Hello everyone! I've been reading posts on this forum over the last month, but I just joined so I'm a brand newbie. There seems to be some very knowledgeable people posting here (especially when compared to other forums out there!) and I hope I can tap some of that knowledge to help me make my final decision on what to buy.
I'm looking to buy a car over the next two weeks, and I've narrowed my choices down to:
Acura TSX
Honda Accord EX-V6
BMW 325i
Maxima SE
Now, I know this is a TSX forum, so folks are already TSX-biased, but I'm okay with that. I'm posting my impressions of these cars below, and I would like to hear your impressions on any and all of these, not just the TSX. Also, are there any other cars that I should be considering?
Nissan Maxima SE
The Maxima is an intriguing car to me, mostly because I already own one (a 4th generation 1998 SE) and they seem to inspire a somewhat rabid sense of loyalty.
The new Maxima is a monster. I've never driven super high end sports cars, and obviously, there are faster/quicker cars on the road. But for a four-dour sedan that starts at less than $30,000, you'd be hard pressed to find one with more sheer muscle. No matter how fast you're going or what gear you're in, the Nissan VQ 6-cyl has plenty of pull and oomph. This is somewhat of a blessing and a curse -- there's a good bit of torque steer in this puppy. I can live with that, however. The amount of pull is just awesome. It's fun and inspiring to have this much torque under your toes.
Ride is somewhat stiff, but I wouldn't call it harsh, similar to the TSX, but feels bigger than the TSX, which is exactly what you would expect since it's a considerably bigger car. Handles well, but you still get the feel of a more substantial vehicle, unlike the more point-and-shoot, nimble character that the TSX exudes.
I like the look of the new Max, but I have some quibbles. The grill is gaudy and a little silly (unfortunately, it looks like the 2005 Altima will have the same grille). I don't like the spiky nature, esp up close, and the silver plate with the badge looks like a giant tooth. The rear end of the car is cool looking, and the profile is nice. I like the front lights, but really dislike the grille. Overall, an attractive and chiseled look that's sporty and evokes a little "luxury sedan" as well.
The Maxima interior is my least fav of the bunch. Folks on the Maxima forum call the interior quirky and luxurious, but I think cheap and gimmicky are better words. I don't like the orangey-yellowy lighting, or the hard plastic surrounding the 3 gauges. The center console looks better with the nav system than without (as an aside: the Honda/Acura nav totally blows the Nissan nav out of the water). The dash without nav has this digital screen thing that is wholly unattractive, and looks like it was stolen from a cheesy 1985 "car of the future". I dislike the interior enough that I won't even consider the car without the nav system. That digital display has to go, Nissan!
The steering wheel is nice, but marred by the presence of cheap plastic switches that control the radio and cruise control, etc. The wheel looks and feels real nice, but then in the middle of the aluminum spokes (or they may be faux aluminum, I don't know) these black radio-shack looking thumb switches are poking out. Ruins the look of an otherwise attractive wheel. Not nearly as well integrated as the buttons on the wheel of the Honda or Acura. Overall, the leather quality is average.
Reliability is not as high as a Honda or Acura, but likely better than a BMW (from what I've heard). I've owned many Nissans, including an early Altima; my wife is currently driving an Exterra, and I have the Maxima, and my reliability experience has been good. Little quirks here and there, but nothing major. I'd say quality of Nissans are just a notch below Toyota/Honda, and far better than most others.
Mainly, this car is fast, fast, fast with capable handling and bold looks. I wish the interior was a little more cleanly orchestrated with a touch more class, but it has lots of room.
Honda Accord EX-V6
This car does everything well, but doesn't do any one thing so amazingly well that I just have to have it.
The V6 is smooth and powerful, but not as smooth and powerful as the V6 in the Maxima. Handling is nice, but not as sporty as the TSX. Interior is very nice, but a notch or two below the interior of the TSX and 325i. The ride is quiet and smooth, but not as quiet and smooth as a Camry (which I eliminated from consideration after a test drive). The Honda looks nice, but is nowhere near as handsome as the TSX or Maxima, and doesn't even approach getting my heart a-pounding the way the BMW 3-series does.
Honda's reliability and resale value are nothing short of outstanding. In reality, the Accord is a very very nice car, and there is good reason it's one of the best selling cars every year. I like the V6 -- it's strong and quiet. The handling is a good compromise, and the majority of the driving I do is of the get-on-the-highway-and-drive-straight kind anyway. I just have this desire for a car that handles better than the average family sedan.
The interior (with leather) is very nice. The driver's seat is the most comfortable out of all of the cars I'm considering (although none of them were "bad" by any means). The Honda/Acura nav with the touch screen looks sharper than the Nissan, and is more intuitive. Don't know why I want a nav system, I just do.
