crazyasiantl

iTrader: (7)

Not sure if there is a thread like this out there, but i think it would be cool to hear about some of the cars we have driven. it can be a new model or something special and exotic. Give us a chance to hear what we think of some of the cars out there.

Id like to hear cltothetl32's and shoofins input as they usually have hands on with many nice cars

List what you liked and didnt like about them.




I'll go first:

i had the chance to drive my gfs uncles new 2010 Mini Cooper Clubman Works. What a blast! there wasnt any turbo lag that is associated with some turbocharged cars.

Acceleration was impressive, it engaged traction control in third gear on a wet road. brakes were a little grabby and the thing cornered on rails.

The navi and and interior switchgear was pretty intuitive, but i found it odd that the car lacked power seats.

the car was used when he got it, i guess some Mini executive used it to go to some mega Mini meet in Detroit. car wouldve stickered for 46k new, but he got it for 35k OTD. i didnt get any pics, sorry.

StreetKA

iTrader: (8)

2010 jetta TDI 6 speed DSG. That a nice car to drive turn of traction and will smoke tires easy. Only 140hp and 230tq. City/hwy 30/41mpg. Nice car ! I miss that tq

mrmako

Subaru Legacy 3.6L.

Pros: Nice interior, fairly quite ride, good acceleration for a sedan that big.

Cons: A sedan that feels a big, suspension could be more sport tuned, gas mileage is almost as bad as a pickup truck. And a face that is about half as polarizing as the new TL.

S A CHO

46k for a Mini.... That's fully loaded 5.0 Mustang territory...

crazyasiantl

iTrader: (7)

Yea.. I couldnt justify spending that much on a car like that, but i guess it had every option and accessory you can get.

Hell, you couldve bought a nicely optioned GT and modded it to blow the doors something a lot faster

cjTL

iTrader: (2)

2011 Mercedes GLK

+ Incredibly quiet and fun driving experience for a small SUV. I had more fun driving it than my TL.
+ Butter-smooth 7 speed transmission. You can't tell when the car shifts.
+ More luxurious interior than it's competitors (Q5, X3)
+ Unique, edgy styling makes for many second looks while on the road.

- Price is hefty and has very little standard features. Xenon headlights will set you back $1000+ as part of a lighting package. Mid-range models MSRP for about $45K, fully loaded models head north of $50 grand.
- The exhaust note is quite loud for this type of car. Doesn't bother me too much, but other potential buyers might not like it. Especially with a large amount of buyers being women.
- Visibility out the rear window is limited.

7.5/10. I'd seriously consider this car if I needed an SUV.

esco115

2011 Sonata 2.0T - Great engine response, little to non turbo lag, oh and VERY quiet... Outstanding braking system... Gears for days kills its performance...

2010 RX-8 Touring - Nice little upgrades and little fascial updates but the same power train kills the car... Great car for track use not in a straight line...

ghttf

Chevrolet HHR - POS, no map lights and you cant turn the dome light on, noisy engine, poor visibilty, orange.

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

2010 Dodge Challenger SRT8 6M/T.

Pro's
- Seats are comfy, large bolsters.
- Car is steady, planted to the ground. Very comfortable from speeds of 40 up to 120+.
- Even tho, heavy, it would be a fun car to track. Brakes are spot on. Would love to take it out to a track or twisties.
- It's a player ride. I broke off all the charger r/t's and even the other lesser chally's. Also, the color detonator yellow grabbed a lot of attention. I did a front end stripe delete.
-The exhaust is stunning. All the blogs/magazines were right. I didnt want to turn on the radio.
- Very easy to drive. Very calm in the city,easy Daily driver. but when you needed it to open up, she will.
Cons
- the price to power ratio. There are just many more cooler cars in this price range. it is different tho. I see lots of challengers in my area but none are SRT's.
-Slow. or should I say heavy. An EVO beat me, granted I started in the wrong gear. A C6 vert vette also beat the hell out of me.
- Some say the interior. I didnt mind it.

in the end.
I wouldnt mind a used '11, with the 6.4l engine, later down the road.

esco115

^ No matter what gear you would've been in I think u still would have lost. Its the heaviest and slowest of its competetors...

StreetKA

iTrader: (8)

new shelby GT any day...

