stever500

Hi folks. So... you all helped me immeasurably 2.5 years ago when we were deciding whether to get an 07 Blk/Blk RL for my wife or not. She ended up selling her beloved 99 Jag XK8 and never looked back. She loves her RL.




Here's the dilemma. My high paying sales job was eliminated at my cable company 11 months ago and I took a marketing job instead so I could keep my benefits and at least have some income coming in while I looked around for something to replace my old income. 11 months later, no luck. Horrible job market out there. So... my smart, wise, practical, wife came up with a plan to help us. We're bleeding money each month right now so to at least stop maintenance expense on my 2 existing cars that I have, she proposed I sell this - 1996 C4S, 86k mi, My baby, my love, I've had it for 7 dreamy years, will be sick about losing it but not sure there's any other way out at this point. I can probably get $30k-$34k for it. It sometimes costs $3k a year in maintenance. Sometimes it costs a lot less, but eventually, it's going to need expensive stuff to keep it on the road, she's guessing.


The she suggested I sell my other true love, my 01 740i Sport, my sweet ride that I said I'd never sell. It too usually requires $3k or so a year in maintenance though just like the 911, it cost only $700 or so last year - a lucky year for sure. Adding that up it could amount to $25k in maintenance over 5 years for both cars. Ouch. Or, I could get lucky and it would be 1/2 that. Ticking time bombs she calls them. The BMW has 100k miles, runs like it's new, it's my 3rd (E38) 740i - all the same exact car, just newer than the other. She thinks it's a ticking time bomb of maintenance expense. It has left me stranded a few times but other cars do that too (alternator once, radiator, etc).


So she said I could sell them both as I've said (arghhh), then we've have about $9-10k for the 740i, about $30k or so for the 911, for a total of about $38k at a low amount. She thinks that I should get a $20k car that's Japanese = reliable. I am not into this plan, at all, but am slowly coming around to her line of thinking even though it doesn't make me happy.

Difficult times = difficult choices. It's still a lot better than being stuck under a building in Haiti. A LOT better. Life could be a lot worse than driving a lovely Japanese car. So... I thought I could get a 07 Lexus LS 460 with high miles. Unfortunately they lowest they seem to be going for is $33k

That doesn't really help us for what we want to do...

I looked at older ones, like a 2006, and the inside is nice, but the outside looks like my grandfather or Doctor would be driving it. I hasn't aged that well in my eye... The cheaper ones around $21k don't even have Nav. You have to go to around $24k for that. Here's a $21k one.

Not bad I guess, but I'm not sure it's what I'm looking for. I want something pretty killer if I'm giving up my two babies.

Then I thought about an 07 BMW 550i. Really nice car, 380 HP

But it's unfortunately got iDrive. I hate this feature. The RL kind of has iDrive in a way, but on the BMW it's even less intuitive.

I could be really happy with this $21k car, but it could end up costing a LOT in maintenance, much more so than the RL

I considered this for a bit, the 2006 LS430 Lexus, but I'm not loving the body style that much for $22k-$23k


So I'm back at the 07 RL. Yes, a car I said I would never own. Compared to the 08 Honda Accord I looked at at the dealer the other day...I must say, as perfect a vehicle as the Accord is, it doesn't inspire any emotion in me at all except - boring. It's kind of a hot little car, and especially at $16k it's a good deal I guess, but for $5k or so more, I could get this (I think silver is the only car I'd want as it's stays clean longer and it stealthy):


Plus, since my wife has a black one, it would be boring to get the same color. I do think black looks the best though, by far.


I'm assuming silver can come with a black interior - the only one I would get.


I would really miss my BMW and Porsche web forums. There's a wonderful culture there, a fun group of folks, and a tight knit community where we have "Meet and Drives". I would never do that when owning an Acura. NO offense, but it's just not the same thing, not that there's anything wrong with that.

The RL is much more generic, but also a very great car for what it is, at a wonderful price compared to the $41k or so we paid for hers, new. We also got a warranty for 8 years for $1300 I think it was.

I tried to talk her into maybe we could just sell the 911 and keep the $30k in the bank as a back up. Then I could keep the BMW which is worth only $9k or so and spend the difference in price between the $22k '06 or '07 Acura for maintenance as it comes up $12k. Besides, my rationale was the BMW has hit the bottom of it's depreciation curve, but the RL will keep depreciating over the next 4-5 years down to around $9k.

I know, you can't really apply logic to this emotional decision. Any thoughts or suggestions to my confused ramblings?

Maybe in the end I'd be happy as heck in an RL. I just don't know what to do. The really smart thing would be to sell both cars and get a cheap $16k 2008 Honda with less electronics on it, no Nav, etc, or a new Hyundai Elantra for $15300 out the door, tax and tags, like my friend just did after he rolled his Toyota Echo in a snowstorm - but I'd be miserable I think driving those cars.

I am spoiled. I want some luxury. An RL review on cars.com kind of scared me... the guy bought it with 45k miles, and after putting 5k miles on it the transmission when out on him and 2 other components. He said it was the worst car he ever had. I know... that is probably really rare.

So is it worth getting a 2007 over a 2006 for any reason? I don't have a iPod by the way if that plays into anything.

I really appreciate your time reading this is you even got down this far. The ONLY good thing here is that I will get a garage spot for my 1 car when I pare them down to one, as opposed to having my daily driver now sitting out in the elements all day.

