[Jomz]

Originally Posted by VLOCT

Ok, I'm confused here, Corvette Convertible is NOT a convertible? The hard top is not a true convertible but!!

Attachment 1171610

Would love to know what you 'scorched' the 'vettes with? It takes a real heavy hitter to take on a 'vette and usually costs double the money and three times the maintenance.

I thought AMG S class can scorch a vette. They can't???

[VLOCT]

Probably the S* 65 AMG on a straight line. Like I said, double the money, 3 times (probably more) the maintenance. In this case, way more.

But then, I could wait for the C7 ZR-1, probably somewhere around $130K and then proceed to demolish most of those $250K and up supercars. Better yet, get a used ZR-1, probably can get a mint low mileage one for ~$70-80K and then do the same now.

Check the 2013 ZR-1 numbers (~$120k new);

638 bhp/605 lb.ft torque, (640 bhp/ 600 lb.ft - Viper SRT)
0-60 mph - 3. 4 secs
curb wt - 3333 lbs (3200 lbs - Viper SRT)
Top Speed - 205 mph

Get one and let's see how many dare to take you on. I wouldn't be able to help myself but think about the guy in his astronomical supercar sweating bullets on wondering what will break in the next 5 seconds, all the while being taken to task by the 'lowly' 'vette. Gotta love the 'vette.

[bala80]

Hello Everyone - Haven't posted in a while on the forum for a while, but then I just picked up a used G37x last week and wanted to share it with you all...

Was shopping for a used car (I don't believe in buying new in this country) with a budget of $25k and was evaluating Audi A4, BMW 328i, Merc C300 along with a Infiniti G37x. Finalized on a 2010 G37x done around 48k on the odo from Carmax. Surprisingly carmax had low prices for G37x compared to all dealers around here in NC. I have always observed them to be on a higher side compared to the dealers but this was a pleasant surprise for me. May be because of the high numbers in their inventory, but I was not complaining.

Having picked up a car earlier from them, I knew the quality of vehicles bought from them and that gives me that additional peace of mind. I traded in my 2010 Jetta which I picked up earlier this year in exchange.

Some pics below - it is an exterior shade called - graphite shadow which looks different depending on the time of the day - I liked this over blue slate which was another shade that I was evaluating. She is a blast to drive , any questions please ask.

[VLOCT]

Congrats Bala. Looks great. A major upgrade from the Jetta, I'm sure. Hope you didn't make out too badly on the Jetta, seeing that you bought it earlier this year.

How about warranty? For a car like G37, an extended warranty would give you real peace of mind. There are lot of crappy providers though. Gotta be real careful when you choose one. Typically, online providers are the cheapest and the Infiniti forums should have info on the good ones. One unfortunate breakdown is all it takes to make the extended warranty worth it for a car like the G37.

[bala80]

I was hoping no one should ask me this question! Honestly speaking the Jetta was a bad buy and I have only myself to blame. It was a 2010 Jetta with less than 50k miles on it. Mechanically the car was in perfect condition but cosmetically bad. The previous owner had treated the car like a piece of junk. I couldn't get the cigarette smell to go away however hard I tried, Also the previous owner had a pet I believe and it wasn't a very pleasant interior that I could live with. I picked up the Jetta when I was shopping for a car for my wife and my thought process behind it was to drive it for an year and upgrade to something else. I didn't want to spend big on a car at that time, though looking back at it now, that would have been a wiser decision! I was able to negotiate the price on all the above factors and got it for a pretty good deal but burnt my fingers when when it came to resale. Jetta was a 2.5 SE model and had all bells and whistles. It was a decent drive but was under-powered IMHO - that alone was the single biggest most reason that I decided to upgrade earlier than what I thought I would...

On the subject of extended warranty - I thought about it for a while and then opted against it. The standard 4 year/60k mile warranty is intact till June 2014 and extended warranty plan for 5 year/100k miles was quoted at around $1000/year. When I picked up my first car in US (Nissan Rogue - which my wife drives now) - I did go for the extended warranty. Recently when the check engine light on the car came on and I was quoted around $500 for repairs - the extended warranty wouldn't cover it! They have so many fine prints and exclusions that they will find one way or the other to deny coverage. I asked myself what are the probabilities of spending $1k in the next 2 years of ownership - I couldn't convince myself to go for an extended warranty. I'm taking a chance - but that's one reason why I decided i'll buy from a reputed dealer knowing very well they don't negotiate on the pricing part at all!

Time will tell whether I was right or wrong. I'm just hopeful I don't end up repenting my decision (again!)

Originally Posted by VLOCT

Congrats Bala. Looks great. A major upgrade from the Jetta, I'm sure. Hope you didn't make out too badly on the Jetta, seeing that you bought it earlier this year.

