LGT Owners, what car will you drive next?

Here in NorCal, dealer offered $5-7K lease cash on various GT models and they said I could buy out the lease after 1 month, effectively getting $5-7k off MSRP for a purchase.

 

Family didn't like the seats that much - preferred the Q50, so I'm looking at a 3.0T AWD Sport. Delicious has a tune for them that puts them over 400 hp.

There's always the Ascent starting in March/April timeframe, or are you just looking for a luxo/near-luxo sedan?

Q50 is a solid choice from a "sexy semi-luxury" standpoint. As a former Nissan owner though, I'm leery of its reliability. Genuinely don't think I'd say no to one though LOL

Used to like the Nissan, but as they fell into disorganization and were rescued by the Renault buyout, I'm still not convinced that Nissan has fixed their systemic quality issues. And don't get me started on their CVTs.

Hmm. Guess I always thought of the G35/G37 as pretty reliable.. Seriously looked into a G37x a couple of years ago..

The last serious Infiniti I considered was the JDM-built for USDM J30 - so that tells you how many years ago that was. A quiet and excellent handling car, it was the first of Infinity's FE/RD USDM vehicles.

The real question is how does the old butt dyno like those two turbos on that V6.

In stock tune running 93 octane gas, the Stinger is quicker than my 2011 Legacy GT stage 2 w/dynotune on same gas. Top end is stronger, and most importantly? The Stinger is SMOOTH upon acceleration and at speed.

I recall reading reviews of Subarus that claimed they were fairly unrefined, and I honestly had no idea until buying the Stinger. Night/Day difference in driving experience. Truthfully, while I had always heard about grand touring/grand tourismo cars, but with the Kia Stinger GT, I now understand what it means.

I'm also pleased with the AWD performance in the snow while driving the Kia Stinger GT. Different than Subaru, but definitely up to the task here in one of the snowiest parts of the US.

Q50 is a solid choice from a "sexy semi-luxury" standpoint. As a former Nissan owner though, I'm leery of its reliability. Genuinely don't think I'd say no to one though LOL

Hmm. Guess I always thought of the G35/G37 as pretty reliable.. Seriously looked into a G37x a couple of years ago..

I had a 2014 Q50s with the 3.7 V6 before my Legacy. Faster than the legacy and overall good performer, but that's pretty much it. The Q50s is a good car, but does nothing great... maybe breaking if I had to pick something, but yea that's it. With coils and good tires the Legacy 3.6 will out pace a stock Q50s all day on some windy back roads. Im sure the new one is faster with the 400hp, but nothing else was really done to improve the car. For the money I would rather go a different direction...

Seriously considering a GTI SE after some seat time in a DSG car. If I can sell the LGT for a decent chunk and find a VW dealer whos willing to get me out the door for under 30K, Im thinking thats my new choice over the ST or the new Si when the time comes.

Then again im gonna miss the LGTs power and I'll end up modding the GTI and miss the AWD get up and go.

I love the Stingers, but that price is unattractive to me...I can't get over the fact its nearly 50K the way i'd want it. Even with the healthy discounts they are offering, its just over my budget right now.

Seriously considering a GTI SE after some seat time in a DSG car. If I can sell the LGT for a decent chunk and find a VW dealer whos willing to get me out the door for under 30K, Im thinking thats my new choice over the ST or the new Si when the time comes.

 

Then again im gonna miss the LGTs power and I'll end up modding the GTI and miss the AWD get up and go.

 

I love the Stingers, but that price is unattractive to me...I can't get over the fact its nearly 50K the way i'd want it. Even with the healthy discounts they are offering, its just over my budget right now.

Wait a year or two and the used ones will be almost half the new price.

There's always the Ascent starting in March/April timeframe, or are you just looking for a luxo/near-luxo sedan?

Yeah, looking at a sedan/something to replace the LGT wagon. Would love an E63 wagon, but that's a little too expensive :-)

Already have a '15 Town and Country for the long trips/hauling lots of cargo.

The last serious Infiniti I considered was the JDM-built for USDM J30 - so that tells you how many years ago that was. A quiet and excellent handling car, it was the first of Infinity's FE/RD USDM vehicles.

Any other thoughts on a fun sedan with reasonable room? Ideally with good folding seats and trunk space and with AWD, or at least LSD in the rear. Good auto a must, otherwise I'd already have an STI.

I test drove a Charger Scat-pack, and the seats/room were ok, but I got tired of chirping tires at every turn. Also seemed slow to respond to the throttle, but I didn't drive it that much. Family also didn't like the CTS-VSport we sat in. Lexus GS-F is still too expensive, haven't seen them under $53k used. That doesn't leave too many choices.

Sat in an SQ5 and an S3. Family liked both (wife preferred the SQ5). Didn't drive one. Still trying to decide if I can forgive VW for dieselgate, AND break my "never again VAG" vow (had 3 in the past).. Maybe thinking about waiting for a 1-year-old RS3..

