blog

Assuming one can afford to buy a newer vehicle, why pay to maintain an old one? For the maintenance records I kept over the last 2 years of my ownership (2005-2007), when maintenance costs were highest on my 15-year-old 1993 Chevrolet Lumina, I spent over $2800 (including regular oil changes, a new air filter and one windshield replacement) to keep it running. That includes trying to get the best deals on parts and labor, by going to national repair shops that claimed to offer the best prices for one type of repair (brakes, glass, etc.). Here’s what I got for $2800:

• New rear brake pads, resurfaced rear rotors, new front rotors, cleaned and lubed calipers, new battery, remanufactured alternator (third one in my ownership), new serpentine belt, new rear struts, alignment, transmission fluid flush, power steering hose replacement, new heater bypass hose for engine coolant leaking problem, electrical systems diagnosis (when it wouldn’t start), which led to the purchase of a new starter.

That worked out to a car payment of around $120 a month, or even less when I spread it out over more years. With only the legal minimum auto insurance covering the car (from a discount insurance provider of course), holding on to my old beater made economic sense. Ultimately however, the myriad minor issues (some with workarounds), combined with the stress of relatively expensive and unpredictable repairs, and the inconvenience of getting those repairs done, diminished the value of the money I was saving. Goodwill has a vehicle donation program offering free pick-up and a reasonable tax deduction for the donor. I took advantage of that and now will get a small tax credit on the sale of the vehicle.

I test-drove a 2000 BMW 328i 4-door sedan this week, equipped with the sport package, bigger wheels, tighter suspension, and more. The 193HP 328i was retired in 2001 when the 325 and 330 were introduced with different inline 6-cylinder engines (the 330 getting more HP and torque). On paper the 328i sits between the 325 and 330s of the early 2000s (the E46). Exterior and interior styling was essentially the same compared with a friend’s 2005 325i. The car still has the throaty 6-cylinder growl and the great steering/cornering as a result of the nearly 50/50 weight distribution and RWD. The 3-series still manages (pre-2008 EPA estimate) 21/29 MPG, better than some four cylinder cars.

A couple days later I drove a 2001 Lexus IS300, automatic with the manual shifting via buttons on the steering wheel. Apparently a manual transmission was available in the US starting with the 2002 model. I’ve always liked the looks of the IS, and “people say” that the engine will “run forever” (200-300k miles) while being less expensive to maintain (compared with cars in the segment). The IS felt a bit cramped on the inside to me though, feeling considerably smaller than a 3-series (which is a smallish car by US standards), and somewhat uncomfortable in terms of places to rest my arms while driving. Lexus cars are pretty expensive, even in the used market, with lower depreciation than competitors. This particular IS (from a private seller) was a very nicely-maintained black on black model, that even had a couple more years of extended warranty covering it. In general I wasn’t very impressed with power output from the IS300.  Performance felt more refined to me, comparable to a Acura TSX for example, but not really as a competitor to a BMW 328 or 330 (though priced similarly). I personally didn’t care for the suede interior mixed with black leather, just because I prefer a single style versus mixing upholstery types. Manual shifting seemed dated as well compared with modern alternatives, like DSG on a Volkswagen/Audi, or paddle shifting on a Saturn Aura (to be fair, it is a 2001 vehicle). While I think the IS300 is an attractive car and a reasonable performer, I prefer the 3-series for the price.

I called in for insurance quotes on some cars I’m considering purchasing. Quotes are for Minnesota with Geico, 6 month premiums, full glass, comprehensive coverage, with a $500 deductible, for my zip code (in the city) and age (over 25).