Cheers,
Steve R

Dopes6070

I’m about to roll 100k miles on my 05 RL and the only thing I had to do that wasn’t normal maintenance was replace 2 broken motor mounts and the drivers door handle. I do drive it hard quite a bit though. All the cars that you listed have a lot of electronics that are REALLY expensive if they break. If I was in your shoes the accord might be a good compromise especially if you can get the 3.5L V6. One of my good friends has one and it’s actually faster then the RL haha.

vladfrenkel

Hi,
It is hard to give an advice in this situation.
I could just give my $.02 having in mind, that I've owned 08 RL and currently own 07 550i.
Pls keep in mind, I don't really much familiar with Lexus, cause it is quite not my style of driving if you know what I mean.
If you'll search on the forum, you'll be able to find mine quite detailed comparison between RL and 550i.
In nutshell, if luxury you are seeking go for RL, hands down. My wife still misses her beloved RL, even after almost 1.5 yrs of owning 550i. (which is my third BMW BTW).
Anyway, 550i is much sportier (BTW it is 360 not 380 BHP) and with sport suspension (I believe 80% of 550i sold in US are) could be quite firm.
Handling wise, it is draw, I'd say (although I do prefer RWD and almost 50/50 weight distribution of bimmer myself, in my opinion, it is much more predictable behavior if you know what I mean). But I must say, during rainy season in North Cal, I do miss this "AWD feel" of RL sometimes, cause 550i comes w/o LSD.
Technology, goes to RL, although some features works better in BMW (such as voice recognition).
Fuel consumption, is way better in BMW, even with very aggressive driving style my mix mode (highway/city) never falls below 19 mpg.
Reliability, most would say an RL, but I may be lucky no problems with all my 3 BMW's whatsoever (although I did obtain an extended warranty for it, just in case). [my 550i currently almost @ 40K mi]
Dealer experience, despite the fact, that it is almost impossible to find the loaner on BMW dealership, goes to BMW. Always top notch service, free software upgrades, etc...
Cost of ownership - in the long run probably RL (although BMW didn't cost me a dime yet, all work has been fully covered, plus I have a good mechanic, once my warranty expires)
But why am I telling you all this, you've owned the BMW, most of these details you know already. Take my word for it, if you like Spartan style interior (I do like it a lot BTW), you can stand I-drive interface (once you get used to it, it is, in my opinion, way better that all those additional buttons), you'd simply fall in love with Ultimate Driving Machine. Extremely reliable motor (360BHP/360TRQ), outstanding gearbox, great suspension, and most importantly 20-way seats which comes with sport package. Hands down the best seats I've ever tried. Also HUD is amazing, but it is optional of course.
But, again, my wife not really into this vehicle. If I'd want to find this "golden" middle nowadays, hypothetically, I'd probably check out 4.6L Genesis or Audi A6 4.2 or new Jag XF. Audi cause of luxury/AWD option (although not as sporty as bimmer), Genesis cause of luxury/reliability/motor (not very sporty though, style of driving closer to Lexus and Mercedes, but very good engine indeed and it is spacious), Jag XF (very good reliability, luxurious, great exterior/interior styling and almost as sporty as BMW - although hard to find used for a good price).

Sorry if it ended up to be a little long. PM me if you have any questions about the BMW.

armashi

+1 on the Audi and Hyundai Genesis. Also, have you thought about an Infiniti G or M? They're great cars for the price if you buy used or CPO. Fast, fun, reliable, cheap to maintain (they all use the same 3.5L VQ engine found in 90% of their cars). For the amount you're looking to spend, you can easily get something very nice with a warranty to boot, to ease your money-pit fears.
That being said, I hope you;re situation turns around soon and you can buy yourself a brand new Porsche GT2 =)

zRLmarine

well you oviously got hit with the bad times(the economy) maybe thats a sign, you said that you would buy a car with high miles, maybe thats not a smart thing, usually, not always but most of the time, high mileage turns into= problems, especially expensive cars with lots of tech, electronics. you posted jap. cars which is good, usually has better reliability. you state that your picky with the designs.ok. well from my standpoint, my 2 cents, maybe you should get an accord or like, u can get a new 4 banger with leather for about 22k if u deal and yes my stepdad got one for that price so i know it can happen(new). i dont think your out to showoff, well i hope not, and you older than me so you should be smarter than me, and should know, that a honda isnt going to cost you anything to keep up, an oil change every 3-5k miles whatever you want to do. i say be smarter, then maybe in the long run, you can buy a nicer car. and yes i'm truly sorry about what has happened to you, dont get me wrong. i also realize you want a luxury sedan, but your having to sell 2 of your cars to make ends meet, maybe you should just downsize this one time, and getting a honda accord (or like) really isnt down sizing, especially getting an accord the things' huge, and extremly nice with leather, and u can get navi too, but this is just what i think. yes the smart thing would be to get an accord, have u test drove one yet? i dont mean to bash on you, but we all need to be real, especially if the person is getting hit with the economical problems. and getting a high mileaged car means that the warranty might be about to run out, so that means you have to spend more money to get an extended warranty, but if u buy something newer or less miles than u have a better/longer warranty, common sense.
i wish you the best of luck, and hope things do turn out better and you an get your porsche back.

stever500

Thanks everyone for your responses. I couldn't edit my post after 5 minutes and realized I typed in 07 BMW 550i but I meant 06 550i with 360 HP (not 380) for that price of around $22k or so. I'll have to drive the car and see how it feels. I'm sure it's awesome but I'm worried that a 50K mi car out of warranty could break down and cost a lot to fix - screwing up our entire situation.

