MM: Help me decide my motoring future

[WRXtranceformed]

So, being the fickle person with cars that I am, I've been tossing around a bunch of ideas as to what I should do. My mind is already made up that the STi will be sold, and the plan was to pick up a C6 after I qualified for a home loan next year. However, I've been thinking about this quite a bit lately. Here's what I've come up with.

1) I really enjoy driving a comfortable car. I find myself choosing to drive the IS over the STi even on my days off.

2) I haven't gone to track events because I haven't had time, and now working weekends, it's going to make it even more difficult to drive any performance car I own the way it should be driven

3) I don't drive like a jackass on the street, and I certainly don't drive my heavily modified car the way it could be... which means a heavily modified corvette wouldn't be driven that way either

Those things, along with high insurance rates don't really make it practical to own a sports car right now. I'll freely admit it, any sports car I bought would be purely for its image, with maybe an occasional spirited drive... but nothing that would justify owning a car capable of performance driving.

That said, I really really liked the IS250 I drove as a loaner car, and I have no doubt that the IS350 would be even better. It has plenty of power (303hp?) and looks FANTASTIC imo. It is the perfect mix of sportiness and luxury, much like my IS. The X package with the new 5 spoke rims is the complete hotness.

I know you can get luxury packages with the C6, but I just dont feel like it would be as practical of a car. Right now I have about $750 a month going out just in car payments between two vehicles, down from over a thousand when I had the Tundra too. So no matter how much I financed, my car payments and insurance would ultimately be lower than what I'm spending now.

I've been on a big kick lately of evaluating every aspect of my life and trying to improve on it if I can, and this is one I've been thinking about a lot lately. I'm just not sure if I see myself in a high powered sports car anymore, because you lose the overall driving experience of being in a well sorted out stockish car.

My brother really wants me to keep this IS so he can buy it from me when he gets out of college... but that wont be for another couple of years. What do you guys think? Realistically I'll probably be that old guy who has a Vette and drives it like a tool bag when he retires, because it's just too much temptation to do stupid stuff driving a 500+whp car on a daily basis =P

If you think there's another car I should consider, choose that option above and give me an explanation.

[Feersty]

I went for selling the STi and Altezza, and buying an IS350 and a house. I think that some of the expenses that a house incurs are very hard to predict. You said you like luxury now, with a dash of speed, and the IS350 is good for that. I think buying a house is important for you right now, and I think it is good that you have one car, especially one that is AWD, is luxurious, and can be driven all season so that you may furnish your house and what not.

[Mike]

sell both, buy house, buy c6 and beater.

[Apoc]

I went for selling the STi and Altezza, and buying an IS350 and a house. I think that some of the expenses that a house incurs are very hard to predict. You said you like luxury now, with a dash of speed, and the IS350 is good for that. I think buying a house is important for you right now, and I think it is good that you have one car, especially one that is AWD, is luxurious, and can be driven all season so that you may furnish your house and what not.

I can't belive I'm going to say this but...

+1

[CaptainHenreh]

Lee, your choices are all radically different...you've got to ask yourself what you want.

First things first, IMHO, the IS350 sucks ballz. Anything that isn't offered in a manual is dead to me. I also don't think it offers that much over the IS300 that you should take a bath on your cars to buy a new car.

I'd look about selling the STI, the IS, and buying a nice sports sedan and a house. 335i, CTS-V, 545i, G35, M45, something along those lines. If you like the IS350, I guess my opinion doesn't matter, but it's an appliance no matter what Toyota would like you to believe. It would drive me bonkers. Plus I6 > V6.

I'm not going to hate on a C6, I think they're the shit, but they're not exactly luxurious. So you really need to decide which you like more: Sport or Luxury.

[WRXtranceformed]

The automatic is actually a big plus for me. I won't really consider a car for commuting purposes unless it's a automatic.

I would also consider one of the new TL Type-Ss. I saw a white one in person and it was dope as shit.

[CaptainHenreh]

The automatic is actually a big plus for me. I won't really consider a car for commuting purposes unless it's a automatic.

I would also consider one of the new TL Type-Ss. I saw a white one in person and it was dope as shit.

