Ok, so marriage may be looming in the very near future and my oh-so-awesome $700/mo car payment is going to be a bit of a sticking point. I LOVE my G, don't get me wrong, but that much money into a car is making less and less sense, even if I can afford it. That being said, I have started looking around at what I can get that will satisfy my car lust but at the same time be a little friendlier to my wallet. I'm imposing a $25k limit but would like to sacrifice as little power and luxury as possible. Navigation is a must for me. Anyway, lets start brain-storming people!

Here's a preliminary list of what I have in mind so far:

1. 06-07 Lexus IS 350

I tested this car out last year when I bought my G. I liked the power and the interior/exterior styling but the auto turned me off and the G was significantly cheaper. Now though the auto doesn't seem so bad and I've found several 350's with nav for under $25k....

2. 05-06 BMW 330i

I'd love to find an 08 328i coupe or 335i sedan but they are still no where near my budget. Still, the 330i is very nice with plenty of power and that BMW ultimate drive....

3. 06-07 Cadillac STS-V [IMG]http://pictures.topspeed.com/IMG/crop/200512/2006-cadillac-sts-v-4_460x0w.jpg[/URL]

I still love this car for the power and options list. An 06 can be had for under $25k and has 469 hp! The interior is still a major turn off however....

4. 06-08 Acura TSX/TL

http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/...1021990002.jpg

I had an 04 TSX and loved it but I'd like more power. Enter the TL. It has the power and I could get it in a stick, but the FWD is a turn off. Still, both cars have fantastic interiors and excellent reliability....

5. 05-06 Chevrolet Corvette

This is a bit of a reach because the C7 is holding its value very well. I may luck into a good deal on one but the interior is still crap and the refinement is questionable. 400hp is 400hp though.....

6. 08 Cadillac CTS

Another reach as only the base models are anywhere near $25k. Still I love this car and if I could find a deal, would definitely consider....

7. 07 G35S sedan/coupe

This would be an odd trade because the sedan has the same interior as my G37S. It would get me into a cheaper car though and I'd get more room to boot. The coupe is the last gen and to my eyes is still a better looker than the G37. Unfortunately the interior is no where near as good, but an 07 G35 coupe can be had for under $20k now.....

8. 05-06 E46 BMW M3

Still one of my dream cars in all honesty. A black one with cinnamon interior would be so sweet. Alas, an M3 can be had for $25k, but probably would be out of warranty, and everybody knows you can't own a used BMW out of warranty unless you are a rich fella....

9. 06-07 Acura RL

Not really what I'm looking for but has awesome interior and great standard features for a bargain these days. An RL could easily be had for $25k but it is arguably a worse drive than the TL and with not much more luxury. Still like it though....

10. 00-03 E39 BMW M5

I love this car. The styling is awesome as is the performance. But this car has the same trouble as the E46: Reliability. It costs alot to get an M worked on and no E39 is going to still be under warranty. Still, the prices out there have me drooling....

11. 07-08 Audi A6

Don't know much about Audis but I found a bunch of A6's on Ebay for around $25k and it looks pretty good (especially with the 4.2 V8). Interior is typical Audi greatness and the exterior is pretty nice too. An 07 or 08 should still be under warranty so i'm good there too. Still not sure I like it enough though....

Well, there's my list. Did I forget anything?

 

LGT

 

C6 targas rattle unless lubed with dielectric grease or silicone spray. Still, if you actually care about how your interior panels sound when you tap them with your knuckles, then the C6 isn't for you. Surprisingly I don't give a crap though, so that would be my first choice. Best performance, cheapest to mod, cheapest to fix, and its an open-air car.

Assuming you don't work on your own cars, my other choices with "luxury" in mind would be the 330i. The G35 coupe is great but that's too similar to the car you have now IMO. The TL is great too... and the RL can be found for pretty cheap too, right? IMO the other cars will cost you too much to repair, or even to buy, have questionable reliability, I just simply don't like, or all of the above.

actually....

 

I'm not very good at finances... but is this really a wise thing to do?

 

what about 06+ infiniti m35/m45, they can be had for pretty cheap depending on where you are

 

With a $700 car payment, is it safe to assume you put nothing down on the G37? If so, wont you be upside down going into the next loan?

I personally wished i bought a cheaper car as well instead of the new 328i. Ideally the E46 M3 would be so choose for me. Seen low mileage 05s for $26-29k already. BMW navi sucks though so i suggest just buying a Garmin.