Exterior styling is okay -- it's not offensive, but not inspiring either. I'm not a big fan of the rear end, but after I drove one for the first time, I was impressed enough to start thinking that it doesn't look too bad after all. Actually, it has grown on me considerably. Just not enough to slam the door on the competition.
The responisible part of my brain tells me this is the car I should buy, but the other parts think it's too much of a compromise. It's practical, but not too practical (esp when you include the V6, nav, and leather). It's fast, but not too fast. Handles well, but not so well that you would want to seek out new twisties.
Overall, a responsible, practical, reliable, extraordinarily well-built and executed car that you can sprinkle with a few extras that push it a little towards the sport/luxury realm, but remains firmly grouned in the "family sedan" category.
BMW 325i
I have to qualify my comments here by saying that I've never driven a 325. I've driven my friend's 330, and I had to stop driving it because of the puddles of drool forming in my lap.
I loved the 330, and I wonder how I would react to the 325. I hear the 325 is underpowered, and of course, next to the 330 it is definitely slower. But how does it compare to the TSX or Accord? There's no way it can match the brute force of the Maxima (nor could the 330 for that matter). But does it just feel...average?
Personally, the look of the 3-series is my favorite. Wrap one of these cars in that silver-blue paint they have, and my heart goes all a-flutter. The BMW is probably the best combination of ride and handling out of all the cars I'm considering. The interior is nice, but I think the interior of the TSX is nicer.
I like the idea of RWD for the sheer performance aspect, but not for the practicality of living through Maryland winters. Then again, I don't use my car much in the snow. Out of all the cars I'm talking about here, the BMW is probably the smallest, with the least amount of rear seat room.
Another major sticking point is price -- I'm going to have to buy a pre-owned BMW in order to compete with the price of a TSX or high-end Accord. Also, I don't think BMW has a nav option, and if they do, it would probably push the price a little to high for me.
Is the 325 even worth looking at? Is it just a wannabe and far inferior to the 330? If it's just the car that people buy because they can't afford a 330, then I'm not sure I want it. But if it stands on it's own as a viable entry-level sport-luxury, then I'll certainly consider one.
TSX
I really like the TSX. I drove one two weeks ago, and was very impressed, even though it was a 5AT. The interior is slick and luxurious, but not in a grandfatherly way. Car critics/reviewers have stopped just short of calling the exterior "boring", but I like it a lot -- it's my 2nd fav of the bunch. It looks clean and sleek, but has a somewhat classic Acura look too. It's not trying to be super trendy (G35 et al) or super retro (PT Cruiser et al).
The car seems to handle well, and I don't care that it's not RWD. The responisble side of my brain (yes, him again) says it's best to have a FWD as my every day car, but the juvenile says "go for the RWD performance of the BMW or IS300". That's why I'm writing all this -- to try to rectify these opposite viewpoints and opinions floating around my head.
My one concern -- the single thing that has kept me from simply disregarding the others on this list -- is power. I wonder if six months down the road I'll regret not getting a 6-cyl car. Does this engine have enough oomph to keep my right foot truly happy? My current car (the 98 Maxima) has a 6 cyl, but it's rated at 190 HP and has roughly the same amount of torque. But IMO, the Nissan six is one of the best, and these 190 ponies -- while not as impressive as they were five years ago -- will still haul some serious booty. It's not the fastest on the road, but I can give most cars a run for their money -- within reason. After one particularly fast takeoff one day, a passenger asked me if it had a V8. And this car has 105K miles, and roughly 75 less horsepower than today's Maxima!
If I could allay my concerns about the power of the TSX, I would put in the paperwork next week. I do a lot of highway driving (work is roughly 60 miles from my house, all on various interstates) and that includes a lot of traffic, so I am leaning towards an automatic. The TSX I drove was auto, and I think Acura's version of "sport shift" is the best in the business. The Mazda and Toyota versions were very slow to respond to my requests for gear changes, and the Nissan's was better, but not as good as the TSX. The auto would satisfy my desire to switch gears manually, but also keep me from having to work a clutch in and out while stuck in traffic.
If I get the auto, will I be saying "damn, shoulda got the stick"? Or if I get the stick, will I be saying "damn, shoulda got a V6"? It's hard to tell, esp. when you're test driving a car with the sales-puke sitting next to you. I feel bad about winding out a brand new car to 6,000 rpm's -- do they still tell you to avoid high revs for the first couple thousand miles on a new car?
Any and all information/discussion about these cars is welcome! Also, feel free to let me know if I'm missing out on any other car out there. Here are the one's I've already crossed off my list of potentials:
Camry (boring)
Camry Solara (nice, but want 4 doors)
Accord Coupe (ditto)
IS300 (don't like the look)
Mazda6 (unknown build quality on new car -- questionable overal build quality from Mazda)
Mazda3 (small, questionable build quality)
Any Mercedes Benz (not interested)
Audi A4 (build quality issues)
Saab 9-3 (don't know why I'm not interested)
Acura TL (too expensive)
Thanks for reading all this!!
