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Why So Serious?

Cory Wolfe

By Cory Wolfe
in The Lounge

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Satty
Satty

There are these magic gnomes called "mechanics" who will do the work in Exchange for some magic money shaped beans.

Satty
Satty

I must have missed something, are you growing a mullet or joining a sorority?

Intrepidation
Intrepidation

300M Special can play with the premium marques of the era, yet won't break the bank like say, the VW or BMW will when a repair may be needed. It's also a great handling car for its size, and you can u

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Cory Wolfe

Cory Wolfe

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I have an '02 Passat that I love dearly, but even I wouldn't buy a W8 unless if it were insanely cheap. The W8 is a pretty low volume engine that's difficult to maintain (timing chain is rear-mounted, so you have to pull the whole thing for any repairs), and it's thirsty and not all that powerful. My 1.8T has 100K miles now, and despite going through a lot (two new teenage drivers, two collisions), it's been reliable, save for a recall or two or three.

In 2004, VW started selling Passat 1.8T manuals with 4Motion, which would make for a rare ride that can still be worked on, or you could get an Audi. Turbos can make a lot of power with a few modifications, albeit at the expense of drivability. E46s are easy to work on and reliable, too. Get a RWD one with snow tires. Wagon, preferably.

I mainly just picked whatever I could find a Motorweek review of without searching too long. Thus, the specifics of the models mentioned isn't necessarily what I would buy. The Passat and E46 are the best examples of such.

I agree regarding the W8 versus 1.8T consensus. For the amount of additional horsepower and displacement the complex W8 added, there wasn't any payoff in performance. You were essentially stuck with a much more difficult to work on and more expensive to maintain Passat that achieved inferior fuel economy. The 3.6L VR6 of the following generation made much more sense, coming from a line of proven engines while still achieving decent fuel economy. As mentioned before, the car I really want is a 2006 Volkswagen Passat Sport with the aforementioned engine. It's a perfect culmination of the sort of specs and features I'm aspiring for. Had Volkswagen offered one of its VR6 engines in your generation of Passat rather than the Audi-derived 2.8L V6, I would be more inclined to opt for a B5.5 Passat. The 1.8T doesn't quite provide the sort of performance I'd like to have on tap, though it's probably the forerunner for engine of choice if I choose a Passat.

For any BMW, I'd completely forgo the AWD models to avoid any addition complexity to an already expensive to maintain vehicle. I would love to get a 330, though I could live with a 328 or 325. Ideally, any BMW would also be had with a manual transmission only. I haven't really found myself pining for any specific body style, however. Coupe, sedan or wagon; They're all fantastic. The only body style I will completely avoid is the convertible for sheer lack of interest in open-air fun.

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frogger Newbie

frogger

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Yeah the wing on that particular sample is disappointing because the rest of it is right up my alley (many have too much wood in the interior for my liking). Would almost be worth getting it removed and fixing the trunk holes. Not that I'm seriously looking for one, but there is not a lot to choose from out there.

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Lamar Newbie

Lamar

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I did some research and it seems that it's the opposite. Seems like the stepped auto is plagued with issues and dealers commonly pull a $3800 or so bill for replacement.

Meh.

It's weird... if you get one pre 07, you have to deal with the AT grenading itself. If you get an 07-08, you have to deal with driving a CVT.

You could always search out a 6th gen Maxima with a 6MT. :thumbsup:

Edited by Lamar
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Cory Wolfe

Cory Wolfe

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My current 'short' list...

  • 2004 Nissan Maxima - 6spd only.
  • 2002-03 Nissan Maxima - 6spd only.
  • 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix - Comp G only.
  • 2003-04 Cadillac CTS - 5spd only.
  • 2003 Acura CL Type-S - 6spd only.
  • 2001-03 Lexus IS300 - 6spd only.

I'm currently trying to stay with a stick, save for the Grand Prix due to the unavailability of such. I'm trying to stay with something that has good reliability while still being what I want. A big factor is that low mileage isn't likely with the price point I'm looking at. Something with roughly 80k is what I figure I can expect. Otherwise, I'm looking at older vehicles which I'd like to avoid. I've excluded many vehicles I was previously looking at due to questionable reliability, especially with the aforementioned factors. Audis, BMWs, VWs, Saabs, etc.

The hurdle I have to deal with currently is financing. Due to the mixed nature of my income, with half of it coming in the form of tips, my credit union isn't willing to do much for me. What I can afford, and what they think I can afford isn't in agreement.

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Drew Dowdell Grand Master

Drew Dowdell

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My current 'short' list...

