Thinking of getting rid of the Q.

[louiegz]

Well, I've been doing a lot of thinking and in starting to thing that I should look for a new car that fits my needs better than the Q. I worry about a big repair that would be more than the car is worth or and accident that my Q would be totaled and wind up with nothing. I want a car that’s better in the snow. I don't want to be swapping snow tires every winter. I'd like to have a car I can haul stuff in. Ever since I got rid of the Accord I had, I don't even have a car with a fold down rear seat. I'd like something small that I could park anywhere. I go into the city a lot. I want a manual transmission. I miss not having stick. Finally, I'd like a car that's zippy around town. I hardly ever hit the highway in the Q and we all know that that's where the Q really shines. The Q is a dog around town. The problem is that I don't know what car I would get. To cool cars would be a Mini Cooper or a VW GTI but I would think I'd have reliability issues and I think they're not cheap to fix. I saw the Honda Fit at the auto show and I found it to be a very nice car for the price and Hondas are very reliable, but I think it might be a little under powered. It would be nice to get something with AWD, but not many around with manual transmission. My neighbors have a Suburu Outback but they had oil problems with less than 100,000 miles on the car. That seems rather quick for a car like that. I'm thinking about making a change within a year. What would you guys do?

[DrewQ45]

Keep the Q as a weekend cruiser and get something for running around during the week.

[louiegz]

Keep the Q as a weekend cruiser and get something for running around during the week.

Yea, but I already have my wife's 330i for the weekend fun car. If I'd keep it, I'd fear that I'd never use the Q.

[maxnix]

1.) Well, I've been doing a lot of thinking and in starting to thing that I should look for a new car that fits my needs better than the Q.

2.) I worry about a big repair that would be more than the car is worth or and accident that my Q would be totaled and wind up with nothing.

3.) I want a car that’s better in the snow. I don't want to be swapping snow tires every winter. I'd like to have a car I can haul stuff in.

4.) Ever since I got rid of the Accord I had, I don't even have a car with a fold down rear seat. I'd like something small that I could park anywhere. I go into the city a lot. I want a manual transmission. I miss not having stick. Finally, I'd like a car that's zippy around town. I hardly ever hit the highway in the Q and we all know that that's where the Q really shines.

5.) The Q is a dog around town. The problem is that I don't know what car I would get. To cool cars would be a Mini Cooper or a VW GTI but I would think I'd have reliability issues and I think they're not cheap to fix. I saw the Honda Fit at the auto show and I found it to be a very nice car for the price and Hondas are very reliable, but I think it might be a little under powered. It would be nice to get something with AWD, but not many around with manual transmission. My neighbors have a Suburu Outback but they had oil problems with less than 100,000 miles on the car. That seems rather quick for a car like that. I'm thinking about making a change within a year. What would you guys do?

1.) What exactly are your needs? I romanticize that my Q45 loved leaving Brooklyn and getting out west where whe could really strtch her legs, like a thoroughbred.

2.) Worth is a value to you. Get a brand new car with a big investment of capital or large car payments that you don't have now and you will have a car that will be less likely to be totalled. Nothing like a $35K repair to a $50K car that you must now keep because it isn't totalled..

3.) You want a 4WD truck, not a car. Not mcuh better, is any, for an urban environment. Either move South, dont' drive in winter, or accept dangerous compromise of running non-winter tires in winter condition. AS is only marketing nomenclature for gullible public.

4.) Fold down rear seat, you need to go downscale. Manual in urban driving? Makes me gald I have an automatic everytime I am in an urban freeway parking lot at rush hour. And I love the comfort and quiet.

5.) Try Robert's ECU. Maybe a Civic or an Element? TSX if you want more of a car. Ridgeline?

[Rex]

Keep the Q as a toy if finances allow and pick up a Matrix. I think they'd fit all your needs and there's even one that's supposed to be "sporty".

[louiegz]

1.) What exactly are your needs? I romanticize that my Q45 loved leaving Brooklyn and getting out west where whe could really strtch her legs, like a thoroughbred.

2.) Worth is a value to you. Get a brand new car with a big investment of capital or large car payments that you don't have now and you will have a car that will be less likely to be totalled. Nothing like a $35K repair to a $50K car that you must now keep because it isn't totalled..

3.) You want a 4WD truck, not a car. Not mcuh better, is any, for an urban environment. Either move South, dont' drive in winter, or accept dangerous compromise of running non-winter tires in winter condition. AS is only marketing nomenclature for gullible public.

4.) Fold down rear seat, you need to go downscale. Manual in urban driving? Makes me gald I have an automatic everytime I am in an urban freeway parking lot at rush hour. And I love the comfort and quiet.

5.) Try Robert's ECU. Maybe a Civic or an Element? TSX if you want more of a car. Ridgeline?

1.)That's right. The times I get to stretch the Qs legs are few and far between.

