....not to mention the other GM issues...

- C5 corvette with the Z06 package....see above for issues..

- A new Audi A4 if they were more reliable, faster, and bigger inside (nobody beats Audi interior aesthetics, and the A4 is their nicest looking car in my view)...but the back seat's a joke.

- Toyota Tundra extended Cab v8 4x4 (again..a fantastic engine)...it's just a hair too small..

 

[Bret Chase]

Quattro Pete wrote:
"Do you know how the line failed exactly? I'm guessing it did not just come off dumping oil everywhere because then probably the engine itself would also suffer due to lack of oil pressure/lubrication. So, did it get clogged up, coked up? I haven't really heard of too many such incidents with the 2.7TT engine - it seems to be more of an issue with the 1.8T engine which lacks after-run oil/cooling pump."

I don't have any idea of the nature of the exact failure... all I know is a small part failed and snowballed into a very expensive warranty repair.