• 1993 Chevrolet Lumina: $360 (what is this doing here? I’m driving this now.)
• 2005 Infiniti G35 sedan: $666
• 2008 Volkswagen GTI (2.0T): $706
• 2004 Volkswagen R32: $737
• 2007 Mazdaspeed3: $737

Saving $77 for a 6 month renewal over 5 years is $385 (around 2% of the purchase price) savings for the G35 sedan over one of the hot hatches. However the savings is lost when fuel is considered. Here is my math, feel free to double check it: If I drive 10,000 miles per year with the G35 and I assume it gets 23 MPG in mixed driving (city/highway), that works out to 434 gallons of fuel per year. At $3/gallon, that is $1302 for 10,000 miles.

For one of the hatchback, assuming 28 MPG mixed driving, that is 357 gallons for 10,000 miles, at $3/gallon, works out to $1071 in fuel.

Annual fuel savings for 28 MPG over 23 MPG is $231. Savings over 5 years is $1155. When fuel and insurance are considered, the better deal is one of the hatchbacks, with a 5 year savings of $686 (again, just 3-5% of the purchase price, rather negligible).  The gist with these cars: fuel savings is more significant than insurance savings.

Sara and I “made friends with our Fasts” (Volkswagen advertising campaign) this past Saturday, when we each took a turn driving a 2008 Volkswagen GTI. Out test car was equipped with the 2.0T (turbocharged) 4-cylinder engine (the same engine option in Audi A4s), the dual-clutch “DSG” transmission (which is praised as being the best manumatic transmission by automotive press), and configurable with luxury options like heated leather seats and a moonroof. The car is not as fast as the hot-hatch competitors Mazdaspeed 3 or Subaru WRX, but has a higher quality fit and finish and is arguably more “serious” (no spoilers or hood scoops). The R32 is another vehicle from Volkswagen with performance more on par with the Mazdaspeed 3/WRX, while offering 18″ wheels, AWD (instead of FWD), the 3.2L 6-cylinder Volkswagen/Audi engine, racing seats, limited production, and more. The sales price was close to US $34,000 when I inquired at my local VW dealership for a 2008 R32.

The dual-clutch DSG transmission is supposed to both improve shift speed (I’ve read .8 seconds) and fuel economy, which one driver reported was as high as 32MPG highway. Its designed to have one clutch for gears 1,3,5, and the second clutch for 2,4,6. The mixed mid-20 MPG of this 4-cylinder, while still being performance-oriented and fun to drive (lower weight, good tires), makes it an attractive alternative to a more fuel thirsty 6-cylinder sports car when fuel economy is a factor.

We drove the 4-door GTI, which I prefer. Apparently the 4-door was imported to the US for the first time in 2007, with the 2-door available since 2006. The Mk V (5th generation) GTI was available in Europe in 2003, but not imported to the US until 2005 as a 2006 model. The 6th generation is nearing release in Europe, but I haven’t seen any news for the US (likely lagging by at least 2 years).

The GTI is zippy as it is lower weight and shorter than a A4 or GLI with the same engine, and packs a good torque punch in 3rd and 4th gear. Paddle shifting with the DSG is fun, and Volkswagen included a great feature: “oh sh*t handles” in the center as well as the sides, so your passenger can hold on while you rip through corners. Door locks will glow over either the locked or unlocked icon to indicate door lock status, a nice usability touch. Options at the Package 2 level put it into luxury car class, heated leather seats, power moonroof, iPod adapter to control the iPod through the steering wheel, though there seems to be no Bluetooth telephone option on US models (despite a button on the steering wheel). The GTI base interior trim includes a plaid seat fabric, and on the outside, the “horseshoe cutout” 17″ wheels. Sara and I thought both of those were ugly. Fortunately leather and 18″ multi-spoke wheel upgrades are available. Once the options we liked were totaled up, the GTI at US $28,000 or $430/month for a 36-month lease becomes a less attractive option compared against other small luxury/sports sedans. Compared with the Mazdaspeed 3 though, they each have their benefits and each would be a fun car to own.

Two “near-luxury,” rear-wheel, “all-wheel when you need it” sports sedans, driven back-to-back. Generally considered equal, given performance, agility and price, among the model years I drove (2004 330xi and 2005 G35x). Both have their advantages, both cars reward drivers with enjoyable steering feedback and engine noise.

