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the GTO is always an option, especially because it is so familiar to me. I would love the purple colored 2004, but it only has a 5.7 LS1, and I would much rather have the 6.0 LS2. His and hers GTO's? Cute or ridiculous? haha.
ONLY an LS1? Yeah, it's not the LS2, but it's not a slouch. Besides, with the money you save on getting the 'little' LS1, you can put on a ton of toys to get it just as good, if not better. You should be able to score the Cosmos Purple REALLY cheap because, well, no one wants it.
And as far as 'his and hers' GTOs, I say it's damn cool. My male ego would force me to mod mine to be sure that I'm faster than the wife's though, lol.
Quote:
Originally Posted by omckenzie710
P.S. What about an Acura TL Type S??
Not a fan of high HP FWD cars, but the reviews I have read are good.
I wouldn't discount the LS1 in the 2004 GTO. Considering the '04 is a lot cheaper then the '05/6 you won't have a problem making a couple tweaks to put the 6.0L guys to shame. I had an '04 and had no problem handling even Z06 Vette's after a little "tweaking". Even stock it is more than ample power to handle most of the cars you will come across.
The TL Type-S is a great car. The FWD holds it back a little from being a "true" performance car, but it definitely packs a punch and offers a lot of luxury and gadgets. The only problem you will have is finding a newer, low mileage one anywhere near your price.
Audi's tend to be a little less expensive, but I would highly recommend avoiding the 2.7T engine. It is a fantastic engine, with a ton of potential, but they are very problem prone. I had one in my 2004 A6 S-line and it cost a mint just to keep up with the needed maintenance. Not to mention that most examples of cars with these engines are really getting up there in mileage and timing belt services are real pricey.
Having owned the same car, I'd say this can only be true if you are going to a dealership for needed (scheduled) maintenance. The big scheduled maintenance for the 2.7T in the S4/A6 is the one every 75K miles. And the parts for the timing belt, waterpump, tensioner, coolant, etc. (they are sold as a complete kit to make it easier) only cost $260 shipped from Blauparts and sometimes even less at ECS Tuning. Labor at a reputable indy is around $500.
I don't see how the largest maintenance item (one which most people will deal with only once in their ownership lifespan) costing $750 can be labeled 'real pricey' vs. any decent performance sedan. Yes, if you buy a really cheap, neglected version then the deferred maintenance or any unscheduled repairs can cost you, but that will be true of most, if not all, decent- to high-performing cars.
Having owned the same car, I'd say this can only be true if you are going to a dealership for needed (scheduled) maintenance. The big scheduled maintenance for the 2.7T in the S4/A6 is the one every 75K miles. And the parts for the timing belt, waterpump, tensioner, coolant, etc. (they are sold as a complete kit to make it easier) only cost $260 shipped from Blauparts and sometimes even less at ECS Tuning. Labor at a reputable indy is around $500.
I don't see how the largest maintenance item (one which most people will deal with only once in their ownership lifespan) costing $750 can be labeled 'real pricey' vs. any decent performance sedan. Yes, if you buy a really cheap, neglected version then the deferred maintenance or any unscheduled repairs can cost you, but that will be true of most, if not all, decent- to high-performing cars.
Well, the first assumption is that people would actually use an Indy mechanic versus the dealership. The same service at a dealer is $1,500+. I used Autospeed in Voorhees for most of my work and you definitely save money with the Indy.
However, there are far more issues with the 2.7T depending on the year of the engine, than just paying for timing belt replacement.
Turbo failure is very common and often happens in the 80k - 120k mile range, sometimes less. This can be prevented through regular oil changes with "good" oil, but if you are buying used (which they are all used now), who knows how well they have been taken care of. Not to mention whether or not the previous owner did proper cool down after hard runs. Only the later models '03+ A6 have the coolant conitnue to circulate after the car is turned off to help cool the turbos.
Oil leaks are a huge problem and the rear seals on the heads and valve cover gaskets are repeat problems for most owners. A lot of people just ignore them, but you better get used to topping off and smelling burning oil if you do ignore it.
