Analysis Paralysis

[alienviking]

Kia Stinger GT

[Jeff V.]

Hmm. Stinger. Solid choice.

[Chris GTO TT]

[quote=""aaronatstate""]So can we summarize what you want in a vehicle...

• Fun to daily drive
• Decently quick
• Good on gas
• Can be taken to the track
• 4x4/AWD
• Has the ability to tow
• Comfortable
• Room for stuff
• Decent options
• Not break the bank expensive
• Reliable

I just don’t think such a thing exists. You want to much from one vehicle. You either need to replace both if your bored with both, or replace both with one, and sacrifice a few wants/needs.

Sounds like you need to pick up a fun car to replace both and rent a truck when you need to tow something :d ontknow:[/quote]
Nah I don't expect a single car to do all of those things. I'm willing to give up certain things depending on the niche the car lands in. If I get the IS350 I really only want the RWD version since it got a much better transmission than the AWD one. If I get a truck though I want it to have 4x4 and the higher tow ratings.
[quote=""ChargerX3""]It can have more power on paper but a f150 with the 5.0 is just as quick in a straight line. I also think the gas mileage comparison is off. I got great mileage with my work truck. My current truck has the 6.2 in it and it’s all sorts of let downs.

I like your loaded fx4 more. Much better buy imo.[/quote]
I would certainly prefer a 5.0 FX4 over a Raptor as a regular truck. However saying the 5.0 FX4 is nearly as fast as the 6.2 Raptor is a bit like comparing apples to oranges. A better comparison would be to the 6.2 Platinum and Limited F150. From my research the 6.2 mops the floor with the 5.0 with 50 extra hp and 54 extra TQ. I'm not saying it's worth the extra expense but the 6.2 is no slouch.
[quote=""aaronatstate""]If not a Raptor, Chevy SS.[/quote]
Yes I like these but the good ones are out of my price range.
[quote=""alienviking""]Kia Stinger GT[/quote]

The Stinger GT is out of my price range. They start at 43k.

[Chris GTO TT]

Oh I'm also going to look at a couple of G37s and Q50's based on Steve's comments about the feel of Lexus to his G37. I'm still not sure I trust them, but they can't be much worse than a turbo Subaru...

[alienviking]

Sell Exploder and Miata. Buy Stinger. Be happy with fast and reliable (and spacious) car.

[Chris GTO TT]

Even if I sell both of them I still want to stay below $35k.

[vr4]

[quote=""Chris GTO TT""]Oh I'm also going to look at a couple of G37s and Q50's based on Steve's comments about the feel of Lexus to his G37. I'm still not sure I trust them, but they can't be much worse than a turbo Subaru...[/quote]

Be sure to look at 12+ models. They had an oil gasket problem that was fixed by then. Also the nav is much improved and they have Bluetooth streaming, not just phone calls as mine is.

[Chris GTO TT]

Oh, was going to go look at this one:

https://www.carmax.com/car/15670667

[ChargerX3]

Im not sure what year Raptor you are looking at buying, but a well priced one for the market would be say a 2012?


Raptor’s 6.2-liter 411-hp and 434 lb-ft V-8 =6.9 seconds 0-60 mph, and 15.4 seconds 1/4 Mile.

https://www.motortrend.com/cars/ford/f- ... irst-test/

Ford F150, 5.0L 360 Hp with 380 lb-ft = 15.5 sec @ 91.0 mph (with 11,875 lbs payload). Some further searching in 2011 put it at 15.3 sec without the payload.

https://www.motortrend.com/news/2012-tr ... ord-f-150/

Now i get that these are different trucks suited for different flavors and equipped differently, but knowing what you would want it for (commuting, occasional tow, limited offroad crazy) the F150 with the 5.0 or Ecoboost is a much better investment IMO. The 6.2 is an older motor that when put on the pavement doesnt perform any better than an engine 1.2L smaller than it. In fact you are just wasting those cubes and MPG for nothing really.

I was letting you know that I have had both the 5.0L and the 6.2 in work trucks and I feel the difference in daily commuting. I get terrible gas mileage and the engine response is numb. This weeks tank with mixed driving is around 11mpg.

[Chris GTO TT]

I'm not looking for a Raptor, You keep saying the 6.2 is old but it came out at the exact same time as the 5.0 Coyote. Again you are comparing a 6200lb truck with much taller wheels and tires to a 5600lb truck. If I were planning to max out towing I'd spend more effort and track down a 6.2 regular F150 Lariat/limited/platinum. But for what I plan on doing the 5.0 is a good choice for me and what I'd try to find should I go with a truck.

Also the tune on the 6.2 in the F150 is different from the one in the Super Duty trucks. It makes a lot more power and torque in the F150.

[ChargerX3]

[quote=""Chris GTO TT""]I'm not looking for a Raptor, You keep saying the 6.2 is old but it came out at the exact same time as the 5.0 Coyote. Again you are comparing a 6200lb truck with much taller wheels and tires to a 5600lb truck. If I were planning to max out towing I'd spend more effort and track down a 6.2 regular F150 Lariat/limited/platinum. But for what I plan on doing the 5.0 is a good choice for me and what I'd try to find should I go with a truck.