Yes, the Accord does make the most sense but I don't want to let good sense run this total decision. A guy's got to have a little fun if he's getting rid of loved cars like this. For something bland? I don't want to go there yet, but I understand the logic in it.

I looked at the 2006 I think it was, M45. I just don't like the styling in the pics I saw and in person 2.5 years when I last looked, but maybe I need to drive it and give it a chance in person again. I doubt I'd go that route.

The Jag is nice, but not for me. And like you said, used ones would probably still cost a lot. They're not really my style either, at all.

The Hyundai Genesis? I can't see getting one of those but I'll check used car prices. I understand your points about Lexus styling. I only like the LS 460 and it's out of my range anyway.

Time to drive some cars. At least I don't have to make a decision this week or today.

vladfrenkel

Hi,
So based on what you've said about 550i 2006 model, is it certify preowned or isn't? If it is, at least you have 2 more yrs and 50K mi to go. If it isn't, I'd definitely check it out with independent mechanic.
Other then that, good luck and hope you'll find the car which will satisfy your needs. (Genesis did surprised me a lot BTW, so get a test drive of it, you may be suprised )

TSX69

It seems that low costs is the important issue for you right now, so I say go for the RL. The poor resale value of the car means that you can get it relatively cheap & the reliability of the vehicle should save you $ on maintenance (@ least compared to BMWs - if what I read is true).

Use the RL as an interim car & when you are back on your feet again, splurge on something more fun but for now, practicality seems to be your focal point.

Btw I am pretty sure that that is a Lexus GS & not LS in your pic ...

VOdoc

+1 on the RL given the facts of the situation.

I never coveted German cars--perhaps my 1980s GF's 1984 3-series left a bad taste. She would take it in for an oil change and they inevitably would find $1500 worth of things wrong. I think any Beemer out of warranty is a ticking IED waiting to go off. A Porsche, even more so. You are wise to be thinking along Japanese lines and to get out while you can.

Lexus ought to be getting a whole lot cheaper right about now with all the news about unintended acceleration, but most folks still have not figured out that they are actually Toyotas. Also, I agree that the '06 LS is a frumpy looking ride, but as a doctor I have to take exception to your comment. Plus, those Lexi are overpriced land yachts.

No one should have to drive an Accord, Hyundai etc. after having the stable you've enjoyed. (Once you've been to the circus and seen the elephants, it's hard to get back on the farm.) Fuhgeddaboudit.

A used '06-08 RL is a price performer. Get CMBS (Tech) if you can. I know lots of people have issues with PAX tires but at 58,000 miles, mine still have plenty of tread. No complaints except I would have liked the backup camera. BTW the best color is carbon gray. Wish I had it.

One other Acura to consider is an '07 or '08 TL in the pre-proboscis configuration. It is a real classic--gorgeous sheet metal--and if you can get past the issue of front wheel drive (obviously you can if you are considering an Accord), you might find it exhilarating and fun. The RL is more serene and luxurious. Dealer's choice.

Best o' luck!

TSX69

Toyota Recalls Dragging Down Lexus Image & Sales

The majority of Toyota’s recent safety recalls involve Toyota-branded vehicles, but the Japanese automaker’s Lexus luxury brand is starting to feel the ripple effects from the company’s 8.5 million global recalls as its quality images and sales are beginning to slip.

Only about 450,000 of Toyota’s 6 million United States recalls involved Lexus vehicles, but a recent study by New York-based BrandIndex Service finds that buyers are beginning to question Lexus’ quality image. BrandIndex’s study asks consumers if a particular brand has high or low quality, with 0 representing a neutral response. The higher the number the greater the perceived quality, while anything below 0 is considered lower quality.

In the latest study, Lexus scored a mark of 30, tumbling 18 points from the automaker’s score of 48 in early January. In comparison, BMW’s current score is 44 and Mercedes-Benz holds a score of 40. Toyota’s current score is -5.

“Toyota is never mentioned in any of Lexus marketing, as if there’s no connection,” said BrandIndex spokesman Drew Kerr. “But apparently consumers have put two and two together. Both BMW and Mercedes have taken a wide lead in the luxury category.”

BrandIndex’s findings are being reflected in Lexus’s sales. Although Lexus’ sales are up 5 percent so far this year, the Japanese brand is lagging behind its German rivals. BMW has posted a 12 percent sales increase this while Mercedes’ sales are up 24 percent. Lexus has been the U.S.’ best-selling luxury brand since 2000, but both BMW and Mercedes-Benz outsold Lexus during the month of February.

VOdoc

P.S.

Jag XF!?! Almost missed that. Gorgeous, and hideously unreliable. Similar in many respects to a trophy wife. NOOOOOOOOOOO!! Tempting but ultimately disastrous.

VOdoc

P.P.S.

Never forget that an Audi is simply a Volkswagen with a larger grille.

stever500

Really good advice, gents. Yes, that pic above is a Lexus GS instead of an LS. I was very tired when I posted it. Not a fan of the Lexus's I saw so far in my price range so they're out.

I sat in a new RL at the stealer today. Nice interior but the exterior front is weak. The whole Acura line is beak laden now. Don't they get it? It looks bad to me, like 7 series BMW's from 2002 on up to 2006 or so.

They didn't have any 06-07 RL's for sale though. I don't think my wife would be that wild about me getting an 06 BMW 550i anyway due to repairs on my current car costing so much over time. 2 years ago it was $4k for repairs on that one car.

