[ChiefRes]

My 2004 TSX lease will be up in a few months, so I went to scope out some replacements today. The contenders--335i, G35, TL-S, and the new CTS. Some really brief pros and cons....

335i: This engine is a beast. The torque from way down in the rev band trumps my M Coupe. Handles great. I'm not crazy about the styling in the sedan. Tight in back. Interior quality is average. If I only had one car....this is it.

G35: Interior is nice but not outstanding. I'm not nuts about the exterior, especially the chrome strip on the trunklid. Nice pull on the highway, feels a little tipsy when hurried through corners. I met about ten others on the road in a 30 minute test drive.

TL-S: I'm tired of the FW drive in my TSX, so no surprise I found the handling dynamics the poorest here. Lots of power for the front wheels to pull double duty. Interior is nice, but not much better than my TSX. Just felt uninspired.
Stereo was nice, though.

CTS: Loved it. Wonderful interior minus the steering wheel. Most room of all the cars front and rear. Extremely cool features like a 40GB hard drive and all sorts of electronic gadgetry. Not blazing fast, but very smooth and capable. Best looking car of all in my opinion--looks better in person than in print.

I'm actually leaning towards the Cadillac!! As a lifelong domestic hater, I'm flabbergasted. The CTS is really a fantastic drive and meets my needs perfectly. The M Coupe is everything I need in a fun car.....the CTS is an ideal counterpart. Sure it is heavy and has just enough horsepower but it's everything I want in a "take the wife out on the town" car.

I'm sure I'll catch grief over this, but just wanted to share my impressions of a few cars I'm sure many of us have contemplated purchasing.

[Jaws]

Unless the CTS is a V, which isn't available as an '08, it's the 335 FTW. Even the DI 3.6 can't hold a candle to the straight line speed of a 335.

I'm surprised that you like the styling of the CTS better that the 335. Even though it is better for '08, I still find it awkward.

Cadillac=shitty resale.

[ChiefRes]

Yep, the 335 is faster than the CTS, no doubt.

I have a low-slung car that pins me to my seat and takes curves at triple digits. I don't need 500 HP, a rock hard suspension, and uber-bolstered seats in my commuter. All of the other attributes of the CTS won me over.

And as for resale.........I'm a leaser.

[jetblk328i]

perhaps you could wait and see if you liek the new Audi A4 3.2 coming out....i like the new A4 looks great...

[Year's_End]

Yeah, +1 to that^^^.

Saw the new CTS a few times, I love the front end. It's incredibly muscular looking. What about the IS-350? If you're looking for lux and comfort combined with substantial speed, shouldn't that be on your list?

[Year's_End]

Oh yeah, what about the C350?

[ChiefRes]

My mother in-law has a C350 (how's that for a no-go?) The interior is not as nice as the CTS, and it's kind of small. Plus I hate the exterior styling.

I've never driven the Lexus, but I've sat in it. That back seat is miniscule. I'm sure it's quick, but I'm not nuts about the styling or the lack of space. Not to mention every tenth car around here is a silver Lexus.

Yep--black on black Caddy for me.

[Year's_End]

Sounds good. If you shoot for the Caddy please post pics when you get it. Good luck

[mmm def]

Yeah I'd wait and look at the new A4, gorgeous car.

My best bud is looking into a new car, he had an E46 M3 (so he doesn't want a 335)..his choice is the CTS. I haven't looked at it yet but i plan to.

[David 12]

Car & Driver did a very comprehensive review of the CTS in the Sept. 2007 issue. The review was positive with a couple of recommendations:

Get the FE3 sport package and automatic transmission. The car is heavy at 4032 lbs, but overall a good handling car.

Dave

[ChiefRes]

Originally Posted by mmm def

Yeah I'd wait and look at the new A4, gorgeous car.

I'm not really into Audis. Primarily because there's a jerk at work who goes on and on about how great his S4 is, and I persistently needle him about how many times it has been in the shop

I looked at the A4 online, and it seems a bit underpowered (255hp?) I really like the interior, but that is the lone highlight for me. Options make it pretty pricey for what you get.

I think I'll give the CTS some time to show itself and wait on a 2009 model. I'm against buying anything first year out (although my TSX is an '04 and has been problem-free.) I'll have 4-6 months with the M Coupe as my only car.....that is a nice problem to have

[F32Fleet]

Originally Posted by ChiefRes

My 2004 TSX lease will be up in a few months, so I went to scope out some replacements today. The contenders--335i, G35, TL-S, and the new CTS. Some really brief pros and cons....

335i: This engine is a beast. The torque from way down in the rev band trumps my M Coupe. Handles great. I'm not crazy about the styling in the sedan. Tight in back. Interior quality is average. If I only had one car....this is it.

G35: Interior is nice but not outstanding. I'm not nuts about the exterior, especially the chrome strip on the trunklid. Nice pull on the highway, feels a little tipsy when hurried through corners. I met about ten others on the road in a 30 minute test drive.

TL-S: I'm tired of the FW drive in my TSX, so no surprise I found the handling dynamics the poorest here. Lots of power for the front wheels to pull double duty. Interior is nice, but not much better than my TSX. Just felt uninspired.
Stereo was nice, though.

CTS: Loved it. Wonderful interior minus the steering wheel. Most room of all the cars front and rear. Extremely cool features like a 40GB hard drive and all sorts of electronic gadgetry. Not blazing fast, but very smooth and capable. Best looking car of all in my opinion--looks better in person than in print.

I'm actually leaning towards the Cadillac!! As a lifelong domestic hater, I'm flabbergasted. The CTS is really a fantastic drive and meets my needs perfectly. The M Coupe is everything I need in a fun car.....the CTS is an ideal counterpart. Sure it is heavy and has just enough horsepower but it's everything I want in a "take the wife out on the town" car.

I'm sure I'll catch grief over this, but just wanted to share my impressions of a few cars I'm sure many of us have contemplated purchasing.

Two BMW's would be too pretensious(sp?)

Sounds like you'll get the best of both worlds (M-coupe & CTS). Congrats !!

[aequitas330]

335i is for the win..

G35 and TL-s aren't bad either...

[Sedan_Clan]

I found a bit more grunt in the ///M coupe than the 335i.

As far as the cars you test drove, good luck with regards to whatever you choose.

[ChiefRes]

Originally Posted by Sedan_Clan

I found a bit more grunt in the ///M coupe than the 335i.

As far as the cars you test drove, good luck with regards to whatever you choose.

Ha ha. I'm not saying the 335 is faster......just that it generates more torque low down in the rev band. The S54 motor doesn't really come alive until 3500 RPM or so--then hang on!