You’ve made your nominations. At final count, we received over one hundred entries for our Ten Best Automobiles Going (TBAG). They ranged from the sublime (Ferrari F430 drop top) to the ridiculous (I'm not THAT stupid). Twenty-one of our most expert TTAC writers surveyed each and every entry, and then cast their votes from your list. They narrowed the field to twenty most excellent finalists (listed after the jump). Now it’s your turn. We need you, our well-informed and insightful readers, to link-on-over to our e-poll, cast up to ten votes and select TTAC’s Ten Best Automobiles Going (TBAG) for 2007.
It’s a diverse field. Although some cars received multiple nominations and some received only one, the number of nominations didn’t affect the judges’ selection process. My esteemed colleagues considered each nominee carefully, and then voted for their choices based on their individual merits.
The list of finalists represents cars from all over the globe, in all price classes. Some nominees are fairly new on the market, while others are tried and true. All have that certain something that makes them stand out from the old ennui. Here are the finalists, along with some pros and cons to jump-start your thought processes and stimulate debate:
Acura TSX – Pro: A tasty blend of luxury, economy, style and reliability. Con: A rebadged Euro-Accord with plenty of high-class competition.
Audi RS4 – Pro: Like lightning shagging a tsunami in the middle of a tornado. Con: Audi’s reliability rap sheet stretches back two decades.
BMW 3-Series – Pro: The benchmark for sport sedans: balanced, powerful, tuneful, tactile, grippy. Con: Flame broiled sheetmetal, and expensive options jack up the price.
Chevy Corvette – Pro: Performs like cars that cost twice as much. Con: Built like cars that cost half as much.
Ford Crown Victoria – Pro: Shows us what full-sized American cars once were. Con: Shows us what full-sized American cars once were.
Ford Mustang GT – Pro: An American icon with V8 bellow and woofle and terrific straight-line performance. Con: Very few roads are totally straight.
Honda Accord – Pro: High build quality, exquisite engineering, high mileage and segment-leading resale value. Con: Bland “any car” styling that makes mall parking lots a nightmare.
Honda Fit – Pro: The current benchmark for low-cost, frugal, fun. Con: Light clutch, missing cog.
Honda S2000 – Pro: High-revving VTEC engine wrapped in a nimble rear-wheel-drive roadster. Con: On – off engine makes around town driving lethargic– or loud.
Infiniti G35 – Pro: Near-BMW-level performance at a far-from-BMW price. Con: Near-BMW-level performance.
Jeep Wrangler – Pro: Stays true to its rough and ready Jeep DNA: an American icon-on-wheels. Con: As a daily driver, it’s best suited to park wardens.
Maserati Quattroporte – Pro: A visual, haptic and sonic cargasm boasting a detuned Ferrari engine. Con: The brand has a rep for being less reliable than a pre- (post?) rehab Lindsay Lohan.
Mazda Mazda3 – Pro: Outstanding price-to-performance ratio. Con: Interior design and materials have been well and truly beancounted.
Mazda MX-5 – Pro: Low price, no-hassle roof retraction and go-cart handling equals year-round fun. Con: Chick car rep.
Mercedes E320 BlueTec – Pro: High mileage and low emissions promise the return of the passenger car diesel to the U.S. Con: High purchase price keeps it from those who would benefit most from its lower operating costs.
Porsche 911 – Pro: Legendary handling and performance in a timeless wrapper. Con: High price keeps it from those who would benefit most from its dynamic delights (i.e. me).
Porsche Boxster S – Pro: Faster through a slalom than a Ferrari Enzo. Con: Wind roar above 90mph makes conversation difficult.
Porsche Cayman – Pro: A miniature supercar. Con: Needs more power!
Subaru WRX/STi – Pro: Insane performance for chump change. Con: Only slightly better daily driver than a Jeep Wrangler.
VW GTI – Pro: The high priest of hot hatch hoonery. Con: Questionable quality creates quantum queasiness.
And there you have it. Once you’ve decided which ten of these machines deserve a TTAC TBAG, click on the link below for some (Poll)Monkey business. Make up to ten selections, and then click the “Vote” button. You can only vote once, so make sure your selections are correct before you click on “Vote” to enter your votes.