CLtotheTL32

iTrader: (3)

I've driven many many cars while being a valet and only a few stick out as real "winners" in my book. Granted I drive more Lexus RX350s and such than anything else, but every once in a while I get a one that puts a smile on my face.

I like cjTL's +/- set up so I'm going to stick with that. Keep in mind these are my personal observations and opinions. Don't get your panties in a wad if you don't agree.

2006+ Lexus LS460/460L
+Smooth ride with plenty of "get up and go"
+Easy to use and great looking navi
+Smooth transmission
+Steering takes no effort
+Luxurious without being overdone
-Not the easiest thing to park
-Gear select and other tidbits shared with other Toyota models
-Won't shut up if seatbelt isn't fastened (like all Toyotas)

BMW M3 E90
+Plenty of power
+Exhaust note is orgasmic
+Feels planted to the ground
-Backseat is too small (I guess I could say that about all 3-series)
-Not the most comfortable thing I've ever driven (could have been the owner's settings)
-Still not a fan of the door unlock button being in the middle of dash

2010+ VW GTI
+Small and practical
+Easy to maneuver and park
+VERY forgiving manual transmission
-Cloth plaid seats are cheap and "elementary" looking
-Window switches too high up on the door

Others I've enjoyed driving: 2008+ Audi A6, 2007+ Audi S8, 2008+ Jaguar XF, 2004+ Maserati Quattroporte, and a 2008 Nissan GT-R.

Sadly I'm quitting my valet job due to financial reasons. Hopefully something will come in that I can give a good review of.

mrmako

Had a Nissan Versa for 3 weeks:

Pros: Good visibility, seats were comfy during a 1200 mile weekend, great gas mileage (over 30 mpg and I stayed at 80 mph), felt solid for what it is, good storage behind seats, can fit 4 adults without too much crying.

Cons: Engine is a bit loud, exterior noise comes through, windows don't always seal properly at any speed above 0, radio sucked (not great AM or FM reception), it is an economy car (but not really a con).

docboy

Good thread.

2010 Acura RDX SH-AWD (from the times I've had it as an overnight loaner)

Pros:
-Strong turbo engine; love the "gush" that comes with the turbo
-Nimble handling and strong acceleration (the FWD has even stronger acceleration)
-Good outward visibility
-compact size great for crazy city traffic swerving and parking
-Nice huge center console
-Size seems "just right" for a family of 3 and a small dog
-Efficient interior size design/engineering

Cons:
-IMHO horrendous front velociraptor grill, bumper, and fog light design. IMHO, the front is worse off than the 4G TL's
-No HDD Nav, No MP3 ripping, no dedicated sunglass holder, and no rear vents (which I can't figure out, where even the TSX has one)
-Requires premium fuel; Poor MPG for a 4 cylinder turbo
-Frequent synthetic oil changes (ie. frequent reports every 5000miles)
-Rear cargo capacity could be a little bigger

crazyasiantl

iTrader: (7)

2011 Mustang GT Track

Pros:
+exhaust note
+very easy to drive, cant say the same about the 03 Mach 1 i drove
+POWER. wow! very impressive.

Cons:
-price 44k with dealer markup
-body roll
-it was black, not really a con, but it looked kinda swirly already

2010_TL

Mom's 2010 Range Rover Sport Supercharged

Pros:
+Amazingly FAST for a 6000lb truck
+Smooth trans
+Nice, deep exhaust note
+Very comfortable

Cons:
-Price is around 75k
-Navi could be a little easier to use
-Gas mileage. I guess thats just because my foot seems to get a bit heavier when driving a truck with 510hp

crazyasiantl

iTrader: (7)

if i could have any SUV, it'd be an RR Sport Supercharged

2010_TL

You wouldn't regret it. I tried trading with her with my TL but she wouldn't budge lol

Carraway

Good idea, some test drives:

2008 Infiniti G35
Pros:
-Five of the six gears went into the gates with bolt-action precision.
-A lot of power. While not overwhelming, the car really felt like it had a massive amount of it. I think acceleration is regulated.
-Handling was nice and responsive.
-Nice leather and interior materials, for the most part.
-Has both a dipstick and a spare tire.
-Oodles of technology.