Also the tune on the 6.2 in the F150 is different from the one in the Super Duty trucks. It makes a lot more power and torque in the F150.[/quote]

Technically one year older, but its BOSS configuration has been around since 2006. I guess my point there is that the 6.2 never got the new tech that the 5.0 got in 2011 (DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder, Ti-VCT, etc.) making it less efficient.

Correct the tune is different. 26hp, or about 6.7% of total output. Its not a lot, but its also not negligible.

Either way you appear to be on the right path. Are you planning to test drive any of these cars/trucks soon?

[vr4]

5.0 came out in 2006?

If you're talking about the boss 5.0 block for the modular engines... They share almost nothing with the new 5.0

[ChargerX3]

[quote=""vr4""]5.0 came out in 2006?

If you're talking about the boss 5.0 block for the modular engines... They share almost nothing with the new 5.0[/quote]

No, the 6.2L. The Coyote 5.0L was 2011.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Boss_engine

[Chris GTO TT]

I'm so confused on where you're getting your Ford 6.2 info from. The 6.2 was introduced in 2010 as a whole new engine in the Raptor. The only thing I can find talking about it being older is the uncited Wikipedia entry claiming they first started developing a large displacement engine to replace the 5.4 and 6.8 V10 in 2005.

Technically the Coyote has more in common with the Modular engines than the 6.2 does so one could argue the 5.0 is old tech and the 6.2 is more modern. The 6.2 is also SOHC with variable valve timing.

The only things I have not driven on that list are the IS350 (I did drive an IS250), and the WRX.

[vr4]

Development was restarted. The 5.0 likely started around the same time as it takes a few years to get things done and production ready.

[Chris GTO TT]

Yep and even then they are both basically extremely updated versions of the Modular engines. The 5.0 basically is a punched out 4.6 and the 6.2 is a slightly scaled up 5.4.

[Jeff V.]

2007-2008 was when the financialpocalypse and the bailout mess happened. That likely put quite a few programs on hold. Ford didn't get a bailout, but that's only because they mortgaged everything including the rights to the Blue Oval.

[Chris GTO TT]

Based on some of the conversation in this thread I went and did some test driving this weekend... okay a lot of test driving.

Saturday
-2017 Infiniti Q50 3.0T: The whole thing was a disaster. I get there and get the new guy, has no idea where anything is. We found one of the CPO cars I was wanting to drive, he gets the keys so I can start it. The car is completely out of gas, 0 range left. We go to the private gas station in the auto mall and the card does not read. I get to drive the car for about a half mile back to the dealership. The salesman disappears for at least 5 min, so I bailed.

-2018 Lexus IS350/300 F-Sport: Test drove new cars since finding these used is a bit hard. I actually liked these quite a bit, the gauge cluster on these are really trick. It is similar to the LFA cluster. The biggest problem I had was the fact they always seek out top gear and are reluctant to downshift. I kind of actually preferred the lighter feeling of the 300 with the 2.0 Turbo 4.

-2015 Lexus GS350 F-Sport: The Lexus Dealer I was at had a CPO one so I convinced the salesman to let me drive it too. Overall I really preferred the transmission shift logic in the GS over the IS, which is funny because its the exact same engine and transmission in both the IS350 and GS350. There were a lot less toys in the GS and the center cluster display was rather boring. Drove and rode well though it is a bit big.

-2010 Infiniti G37X: Was a base trim without any real options. Obviously it was the oldest thing I drove but it just felt like it was missing something, and it just wasn’t too entertaining. However what you can get for the money it is kinda hard to beat. I’d probably be happier in a 13+ like Steve recommended in shout. Might have to try to track one down.

-2014 Q50S Hybrid: This was interesting and surprising. The lifetime MPG on the car with 52k was over 29mpg It was quicker than I expected. The steering was darty as hell though. It actually made the steering in the Miata feel slow. I think it had Infiniti’s crazy drive by wire system. In spite of it being quick and handling well it felt a little too numb for me. At $24k with 50k on it I was more tempted than I though I would have been.

Sunday
-2014 F150 XLT V8: This was a pretty basic F150 with hardly any options. Had way to low of an axle ratio and without the telescoping wheel I couldn’t get comfortable. Took the short test drive route. I definitely like how the 5.0 delivers powered compared to the 4.6 in my Explorer. Also its shocking how much better the transmission tuning is, especially when you consider the transmissions are nearly identical.

-2015 F150 XLT 3.5TT: This was a very well optioned XLT, had sync, 4x4, locking rear diff, trailer brake controller, power seats, up graded gauge cluster, etc. Really liked the way it drove, but it wouldn’t really fit in the garage (I took it on a longer solo test drive) and it’s still a pain to park a modern full size truck. 2 big things missing for me, no auto climate control and the V8. It was also pretty high mileage for a 3 year old truck it had 74k on it. It was priced right at 28k.

[Chris GTO TT]

Current craziness....

https://www.carmax.com/car/16244004

https://www.carmax.com/car/15790974

https://www.carmax.com/car/16244106

https://www.carmax.com/car/16244889

https://www.carmax.com/car/16212045

https://www.carmax.com/car/15314420

[aaronatstate]

I like the Fusion Sport, and the Colorado Diesel. I personally would get a Focus RS instead of a Golf R, if I were going to have something in that class.

I'm still going to say Chevy SS though