The polls are open until midnight EDT, Saturday May 19. We’ll announce the winners on Monday, May 21 (or maybe Tuesday, May 22 if we’re a bit alcoholically indisposed).
At this point it’s anyone’s game. Please use the comments section below to lobby for your choices, or explain them, or rail at our underpaid writers for failing to see the undeniable excellence of your neglected nomination. Thanks again for your intelligence, civility and enthusiasm.
118 Comments on “TTAC’s Ten Best Automobiles Going (TBAG): Cast Your Vote Now!...”
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I’m impressed that the TSX made it this far. It’s an honor just to be nominated! I’m guessing it won’t make it into the final round.
Here’s my slate:
Acura TSX: The Euro Accord is everything the American Accord wishes it were. Do you need any more than this sedan offers?
Audi RS4: “Forget violence, you are now driving war.”
BMW 3-series: The coupe redeems it. Downside: cost.
Honda Fit: Best Hundred Horsepower Ever.
Infiniti G35: They put a copy of the outgoing design in the oven and left it on for a little too long, but the driving experience more than makes up for that. Best value in the low $30s.
Maserati Quattroporte: The reason for slavish devotion to ladder-climbing.
Mazda3: Best value for $20k, and best looking compact non-luxury car.
Mercedes E320 BlueTec: I am not a Merc fan; the tri-pointed star does not make me swoon. A colleague of mine drives the gasser, and I really don’t see what there is to like about that car over the Infiniti M. But any Diesel is a friend of mine.
Porsche Boxster S: The other reason for slavish devotion to ladder-climbing.
Porsche Cayman: The other other reason for slavish devotion to ladder-climbing.
I am disappointed in the absence of the Volvo XC90. I thought I surely would have Farago arguing for this one. If ever there were a soft-roader to include on a list like this, this is it.
I certainly hoped for the Audi A3 to make it. This said, it IS nothing more than a better looking, more expensive VW GTi, so I guess I can’t really complain.
We have such a diverse field here that it makes head-to-head comparisons impossible. I decided to choose the best/most desirable in each class, and to heavily favor the classes of cars I like best (small cars, mid-size cars, with a bent for hatchbacks)
in defence of VW, the problems per vehicle is down 75% (from Autoweek I believe). there is nothing i’d like more on Michigan roads if I want something fun that won’t make my rear feel like I didn a 90 day stint in Attica.
This is a very diverse field, so we’ll have to go with gut instinct. When I looked up and down the list, the first one I said “yes, absolutely” to was the Maserati Quattroporte. What a beautiful, beautiful car. The Wrangler is exactly what it should be, and no more. Ditto the BMW, a sports sedan for the ages. The Mazda3 for its superb combination of looks, performance, and price (beancounting notwithstanding). The Porsche Cayman for being a near-supercar without the ghastly expense. Those were the easy ones. I actually think ten is too many to vote for; five would be about right.
Its a shame the Lincoln Town Car didn’t make the cut. I’d take that over the Crown Vic, and is more of a true throw-back to big American cars. And the Mustang is a joke, albeit a decent-looking joke.
The pro/cons are brilliant. Well done. I laughed out loud.
I couldn’t vote GTI – it’s outclassed by the Mazdaspeed 3 in the performance department
No TSX as it’s boring to drive
No crown Vic – total dinosaur
No Accord – wait for the redesign
The other contenders all belong there.
Ahhh, xB didn’t make the list despite all the great nominations, but 3/4ths of Porsche’s models did. Not saying an xB is better than a Porsche but…
Maybe next time you could have a larger number of candidates and use a head to head bracket type format.
Kurt B
Have you actually driven the GTI and Mazdaspeed3? Just because the MS3 has more horsepower on paper doesn’t mean it performs better. My LGT performs better than the MS3, and it doesn’t look as good on paper either. Granted, “performance” is very subjective, but the DSG and handling of the GTI make it far superior to the MS3, even if it doesn’t have the grunt. But then, cars.com did a comparison recently b/t those two and the Mini, and the MS3 was only 1/10 of the second faster 0-60. The GTI gets better gas mileage, too. So does the MS3 *really* perform better? I’d say no, and I know I’m not the only one.
