DD/Family Hauler - TSX, TL, IS300 or(?)

andrave wrote: Infiniti G35 4 door 6mt checks every box. mileage in low 20's. I had an auto as a loaner for the better part of a month and didn't want to give it back. found it to be a very pleasant companion, smooth on the freeway but very fun to drive without ever feeling edgy or stiff. Also sound pretty sweet for a stock car.

I concur, you pretty much described a 6-speed G35 sedan. I had one, sold it, moved accross the country and 'replaced' it with an E36 328i (5 speed sport package). Not even in the same ballpark.

Don't get me wrong, I like my BMW, but the G35 was so much stronger, so much more refined and so much more reliable it is not even a contest.

I know the E36 M3's and E46's being discussed in this thread are faster and newer than my non-M E36, but I think dollar for dollar you aren't going to get any BMW as nice as the G35 you can buy for the same money.

Oh, yeah:

At 88,000 miles, my E46 is slowly leaking oil at the valve cover, PS fluid at the rack, and gear oil at the differential seals. I don't even know what's going on at the VANOS seals and I am afraid to look. It needs a thermostat (which luckily is designed to fail safe). I just had a wheel bearing replaced. I've done front pads and rotors twice in about 60,000 miles, rears once. Conventional wisdom says I should replace the entire cooling system this year or risk having my car vaporize into a cloud of steam and molten metal.

The TSX has pretty much had oil changes every 5k, and one set of front pads and rotors. I can't even remember if I've done the rears or not.

In reply to amg_rx7:

I've seen some nice off-color wagons that had weird two tone leather interiors too but it might be a bit before I start looking for one actively.

If you're seriously considering the M3 sedan, I'll tell you this: our house has a revolving door when it comes to cars. The E36 M3 is the only one I would buy back again in a heartbeat, and the only one I truly loved in every use I had for it - commuting, auto-xing, and small family road trips. The E46 325i was technically "nicer" - more modern, nicer interior (worse seats though), but the E36 made me grin every time I drove it.

Nathan JansenvanDoorn wrote: If you're seriously considering the M3 sedan, I'll tell you this: our house has a revolving door when it comes to cars. The E36 M3 is the only one I would buy back again in a heartbeat, and the only one I truly loved in every use I had for it - commuting, auto-xing, and small family road trips. The E46 325i was technically "nicer" - more modern, nicer interior (worse seats though), but the E36 made me grin every time I drove it.

Nathan, out of curiosity, did the E46 have the sport seats or no? Normally I hear the exact opposite, that E36 M3 Vaders suck and E46 sports rock.

Fletch1 wrote: In reply to Adrift: Wow, you like the 2001 Accord better than the TSX? What is it about the Accord that you like better?

My Accord is a 5spd with a throttle cable. I don't care for the DBW throttle in our manual TSX. I can heel toe the Accord, I don't even bother with the TSX. I've been driving manuals for 30 yrs but the TSX is my 1st DBW. Could be me. The Accord "feels" lighter on its feet. I have no auto x or track comparison, it just "feels" better. I also hate the maintenance minder on the TSX. Too intrusive and it starts the harassment well before maintenance is needed ( I'm weird about that).

That being said, overall the TSX is a great car and in many ways better than the Accord. I recommend it, but I think the automatic is better. I had a deal to buy a second TSX with an automatic, however, that day I passed a TL down the street with a for sale sign on my way to work and bought that for less money instead. Sorry for the hijack

Yeah, the maintenance minder is annoying. As long as you remember to do the maintenance when the time comes, it takes about 2 seconds to reset it when it pops up.

What is particularly annoying about the maintenance minder? It's just a little orange wrench, right?

SlickDizzy wrote: Nathan, out of curiosity, did the E46 have the sport seats or no? Normally I hear the exact opposite, that E36 M3 Vaders suck and E46 sports rock.

Fair point - the E46 was non sport package leatherette. The E36 was a sedan, so no Vaders - just E36 sport seats...which fit my wife and I (not simultaneously) like a glove.

It says MAINTENANCE REQUIRED. When it's nearing a milestone, it blinks for about 20 seconds at startup. As you get closer, it stays on all the time you are driving.

The problem is, it starts this crap about 4-5000 miles before the service is due.

It's an annoyance (to me anyway) but not a deal breaker.
My 06 TSX is my newest vehicle so maybe they are all like this now. It's a big orange maintenance required wrench/sign that overlays the main info center on the car. The avg mileage, outside temp, trip/odo, etc. screen. You can shut it off but it comes on the next time you start the car until you reset it.

Like Duke says, you can reset it after you do the maintenance. I have reset mine probably over 25 times (car has 163K) and I can never get it right the first time.