Ferg
I'm looking to buy a car over the next two weeks, and I've narrowed my choices down to:
Acura TSX
Honda Accord EX-V6
BMW 325i
Maxima SE
Now, I know this is a TSX forum, so folks are already TSX-biased, but I'm okay with that. I'm posting my impressions of these cars below, and I would like to hear your impressions on any and all of these, not just the TSX. Also, are there any other cars that I should be considering?
Nissan Maxima SE
The Maxima is an intriguing car to me, mostly because I already own one (a 4th generation 1998 SE) and they seem to inspire a somewhat rabid sense of loyalty.
The new Maxima is a monster. I've never driven super high end sports cars, and obviously, there are faster/quicker cars on the road. But for a four-dour sedan that starts at less than $30,000, you'd be hard pressed to find one with more sheer muscle. No matter how fast you're going or what gear you're in, the Nissan VQ 6-cyl has plenty of pull and oomph. This is somewhat of a blessing and a curse -- there's a good bit of torque steer in this puppy. I can live with that, however. The amount of pull is just awesome. It's fun and inspiring to have this much torque under your toes.
Ride is somewhat stiff, but I wouldn't call it harsh, similar to the TSX, but feels bigger than the TSX, which is exactly what you would expect since it's a considerably bigger car. Handles well, but you still get the feel of a more substantial vehicle, unlike the more point-and-shoot, nimble character that the TSX exudes.
I like the look of the new Max, but I have some quibbles. The grill is gaudy and a little silly (unfortunately, it looks like the 2005 Altima will have the same grille). I don't like the spiky nature, esp up close, and the silver plate with the badge looks like a giant tooth. The rear end of the car is cool looking, and the profile is nice. I like the front lights, but really dislike the grille. Overall, an attractive and chiseled look that's sporty and evokes a little "luxury sedan" as well.
The Maxima interior is my least fav of the bunch. Folks on the Maxima forum call the interior quirky and luxurious, but I think cheap and gimmicky are better words. I don't like the orangey-yellowy lighting, or the hard plastic surrounding the 3 gauges. The center console looks better with the nav system than without (as an aside: the Honda/Acura nav totally blows the Nissan nav out of the water). The dash without nav has this digital screen thing that is wholly unattractive, and looks like it was stolen from a cheesy 1985 "car of the future". I dislike the interior enough that I won't even consider the car without the nav system. That digital display has to go, Nissan!
The steering wheel is nice, but marred by the presence of cheap plastic switches that control the radio and cruise control, etc. The wheel looks and feels real nice, but then in the middle of the aluminum spokes (or they may be faux aluminum, I don't know) these black radio-shack looking thumb switches are poking out. Ruins the look of an otherwise attractive wheel. Not nearly as well integrated as the buttons on the wheel of the Honda or Acura. Overall, the leather quality is average.
Reliability is not as high as a Honda or Acura, but likely better than a BMW (from what I've heard). I've owned many Nissans, including an early Altima; my wife is currently driving an Exterra, and I have the Maxima, and my reliability experience has been good. Little quirks here and there, but nothing major. I'd say quality of Nissans are just a notch below Toyota/Honda, and far better than most others.
Mainly, this car is fast, fast, fast with capable handling and bold looks. I wish the interior was a little more cleanly orchestrated with a touch more class, but it has lots of room.
Honda Accord EX-V6
This car does everything well, but doesn't do any one thing so amazingly well that I just have to have it.
The V6 is smooth and powerful, but not as smooth and powerful as the V6 in the Maxima. Handling is nice, but not as sporty as the TSX. Interior is very nice, but a notch or two below the interior of the TSX and 325i. The ride is quiet and smooth, but not as quiet and smooth as a Camry (which I eliminated from consideration after a test drive). The Honda looks nice, but is nowhere near as handsome as the TSX or Maxima, and doesn't even approach getting my heart a-pounding the way the BMW 3-series does.
Honda's reliability and resale value are nothing short of outstanding. In reality, the Accord is a very very nice car, and there is good reason it's one of the best selling cars every year. I like the V6 -- it's strong and quiet. The handling is a good compromise, and the majority of the driving I do is of the get-on-the-highway-and-drive-straight kind anyway. I just have this desire for a car that handles better than the average family sedan.
The interior (with leather) is very nice. The driver's seat is the most comfortable out of all of the cars I'm considering (although none of them were "bad" by any means). The Honda/Acura nav with the touch screen looks sharper than the Nissan, and is more intuitive. Don't know why I want a nav system, I just do.
Exterior styling is okay -- it's not offensive, but not inspiring either. I'm not a big fan of the rear end, but after I drove one for the first time, I was impressed enough to start thinking that it doesn't look too bad after all. Actually, it has grown on me considerably. Just not enough to slam the door on the competition.