First I drove a 2004 BMW 325xi. I think all wheel drive would is a good idea in Minnesota, so I’m looking for 3-series models with an “x” in their name, which indicates all wheel drive. I immediately noticed the heavy steering at low speeds, and the heavy gas pedal (a good thing). As speed went up, steering got lighter in the BMW, something I didn’t notice in the G35x. While steering felt the same and the car felt very agile and responsive, the 325xi did not have enough acceleration power for me. Next I drove the 330xi and this had considerable more power than the 325xi (around 235HP), but the G35x would still beat both cars in flat-out acceleration (at 280HP and 270lbs./feet torque).

One of the main things I preferred over the G35x were the seats of the 325/330xi. The side bolsters wrapped the driver more snugly, and the seating position felt more natural. The G35x still has comfortable seats, they just don’t support the driver on the sides as much. The 330xi has a pleasing growl from the inline six cylinder engine, but the G35x roars louder above 3000 RPMs, which is satisfying during rolling acceleration on the highway. Neither of the vehicles I drove had a folding rear seat, but both had a pass-through. The doors of the BMW are heavier, and this helps with road noise. The BMW was quieter inside than the Infiniti, but that is not to say the G35x was noisy, because it wasn’t. Both vehicles have heated front seats. I prefer the aluminum trim to the wood trim in both BMW and Infiniti, and starting in 2005, the G35 has real aluminum trim and not aluminum-colored plastic.

Both models were automatic transmissions with a manual mode, but both BMW and Infiniti “help” the driver by down-shifting automatically. My problem with this is that it takes the responsibility and interaction of manual shifting away from the driver, partially invalidating the fun of it. BMW redesigned the exterior of the 3-series (and the engine) in 2006, so sharp-eyed enthusiasts will notice that this BMW has the older body style and chassis. Infiniti redesigned the G35 in 2007, so the 2005 I drove has the original body style of the G35 model that lasted from 2003 to 2006.

Sara and I preferred the G35x, with more power, less miles, and a close second place to the BMW, in handling feel. The G35x is priced lower and there are generally more of them to choose from in the used car market. A couple of auto mechanics have told me BMW parts are more expensive than Infiniti/Nissan parts as well.

I decided against the high-powered, compact Impreza WRX several months ago, since I was unaware that it was available with features like heated leather seats and a power moonroof (from the factory), features I’m looking for in my next car. I found out today that Subaru added a “Limited” trim model to the WRX that offers these options, plus an automatic transmission (Limited only), another requirement of mine. I stopped by a Subaru dealership on my way home from work and test drove a manual transmission WRX Limited (they had no automatics available). The stock 2.5L turbocharged WRX engine produces around 230HP and lbs./feet of torque, and is full-time all-wheel drive. This allows the car to get to 60MPH in under 6 seconds, which sounds like fun to me.

Read the rest of this entry »

While my requirements for “sports/luxury sedan” are getting more specific, my budget seems to be ballooning, as I see and experience luxury features that then become commonplace. I started the day at the Volvo dealership, and had a very positive experience overall due to the knowledgeable dealer. So far dealers at Audi, Volkswagen, and Volvo have been the most knowledgeable about competitor products (and cars in general), while dealers at Toyota and Saturn seem to be unaware of competing products (who would buy anything other than a Toyota or Saturn?) and generally helping 2-3 customers at a time (avoid Saturday shopping if possible).

Read the rest of this entry »

The 2007 Twin Cities Auto Show didn’t have most of the cars I was looking for, and was short on concepts and enthusiast vehicles. They did have the new Lancer from Misubishi, but it was on a pedestal so we couldn’t see the interior well. The interior is the primary thing I don’t like about its competitor, the WRX STi, so I wanted to see it for comparison purposes (side note: since when is the STi 35k?). But unfortunately, no Lancer Evolution (or Prototype) X.

