Mighty Favog Posted October 7, 2002 Share Posted October 7, 2002 O.k. so I'm gonna buy a new car in the next year and a half to two years. So far the list is between a Chrysler 300M (non-Special) and an Acura 3.2 TL Type- S. I like the 300's body EXCEPT for the front end (ugly). But then I like the engine in the 3.2 (10 hp more). The 3.2 had only ONE option I would have gotten....mudflaps of all things. The 300 needed about $1,700 worth of extras. Both came in about the same price, $31 to 32,000 before haggeling. The Acura's body looks rather sedate compared to the 300's. Most of the opitons on the 3.2, I thought, rather superfluous and flashy. I also would opt out of the Navi system, I read about problems with that. Acura offers only one radio (A BOSE OF ALL THINGS!!). The downside I read about the Acura is the braking, handling and the transmisson (although that may be subject to a cetain build date peramiter). The Type -S' handling is supposted to be jittery and mechanically loud with the windows down. With a bit of a push in cornering (for you NASCAR fans). The base warranty of the Chrysler is 3/36 an dthe Acura is 4/50. Hmmm....no contest there. I've been a Mopar devote forever from getting my first Supebird back in high school (yes, I really had one, sans the knowledge of mom and dad). But the reliability of Handa's luxury/performance group is very appealing. Once I get either one I plan on doing some "non-warranty voiding" mods al la SEMA's blessings. I expect to ring out another 15hp out of either. Any other expieriences? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Voodoo chile Posted October 7, 2002 Share Posted October 7, 2002 Buy American! You can only get a Bose stereo.... ugh. I have a friend who has an Audi with Bose. He has had to completly pull out all the old stereo wiring to put in a different system. Bose really doesn't want you doing that. V Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mighty Favog Posted October 7, 2002 Author Share Posted October 7, 2002 FWIW- I looked into that aspect of it and the breakdown is as follows: Japanese parts 15%, Transmission is Japanese with all the remainder being American Parts including the engine. My mother has a 94' New Yorker and the engine is rather easy to work on (first thing I look for is how easy the spark plugs are to get to). The 300 has the engine configured the same way. Yes, I realize the profits still go over the pond. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenratboy Posted October 7, 2002 Share Posted October 7, 2002 PLEASE!!! Get the Acura! Mr. Detroit, it is made in Ohio, so it is American Japanese (or Japanese company of origin) cars are SO much better. My vote goes to Acura 100% GO SEMA!!! That is the best law in the world (the one about being able to mod your can and not having your warranty voided) Why not a German car, like a BMW 3-Series or am Audi A4? Seriously, take a look at German stuff. A little less horsepower, but the engine has FIRE, and that will make it as good as the othe engines. Also, the steering, suspension, brakes, etc. are SO much smoother on the German stuff. It is said: "Once a parson has commited to a German car, they are commited for life." I know what I am talking about, I live and breath cars. Tell us what you decide on. BTW, yes, Bose, but is just means the foam won't rot out as quick as normal factory speakers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T2K Posted October 8, 2002 Share Posted October 8, 2002 Get the Acura. Or a 5-series BMW. Keith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mighty Favog Posted October 8, 2002 Author Share Posted October 8, 2002 Woooaaa!! A 5 series?? I was trying to hold this to around $30k BEFORE haggeling it to around $27k. That may even be tough on a 3 series. I priced a 3 series at BMW's site and came up with about $35k for most of the same options as the Acura. I have the feeling they won't budge too much on the TL. The Audi A4's price was about in line but I wanted some thing a little bigger and no turbo. I had a turbo before and even though I took care of it the "right" way it still gave up around 80k miles (no offense Justin.) I just priced a Lexus IS-300 E-Shift and I came to the conclusion that the bodies on those things look too much like Neons, tall and narrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Voodoo chile Posted October 8, 2002 Share Posted October 8, 2002 Here our country is, trying to climb out of a recession. The DJI is under 8K and you guys wanna send the money over the pond. I don't think that a car being made in Ohio makes it American, but thats my opinion. American hands may have touched it, but that's not were the money goes in the end. Where the buck lands is where it's made. German cars will outperform Japanese at any time. The only cars that come close are NSX and the new 350Z. The M5 is THE fastest four door around. Hands down. I do like the Audi cars. The A4 is very nice. 300M..... oh yeah! V Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QUiKSR20 Posted October 9, 2002 Share Posted October 9, 2002 3.2TL VS 300M theres no comparison. 