Interesting, not one SUV, Minivan or Truck made it to the list, which is good since this is a forum about cars. I don’t quite consider the Jeep Wrangler as a SUV since it predates the concept by 30 years and is really in a class all by itself and yet it is probably the only true sport utility vehicle. Well you know what I mean I hope.
Thanks for running the nominations and poll, it gave me a chance to think about what is really important to me in a car and will probably infulence my next purchase decision in 5 years when my oldest car will be 12 years old.
So far either a BMW-3 or Porsche Boxster are being considered.
My vote is for the Honda Fit. Definetely a blast.
Wow, Toyota got completely shut out of the nominations. So did Hyundai/Kia.
By parent company:
Honda: 4
GM: 1
Ford: 2, plus 2 Mazdas
Nissan: 1
DaimlerChrysler (still together for now): 2 (1 for each half)
Maserati: 1
BMW: 1
Greater VW: 5 (1 VW, 3 Porsches, 1 Audi)
Subaru: 1 (maybe this counts as Toyota now?)
I appreciate the idea of creating this list, but I have to say that I’m personally disappointed in the list that actually came from it. I can’t in good conscience vote for more than 6 of the contenders, so that’s what I did. Hope that’s OK……………………………………………………………………………………..
Which 6? RS4, 3-series, Corvette, Mustang, 911, GTI.
The Ford Crown Victoria gets my vote. It’s the best sedan (along with its Panther Stablemates) on the new car market, period.
Ford did right by the Crown Victoria. It didn’t ditch the platform in the 1980s in favor of a smaller front wheel drive vehicle that was cheaper to build. And the didn’t ditch the platform in 1996 to chase a lark.
The car is built on a full frame, with real steel and a cast iron V8 under the hood. The ride is wonderful, handling is secure.
I am a die hard car enthusiast. I know cars and I know engines. I build them. My knowledge prohibits me from taking a liking to ninety-nine percent of the many rolling chassis that these corporations like to pass of as “cars”.
The Crown Victoria is a real car.
I’m with ZCD2.7T – this list is incredible. Every Porsche is nominated except the O-N-E that can actually race? Maserati is Italian for “trash”. Ford Mustang!!??? Crown Vic!!!??? This very unfortunately reads like a Road and Track, C&D list. And the STI has “insane performance” – mostly in a staight line. Wow, I’m speechless.
What the MS3 has over the GTI is reliability and a decent dealer network. The comments for the new GTI on VWVortex are down right scary. VW should be ashamed by the way its dealers treat its very loyal (they’d have to be!) customers. Fix these albeit major problems and the GTI will get my vote as it is a compelling vehicle.
This very unfortunately reads like a Road and Track, C&D list.
Au contraire, the very existence of the Crown Vic and the ToMoCo shutout negates that claim.
Even though the identical pro and con as listed in the article may lead to the Crown Vic being seen as the “joke” nomination, that would, in my view, be a shame.
That said, let’s not take things too seriously here; as the sporting nature of many of the nominee vehicles could imply, this is in part in good fun.
I can get on board with a few of these; the Mazdas for one. I’m surprised the S2000 got on the list. I mean, I like it and all, but it’s 8 years old now and could have used a different engine from the start.
boredlawstudent
While I can agree that the VW’s dealer network leaves much to be desired, I’ve received shoddy treatment at the hands of many a Mazda rep as well. And Honda salesmen, and so on. Every car maker has dud dealerships… frequent any forum and you’ll find plenty of horror stories. Hardly a reason to say one is better than the other.
As for reliability, the new GTI hasn’t had any more problems than any other vehicle. The new ones are built in Germany, unlike the prior models, which is helping the reliability considerably. And I have yet to see reports of any GTIs snapping their engine mounts during driving, which is a bonus in my book. Time will tell for the reliability on both, but right now there isn’t enough data on either to make the call one way or the other.
Three Porsche nominations but we couldn’t throw Toyota a bone and select the xB? Come on, that’s getting a little silly.
