The 3.8 avenger is good wild card.
The 3.8 avenger is good wild card.
Acura TL 100%
I would also add the Volvo S70 with the big 5 pot engine. Loved to wind that engine out in my old 850 as it just howled
Infiniti i35
VQ power, stiff suspension, and nice interior to match
Nissans with the big motor can and do kick butt in Champcar endurance racing. That’s all I’ve got.
Has anyone here driven all of them? I know I haven’t.
The TL would probably get my vote if it had the MT. The autos with the V6 make me nervous. Wait, am I remembering some problems with that manual trans? When I drove them daily when I worked at an Acura dealer I remember not liking the over-assisted steering though.
I like the idea of the Nissans, but I have never driven one.
I liked the first gen Mazda 6 with the manual I drove, but the Internet stories scare me about the pre-cats, even if over blown. Most of them are NOT well cared for. They feel more nimble compared to the TL if I remember right.
In reply to Dootz :
Those Altimas handle really well stock, but oh what a piece of crap...
Gas is cheap these days. Seek yourself out an Infiniti M56 (later renamed Q70 w/5.6L option, not the base 3.7L)
That's 5.6 liters and 420 hp of truck engine (Nissan Titan) in an unassuming sedan. Goes 0-60 in 4.4 seconds and 1/4 mile in 12.9, stock! Available in rwd and awd versions. If you are willing to give up 95 hp then maybe just the M45 and 4.5L V8 last sold in 2010.
Sample 2011 M56x w/ 56k asking $17k
Maxima, but not the Gen 5.5, just the Gen 5. Why? Because while the VQ35 has great power, the VQ30 is so smooth and refined, I just like it better even with 40 less horses. And the 5-speed with the VQ30DE-K is smoother than the VQ35's 6-speed (IMO).
The aftermarket is getting pretty weak these days, but there's still some stuff out there. They don't really need all that much.
250 HP, 3500 pounds, 4-speed automatic (with manu-matic!) and seats that make a Lazy-Boy look uncomfortable. With FWD, it didn't accelerate well, at 10 feet wide it wasn't nimble, but it was aerodynamic and would cruise along at 120 all day long in total comfort. They have also completely disappeared from the roads. Seriously, when is the last time you saw an R/T, or an SXT, or an Intrepid at all?!?!?
pinchvalve said:They have also completely disappeared from the roads.
I'm sure there is a good reason for that.
My top questions, especially with the older cars.. coming up on 15-20 years of age or more.
what is most practical?
Is it easy to get parts for?
the TL has the most support from all aspects the way I see it, OEM parts are pretty plentiful in junkyards from what I've seen.
it has aftermarket support for tuning from Hondata from 2005 and on for the MT cars.
skip the Type s and get a non s Manual model and get the helical diff and the Brembos without the price tag of the Type S model.
I'd take the 07-08 TL Type-S with 6MT. Or a non-S TL of the same era - they were available from 2004 to 2006 with a manual, and those cars also got the Brembo front brakes and LSD.
My dad had an Infiniti I35 and the VQ35 is a great engine, the car is nice to drive, but they all burn oil when they get to 140k+ miles. Will run forever but you gotta keep pouring oil in 'em.
BionicTigerShark said:Was the Olds aurora with the v8 any good? I just remember they existed but haven't seen one in years.
Basically a slightly smaller Northstar in the same platform as a Cadillac DeVille / Seville. See also Buick Park Avenue Ultra and Pontiac Bonneville SSEi for a similar chassis with the supercharged V6.
slowride said:Buick Regal GS
That's what I chose for my commuter - basically a much more subtle Grand Prix GTP. Handling is, well, not as terrible as one would expect from a GM product thanks to some generously sized sway bars, and while I haven't added any engine mods, there's a pretty good selection of them out there. As others have noted, there were a few other interesting performance oriented GM W bodies out there as well.
Cadillac DTS? My grandma has one (fitting, I know) and it eats highway miles like nobody's business and had much better power than expected. Also, cheap. But definitely not sporty, and automatic only. 300 hp and 295 ft lbs vs lesser northstars puts it in a similar class as the Impala SS and Grand Prix GXP of the time, but in a less common and more luxurious package.
