my commute is very short... like 13-14miles one way on surface
roads. it's not like im commuting to downtown... but still lazy. i had
MT commuters in the past and i just hated it. i should get those Griot's
driving shoes that look like dress shoes, huh?

with only a budget of $25k, i think im going to look at used A4 wagons
or something...

 

Ok thats a little further than I had thought. MAybe you just need to find a good Auto.manual mix transmission (I think the Ferrari one only costs 10k (paddles inculded!), thats less than half the budget ) But yes I'm faniliar with your area and unless I'm there in the middle of the night I often find my self asking how people can live in such horrendous traffic conditions (I swear people check common sense south of Euclid, until at least pas the Elgin O'hare)

 

Just curious about your A3 statement, where you picked up the impression and what the issues are that make many not like it? I've been lurking on several US and Euro boards since peeking at hatch/wagon options and really, beyond a few issues that TSBs are catching up on and the occasional Friday rush build car (and seemingly overall less problems then BMWs/MINIs) the owners look very happy. Really, lots of statements with the 'xxxxx miles and no problems still loving it go on long drives' type stuff from the modded 2.0s to the non modded 3.2s (and A4 converts); for a first year model the 8P A3 seems very good actually. And the fact that you can access the programming for these cars directly via VAG software with no dealer needed is great. In any case, just curious about the specifics.

As for the 335 engine I had heard some rumblings about issues with overheating, but as I'm not particularly interested in the car and dealing with typical chronic BMW problems and service I have not been investigating it specifically so I can't say for sure what the word on the street is at this time. If I were interested though, I'd wait till that engine/ecu had been out in use in the real world for a good time before commiting to it...

 

the thing about those AT with manual mode is it's better than not
having it (ie: my 06 civic does not have a manual mode) but it's still
the disconnected feel of the torque converter...the throttle response
is too numb, too loose, too disconnected. that i hate the most about
AT cars and what makes it so much less fun to drive. (just my opinion)

yah, some of the traffic is real nasty down my are... especially RoselleRd.
super crazy at times. they reprogrammed the signals so it's okay in
the morning, but the evening drive is a real POS.

 

eVal-thanks for your input. while im not in much hurry to get my next
commuter, i will check out the A3's again... they're not bad.

 

You're welcome, its worth considering from the looks of it. We keep getting drawn back based on looks, options, and fun to drive quotient. It does remind me of the Mini experience - people where my husband works who have them really love them and then spawn more new owners

PS: I have noticed G35 converts too :D

 

I do not think they make them anymore. We were looking at Baby Benz to replace the SUV, along with G35, 3 series, IS350. For a MB, you really got to go AMG to get a fast car. I looked at the AMGs instead of the CS but MUCH more money to be any faster.

Well, no caddy for you G35 is a good choice.

I have not read the Audi boards, not interested in any Audi. My impression comes from reading other car forums like Elise, multiple p-car, m3. You get people who left their A3s for one reason or the other. I can't point you to an individual post because its a general impression over the last couple of years that I remember. It left a lasting impression since I remembered it.

Its the same thing like I read what others say about the MINI on other boards. If I never owned one, Except for the chick/clown car comments you read sometimes, they are all very favourable as to the cars abilities. Never really read anyone dissing one. So if I never owned one or read the MINI boards, my impression would be favourble for the MINI

 

Ah okay, so the "Many do not like the A3, lots of issues" is an impression from the last couple of years of reading other car forums - it is interesting since the current A3, esp the 3.2Q, has been out a pretty short time in the US. I guess it all depends on which boards you go to and who is posting - going to other brand boards in particular tends to highlight the unhappy individuals who changed for whatever reason and makes it harder to see if they are reflective of the majority or not (and, ironically, A3 issues don't seem to come close to the M3 first few years problems). I think that I'd have to say that even if I hadn't owned BMWs and MINIs I would likely still come away with a pretty negative impression re: ownership issues from what I've seen.

 

True, your going to get the complainers.

I got to say that I have never read anything negative about MINIs in other forums. I have read, for example, 987 owners impressed that a MCS could keep up well at the Dragon.

And in a 997 forum, owners talk about picking up MC convertables for their wives for about town runabout. Nothing negative. Now they talk in terms of a "fun car" ... not a serious car ... but still, nothing negative.

 

The key difference is that you are referring to just driving/handling comments, my statement was about the ownership experience/car issues which I have seen plenty of gripes about (on other car/moto forums mostly regarding bimmers - so far I've mostly noticed the Mini come up as either a choice they skipped or just handling impressions, nothing much discussed about actual ownership issues).

 

^^ yah, i need to know the ownership issues... im pretty confident
the cars i have in mind will perform very well on the street, but if they
are not reliable or if i need to keep taking it back to the dealer i dont
want it. i would rather buy a decent car and hop it up to make it an
awesome car than get a awesome car that breaks down all the time.

 

Yo Ken

http://www.ajc.com/news/content/ajcc...0carlists.html

The Top 8 for '07: The best get better

Infiniti G35
The all-new G35 sedan for 2007 was a top selection by both Automobile magazine and Car & Driver. It's also available in a coupe, unchanged for '07, and both consistently draw raves for their eye-catching designs. The G35 also does a good job of catching the competition on the road with muscle to match the beauty. It doesn't have far to go before it challenges the leader of the pack, the BMW 3-Series. The sedan comes equipped with a 306-horsepower, 3.5-liter V-6 engine and is priced in the low to mid-$30,000s.

 

thanks. being the dork i am i went over to my Infiniti dealer
where i bought my G35C to look at the sedans. the dark silver one
really caught my eyes. the real thing is nothing like any of the pictures
ive seen so far. they actually look pretty damn good.

but if the sedan looks that good, you know the next gen coupe is going
to look even better... hense, im going with my original plan to get
the G37C (2nd year or later release) and probably get a used A4 or wagon for
the commute with MT when its time to rid the civic.