Cons:
-Very little feedback through the steering wheel.
-The clutch was a little abrupt.
-It was tougher to find the gate in sixth gear.
-The gearshift vibrated, which was kind of troubling.
-The version I drove had neither a moonroof nor nav (but a nav-like interface with plain stereo buttons to remind you that you didn't get nav, which would probably bother me).
-Felt a little on the large side, a bit more like a muscle car than a performance sedan, not that that’s entirely a bad thing.
-Oodles of technology.

Neutral/other factors:
- The only Infiniti dealer within an hour’s drive has poor business practices.
- I’ve owned two Nissans, which were a unique collection of brilliance and “what the hell?”

Brief summation:
If Nissan would get the steering feedback and clutch worked out, then manage to put it together in a way that felt like an organic whole--it felt like a lot of things were there just to one-up BMW--it could be a truly awesome car.


2007 BMW 328i
Pros:
- First time behind the wheel of a BMW, and it was great.
- Handling, feedback and feeling of connectedness were exceptional.
- The deep, harmonically-rich rumble is beautiful.
- The feel of the stick shift and clutch inspired confidence.
- Awesome brakes.
- I realized I was grinning like an utter buffoon.

Cons:
- No dipstick, so no way to see the condition of the oil.
- No spare tire, not even a place to put a spare tire.
- The version I drove had BMW’s “Leatherette,” and I’d prefer either cloth or leather.
- I suspect the standard seats wouldn’t be wearying after a long drive.
- As far as I know, you can’t get the sports seats without the low-profile tires, which would probably be brutal on a dirt road (I drive on one daily).

Neutral/other factors:
- The reputation for reliability and long term costs mean it may not be a good choice for someone who keeps a car for a long time, drives extensively between a rural area and the center of city and cringes at the thought of needing to call for help if anything goes wrong.

Brief summation:
A truly awesome driving experience, even more amazing that it was a sedan, but I’m not sure I can deal with the long term costs and the likelihood that I’d have regular chats with a BMW service advisor. I also can’t help but think that, if I were to call my dad and tell him I’ll be late for Thanksgiving dinner because I have a flat and need to wait for a tow truck, he would become physically ill.


2006 and 2007 Acura TSXs
Pros:
- Well put together, and Honda always does a great job at making a car feel like an organic whole rather than a summation of parts.
- Excellent manual transmission and feel of the shifter, through all gears.
- Very good clutch feel. It took a little more adjustment than the BMW’s, but not as much as the Infiniti’s
- Nice, driver-oriented cockpit, good feel all around.
- Pretty nice handling.
- Responsive, linear brakes, but not quite in the same league as the G35 or 328.

Cons:
- The responsiveness was lacking, which surprised me as I’ve owned two Hondas and expected more.
- I felt somewhat disconnected from the driving experience. The car seemed tuned more for luxury than fun (not a con for most buyers, of course).
- The brakes and stopping power wasn’t great, but that was probably due to the tires.
- Maneuvering the car in a tight space was more difficult than I thought it should be for a car of that size.
- The audio system sounded pretty bad, and its integration would make it very difficult to upgrade. This can be said for the others, but it bothered me more with the TSX. (I should mention that I was once an audio engineer, so I can be overly picky here).

Neutral/other factors:
- Closest Acura dealer is still pretty far away.
- I test drove three, and none of them had a set of good tires in good shape, which may explain my disappointment.

Brief summation
I really wanted to like and buy a first gen. TSX, especially given my experience with owning other Hondas, but I could not bring myself to do it on three separate occasions. Overall, I felt my aging Accord Coupe felt more responsive and engaging (but I do have good, well-maintained tires on it). I liked it, but I didn’t love it.


2010 Mazda 3
It’s been some time since I test drove one, so I’ll be very brief.

Pros:
- The car handles surprisingly well and is pretty fun to drive.
- Surprising amount of technology and extras.
- Feels pretty solid with good materials in many places.
- Clutch and shifter took a little adjustment, but they had a good feel.

Cons:
- The styling is definitely unique. Part of me likes it, especially given that the form follows function, but part of me thinks a 40+ year old man will look ridiculous in one.
- There is a difference in quality of materials between the “touch points” and the rest of the car.
- While not present on the car I test drove, I’ve seen many rusting surprisingly early, including a low-milage Mazdaspeed 3 I took a look at when the dealership was closed.

Neutral/other factors:
- I’d probably strongly consider the Mazdaspeed version if it weren’t for a distrust of turbocharged engines and a few other concerns.