In reply to gearheadE30 :
My Dad's ex had a 2000 DTS. The big girl could dance, the DTS package had 17x7 and could take a bit more tire. And it would beat my Firebird Formula from a dig, i'd catch up after about 1/8 mile. If we are adding W-bodys and not concerned with cost, these have to be on the list IMHO. Besides, you can probably get one way under challenge price now. 
Gas keeps dropping I may get one to replace my Infiniti G20 work beater.
John Welsh said:Gas is cheap these days. Seek yourself out an Infiniti M56 (later renamed Q70 w/5.6L option, not the base 3.7L)
That's 5.6 liters and 420 hp of truck engine (Nissan Titan) in an unassuming sedan. Goes 0-60 in 4.4 seconds and 1/4 mile in 12.9, stock! Available in rwd and awd versions. If you are willing to give up 95 hp then maybe just the M45 and 4.5L V8 last sold in 2010.
Sample 2011 M56x w/ 56k asking $17k
Except it isn't FWD
In reply to OHSCrifle :
but it is awd which seemed acceptable.
The X in M56x denotes the awd version. There can be a M56s too which denotes sport package. You can even get a M56xs
2005 Cadillac Deville and a 2005 Acura TL 6sp with navigation is all you need. I have both and both bring me great joy to drive. Now I just need to make my Deville ride a little more sporty since it isn't a DTS model. The black one in the pictures above are giving me some inspiration right now.
ProDarwin said:pinchvalve said:They have also completely disappeared from the roads.
I'm sure there is a good reason for that.
Compared to an Acura, it has to be much worse from a reliability standpoint, right? But I had a 2000 with over 120,000 miles on it and the only thing wrong with it was a leaky steering rack. They didn't rust too badly either. It's like aliens stole them all.
In reply to pinchvalve :
I had a few friends with them. All of them eventually had transmission failures and weren't worth repairing, except for one that burned massive amounts of oil and was also not worth repairing.
John Welsh said:In reply to OHSCrifle :
but it is awd which seemed acceptable.
The X in M56x denotes the awd version. There can be a M56s too which denotes sport package. You can even get a M56xs
Didn't know that. I really want the RWD sledgehammer variety of the M56. Seems like a helluva sleeper.
In reply to gearheadE30 :
I randomly remember reading, maybe it was in Car and Driver, about a tuned DTS built for Tim Allen. I think it was lowered with big brakes and engine work good for 400hp. Seemed like an interesting choice for a tuned performance sedan but it looked the business.
BlueInGreen - Jon (Forum Supporter) said:In reply to gearheadE30 :
I randomly remember reading, maybe it was in Car and Driver, about a tuned DTS built for Tim Allen. I think it was lowered with big brakes and engine work good for 400hp. Seemed like an interesting choice for a tuned performance sedan but it looked the business.
My google-fu is failing me.
Here's the C&D article, though unfortunately they have changed their website format and old articles don't show all the pictures anymore: https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a15139707/tim-allen-design-cadillac-deville-dtsi-specialty-file/
The DTSi also makes an appearance in this video around 2:56 in the background, while they are discussing his LT5-powered 1996 Impala SS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYu5vRpsGhg
I'll do more digging tomorrow but the car is a bit of a ghost. Hardly any other info beyond the car and driver article, and this is really the only picture I've found so far.
NINJA EDIT: here's a real video, with some actual go fast footage! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DlkcSPYAS6w
And video part 2 which actually has more info on the DTSi if youtube doesn't automatically suggest it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gM26we2KM0
Is a Camry SE v6 the worst idea?
Sure it’s boring in the corners, but with some shocks and springs, I’d bet it’d be pretty fun. And let’s face it, most of these options would need shocks and springs to really be THAT sporty anyway. I have an ‘05 with the 2.4 and it’s not as awful as I assumed to hurl around.
The engine is great too. Powerful, low maintenance.
And people seem to take pretty good care of Camrys, so a nice one might be easier to find. Just a thought.
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