trackappraiser

Hey everyone,

So I'm looking to get out of my 2013 GTI and into something with a bit more luxurious. Nothing against the GTI - it's a fantastic car and continues to be one but I'm itching for a car change up and the entry luxury sedans are right at that used threshold that makes sense to me. My criteria: leather, under 50,000 miles, under $25,000, manual gearbox, and somewhat fun to drive.

I'm considering these three cars - I've driven all of them but as automatics.

2010 Acura TL SH-AWD with 39,800 miles - original owner with extended warranty remaining (unknown for how long)






I've driven both 5AT and 6AT SH-AWD TL's and really enjoyed them. More on the comfortable end of the sporty sedan spectrum but I felt they were fantastic, planted, and when pushed - fun to drive. All the high praise for the manual just makes it all the more tempting. I know these are difficult to find and tough to find in color preference. Does this specific car belong to anyone here on the boards or does anyone know this specific car? If anyone knows of any other 6MT TL SH-AWD's for sale in California or adjacent states, please let me know!


Next is the CPO Infiniti G37s with 46,154 miles






Also a bit of a unicorn in sedan format. My brother has the same car but in automatic and it is outright fast on the freeway. I don't care much for the interior - although his color (beige) may have something to do with that. Sport model changes suspension, bigger brakes and adds a VLSD unit. On paper it sounds awesome. This is a CPO model and includes a warranty. Sold from an Infiniti dealership in Northern California. There is another one for sale in San Diego - about 2 hours drive away, also 6mt sedan, which I will try to check out this weekend. It isn't a CPO model, however. Magazines seem to be (bizarrely) indifferent to the G37 with stick-shift over the automatic counterparts, does anyone here have any experience with the stick G37 that they can share?

Lastly, BMW 328i with 39,700 miles - has CPO warranty for another 6 months, car is equip with Sport Package






My mother had a first year e90 325i and I loved it. I find the e90 quintessential BMW. Her car also had a laundry list of problems including warped head, transmission slipping, broken radio screen, misfiring, cooling system went to hell, and lots of interior peeling/fading, etc. My thinking is that 2011 is the final year of the car and any kinks have been ironed out. A little forum pursuing indicates that there are far fewer problems with the 2010/11 model years. Most common failures are not that much more expensive than what I've seen on the GTI, either. In other words, I'm willing to pay the premium for the 3 series.


I like DIY but I'm an amateur with a wrench and job pay v. sweat equity has a financial limit, after a few hours the 'therapy' of wrenching myself begins costing too much.

Any feedback on the TL or any of the three (6mt specifically) is appreciated.

jim_c

Very interesting thread.
Why do you need a manual shift?
(I may go back to that myself, just asking what you're thinking.)
Your three candidates are very different from each other.
Would you consider a V6 Accord couple with 6 spd stick?
JC

JM2010 SH-AWD

I looked hard at the G and several BMWs before I bought my TL 6MT. I think the G is a great car. Many of the demerits you noted were the ones I noted. I like the TL's interior much better than the G's. The other thing - that doesn't apply to you -- is that I decided I liked the TL's AWD over the G's RWD in my climate, that features rain and occasional snow.


I excluded the BMWs after driving a few. While they drove nicely, they felt like nothing special, particularly the 535 sedan. I also thought all their interiors were rather bland and featureless, but more importantly, I researched and talked to owners about the cars' reliability profile. I just decided I did not want to take on that exposure, particularly with the 335/535 motor which had more than its share of issues.


I still love my TL - it's a great car that I appreciate more every day. It's been as reliable as a rock. In five years it's been back for scheduled maintenance - period.


Good luck with the search.

trackappraiser

Hey Jim,

I just miss shifting. In the 18 months of ownership I drove wild miles for work with the GTI and was thankful to have the DSG transmission but 6 months ago got the promotion that let's me work from home. When I do need to drive for work, I have the luxury of scheduling hours off peak traffic times. Spoiled, I know. My S2000 has gone non-op as it slowly transforms into a race car and I figure what the hell: I'm driving once a week anyways - may as well enjoy it and row my own gears in a leather clad ride.

I owned a 2005 Accord VP (Value Package!) for a couple of years, automatic 4 cylinder and no frills - boy did I hate that car. I hated every damn thing about it. It was cheap to run and it served me well but I couldn't stand being in for any second longer than I had to. As far as I know, that 7th generation accord was the last to get a V6 with manual gearbox in sedan format ('06/07). I would rather eat glass than buy another 7th gen Accord. I sat in a 9th generation coupe and, while nicer, it was a back-killer. Accord's and I don't jive well.

Well they were three competitors when new and I think they hit the mark in their own way. I'm partial to the au naturel six cylinders of pre-turbo-mania - good power delivery and much better soundtracks. I'm also partial to sedans for the interior space with higher roof lines and easier access to rear seats.

JM2010 - What did you think of the G's shifter? Was it something that added anything to the experience or fun of driving the car?

