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So I am sitting at a red light today, and when the light turned green an F-750 super-duty "porta-potty s#!t sucker" truck decided to merge into my lane and have a go at running me over. The lug nuts on his front wheel tore every panel on the side of my 2005 BMW Z-4 open like a knife going down a tin can. Looked a little like the Mustang in that scene on Goldfinger where James Bond used his Aston Martin wheel spikes to run the girl off the road. Turns out the company hired drivers without commercial drivers licenses to operate their trucks and that was the result. Anyway, long story short I am in the market for a new car.

Any suggestions? Looking for something $35,000-$40,000, new, reasonably interesting to drive, decent looking, etc. That also begs the the question, what do you drive, and would you recommend it? Trying to keep pace with the rest of the Breitling crowd.

Hi and welcome aboard.

Gotta recommend staying with the BMW brand! Not sure what you'd get stateside for that kind of money, but I find the M3 hard to beat. Don't think you'll find a new shape model for that money, but I can vouch for the older model.

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Driver8

Site Moderator

If I had $70,000 burning a hole in my pocket an M-3 would be the first thing I would buy. I actually passed over an 05 M3 in favor of my Z4. Where do you live in the UK driver? I am going there on Monday for 2 weeks. I hear the weather is great so I thought I'd check it out!

Anybody have any thoughts on the Audi TT?

Finally a thread I can contribute to in a meaningful way!!!
The TT is cute but woefully underpowered for my tastes. I have owned an M3 (2002) and am on my second Z06 Corvette with a 911 Turbo between them. The M3 was fun and could fit more than 1 friend. I adore my Z06 and would not part with it for anything. If you are looking at used, anything is possible. If trying to stay new I would look at the new Audi A4 --tons 'o' fun to drive (better than the 3-series except M3), and in your range. I am not down on the TT, I just expected more of a sports car when I drove it. Perhaps I was placing it where it did not intend to go. I would also look carefully at the Cadillac CTS. That car with the 3.6 engine and a manual was FANTASTIC!! Tthey have a CTS-V coming out about now, but will be out of the range you stated so I do not bring it up except to be complete. My wife is expecting, when kiddo comes I am going to pick one of those up as a third car for the days when I may have to get the wee one. Hope that helps. Would be happy to pontificate further if needed, but this post is getting vast. I am really new to Breitlings, but in cars I am the automotive Roff or Bnewbie

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I live way down south on the south coast, and yeah the weather is FANTASTIC at the moment! The sky is a lovely shade of grey and looks so low that if you opened your bedroom windows you'd probably get clouds in your room! Oh and it's cold too - but not in a crisp Alpine cold way : more in a damp, eating-into-your-bones kind of way. Nice!

The TT has never really done it for me. I apologize now to anyone with one, but they look far to girly (even the new one) and are too much style over substance IMO. A mate of mine has one, and it has some nice styling touches inside, but generally I hate the cabin. I find it really oppressive inside with the narrow windows, and as Boney said, it is underpowered IMO.

I've not driven the new A4, but I found the old one really dull actually...... but then my last few cars have been fairly powerful (I had a 4.4 V8 powered 7 Series Sport before my current motor) and you kind of end up with the automotive equivalent of buying an SA - once you move up in size, it's hard to come back down!

Personally I love cars with a passion, but I've never bought new. My father has bought his last 4 cars brand new but I've never understood it as you get hit with the worst part of the depreciation! I've suffered enough depreciation myself over the years with cars too. When I bought my 7 Series a number of years ago it was under 2 years old, mint condition and cost me just over £30K...... but the orginal price on the invoice brand new was over £65K. That's over 50% depreciation in less than 2 years.... which I managed to avoid!

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Driver8

Site Moderator

Several thoughts:

I got my Z4 "Certified Pre-Owned" from the BMW dealership. 5000 miles, and mint. The way BMW sells it is that it has endured a 5392 point inspection by people in lab coats with clipboards. They want you to think it has successfully passed though something like Breitling's factory and that your car is good as new. Come to find out 6 months after I bought it that, despite a clean carfax history, the car had been in a wreck, had been repaired, and immediately traded in. Guess what poor sap paid for an undamaged car and got stuck with it. Not only that, but because the sticker is no longer on the window the dealer misrepresented (albeit accidentally) some of the additional features on the car so I ended up paying a premium for a modestly equipped vehicle. Having said all that, I've can recommend a place where the dealer can shove their "certified pre-owned propaganda." No sir, it's factory new for me from here on out.

Sad to hear about the TT, I assumed it was Audi's answer to the Porsche Boxter and the Z4, but I guess if it is, it was a s#!tty answer. You guys may have me sold on the A4, I'll take one for a spin and see. I think that unless I get a brand new Z4, there is no point in trying to go really sporty. Anything else within my price range is sure to disappoint so maybe I should just accept that I have had my dream car for now, and get something more luxurious that sporty until I can afford that M6.

Any thoughts on Lexus?

While you are there, you can give the A3 a try as well. Some say the A3 feels more sporty than the previous years A4. I have not driven the new A4, but it really looks good.

I have an A3 and love it. I got the 2.0 turbo engine which I have chippped. That really makes a difference in the power delivery. Had I waited a year, I could have gotten quattro with my A3 and that would really handle the extra power better.

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Hmmmmm, I guess that'd be enough to drive anyone away from pre-owned!

I think you were obviously very unlucky there........, whereas maybe I have always been (thus far at least) lucky with my cars. Losing 40 to 50% of it's value in a year is the biggest motivator for me not to buy new. My 7 Series cost the first owner around £1700 per month (or approx £56 per day) IN DEPRECIATION ALONE , and that's before you take into account petrol, road tax, etc!

Not for me I'm afraid - but as with watches and just about everything else in life, it's each to their own. Hope you find something that's enough fun and in the price range you are after.

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Driver8

Site Moderator

I drive a 2007 (57) BMW 520 M Sport. I would recommend it. Not sure how much longer I will have it as my work's are laying off middle management left right and centre at the momment

Test drove the Lexus IS 250 Sport today. Fully loaded with nav system, bluetooth, etc, etc for $36,000. It's got me thinking.

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If you want to stay American and support the American jobs then I'd buy Cadillac. You could get a nice XLR or STS for that price just over a year old. They tend to depreciate rather quickly so those cars, with a retail ticket of 90k would be in the mist of 40k.

Go V series for some extra power

You won't be disappointed.

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i absolutely LOVE BMW I can't afford one, but have driven several when friends have asked me to do so. 135 is a nice model, 335xi is a nic emodel. I am so sorry to hear about the accident. I hope you are ok!

I love the M3 but yeah it is 70,000 thats alot!

By the way , BMW selilng you a car that was in a wreck with them knowing ad you not isn't that illegal? Can't that be construed as negligence or perhaps I cant think of the term but possibily endangering the welfare of you and others?

Maybe you sheould talk to your lawyer?

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GOTTA LOVE BREITLING!!!

Wife has a 2007 TL, I've got a 2007 S-8.

Love both cars, although the mileage on the S-6 can get a bit out of hand if you're not, um, 'careful', I s'pose is the responsible way to put it.

If you are looking to stay in the coupe market I would suggest a BMW 335i coupe and the BMW 135 or else an Infiniti G37 coupe. I think the Lexus IS250 is a nice car but far too common. If you like the Lexus I would test drive a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution MR. Its less luxury of a vehicle but definitely better bang for your buck.[/i]

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