I know the 7EAT in the Q50 isn't the best. Hoping that with AWD it can hold up ok, and not overstress. Still not set on a Q50, just near near the top of the list for "if the LGT broke today and I had to get a car".. 1-2 year old models seem to be available for a really good price..

I had a 2014 Q50s with the 3.7 V6 before my Legacy. Faster than the legacy and overall good performer, but that's pretty much it. The Q50s is a good car, but does nothing great... maybe breaking if I had to pick something, but yea that's it. With coils and good tires the Legacy 3.6 will out pace a stock Q50s all day on some windy back roads. Im sure the new one is faster with the 400hp, but nothing else was really done to improve the car. For the money I would rather go a different direction...

Thanks for the info. Curious if a Q50 on coils + good tires outruns a 3.6 Legacy? I heard the AWD is nearly as good as Subaru..

What direction would you go in?

Seriously considering a GTI SE after some seat time in a DSG car. If I can sell the LGT for a decent chunk and find a VW dealer whos willing to get me out the door for under 30K, Im thinking thats my new choice over the ST or the new Si when the time comes.

Golf R is around $40k :-)

If I wasn't so scared of repairs on VAGs (had 3 in the past) and the general glass-like nature of the DSG (they've had several issues in the past), I would be really interested in one, or an S3. As it is, seems nice, but I'm still very hesitant.

I tried to talk my wife into going and getting a 2017 Jetta GLI 6sp since the 2018s no longer come in a manual.

Problem is we are keeping the Legacy for my son and he still has 14 months until he's driving alone. She doesn't want to have it sitting around that long.

Thanks for the info. Curious if a Q50 on coils + good tires outruns a 3.6 Legacy? I heard the AWD is nearly as good as Subaru..

 

What direction would you go in?

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My dads G35X is still running strong today in my sisters hands, although just recently started running into issues with the steering rack at 230K. He bought a cpo 15' S5 convertible that already needed a new tranny at 30K miles, so thats kinda steering me away from VAG.

That G35X has been through some shit, 8 straight years of LIE commuting without as much as a hiccup. Can't speak for the newer Infinitis or Nissans, but VQs rock. My old 00 Maxima would still be running today if I didn't wreck it. May she RIP.

It probably does but for me having the car for 30k miles; rather spend the money on another brand to start with. AWD is good, maybe as good as subaru. My 328xi handled better than the Q50 all day, just didn't have the power. Personally I'm kinda over Infiniti. Had a lot of them. Still have one now and I can't wait till she goes. Lol. This is a personal opinion. I would probably be looking for used S4s, 535xi, 335xi, s60 rline, GTI. Drive em all. See what sticks.

For most of those, I worry about reliability/cost of repairs. Volvo seems to generally have worse-than-average reliability, from what I read. Audi and BMW are infamous for expensive repairs, JUST out of warranty. Still, they do have a compelling product.

The "Options Zoo" for BMW really made it hard to make sense of

1) what options I'd want. There's Sport, so I think I want that, then there's M-Sport, but it's different in different years, and ALSO different between AWD and RWD, but then in AWD, if you also get package X and Z, but not Y, you get the better suspension and the LSD, but only in this one year. But don't get package Q, because it's not as good as advertised, etc.. My wife hates the orange-tan color of the "premium" leather and I agree - it looks 70s-vinyl cheap.

2) the general comments about "AWD models don't get the good

suspension, in fact, base AWD suspension is worse than stock RWD" for the 535ix, IIRC.

3) which options are actually on which car when looking at cars.com, autotrader, carmax, cargurus, etc. It seems impossible to trust the actual list of packages or search for it. Is there some kind of comprehensive VIN decoder for BMWs that lists every option on a car when built/ordered, not just general details? They all seem to list "Sport", but it's never clear if that's actually sport, m-sport, or just "BMWs are sporty". Might be easier just to get a used M3 - a lot less options, in general, it seems.

4) Somewhat surprised there's no aftermarket "flex fuel" option for the 3.0 turbo engines (or maybe I just missed it). I know the Burger tunes offer some fixed percentage, but I can't even see myself getting out the E85 tester at the pump, much less my wife.. Who are the biggest tuners for BMW aftermarket? I know of Burger (or is it Berger?) and Dinan (not far from me, but expensive, and I hear, not very good anymore?). There's an E85 station around the corner, so I'd love to try it out with a boosted car. Keep using it for my wife's '15 Town and Country FFV just to show them there's demand

I know that a Q50 3.0t may also not be 100% bulletproof, but offhand, it would seem repairs would be cheaper in general. Level10 does a "bulletproof 7EAT" for the older cars - I would imagine they would be able to do something with the newer ones.

