What car would you buy for under 30k?

[GoTime]

My car is worth about 15k, time to get rid of it. No real requirements as far as the upgrade. Can be new or used. I guess only requirements would be

 

 

1) four doors(suv, sedan, wagon)

2) luxury'ish.

3) Reasonable miles(hate repair costs, warranty is a bonus)

 

Three off the top of my head - Infinit M35/45, 2008-2010 STI, Cadillac CTS

 

 

Gotta drag clients and associates around from time to time. What do you think?

[hammy83]

older g35. but those new hyundai genesis are looking pretty good especially the power/luxury to cost ratio. This would be a perfect car to lease imo.

[One_Putt_Blunder]

[quote name='hammy83' timestamp='1315198757' post='3542405']
older g35. but those new hyundai genesis are looking pretty good especially the power/luxury to cost ratio. This would be a perfect car to lease imo.
[/quote]
Ha no joke I was just going to post the same 2 cars minus the lease part. The G35/37 are awesome and the genesis does not get the credit it should just because it is a hyundai. On a side note from working in the insurance business hyundai is selling a ton of cars we are adding tons of them to customers policies.

[GoTime]

Looking at both of those as well

[leadfoot_mf]

since you were the only one to come through on the cart girl thread i will help with car choice but need more info.

1. do you care about performance.
2. image.
3 brands name rec.
4. style
5. fuel economy.
6. year cut off / max mileage.

for example for my tastes i would spend a little more and get a 2005 maserati quattroporte. cars are out there in the low 30's with under 55k miles. only get a true automatic stay away from cc trans. the auto is the same used in mercedes.

[One_Putt_Blunder]

Another used gem is the lexus ls 400 series or the gs 300 series.

[rkj4243]

What about American?

You get get a full size GM SUV, maybe 2 years old, Buick Lacrosse, Cadillac CTS or similar, Chrysler 300, Dodge Charger, Lincoln or some sorts, don't know model designations since they went to letters rather than names, or similar. Deals to be found in new car market more so than used, as there seems to be short supply of used, at least here in Michigan at this time.

[300yard+]

If you have to wheel clients around you would want something roomy and comfy. Chevy Tahoe or Yukon comes to mind. Good engines not expensive to maintain..For 4 door car it would be a slightly older LS400 like a 2004-2006 so you wont break the bank..or maybe a 2006-2008 BMW 545i . Ive got a 2006 and it drives great....

[bubbagump]

For personal fun I would think the best car is a nissan 370z. I just bought one and it is an amazing car. It is also two seats so no clients lol.

For your specific question, I would think about possibly a BMW 5 or 7 series sedan, One thing I would really reccomend since you have a price idea is to go to your local carmax and check it out. You will be exposed to so many different cars that you would never have thought about. They are priced pretty well also.

[GoTime]

The only way I'd get a used BMW/Audi and possibly mercedes is if it were still under factory warranty and had a good bit of time left. No way I'd take the chance on repairs with those things. That's why I was leaning toward infiniti. Pretty difficult to beat the price for all the luxury you get with it.

[bubbagump]

If you are leaning toward an infiniti maybe do your diligence and check out the new Nissan Maxima. That thing looks great and has good size to it as well. Hyundais are worth the $$ as well, my parents just got two of them, Sonata and Santa Fe and I would reccomend those two or any of their cars. They are solid and great quality.

[dlamb83]

How about a Toyota Highlander? Very nice and roomy. Some have 3rd rows. I love mine,and you can get some under 30,that still have factory or extended warranty on it.

[1969EType]

Someone suggested Carmax....

Here's a link to cars they have for sale all over the country, built between 2008 and 2012, less than 40K miles and less than $30K. It came beack with over 11,000 cars! Lots of really great rides here...hmmm, maybe I need a new whip, too...