And no, im not trading the 328i in, its a great car and cant stomach losing so much by trading in.

 

You might want to check out the RL forums before thinking of getting a pre-owned. Issues with headlights, doors, etc. Unfortunately it may be one of Acura's least reliable cars

 

Um, no, I actually put $10k down.....I just have a terrible interest rate. I owe about $30k which I should be able to get at least....

 

EEK!! Thats a lot of interest if thats a 60 month loan!

Yea try dumping it then picking up a $25k car and get a loan through a credit union for a lower rate.

I am also a fan of the E46 330i ZHP


Pretty reliable and under $25k.

 

Yeah, about 14%!! Just got crappy credit....

 

Honestly, selling your $30k car for a $25k car wont change much. Unless you plan to put more money down of course or get a much better rate. Then again used car rates are normally higher than new. Im still shocked at the 14% on a new car loan even with 10k down!

My advice is to keep that G37, fix your credit and then refinance the rest of that loan. Just dropping the rate to 8% would save you $100 a month! Check your local credit unions and see what they can approve you for.

Play with this calculator and you will see what i mean. http://www.carmax.com/enUS/car-payme...r/default.html

 

Well, my $30k car now was financed when it was worth $42k. My girl has agreed to help me out this time and she has great credit. Therefore, I hope to get a $25k car with a payment at least half of what it is now....

 

Right, i just said $30k car since thats what you financed after the 10k down. (well 32k)

Anywho, if your gf is willing to help out then sweet. Sell her the G37 for $30k.

If my car got totalled today then i most likely get a ZHP or E46 M3. Not sure if that helps you any.

 

So you want a $350 a month car payment? Yea i dont see that happening with a used $25k car. Well you can but just need to put down over 5k. Like i said, use that calculator link and punch in the numbers.

For $350 a month you looking to finance a $18k car assuming she can get a 6% on a used car loan.

Not trying to be a dick, just helping with where to start your car search.

 

Do you need extra room? ie 4 doors/seats? 'Cuz if not then I'd suggest checking out a nice '06-'07 S2000. I've seen 'um for mid 20s.

 

Go look in the Subaru Legacy thread here in the off-topic car talk area...... Look at some pics, go take a test drive, then tell us if they are ok.

Here's a hint of what you'll see
<--------------------------------

 

Before I got knee deep in car shopping (cart before the horse), I'd first confirm that I could get a much better interest rate w/your girlfriend's credit. Although she may have excellent credit, her credit may not allow for a 25K purchase. I would not be surprised if the car has to go entirely in her name and you're just a cosigner. That would still help out your credit some.

 

2007 tl type-s?

 

I'm not sure how smart it is to do what you are doing, but if I had to pick, I would say....


IS 350
1st Gen CTS (my mom has one and I love it despite the interior)
TSX (i'm biased, but I know it fun as HELL to mod; you can make one very ; that being said, I'm not sure you can buy one and mod it very much for under $25K as they seem to hold their value very well)

 

If it even makes sense to do this, stay away from higher mileage/older/perhaps less reliable cars. Even cars that are well maintained but older will still need more general upkeep just because of wear and tear on parts that have been exposed to the elements and used more. In that respect, you need to be sure you aren't just going to end up throwing any money you might be able to save into repair bills and maintenance instead (either because the car needs repairs/more maintenance done or because the brand you bought is more expensive in labour/parts).

 

OUCH! That's awful...err...no offense. I would've never done that deal.

 

If your looking to save money why not look at something like an 02-03 Camry, Altima, or Accord?

 

I think you will be worse off selling the car, and getting into a new one. You should attack this car loan and pay it off asap. That interest rate is killing you. Even if you did get $30k, you took a bath on the $10k, now you have to put another down payment and you are going to end up with $400 payment or more/less depending what you put down. Now you have a NEW 60 month loan. It's going to equal, or be greater than what it would cost to just pay this car off.

 

Crazy Acura's right, there's no way you'll get half the payment you have now in a $25k car. I'm a tiny bit below that payment with my $16k car loan @ 60 months @ 7% through a credit union (and I have very good credit), so he's pretty dead-on with the $18k budget.

Also, if you're that concerned about saving money, why would you even consider the M5 or STS-V as options considering they would get barely 15mpg? You'll be paying out of the arse once the gas prices start going back up. Any BMW out of warranty, like you said, would be horrible when it came to repair costs, so I would nix those, too.

