[Powerbook]

I sort of want to reward myself for the fact that I'm sitting 14 hours a day in the office and have no private life anymore. So I'd like to get a new car to have something that me reminds why I'm doing this ( ). I like many cars, but I can only buy one... what do you think I should buy? You can add other cars, of course they must be available in Germany.


1. BMW 5-series (E39 2000-2003)

POSITIVE:
Design exterieur: Most beautiful BMW ever.
Design interier: Colors from cool to noble, everything pragmatic
Motor: Very good motors, good range, best Diesels in the world
Features: Everything money can buy (additionally)
NEGATIVE:
Quite high prices for cars
Quite high prices for parts

2. Mercedes C-Klasse Coupé

POSITIVE:
Design exterieur: Cool!
Motor: Good motors, good range, very good Diesels
Features: Everything money can buy (additionally)
NEGATIVE:
Design interieur: Hm, somehow boring
High prices for cars
Quite high prices for parts

3. Rover 75 (1999-2003)

POSITIVE:
Design exterieur: Already a classic. Very noble. Individual.
Design interieur: Light and warm, noble.
Motor: BMW motors, nothing fancy, but reliable R6 2.5 ltr. (powerful Ford V8 monster available),
Car prices cheap
NEGATIVE:
Motor: Diesel rather boring
Features: Many features not up to date (Phone integration, Navigation, still cassette player....), some not available at all
Manufacturing company bust

4. MG ZT (2001-2004)

POSITIVE:
Design exterieur: The aggressive brother of the Rover 75, very individual (only ~900 V8 cars produced!)
Design interieur: A bit too cool and technoid for my taste... missing the wood panels from the Rover
Motor: Tuned Rover machines, R6 2.5 ltr (190hp), V8 4.6 (260 hp) available at the same street price (!)
Car prices cheap, much bang for buck
NEGATIVE:
Motor: 2.5 ltr not that powerful, quite a gas guzzler, 4.6 ltr powerful, but even more gas guzzler
Features: Many features not up to date (Phone integration, Navigation, still cassette player...), some not available at all
Manufacturing company bust

5. Jaguar X-Type

POSITIVE:
Design exterieur: Quite nice, though the Rover7 5 is more refined imho.
Design interieur: Noble and warm, not that roomy though
Motor: Hrmmm. 2.5 ltr (193hp) and 3.0 ltr (231 hp) are okay, but they don't make it a sportscar. 4WD!
Features: touchscreen monitor and navigation is done well.
Used car prices cheap, much bang for buck
NEGATIVE:
High devaluation
Motor: Diesel is a joke (FWD, 4 cyl)
Features: Some features not up to date (Phone integration by Bluetooth!?, Still no TCM Navigation...)

6. Jaguar S-Type (2003++)

POSITIVE:
Design exterieur: A classic. Very nice interpretation of the 60's version
Design interieur: From model year 2003 onward very nice. Great wood and leather.
Motor: 4 ltr and 4 ltr compressor a powerful, car is too heavy for the 3.0 ltr I guess. The Diesel (2.7 ltr 6 cyl) sounds interesting, haven't driven it yet.
Features: touchscreen monitor and navigation is done well.
Used car prices are okay
NEGATIVE:
Motor: Not a good range.
Features: Some features not up to date (Phone integration by Bluetooth!?, Still no TCM Navigation...)
High devaluation
High part and labor prices

7. Audi A6 (2004++)

POSITIVE:
Design exterieur: Very timeless and lean
Motor: Very good range, all sorts of petrol and Diesel machines, sport editions, 4WD...
Features: Nearly everything you can want is available
NEGATIVE:
Design interieur: Partly feeling and looking too cheap for the car price
High prices for cars
Quite high prices for parts
Features: No iPOD integration

So many exquisite choices...
PB.

[hickey]

Audi RS4, superb all wheel drive, healthy V8, fast.

[ajprice]

1. Out of the choice you have given, go German.

2. Do you NEED a 4 door saloon car? If you want a reward for your work, why not get something a little more showy? You haven't said anything about budget, but for the kind of car you are looking at (BMW/Audi/Merc/Jaguar), you could get a decent coupe or convertible sportscar along the lines of a Honda S2000, Audi TT, Mazda RX8 or Nissan 350Z class of car.

3. You have made no mention of Lexus or any Japanese car, any reasons for this?

[Rumor]

Try something fun and that will be a real head turner.