I think, overall, the '16 CTS V-sport I looked at with 8k miles for ~$43k probably would have fit most of the criteria, but the family didn't like it to sit in. And the wife kept hinting that she didn't like the idea of a Cadillac, since we're not old yet (her mom drives an '00 Caddy)

Maybe I need to look at AMG CPO + extended warranty..

I will never, ever buy a new german car.

Asia only for me, with a few scattered USDM options.

Hows the Kool-Aid in FantasyLand?

Starting prices are rumored to be in the 40s. Hardest part is going to be getting one.

I will never, ever buy a new german car.

 

Asia only for me, with a few scattered USDM options.

I would be more wary of the used ones not the new ones with bumper to bumper warranties and maintenance plans, lol! I don't know if I would buy a new car ever again. But maybe...

I would be more wary of the used ones not the new ones with bumper to bumper warranties and maintenance plans, lol! I don't know if I would buy a new car ever again. But maybe...

Could always lease. My wife is on her 3rd (1 Elantra, 2 Crosstreks).

Could always lease. My wife is on her 3rd (1 Elantra, 2 Crosstreks).

We might lease an Ascent...currently undecided about an outright purchase, especially on a brand new model. Waiting out a lease sounds much more reasonable sometimes.

For most of those, I worry about reliability/cost of repairs. Volvo seems to generally have worse-than-average reliability, from what I read. Audi and BMW are infamous for expensive repairs, JUST out of warranty. Still, they do have a compelling product.

 

The "Options Zoo" for BMW really made it hard to make sense of

1) what options I'd want. There's Sport, so I think I want that, then there's M-Sport, but it's different in different years, and ALSO different between AWD and RWD, but then in AWD, if you also get package X and Z, but not Y, you get the better suspension and the LSD, but only in this one year. But don't get package Q, because it's not as good as advertised, etc.. My wife hates the orange-tan color of the "premium" leather and I agree - it looks 70s-vinyl cheap.

 

2) the general comments about "AWD models don't get the good

suspension, in fact, base AWD suspension is worse than stock RWD" for the 535ix, IIRC.

 

3) which options are actually on which car when looking at cars.com, autotrader, carmax, cargurus, etc. It seems impossible to trust the actual list of packages or search for it. Is there some kind of comprehensive VIN decoder for BMWs that lists every option on a car when built/ordered, not just general details? They all seem to list "Sport", but it's never clear if that's actually sport, m-sport, or just "BMWs are sporty". Might be easier just to get a used M3 - a lot less options, in general, it seems.

 

4) Somewhat surprised there's no aftermarket "flex fuel" option for the 3.0 turbo engines (or maybe I just missed it). I know the Burger tunes offer some fixed percentage, but I can't even see myself getting out the E85 tester at the pump, much less my wife.. Who are the biggest tuners for BMW aftermarket? I know of Burger (or is it Berger?) and Dinan (not far from me, but expensive, and I hear, not very good anymore?). There's an E85 station around the corner, so I'd love to try it out with a boosted car. Keep using it for my wife's '15 Town and Country FFV just to show them there's demand

 

I know that a Q50 3.0t may also not be 100% bulletproof, but offhand, it would seem repairs would be cheaper in general. Level10 does a "bulletproof 7EAT" for the older cars - I would imagine they would be able to do something with the newer ones.

 

I think, overall, the '16 CTS V-sport I looked at with 8k miles for ~$43k probably would have fit most of the criteria, but the family didn't like it to sit in. And the wife kept hinting that she didn't like the idea of a Cadillac, since we're not old yet (her mom drives an '00 Caddy)

 

Maybe I need to look at AMG CPO + extended warranty..

If you are in the NY area a good friend of mine is the sales manager @ MB. He could hook you up. Before he got to MB he was at Infiniti/Nissan; we have done 26 cars together between myself/friends/family. PM me if interested.

If you are in the NY area a good friend of mine is the sales manager @ MB. He could hook you up. Before he got to MB he was at Infiniti/Nissan; we have done 26 cars together between myself/friends/family. PM me if interested.

Thanks for the offer.. Unfortunately, wrong coast - I'm in NorCal

Thanks for the offer.. Unfortunately, wrong coast - I'm in NorCal [emoji38]

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I would be more wary of the used ones not the new ones with bumper to bumper warranties and maintenance plans, lol! I don't know if I would buy a new car ever again. But maybe...

Thing is, the manuals aren't selling. It was heavily discounted. Enough that based on a few private sale evaluations of the same car with 1000 miles I would be paying what it's market value is.

Hard to beat driving off the lot in a new car and not having it depreciate.

Thing is, the manuals aren't selling. It was heavily discounted. Enough that based on a few private sale evaluations of the same car with 1000 miles I would be paying what it's market value is.

 

Hard to beat driving off the lot in a new car and not having it depreciate.

Definitely depends on the circumstances and the vehicle.