[url="http://www.carmax.com/enus/search-results/default.html?D=90&zip=22304&sM=NA-40000&sP=NA-30000&sY=2008-2012&pD=0&pI=0&pT=400&pC=200&pB=0&No=20&Ep=homepage:homepage&Rp=R&PP=20&sV=List&Us=15&CD=662+14+966+240+190+398+15+9&Q=975b5355-060e-485f-8985-24ad870f75e7&ANi=40"]http://www.carmax.com/enus/search-results/default.html?D=90&zip=22304&sM=NA-40000&sP=NA-30000&sY=2008-2012&pD=0&pI=0&pT=400&pC=200&pB=0&No=20&Ep=homepage:homepage&Rp=R&PP=20&sV=List&Us=15&CD=662+14+966+240+190+398+15+9&Q=975b5355-060e-485f-8985-24ad870f75e7&ANi=40[/url]

[monty09]

I have both a BMW and Infiniti... Infiniti hands down. You can get a nice G37 sedan from factory with fewer than 30k miles for mid-20. Buy extended warranty and your 30-32k out the door and set pretty much for next 5-7 years. I got a 3 year old 3 series with 22k miles for 23500 and bought extended warranty. Thing is a piece of $hit but a dream to buy. The car actually drives better over 90 then under. BMW is a performance dream but a nightmare with repairs. I pay $50 every time I have to bring it in with EW. Infiniti on the other hand i picked up new in 05 and 110k miles later I oil change and super unleaded. All the upkeep i have done. Tires are $$ but its fun to hail a$$ in the G. Well worth the $. I am looking to get a newer G sedan as will be growing the family soon.

If I had 30k, Infiniti and Lexus are only two cars i would look at

[jh19]

I have an Acura TSX and really like it. I went with the TSX because I don't have kids and do a lot of city driving. If I had to entertain I would opt for the TL or RL.

I was looking at the IS250, G35 sedan, 3 series BMW and the TSX. After test driving everything I realized the Acura was the best deal for the money. My father-in-law has a TL and loves it, it's a 2006 and hasn't had any problems.

I wanted something more "sporty" but figured I should go with something more "grown up." I'm saving for a weekend car now. I knew I was going to get a weekend car, that's why I went with a more pratical daily driver.

Keep us posted!

[GoTime]

The more I look at infinitis the more I like them. Also like the TSX. We'll see what happens, could be a month of six. I'm always hesitant and/or lazy when it comes to big decisions like this.

[gmetcalf18]

look into certified audis, I had a range rover and couldn't justify driving alone in that thing without towing anytihng and not having any real cargo in the back besides my clubs to and from the course. I went to a dealer that had audi, land rover, and jaguar. Before the range rover I had an 08 STS AWD, and before that I had an 08 Chrysler 300 (bought too many cars too fast, whoops) anyways I spent considerable time with all of them, the 300 (Limited AWD) was GARBAGE, absolutly terrible, spent 40k on a brand new one and it was gone after 51k miles in 11 months, after replacing the rear differential 2 times, numerous blown seals, a whole steering coumn, and 2 sets of brake pads, their warranty coverage was spotty to say the least and their turn around time was absolutly ridiculous. The cadillac was nice, but not 60k nice, thankfully I got that used with 11000 miles on it (employee vehicle for 1 year then I got it) I paid 36k and had no problems, but even regular maitnence was a ton, and it guzzeled gas like no tomorrow, and this is when gas was well over 4 a gallon, plus running premium. I didn't replace anything, but I did get rear ended and it took 3 weeks for a new rear bumper to be installed and painted (blamed on all the technology in the bumper ie: camera, and back up sensors) Once I got the car back there was paint splatter on the camera so it always was basically useless, and the rear sensors did not work. I got them replaced quickly and all was well after that but it was irritating especially after how long it took. I traded in both cars for the range rover, paid 46 for that one and and didnt bring home any money. If you're worried about resale, stay away from american I got 16k for the 300 (51000 miles) and 30k for the cadillac (20000 miles). I had the range rover for over a year and again, no real problems. I had a seal blow but that was a repair made in under an hour and all was well, the air ride would squeak quite a bit when the weather was changing but that didn't hurt the car, just your ears. The car was beautiful and drove fantastic but again the maintence on that was even worse then the cadillac and the gas again was 2x as bad if not more. I finally got tired of wasting all the money and realized it was time to grow up and get 1 car that I need and that will solve my problems, and what I chose was my 2007 Certified Audi A4 quattro, its got AWD for the snowy winters here in MI, and its got a 4 cyl 2 litre Turbo Charged engine which makes it a joy to drive, and the best part... it was 20k with 36k miles. Warranty goes until 50k and then the Certified warranty starts. [url="http://www.audiusa.com/us/brand/en/certified/cpo_warranty.html"]http://www.audiusa.com/us/brand/en/certified/cpo_warranty.html[/url] The car is smooth, good looking, economical, and big enough for a 6'2'' frame driving it, the back seat isn't huge but you could also look at crossovers or a larger sedan since your budget is higher, and find something real nice. I'm done rambeling on, hopefully what you got out of my post is that I've spent time with a lot of different brands and the clear winner is the audi



Hope you get a nice pretty new toy!