Brief summation
A surprisingly responsive, fun car loaded up with features. If it weren’t for a few issues like rust and a couple of overly apparent signs of cost control, I would seriously consider buying one.


Ford Pinto Just for fun, and yes, I owned one.
Pros:
- Cheap, like buy it from a cousin for $200 cheap.
- No one tailgates a Pinto.
- Good to learn driving a manual, even trying some of the more advanced driving techniques without too much fear. (Well, the not worrying about breaking it fear. There's still plenty of the having it all end in a fireball fear, but that comes standard with a Pinto).
- Sucks far less than a Chevette (Yeah, I had one of those, too).
- Good for winning bets (“I could do that in a Pinto!”)

Cons:
- Not exactly conducive to getting dates.
- Many mechanics won’t repair anything major, probably because they figure you’re never going to come get it.
- Eventually falls apart.

crazyasiantl

iTrader: (7)

i agree with the NVH issues on the G35. it is a little coarse, even the auto i drove was like that.

i would worry too much about a 3 series. they are fairly reliable. my aunt has a 2007 or 2008 328i that has been problem free


thanks for the feedback

03tLsNBP

iTrader: (9)

2010 Subaru Forester 2.5X Premium

Pros:
-compact
-lot of interior room
-panoramic-ish sunroof
-amazing turning circle
-easy to park
-everything you need, nothing you don't
-super responsive steering
-minimal body roll
-excellent brakes
-4WD system is quivalent to/better than SH-AWD
-heated seats can set your ass on fire as soon as they're turned on
-good quality materials
-no Honda/Acura squeaks and rattles
-bulletproof reliability

Cons:
-gas mileage is worse than my TL
-could have more fuel capacity
-ride is a little too harsh (not compared to my old 07 RDX though)
-headlights are weak
-4AT
-passenger seat position too low, cant be adjusted in this model


overall i love it and so do my parents. but if i were to get a forester it would be the turbo model.

Rick_TL-S

This is for BMW's cause, so that you have to bring the car in for service. This is usually covered under New or CPO cars anyways.
Because BMW puts run-flat tires now on nearly every model.

I think you're being a tad over-dramatic. 20 years of BMW ownership and not once have we ever had any of these problems as long as the cars were properly maintained.

And then you would just look silly.

The run flats will allow you to keep driving, unless you just completely destroy the tire.

esco115

2008 Porshe Boxster S - Pros - Great engine response, good tranny, awesome suspension.

Cons - Putting down the top is a PITA. Interior is very outdated, hate the center controls for the windows.

2010 370z - Pros - Nissan really did it with the vq37, and adding the VVL on it. Great hp and tq throughout the whole range. I think the clutch could be made better or a staged clutch to make it sporty like. Suspension was on point, trottle response is on point as well. No matter what gear your in, you floor it, it'll move its gear perfect.

Cons - Clutch, everything is a option hate it and make its that much more expensive over its competitors. Whats the point of the back seats on the 2+2s? more money waisted for nothing. For such a small car I had blind spots compared to that of the RX8.

CLtotheTL32

iTrader: (3)

Today was my last day being a valet so I won't have too much more to add to this thread

2010 BMW 750Li
+Gorgeous redesign
+Taillights are hawt
+Possibly the only car with truly comfortable headrests
+Long wheelbase gives even more room for people riding in the rear seat
+Smooth as silk on the road; absorbs bumps in the road nicely
-Won't stop beeping
-Blind spot detection goes off while passing tall traffic cones at low speeds
-Stiff steering
-Dull exhaust note

S14 n Tsx

2010 Porsche Panamera twin turbo
+stupid fast
+de-done interior is crazy nice
+technology on this car is unreal
+sound system is off the chart
+touch navi is definitely easy to use
- 140k, yikes
- too much buttons all over the place
- 4 seater

2009 Porsche Turbo
+ one of the best sports car I ever drove
- not really besides the price tag

2010 Mercedes-benz E63 AMG
+ One of the fastest 4 door I ever drove besides Panamera turbo
+ aggressive look
+ I thought it was going to have soft ride, but I was wrong. I was very connected to the road and able to control the way I wanted.
- All MB interior looks like shit. couldn't tell If I was riding in E350 or E63
- price tag
- back of the car looks boring as all MB does

Aman

2008 BMW M6:
+ Head Up Display was pretty nifty, and functional

+ SMG transmission could be shifted through the shifter, or through paddles on the steering wheel.