I looked at the Infinities today - the M35 and M45. Not a fan of them from any angle and not a fan of the interior except the seats - they're amazing.

I keep coming back to the RL. I thought silver would be the best color as it hides the dirt so well but I'll check out the Carbon Gray color again as you suggest. Is that the best color? Which is the BEST color? I want to get the nicest color. Just kidding. I know it's totally subjective. So just to be sure, if I get an 06 - it's real wood everywhere except the doors on all 06's? Then the 07 base models have Plood everywhere and only the upgraded "tech package" have wood on the dash area but not the doors? On ads on cars.com they never tell you if it has back up camera, tech package, etc. I guess you have to call and ask them but the ones at a Cadillac or Chevy dealer for instance, they usually don't know anything about the car.

Thanks in advance. The thing I really don't like about the RL is that the back seat has awfully short leg room compared to my BMW. I don't take people back there that much but we occasionally will drive a long way to NYC from Md. and have someone in the back. I guess them's the brakes in that case. They'll just suffer.

I'm very tempted to just keep my BMW 740i and not get the RL at all, pocketing the $12k+ difference in price by keeping it and using it for repairs. It's a beautiful car, a classic of sorts, it's got a roomy back seat, and is comfortable and sporty. Still not totally sure what to do. It's only worth about $9-10K. Maintenance if it was $3k a year in 4 years would be the price differential between buying the used RL now and not. The RL will depreciate a lot over 4 years so wouldn't it kind of be a wash? Will keep thinking about it and I probably need to drive my wife's car some more to decide.

But, if I do decide... what color...

Peace,
Steve R

vladfrenkel

Although I'd agree that Jag is unreliable, I'd not say that Audi is VW with a larger grille.
This is not Lexus and Toyota, Honda and Acura or Nissan and Infiniti, Audi was independent for some time from VW, and not invented "luxury" brand. Although they share some interior details with VW, I'd agree on that. So does some Porshe models as well (Touareg and Cayenne for example )
They are less common grounds in Audi A6 for example and VW Passat, then on Acura and Honda.
Also, to my knowledge, none of VW yet to have Quattro system, nor does US Hondas has Sh-AWD (although Honda Legend has)

23109VC

I like your stable. Your post reminds me of my own situation, and some of the thoughts that have gone through my mind recently.

In my garage we have a late model MDX, an 06 RL, and I have an older 986 Boxster as my "toy / baby". I work for the gov't and we have been hit by the bad economy in the form of pay reductions/ furloughs / overtime reductions /etc. End result - I'm not at the point yet where I have to sell a car, but if the cuts continue I very well could be, and I have already started thinking about it.

If I sell a car - it's going to be the Boxster. it's not worth what your car is - but like your 911, it has the $$ maintenance costs, it goes through tires fast, and there is always a fear it will have some catastrophic failure that will cost big money. plus, it's the least practical car of the bunch.

hard decision. ultimately, you have to calculate how badly you need cash vs just need to reduce monthly costs.

you can cut the maintenance costs on the 993 by just not driving it much. put a car cover on it in the garage, and drive it every other weekend. You'll get to keep it, and with reduced usage, you'll liely see far less repairs. I only put 3000 miles per year on my Boxster...i'm sure if i was driving the stink out of it, it WOULD cost me even more in repairs..but if you don't drive it much, it's harder for stuff to break. it's a gorgeous car, and selling it would be painful. if you HAVE to have the money though, or need that $30k in liquid cash, then uload it. just be aware, the car market for used POrsches is not all that great. you may find that what you think you can get for it, you can't... I don't know. but I would thorougly reseach the market on used 993s and get a very realistic assessment as to what I could get for it.

your BMW, if it has been well maintained since you've owned it, very likely will keep running and the monthly/annual repair costs will NOT be as much as buying or leasing a new car of similar quality. if you are content to lease a civic, you can probalby cuts costs substantially..but you are a car guy - just like me, and I know I would go insane driving a civic. look - if we were on teh verge of losing our houses...I'd frickin walk or take the bus if I had to...i'm not going to buy a nice car and lose my house... BUT, if I have the choice between a new civic, or a barely used RL - i know waht I"m picking and I suspect - no.... I KNOW.. you would do the same. anyone who drives/owns what yo do - loves cars and derives actual pleasure from them. they are nto tools to get you from piotn A to point B...they are extensions or your persona...instruments of pleasure. they are luxuries...and we recognize that..and if times get tough we will deal with letting them all go...but there is always some room to have somethign slightly nicer that isn't just an appliance.

Assuming you do sell your Porsche...then you have to decide if you keep the BMW and just fix it along the way as stuff goes bad, or do you unload it, pocket hte 10k and then buy or lease something newer. calculate what repairs will be annually on the BMW vs paying for a newer car you would like.

one consideration is how bad do you need liquid cash for other costs? if you need cash now for other expenses...sell the Porsche, and kee the BMW. fix it as needed. it's a nice car. repairing it will probably still cost less than investing in a new car.

if you don't want to keep the BMW and want somethign new reliable - you could consider leasing something. pocket the cash from the porsche and the BMW...and then lease a car for 3 years. you woudl have enough money in pocket to cover the lease pyaments..and you would have control / use of the liquid cash to pay other liabilityes, invest it, and easily cover 3 years of lease payments. say you leas a new TL..similar to an RL in size/features... you pay roughly ..I don't know..maybe $500/month.

so over 3 years you pay $18000. you would have pocketed almost $40k by selling your two cars if your figures are right. you still have $20k when all is said an done left over...