How about warranty? For a car like G37, an extended warranty would give you real peace of mind. There are lot of crappy providers though. Gotta be real careful when you choose one. Typically, online providers are the cheapest and the Infiniti forums should have info on the good ones. One unfortunate breakdown is all it takes to make the extended warranty worth it for a car like the G37.

[VLOCT]

Did I read this correct, $1000/year for 5 years or 100,000 miles? Total rip-off. On the other hand, if it was $1000 for the period, that is pretty good, provided it's a manufacturer warranty. Was the extended warranty for the Rogue, a Nissan backed warranty or 3rd party? 3rd party - stay away. The dealers will sweeten the pot by offering 3rd party warranties and unfortunately sucker the less informed.

I never buy the extended warranty from the dealer when I buy a car. I go online prior to the expiration of the factory warranty and get the best deal (manufacturer warranty, never a 3rd party warranty) from a reputed dealer that specialize in these. I hope you rethink about getting a Nissan backed extended warranty. You still have time but obviously, you've to get it before the factory warranty deadline in June 2014.

To get the best deals you have to have an idea of apprx. how many miles you will put on in an year. There is no point getting 5 year/100k miles if you're only putting, say 6000 miles a year, which in your case will put it at approximately 80k miles. This could mean big difference in your payment.

[bala80]

Just to clarify, I was quoting the extended warranty coverage quoted by Carmax. They were offering for 72 months/75k miles whichever comes first - for around $1000. You have a valid point - I haven't checked with the company yet on what are the options available. I will anyways not put more than 10k miles per year.

When I visit them for a service later - I will enquire with them. One thing I hate with Nissan/Infiniti is recommending a oil change interval of 3750 miles. For my rogue I maintain a 5k interval and planning to do the same with the infiniti.

[VLOCT]

Hi Bala,

Forget any warranties other than a Nissan warranty. If they're anything like the GM dealers, you'll be surprised at the difference in the online price quotes from different Nissan dealers. The most common mistakes most buyers make are;

1) overbuying the warranty - warranties with more miles per year than they would reasonably drive.
2) too long term - if you tend to replace your car every three to four years, why would you buy an extended warranty that is longer?
3) buying too early - buying extended warranties well before the original warranty expires - the payment difference is minor unless, you intend to put on a lot of miles every year, then its worth it. On the one hand, you have to get a really long term coverage to protect yourself after the expiration of the original warranty. On the other hand, what if you sell the car before the extended warranty period starts. Even if they refund, it's a pro-rated amount.
4) buying 3rd party warranty - although there are reputed 3rd party warranty providers, why even take the chance with a non-manufacturer warranty?
5) buying extended warranty from the dealer you buy the car from - that's just being a sheep taken to slaughter. If anyone attempts it, please ensure that you've done the research and know what the most reasonable rate should be. Most buyers have no clue what the coverage should be at what rate and, you won't have the time to do the research sitting at the dealership. Even after doing your research, please read 1 thru 4 above.

These considerations can bring significant savings. Another consideration might be to check if it's transferable to a new owner, if you sell before the end of the warranty period. That can make a difference in your resale price.

As for the oil change, in your case I would just do a full synthetic (no blend), preferably Mobil 1, Castrol, Amsoil (typically you've to get it delivered to your home, it's simply the best) once a year, on both your cars. And please, please, stay away from the 10 min oil changes and take it to at least a place like Firestone or a good private shop where the mechanics know more than oil changes. One incident of cross threading the drain plug at these quick lube places, is all it takes to end up costing you hundreds of dollars, not to mention the nasty pissed off feeling.

Vikramvicky,

I have a correction. Apparently the deliveries of the 2014 Corvette C7 convertibles have started. If you can do it, I would highly recommend it. At that price point, it simply blows away the competition (much more expensive), German, Italians, Japs - what not.

[josejoseph]

Originally Posted by VLOCT

I have a correction. Apparently the deliveries of the 2014 Corvette C7 convertibles have started. If you can do it, I would highly recommend it. At that price point, it simply blows away the competition (much more expensive), German, Italians, Japs - what not.

2014 Chevrolet SS is also on sale now - http://www.autoweek.com/article/2013...IEWS/131129853.

According to Autoweek, it's one of the best American sedans they've driven in a very long time.

[vineethvazhayil]

Originally Posted by josejoseph

According to Autoweek, it's one of the best American sedans they've driven in a very long time.

Except that it is very Australian .

Anyway, for the price and power and space that it offers, there is only one competition (or two) - the Charger and the 300. But I have felt that those two cars are more on the comfortable side of the equation. Looks like Chevy has set this up to be more sporty - definitely will be an interesting car. I don't think it has a huge market, and it is definitely niche. They have launched a very well spec'ed version of the car by default. Perhaps Chevy may launch a bare bones car which would be lighter or alternatively a higher powered version - maybe with a supercharger. That would be even more interesting.