3.2 all the way.. Just look at resale values that MOPAR junk will be worth squat in a few years with 90k miles or so and that 3.2 will still have most of its value. Also imports usually last longer and run better at high milage. But for that much money definately go test drive a 3 series bmw, Audi A4, Lexus ES300/IS300 and or a Infinity G35 which has 265HP and 265TQ 30k on a chrysler is just throwing your money in the garbage IMHO. Daryl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Adams Posted October 9, 2002 Share Posted October 9, 2002 Hey Tom - While I haven't spent much time behind the wheel of a 300M, I am qualified to speak to the TL-S for I own a 2003. I test drove the TL-S's competition and this car gives you more bang-for-the-buck than anything else out there. Yes, there are sporadic tranny problems, but that's all it is - sporadic. Mine is fine and I flog it in sport-shift mode quite often. The handling is an excellent compromise given the ride comfort. If you want a more agressive handling TL-S, then buy some new sways & springs. As for motor, the car flies and will embarass a lot of others out there. This is one of the funnest (is there such a word?) car I've ever owned outside of my gone, but not forgotten, '68 Camaro Rally Sport. I would buy a TL-S again in a heart beat. A good site to find out more is www.acura-tl.com. Oh...as for the buy American thing...in an down turn economy, I'd much rather buy a Japanese coporation car that's made in the U.S. than I would a German owned American coporation that builds its products in May-hee-coe. At least the former employs Americans who pay taxes and spend their hard-earned money here. Whilst the latter uses $2.75/hour Mexican labor and relies on NAFTA to increase their profit margins. And who benefits from that? The stock holders and all those corporate weenies with obscene compesation packages. Tom Adams Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mighty Favog Posted October 9, 2002 Author Share Posted October 9, 2002 Now that's what I was looking for! Some who has had both of these animals. Tom- Have you noticed any pronounced understeer in the TL-S? Or longer than liked stopping distances? I found an article from Car and Driver's site from July, 02' and they had those two things as being their biggest gripes, although small. The brake scan always be upgraded to say, Brembo's (though NOT slotted and/or drilled. When it comes time to get new pads you can throw the rotors away because most places can't/won't turn them.) Maybe I'm spoiled. I'm driving a 94' Talon 2.0l(non-turbo) and that thing sticks to the road very well. IF the tires break loose in a turn it's all four of them at the same time. This was after I found the magic tire pressures that are not what the factory suggests (Factory- 29/front and 26/rear. Now at 35/front and 33 rear). The first set of tires lasted only about 29k with a treadware rating 200. The second/now set is rated at 220 and have lasted for 53k and still probably have another 10k on them! Plus I'm getting 28mpg/city and (get this) a top recorded reading of 40.5/hwy at 70-80mph!! The window sticker said it should get 22/27. So when I do get another ride and if I can convince the GF to send that POS, dead auto tranny, 88' Saab 900S back to her son's house where it belongs (end of rant) I'll have a place to keep both cars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenratboy Posted October 9, 2002 Share Posted October 9, 2002 Hey, the thousands in tax and financing will help the USA!!! Seriously, just go out and sit in Audi's, BMW's, Jap cars, etc. Also, goto www.edmunds.com and look, they are great for car info. Did you look at a VW Passat? They are big! As for turbo's giving out, not really. Old trubo's were krap, but new technology has made them better. However, a normally aspirated engine will give you more reliability but worse fuel economy (by 100,000 miles, could make a big difference.) Good luck!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T2K Posted October 9, 2002 Share Posted October 9, 2002 Tom, a fella near me has a '34 (32?) Ford 3-window coupe street rod for sale. Evidently the guy has plenty 'o green as everything about the car appears custom. 