one question - would you want to have two cars taht are the same? two RLs seems so redundant. the RL is a great car, and nothign wrong with two of them...but you might get bored.

if you like having a 911....which I know you do - why not sell the Porsche and the BMW and get somethign that is japanese and sporty, but not so expensive. something that will still give you the fun factor you want, but be covered by a warranty, and not be so $$.

do you have kids? do yo uneed to have back seats in YOUR car or can you get by with a car that is not practical? I have 3 kids..so we have to have two cars that seat kids as we both often are haulign them around...and my boxster is a pure toy..so it's a two seater. i don't have the option of selling my RL and boxster to get into a 911 as the 2 rear seats won't fit all the kids..and it just wouldn't be practical...

but if you love having Porsche..and could sell the 911 and BMW and have $40k in hand..AND you dont NEED every cent of that money..you just wnat to StOP all the nickel and diming of repair costs..why not get a newer CPO Porsche? you aren' tgetting a new 997 for $40k ... you know that.. but you could EASILY get a Cayman or Boxster that is CPO for proabably $30k..and I mean a nice one.

maybe you would feel bad about going from a 911 to a boxster..but I've driven my bro in law's 996 and honestly.. I like my boxster more. it's not as fast, but hit clearly handles better. I see snow in your pictures..so a convergible may not be somethig you want in your neck of the woods.but a nice cayman can be had for similar money. beautiful car, tons of fun..but no back seats.... you can get one in the 30k range. CPO...with some peace of mind. you cut costs and get to keep something in the garage that you would probably love.

if you want to go even cheaper - and want something really fun - look at japanese sports cars. if you can go two a two seater there are plenty of choices. one car I looked at that I REALLY liked was the mazda RX8. it's no 911, it's NOT a porsche...but of all the sports cars I drove - it was sooooooooo much fun and they are cheap. the rotary motors are now ALL covered by a 100k miles warranty...all of them. even if you buiy used. you could get a super low mileage 07 for proabbly 20k fully loaded leather, nav, factory body kit... they are not super fast but handle great. they feel VERY sporty. i would have no problems if I had to trade out of my porche and got into an RX8. they are super fun. crummy gas mileae..but fun fun fun. they have very functional rear seats...more so than the 911. only two..but it is a true sports car with rear seats... i almost bought one and to this day still like them.

bottom line - you have choices. I always feel like selling a good used car is always a bad financial decision..becaue ultimately, you can keep fixing it for less than you will spend on a newer car...but cars - for people like us - are not purely financial deicisons and only applicances for getting around. they are fun..you enjoy them, you love them and driving a car you hate is torture. if you can avoid it - you'd rathe rhave something fun.

i totally understand. if you choose to sell both cars - i think you can find somethign that would actually be fun to drive and relaible..you just wn't be buying a used RS4 or M5.... I dont think you shoudl downgraade and go ricey and get an EVO or Mazdaspeed3 hatchback... but there are mature choices... i would think you coudl find something nice and relatively fun to drive.more so than the RL...and still get it relatively new, CPO...and have a warranty, peace o fmind, and something fun.

your RL is a great luxury car... but you obviously want something fun to drive and the RL is not going to satisfy that part of your car guy nature. i'd loo at something less expensive but still fun. i tall dependson how many seats you need and how much money you will spend on that car.

ultimately, if you can get $40k by selling your two cars, you could buy a relatively new Cayman with a warranty and still hav emoney left over. some Porsche guys would consider than an "upgrade"..some a downgrade... your air cooled 993 is a classic..but arguaby the newer Caymans are better balanced and hae their own advantages...it all depends on how you choose to look at it.

getting an RL would be fine, but I think you'd regret it and be bored. you already have one. just my thoughts.

I may be in your boat soon... and if my boxster goes..and I lose my "fun" car... I suspect I may want to sell my RL and swap it out for something slightly sportier...not sure what...but for now I'm sitting tight.

good luck with the decision, let us know what you end up doing.

i always look on the bright side..it's not fun to have to consider selling your beloved Porsche...but at least you had one...and when things turn around, you can always buy another one. you also have the luxury of being able to sell two cars and evn if you don't get your dream car - you have the means to get *something* that will be nice. other people will still envy your garage...

1HOT NSX

Buy german again, but new with a warranty and save tons on your gas bill.
About 3 months ago we bought my wife a new 2010 VW Jetta Sportwagen TDI (diesel) with the DSG tranny. It's a blast to drive, especially with the 18" wheels and Pirellis I installed and it's now giving us a true 38 mpg combined driving 60/40 city/hwy.

Go test drive one and you'll see what I mean. It may be unreliable - ours is running like a champ - but it has a warranty and it does not depreciate like a perfomance car - have you checked the price of slightly used M5s lately? I paid sticker $29,600 for the JSW because they are hot and not being discounted much. I like fun performance cars like everyone else and trust me, this little JSW is a blast to drive! I love the feel of the Porsche Cayman S which I've driven, the Honda S2000 and my own NSX, so you can trust that I know what I'm talking about when I say the JSW is super fun to drive - massive torque and lots of room too.

stever500

Wow, thanks for the brilliant replies. You've spent a lot of time on this and I appreciate it. Well, it looks like the 911 is going bye bye for sure. After thinking more about the 06 RL, it would seem redundant to have 2 of the same car. What was I thinking?