[VLOCT]

The latest reliability Index for car manufacturers is out.

Top 6 Vehicle Health Index: (courtesy: TheDetroitBureau.com)

1. Hyundai
2. Toyota
3. GM
4. Chrysler
5. Honda
6. Ford
..
..
10 - Mitsubishi

Salient Points:

This means the annual cost of maintaining and repairing a Hyundai is now the lowest of any brand.

High repair costs for the various Prius models took a toll on Toyota in the latest survey.

The Vehicle Health Index Manufacturer & Vehicle Ranking provides car shoppers with insight on what to expect in terms of frequency, type and cost of repairs for the majority of new and used vehicles on the road today.

GM jumps from the eighth spot to third.

Chrysler leapt from the 10th spot to fourth.

Ford also moved up to sixth from ninth.

While the survey found that products from both Hyundai and Toyota vehicles actually had more trips to the repair shop and higher year-over-year average repair bills than during the previous survey, Hyundai owners felt less of an impact.

Nissan, Kia and Volkswagen — experienced a drop in reliability ratings, with more frequent visits to the repair shop and increased average repair costs.

GM, Chrysler, Honda, Ford and Mitsubishi — saw improved ratings with GM experiencing the largest boost.

Mitsubishi ranks in the top ten for the first time this year.

GM had the lowest average repair cost among the top 10-ranked manufacturers ($304.99). Toyota had the highest overall repair cost ($540.53).

The highest average repair costs were the various Toyota Prius hybrids, which contributed to Toyota’s overall increase in repair costs. Bright spots for Toyota were the 2012 Toyota Camry and 2010 Toyota 4 Runner, each with average repair costs under $100.

In fact, for the third consecutive year, the top-ranked vehicle – meaning the lowest repair costs — is a Toyota, with the 2012 Camry ranked as the most reliable vehicle for 2013.

Four sedans, four compacts and two SUVs make up 2013’s top 10 list, with Nissan leading the pack with five vehicles, including the 2012 Altima at number two, the 2011 Rogue at five, the 2012 Rogue at six, 2012 Sentra at seven and 2011 Sentra at number nine.

Toyota has three cars in the top 10, including the 2012 Camry at the top of list, 2011 Toyota Corolla at number three and 2011 Toyota Camry at number four.

Hyundai has one vehicle on the list – the 2010 Elantra at number eight. Rounding out the list is the 2012 Mazda 3 at number 10. It was the first time Mazda has had a vehicle in the top 10.

The 2012 GMC Sierra, ranked no. 1 in the truck category.

Buick and Lincoln toppled Lexus and Infiniti with the 2011 Buick Lacrosse, and 2010 and 2007 Lincoln MKZ vehicles.

Anyone shopping for cars does himself a disservice by not looking at American offerings based on perception from years ago, as I have mentioned before umpteen times. When buying brand new cars and if you add the extended warranty coverage, the total ownership costs could be substantially lower for a lot of american cars, with much fewer concerns regarding reliability and quality for their current offerings.

[Technocrat]

Hey guys, I have finally created my ownership thread after deliberating about it for a while

2008 Accord EX-L V6 with Navigation - Ownership Review

[kraft.wagen]

Originally Posted by VLOCT

Buick and Lincoln toppled Lexus and Infiniti with the 2011 Buick Lacrosse, and 2010 and 2007 Lincoln MKZ vehicles.

I'm surprised to see Lacrosse, I had drove a Lacrosse rental and felt the car was too heavy to handle and struggled when I pumped the gas. I would pick the G37 any day or even the IS over the Lacrosse.

[Jomz]

Originally Posted by VLOCT

Anyone shopping for cars does himself a disservice by not looking at American offerings based on perception from years ago, as I have mentioned before umpteen times. When buying brand new cars and if you add the extended warranty coverage, the total ownership costs could be substantially lower for a lot of american cars, with much fewer concerns regarding reliability and quality for their current offerings.

I agree, But unless this perception becomes universal - the resale values of American offerings would be lower- which kind of factor in the purchase process.

In other news, GM has a teaser pic out of their C7 Zo6 ( or is it Z07??)

http://www.latimes.com/business/auto...,7031282.story

[kraft.wagen]

Originally Posted by Jomz

I agree, But unless this perception becomes universal - the resale values of American offerings would be lower- which kind of factor in the purchase process.

In other news, GM has a teaser pic out of their C7 Zo6 ( or is it Z07??)

http://www.latimes.com/business/auto...,7031282.story

It is the Z06. Chevy claims this is the most track capable of the corvettes.

Chevrolet will introduce the 2015 Corvette Z06 next month at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. It will be the most track-capable Corvette ever, designed to deliver supercar levels of performance through unique powertrain, chassis and aerodynamic features.

source:ultimatecarpage.com