[Powerbook]

Originally Posted by ajprice

1. Out of the choice you have given, go German.

2. Do you NEED a 4 door saloon car? If you want a reward for your work, why not get something a little more showy? You haven't said anything about budget, but for the kind of car you are looking at (BMW/Audi/Merc/Jaguar), you could get a decent coupe or convertible sportscar along the lines of a Honda S2000, Audi TT, Mazda RX8 or Nissan 350Z class of car.

3. You have made no mention of Lexus or any Japanese car, any reasons for this?

1. This coming from an englishman?

2. Yes. The car should be "standard" on the first glance. It can't be too showy, because a) it won't fit into my work, b) I want to stay "below the radar", no need to attract cops, burglars, thieves...

3. Hmm, no real reason to be honest. But I already had two japanese cars and found most japanese designs either too boring or not consistent. Lexus is an exception, but I don't know much about them.

[Doofy]

If you want to stay below the radar in Munich, go 5-Series.

[ajprice]

Originally Posted by Powerbook

1. This coming from an englishman?

English, no, British, yes. I'm Welsh. As for my German recommendation, its only because of the state of MG Rover at the moment (ie. non existent or in the hands of the Chinese, depends where you look), I'd stay away from MG or Rover. As for Jaguar, the S-Type is nice, but the X-Type is a rebodied Mondeo, the base cars are FWD, and it isn't a real Jaguar.

Under the radar cars, hmmm. Subaru Legacy? Saab? Just trying to suggest something different.

[Googer-Giger]

I remember going to my high school one day, and finding that my soon-to-be-best friend got a lotus elise, you have to hear that baby purr!!

[Powerbook]

Originally Posted by hickey

Audi RS4, superb all wheel drive, healthy V8, fast.

I got an excellent quote on an RS4 just last week, although the car might be too uncompromising as a daily driver... hmmm...

[Goldfinger]

E39. The others are crap or boring.

[OldSkuel]

BMW 850 Csi. Can be had for around 20 grand or less, BMW v12, 6 spd, tons of luxury options, just a stupid-awesome car... so awesome, it's almost stupid.

[hickey]

sweet 850 there.

As for the RS4, were you allowed to drive it around town, maybe take it on part of your commute route? But what exactly do you mean by, too uncompromising?

[OldSkuel]

The RS4 rides like a conastoga wagon.

[Buckaroo]

Toyota Prius

[Powerbook]

Originally Posted by hickey

As for the RS4, were you allowed to drive it around town, maybe take it on part of your commute route? But what exactly do you mean by, too uncompromising?

I haven't driven an RS car yet. But an S3 and S6 and those are pretty hard and sporty drivers. RS4 is afaik even more dependant on a good street material, which in real world is rather the exemption. I won't drive Autobahn all day, the fine chassis would be wasted.

[Powerbook]

Originally Posted by OldSkuel

BMW 850 Csi. Can be had for around 20 grand or less, BMW v12, 6 spd, tons of luxury options, just a stupid-awesome car... so awesome, it's almost stupid.

Finally something from the 80's worth keeping! Though it's hard to find a well maintained exemplar these days..

[macroy]

You didn't give a price limit (perhaps you have none? ).

But if I got to get something from Germany, it'd be the M3 CSL... but of course, a lot of that has to do with the fact that its not available here in the U.S. But that may also be a bit harsh for a daily commuter (like the RS4).

Perhaps an S4 Avant? I think that may be a bit more practical.

As for Lexus, I don't have a clue what's available in German (sorry) - but I just pretty much returned from the dealership helping my mother purchase one (ES 350). If its do-able, take a look at the new IS 350. Its a new bodystyle for 06' and its pretty nice. The goodies include reverse cameras and parking sensors, adaptive headlights, 307 HP, yada yada yada. The only grip I'd have is that the US model isn't available in a manual. Maybe that's different in Europe where people actually know how to drive....

Another suggestion is in the back of that 850 pic - the E30 M3.... that car is a beast as well.

[Spliffdaddy]

Buy the one you can pay cash for.

[TETENAL]

Opel Astra

[angelmb]

Rover cars are cool, it is sad that such brand is kinda dead while the french have three automakers where only Renault is worth a look. Just test a german-wannabe peugeot 607 and tell us what a crappy car is it.

I would look for a MB C 32 Sport Coupé AMG… if you are lucky enough to find an second hand unit.