I actually think the Vette is a viable option, if you have another vehicle to use if there's more than two of you or you need to transport anything, but I don't know if you'd be able to get one in the $18k price range or not.

 

I don't think you guys understand. I'm paying $744/mo right now, which I CAN afford. But even $450-$500/mo would be a considerable savings (factoring in insurance, it costs me around $950/mo just in car expense). I already have some more money that I intend to put down an I am going to trade in my car and sell my truck (should get $3-4k out of that) so I do plan to finance around $20k. I appreciate all the financial advice but I really am just interested in discussing what cars you would truly be happy with for $25k (e.g. no Camrys or Accords). My list is a wish list of cars that would be decent replacements for my G37, but at a substantial savings......

 

$2400 a year in insurance?!? Dood you killing me here.

I understand you can afford it but you want to save money. Which is great but there are better options. For one, cross that vette out since insurance would rape you even more.

Take that truck money and whatever you were planning to put down and put it towards refinancing your G37 with your girlfriend. That way you are just financing under $25k for a 08 G37 that you love and has a warranty. Win-Win!!

You already put down 10k on the car, might as well keep it.

Im only getting on your case because if i was in that situation i would totally rather have a new 08 G37 than anything mentioned here.

I also have made the same mistakes in the past and just dont want you to regret it.

 

Now if you just say that you want a new car because you want a change, then i would totally understand.

Saving money while doing so is always a perk. I just assumed you were madly in love with the G37.

I will stop bugging you about it.

My list
E46 M3
330i ZHP
07+ G35 sedan
STI (they giving crazy discounts on new now)
E90 330i
TL
S4
CTS
Legacy GT
GTI

 

Basic rule of thumb is 300 per month for every $15K worth of car... Last 2 cars I bought were 300-325 per month...

 

Basically, a loan at 7% will give you close to a $425 payment on about $25,000 financed.

So if you want to save on insurance, a Legacy GT should be reasonable. Also, if you and the gf own a house, you can do you auto insurance through the same company that does the home insurance. That can save some money as well.

Also, a Legacy GT that is 2 years old is still under a lot of factory warranty (5/50 I believe), Mattg or Aaaron correct me), plus the Subaru is reliable as hell, and AWD.

 

Don't get me wrong, I really do appreciate your advice. Everything you've said is right on. I may go the refi route, but I also want to check out my other options. I would really love an IS350 with all the options, especially if I could get one for under $25k.....

 

If you only owe ~$30k on the G37, going to something else in the $20-25k range seems a little silly to me. You bought that car, it has tons of warranty left, and you know exactly what you've got. Any of those other cars are going to be well used by now and some even out of warranty, so unless you can find something that was owned by the anal/enthusiast type that kept their car in like-new condition, there's going to be opportunity for disappointment and regret here.

 

keep what you have and refinance. I financed 14k for my used TL and that payment is 280 @ 9% (i have a 700+ credit score). If your credit is messed up, with a cosigner on a used car you are looking at around 11-12% from a bank (maybe 1-1.5% less from a credit union). The difference between a new car percentage and a used is pretty big.

 

i'm going to also lean towards keeping the car and try to refinance.

but if you insist on getting a new car and it makes sense to you, i'd go with a TL. how much are 07 TL-S's?

 

I'd say refi unless you're totally sick of the G (which I can't seem to understand why).

Otherwise like Crazy Acura said, the ZHP's are awesome bmw's! SO much fun to drive.

 

From my credit union:
Description APR as low as Term Type
NEW AUTO 6.49% 6 Yrs. Fixed
NEW AUTO 5.74% 6 Yrs. Variable
USED AUTO 5.49% 5 Yrs. Variable
USED AUTO 6.24% 5 Yrs. Fixed


You are getting hosed at 9% with a 700+ score. I'd be chatting with my bank if I were you...

 

Holy crap is that what interest rates are going for these days?!?!?! I financed my carrera s with 0 down at 5% fixed rate for 60 months. To the OP, i understand what you are trying to do but it really makes most sense to pay down your current car loan since you already fronted 10K plus monthly payments so far and you've owned the car since new. I remember the pics you posted when you first got it and how stoked you were. Why take your chances on a pre-owned car? Have your GF help you out, especially since G37>every other car you have on your wish list.

 

I just got 5.7% on a used loan