+ Seats were very comfortable

-Rode in the backseat for a bit, my 6'1's head never lost touch with the headliner, and would bang about when hitting bumps at any speed

- Was kind of underwhelmed with the power. It should be noted that the car I drove had 22" wheels, and I had never driven such a powerful car before, so I guess I was expecting too much. The fact that it didn't have much torque either didn't help. Yes, I had the "Power" button on.

- Very harsh ride

- Exhaust note wasn't particularly nice sounding.

ragincajun

Since ive been on the hunt for a new car since I sold my g for a few months now, ill play.

ALL CARS DRIVEN ARE MANUAL TRANS

E46 M3

Pros

-oustanding steering
-styling is amazing
-engine sound from inside the car is great
-instant almost surreal throttle response
-great handling
-seats are amazing
-better than expected torque

Cons

-build quality was not as good as expected
-most power was at higher rpms
-interior styling is dull
-ridiculous maintenance requirements
-not as fast as i had hoped

B6 S4 (04-05)

Pros

-great sounding v8
-short gearing
-slick shifter/clutch
-great build quality
-stylish interior

Cons

-much rougher ride than expected
-short gearing (a lot of shifting around town)
-power was a little disappointing
-can feel how heavy the car is
-UNDERSTEER
-car felt cramped inside

05 CTS-V

Pros

-ls6, nuff said
-sound
-interior space

Cons

-styling
-build quality
-interior design
-felt like a ws6 trans am in a cadillac body
-terrible shifter/clutch

09 Mazdaspeed 3

Pros

-build quality
-great steering
-interior comfort/styling
-huge amount of torque
-awesome power delivery with turbo
-easy to drive
-fun to drive
-handles great on the streets
-excellent price point

Cons

-exterior styling (hatchback)
-potential fwd limitations with more power

EVO IX MR

Pros

-handling was ridiculous
-fun to drive
-some parts of exterior styling
-huge top end power
-top notch steering

Cons

-cheapness on outside and inside
-boy racer styling
-powerband better suited to track than streets
-no cruise, lack of modern amenities
-poor clutch feel

BMW 335i coupe

Pros

-power above first gear, and at higher speeds
-good seats in sport package car
-easy to drive, smooth shifter
-good mods available

Cons

-poor throttle response
-too much electronic BS
-interior is sub par in terms of design and user friendliness
-weak build quality
-terrible reliablity (hpfp, injectors, wastegate, turbos)
-not particularly fun to drive

Mustang 5.0

Pros

-absolutely insane power, hugh kick above 4k rpm
-good exterior styling
-good sound
-light clutch
-good price point

Cons

-cheap feel
-cheesy over chromed out interior
-very unpredictable handling
-floating feel at higher speeds
-terrible overboosted steering
-poor gearbox (grinding going into gear)


FAVORITE drives

-ms3
-m3

BIGGEST SURPRISE

-ms3 no doubt, amazing drive

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT

-335i, no question. Has all the specs, but they dont translate into an exciting drive. M3 is far superior imo

TEST DRIVES that didnt make the cut (poor performers)

-acura tl-s
-g35 07
-volvo s60r
-330 zhp (too slow, but nice)

FINAL THOUGHTS

Really looking forward to driving an evo x. Hope it can be that much better than the ms3, but with better styling.

A real shame that the ms3 features a wagon design, id be in one with beter styling.

Dr. Colorado

Cool thread

I just went to a Porsche Driving Event this past Saturday.

2011 Panamera S

Holy freakin buttons Batman! I felt like I was at the helm of a spaceship. Even in the flesh, the Panamera still looks like ass. The interior is super plush, lots of room in the front and rear (the rear is only a 2 seater but had sporty seats), handling was pretty good for a car this big. This was the first time I tried PDK and I was not a fan of the steering-wheel mounted buttons.

2011 Cayenne S

Super plush interior. Exterior fascia is a big improvement over the previous generation. Tiptronic sucks. Drives like a boat. I would get a Range Rover over this.

2011 Carrera S Cabriolet with Sports Chrono Package Plus

Holy motherf#U&*(!&*)(&!#! I was driving a completely redesigned 911. The direct injected engine was more responsive, the 385HP was more noticeable, and the PDK with the setting on Sports Plus was exhilarating. This generation has the paddles rather than the wheel mounted buttons which makes a considerable difference although IIRC the paddles are still mounted to the back of the steering wheel rather than the steering column.

