What should I buy?

[Mike K]

The A8 went in today. 8 hours and $1700 later it has a new fuel pump, fuel filter, 2 injectors, an oil separator and doctor's orders for $4500 worth of suspension work, which in fairness could be $1000 if I got the parts myself and had the time to do it. But I don't and the money I'd lose in time spent doing it would far outweigh the money saved.

But the writing is on the wall... The A8 has to go. I'm not about to put $6000 into a car with 145,000. No fault of the car... It's actually been amazing for the short time we've had it and nothing that's wrong with it is in excess of what you'd expect to see out of a car with that mileage. I just thought I'd have the time to work on it but I don't. I will miss the Bang & Olufsen stereo more than any singular possession I've ever had. It is amazing. It is more than amazing. I wish I could find a junk A8 so I could tear that system out and stick it in my house. It is just magical.

So we have a couple choices and I'm open to input as well. I still love the BMW but mileage kind of blows. Between the A8 and the 535 I'm spending like $500 - $800 a month in gas a month. I wouldn't necessarily mind having a more expensive car that is more fuel efficient. We also don't pay for electricity at our house so I wouldn't mind a full plug in EV.

That said, here are some options, add yours to the list. Tell me why I'm crazy or if you think you have a better idea. The only stipulation is that we don't want to spend more on cars (payment, insurance, gas) than we do now. So within those constraints here's what I've come up with.

535 and MKZ hybrid - I have to concede that this would technically be my wife's car and she cares so much less about drivability than I do and aside for the abysmal engine the MKZ is an amazing car that we could lease for nothing. Combine that with 38mpg and it's perfect for my heavy traffic driving during the days. Cons are that it just straight up sounds like poop. I could get by this to have a full in warranty car though and for the same monthly money were paying now we could have it fully loaded.

Tesla Model S - I'd need to go with the 60kwh model to stay in budget and it would be our only car. My wife leaves the house on her own maybe twice a month so a second car is really a luxury/ me getti to have variety type of thing. Upside here is that I can take actual expenses as deductions towards my business and out of pocket cost would be less than the MKZ/ 535 combo come ax time.

If you're only in this for the fun options those are the only two so stop reading or come up with your own recommendations. Onward we go...

2014 535d for the he/ used mid 2000's Prius for the she - I'd love a new body style 5 and I'd love the efficiency of the Diesel engine but the downsides are that the car would be slower than my 535, handle worse and be more expensive. So while it would be more efficient there really wouldn't be any savings.

Other cars in contention would be the all electric Focus, Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid, etc.

So between my options let's here some opinions and then after that if you got a recommendation that I haven't listed feel free to mention it.

We could also theoretically get the Tesla and grab a used Prius for cash if we absolutely needed to. The good thing about the Tesla is that they've had a nearly 0% depreciation so if we got it and decided it wasn't for us we could flip it easily. That said, I feel like the MKZ is the practical decision while the Tesla is what I actually want to do. But with the MKZ I'd still have my 535 for when I'm feeling frisky.

Click to read more...

 

[Great White Drake]

The Tesla offers great incentives. IL actually offers the 3rd best in the country. What exactly are you looking to spend on a car? The MKZ fully loaded and 535 are around 50-55 I think? Do you plan on using the A8 as your down payment and whats the trade in value? Johnny 5 need more input.

True Cost of Ownership | Tesla Motors

 

[FrenchLicker]

If you really want the tesla, will you be satisfied with any other purchase?

 

[RICH17]

CTS-V Wagon/thread

 

[rz79]

The Tesla offers great incentives. IL actually offers the 3rd best in the country. What exactly are you looking to spend on a car? The MKZ fully loaded and 535 are around 50-55 I think? Do you plan on using the A8 as your down payment and whats the trade in value? Johnny 5 need more input.

True Cost of Ownership | Tesla Motors

Like/rep for Johnny 5 reference...

On topic, as much as I'd like to say the Lincoln I read your review, I'd feel silly suggesting it after that, even if it would be the wife's ride. The more teslas I see the more I like them and respect the full electric car in general. Then again, it's not really apples to apples, I feel like the tesla is a ultra luxury car and well, you pay for that too.

 

[sickmint79]

bang & olufsen makes home audio you know... plus car speakers have shallow dispersion patterns so it would probably not be that great moving car speakers into a home audio situation. although i did use them in my dorm room but hey, not a lot of space to fill...

2014 535d has to be at least kind of fun, c'mon now.

i'm a bit confused by these options, ie. why not current 535 + 2000 prius, why isn't that here? or if single car is an option, why is it only in the tesla case? it seems like you are trying to make the tesla work, although it is the only car that most likely necessitates the need for a second.

 

[cacicgtp7]

If your plug in EV is for the wife I would strongly look at the fusion hybrid. I actually in some ways prefer that styling over the MKZ, and it's essentially the same technology for the most part. Love Teslas as your other option, but obviously up front costs are quite high with that car. I personally would only be looking at the 85kw option but it's crazy high once you start adding any kind of options. I'd go test drive one and make sure it's for you to even see if that stays in the running though. Plus at that price you could also look at the Cadillac ELR.

