If you had to replace your daily driver (automobile) right now, what would it be?

[crgildart]

If you were Paying, I would definitely get the Bentley.

Back on earth there was a nice 2 door WRX at the dealer inside showroom I was checking out when we were buying wife's 2020 Corolla last spring. I could totally make that work for my "fun" 2 door daily driver criteria..

 

[Tom K.]

Unfortunately, no reintroduction. I meant new to me (although I would obviously have to buy used).

Soon -- if not already -- a used 328iX wagon with manual trans and the NA I6 engine will be a bonafide unicorn.

I've told this story before, but when that car was cancelled, I missed the last 6MT RWD unit in the country by a couple of hours (it wasn't going to see any winter duty).

Sigh.

 

[Muleski]

@doc,

Of his recent cars, he's given a Z3 M to his son, his 740i Sport {short wheelbase} to his son in law, and his M3 convertible to another daughter. His last four antiques {he had quite a big collection of GREAT cars at one time} have been sold or given away. Two are Model A's....one a pickup, one a wood sided wagon, both going to another son.

So......he's left with the TT, a Prius, his bright red Tesla Model S, and his "dump truck"......an old three door Suburban with barn doors on the back. So cool.

When I say "car guy", that does not come close. When I first met him years ago, it was because I had a thought of buying a Lotus Super Seven. A mutual friend has suggested calling him. He was super modest, and it was only about half way through his cheeseburger that I learned that he had been the guy who ran the operation that imported them to the USA. Yeah, he knew a thing or two about them. He showed up for lunch in a Shelby 350. Which he drove....a lot.

He's a classic. Like the cars.

 

[snwbrdr]

already did

Out with the old, in with the new by thisistan, on Flickr

Old: 2016 Tiguan SE 4Motion
New: 2021 HiHy Platinum AWD

 

[Ogg]

Back on earth there was a nice 2 door WRX at the dealer inside showroom I was checking out when we were buying wife's 2020 Corolla last spring. I could totally make that work for my "fun" 2 door daily driver criteria..

Was it a JDM or euro import? They never sold a 2 door WRX in the US market. The last 2 door Imprezas were 2001, US WRX debuted in 2002.

 

[jt10000]

I helped my sister in law, who’s single in a recent car search. She ended up with a brand new, two year old leftover v90.

We have a pretty new Subaru Outback. If I could afford it, it'd be one of those big Volvo wagons or a Mercedes E series wagon. In general, the current car is great for us.

 

[Lebowski]

Levante is much better looking than its RR Cullinan and Bentley Bentayga cousins.
I've seen those around here and they are, frankly, hideous.

Unfortunately, no reintroduction. I meant new to me (although I would obviously have to buy used).

I honestly don't get the Levante, or any current Maserati. Given their price and pedigree, I just find these new ones all remarkably forgettable (perhaps an oxymoron?). Of course, I couldn't be farther from their target demo, so what do i know.

Too true about the RR Cullinan - just no pretty angles on that thing. But I do think the Bentayga's recent mild refresh has it looking way better - still not a stunner, but now more the proper and desirable "Cayenne-Plus" or "Q7-Plus" that it is.

On another note: I'm a car guy so obviously I am as obsessed as anyone else with the RS6 Avant. But i have to cop to an ugly truth: it would not be the ultimate do-it-all for me; instead I'd have to go with a Cayenne Turbo or RS-Q8. Reason being: zero ground clearance and miniscule tire sidewalls make it hardly an ideal road-trip or ski-trip companion, especially with the potholes in town. I'd love to be proven wrong by owners over the long term re: the resiliency of 22" rims and rubber-band tires, but I'm not holding my breath!

 

[Lebowski]

@doc,

Of his recent cars, he's given a Z3 M to his son, his 740i Sport {short wheelbase} to his son in law, and his M3 convertible to another daughter. His last four antiques {he had quite a big collection of GREAT cars at one time} have been sold or given away. Two are Model A's....one a pickup, one a wood sided wagon, both going to another son.

So......he's left with the TT, a Prius, his bright red Tesla Model S, and his "dump truck"......an old three door Suburban with barn doors on the back. So cool.