I've decided, for now, to just keep my 740i Sport and wait out the repairs. Maybe I'll get lucky and they won't cost $3k a year. If they do, it's still a lot cheaper than spending $21k for a RL, plus tax and the $500-$800 in maintenance it might cost a year (tires, oil, unforeseen wear stuff, etc). It might cost less than that but it'll still cost something per year.

I'm not a huge RX8 fan (no offense), nor a huge Boxster fan (need more room in a car as it'll be a daily driver), or Cayman, etc. I really am still in a love affair with my BMW and it's huge trunk, great back seats - heated front and back, decent Nav, and commanding presence for a 10 year old car.



This compared to a newish Honda Civic? I couldn't... I just couldn't.


And, we really do need that $30k now from the sale of the other car. She's talking about selling our huge home we bought 2.5 years ago and downsizing into something half the size that's a lot older, too. It may not even have a garage but a car port. Arghhhh! I'm totally bumming about this but she has her heart set on no mortgage (our equity position in our current house would pay for a small house for cash) and smaller taxes (ours are $9811 a yr - our old house was under $6k).

It's been a fun ride in the fast lane living the high life. Time to come back down to earth I guess.

TSX69

I was pondering that but did not want to question your given options.

It it were up to me, I would try to cover my basis by having 2 different types of cars ... for instance an RDX in the event I need more cargo room for trips to Lowes or Home Depot.

However, the RL is a very nice car & I am sure that some would be jealous of someone w/ 2 in their garage ....

23109VC

no worries if an RX8 or boxster/cayman don't appeal to you...

I think your plan to sell the 993 and keep the 740 are a good plan. you'll pocket a lot of cash by selling the Porsche, and your BMW...is immaculate. It is a gorgeous car. Ten years old or not, it looks fantastic. If you wanted - you could take a SMALL piece of the $30k from the Porsche sale and slightly juice up the 740. I'm guessing Dinan makes some nice things - maybe new shocks/springs - if your shocks are stock, after 100k miles, i'm sure they are due for a replacement..and if you put in performance units, the already excellent handling would be even better. maybe a cat back exhaust to sweeten the sounds? and tint it! that car would look even better with some tasteful 3M tint..nothing limo dark..but someting medium..it would look excellent.

you have nice tast in cars... be glad you had the 993..and if things pick up for you financially, you can always find another one. cars and houses are commodities..as much as we get attached to one in particular, there are always others. i can remember thinking "we have to have THIS house"...and after we lost it to a higher bidder, my wife and I ended up finding something even better.... same with cars...you can always replace them.

too many people can't part with their toys and end up losing the more important things like their houses...i've seen it and it makes no sense. i'd sell ALL my cars before I gave up the roof over my family's head..

downsizing yoru house is not a bad thing either. if you have to do it ..you have to do it. in many ofthe housing markets..renting can actually be better than buying. you could sell, piocket money and rent for a while and possibly wind up better off than buying again...talk to a local realtor or real estate expert and find out what is best.

your 740 is n ice. just leaving it as is and keeping it in good condition would be fine. adding a few choice but tasteful mods woudl make it even sweeter. nothing over the top...and if you did spice it up just a small amount - it make take the sting away from having to let go of such an awesome 993....

stever500

Thanks for the comments. I'll take them to heart. We can't afford to spend a dime on the 7 series right now if we're going into savings to pay our house note so that's not an option right now but selling the 911 and using it to pay for the next 1.5 years of mortgage payments makes the most sense, I guess. Guess I have to man up and just do the thing I'm dreading. God this is hard.

Looks like another RL if out for now. I appreciate everyone's advice. At least we still have her RL, a great car. Not sure it was worth buying that 8 year extended warranty with it for $1300. I thought that if the Nav broke it could cost us $5k or so so we just bought the warranty. I just realized that my Nav in my BMW is now 10 years old and works just fine! Why would the Acura's die after 4-5 years? I know, it was an insurance policy.

doopstr

If I were in your shoes I would keep the 740i and drive it until the repair bills get unbearable. My in-laws have one of them so I understand your maintenance costs.

$21k in a new "lesser" car would let you fix your 740i for 7 years at $3k a year.

I really like the way the 740i looks and drives. Too bad they are not reliable

CFoote

First, I'm really sorry to hear about your tough situation. This has been a tough time in our world and, so far, I don't see it getting any better I've been fortunate enough so far to keep my job, and while there haven't been any raises, there haven't been any paycuts either.

I think your idea of keeping the 7 and selling the P Car is a good idea. It will be very, very hard to sell the Porsche, but there will be others down the road That's the way you have to look at it. Like you, I get emotionally attached to my cars (who wouldn't? we're all enthusiasts...) and I have a tough time selling any car. BUT, given the situation, you do what you have to do. Gotta pay utilities, gotta put food on the table...

I think the E38 is a fantastic car. The styling of the next generation body (2002-2009) never grew on me. I'm sure you remember how up in arms we all were when we saw that car. I was ready to puke Your car has gorgeous lines and a beautiful interior. Selling it for an Accord is silly.....plus then you'd have sales tax and a higher property tax (do you guys have property tax on cars down there?). The 7 should treat you well, and as you know there's a lot of DIY forums out there, so use those as a resource, grab a service manual and start working on the electronics yourself....leave the drivetrain for the mechanics

As far as the house goes....as you know, the markets are all weak. I think you should keep your house. I think if you start lowering your standard of living, you are going to get depressed. While I realize you have to be able to make the mortgage, the idea of moving into a smaller house is silly. You'd take a huge hit on your current home, plus you probably have your current house just the way you want it (paint, furniture, etc). Having no mortgage is a huge bonus, but this isn't 1960 anymore -- I think our generation is going to have mortgages 'til the day we die

Anyway, sorry for the long note, but I think you have a good game plan. Remember that there are better days ahead...