This whip came with gun metal Turbo wheels, Sports Chrono Plus, Porsche Exhaust System, Deviated stitching, etc. The throttle blips were intuitive, the sound of the PSE was intoxicating. I have always been a 3 pedal guy but I will definitely get PDK with the Sports Chrono Plus for my next 911. I wish I could better verbalize what it was like to drive the PDK but it's something one has to experience for himself. I had so much fun during the test drive that I wanted to do it all over again.

I did not get the opportunity to drive the TurboS, that was off limits

docboy

^Surfer rick, would you mind posting impressions of your 2007 Carrera S?

Love some feedback on the Carrera's driving feel, handling, steering feel, power response, clutch feel, shifter feel, seat and footwell comfort, visibility, reliability, and maintenance.

Carraway

ragincajun - I'd be interested in a rundown of your G35, especially after owning one. I'm also glad to see I'm not the only one considering the Mazdaspeed 3 alongside considerably more expensive cars. Even the regular 3 isn't a slouch. Also, have you tried a 328? While not as powerful as the 335, I found the one I drove very responsive and fun.

Rick_TL-S - I understand your points, but I still have an issue with almost necessitating warranties and dealer service, as well as not being able to look at the condition of the oil on a used car. Also, the lack of a place to even put a spare makes it difficult to not use the run-flats, which I seriously doubt would have survived my last flat (the first one in years). A long screw entered the tread and punched through the sidewall, making a good sized slash. It was 1AM on a rural road, and I was glad I had a spare and a jack. I can understand BMW's thinking; it just doesn't really fit my situation nor admittedly antiquated desire to handle unexpected problems myself. I'm glad to hear you have never experienced severe problems with your BMWs.

Eoanou

I'll post about my new Gen Coupe:

Pros:
- Gets plenty of looks and I have only seen 5 of them on the road since they've been released, myself being the 5th.
- Good A/T, the gears are short allowing for better power delivery.
- Great handling, I don't think I'll ever have the courage to get this car on it's limits.
- The best brakes I've ever experienced, complete control when stopping no matter the speed, not to mention they are FIRM, I've been used to the squishy Honda brakes.
- Good power and smooth power delivery.
- Excellent road manners, I can tell exactly where the car is going, no guess work involved.
- Center console (Radio/HVAC) is very easy to use.
- Interior is very well put together

Cons:
- No telescoping steering wheel
- No LSD
- Leather seats wear too easily.
- Rear seats are essentially there for show, provide little to no use.
- No dual climate control

ragincajun

Carraway right on, the ms3 was shockingly good to drive. I actually hadnt even planned on driving one, it simply happened to be on the same lot as another car i was testing.

The streetable power and feel of the car was top notch, and matched up well with the other cars i tested. Plus the fact that you can do some mods (if thats your thing) to get substantially more power, and it costs 15-18k for one in excellent condition with low miles. Amazing little car.

As for the g35, i have driven two. I owned the 03 coupe for four years. I also test drove an 07 with the new motor in the sedan bodystyle.

The good things about the 03 were the great (imo) exterior syling and cool sound. The bad were numerous. My car had some failing suspension components and also suffered from a malfunctioning circuit board and bose radio interface that controlled the HVAC controls as insane as that seems. This set me back almost 1000 dollars for the bose alone.

The car also was very cheap on the inside, and the seats were very uncomfortable for long trips. The space inside was also ridiculous which over time as i grew older became an annoyance.

In terms of driving dynamics, it was ok. The RWD and handling was good. The engine was not. The car was fairly heavy and featured a high strung engine with all of its power at higher rpms. Basically to get it to go anywhere, you needed to rev the hell out of it. There was very little torque.

Overall the car was ok, but i am looking forward to moving on.

The newer g was much of the same. It had some fancier looking materials inside the car, but again, the car had a cheap feel to it. The seats were hard as a rock, and not comfortable. The interior was bland. The engine felt much the same, albeit a touch quicker. The car was heavier, and handling was worse. The added weight seemed to accentuate the lack of torque.

In addition, the shifter in the g35 felt like pushing a stick through a box of rocks. The clutch engagement was also very abrupt. This was disappointing, because almost all other modern cars i have driven have had excellent clutch feel.