When I say "car guy", that does not come close. When I first met him years ago, it was because I had a thought of buying a Lotus Super Seven. A mutual friend has suggested calling him. He was super modest, and it was only about half way through his cheeseburger that I learned that he had been the guy who ran the operation that imported them to the USA. Yeah, he knew a thing or two about them. He showed up for lunch in a Shelby 350. Which he drove....a lot.

He's a classic. Like the cars.

Love the 740i Sport!! My dream garage includes one with an LS-swap. (alongside an LS-swapped Volvo RWD wagon

 

[cantunamunch]

I honestly don't get the Levante, or any current Maserati. Given their price and pedigree, I just find these new ones all remarkably forgettable (perhaps an oxymoron?). Of course, I couldn't be farther from their target demo, so what do i know.

They're as forgettable as a Marvel Universe movie, for, I think, the same reasons. High production costs and a proven earnings formula on other platforms.

And I also think you're absolutely right about us *not* being their target demographic.

Know where I can reliably see a Levante being driven? K-dramas. Particularly the ones where they want to stress how Successful their Romantically Oblivious Teenage Hearthrob Singer/Surgeon is.

Not kidding. I really think NorAm is like a tertiary market for them.

 

[martyg]

On another note: I'm a car guy so obviously I am as obsessed as anyone else with the RS6 Avant. But i have to cop to an ugly truth: it would not be the ultimate do-it-all for me; instead I'd have to go with a Cayenne Turbo or RS-Q8. Reason being: zero ground clearance and miniscule tire sidewalls make it hardly an ideal road-trip or ski-trip companion, especially with the potholes in town. I'd love to be proven wrong by owners over the long term re: the resiliency of 22" rims and rubber-band tires, but I'm not holding my breath!

Anything with an RS badge gets put up for the winter here in CO. The SQ5 is my perfect winter driver here. When my wife and I road trip to ski, with puppy (75 pound Lab), a SkiGuard box on top provides us with amply space. With studded snows it is a beast. For PNW I would forego the studs.

BTW, if you are looking for a box to compliment such vehicles, the SkiGuard is it. It is one of the very few boxes that does not look like a plastic garbage can in top of your car.

 

[Philpug]

One of his regular drivers, that is in really nice, but not mint or “garage queen” by any means, 2003 Audi TT, AWD, 225hp coupe

Unless it has the baseball glove interior, walk away.

 

[wallyk]

I'm looking at these wagons now as well. Have you looked at the new A6 Allroad? That one's pretty sweet.

Interestingly I've found the last-run XC70's holding their values almost better than early-model V90 CC's, maybe due to the desireabliity of Volvo's older-but-proven, 5- and 6-cylinder drivetrains.

I have not looked at the Audi only because Mrs WallyK has a 2015 XC70 and likes the Volvo platform, which to your point has not lost much of it's value, which is a scary financial indicator of the used car market. How does the Audi compare to the Volvo and Merc?

I like the Mercedes a lot.....the 6 cylinder w/ the turbo gives the car some solid mid-range power that the Volvo accomplishes with a turbo AND super charger on top of an otherwise wimpy 4 cylinder engine....

 

[Muleski]

Unless it has the baseball glove interior, walk away.

It does. Silver paint.

BUT, we’ve had two in the family with the OEM Recaro seats in black and those are really nice seats, too. Another set lives on in the family in another vehicle. An older Tacoma.

This car would be a driver for us, BTW, if we make the move. Nothing terribly special or collectable about it. Fun a fun driver, and very reasonable. Also quite familar with the platform: pro’s and con’s. We’d drive this, we think for a LOT of years. It would have less than a third of the miles of our other cars! At 18 years old.

We’ll see. Certainly do not “need” it.

 

[Muleski]

Re: the Audi/Mercedes/Volvo wagon thoughts.

I posted that I helped my sister in law with this a couple of months ago. She ended up with the Volvo V90 T5, the turbocharged engine without the supercharger. And she bought a brand new 2000. The cars have not sold well, the dealer wanted it gone, she made a great deal.

Her #2 was an CPO A4 allroad. Price wise it was close to the Volvo. A bit less. It “lost” strictly due to size. Too small for her. She is single, but has two dogs and three homes and does not travel light. I think it might have been perfect, but not my car.

