Time to replace the LS

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greyLS

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Hi guys. Great forum.

This is my first post but I have been lurking for a long time.

OK, so I have a 2k LS8 w/ 65k miles. I love it but I am looking for a car with some more power. The good news is my wife is looking for a new car and loves the LS. I am going to get her a low milage 2006 LS8 so I will still have an LS in the family. You cannot beat the price on these cars.

I, however, am looking for a car with some more power. I am still looking for a car in the luxury/sport category. I would like to spend ~35k. I don't mind if it is used as long as it is low milage (under 30k miles). My criteria is 300 HP +, RWD, Navigation.

Right now I am looking at a few different cars:

2006/7 Infinity M45 Sport. What I like about this car is they are not too common, pretty luxurious, nice interiors. Decent power. Can't really think of too much I don't like except they are at the top of my price point.

2005 Jag S-Type R. I really like the power in this car. Interior seems nice. Decently priced. What I don't like is that you seen S-Types all over.

2005/6 C55 AMG. This car has tons of power, its a Benz, interior is nice. The problem, again, is that is it a C class and those are all over. Not very unique.

Does anyone have any suggestions/reccomendations? I am still about 4 or 5 months away from making the purchase. Any sedans I am overlooking?

Thanks for looking,
greyLS
 
Lexus GS
Charger/300? CTS-V? G8? but those are not so much luxury as sport
 
i would say infinity M45 from that list. when i saw it i really liked it. for that price range you can definitely find good cars below that mileage criteria you are looking for
 
I drove a new CTS DI today and man I liked it a lot. The interior is just beautiful and it drives really cool.

I drove a new GS460, was very smooth and quite, too smooth and too quite for my liking.

I really don't care about the M35/45 Infinitis, might be nice cars, but I hate the rear design.

S-type R is really nice for the price, but I doubt the reliability.

I have driven the new 535i auto with sport package, felt very nice, but was too quite for a bimmer, the exhaust wouln't booom like on my 330i or on new 335i. The interior is not better than in CTS or GS at all.

The C55 is cool and looks great, but is kind of small and as you said it's just a C class, but I would give it a try, Benz' AMG V8s sound great.
 
The direct injection CTS has 304 HP, unfortunately it starts at a little above 35K. I hear the 08 interior is the best if you are willing to splurge a little bit more than you want to spend. Otherwise an 07 should be cheaper.
 
The S type R would not disappoint, and neither would the Benz. I would have to add the 5 series BMW to the list, especially the M5. It's one of most highly respected 'one car for everything' cars on the planet and it's been that way since the 1980's.

Hope you still occasionally enjoy the LS though.....I just wish I could get a manual gearbox in mine, it would rank so much higher on my fun factor.....
 
Yes, you are definitely missing one major selection that meets your criteria for less than your stated price limit:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/BMW-...016QQitemZ260205008693QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

2003 was the last year for this body style, and as usual, BMW places the //M kit on the last model year. VERY sharp styling. And last model year means BMW used all of the previous years to really "get things right". Various tweaking and corrections to issues that may have shown up in prior years for that model.

I've driven one of these. VERY smooth V8 power and plenty of torque. And assuming the shocks and struts are still in great shape, it will outhandle every car listed above.

Want more power, and less miles than the above?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2002...199804630QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item290199804630
 
get the M for sure. i recently had a great experience in one. doing 150 mph, all i can say is, wow. i love the interiors on m45's a lot. i think the c-class is too small, and i would stay away from the jag and c class as the M feels more accommodating. just my 2 pennies worth
 
BMW 545i stock rated at 325hp, the other cars on your list are good, too. If it doesn't have to be a 4-door, then a later model Corvette C5 (~350hp) or a new C6 (>400hp) would be nice.
 
01-03 low mileage M5 is the best deal on the best car, but I don't know if you can get a decent warranty with it, cause if it starts acting up, you gotta put a lot of cash in it.

So is the 03 540i sport, which is just beautiful, I would go for the M5 though.
 
Only thing that makes me "nervous" about the 545i, is that it's the first model year for that BMW engine. BMW does NOT have the best track record on first year engines. 1991 and 1992 318's had failing timing case profile gaskets that were 100% guaranteed to fail. $1000 repair. Mid 90' V8 BMW engines had to be replaced (especially down south) because the cylinder walls couldnt tolerate sulfur levels in US fuels. 1995 M3 (e36 chassis) engines had weak valve retainers that were addressed in 1996+ M3's. The 2001 M3 (first year for that new E46 model engine) had a LOT of engines replaced due to lubrication issues on the bottom end.

And the current 335i twin turbo BMW engine..has had a LOT of reports regarding the oil temps getting high enough to place the car into "limp home" mode until the temps cooled down. BMW addressed this partially by changing their production line to ensure all 335 engined cars (not just sport packaged models) had the optional oil coolers installed.

Pretty much everything I mentioned above, was addressed in later model years of that same engine design.
 
greyLS said:
Hi guys. Great forum.

This is my first post but I have been lurking for a long time.

OK, so I have a 2k LS8 w/ 65k miles. I love it but I am looking for a car with some more power. The good news is my wife is looking for a new car and loves the LS. I am going to get her a low milage 2006 LS8 so I will still have an LS in the family. You cannot beat the price on these cars.

I, however, am looking for a car with some more power. I am still looking for a car in the luxury/sport category. I would like to spend ~35k. I don't mind if it is used as long as it is low milage (under 30k miles). My criteria is 300 HP +, RWD, Navigation.

Right now I am looking at a few different cars:

2006/7 Infinity M45 Sport. What I like about this car is they are not too common, pretty luxurious, nice interiors. Decent power. Can't really think of too much I don't like except they are at the top of my price point.

2005 Jag S-Type R. I really like the power in this car. Interior seems nice. Decently priced. What I don't like is that you seen S-Types all over.

2005/6 C55 AMG. This car has tons of power, its a Benz, interior is nice. The problem, again, is that is it a C class and those are all over. Not very unique.

Does anyone have any suggestions/reccomendations? I am still about 4 or 5 months away from making the purchase. Any sedans I am overlooking?

Thanks for looking,
greyLS
Click to expand...

You know what my recommendation will be!! :D
 
I think the most bang for you buck is the 1st gen CTS-V. The new CTS direct injection is a very nice car too. But I'd personally go for a car like Kelleyo's. Those will never go out of style.
 
glanga said:
I think the most bang for you buck is the 1st gen CTS-V. The new CTS direct injection is a very nice car too. But I'd personally go for a car like Kelleyo's. Those will never go out of style.
Click to expand...

So long as you don't mind replacing the rear end....

See here.
 
Ok, as long as you don't mind replacing the transmission in Mercedes? Or the Coils in LS'? I've never had one single problem with my car.....and according to the site you just posted, they replace it under warranty.
 
A friend has a '02 M5, good lord I love that car. He brought it by before he shipped it to Germany(lives there 6 months outta the year) and its just a great ride in every aspect, be it a tad heavy but mmm mmm. Got it new, has only 15k mi's on it, he loves it on the Autobahn.
 
I know this car is a 2 door but what do you think about a G35 coupe sport with a 6 speed. Tons on aftermarket for these cars. They are pretty common but if you lower one and get a good set of staggered wheels will set it apart from the others.IMHO
 
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