[Bodee]

[attachment=853357:!cid__416.jpg][quote name='Rugger' timestamp='1315235593' post='3542901']
The only way I'd get a used BMW/Audi and possibly mercedes is if it were still under factory warranty and had a good bit of time left. No way I'd take the chance on repairs with those things. That's why I was leaning toward infiniti. Pretty difficult to beat the price for all the luxury you get with it.
[/quote]

I personally think Infinity is the way to go......I did. got a G35XS for 28K with 31K on odometer. Absolutely LOVE IT!!!!

[shuddleston]

Lexus IS or infiniti G series.

[bmorejared]

You're not going to find a new Infiniti for under 30K. If you want new I would consider the Nissan Maxima. You can get one of those fully loaded out for about 33K. I just bought one 8 months ago. It wasn't a happy moment though, as I had to trade in my yellow 370Z, which I loved. One of the many sacrifices that go with having a child.

[hebron1427]

Camry. Maybe I'm too simple-minded, but the thing will run forever, and for $30k you can get a lot of options.

[slicktry]

Well, as a german snob (VW owner), I had to change plans and get something bigger. Ended up getting a base impala. Seats 6, lots of trunk room, plus 3 sets of child seat tethers. Looking at the SS model, or even a LTZ trimline might be not a bad option. Again, can easily do 4 tour bags in the trunk. plus, I was averaging last night 7 liters/100km, which is roughly 40 mpg imperial. Not too shabby!

God Bless
Jer

[PedronNiall]

I'd say Infinity or an IS300 from the criteria that you mentioned. I'm an Audi/German car guy myself, but part of that is accepting the inevitable issues that will arise. That said, I certainly never complain when I'm riding in my friend's G35 sedan.

[mrgo26]

I currently have an '07 G35 coupe. Bought it new 4 years ago and not one problem whatsoever. Currently has 63k miles. I'm certain the sedan is just as reliable as my 6MT.

I'd love to stick with Infiniti but their new performance line with the G series is somewhat of a joke. Up'd the horsies by only 15 I believe compared to previous model and is way more expensive. A head scratcher but I am a believer in Infinifi's reliability after my G35

[Obsessotron]

What about an 05-09 Subaru Legacy GT or a Spec. B. Still one of the most underrated cars on the road today! People always forget about it, but its the best deal on the road. I have 60,000 Miles on mine with only minor issues (rear door lock & a $200 belt).

- 250 HP @ 250TQ 0-60 in 5.6 sec
- AWD for winter pwnage
- Every single available option including Nav and leather

Here is a special edition Spec.B (6 speed manual, alacantra seats, OEM bilstein shocks/springs upgrade) with 40,000 Miles for $27,000

[url="http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.jsp?ct=u&car_id=305413685&dealer_id=1149440&car_year=2009&systime=&doors=&model=LEGACY&search_lang=en&start_year=2005&keywordsfyc=&keywordsrep=&scarid=304234315&highlightFirstMakeModel=&search_type=used&distance=0&min_price=&rdm=1315497368552&drive=&marketZipError=false&advanced=&fuel=&keywords_display=&lastBeginningStartYear=1981&end_year=2009&showZipError=n&make2=&certified=&engine=&dma=LOS_ANGELES_SO&page_location=findacar%3A%3Aispsearchform&body_code=0&isFlashPlugin=true&transmission=&default_sort=&max_mileage=&color=&address=90210&sort_type=priceDESC&max_price=&make=SUB&seller_type=b&num_records=25&cardist=2612&standard=false"]http://www.autotrade...&standard=false[/url]

[GoTime]

What do you guys like as far as luxury'ish SUVs in that price range?

[PutterHo]

Bought the wife an '07 Lexus RX400 hybrid with around 39,000 miles for $26,500 out the door almost two years ago. Gunmetal, clean carfax. My car was in the shop to get its 60K mile tuneup so we were looking around the dealership on the last day of the month, the salesman and used car manager both needed 1 unit sale to bonus and bam had a deal. Was it that good of a deal? Perfect for her, the back just stinks for more than a couple sets of clubs.