We checked out an A6 Allroad. And drove it quite a bit. VERY nice. My wife and I had an A6 3.0T Avant {until it was hit while parked on the street and sadly totaled}. Loved that car. We bought ours, BTW, well depreciated. My sister in law was pretty put off by the dealer “greed index” that factored into the pricing. A whole lot of fluff added on. When you added in a longer warranty, etc., the car priced out at almost twice what she paid for the Volvo.

She would not consider the M-B. Town is loaded with young “Yummy Mommies” driving them to coffee and yoga class. And her former BF drives an AMG E63 wagon. Would not consider a M-B badge. I did source a couple E series CPO, but wow were they reaching high and digging in on price.

The A6 Allroad really impressed me. Checked off almost every box at once….including “too nice to be used as a wagon?” For me…pricey. Will be interested to see how the CPO pricing on them unfolds down the road. A couple of years.

BTW, on the RS6 avant topic, my brother is planning on taking his off the road once we see snow. However, in an interesting move, he is also mounting snows on it. Hmm? “Just in case.” We are wagon nuts. The car is a beast. But even if I had his budget, I really struggle to see it. The A6 Allroad is NOT the same, at all, but it’s a really, really great car. And I sure as heck would drive one through the winter!


When I see and drive them all…makes me love our 328xi and 325xi wagons. And makes me want a good old C4S6 avant again. Actually, more like a RS2.

I’m struggling with these new performance/sport wagons, for a bunch of reasons. I changed all of the fluids and filters on one of ours yesterday. Rotors, two calipers, pads, brake hoses and fluid is a tomorrow AM project. I enjoy it, but I can do it. I pop the hood on my brother’s RS6 and “I think that’s an engine in there….”

Volvo? I would shop dealers and drive a hard bargain. As previously posted a dealer friend was clear that they are really hard to sell. And lots of leftovers.

Audi? You are going to pay dearly. They have great products and big demand.

M-B? Dealer friend says they are 95% leased. Which is a totally different game. Not my game. Just not too knowledgable.

Good luck! Have fun looking.

 

[Philpug]

It does. Silver paint.

BUT, we’ve had two in the family with the OEM Recaro seats in black and those are really nice seats, too. Another set lives on in the family in another vehicle. An older Tacoma.

This car would be a driver for us, BTW, if we make the move. Nothing terribly special or collectable about it. Fun a fun driver, and very reasonable. Also quite familar with the platform: pro’s and con’s. We’d drive this, we think for a LOT of years. It would have less than a third of the miles of our other cars! At 18 years old.

We’ll see. Certainly do not “need” it.

A buddy of mine had one. We used to swap cars for a week every summer, I would take his TT and he took my Miata.

 

[snwbrdr]

Was it a JDM or euro import? They never sold a 2 door WRX in the US market. The last 2 door Imprezas were 2001, US WRX debuted in 2002.

Yeah, it was just a faux WRX... a 2.5RS, complete with the WRX hood scoop for a non-existent top mount intercooler on the 2.5RS

 

[snwbrdr]

Anything with an RS badge gets put up for the winter here in CO. The SQ5 is my perfect winter driver here. When my wife and I road trip to ski, with puppy (75 pound Lab), a SkiGuard box on top provides us with amply space. With studded snows it is a beast. For PNW I would forego the studs.

BTW, if you are looking for a box to compliment such vehicles, the SkiGuard is it. It is one of the very few boxes that does not look like a plastic garbage can in top of your car.

U-bolts is so low tech for mounting a box, unless you have a T-slot bar that you can use the T-slots to mount it.

I happen to like my plastic luggage on top of the car.

Yakima Skybox 16 test fit by thisistan, on Flickr

 

[doc]

Anything with an RS badge gets put up for the winter here in CO.

Speak for yourself! Drive my RS3 and RS4s all through the winter, after proper paint protection, ceramic coating etc, plus snow tires. One RS4 spent the winter as my ski car, after regular ski car was down for body work. Wife has SQ5 which I can't pry out of her hands; it would be, admittedly, the most appropriate winter vehicle.

 

[cantunamunch]

plastic luggage on top of the car.

Does anyone have a cool/funky vinyl wrap yet?

 

[Philpug]

Does anyone have a cool/funky vinyl wrap yet?

We did the front of the new Yukon to protect it from being sand blasted. The 08 took a beating