Need input on my next car.

M

maxmk8

Registered
Hey guys my mark is a nice car but I am ready for an upgrade. I want luxury and speed. All cars with the exception of the 740i are significantly faster than the mark out of the box.

2001 BMW 740i Sport
2001/2002 Jaguar XJR
2002 Vette Z06
2002 Lexus GS430
(all cars must have less than 50k miles)

my fall back option is a 98 mk8... that I will extensively modify... but i think i would just rather get a different car since the marks are going to be at least 7 years old at the time of my purchase, and mine has been plagued with vibration problems.

I am open for all kinds of input. I want the car to reliable as well, so I am unsure as to how well the Jag fits into that category... The Vette is kind of an oddball since it is a 2 door, and a few other issues... but they have some great clubs such as this one and that helps.

Here is the way i feel about the cars.
2001 BMW 740i sport...
UPS: best looking sport sedan hands down, good support from websites i have found. Pretty reliable from what I have read. Moderately fast.
Downs: No modification potential, very hard to find supercharger kits, gears etc. Only mods that are readily available are computer reflashes as well as suspension upgrades, power adders are so and so.

2002 XJR 370hp
ups: 0-60 in 5.8 seconds and the 1/4 at 13.8. Need i say more?? Probably the best bang for the buck in terms of luxury/price. I like the way it looks. 90% m5 performance at 50% the cost. No need to make the car faster.
downs: Questionable reliability

2002 z06. ups. Ultimate performance, great message boards.
downs: Small car, Stiff ride, high insurance?

2002 gs430. ups: Great performance on par with the jag but NA. Increadible reliability.
downs: so and so looks, will have to purchase wheels and maybe other exterior items, high resale value
 
RE: Need input on my next car.

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2002 Vette Z06
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... and Moe will pick the '02 Lexus GS430! :7

IF you parked all your choices in my driveway, you'd rarely see the Jag there, reliability issues not withstanding. ;) Yeah, beemers are nice, but sorta too typical. I've not rode in the newer Vettes, but with the exception of raw speed, there's not much else for me. None of the Lexus line do anything for me either. So, through the process of elimination, I'd say the Jaguar would be my pick.

Not really sure how any of these cars would fill the shoes of the Mark VIII though. ::roll::
 
RE: Need input on my next car.

Thanks for those pics Moe, I am wondering how much that body work would cost...? since i do like that blue one you posted on there. I don't like the size of the wheels, they are too big in my opinion.
 
RE: Need input on my next car.

Tough call for me between te BMW and The Jag. I have driven both and know people that have both.

The BMW rides like its on air,but the jag looks great to me and I see fewer of them on the road. The older Jag's from the 80's are the ones that had problems. The newer ones seem to have a much better track record. Lexus is nice, but way to many on the road at least in New York.

Go with the Jag you cannot go wrong with it. Not only does it have luxury, but it has the speed to go with it :)
 
RE: Need input on my next car.

Well, those cars are heavily modified I think two of them are supercharged. The blue one is more of a show car, then a cruiser.

I think the blue one has a full L-sportline kit that runs about $1500 or so, plus paint and installation. Then you can buy Adjustable Tein cs coilovers and adjust the ride height and damping level to your desired setting.

There's a huge aftermarket product line for the GS, a WHHHHHHHHHOOLEE lot more then the LS.

To keep things cheap, look at the silver car, the front end has a TTE lip add on to the stock bumper, which will run you about 200bucs. And an L-tuned grille for $200.


There are sooo possible routes to take for theGS, check out the GS forum on Clublexus, it’s full of info, and ask them any question you'd like.

http://www.clublexus.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=4
 
RE: Need input on my next car.

If you plan on modding and want any sort of reliability, get the vette or the lexus. both will not be cheap to modify, but will likely be cheaper than the BMW. german cars are rediculously expensive to fix and i would be uneasy about the reliability of an XJR. So either the vette or the lexus.
 
RE: Need input on my next car.

Nope I am not looking for a family car, but 4 doors come in handy more than once. Yea so looks like those choices are still going to be around. Btw i checked a few trouble areas of the bimmer like the radiator or water pump... and they cost about as much as the marks... $250 for a new radiator and around $200 for a new electric water pump. So replacement parts aren't too expensive. Although I am sure a BMW engine and or transmission will cost more. But from what i have read they rarely fail.
 
RE: Need input on my next car.

Z06 all the way - 02 went to 405hp. Tons of mods you can do.
Stock for stock it's slightly faster then a new 05/06 C6 Z51..
 
RE: Need input on my next car.

Depends on what is important to you. If performance is just as important as how good the car looks to YOU, then you could give each vehicle a rating for each pertinent parameter (0-60, cornering, "looks"), take the average, then divide your final score by the price. This would give you the best bang for your buck. If you don't care about money, then just pick the highest scoring vehicle.

This is how I chose the Mark...
 
RE: Need input on my next car.

The funny part is, I did that exact thing you were talking about. I think I had 15 categories. The bimmer and the lexus tied. So I was just looking for more input. Looks like I will help my dad with his next car, so this will get delayed another 6 months or so.
 
RE: Need input on my next car.

In addition, there is something else to think about.

Most people think about the car they are getting for the money they spend. Most people do not think about how much money they are giving up for the car they are buying.

Let me explain.

Compare the car you desire with how much per month it will cost. Then ask yourself, is it better to have a Z06, or $1,000 a month? I'd take the money myself.

You'd be amazed how many people would rather have the money not one year after they get a new car...especialy Mercedes owners.
 
RE: Need input on my next car.

That is what is stopping me right now. I think I might put this off for another 6 months or so since it is not necessarily a burning have to have thing right now (Mark still runs). Winter is coming and I am trying to buy an SUV for my dad. And I won't be able to take this car off roading and to go snowboarding either since that is what I am going to be doing for the next 5 months
 
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