21" rubber on the rear, 17" on the front. On sale now for $65,000. Ya' want me to check it out for ya? Keith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T2K Posted October 9, 2002 Share Posted October 9, 2002 Oh yeah, the school teacher up the street has a 1978 Corvette Indy Pace car that she never drives. I've seen it out of the garage twice in the last 3 years or so. Looks like new. $13,000. Keith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Adams Posted October 10, 2002 Share Posted October 10, 2002 Jeez...thanks Keith for throwing salt in the wound. If you only knew the story of my Camaro and how we were unvoluntarily separated, you'd understand why the wound has never healed. Actually, I've always dreamed of owning a '34 Ford 3-window. But not at that price. As for the Corvette...those cars never did anything for me. Tom - I've never found the brakes wanting on my TL-S. What I'd suggest is that you remind yourself that Car & Driver's criticsm comes from flogging the car on a race track. The only time you'd ever see braking any where close to that is if you're descending a twisty mountain road and you're trying to make some serious time. I'm serious Tom, you can find better handling and faster cars than the TL-S.... If you wanna spend 15 or 20 THOUSAND DOLLARS more!! And if you've got that much extra money laying around, buy the TL-S and then buy yourself a Kawasaki ZX9R and treat yourself to some serious performance. VW Passat...nice car, but ZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzz..... IS300 - Blast to drive, but small, noisy & rough riding. You'll pay $5K more and not have the same equipment level as the TL-S. Oh & the TL-S will spank it. BMW 3 series - See IS300 above except you'll pay $8K more. But hey, you'll get to tie a sweater around you neck and tell your friends you own a Beemer. Volvo - Sanitary and BORING!! Infinity G35 - Hmmmm...I could get interested in that car. But wait - what's that sticker in the window say?? Nissan Altima - Now here's some competition. Alas, no aftermarket performance parts and resale value is still uncertain. And one last thing...I hate to say this, but the Bose system in the TL-S ain't that bad. A few well place bucks here & there and it would sound better, but I'm ok with it. I've got over $3K in a system in my pickemup and it spanks the TL-S's Bose system - and it should. But I think I could easily make some speaker changes and the TL-S would rock. Good luck Tom. Tom Adams Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Lindsey Posted October 10, 2002 Share Posted October 10, 2002 Tom, Whatever you do, buy used. Even if it's only 3 - 6 months old. I will never buy a new car again. You're just throwing your money away. My 2 cents... Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justin_tx_16 Posted October 10, 2002 Share Posted October 10, 2002 As soon as you drive it off the lot it loses SOO much value. what is the percentage? we buy new cars, but most of them were like the test drive car so it has about 150 miles on it. saves you a bundle though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mighty Favog Posted October 17, 2002 Author Share Posted October 17, 2002 UPDATE- Well, I got an e-mail back from Columbia Acura in Cincinnati and they tell me that by the time I plann of getting this thing Acura is coming out with a re-designed version. It'll probably be about the same price and who knows what it'll look like. I want to get a lighter color for the exterior but the only two they offer is silver (too much of that color around) and white. I'm not one of these people that get a different car every couple of years. So far the average ownership span of a single ride is 9 years (sans the Superbird). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Cornell Posted October 17, 2002 Share Posted October 17, 2002 Tom Good luck on a car, I know whats next, maybe Klipschorns? When you get your car ill come over and hotwire it for ya LOL! Go for a nice hemi dodge truck, they are sweet! Regards Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STL Posted October 17, 2002 Share Posted October 17, 2002 I would be very, very, VERY, VERY surprised if that Chrysler is better handling that Acura. The Acura is made by Honda and they are very well known for their handling (as well as engine longevity). I suspect the TL will be much more nimble than the 300. You can replace the headers on that TL-S and get another 30hp almost across the entire power band. I didn't believe that when I first read about it (being that most Honda don't respond well to headers unless you're going to turbo or SC) but this V6 really comes alive with that change alone. To me, it is no comparison -- Get the TL-S. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STL Posted October 17, 2002 Share Posted October 17, 2002 ---------------- On 10/8/2002 3:02:02 PM Voodoo chile wrote: German cars will outperform Japanese at any time. ---------------- What a gross over-generalization... I remember reading an article about how the Honda S2000 spanked the Porsche Boxster and all versions of the BMW Z3 on the track! And to add insult the injury the Honda costs much less than any of them! Porsche had to come out with the Boxster S, but it's only about equal with the S2000 (and costs a lot more). LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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