Chris

TonyCD

+1

stever500

Thanks guys. You just hit the nail on the head. Talk about serendipity. We just found out we're getting $12k back in a tax refund. Yahoooo! We'll use it to pay the next 6 months of mortgage. As far as the car goes, we've definitely decided to keep the BMW for as long as possible now. I'm on a BMW webforum and those guys are great, just like you guys. They've helped me in the past and I have a few local gents that may be able to help me as things crop up too. My indie is supposed to be good, I haven't tried this new one yet.

Yeah, the 2002 - 2006 7 series are not my style at all. I always said, if my 740i was totaled I'd just buy another 2001 740i Sport again. I'm on my 3rd as it is (last one was totaled in a flood in Ocean City, MD.- freak storm)

As for the house, I have FINALLY talked my wife into staying here, for now. I used every tactic, including meeting with 2 different financial planners next week. Luckily, I think I've convinced her for now. We'd lose $150k if we sold now. That would suck.

Going for a job interview with a Mercedes Benz dealer (don't laugh) in my area tomorrow morning. I used to work for one 23 years ago before my current job, in sales and leasing. I'm not counting on this interview, it's just a meeting with the sales mgr and filling out an application. They're not even actively searching right now as far as I now. But, you never know...

I'm sure I'll get a higher paying job in the next 6 months. Things will be better soon (at least I tell myself that a lot).

In the meantime, my wife drives the heck out of that RL. I have to clean it once or twice a week as she can really get it dirty. I beg her not to eat pretzels in the car but she needs them for her blood sugar or something like that. Oh well, it's just dirt. She's scraped the wheels up a bit when trying to parallel park I guess. Whatcha gonna do? To her, it's just a car. To me, well, I'm a car guy. I like to keep it looking new for 10+ years if possible.

Cheers,
Steve R

Richbum

hey, the 550i in the picture doesn't have the Navi. the 5 series comes with a screen and idrive standard, but non-navi models have that tiny screen you see up there. the ones with navi have a widescreen for the dual-window setup

stever500

Yeah, I'm sure it was a base model. The low price matched the low amount of feature for an 06.

Tully44

MY two cents... Having owned an '05 RL until I got a new '07 GS350, in almost every category I like the GS a little bit more. That's not to say the RL was a dog (far from it), just the GS is more satisfying. Performance is a little better, ride a bit more luxurious, interior noise a bit quieter - almost everything (for me) is just a bit better in the GS. Where I favor the RL more is its exterior. The conservative in me favors the look better then the GS. But since I sit in the GS more then I look at it, and I do like the Lexus interior better,...

From an economic perspective, the Lexus will retain its resale value better (unless you plan on driving any car into the ground). As for your BMW and Porsche, I'd sell it. They are both at an age where upkeep will not outweigh its value. From a status perception, I would rather drive an '07 GS then an '01 740. Porsche...gotta go. You have too many family responsibilities and this DEPRESSION we're in makes for compromises.

Whatever your final decision will be, family welfare comes first. If you have to drive a used Toyota Corolla, so be it until 'things' improve. It's just a damn car.

stever500

We looked at one before we bought her RL. We nixed it because the trunk is TINY.




I could probably live with this. The biggest problem with Lexuses is that you can't set the Nav while you're driving. That stinks! I regularly do this and don't want to pull over just to do this. My passenger should be able to do this while I'm driving but you can't on this car I was told.


Not bad


I've seen better, I've seen worse


It looks about as good as an RL


A big jelly bean


Jelly belly


This one's $23900 with 60k miles


Will have to think about this one. Same price as a 2007 RL. Guess it's stupid to have the same car as my wife so this one I'll consider.

I'd love to have the 07 LS460 but it's too much dough - $35k.
The 06 LS 430 is too boxy says all my friends.

You've picked an interesting car for me to think about now. I still think keeping my 01 740i will be a lot cheaper over the next 4 years when you factor in depreciation in both (a huge amount will occur in the Lexus vs the BMW) and repairs.

Thanks,
Steve

neuronbob

I hate to suggest it as a fellow car guy, but I definitely agree with your getting rid of the Porsche. Keeping the Bimmer instead of investing in another used car would be your best bet. I am assuming you have no car payment on the Bimmer. In that case, KEEP IT. If you REALLY want to get another car in your situation, I wouldn't be looking at a luxury car. Just my

I'm so sorry to read of your situation, I know WAY too many people in the same boat.

stever500

Yeah, we paid $29000 for the BMW 4 years ago, cash. It's worth about $8k or $9k now. Maybe $10k. I spent hours looking at the GS350 Club Lexus forum last night for threads on people's experience with their Lexus. Most everyone loves theirs and they came from really nice cars to get one. For now, I'm going to do as you suggest, just keep my know quantity, my BMW (which I had towed to my repair shop on Friday. The "Coolant Temperature" light came on, the needle was in the red, anyone with a BMW knows to stop, and wait for a tow. Something you Acura people will never have to experience that much.

They think it's the Aux Fan, a $900 repair. Oh well... that's life. I hope they're wrong and it's something else. I mentioned to the guys on the BMW forum that I was just looking at Lexuses and one gent said "I'd never get one as they have no soul." He went on to say he'd never get a Infinity, Nissan, Toyota or Lexus and they have no soul either :o).

