Which car would you choose to buy; Mercedes SLC or Mustang GT? Why?
A better question to ask is water the pros and cons of getting a Mercedes SLC over a Mustang GT or vice versa. I personally wouldn't recommend either. One is an American muscle car, the other is a German luxury sports car. I would rather spend my money on an Audi for a rental car that I like for a day and put my money towards something more productive. If I can't convince you, you should drive both cars and go with the one that makes you the happiest and get a good warranty I can't stress that enough. If that's not enough, people that buy both those cars want to make a particular type of impression on someone. As far as a Mustang goes, all I can say is from people I talk to, it's a fun getaway escape type car. Mercedes cars, sports version or not, are known for their flashiness and luxury elements. A COMMON opinion I have for both cars with millions of others is:Mercedes- That's a rich person or pretend rich person that wants to show off but may pretend to be casual about it. To the people that know me and have a Mercedes themselves I apologize but deep down inside it's semi-true. Audis have a little of that element I will admit being a previous owner.Ford Mustang cars- Non-Luxury sports car with a loud powerful engine but surounded by the reputation that American cars are more problematic to maintain. My first vehicle was a Ford Explorer. The last year I had it it broke down on me every month. I said never again to myself well I buy an American car like Ford, GM, or Chrysler. Tesla then showed up recently to raise the bar.
What is your most favorite brand as far as cars are concerned?
My favorite brand, overall, would have to be Toyota.I’ve owned many Toyotas over the years - my 1st being the beautiful - and (then) very edgy 1986 Celica - when I was 19.It was a positively gorgeous machine - with a stunning Coke-bottle shape and a wraparound rear window (that was later copied by the Ford Probe - albeit not as successfully) and looked exactly like this - minus the alloys & rear spoiler:I loved that car. And it still looks good today!But I digress.My friends & I called this car Chitty Chitty Bang Bang because it literally repaired itself!I had many adventures in that car and it provided years of reliable service.But more than that…Toyota doesn’t reinvent the wheel with each new model year. They utilize proven components & mechanicals that they know are tried & true.I’ve also been told (by more than 1 credible source) that Toyota sheet metal is actually thicker than that on other marques (at least at one time).They also tend to over-build their products.My 2003 Highlander was often parked on a gravel driveway so undercarriage rust became an issue in later years.One day I heard a loud knocking sound from beneath the car. I pulled off (!) what appeared to be a meticulously-crafted, bell-shaped device that was quite heavy.It looked pretty businesslike so I asked my mechanic who told me it was a counterweight whose purpose was to eliminate vibration in the exhaust system.Who pays this kind of mindful attention to details?!?Toyota. That’s who.Though, to be candid, I think today’s Toyotas are butt-ugly & there’s not one in which I’m even remotely interested.And, if you’ve read the December, 2017 issue of Motor Trend (who many – including me – regard is the uncontested automotive authority), you already know that the new-for-2018 Accord runs circles around the new-for-2018 Camry.First time in 35 years.I also love Mazdas - though I’ve only owned 1 (a used 1993 626 SE with a V6) so my personal experience is limited.But Mazda’s one of - if not the only - mainstream automaker who engineers, designs and builds affordable cars for those of us who are still passionate about driving. Even their damn van was available with a manual trans!And they’re gorgeous. I mean…can you name another affordable mainstream sedan that looks like this?…neither can I.
What's the difference between a Ford Mustang GT and Shelby Cobra? Why do they come with two logos?
This is a Shelby cobra:Carroll Shelby owned and operated a company called Shelby American. To make the Shelby Cobra, they put a ford v8 in a variant of the British AC Ace.Shelby American also built variants of Mustangs, although most do not have the "Cobra" name. These mustangs were called the Shelby Gt-350 or Gt-500. They had the cobra logo on them to represent that they had a tie to the Shelby American brand. From 1965–1966, Shelby American was shipped new Ford Mustangs, and they modified them to turn them into Shelby Gt-350's. Production and financial problems caused Ford to take over production of the Shelby Gt-350 in 1967. Between 1965 and 1970, there were many variations of engine modifications that were outfitted on the Shelby cars. Some higher output models were called the Shelby Gt-500. In 1967, a 428 cubic inch engine called the "cobra jet" was used and the cars were sold as Cobra Gt-500KR's. These early Shelby Mustangs were high power output versions of regular Mustangs.In 2005, Ford revived the Shelby nameplate for the mustang. Many of the Shelby Mustangs from 2005–2015 are high power output Mustang Gt's. Since there are so many variations, I will only speak on the current Shelby Mustang.2016 introduced a new mustang. The 2016 Mustang Gt was outfitted with a 435 horsepower "coyote" V8. The 2016 Shelby Gt-350 was outfitted with a 526 horsepower "voodoo" V8. The voodoo engine revs higher and is more sport oriented. The Gt-350 also comes with different aero, brakes, dampers, transmission, seats and weight reduction. This all improves its performance as a sports car over the Mustang Gt.The reason the Mustang Gt and the Shelby Gt-350 have different logos, even though they share 90%+ of the same parts comes down to money. Ford is not in business to make the best cars in the world. Ford is in business to make money. Ford can sell everybody who doesn't know/care about sports cars the cheaper variants of the Mustang and move a lot of units. Ford can also make a wider profit margin on some cars by outfitting units with performance upgrades and charging a premium. To maximize the premium they charge, they can put a Shelby logo on it. Because of the history and heritage the Shelby nameplate has, people will spend more money.