I hear ya on the N54/5 engine. Reliability concerns withstanding, I've been in a few 335i's and they are simply too fast to be fun in my opinion. I blame the abundant torque (300 at 1,200 rpms!) inherent with turbocharged motors - I'm no Senna and I'm not interested in wrangling a hot-road through the corners. I like working with less. That's where I was a little concerned with the G and that's where the 328i is really shining in my eyes. I love the smoothness of that straight six. Such a fun car to wind up and down on a recreational drive: linear. Even in the 325i with "only" 215 hp at 6,250 rpms it never felt under powered. Although the G makes peak power at 7,000 rpms and peak torque (269) at 5,200 rpms... I really gotta test drive one.

JM2010 SH-AWD

^^ The G's shifter was not nearly as precise as the TL's. I drove the G first, and loved the motor but the shifter was sloppy. The TL's is almost as nice as they come. Very precise with good feel. At the time, when they were all new, 6MT Gs were very hard to find, as were 6MT 535s. More abundant were the TLs (at least in 2010) and 335s with 6MTs. (Sorry, I missed that you were considering a 328).


If it were me and my money, I'd rate them TL, G and BMW, in that order, taking into account driving fun, features, reliability and so on. The G may feel a tick faster than the TL, but they tested out very closely in acceleration when the mags compared them in 2010. SH-AWD is a revelation, especially with the 6MT, when you push it in the twisties.

VanyDotK

iTrader: (6)

Just FYI about that TL you're looking at, he's been trying to sell that car FOREVER. I saw it last year around July 2014 when I was looking for my 6MT. Every few months I check out autotrader and it's always there. I'm not sure if it's the color or if there is something wrong with the car or maybe it's just priced wrong. Just be extra careful looking it over.

trackappraiser

And there it is.. At that price and hearing this bit of info, the distance is simply too far to commit to sight unseen. Thanks VanyDotK

Now.. how about this TL SH-AWD $22,000 with 41,400 miles located in Carlsbad. I've tried contacting the seller for the past two days via phone and email but no response so far.







Only a 1.5 hour drive away!

herbert6368

We have the same car :P Mine was a DSG too, and the TL is 6speed too
14084467868_25f7b2e432_k by herbert6368, on Flickr

ucf_bronco

iTrader: (1)

I don't have sophisticated taste. My previous car was a 2003 Hyundai Tiburon. Hell I bought the TL not only without ever seeing it in person but also without test driving one. My thinking was that I loved my Tiburon and surely the TL would be significantly better. My only other option was a 535i and I had no interest in spending a lot of money on a car that ultimately would not be reliable.

So, with all that said...take the following with a grain of salt. I enjoy driving my TL the just as much now as I did the day it was delivered. I literally still get excited to drive it. Granted I have done some work and changed the appearance and performance which keeps it feeling new but I have zero regrets about buying this car. I would do it again in a heartbeat! You just can't beat the combo of:

1. Large 4 door (can fit four 6' adults with ease)
2. AWD MT with 300+ HP
3. Reliability of JDM
4. Competitive pricing

At one point I almost caved and went with something else (in AT form) just to avoid the hassle of buying a car over 2k miles away. I could not be happier that I didn't pull the trigger and instead got exactly what I wanted. MT was everything to me and is what makes driving this car so enjoyable (of course in combo with SH-AWD).

Good luck with your decision.

HondaOwnerForLife

I highly recommend my 2010 6MT....

trackappraiser

Hey that's pretty cool! How long ago did you make the change and through what engine did you find the TL (craigslist, autotrader, etc.)?

In a way, we'll be sad to see the GTI go because it is such a fun package. But I love hunting for a car and am looking forward to rowing gears again.



I have this conversation with my spouse every few months and it's creeping up again. I consider myself a gear head - museums, car shows, tracking and autocrossing any time I have the chance. I do an annual pilgrimage to the Nurburgring every year for some fun laps, in fact. So it wouldn't be irrational to spend money on my hobby/passion and have a 'cool' car. But I paralyze myself with pragmatism.

Even a lowly entry level 3 series is a stretch, I'll admit. The real kicker is I've been trying to convince myself to go with a CPO Audi S4. It's outside of the self-imposed "budget" but in the grand scheme of things, makes no difference financially speaking. The supercharged V6 is considered very reliable with no major documented fail-fatal components (unlike the prior generation 4.2 liter V8), same applies to the transmission and quattro system. And with a CPO warranty I'd be indemnified on any major component failures until 2018! (6 yr/100k mile) Which is likely longer than I would even keep the car.

But at the end of the day, I know I would have trouble sleeping at night, between the depreciation and typical VAG minor-quality inconsistencies, I simply can't do it. The GTI has required several repairs - all under warranty but it's the principle of it. And I even like wrenching when I can!

Before I commit to a CPO G37, I'd really like to check out a TL SH-AWD with the manual gearbox. I'm beginning to get cold feet on the concept of buying sight unseen (see pragmatism). Anyone in the SoCal area with one that wouldn't mind meeting up for a coffee and some car chat? I'd love to at least check one out before making up my mind.

JM2010 SH-AWD

Good luck. If you drive the MT TL, I'll bet you'll buy one. (Assuming you can find what you want).

HondaOwnerForLife

I'm in Nebraska. Found my 6MT in Plano, TX. So only pictures on which to base my decision, those and what the sales guy told me about the car. So I took a risk because I really wanted the manual and they are very hard to find. It worked out in the end, but it is a risk that's true.

alex9119

If it is a 2010 model check the paint for any crows feet/checking