Different strokes, I guess.

CFoote

German cars have a great driving experience, there's no doubt about it. I have an X5 and overall its more fun to drive than the Acura, but the RL is a fantastic car regardless. The Lexus? Honestly I like the RL interior better, but I agree, keep the E38 and leave well enough alone. The P Car can be obtained at another place, another time

23109VC

all excellent advice her. lose the Pcar. you can always get another one..and as a current owner of a "lesser" Pcar - I know all too well how much you pay to keep them on the road. no repair is a cheap repair..or so it always seem. they are fun as hell to drive and they are beautiful cars.... but they are just cars and you can always get another one.

your BMW will cost less to fix here/there vs buying somethign newer. a nice used 07 RL will run you 25-30k. your BMW is a plenty nice car, still looks luxurious and commanding - and even if it costs you $3000/year to fix - you are still WAY ahead in terms of dollars spent.

i recently sold a high mileage used car and sometimes I kick myself for it..it's always nice to have a new car - there is something nice about having it be new..or almsot new...stuff is all nice, nothign creakins, nothign squeeks, everything works...but you pay a premium for that luxury. a car you've owned a long time, treated well, that is fairly relaible... will cost you an unknown amoutn of money to fix/keep running - but it will likely never cost as mch as new...having said that, I qualify it with - assumign your motor doesn't blwo up. they do blowup from time to time. a buddy of mine at work has the motor go on a 2006 325 that only had 80k miles. lucky for him BMW gave him some good will and he only paid a few grand of the whole repair... but on a car as old as yours...no such luck..and a new motor plus labor would be ultra nasty. if you KNEW that was coming, I'd lose it and buy new. only you and your mechanic can assess that probability... he may know the car, and know the historical rate of mega-$$ failures...and you plan accrdingly.

good luck.

Chas2

Or you could just get a 2010 Civic Si Sedan for about $24K, about $2K less without nav. This car is a blast to drive, and the engine is so flexible it is stunning. Once you hit 7K, the whole engine note changes and it starts pulling all over again, it is addictive. This car is a blast to drive, it has four doors and trunk,and the seats are great... The nav system is not as good, but it will do. It can also hold four people decently. Drive by Sport Honda and try one out.

neuronbob

^^^^
Really? Is the Si that good? For 24k he could have an RL.

I'll have to drop by my Honda dealership for spits and giggles and test drive one...

stever500

I hear ya on the Si Sedan. I was at the bank today and the teller pointed to his behind the glass window in the back of the bank. It was an orange colored beauty but it's not for me. I'll just leave it at that. Great car, I'm sure, but I'm almost 50 and I want something special. I consider a 2007 RL kind of special.

But yes, at 100k miles in theory I should just be breaking in this BMW. Yes, if the engine dies, I'm screwed, but not that badly. I could still get $4k for it and it's only worth around $9k anyway. If the trans goes, same thing. I could still sell the car or get a rebuilt trans. It's unlikely this would happen though from what I see other owners on bimmerboard have happen. A lot of these guys have way over 150k, even 200k and more miles, no real problems other than expensive maintenance.

If I do decide to get something really reliable like an 06 RL, they can be gotten rather cheaply it appears on cars.com. Here's a nice one.


Not an Acura dealership, but for $20,900 for a 38K mi car, not a bad deal




You'd think they could clean it up better before taking pics


or just keep this and call it a day...
Unfortunately, it has to get parked on the street these days

pimpin-tl

I agree that Lexus/Toys have no Soul. They are boring and I was so close to getting a Lexus GS350 after my Nissan 07 350Z. I have had many cars, and Acura's and Nissans have been them. They do have souls. They are fun cars to drive. Nissans more over Acura's, but Acura has more reliability over Nissan. IMHO, him saying that about the other brands show how loyal he is towards BMW. But that is all I will say.

I also agree, keep the BMW, as it's paid off, and might be good. Find a local shop that is good and works on BMWs, or local car guys that might help you fix repairs instead of paying so much at the dealer for all the repairs to cut down your bills.

When you get a job, you don't need a Porsche. If you got the funds again, look at the Z car, it's a Porsche for the normal person and it's fast and handles as good.

stever500

This is all good to know and think about. I do have an independent mechanic so that keeps the bills down for sure, vs the stealer. I will consider a Japanese car then as my next car once the BMW dies but not a Z car over the Porsche. I did have a 1972 240Z once (didn't we all?). Loved that ugly lime green car even though I could see the road underneath the driver side floor mats due to intense rust.

Nothing wrong with the newish Z cars, I'm just a Porsche guy through and through. I could see myself getting another one one day. It just might be a very long while...

pimpin-tl

If you want to spend all that money for a Porsche, that is fine. But for almost the same performance, I would rather save my money and get a Z.

stever500

I respect your opinion but... all what money? A nice Porsche 993 (1995-1998 911) would cost between $25k - $35K.

A 2007-2008 350Z would be around the same price ($25K) from what I see on cars.com just now.

Yes, the 350Z is A LOT newer and nicer to some people (you), but I prefer the looks and heritage of the Porsche. We could never agree on this one, so it's basically to each his own. Both cars are great for that same $25k so it comes down to personal taste.

This? ($25K)




Or this ($26,800)







I'll take that old school, classic 911 anyday over the Z! Sorry And yes, they do come in 6 speeds galore. I just happened to find a pretty Tiptronic for this example.

pimpin-tl

Porsche is nice, but so is the repair bill and the reason you are here now asking the questions.