The responisible part of my brain tells me this is the car I should buy, but the other parts think it's too much of a compromise. It's practical, but not too practical (esp when you include the V6, nav, and leather). It's fast, but not too fast. Handles well, but not so well that you would want to seek out new twisties.
Overall, a responsible, practical, reliable, extraordinarily well-built and executed car that you can sprinkle with a few extras that push it a little towards the sport/luxury realm, but remains firmly grouned in the "family sedan" category.
BMW 325i
I have to qualify my comments here by saying that I've never driven a 325. I've driven my friend's 330, and I had to stop driving it because of the puddles of drool forming in my lap.
I loved the 330, and I wonder how I would react to the 325. I hear the 325 is underpowered, and of course, next to the 330 it is definitely slower. But how does it compare to the TSX or Accord? There's no way it can match the brute force of the Maxima (nor could the 330 for that matter). But does it just feel...average?Personally, the look of the 3-series is my favorite. Wrap one of these cars in that silver-blue paint they have, and my heart goes all a-flutter. The BMW is probably the best combination of ride and handling out of all the cars I'm considering. The interior is nice, but I think the interior of the TSX is nicer.
I like the idea of RWD for the sheer performance aspect, but not for the practicality of living through Maryland winters. Then again, I don't use my car much in the snow. Out of all the cars I'm talking about here, the BMW is probably the smallest, with the least amount of rear seat room.
Another major sticking point is price -- I'm going to have to buy a pre-owned BMW in order to compete with the price of a TSX or high-end Accord. Also, I don't think BMW has a nav option, and if they do, it would probably push the price a little to high for me.
Is the 325 even worth looking at? Is it just a wannabe and far inferior to the 330? If it's just the car that people buy because they can't afford a 330, then I'm not sure I want it. But if it stands on it's own as a viable entry-level sport-luxury, then I'll certainly consider one.
TSX
I really like the TSX. I drove one two weeks ago, and was very impressed, even though it was a 5AT. The interior is slick and luxurious, but not in a grandfatherly way. Car critics/reviewers have stopped just short of calling the exterior "boring", but I like it a lot -- it's my 2nd fav of the bunch. It looks clean and sleek, but has a somewhat classic Acura look too. It's not trying to be super trendy (G35 et al) or super retro (PT Cruiser et al).
The car seems to handle well, and I don't care that it's not RWD. The responisble side of my brain (yes, him again) says it's best to have a FWD as my every day car, but the juvenile says "go for the RWD performance of the BMW or IS300". That's why I'm writing all this -- to try to rectify these opposite viewpoints and opinions floating around my head.
My one concern -- the single thing that has kept me from simply disregarding the others on this list -- is power. I wonder if six months down the road I'll regret not getting a 6-cyl car. Does this engine have enough oomph to keep my right foot truly happy? My current car (the 98 Maxima) has a 6 cyl, but it's rated at 190 HP and has roughly the same amount of torque. But IMO, the Nissan six is one of the best, and these 190 ponies -- while not as impressive as they were five years ago -- will still haul some serious booty. It's not the fastest on the road, but I can give most cars a run for their money -- within reason. After one particularly fast takeoff one day, a passenger asked me if it had a V8. And this car has 105K miles, and roughly 75 less horsepower than today's Maxima!
If I could allay my concerns about the power of the TSX, I would put in the paperwork next week. I do a lot of highway driving (work is roughly 60 miles from my house, all on various interstates) and that includes a lot of traffic, so I am leaning towards an automatic. The TSX I drove was auto, and I think Acura's version of "sport shift" is the best in the business. The Mazda and Toyota versions were very slow to respond to my requests for gear changes, and the Nissan's was better, but not as good as the TSX. The auto would satisfy my desire to switch gears manually, but also keep me from having to work a clutch in and out while stuck in traffic.
If I get the auto, will I be saying "damn, shoulda got the stick"? Or if I get the stick, will I be saying "damn, shoulda got a V6"? It's hard to tell, esp. when you're test driving a car with the sales-puke sitting next to you. I feel bad about winding out a brand new car to 6,000 rpm's -- do they still tell you to avoid high revs for the first couple thousand miles on a new car?
Any and all information/discussion about these cars is welcome! Also, feel free to let me know if I'm missing out on any other car out there. Here are the one's I've already crossed off my list of potentials:
Camry (boring)
Camry Solara (nice, but want 4 doors)
Accord Coupe (ditto)
IS300 (don't like the look)
Mazda6 (unknown build quality on new car -- questionable overal build quality from Mazda)
Mazda3 (small, questionable build quality)
Any Mercedes Benz (not interested)
Audi A4 (build quality issues)
Saab 9-3 (don't know why I'm not interested)
Acura TL (too expensive)
Thanks for reading all this!!
Ferg