If you're just looking for a boring, automatic commuter car, there's always:

[.RJ]

Sell the STi, keep the IS, buy a bike

[WRXtranceformed]

The automatic is actually a big plus for me. I won't really consider a car for commuting purposes unless it's a automatic.

I would also consider one of the new TL Type-Ss. I saw a white one in person and it was dope as shit.

If you're just looking for a boring, automatic commuter car, there's always:

What is that, a Buick? LOL

[ViPER1313]

keep the STI....

[G.Irish]

Sell the STi, keep the IS, buy a bike

+1, Join the dark side

[REED]

It seems to me that when you get down to it what you really want to know is if you should keep the IS and if not what should you get. You seem to have made up your mind about the STi and the house. which is great. That aren't you getting out of the IS? Is it not enough sport or not enough luxury. I agree with Rex, I don't think the 350 is worth the added cost of buying a new car (over just keeping the IS300) If you are just tired of the IS and want something new that price range ($35ish I guess) has literaly a bajillion choices, I'm thinking a used E46 M3 would fit your needs perfectly, it may not be 4 doors, but it is plenty "sporty", good looking and luxuious.

At any rate, good luck with the STi and the house, I can't wait to be in position to stop renting.

[WRXtranceformed]

If I was to buy a bike, you might as well write my death certificate and leave the date blank. :lol:

^ That's a good question. I really like the IS, but it doesn't quite have all of the options that I'd like in a daily commuter car. I'd like something newer and a little more updated as well. I do a LOT of driving now, so these things are important to me.

It looks like you can get a decent used TL for like 24-26k with all of the options I'd want, which is pretty reasonable for what it is. The cheapest IS350s used I've found are like 34-36k.

[CaptainHenreh]

What is that, a Buick? LOL

It's got a V8 and it's good enough for tiiiiiiiigeeeeeeeerrr....

Have you thought about an M45?



In black, they are very sexy. That's a 2006, maybe too pricey for you, but the '04's were pretty sweet too:



And very inexpensive. Mid 20's for a used '04, 333hp, and proper wheel drive, of course.

[WRXtranceformed]

Yeah Infinitis are pretty dope. I don't know if I like that particular one, but I've always liked how the FX45 looked for an SUV.

[CaptainHenreh]

Yeah Infinitis are pretty dope. I don't know if I like that particular one, but I've always liked how the FX45 looked for an SUV.

Only reason I suggested M45 is because it's a little smaller than a Q45, a little bigger than a G35, and has a pretty wicked V8.

FX45 is pretty cool, but it's the same platform jacked up. I'd go for the Yakuza Style M45. But that's just me. You hadn't mentioned any Infinitis, but they seem right up your alley -- big powerful engines and rear wheel drive.

I don't mean to harp, but check out this example:
12k miles, $20,000

White, tan leather, 5 speed auto, 340hp V8. Under 20 thousand miles for under 20 grand. Damn, I honestly did not realize they were so cheap. I should get one.

[WRXtranceformed]

Wow I wonder why that is so cheap. That's a pretty good value. I wish I could see some interior pics..

[.RJ]

I really like the IS, but it doesn't quite have
all of the options that I'd like in a daily commuter car

Well, what else are you looking for?

I would love to drive an IS every day - and its a toyota, so reliability isnt a problem either.

[WRXtranceformed]

I'd like an OEM navi / integrated dash screen, mp3 cd playability for starters. The Acura TL has voice-guided navi, climate control and audio control which is pretty dope. I know I could get aftermarket stuff for the IS, but there is a lot of stuff you have to change out when you do that from what I've read, it's a total pain in the ass.

I'd like nicer seats and overall a nicer interior. Don't get me wrong, the IS is very comfortable, but I'm not 100% in love with the seats, and the dash, console, surround are more on the sporty side as opposed to being luxurious. IE no wood grain, etc. I do really like the IS gauge cluster, but I don't really like how EVERYTHING in the dash glows bright frickin orange at night :lol: I like the interiors of the TL and the 350.

The A-spec body kit looks so good on the TL too, as does the X package on the 350. A newer car would have a better chance of having a warranty too, which is important since the car would be left stockish. I think overall it would just be nice to have something a little more updated. I do really like the IS, but I don't really want to dump a bunch of money into it.

[HAULN-SS]

sell both, and get a CTS-V