Oh boy, only the WRX/STI was nominated but not the EVO too. Whining to commence in 3…2… Since we are talking about a very specific model year for these nominations, with the 06 model year and beyond Subaru has changed it from STi to STI. It’s inane since it took years for the STi moniker to become fixed in the US, but now it’s STI.
Crown Victoria. Mister we can use a man like Herbert Hoover again. Gee that old LaSalle ran great.
“Hardly a reason to say one is better than the other.”
I feel that way about all of these arguments about what car is “superior”. People just like different stuff. Most of the cars out there fall into the sinkhole of mediocrity. Every now and then I’ll find something that stands out a little bit. Not necessarily better, but different, and at least it makes me feel something. The most recent Celica GT-S… now that was an interesting car. Did it have flaws? Oh god, yes. But it was one of those experiences where I had to sit and think afterward.
I just want to personally thank you for adding the word “CARGASM” to my vocabulary. It’s right up there with “DEFENESTRATED” (look it up) as one of my favorite words.
I’m a bit disappointed that the jack-of-all-trades Outback didn’t make the cut, but glad the single minded Wrangler and MX-5 did.
Acura TSX is the most balanced car among all the nominations.
This car is a step up from its legendary older sister(Accord) while offering the same amazing reliability and “NO NONSENSE” overall package.
For the sake of all those readers/consumers who are out there trying to pick a car that delivers the most functionality while maintaining a high score in reliability, performance, handling, roominess, interior design, exterior design, quality/fit & finish and resale value, I’m nominating the Acura TSX as the best current automobile in the market.
I appreciate you throwing a bone to us who like the Crown Vic – even Ford wishes the car would just go away, but people who like the Panther chassis REALLY like the car, and continue to buy.
I think Ford was hoping if they completely neglect the car, buyers would switch to the lesser Five Hundred.
Check the sales numbers lately between the two, on a car that has been virtually untouched since 1998?
I’m on my 2nd Grand Marquis, with a third to follow before either Ford or the car dies, withever may happen first.
Blunozer: A policeman friend of mine has sadly had occasion to officially reference that word in his municiple codebook for a homicide.
Another great word is autochthonous.
I can’t vote for ten of these choices…only one or two that I feel strongly in favor of.
Awesome list, sure there are some missing I’d like to have seen (Subaru Legacy GT Spec-B…but that was last year :) ), but some high quality cars there. Almost tough to narrow it down…and I feel silly voting for the Acura TSX and the Honda Accord. :)
P.S. I think the new accord looks awesome…should shed some of the blandness that have went with Accords over the past few models (and by past few, I mean all)
Great final 20.
Couple of points:
- I loved the Pro/Con for the Crown Vic
- … waitasec. The Crown Vic made it?!?! Sad part is that it’s going to get all the “hey that’d bee cool if it made it votes”, like the Sanajaya phenomemon on American Idol.
Great job getting the TSX on there. I find it to be the most underrated, undereported car out there. And I don’t mind!
I will add to the “Con” of the TSX: “…with plenty of high-class competition. ” … and it beats every single one of them
To Kurt B: Be careful bud, you’ll embarass yourself if you keep going around saying the TSX is “boring to drive”. It’s like saying the Honda Fit is a full-size, or the Prius is a gas-guzzler.
I second Synthetic’s declaration of the TSX being the best all-around car on the market today. It’s that good.
Hmmm…You can tell that it was definitely a group of enthusiasts picking these cars. Nothing inherently wrong with that, I’m an enthusiast myself.
But – this list is missing two cars that to me were no-brainers. The Honda Odyssey and the Toyota Prius.
Neither of them are terribly fun to drive, but they are the absolute best at what they set out to do. They are true to their purpose. I don’t own either, but if you need a minivan – there’s one choice at the top of the list. Ditto if you’re really concerned about gas mileage.
I can’t say that about the Cayman for example. Everybody says something like “it would be the greatest car if Porsche gave it more power”. Well, they didn’t so it’s not. We shouldn’t be rating cars on potential greatness here, but actual greatness.
At least, that’s what I had in mind when I suggested this idea.