The automatic cars have real issues with torque converters, especially if the car is modified. Not to mention the rear trans seals are prone to failure.
On top of all that, the power steering pumps are pretty crappy and failure prone. Add on top of that the ever tearing CV boots, that if not repaired, lead to axle failure.
These are just a few of the COMMON failures on the 2.7T cars, both A6's and S4's. They are also rather pricey when you have to get into fixing them, especially if you are not mechanically inclined or don't have access to an Indy Audi/VW shop.
I think they are great cars and I personally loved my '04 S-Line, but they are definitely prone to issues even with good maintenance. I would buy one again, but I know what I am getting into, a lot of people don't. If anyone wanted to buy a 2.7T S4/A6 I wouldn't recommend it unless they knew the cars pedigree or had some cash set aside to take care of the issues that will happen.
Turbo failure is very common and often happens in the 80k - 120k mile range, sometimes less. This can be prevented through regular oil changes with "good" oil, but if you are buying used (which they are all used now), who knows how well they have been taken care of. Not to mention whether or not the previous owner did proper cool down after hard runs. Only the later models '03+ A6 have the coolant conitnue to circulate after the car is turned off to help cool the turbos.
Not going to address all your comments, as this isn't a 2.7T discussion. That being said, you are definitely overestimating the frequency of these issues.
Turbo failure is actually not that common at all. I've followed, to various degrees, the A6 2.7T forums across audizine, audiworld and quattroworld. The turbo failure frequency is actually not that high among a large group of owners. I have yet to see many incidents of turbo failure from someone who bought the car new or someone who bought from a responsible owner (as documented by service history).
However, it is a commonly perpetuated myth among some forum members that turbo failure is very common or inevitable, even when asked to show a high rate of failure. It may also be slightly higher in the S4 universe - but not because the engines are different (there are slight differences between the "AEB" and "BEL" versions of the 2.7T). It is because of this generation of owners. The B5 S4 always had a small cult following, and inevitably their used prices eventually fell into a range affordable by many kids/immature adults. If you're looking for the cheapest possible S4, you're obviously not going to find the most well-kept S4. Or even going to ask/look for service history.
Therein lies the problem: people looking for "cheap" end up buying averagely or poorly maintained cars, and repeat the cycle. By the time the 2nd/3rd/4th owner has hit 100k or whatever miles, problems start to show. It's not a problem unique to the Audi (although having a turbo'd car does magnify the problems a bit vs having an N/A car) - it's a problem the OP will face no matter which "fast" car she now tries to buy.
ooh, good one. don't know how i forgot about that. may not be as fast in a straight line as some of the others being thrown out there, but the handling and fun factor are DEFINITELY there.
Mike
It's pretty fast, very fun, reliable, and you can get a much newer, lower-miles model than some of the other stuff being thrown around on here.
If you want to consider a German car, and don't mind a coupe, the CLK has been a reliable Mercedes, overall. It's in your budget for an '05+ with lower miles, though it would likely be a CLK320/350 with the 6 as opposed to the CLK500 with the 8.
__________________
All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players: they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts, his acts being seven ages.
~William Shakespeare (As You Like It Act II, Scene VII)
To the OP: Don't mind some of the close minded folks here that cannot fathom a vehicle being more than an appliance.
I would upgrade what you have, it is much better than the candidates you listed.
I'm just so turned off by my car now, I really just want to ditch it and start fresh with a new one. and as far as these close minded people.. who cares what I drive? One person driving a hybrid is not going to change the world. I'll take a v8 gas hog over a Prius any day.
If you want to consider a German car, and don't mind a coupe, the CLK has been a reliable Mercedes, overall. It's in your budget for an '05+ with lower miles, though it would likely be a CLK320/350 with the 6 as opposed to the CLK500 with the 8.
Looking on Autotrader.com, I found an '04 SLK 32 AMG with 40k miles on it for $22,000. I hope it's still around come next spring!
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