'04 - '06 GTO. Do you speak it, motherberkeleyer? the automatic paid gas-guzzler tax, but the T56 got an EPA 28 or 29 hwy. 2k rpm @ 80 in 6th.

or the latest first-gen Mazda6 you can find. my '03 V6/MT does 27 mpg at 80 mph tank after tank. you'll get about 5 grand change from your $12k bill. hell, you can have mine for $4500 delivered.

note, i'm not trying to say that my '03 is the latest first-gen, because that would be a retarded thing to say.

oh, also, the E36 M3/4/5 is almost 20 years old now. berkeley that.

i'm also not saying that my '03 is a wagon, because that would also be a retarded thing to say. it's a sedan. and a damn good one at that.

AngryCorvair wrote: '04 - '06 GTO. Do you speak it, motherberkeleyer? the automatic paid gas-guzzler tax, but the T56 got an EPA 28 or 29 hwy. 2k rpm @ 80 in 6th. or the latest first-gen Mazda6 you can find. my '03 V6/MT does 27 mpg at 80 mph tank after tank. you'll get about 5 grand change from your $12k bill. hell, you can have mine for $4500 delivered.

80 miles a day. Am you retarded, Marcy?

I'll take another look at the 6 too. I've got a buddy with a Mazdaspeed. I remember being underwhelmed with the interior, but I was drunk, so maybe I was just being an shiny happy person.

Also: Hot damn. Could you get one of these with the V6/stick?

http://nwga.craigslist.org/cto/3507254534.html

yes, the hatch was available with V6/stick. a truly sexy package. my '96 PGT and my '03 Mazda6 were both bought new by the same guy. if the PGT timing belt tensioner hadn't E36 M3 the bed when it did, my '03 mazda6 sedan would be an '04 mazda6 hatch. missed it by just a few months, :-(

I hadn't even considered it till a buddy suggested it, but 07-ish Civic Si sedan(???) There's a baboon's ass red one locally with 100k miles for $10k. No heated leather seats but it is cool in a honda dork kinda way. Only weird thing is, an 07 TL with similar miles is around the same price, and was a $35k car new, ya know? I need to go drive some more E36 M3 this weekend.

Honestly not sure where to put this at this point (that's what she said.) But I drove a six speed TL today...after running all over creation driving other bullE36 M3.

Methinks this is the car. I know the TSX is more of a "drivers" car, but I have like 4 other cars for that. Heated leather seats felt like slipping into a recliner. Power was sufficient enough to propel past the big clump of berkeleytards leaving a light. Brakes are great. It's a big heavy boat of a honda, but I have little nimble Hondas for tearing up corners.

This one was the wrong color and had a rough, but fixable spot on the rear driver's quarter, but the seller is in over his head and I might be able to snag it for a good price.

Panel fitment screams "Made in Ohio" (no offense, Ohio,) but doesn't say "I've been hit." Trying to decide if I want to shell out the $35 for the carfax, or wait for one in the right color combo.

cool. those are nice cars, if a bit big

I got babies & E36 M3, dawg! This is, seriously, the first time I've ever factored "rear legroom" into the purchase of a car.

poopshovel wrote: I got babies & E36 M3, dawg! This is, seriously, the first time I've ever factored "rear legroom" into the purchase of a car.

No E36 M3 man. I got two little ones in those giant ass Britax seats. They can't fit in the ek hatch, but I just like small cars. I'm hoping an si civic sedan will work, but I think the TL is a good contender.

I'm a small, SIMPLE car guy too. I've got a Fit, a CRX, and a Festiva to check the "anemic and fun" boxes though. This is the "old fat guy with a bad back commuter." I'm just happy I found one I like.

Hell, I might even hang on to the Integra. Seems silly to give it up for a grand, ya know? Especially since some berkeleyer will just rice it out.

Very cool. We had an '01 TL way back when, it was my wife's car, and we loved it. Great cruiser. Glad I'm not the only one here looking for something beyond the "anemic and fun" car. I love our Fit, and it's been a struggle convincing myself to sell it. But my NA Miata fits that slow but fun bill. I want more of a comfy cruiser.

I still need to test drive a 1st gen TSX. It does seem like the TL's are about the same price used, sometimes lower. I wish the TSX's would have depreciated as much as the TL's. It does make it tempting to start looking at TL's though. Why they used grey leather is beyond me. It deserves to be burned. I would have to have black.

Fletch1 wrote: I still need to test drive a 1st gen TSX. It does seem like the TL's are about the same price used, sometimes lower. I wish the TSX's would have depreciated as much as the TL's. It does make it tempting to start looking at TL's though. Why they used grey leather is beyond me. It deserves to be burned. I would have to have black.

Yeah man. I refuse to concede on the black leather. I might have to compromise on the paint. I really want white on black, but I could be searching for years for that.