MX-5 hands down. This car is a class of its own. Its everything motoring should be, and nothing is missing, except the exoticar pricetag. And that vote comes from a 07 Boxster buyer.
Honorable mention goes to the Crown Vic: the best tool for the job…considering the Subaru Outback wagon isnt on the list (dont forget all of those mail carriers!)
The GTI gets my vote.
For all of its warts, it is “ze original” hot hatch that has made it possible for the Mazdaspeed 3s, and Honda Civic Si’s in the world to be given the development green light by Mazda and Honda senior management…
The retractable hard top uglifies the Miata. Its like [insert name of your favorite starlet] with a beard. I’ll put a bag over its top and vote for it!
Frankly I love the Ford Crown Victoria, what a unit. Cheap parts, decent performance, simple, comfortable, well understood by many fleet mechanics and it doesn’t even look too bad. It’s not WOW but then again it’s a cab, a cop car, a repmobile… flash is a con in those cases. They are also quite reliable when taken moderate care of. I love em.
Anyone who criticises the Ford Victoria for being a “cab” or a “cop” car understands virtually nothing about automobiles. Might I remind you that the Chevrolet Bel Air during the tri-five years was a cop car. It was parked into the garage next to the equally beautiful and powerful…1955 Ford Crown Victoria. :)
Plenty of performance parts for the 2v Mustang are available if you want your Crown Victoria to run faster. With $$$ invested, the car has run 11s in the quarter mile.
Maxb49: wrote…
“The Ford Crown Victoria gets my vote. It’s the best sedan (along with its Panther Stablemates) on the new car market, period.”
I don’t know how else to say this – The Panther platform does not represent the best sedan on the new car market – I have driven the the mercury version, its horrid.
Audi RS4 – BMW M5 – These are the best sedans on the new car market.
As a platform the BMW 5 series offers it all – four engine choices (in the us 528 – 535 – 550 – M5) and available six speed manual or six speed automatic in each variant. All wheel drive is an option if you want it and a wagon version is available.
Megan
Yup, I have tested all cars in this segment available in Canada.
I like the GTI and recommend it to people on a regular basis. It is probably a better daily driver than the Speed 3.
For the performance minded it has pretty light steering, is overweight and is easily outrun by the Speed 3.
Great cars need to be great looking. The Mustang and Quattroporte come close, but the only cars on the list that truly qualify are the ‘Vette, 911 and Wrangler. Hence my three “votes”.
For the performance minded it has pretty light steering, is overweight and is easily outrun by the Speed 3.
And that’s why my other car is a Legacy GT. The MS3 has ridiculous torque steer and sorely needs AWD. I think it was terribly misengineered, which is why I think the GTI is better. Less powerful, yes, but it makes better use of that power (like the LGT, which is faster than the more powerful MS3).
My votes in no particular order
1. Acura TSX
2. BMW 3 series
3. Corvette
4. Accord
5. Fit
6. Infinity G35
7. Mazda MX-5
8. Boxster S
9. Cayman
10. 911
I left the maserati out because I’m not inclined to vote for cars that are affordable only to robber barons, no matter how sweet. I left the blueTec out because Mercs have had abysmal frequency of repair, among other thigns. I left the Roo out because I just don’t like them that much–something that’ sprobably totally subjective. The GTI is way to prone to burning rubber. The Wrangler–I’m not into Jeeps, but I respect the justification for its inclusion. The S2000–I was not taht impressed when I drove it. Engine sounded like a hive of bees was after me. Would have included the Mazda3 if I’d had one more space.
By the way, on the Accord, I deal with the parked in mall problem by having attached some cruiserline ventiports (google the term) which I made out of magnetic material.
Notable that no toyotas made the final cut. I would have voted for the xB if they hadn’t ruined it.
Indeed the Mazdaspeed 3 was mis
engineeredmarketingineeredWhen word first came out from Mazda about the MS3, the talk was AWD, basically the MS6 drivetrain. At the time I thought to myself “excellent! I like the concept of the 6, but it is butt-ugly and I want the utility of a hatch/wagon in my next car — here’s my next car!”.
