Please help me choose my next car. My 328i coupe is quite nice but I feel like its a bit slow and I can afford a small upgrade.
Main factor is it should be fast and feel good to drive.
Basic requirements:
- Four doors and seats four
- Automatic transmission
- Hatchback or sedan
- Small, nimble, handles well (handling more important than ride)
- Fast (faster than 328i, GTI etc), at least around 300hp.
- Preferably 8 cyl or turbo six
- Somewhat exclusive. Not super exclusive but it shouldn't be every other car
- RWD or good AWD
- New or 2012+. CPO if German
- Fairly loaded (nav, leather etc)
- Gas
- Under 40K
- Should have fair resale value
I had shortlisted:
- Golf R but looks like those are in super high demand and selling with a good margin, also they get lapped up like hot cakes. People are ordering those with advance payments without taking test drives, looks like impossible to get a test drive. I think the R at MSRP is good value but its jacked up several thousand because of demand, so I no longer think its a good value proposition.
- Used 335i (~ 3 year old) with around 30k miles sportline/msport, nav, hud, sport auto, comfort access, leather, harmon kardon
- Used S4 (~ 3 year old) with around 30k miles. I have zero knowledge about Audi packages, need to study this
- I see a few Mercedes CLS550's and BMW 550i's for around 42K (~ 3 year old with 35k miles). And an Audi A8. Though these don't fit the "small, nimble, agile" factor I am looking for, these are still tempting.
I considered but not really:
- Used or even new Infinity G37. It technically fits the bill other than the exclusivity/vanity factor. Somehow I am finding it difficult to convince myself to trade in my 328i for one of these.
- Dodge Charger. Naah. I find myself saying naah every time I say Dodge Charger. Also its not really small/nimble.
- WRX CVT. But who would buy a WRX without stick? If I get this, I will end up regretting the fact that its not a stick and not an STI every time I drive this. So I'd rather not.
Mustang/STI/370Z/BRZ etc are all out because it needs to be 4 door, sedan or hatch, automatic.
A bit of background:
First I used to own an old 2008 E90 335i sedan, sold it because of many issues and it kept going back to the shop, bought a brand new base 2012 F30 328i (big mistake), laterally exchanged it earlier this year for a 2012 E92 328i coupe (mistake again, should've gone 335i), happy with the tech and steering feel and handling but miss more power. I want something that goes when the pedal is pressed at the same time it should handle great. The hatch/sedan, automatic and four door requirements are from the wife. Dividing into two cars is not an option (I already explored getting a $5K corolla and a Z4 or something, doesn't work for us). Has to be one car.
Thoughts?
What packages should I be looking for in a used Audi S4?
Main factor is it should be fast and feel good to drive.
Basic requirements:
- Four doors and seats four
- Automatic transmission
- Hatchback or sedan
- Small, nimble, handles well (handling more important than ride)
- Fast (faster than 328i, GTI etc), at least around 300hp.
- Preferably 8 cyl or turbo six
- Somewhat exclusive. Not super exclusive but it shouldn't be every other car
- RWD or good AWD
- New or 2012+. CPO if German
- Fairly loaded (nav, leather etc)
- Gas
- Under 40K
- Should have fair resale value
I had shortlisted:
- Golf R but looks like those are in super high demand and selling with a good margin, also they get lapped up like hot cakes. People are ordering those with advance payments without taking test drives, looks like impossible to get a test drive. I think the R at MSRP is good value but its jacked up several thousand because of demand, so I no longer think its a good value proposition.
- Used 335i (~ 3 year old) with around 30k miles sportline/msport, nav, hud, sport auto, comfort access, leather, harmon kardon
- Used S4 (~ 3 year old) with around 30k miles. I have zero knowledge about Audi packages, need to study this
- I see a few Mercedes CLS550's and BMW 550i's for around 42K (~ 3 year old with 35k miles). And an Audi A8. Though these don't fit the "small, nimble, agile" factor I am looking for, these are still tempting.
I considered but not really:
- Used or even new Infinity G37. It technically fits the bill other than the exclusivity/vanity factor. Somehow I am finding it difficult to convince myself to trade in my 328i for one of these.
- Dodge Charger. Naah. I find myself saying naah every time I say Dodge Charger. Also its not really small/nimble.
- WRX CVT. But who would buy a WRX without stick? If I get this, I will end up regretting the fact that its not a stick and not an STI every time I drive this. So I'd rather not.
Mustang/STI/370Z/BRZ etc are all out because it needs to be 4 door, sedan or hatch, automatic.
A bit of background:
First I used to own an old 2008 E90 335i sedan, sold it because of many issues and it kept going back to the shop, bought a brand new base 2012 F30 328i (big mistake), laterally exchanged it earlier this year for a 2012 E92 328i coupe (mistake again, should've gone 335i), happy with the tech and steering feel and handling but miss more power. I want something that goes when the pedal is pressed at the same time it should handle great. The hatch/sedan, automatic and four door requirements are from the wife. Dividing into two cars is not an option (I already explored getting a $5K corolla and a Z4 or something, doesn't work for us). Has to be one car.
Thoughts?
What packages should I be looking for in a used Audi S4?
Help me choose my next car