Compared to the other cars i drove, it simply wasnt a good fit for me. Not nearly enough fun to drive, and didnt feel special in any way.

As for the 328, i have not driven one. I have driven a 330zhp whch i enjoyed. Im still young, and need a little more power under the hood, but its for sure a great cruiser.

Carraway

ragincajun - Thanks. That helps a lot and is generally in line with my experience owning two Nissans. As for the 328, I was surprised I didn't miss the power given its responsiveness, but I was next to a salesman who knew exactly the right road to have fun testing the car.

I wish audio systems weren't integrated with all the other systems, but I guess that's the way the market is now, and that's another subject.

crazyasiantl

iTrader: (7)

bump

speedemon90

Haven't gotten the chance to actually drive many cars

But I'll post a review of my moms 08 accord later. And I've driven '10 750i or Li, for a short amount of time but it was still fun , but I g2g soon so I'll be back later for the review

crazyasiantl

iTrader: (7)

bump

drove an 07 Mazdaspeed3 Grand Touring last Friday. really liked it, may be my next car if dealer moves away from the 20k asking price

Pros:
+drivetrain-what a blast
+hatchback design-surprisingly roomy
+Options: navi, sat radio, HIDs, auto headlights and wipers
+moddable

Cons:
-Torque steer
-road noise(could've been the tires)
-sunroof would've been nice

nyclio

I'm too lazy to post an individual review so if anyone wants, I will post, but my list is:

2010 Range Rover Sport
2008 Range Rover HSE
2009 BMW 650i
2011 BMW 550i
2011 BMW 528xi
2008 Lexus IS350
2011 BMW 335i
2008 BMW 750Li
2011 Cadillac CTS-V
2005 G35
2007 G35
2006 Lexus GS350
2011 Mini Cooper
2011 BMW 328i
2006 Hyundai Sonata
2008 Toyota Corolla
2008 Audi S4
1995 Nissan Maxima
2001 Nissan Maxima
2006 Benz C230
2008 BMW X5
2006 Nissan Altima
2010 Hummer H2
2011 Mercury Grand Marquis
2007 Nissan Quest
2009 BMW 535xi
1998 Honda Accord
2009 Benz CLS55 AMG

I can't remember the rest. This is all from a combination of rentals, friends' cars, some test drives, and some were mine.

Costco

I'll limit this to newer cars that I've driven extensively recently

2008 Infiniti G37 Sport Coupe, 5AT
+ Addictive sound
+ Power delivery
+ Good handling and steering weightiness
+ Navigation system is good, with a caveat
+ Good sound system (not sure which package it is though)
+ Interior and exterior styling

- Mediocre fuel economy
- Numb steering
- Backseat is obnoxiously small. I'm only 5'6" and 150 lbs, my head hits the rear windshield over bumps. Interior feels cramped in general
- Poor rearward visibility
- Upshifts are slow, especially disappointing in manual mode
- Brake pedal feel
- Tire wear
- Have to pull over to input new address... lolwut


2008 Mitubishi Lancer Evolution X GSR 5MT
+ Amazing handling and feedback
+ Great seats (love suede/microfiber and dislike leather though)
+ Solid shifter and nice clutch feel
+ Good brake pedal feel
+ Very little turbo lag
+ Surprisingly comfortable, has a lot of headroom

- Relatively slow
- Run flats suck ass
- Expensive - the one I drove stickered close to $40k and it wasn't even an MR
- Poor fuel economy (friend gets 17 mpg combined)
- Economy car on steroids looks and interior, even regular Lancer with options has a nicer interior
- Shopping cart handle wing and ginormous side mirrors obstruct otherwise good visibility


2003 MINI Cooper S Works 6MT
+ Supercharger gives it great pull even in top gear
+ Great audio system (Harmon Kardon)
+ Great handling
+ Very fun to drive
+ Clutch and shifter feel
+ Great visibility all around
+ Amazing fuel economy - 30+ mpg combined

- Shifter throw is too long
- Normally I like supercharger whine, but this just sounded wheezy
- Overpriced (though it is a sort of a limited package)
- Horrendously unreliable. Buy out of warranty only if you are masochistic with your wallet
- Interior screams cheap - shiny painted plastic on the dash, plastic door panels, center stack, HVAC and window switches
- Miniscule trunk