2.)I know that car repairs are cheaper than car payments, but with car repairs I'll be spending it on a car that has little value, doesn't carry anything, not good around town, and not small to park anywhere. I don't plan to spend much. Under $25,000. I already have a better 4 door sedan in the 330i which uses half as much gas and is twice as much fun to drive. Gas is not a big issue because I don't drive much, but it would be nice to have a car that gets more than 20mpg in the city and I don't have to use premium. The Q has a list of things that it needs to get to, as Dennis says, “Like new condition”. Needs new upper links, plenum hoses, original transmission, original water pump, rear sub frame bussing to name a few.

3.)No, I don't want a truck. I don't worry about the danger of driving in the snow on all season tires. Once again its city driving. I don't go fast enough to get in trouble with the snow. I just don't want to get stuck. I've driven in that snow for all of my driving years and I can get by on driving a FWD car in the winter. Never had to swap tires in the Accord. An AWD car would be better.

4.)Well Brian, you got me there on wanting a stick in the city, but I really don't hit any traffic going to work. My commute is only about 3 miles each way. When I go to Manhattan, it would be a problem, but it’s not something I do every day. Nothing worst than getting a small 4 cylinder car with an automatic. My Accord was stick and I loved it.

5.)Civic? Have you seen how ugly that new dash is? I think I'll pass. I like the new Fit, just a little underpowered. The TSX is what an Accord should be. Europe's Accord. I just don't need another 4 door sedan. I think the RSX is kind of cool. Ridgeline, a Honda pickup. What a joke.

[louiegz]

Keep the Q as a toy if finances allow and pick up a Matrix. I think they'd fit all your needs and there's even one that's supposed to be "sporty".

Rex, funny you should say a Matrix. That's the kind of car I have in mind. I just don't know which one yet.

[Rex]

Rex, funny you should say a Matrix. That's the kind of car I have in mind. I just don't know which one yet.

XRS 6-speed, unfortuantely, they don't combine that ans the AWD option .

[Q45denver]

The Fit would be a good choice but dealers are marking them up. 5 sp paddle shift automatic and magic seat interior. Practical as a station wagon but gets almost 40mpg. The 109 hp would be plenty around town. The only complaint I've seen is noise.

[jamesmost]

loui disagree on the subaru friend has a wrx another more mature friend has a legacy 5 speed and it is rippin fast and reliable he puts 30k on a year almost maintenence free his 3rd subaru last one had over 300k on it

[Falkdesigns]

I love wagons. I like the Matrix too, but in the end, we got a '98 Volvo V70 T5 for the wife. In the price range we were looking we could have gotten a Subaru Legacy GT Wagon, but it was like finding a needle in a hay-stack out here, even when I broadened the search to 200 miles.

[BlackBirdVQ]

I want to get a 6spd version of the new 07 Nissan Versa for my fiancee as our Legend is a gas hog- worse than my Q. She drives short trips to the train station and to work which is few miles away, so she is lucky to get 170 miles out of a tank of 93 in the Legend. Best I ever seen with the Legend is 320 miles on a highway doing approx 80-90MPH out of 15 gallons of gasoline.

Fit is a nice car and all, but I like the Versa interior much better, plus it comes with alot of neat lil gizzmos like BlueTooth and keyless start. It being a Nissan I don't think the dealers will be charging over sticker like anything Honda. Its supposed to start at bout 12100 for the base 1.8S 6spd, figure at the year end blow out sale you could probably pick up a stripper for 10K new !

I'm also conteplating on the new Sentra which is more upscale and doesn't look too bad- provided you like the corporate look of the Maxima and Altima sedans, which have grown on me over the years. I can get Hondas through my employee purchase program at work, but I don't find them as apealing as the Versa and Sentras that Nissan will release very soon.

http://www.edmunds.com has a review on the Versa and the Fit. It will be interesting to see a comparison of the Toyota Yaris, Honda Fit, Nissan Versa and the Korean cars..... given the Versa has a much more powerfull engine than the other cars, and nice interior I don't see it loosing.

[Falkdesigns]

We checked out Tiida's (Versa) last year in Japan, and they are awesome cars. I agree, the interior is VERY nice, it feels quite upscale inside, and I like the clean lines on the outside too. Versa would be my choice for an under 20k new car.

[gloucester Q]

i'd check out a civic si hatchback before they don't sell them anymore. the current look has finally grown on me. i've had an 89, a 91, and a 95, and they do exactly what you've described--fun around town, fun to shift at redline, fairly tossable, carry stuff, built well, on and on... i started my own company and have just traded my 91 si for a truck, and i miss the thing already. and man could you go far on a tank of gas. i was routinely getting 360 miles out of 11 gallons in the thing, versus 320 or so with 20 gals in the q. i drove the fit overseas, and while versatile, it's nowhere near as zippy.

[pito11213]

My friend has the civic si. Damn that car is nice and pretty well put together. Yes it is a little small but that is its purpose. I love the 6 speed and the shifting is crisp. The stock sound on the exhaust system is impressive to say the least. He has the navigation option which is beautiful and the sirius satellite package. To top it off he gas mileage is damn good and for a quick car that is a good thing. I guarantee you will take it to redline on the highways.

Hey Black bird are you on a-l.com?

