The continued search for my new daily.

"SmugAardvark" (SmugAardvark) 02/14/2020 at 01:53 • Filed to: Car Shopping, What car should I buy?

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As you may (or very well may not) recall, I’ve been on the hunt for a new daily driver. In case you want to get caught up, here’s the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! for where my search began in earnest almost two weeks ago.

Of the cars I listed there, I managed to test drive several of them. Here are my impressions...

2018 Jaguar XE Premium: This was the first car I drove. It felt nice. Pleasant in almost every regard. However, the interior didn’t do much for me. It was this washed-out, almost grey-like beige. The seats were supportive, but a little stiff. I loved the red paint on the exterior though. I could see myself driving one every day, but you’ll have to keep reading below for the cars I test drove that weren’t on my initial list to see why I didn’t go this route.

2017 Subaru WRX: This car was actually in the process of being sold as I drove up. I got to take a look at it, but sadly didn’t get behind the wheel. The same dealer had an ‘18 model in the Lapis Blue exterior though, so I drove that one. Drove nicely. The interior was, as expected, not quite up to par with the other cars I drove. But again, this was not a surprise. But, the car I drove clearly had a history of modifications that ultimately steered me well away. It had the S209 CF wing, red Rally Armor mudflaps, and a giant Cobb Tuning sticker on the dashboard. The salesman assured me mostly everything was put back to stock. I took that as my cue to leave. I’ll probably test drive another stock example to see how I feel, as I couldn’t see myself driving something with a huge aftermarket wing on the back.

2016 BMW 328ix Wagon: Again, a nice driving experience. But ultimately not an incredibly fun one. It’s a shame, because I really want to love this car. I love wagons, and there really aren’t many good ones out there these days. But this one was already near the tippy-top of what I wanted to spend. If I’m going all out for a new daily, I want it to inspire more than just, “Hm, this is fine.”

2016 Mercedes CLA 250: I felt too cramped, but I loved the Cocoa Brown Metallic paint. The car was smooth on the road, with what seemed like a decent suspension, although the steering felt a little vague. But something about the layout left me feeling a little claustrophobic, which weirdly not even the C5 does at all.

2018 Mazda 6: This is a car that left me feeling very similar to the BMW wagon. No complaints about the drive or the build quality. It just didn’t excite me at all. I could definitely see myself getting bored of it after a year or two, which isn’t what I’m looking for these days.

Now, about the other cars...

Never made it out to see the G80, although if another good deal pops up locally, I do want to check it out. The Q50, TLX, and 3-series sedans all got written off due to feedback form here and from friends, or just a general feeling of disinterest on my part. The XF-S I liked was sold. Haven’t found another one at that price point around here yet.

Miscellaneous other test drives.

BMW 535i: Really liked it. But I knew this already, as I’ve driven my F-i-L’s 535 with the M package a few times. It’s silly, but I feel like if I’m going to go this route, I’ll blame myself for not getting the 550. And then if I do get the 550, I’ll spend all day lamenting about fuel consumption.

Mazda 3: Pretty much the same feeling as the 6, only smaller.

Kia K900: I know I’ve kicked this idea around a few times. Gotta say, I really enjoyed it. The V8 has plenty of oomph, and it’s smooth as silk on the road. The two big issues for me are fuel mileage and size. It’s a big beast, no doubt about that. Probably way more space than I need.

Jeep Gladiator: Another one I talked about awhile ago. This was a new one, and I gotta say, no way I could justify the price they want for these.

One I hadn’t specifically planned, but drove anyway and now want.

There was a car that stood out above all others. It combined an aesthetic appeal to me, along with great driving dynamics, a cozy and supportive interior, and enough power to keep a smile on my face. At the Jaguar dealer that had the ‘18 XE, they also had a ‘17 XE R-Sport. It honestly felt like a different car than the base. The supercharged V6 is a wonderful motor. The seats cradle you in a way that the base model definitely did not. This one was a white pearl with black leather, and nearly every option except for AWD.

And here’s the kicker, it was only $2,500 more than the base model (albeit, with 12,000 more miles). Having driven the R-Sport, there’s definitely no going back to base.

So here’s where I’m at. I’m going to test drive a few other cars, just to get the best possible feeling from everything out there. And if nothing else blows my skirt up, I’m going to start looking for one with British Racing Green and black/tan leather. I figure it’ll turn up at some point. There’s already two within 2 hour drive, albeit at a dealer that looks a tiny bit sketchy.

Basically, this:

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > SmugAardvark 02/14/2020 at 02:17

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Hmm, I have to say: having a car that’s a) exciting enough to keep 100,000 miles, and b) relatively trouble free, are two concepts that don’t often go hand in hand. Have you considered a Chevy SS?

SmugAardvark > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 02/14/2020 at 02:23

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I have indeed considered the SS. Much like the K900 and the BMW 550, the fuel consumption leaves a little to be desired.

But with that said, if the right deal came along on one with a 6MT, I could continue to live in ignorance of California’s gasoline prices for a bit longer.