2007 Lexus ES350
+ Whisper quiet - windows, sunroof, general NVH
+ Smooth as butter - acceleration, shifts, turning
+ Surprising pick-up
+ Very comfy
+ Audio system
+ Build quality
+ Great features, tech and quality for the money - love the the adaptive front lighting system, aka swivel lights

- Whisper quiet
- Steering feel is too light
- Handles like a wet, limp noodle, electro nannies kick in obnoxiously early
- Absolute bore to drive, feels like a very refined Camry V6


2007 Toyota Tundra Crewmax 4x4, 5.7, 6AT
+ ZOMG this truck moves! 380 horsepower, 400 lb/ft V8 and 6AT ftw
+ Incredibly spacious, interior and bed
+ Surprisingly comfortable
+ Very nice set of features and configurability

- Cheap, cheap interior
- Fuggin huge (could not fit into a garage, at all). This truck's size is suitable...... if you regularly transport 3-4 250+ lb passengers
- Bad handling, even for a truck of this size
- Either payload and/or towing capacity was much lower than competitors, not sure
- Styling - why is the cab longer than the bed?!?!


Of all the cars, the Evo X probably the best track star, the MINI was the funnest, the ES350 would be my first choice of these four for taking a road trip by a longshot, and the G37 would be my pick for all around daily driver.

The Tundra doesn't fit my needs or desires at all, and I would never consider buying one as I hate big trucks and SUVs but it's a decent truck.

I'm hoping to test drive some more (stock) cars in the future to compare.

wasupdog

iTrader: (2)

2006 g35 coupe auto

-good handling for a heavy car, feels lighter than it is
-good torque down low - i think this is why the car feels faster than a tl, even though it's kind of really not, generally speaking
-pop-up nav style and navigation system as a whole is outdated now, but was nice at the time
-great seats if you're a a slim to medium sized build, i'm not sure how bigger guys fit into these things
-really bad gas mileage
-interior was just ok, and not that great without the nav system. it's pretty plasticky feeling and the bose factory stereo was a mind blowing piece of shit

2007 g35 sedan auto (same body style as the current g37 sedan)

-almost exactly like the g35 coupe except in a sedan body
-the interior was updated and is very nice, good factory nav and stereo
-nowhere near as loud as the g35 coupe but you can hear the exhaust when you get on it
-the coupe's handling feels better, the sedan i drove felt like a pig around corners but i think that's because my roommate keeps a lot of junk in the trunk, literally

2010 370z auto

-smaller, faster, lighter, louder, rougher and less visibility than all of the above
-it's a rambunctious ride and the best out of all of these cars because it's a true 2-seat sports car, whereas the g35 coupe and sedan are semi-luxury and sport combos
-the downfall of the g35/g37 coupe and sedan is their massive weight that the 370z eliminates

gdcwatt

1955 Triumph TR2, 1991 cc, 4spd with o/d in 2nd, 3rd & 4th. Perhaps 110hp, but lots of torque, and 1,8xx lbs.

My father bought this car for me in 1975 - I think because he wanted to teach me that life was expensive, and it would be a good idea to figure out what I was doing; I sold it about 12 years ago.

On it's tall, skinny tires, it was easy to slide the front end, or the back end, or 4-wheel drift through corners. It wasn't quick, but the acceleration felt strong, likely a function of the top down, and no windows - and being soooooo low to the ground. The engine would loaf along at rediculously low rpm at 90mph, in 4th OD. With drum brakes all around, however, stopping was something you really had to plan. [I used to work with a guy who - before I met him - used to drive and race a C-Type Jaguar; he said that I should be using the gearbox more, to slow down. He destroyed the C-Type during a race, and slid upside down across the finish-line, in front of his horrified fiance...]

I could lean over the low-cut door and touch the ground, while driving. My wife hated the car; it wasn't the most reliable vehicle we'd ever owned, but I knew how to pull some plugs when I flooded it, when starting, sometimes. And there was a hole in her floorboard, where the parking brake handle went. And there was the time when we were driving along, and we heard a tinkling sound, as one of the hub locks went by beside and then in front of us. And she did NOT like sliding around corners, which I thought was odd, because she used to be a ski instructor.

In a modern sense, it was not a car that everyone could have owned, and driven, but it was wonderful...double clutching, while man-handling that giant steering wheel...and gave a distinct sense of automotive history.