[b][size=5]A WORD TO THE WISE ... ALWAYS HAVE A GOLF BAG TO TRY IN THE CARGO SPACE BEFORE LEAVING THE LOT.[/size][/b]
[quote name='Rugger' timestamp='1315535236' post='3552210']
What do you guys like as far as luxury'ish SUVs in that price range?
[/quote]

[dlamb83]

[quote name='Obsessotron' timestamp='1315497458' post='3550989']
What about an 05-09 Subaru Legacy GT or a Spec. B. Still one of the most underrated cars on the road today! People always forget about it, but its the best deal on the road. I have 60,000 Miles on mine with only minor issues (rear door lock & a $200 belt).

- 250 HP @ 250TQ 0-60 in 5.6 sec
- AWD for winter pwnage
- Every single available option including Nav and leather

Here is a special edition Spec.B (6 speed manual, alacantra seats, OEM bilstein shocks/springs upgrade) with 40,000 Miles for $27,000

[url="http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.jsp?ct=u&car_id=305413685&dealer_id=1149440&car_year=2009&systime=&doors=&model=LEGACY&search_lang=en&start_year=2005&keywordsfyc=&keywordsrep=&scarid=304234315&highlightFirstMakeModel=&search_type=used&distance=0&min_price=&rdm=1315497368552&drive=&marketZipError=false&advanced=&fuel=&keywords_display=&lastBeginningStartYear=1981&end_year=2009&showZipError=n&make2=&certified=&engine=&dma=LOS_ANGELES_SO&page_location=findacar%3A%3Aispsearchform&body_code=0&isFlashPlugin=true&transmission=&default_sort=&max_mileage=&color=&address=90210&sort_type=priceDESC&max_price=&make=SUB&seller_type=b&num_records=25&cardist=2612&standard=false"]http://www.autotrade...&standard=false[/url]
[/quote]

Here is what mine looks like. 05 legacy gt turbo. Very nice car. This is right after I had the rims put on.
[attachment=855423:Subaru 2.jpg]

[GZS]

http://www.vw.com/en/models/touareg/gallery.html

If you can find one used, the 2011/2012 Volkswagen Touareg TDI. I was in the market for an SUV and I drove that one. It drives very nice. The interior is classic VW/Audi luxury. The navigation system was surprisingly good. The instrument panel will take some getting used to. It has a secondary computer to display all kinds of fun stuff right on the panel as opposed to the navigation system or another place. It's very cool.

The main part, the motor. The non-tdi version of the car is just flat out slow. The TDI is a joy. My wife couldn't care less about high-horsepower cars, but she likes the car to move when she needs it. I test drove it alone, initially. I took her for a drive a bit later and we were merging onto the highway. I told her to put the pedal down and progressively as we accelerated, the smile on her face grew. That little V6 packs a punch. When you're not in boost it gets good mileage, too.

My secondary option for you is the Mazda series. The CX-9 (What we ended up choosing for size) is a very nice car. It drives much the same as a large sedan does. The interior is not fancy, but you get what you pay for. The CX-7 is smaller. It has the same (detuned) motor as the Mazdaspeed 3 and retains much of the same feel as the CX-9 in terms of quality.

[Puppetmaster]

[quote name='Rugger' timestamp='1315197201' post='3542364']
My car is worth about 15k, time to get rid of it. No real requirements as far as the upgrade. Can be new or used. I guess only requirements would be


1) four doors(suv, sedan, wagon)
2) luxury'ish.
3) Reasonable miles(hate repair costs, warranty is a bonus)

Three off the top of my head - Infinit M35/45, 2008-2010 STI, Cadillac CTS


Gotta drag clients and associates around from time to time. What do you think?
[/quote]

Based on the criteria, take a look at the Acura TSX or TSX Sportwagon. Not the quickest car (not the inline 4 at least) nor does it have massive back seats, but it fits with your needs it seems. Entry level luxury, solid tech, Acura customer service, and Honda reliability/resale. In terms of spirited driving, it can move if higher up in the RPM band, but its strengths are in steering precision and chassis rigidity, especially for being a front heavy FWD. These are of course relative, but as a total package, I think it's great bang for the buck.

I'm slightly biased because I just got one this year, but prior to this, Acura wasn't on my radar ever. Pretty impressed so far.