The 535d doesn't get THAT much better mileage than the 535i, not sure if that would be worth it. And since that's the case I'd do a certified pre owned 2012/13 535i if you're stuck on the 5 series. Now if you're doing a used 335d that's a different story. What about the activehybrid 5 series? I think you can find them used as well now.

I would still consider the Lexus GS450h on that list, the new levinson 835 watt system is way better than the last gen, and I thought the last gen sounded good regardless. I test drove a GS350 F sport and it was incredibly nice, just not enough juice and the 450H was out of my budget.

I don't know why but I hate Prius's, so in that case I'd steer to a used Volt.

And just to throw this out there you can find used A6's with the 3.0 TDI engine for diesel. They get 38 or something on the hwy and mid 20's in the city. The new A6 is bigger too than the old A6's. A8's also have the same option but you're up there in price.

Are you pretty firm on big 4 door cars for yourself? That's where I feel like you're looking so I'm trying to stay in the realm.

 

[Mike K]

The Tesla offers great incentives. IL actually offers the 3rd best in the country. What exactly are you looking to spend on a car? The MKZ fully loaded and 535 are around 50-55 I think? Do you plan on using the A8 as your down payment and whats the trade in value? Johnny 5 need more input.

True Cost of Ownership | Tesla Motors

I'm in California so I don't get the IL moneys. The A8 will be sold outright. We're just trying to keep monthly out of pocket the same so a bunch of cars can work. In that sense I don't have a specific budget for a car because I'm using total expenses to determine whether or not we would buy one. So I could grab something inexpensive that gets crap gas mileage or something expensive that gets great mileage or anything in between.

 

[Mike K]

If you really want the tesla, will you be satisfied with any other purchase?

Yeah absolutely. The Tesla comes with tradeoffs. I'm content with the 535 right now too. Well, as content as I can ever be with one car.

 

[Mike K]

On topic, as much as I'd like to say the Lincoln I read your review, I'd feel silly suggesting it after that, even if it would be the wife's ride. The more teslas I see the more I like them and respect the full electric car in general. Then again, it's not really apples to apples, I feel like the tesla is a ultra luxury car and well, you pay for that too.

My review for the MKZ itself was a lot of praise. It was the drive in the hybrid model that I really didn't like. I just don't like the drivetrain but I have to recognize that it wouldn't be my car that under that scenario I would still have my car to drive. The Optima's hybrid drivetrain really spoiled me.

 

[Mike K]

bang & olufsen makes home audio you know... plus car speakers have shallow dispersion patterns so it would probably not be that great moving car speakers into a home audio situation. although i did use them in my dorm room but hey, not a lot of space to fill…

It was hyperbole. I wasn't actually going to yank a system out of a car and stick it in my house. I was just describing how amazing it is. Back in my youth I ripped some woofers out of my giant fisher speakers and replaced them with car subwoofers so I could listen to "Tootsie Roll" really loud. My folks loved it.

2014 535d has to be at least kind of fun, c'mon now.

It's an amazing car until I compare it to what I have. The only upgrade is the interior. The increase in efficiency is wiped out by the additional cost of the car too. Totally would love a diesel for the torque though.

i'm a bit confused by these options, ie. why not current 535 + 2000 prius, why isn't that here? or if single car is an option, why is it only in the tesla case? it seems like you are trying to make the tesla work, although it is the only car that most likely necessitates the need for a second.

I'm not necessarily trying to make it work as much as I am presenting the facts for how it could work without increasing our direct out of pocket expenditures. Our only stipulation is that I don't want to increase total auto expenses per month (payment, insurance, gas) so within the constraints of that we're pretty open. The single car would be a sacrifice in the sense that 1% of the time it would be a pain in the ass but 99% of the time we don't need a second car. So in the case of the Tesla we'd just live without it. Simply selling the Audi and getting a Prius is another option. We don't need to make a move on the BMW but if we do it opens up the door to other options such as the Tesla. If you're trying to make sense of it, don't. It's just a mishmash of different combinations with all sorts of different cars. I doubt many people are cross-shopping MKZ's and Teslas.

 

[Mike K]

If your plug in EV is for the wife I would strongly look at the fusion hybrid. I actually in some ways prefer that styling over the MKZ, and it's essentially the same technology for the most part. Love Teslas as your other option, but obviously up front costs are quite high with that car. I personally would only be looking at the 85kw option but it's crazy high once you start adding any kind of options. I'd go test drive one and make sure it's for you to even see if that stays in the running though. Plus at that price you could also look at the Cadillac ELR.

I'm not crazy about the looks of the Fusion and the MKZ is actually a cheaper lease fully loaded. I think the ELR is a cool car in the sense that it's a nicer looking Volt but I could never pay that kind of money for a car that performs so poorly and is so obviously just a Volt wearing some Armani.

The 535d doesn't get THAT much better mileage than the 535i, not sure if that would be worth it. And since that's the case I'd do a certified pre owned 2012/13 535i if you're stuck on the 5 series.

Which is why I really only briefly considered it.