Sure enough, a year or so later when the MS3 was officially announced, it was FWD, making no sense at all with all the power. It is somewhat obvious that the marketing dept at Mazda also saw the danger to the MS6 and decreed “no AWD” (and engineering had to go figure out how to get that much TQ through the front wheels: reduce it in 1st and 2nd gear).
However, rather than “cannibalize” the MS6, in the case of this potential customer, I won’t even bother going to the Mazda dealership. Stupid.
Both of them were considered. The Odyssey is besieged mby recent quality issues and does not offer AWD like the Sienna. It doesn’t mean it isn’t better, but it definitely isn’t the cherry on the sundae of the minivan class, a car that’s head and shoulders above others like it. It’s got competition.
What, out there, compares to a Mustang, a Crown Vic or, for the price, a Corvette?
As for the Prius… great car for reliability, but if its purpose is to save the environment, it fails – more energy to produce battery cells, more acid leaked into the environment, more weight because it has 2 drivetrains and after all that mumbo jumbo it still can’t outdo a smelly Diesel Jetta.
Toyota’s cars are great sellers; does not make them the best in their class. Pick a Toyota and you can almost guarantee it is eclipsed by a competitor or something comes close (usually Honda). FJ Cruiser vs. Wrangler. Corolla vs. Civic, Mazda3. Camry vs. Accord. Rav 4 vs. CR-V. Tundra vs. Silverado.
Acura TSX – I think you’d be hard pressed to find a more luxurious, confident, and reliable compact sedan in the high 20’s. A clear winner for its target audience.
Accord – Have to knock it – its cavernous interior and high ride take big tolls on driving dynamics. Braking, turning, and acceleration all pay too great a price, at least when you’re using the standard all-season tires. Gosh, you might as well be driving a Camry.
G35 – most fun lux sedan in the low 30’s. Spiff up a 3-series with the same options, and it’s an extra $10k. Is it really worth it?
RS4 – Lots of votes, considering it’s a pretty exclusive vehicle. I think Audi owes TTAC a big debt of gratitude.
Here’s an open question: can you really have poor reliability and poor dealer service and still have your car considered for a TBAG? I don’t know, just asking.
By the way, any car that cannot physically be driven by a 6foot tall person (because of size constraints) should not be allowed to be seriously considered for a TBAG.
At the risk of baiting flames, I second the disappointment that the Prius did not make this list, especially since the Crown Vic did.
I can recognize the Panther’s value as a sort of rolling security blanket (an ‘07 feels like a ‘97 feels like an ‘87 feels like…). But come on. It’s a 4.6-liter V8 car that takes 7.9 seconds to hit 60(C&D 09/04). It gets 17/25 MPG in the process (same as a 300-horse Mustang GT). It’s 212 inches long, but has less front and rear legroom than a Chevy Malibu.
I’d be sad to see TTAC, in effect, declare to the motoring public that it thinks the Crown Vic is one of the ten best possible choices one could make in a new-car purchase.
What, no Evo, no Z? these cars beat out pretty much your entire top 20 for speed + handling per $.. but I guess that wasn’t the criteria.
Also, for the final list, some of these entries are really a “class” of vehicles, i.e. “3 series” encompasses some rather diverse models. I understand you don’t want the list cluttered by multiple 3 series models, but in the description you could add: “(TTAC recommends: model x)”.
E.g. since you complain about power on the cayman, I presume you would recommend the S model. And “Corvette”? I’d say the base model and the Z06 are rather different value propositions with $20k and 100hp between them, surely these can’t be treated as just one choice.
I have to agree with Aardappel with regards to the 3-series.
Aside from poor reliability and the electrical nightmares forced upon the consumer, there’s many differences between the cars under the “3-series” umbrella(performance, style and feature-wise)
And other than “handling”, BMWs are rarely the benchmark for anything these days. i-Drive anyone?!!
Thus far there are 13 TBAGs:
1. BMW 3-series (8%)
2. six tied (6%)
3. six tied (5%)
With all 20 entries grouped pretty close together intially, tt will be interesting to see how the percentages separate over the upcoming week.
