nss recently lost his job due to coronavirus, but landed on his feet and is putting on the miles. Now he needs something a little flashier - but still practical - to avoid being the odd man out at his field meetings with all the other sales people. What car should he buy?
Here is the scenario:
Hi Oppo, long time reader here.
I recently was forced to switch career paths by coronavirus, but had toyed around with a change of scenery for a few years anyways. My new job is selling construction rebuilding services to owners filing insurance claims. It’s pretty typical for me to put on a couple hundred miles on days where I’m in the field checking in on projects or estimating a loss. I have an older G35x, and a RX-8.
I love driving the RX-8 but between 2500 mile oil changes, yearly spark plug changes, terrible economy (on premium, no less), and a pretty harsh ride, I’m finding I prefer to take the G35x when my fiancee isn’t using it now that I’m really “daily driving” instead of taking the subway. Since the Infiniti takes regular, it’s far less than half of the cost to run. And given that I’m piling on miles now, I think the Mazda’s time is running to an end.
I’d want to replace it with something that’s way less expensive to run (I’m saying a G35x is “cheap” by comparison). Regular gas is definitely preferred. The other sales guys at these meetings are usually in late-model luxury brands on lease and I’d rather not stand out too much. Leather and factory bluetooth are musts, as I’m usually on the phone when I’m on the road. I don’t need AWD so it seems like a waste of performance and gas. Reliability is important, and preferably not domestic. I’m planning on getting a weekend car in the next few months, so I don’t need something fast, but I don’t want something soul-suckingly slow or unable to corner (the G35x is actually right in the sweet spot for performance). A quiet, comfortable ride is preferred to something aggressive. No preference for auto or manual since the future weekend car will be stick.
I’m comfortable with around $15k including any maintenance I have to do upon purchase... what car should I buy?
Quick Facts:
Budget: “Around $15,000"
Daily Driver: Yes
Location: NYC Tristate area
Wants: Quiet, well-built luxury car, good mileage, regular gas preferred. Bluetooth.
Doesn’t want: Something notably slow, prefers not American.
Thanks oppos!