  • 2004 Nissan Maxima - 6spd only.
  • 2002-03 Nissan Maxima - 6spd only.
  • 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix - Comp G only.
  • 2003-04 Cadillac CTS - 5spd only.
  • 2003 Acura CL Type-S - 6spd only.
  • 2001-03 Lexus IS300 - 6spd only.

I'm currently trying to stay with a stick, save for the Grand Prix due to the unavailability of such. I'm trying to stay with something that has good reliability while still being what I want. A big factor is that low mileage isn't likely with the price point I'm looking at. Something with roughly 80k is what I figure I can expect. Otherwise, I'm looking at older vehicles which I'd like to avoid. I've excluded many vehicles I was previously looking at due to questionable reliability, especially with the aforementioned factors. Audis, BMWs, VWs, Saabs, etc.

The hurdle I have to deal with currently is financing. Due to the mixed nature of my income, with half of it coming in the form of tips, my credit union isn't willing to do much for me. What I can afford, and what they think I can afford isn't in agreement.

Unfortunately, the key to that is saving up to have enough down payment so that the size of the loan is reduced to what they think you can afford

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pow Newbie

pow

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My current 'short' list...

  • 2004 Nissan Maxima - 6spd only.
  • 2002-03 Nissan Maxima - 6spd only.
  • 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix - Comp G only.
  • 2003-04 Cadillac CTS - 5spd only.
  • 2003 Acura CL Type-S - 6spd only.
  • 2001-03 Lexus IS300 - 6spd only.

I'm currently trying to stay with a stick, save for the Grand Prix due to the unavailability of such. I'm trying to stay with something that has good reliability while still being what I want. A big factor is that low mileage isn't likely with the price point I'm looking at. Something with roughly 80k is what I figure I can expect. Otherwise, I'm looking at older vehicles which I'd like to avoid. I've excluded many vehicles I was previously looking at due to questionable reliability, especially with the aforementioned factors. Audis, BMWs, VWs, Saabs, etc.

The hurdle I have to deal with currently is financing. Due to the mixed nature of my income, with half of it coming in the form of tips, my credit union isn't willing to do much for me. What I can afford, and what they think I can afford isn't in agreement.

I'd go for the IS300. My cousin has had a 2001 since new, and with 180K+ miles (just had its second timing belt change) it's still running strong. Fuel consumption isn't the best with the automatic, but all things considered, a great car.

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bobo Apprentice

bobo

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The stick on the IS300 was a five-speed, and it was available beginning with the 2002 model year. The mileage and range on an IS isn't the greatest, but it's a lot of car for the money. The CL-S is a nice, powerful ride if FWD isn't an issue. The GP Comp G is a little out of place on the list. I didn't care for it at all on the test drive.

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z28luvr01 Newbie

z28luvr01

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02-03 Maxima is a nice car. I never liked the 04-up Maxima - too big and chunky looking.

The GP may be out of place, but it's also the cheapest car on the list. It's not a bad car when looked at in a vacuum. If you're gonna include the GP, you might as well keep your eyes open for a Regal GS or Intrigue. Maybe even an Aurora 3.5

CTS is a nice ride but might be expensive to fix, if needed.

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Cory Wolfe

Cory Wolfe

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The GP may be out of place, but it's also the cheapest car on the list. It's not a bad car when looked at in a vacuum. If you're gonna include the GP, you might as well keep your eyes open for a Regal GS or Intrigue. Maybe even an Aurora 3.5

The GP being a generation newer puts it much higher on the list than any of those. Plus I would want it for the HUD, Tapshift as well as the horsepower bump the Generation III supercharged 3800 enjoyed.The seats are also some of the best seats from GM.

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SAmadei Newbie

SAmadei

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The GP may be out of place, but it's also the cheapest car on the list. It's not a bad car when looked at in a vacuum. If you're gonna include the GP, you might as well keep your eyes open for a Regal GS or Intrigue. Maybe even an Aurora 3.5

The GP being a generation newer puts it much higher on the list than any of those. Plus I would want it for the HUD, Tapshift as well as the horsepower bump the Generation III supercharged 3800 enjoyed.The seats are also some of the best seats from GM.

I thought GM did a good job on the TapShift transmission programming. For the most part, it works as you direct it to, with good response. I can't say the same for the other flavors of Manumatic of the era.

If you find one with a broken HUD, its usually a somewhat easy fix if you can stomach popping the dashboard apart. The spring that adjusts the height has a tendency to cut through the plastic hole. Some fix it by drilling a second hole or reinforcing the spot and redrilling.

Edited by SAmadei
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