Audi had an RS4, a great looking vehicle, one of my favorites, but didn’t have an S6 or S8 to display. They had an A3 and S4 as wagons, but didn’t have the S3 on display, a model I don’t think is available in the USA. The big hunk of eye candy from Audi was the R8, their new supercar. The small hunk of eye candy was the (locked doors) 2008 TT. The TT gets subtle redesigns in 2008, and we really like the results. Another new car from Audi not at the Twin Cities auto show is the all-new V-8 A5.

No updates from Mazda, no concept cars. The Speed3 was there but we’d already seen and driven it. Subaru’s Legacy spec.B was there, but at 35k why not go for an Audi or BMW? The Auto Show did have an Acura TL Type-S (which returns in 2007 after a 3 year Type-S hiatus), and we played with the stereo and nav system. A great vehicle, but very expensive (I’d go with the 335i at this price).

No BMW 1-series on display, but they did have the new coupe 335i with a twin-turbo inline 6-cyliner engine, in BMW red. This is a very attractive yet understated car, one of my favorites. Volkswagen had the boring Rabbit, and a Jetta GLI which caught my eye, except that it has a hideous plaid interior (who buys that? Europe maybe?). I find the GTI boring. Unfortunately there was no R36 Passat either.

No Tesla, no GM Volt, no (Infiniti or Nissan) GT-R, nothing really on the bleeding edge. There were some flex fuel sedans, but I don’t think there were any all-electric vehicles.

Saturn had the (Ion replacement) 2008 Astra, not terribly exciting. Chrysler was showing a concept named “Imperial”, an oversized 300C basically. Jeep had their token unrealistic 4-wheel drive concept, with enormous wheels and a strange roof. Other than that there really were no concept cars. I did like the G8 from Pontiac, but details were slim and we couldn’t see the interior. There was no Camaro, even though this is a big deal for Chevrolet in 2009. Ford had a concept called the Fairlane, but it was rather boring. There was a Focus redesign, though details were slim. Ford did not have their Reflex concept vehicle. There weren’t many supercars, like the Carrera GT from Porsche or the ME Four Twelve from Chrysler. I’ve seen both at past Twin Cities Auto Shows. We noticed there were no Saleen vehicles upstairs either, normally there are some Saleen or SVT Fords, like Focus and Mustang models for example.

In closing, the 2007 Twin Cities Auto Show was mostly a collection of 2007 models that are already available for viewing and driving at your local metro dealership. I’d skip it this year.

Note to readers up front: I don’t care about trucks, SUVs, vans, or low power (4-cylinder, sub 170HP) cars. I don’t really care about Hybrids, unless we’re talking about hybrid performance vehicles (generally not yet available) like the Toyota FT-HS.

I’m excited about the 2008 Mitsubishi Prototype X (not the “regular car” Lancer) as it is called as of this writing, which will eventually be the Lancer Evolution X, the 10th iteration of the venerable rally car that has historically put performance over comfort. On paper this car is very exciting, both for the substantial performance margin over competitors, and the price margin over vehicles that perform comparably. Auto-stick with paddle shifters will be the transmission option at launch, the interior is said to be much improved, taking design cues from Audi (according to Motor Trend).

Audi is introducing an S6 and S8 to add to the S4 and their family of performance vehicles. Being that Audi already sells an upgraded S4, the RS4, there seems to be a fair amount of product overlap between the RS4, S6, and S8. All models, S4, RS4, S6, S8 all have gas guzzling naturally aspirated V-8 engines. Then there is the Audi R8, a true supercar, way out of the league of most people. I was very impressed with interior styling and quality when I drove a couple A4s last year.