Now if you're doing a used 335d that's a different story. What about the activehybrid 5 series? I think you can find them used as well now.

You can but gas mileage on them isn't nearly as hybrid as you'd expect. It's not worth buying one for that reason.

I would still consider the Lexus GS450h on that list, the new levinson 835 watt system is way better than the last gen, and I thought the last gen sounded good regardless. I test drove a GS350 F sport and it was incredibly nice, just not enough juice and the 450H was out of my budget.

I don't know why but I just do not like Lexus'.

And just to throw this out there you can find used A6's with the 3.0 TDI engine for diesel. They get 38 or something on the hwy and mid 20's in the city. The new A6 is bigger too than the old A6's. A8's also have the same option but you're up there in price.

That's not a bad option but in the scenario it would be a replacement for my 535 and between the two I'd rather have the cheaper car (535) and pay more for gas so I could enjoy the performance of the 5.

Are you pretty firm on big 4 door cars for yourself? That's where I feel like you're looking so I'm trying to stay in the realm.

If I were to change out my personal car, yeah.

 

[sickmint79]

535i + prius

 

[rz79]

My review for the MKZ itself was a lot of praise. It was the drive in the hybrid model that I really didn't like. I just don't like the drivetrain but I have to recognize that it wouldn't be my car that under that scenario I would still have my car to drive. The Optima's hybrid drivetrain really spoiled me.

My mistake, I must of confused the two.

 

[Mike K]

535i + prius

Damn you for being practical.

 

[Mike K]

My mistake, I must of confused the two.

My pro-MKZ review was probably 2 years ago so it would have been easy to miss. I actually like the car, just not the drivetrain.

 

[Blood on Blood]

535i + prius

Agree

 

[Euro]

$4500 in suspension work

 

[Mike K]

$4500 in suspension work

It's comical… If I had the time to do it it would be like $700 and it's not as if the front end is falling off; it's just that pretty much every bushing is worn out at 145,000 miles. Part of the problem is I took the car to the best Audi tech in the country because I wanted it fixed right and was tired of diagnosing the fuel problem on my own with limited tools. Just two weeks ago I had to diagnose a cam timing issue just by trial and error which wasn't fun but probably saved me a couple thousand dollars. It ended up simply being a dirty cam sensor and took 5 minutes to clean.

These cars can be cheap to own and the drivetrain itself is solid. You need to be willing to do the work yourself though and you need to have the ability to troubleshoot. For instance, I was pretty certain that this was a low pressure pump failing but I lacked the tools to determine whig one it was. Unfortunately that's the difference between the first A8 I owned and this one. I just have a carport and limited tools out here and I can't take the car apart and leave it up on jackstands for a couple days up in the Hollywood Hills. So I've lost the luxury of doing that kind of stuff myself. But if you've got the tools I'd still totally recommend a car like this.

On a semi-related note, I think we found a car. Nothing listed here. I'll post once I know if we're grabbing it.

 

[EmersonHart13]

Tesla.

You need to get it out of your system.

 

[Mike K]

Tesla.

You need to get it out of your system.

If I just hang tight another couple of years and let them release some new models it will go from being something I need to justify to something that would easily be the best choice from me. Reluctantly I think I've scrapped that idea for now as well as the MKZ. I really love the BMW too. If I didn't own the 535 it would probably be at the top of my list for cars to buy so I need to fight the ADD here. Just looking at the new M4 thread makes me realize how amazing the BMW is.

That said, I spoke with the mechanic and got the total bill for the car down to $1500 and the bill for the suspension work needed down to $1400 from $4500. So keeping the A8 is right back in the fray. The only issue is putting all that money into a car that still has 145,000 miles at the end of the day. My heart wants to keep the A8. My wallet feels like leasing a new car might be the best way to go.

-------------------------------

On a whim I checked out the Ford Flex and Ford has an unbelievably good deal going on for a high level Flex right now. $189 a month and $3800 down. I went and checked it out at the dealer and it's basically everything minus the Ecoboost which she totally does not need. Titanium appearance package, nav, power rear lid, leather, 20's and all that crap. You can't get the SEL with HIDs but they've offered to do a full factory conversion for me included in the price.

So I'm at $8235 over two years for a brand new Flex under warranty or $6480 over $7980 to do the suspension on the Audi and two years worth of payments to myself (I self financed through my company) and realistically I'm basically leasing the Audi anyhow because after two years it will still be worth about what I'll owe on it. I love the A8 but the Flex is making a pretty compelling case for itself and my wife loves it also. This is basically what we'd be looking at:

 

[EmersonHart13]

Flex looks cool for a family hauler imo. Good CA ride

 

[Mike K]

Yeah I've always dug them and I had my review from 2012 to go back and see how I liked it so that helps.

I'm going to show it to the wife tonight and see what she thinks. I'm leaving the decision to her because I'll end up justifying a Cayenne Hybrid.

 

[Angus]

The decision is down to spend $1,400 to fix and keep A8, or sell A8 and lease flex for $8,235 over 2 years?

 

[RICH17]

I like the Flex. That's a great lease deal too. Their sticker price has always seemed ridiculous