P.J. McCombs
The Crown Vic is not tops in any one category (except trunk space, and years since last redesign.) However, it does well in everything, which is possibly why it was made. Sure, it has slightly less room than a Malibu – does the Malibu have a huge trunk and RWD?
Is it faster than a Mustang? No, but does the Mustang have rear seat or trunk room? And can the Mustang take corners?
Maybe a perfect car exists out there, but for the price, the Crown Vic is the BEST sedan on the market today.
By the way, the EPA ratings are incorrect. I’ve routinely got about 27 mpg on the highway, with the A/C on.
And, how does Ford still sell thousands of Crown Vics if they aren’t good at what they do? The Crown Vic has a couple entire markets almost to itself – cabs and cops – and it doesn’t look like that’s going to change soon, unless Ford does something stupid.
The Crown Vic (obviously) gets my vote, and I have to ask, is there any other car out there that can do EVERYTHING well, like the Crown Vic can?
You have given us a tough choice. I like the 335i, but not the rest of the 3 Series. I would have chosent he 335i over the RS4 because its performance approaches the Audi for far less money. But overall, the Series 3 is not enough car for the money. I have to take a pass on the 335 bundled into the entire 3 Series.
I take minor issue with the cons on the WRX STI. The WRX STI Ltd Ed looks far less boy racer-ish and has an upgraded interior. The EVO/STI are evolving into what small Bimmers like the 2002 used to be about.
Finally, I have to agree with the comment of others that the biggest con to the GTI are VW dealers. They are so bad, IMHO, it might be worth paying the premium to move over to the Audi A3.
wstansfi wrote: “can you really have poor reliability and poor dealer service and still have your car considered for a TBAG?”
Automobile Magazine recently did a Four Seasons wrap up on the BMW three series. Right up front, they say the car had a major mechanical failure. The describe that the problem took five weeks at the dealer to diagnose and recieve parts from Germany to fix worn camshafts, lifters and rocker arms caused by a lubrication failure. If the car had not been under warranty, the repair would have cost $4300, which would not include the potential need for a replacement vehicle. They also add that a long term 5-Series and 7-Series also required major mechanical repairs during the test. Notwitstanding all of this however, the rest of the article is unabashed praise for the BMW as God’s gift to the automobile world. Must be easier to reach this conclusion when 1) the car is given to you by the automaker, 2) you have a fleet of such vehicles to drive when this model is in the shop, 3) the duration of the test occurs only during the warranty period and 4) you didn’t have to pay for the reparis out of pocket anyway.
I found it ironic in the current issue of Top Gear that Jamie Kittman (also of Automobile Magazine) wrote about the value of publications like Consumer Reports to the average consumer and auto enthusiast alike. JK so much admits that the opinions of the test drivers in magazines such as Top Gear and Automobile aren’t really applicable to real world conditions given the lack of any consideration given to reliability or cost of ownership other than MSRP.
To this end, BMW 3 Series may win every enthusasts heart in any comparision and should be considered for a TBAG, but my real world vote goes to the Infiniti G35 every time.
P.J. McCombs: It’s [Crown Victoria] 212 inches long, but has less front and rear legroom than a Chevy Malibu.
Please cite your source on this.
My source, courtesy of gmbuypower.com, indicates:
Front Leg Room (inches)
Crown Vic: 42.5
Malibu: 41.9
Rear Leg Room (inches)
Crown Vic: 39.6
Malibu: 38.5
While the differences between the two vehicles are minor, let’s be fair, shall we. The Malibu’s Epsilon platform came out in 2002, while the CV’s Panther platform debuted 23 years prior. I don’t think I need to add that there have been advances in interior packaging since that time, aided a great deal by the move to FWD and transversely mounted engines.
I also don’t need to add that exactly zero individuals out there are cross-shopping a Malibu with a Crown Vic, but your point stands: we’ve come a long way in a generation, and it could be argued that the Crown Vic should’ve come along for the ride, so to speak.
The fact that it didn’t, in large part, and that it still has made the top 20 is in my view indicative of something larger than a propensity for nostalgia in this day and age (see my earlier comments under the other article re: TBAG).