[Q45denver]

I think the overseas version of the Fit only has 1.3 liters. Fit is a two year old design already but the versatility is amazing. When is the Versa coming out?

[Jesda]

Ahh, the Fit. Good choice! The Matrix/Vibe is decent but has a buzzy engine and a crappy shifter (assuming you get the manual... what good is a small car with an auto?). They're nice to look at though -- yep, I just said that about a Toyota.

A G35x would also make a nice all-season vehicle, with the drive of your 3-series and the reliability of the VQ35.

[Skibane]

Personally, I'd be looking at a used Maxima - Available with a stick shift, plenty of power, that great VQ engine, mid-20's city fuel economy (and near 30 on the highway), small enough to manuver in tight parking spaces, and the 5th-generation version even has a fold-down rear seat!

WONDERFUL cars for the money.

[elwesso]

Thats a tough call Lou... I think the others have given good suggestions.. Have you considered an altima? The 5 speed altimas with the 2.8 are probably pretty zippy...

If it were me personally id get a piece of crap to drive to and from work (like a geo metro or something) that will get 30MPG no matter how you drive and keep the Q and fit it up to be really nice at your convenience.

[gniknave]

Lou just one word of advice. If you're thinking of the GTI, you'll like the 6 speed Auto with the RSD transmission & tiptronic better than the 6 speed m/t. I'd put money on it. Reliability is supposed to be the best ever on those as well. You might also look at the new Passat 3.6 with the RSD transmission and 4 motion (AWD).

[louiegz]

It will be interesting to see a comparison of the Toyota Yaris, Honda Fit, Nissan Versa and the Korean cars..... given the Versa has a much more powerfull engine than the other cars, and nice interior I don't see it loosing.

Car & Driver May Issue. The Fit came in first and the Versa in second. I agreewith C/D. I like the Fit much more than the Versa. I saw them both at the NYIAS and the Fit looked much better inside and out. Here's a link.

http://www.caranddriver.com/co....html

[louiegz]

Thats a tough call Lou... I think the others have given good suggestions.. Have you considered an altima? The 5 speed altimas with the 2.8 are probably pretty zippy...

If it were me personally id get a piece of crap to drive to and from work (like a geo metro or something) that will get 30MPG no matter how you drive and keep the Q and fit it up to be really nice at your convenience.

1.) Not a big fan of the Altima. Not only that, I already have a 4 door sedan in the 330i. I need a multi purpose car

2.) It's not the fact that I need a beater to get to & from work in to save some gas. I just don't enjoy the Q enough to put money into it any more. Especally if I have to pay someone else to do the repairs. Let's face it. It's not like I'll be putting into a 65 Mustang or something. One more thing, if I had the beater for work, I'd never drive the Q. I drive the Bimmer on the weekends.

You should see what my wife wants me to do. She want me to have the Bimmer and she wants a Crossfire. She goes for the car that looks cool.

[BlackBirdVQ]

I always find that C&D is Honda-PRO. I mean who would pick a RL for their 10 best list ? Sometimes I just find it irritating that I can pick up a magazine, see the comparison with a Honda in it and already know the outcome without even flipping to the final page.....

Anyways- Maxima is a great car, I have one myself that I have invested thousands of dollars into - on modifications. I bought the car new - stripped down version - GXE 5spd with steel 15" wheels, 4 speaker TAPE only sound system, no power seats or sunroof. Just PW, PL, PM, keyless alarm, ABS and dual front airbags- brand new with tax out the door was 20158. I have put 155K miles on my car, aside from the rash of bad MAFs that Nissan used for the 1st few years, the car has been PERFECT. It doesnt leak a drop of oil, transmission shifts great and precisse, and it will sing to redline all day long.

I have invested in quite a bit of power adding mods amongst other things, and not only have I added around 45WHEEL HP to it, it also increased my MPG by far. I have seen 521 miles on 16 gallons on fuel in my Maxima, driving with fuel economy in mind the whole road trip I took. I can match MPGs of new 4 cylinder economy boxes on the highway, and have tons of room inside.

Today I ran out of propane for my grill, and needed to go to HomeDepot for a exchange, I took my Q and I had to move my seats almost all the way to the front in order to put the tanks in the rear - between the seats. Then I moved the seats back to keep em from moving around. I was uncomfortable with the seating position as I sat too close to the steering wheel.

My Maxima on the other hand, I can stuff the tanks in the same postion without even touching my seats. It has ALOT more room inside than the Q. With the seats at their MAX range towards the front I can stretch my legs out in the back of the car !

I love my Q and the Max, but the Max is still my preffered choice of automobile if I wanna have some fun... its 1200lbs lighter and packs the same HP as the Q. I just wish it was RWD... but then again I would probably not be here, and not even own a Q.

[ceningolmo]

A G35x would also make a nice all-season vehicle, with the drive of your 3-series and the reliability of the VQ35.

I agree with this...the G35x would be a handy car for day to day driving. I had a loaner for about a week at one point (I did a write up somewhere). And, in the snow, you couldn't shake that thing loose...it was absolutely rock solid.