SmugAardvark > SmugAardvark 02/14/2020 at 02:28

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Forgot to add, these are the cars I’m looking to test out (again or for the first time) in the upcoming days/weeks:

Buick Regal TourX . Going to try and get in on those insane dealer rebates.

Chevy SS . Never, ever see them around here. But like I told Dr. Zoidberg a minute ago...if the right deal came along on one, I could continue to live in ignorance of California’s gasoline prices for a bit longer.

Audi S3 . I’m going to force myself to get over my phobia of VAG products, someday. If not with this, then...

VW Golf R . ...With this. Both of these are really everything I love about the Impreza, but with some added refinement that Subaru is lacking.

Jaguar XF R-Sport . Interested to see if the slightly larger sibling to the XE-R holds the same driving enjoyment for me.

Jaguar XJ . Yeah, probably too big for my needs. But they’re so damn pretty!

Subaru WRX STI . They aren’t that much more than a regular WRX...

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > SmugAardvark 02/14/2020 at 02:32

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Have you entertained the idea of a GTI, or maybe an S4? I can see what you mean about being worried that the Mazda6 and 328i won't hold your interest, but I'm a little worried that the Jag will not offer 6-figures worth of trouble free miles...

M.T. Blake > SmugAardvark 02/14/2020 at 02:48

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That Jag is b-e-a-utiful. 

SmugAardvark > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 02/14/2020 at 02:54

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I’ve had an aversion to VAG products for the last few years. I had a Passat that just broke constantly, and Mrs. Aardvark’s recently-deceased Jetta (40k miles, ahead of schedule maintenance, still the engine grenaded itself with nary a care in the world, all because of a “ sort of faulty” PCV ).

But it might be time to get over my fears. If so, I’m definitely interested in both the Golf R and the S3. The S4 seems a little beyond what I’d like to spend, at least locally that is.

And sure, reliability definitely needs to be considered. I’m hoping the fact that Jaguar is using that V6 in some form across their entire lineup (save for electric vehicles), that parts costs will remain within the realm of reason. If not, I mean, more reason to drive the C5 everyday, right?

SmugAardvark > M.T. Blake 02/14/2020 at 03:03

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Agreed. It’s a great looking car to begin with, but that paint and those optioned wheels...

avalonian > SmugAardvark 02/14/2020 at 04:07

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I used to be an encore specialist at Jaguar and Range rover. If you have questions, I know these cars like the back of my hand. And they have hidden tech you don't know about

Sovande > SmugAardvark 02/14/2020 at 07:25

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Jaguar XF Sportbrake

Volvo V60

Volvo S60

Volvo S90

Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo > SmugAardvark 02/14/2020 at 07:54

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That Jag is awesome. I do feel obligated to suggest you look at a Volvo S60/90. Lightly used I feel like you could fetch a deal on one as Volvos, like most luxury or near luxury cars, depreciate quickly. I think anyway, I’ve honestly never looked.

Arrivederci > SmugAardvark 02/14/2020 at 08:14

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Before I bought my S3, I also considered the WRX STI.  While the STI was more fun to drive, the S3 felt just as quick and was a MUCH nicer place to be while also not screaming “look at me!” going down the road.

MiniGTI - now with XJ6 > SmugAardvark 02/14/2020 at 08:21

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One of us! One of us!

DAWRX - The Herb Strikes Back > SmugAardvark 02/14/2020 at 09:45

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A WRX is one of those cars that’s almost worth buying new over used because used ones don’t depreciate all that much and tend to have a dubious service/mod history.

Bman76 (hates WS6 hoods, is on his phone and has 4 burners now) > SmugAardvark 02/14/2020 at 10:01

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KIA Stinger GT?

I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker > SmugAardvark 02/14/2020 at 10:21

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Have you considered...

The Avalon? They’re super comfortable, economical, and way faster than they have any right to be.

Plus, you can get them with a reclining rear  seat. I mean, come on. That’s cool.

SmugAardvark > I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker 02/14/2020 at 18:08

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I have not. I did briefly consider the new Camry TRD. But the reality is that I just don’t care much for new Toyotas, as far as appearance goes. They aren’t offensive to my eyes, but they also aren’t beautiful.

Just falls onto one of those personal preference things.

SmugAardvark > Bman76 (hates WS6 hoods, is on his phone and has 4 burners now) 02/14/2020 at 18:12

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Shit. Yes, I left it off the list again, and it should be up there. Haven’t driven one yet, but I need to.

SmugAardvark > DAWRX - The Herb Strikes Back 02/14/2020 at 18:12

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Yeah, I’m seeing as much. Hard to argue with that logic.

SmugAardvark > Arrivederci 02/14/2020 at 18:16

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I think that’s where I’m at in my life. I want to have fun, but I also want to be comfy and I  don’t want everyone trying to rev on me at every stop light in town.

SmugAardvark > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo 02/14/2020 at 18:18

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Used S90 prices are jus t now starting to hit the $30k mark locally. I want to look closer at them, but they might fall into the same category as the K900/Equus as jus t a little bit more car than I need.

Now if I could somehow magically find a nice S60 Polestar...

SmugAardvark > avalonian 02/14/2020 at 18:19

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Great, thank you. I’ll remember to hit you up if I find one for my garage!