I wouldn't buy a bigger car that the four doors C Klasse if you really don't need it. IMO it doesn't make any sense. But I would look also for -again- a C32 C Klasse four doors if the 3 doors Sport Coupé is hard to find / hard to pay, acceleration is AMAZING, the fastest official 0-100 in a C32 review was 4.6 seconds, the slowest 0-100 in a review was 5.0 seconds. I don't race with my car, but acceleration is a feature you want in your side if you have ever to overtake in the typical 'panic mode' two ways road.

I would avoid Diesel engines since -obviously- I don't like them.

If you don't need a lot of room I would take a look at the SMART ForFour Brabus. Looks like fun, huh?

[harrisjamieh]

From your list, I favour the Audi A6

[His Dudeness]

I'd go with a Charger RT/SRT-8 or the Magnum RT/SRT-8. And the new 2007 Audi A4 2.0 is B E A yoo-tee-ful.

[jebjeb]

Being I have (actually had as I just sold it it) a C32 AMG Estate (Station Wagon) Merc, I would go for a used C55 AMG. Lovely car with everything that the C32's had wrong with them fixed.

Practical, stupidly fast and have a good balanced ride.

[Macfreak7]

E39 M5

[Powerbook]

Originally Posted by Buckaroo

Toyota Prius

Technologically an avantgarde car, but I don't like the design at all.

[Powerbook]

Originally Posted by macroy

You didn't give a price limit (perhaps you have none? ).

But if I got to get something from Germany, it'd be the M3 CSL... but of course, a lot of that has to do with the fact that its not available here in the U.S. But that may also be a bit harsh for a daily commuter (like the RS4).

Perhaps an S4 Avant? I think that may be a bit more practical.

As for Lexus, I don't have a clue what's available in German (sorry) - but I just pretty much returned from the dealership helping my mother purchase one (ES 350). If its do-able, take a look at the new IS 350. Its a new bodystyle for 06' and its pretty nice. The goodies include reverse cameras and parking sensors, adaptive headlights, 307 HP, yada yada yada. The only grip I'd have is that the US model isn't available in a manual. Maybe that's different in Europe where people actually know how to drive....

Well I have a price limit, though it's rather one of common sense. I thought of spending 20-40k € for a used car. Buying new cars isn't compatible with my attitude of budgeting. I would have a feeling of having wasted my money!

The Lexus cars look interesting, I had a look on their homepage. I will check with a Lexus dealer next week.

[Powerbook]

Originally Posted by Spliffdaddy

Buy the one you can pay cash for.

Of course. Never did it otherwise.

[Powerbook]

Originally Posted by angelmb

Rover cars are cool, it is sad that such brand is kinda dead while the french have three automakers where only Renault is worth a look. Just test a german-wannabe peugeot 607 and tell us what a crappy car is it.

I would look for a MB C 32 Sport Coupé AMG… if you are lucky enough to find an second hand unit.

I wouldn't buy a bigger car that the four doors C Klasse if you really don't need it. IMO it doesn't make any sense. But I would look also for -again- a C32 C Klasse four doors if the 3 doors Sport Coupé is hard to find / hard to pay, acceleration is AMAZING, the fastest official 0-100 in a C32 review was 4.6 seconds, the slowest 0-100 in a review was 5.0 seconds. I don't race with my car, but acceleration is a feature you want in your side if you have ever to overtake in the typical 'panic mode' two ways road.

I would avoid Diesel engines since -obviously- I don't like them.

If you don't need a lot of room I would take a look at the SMART ForFour Brabus. Looks like fun, huh?

To be honest I love the design of many Peugeots, 407 and 607 look great imho. I don't know how they match up to german cars as I have never driven one.
I'll have to check for street prices of the AMGs, my parents live near the Headquarters of AMG, iirc there are always some used leasing cars for resale.

[Paco500]

Originally Posted by Powerbook

Technologically an avantgarde car, but I don't like the design at all.

Being a recent transplant from the US to the UK, the Prius has pretty much lost it's luster in my eyes. Without all the government subsides and tax advantages offered in the US, it costs an ungodly amount of money. Add to that, it's squarely mid-range in fuel economy over here. There are much better cars costing less that get better milage. I don't know if the same is true across Europe, but I'm shocked I've seen the one or two on the road that I have.

[His Dudeness]

Have you considered a Saab 9-3? I test drove one and it was sweet. Great car and lots of fun to drive.

[ajprice]

My boss has a chipped turbodiesel Saab 9-3, its a fast car.