How reliable are Porsche 911s? I am helping a friend purchase a used 911. Does anyone have any sage advice on which generation(s) to consider? What sort of issues should we bear in mind? Assume a budget of 25-40K.
I’m totally shocked that nobody has brought up the dreaded IMS (Intermediate Shaft) bearing failures that have plagued the Porsche M96 and M97 motors. The failures are startlingly common for something that can totally sink such an expensive and complicated engine.These failures are widely discussed on the internet, and a class action suit was brought against Porsche awhile back.Worse case failures can result in the destruction of the engine core, meaning a huge repair bill (~$25,000.00 USD, or more).Replacing the bearing as a “wear item” every 50K miles is commonly accepted as the only way to prevent total failure. That can run you $2,500 USD, or more.The motors affected went into not only late-model 911s, but all of the Porsches listed below:All 996 models (not including: GT and Turbo models)997 3.6ltr with M96/05 up to engine number 6950745All 986 Boxster models.987 Cayman & Boxster models, up to engine number 61504715There are other modes of failure of these engines as well, including mysterious cylinder scoring (causing massive oil consumption), as well as rod bearing failure. These issues usually occur in Cylinder #6 because of oiling and cooling inadequacies in the design.An aside. The Cayman is not a 911, but it’s very architecturally similar. I have a 2006 (987.1) Porsche Cayman with an M97 motor. Rod Bearing #6 let go at 55K miles. Repair bill ended up being over $30,000.00 USD (the cost was so high because I had the engine built up to be more durable to prevent these kinds of things in the future).NOTHING is cheap on these cars. They are complicated machines, and parts come from Germany. I once paid $1,200.00 to replace an electric air pump that helps bring the catalytic converters up to temp. Brakes and other wear items are insanely expensive compared to other “fun” cars, like a Miata, or maybe even a Corvette.That said, they are fun to drive, and they have a certain “brand caché”. But, in the price range your friend is looking…I would think of owning a 911 (in terms of cost and “care-and-feeding”) more like owning a boat or a small aircraft, rather than just a fun weekend car.
Should Tesla be worried Audi built an electric concept car which will travel 0-60 in 2 seconds?
The concept car is worrisome, but it is the production e-tron that Tesla should be worried about.As a former Model X owner with an order for a first edition e-tron, let me explain.The $50,000 premium for a performance Model X or S is a gimmick. Yes, it's great to be the fastest car from the stoplight, but it is so fast that it is not practical. You get tunnel vision because your brain can only process what is front of you. This is only practical for short bursts of speed before it is dangerous. And it kills your electric range, much like burning a few gallons of gas racing away when the light turns green.The Model X is a wonderful suv. It is quiet, fast, and innovative. However, it is as wide as an F-150, the falcon wing doors are silly, the interior is spartan, there are a few rookie mistakes, and the build gaps are enormous, so the quality control is consistent with a new automaker.The Model 3 is outselling all other luxury sport sedans. Everyone wants an affordable Tesla. But what if they had started with the Model Y, a midsize SUV, which is what everyone really wants?The Model Y will debut after electric SUVs from Audi, Mercedes, Volvo, BMW, and even Hyundai and Kia. Huh? It will not be unique when it hits production.When our lease was up on the Model X, the customer loyalty efforts by Tesla consisted of an email asking me what I wanted to do next. That's it. I'd probably be in another X if the'd bothered to show me the improvements and ask for my business. I guess they're not too worried about Audi!Then the lease return was painful as they try and earn a bunch of more money through nickel and dime issues and undisclosed fees. Weak.So, I'm looking forward to the e-tron. Better size, better fit and finish, super nice interior, a vast dealer network, and no falcon wing doors!
What is the best used car under $10,000?
As of 2018, the best used car overall you can get for under $10K is 2001–2003 Lexus LS430. You can easily find one with < 100Kmiles within your budget.Those cars are almost indestructible, with supreme comfort, nice power and unsurpassed reliability. You can try to get slightly restyled 2004–2006 LS430s with slightly nicer styling and upgraded 6-speed automatic transmissions, but it will take more time to find one with less than 100Kmi under $10K.The other choice will be more surprising to many people, as it is 2003–2006 Mercedes-Benz W220 S-Class sedans and CL-Class coupes. They look almost the same as 2000–2002 but they have been revised to address many reliability issues. Keep in mind that these cars cost more than $80K new so they have depreciated a lot.You can readily find one under $10K, with 80Kmiles or less. They have bulletproof M113 engines which are very reliable. There are some issues you have to look for, such as smaller oil leaks and air suspension problems that can be costly to repair. Also take a look at engine mounts, as big MB V8s like to eat those. They are about $500–1k to replace.Upon checking those and with little luck, you can end up riding around in great style and comfort for less than $10K, shaming many much more expensive newer cars.Should you be looking for an SUV, a great choice is 2002–2005 Mercedes-Benz W163 ML500 with the same M113 V8 engine as the S-Class. They are just slightly detuned for ML500. They are well known for durability as people drive them for hundreds of thousands of miles, including many Mercedes mechanics who like to drive them themselves.It is harder to find one with under 100Kmiles, but it will be well under $10K. Check for smaller oil leaks, also including 4Matic all-wheel drive components. Inspect power steering as that can be troublesome and expensive to repair. Look for detailed maintenance records and regular oil changes.They are built like tanks, with unusual body-on-frame design with fully independent suspensions. Go and find one, and you will end up with a great Mercedes-Benz SUV on the cheap.Good luck and have fun!