Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Car Shopping Continued
Enter the Taurus X Limited...I'd read some good reviews of this vehicle so I decided (against the recommendations of others) to try it out.
Submitted a "price quote request" after seeing a "Best Deal" on our trusted Motoralley site and AolAutos.com and after a week of back and forth (without getting a price; complex reasons, makes my brain hurt) decided to just go to the store and drive the car. I did drive it...my recommendation...never drive a 2006 Audi S4 right before you drive the Taurus X. Mind you, the Taurus is a nice ride...leather "trimmed" seats and all wheel drive with a nice 260+ hp engine...but a completely different ride...
It's not fair to compare the two, but I shall anyway. This isn't a fair column. The Taurus is far superior in things I desire but don't have in the 2006 Audi S4...more room, primarily...and gas mileage. Steering is softer, heavier and the seats just don't compare either. Again...don't forget, the S4 cost almost double...so this makes sense. If only I could find the S4 with more room...shoehorn the Audi 4.2l V8 in the Taurus X, tighten the steering, replace seats, etc. Voila. Unfortunately...Audi doesn't build this car.
Mind you, it doesn't mean I don't like the Taurus X...I do...I just don't like it enough...yet. Need to go drive the Cayenne...(does this sound insane...but this is how I shop). Need to decide, definitively whether I want to spend the extra $ to justify better ride/handling. Of course I will go check out a few others as well...
Sunday, March 02, 2008
Car Shopping? My process...
So, the 2006 Audi S4 lease is due (actually way past due). Have been busy with work, life etc. and have started thinking about the next vehicle...
I thought it might be helpful to others to see how an industry insider figures out what car/truck to buy.
My needs? Perhaps a little more space, and a place to put the road and/or mountain bike. My kids are now teenagers...and too large for the backseats of the S4. The next generation S4 will have larger backseats...but I don't want to wait for that vehicle. So, the choices are...a larger Sedan (e.g. Audi A6 or S6, BMW 530 or 550, Mercedes C class, Lexus GS430 etc.) or an SUV (e.g. Ford Explorer, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Audi Q7, Acura MDX, BMW X5, Saturn Outlook).
Where to start? Well...first there's budget. I spoke to Audi and they made a nice offer at low interest rate to get me to "keep" the S4. Audi is trying to avoid a glut of A4/S4 at the auction...they are launching the new A4 and the theory is...too many of the old bodystyle at auction drives down residual values and that equals big losses. More later...
I thought it might be helpful to others to see how an industry insider figures out what car/truck to buy.
My needs? Perhaps a little more space, and a place to put the road and/or mountain bike. My kids are now teenagers...and too large for the backseats of the S4. The next generation S4 will have larger backseats...but I don't want to wait for that vehicle. So, the choices are...a larger Sedan (e.g. Audi A6 or S6, BMW 530 or 550, Mercedes C class, Lexus GS430 etc.) or an SUV (e.g. Ford Explorer, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Audi Q7, Acura MDX, BMW X5, Saturn Outlook).
Where to start? Well...first there's budget. I spoke to Audi and they made a nice offer at low interest rate to get me to "keep" the S4. Audi is trying to avoid a glut of A4/S4 at the auction...they are launching the new A4 and the theory is...too many of the old bodystyle at auction drives down residual values and that equals big losses. More later...