Will Mazda do anything more interesting with their “Mazdaspeed” series, which at present is limited to Mazdaspeed3 and 6 (there used to be Protege “Speed”)? Will the AWD Mazdaspeed6 be upgraded performance or interior wise? What about audio system or paddle-shifting automatic transmission options? Both Mazdaspeed vehicles are currently manual transmission only. Will there be a sedan Mazdaspeed3 instead of the hatchback? According to Mazda forums I’ve seen the Mazdaspeed3 was originally supposed to debut with heated seats as an option, great for cold climates like Minnesota. Will heated seats be an option in 2008? Will a sun/moon roof ever be added (it is available on “non-Speed” Mazda3s)? Neither of these were available on the Mazdaspeed3 I test drove a while back.

Subaru has the Legacy GT spec.B, on paper it looks nice, handling is certainly highly regarded on these AWD vehicles, but in the end there is better competition at this price point in my opinion. I saw some early redesigns for the WRX STi and it still looks too aggressive in my opinion. I wasn’t impressed with the Legacy interior, when I took a test drive last year. Legacy does not have a folding rear bench (the dealer explained that Subaru decided a folding bench was less safe, and opted only for a rear pass-through), which reduces the sedan’s ability to haul stuff (like Ikea boxes).

The Acura TL and the newer RL put luxury over performance (though performance isn’t bad, I just didn’t think the TL was “sporty” enough), and I’m wondering about performance upgrades to the TSX (maybe an A-Spec option like the TL has)? The TSX is a nice size, and has tons of standard Acura luxury, though its 200HP engine does not produce exciting results, at least when I drove a 2004 model I was underwhelmed.

BMW has a “1-series” available in Europe, targeted as GTI competition, that is finally available in the USA after being sold for the last 4 years in Europe. The twin-turbo 335i is their most exciting “realistic” vehicle in my opinion, but sadly it is still way out of my price range.

Volkswagen is re-introducing the Rabbit and updates to the R32 (an upgraded GTI, which is an upgraded Golf). Passat could be more exciting. I was telling Sara that a Passat Sport version could be an exciting vehicle to compete with the Acura TL Type-S. Recently I read that Volkswagen is actually doing this! They will be releasing a AWD variant of the Passat with more performance, called the R36, but it will be priced at 40k, too high for many would-be Passat owners, and probably too high for others that might go with a BMW or Acura instead. One car we won’t see is the Phaeton, which Left Lane News says is no longer available in the USA.

Tesla? With big auto shows being held in Detroit USA and Tokyo, Japan, I’m wondering if Silicon Valley will hold auto shows in the future? I’d like to get up close and personal with the 100k Tesla all-electric supercar. General Motors is also said to be producing an all-electric vehicle known as Volt, and I would expect that a very-early non-functioning prototype could show up in Minneapolis.

Another vehicle I’m interested in is the GT-R. Recent speculation at Left Lane News asks the question whether the GT-R would be badged as a Nissan or an Infiniti. Apparently this vehicle will have in excess of 500HP when it debuts at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show, so we won’t be able to see it in Minneapolis as the Tokyo show takes place later in 2007.

The 2007 Mazdaspeed3 is a significantly upgraded Mazda3, upping the horsepower to 263 (and 280 pound feet of torque), providing a 0-60 MPH time of 5.8 seconds. I know brakes were upgraded (Volvo S40 brakes) and the sunroof option was removed from the regular 3 (presumably for structural rigidity). Body and suspension upgrades were made to accommodate the new performance figures. Driving the car was a lot of fun. There was more power available than any car I’ve ever driven (at least in this weight class), especially in gears 2 and 3. Having only driven a manual transmission a handful of times, I killed the engine several times during the test drive. Fortunately the dealer remained silent as I restarted the car. Once the car was moving though, moving up through the gears was easy and pleasurable. The way the 6-speed gearbox is arranged means that drivers get visceral up-shifts by dropping the shift knob straight back in gears 2, 4, and 6. Cruising at 70MPH on the interstate in 5th gear, I didn’t feel the need to go to 6. Accelerating through corners and up hills in low gears was a lot of fun. Sara noted that as a passenger she could really feel the pull of the car, lots of torque available.

Read the rest of this entry »