So here's the deal. I have a compulsion to keep my vehicles as nice and clean as possible. In the case of the NSX, that means not using it much and only parking it in careful locations. Because of that I've put 17K miles on it in 4 years and it doesn't have the first scratch inside and out. I kept my Porsche in the same condition for 40K miles, but I kept that 12 years.
There seems to be an excuse why I can't take the NSX. Where I want to park is a bad location; I need to haul computer parts, or other things that won't fit in the trunk; It may rain; I need to take more than one other person;
That's why selling it to someone who will use it and me getting a more practical but fun car is a good option.
So, as you may know when I had a serious buyer, (I ultimately made the deal go bad) I quickly went out and test drove some new cars as possible replacements. I think for a practical car I’m looking for a bit of luxury, gadgets (I'm a gadget freak), navigation, some nice wood trim, GREAT stereo, 4 person capacity, good looks, and still fun to drive.
1. Acura RL. The looks appeal to me. I like the adaptive headlights and the technology package. Not wild about the wood treatment of the dash and doors or the placement of the NAVI display, which reflects off the windshield at night. It's loaded with cool technology and of course has excellent build quality. The salesman was anxious for me to drive this 290 HP baby (re-rated from 300). I drove it on a 10 mile circuit of freeway and back roads.
Impressions: It's quiet, smooth and numb. Not a slug, but not the kind of power that gets the heart pumping. When we got back, the sales guy asked how I liked it. I finally told him that I think I need to age another 20 years before I can really appreciate this car. ( my sincere apologies to anyone who has one. It really is a nice car.. and allot for the money, but just not for me.)
He asked if I wanted to try a TL. said a little more sporty. I knew the TL was nice and took it out. Liked it much better than the RL. It felt considerably faster and more nimble. Steering had more road feel, not numb. Some torque steer when on the power, but not bad. So, I’m thinking that this could be a livable, practical car, and there are things I liked about it. I think Honda makes the best NAVI system, I like the cool blue lighted gauges and the seats are nice. It’s a shame they use plastic wood. I think its much better if plastic looks like plastic, carbon fiber looks like carbon fiber and wood looks like wood. The plastic wood really does have a fake appearance, but I could live with it.
Next I went to the Audi dealer down the street to look at an S4. The only one he had was a used 04 with tiptronic transmission. We took it for a spin and I just grinned the whole time. It was fun! Great steering and break feel. Power to make me smile and engine ‘noise’ to back it up. I forgot about the Acura’s and thought I needed an S4 to replace the NSX. But that’s not a perfect solution either. The S4 is fun, but on the outside it’s an A4. Nothing really special to look at. Not ugly, but not sexy either. The NSX gets stares everywhere. No one will look at the Audi.. not that I need that, but it’s a fact. The air of exoticness is not there. The Audi will also be a depreciation pig, especially the way I’d want it, with the tip auto trans and as an Avant wagon. (I have an older Avant A6 and I would not keep two Audi’s. The sedan has better resale value, but I use the wagon all the time to put things in the back. My 97 A6 was about 38K new and even in GREAT shape with 122K on the clock is worth about 3-4K. Audi’s depreciate to almost nothing. IMHO But.. I really liked driving it. The interior is nice. Real wood, killer stereo. Navi, and can be ordered with all the bells and whistles.
To throw another problem on the fire… I still love the NSX. I love looking at it, I love feeling it, I love hearing it, and I love driving it. So, what to do, what to do…
1. I can sell it to a good appreciative home… or anyone with the money for that matter and get an S4.
2. Sell it and get another car… if you think the Audi is a bad choice.
3. Keep it and don’t drive it much so that it retains maximum value.
4. Keep it and drive it almost every day. Put miles on it and enjoy it. Also watch it depreciate rapidly and agonize over each stone chip.
Be in good spirit, I’ve tried to make this post fun.. and it should be. Pleasure cars are just that; all about fun and enjoyment. But I do agonize over this stuff. I really don’t know what I’m going to do. Any one of the options seems to be the wrong thing.
Hope you had fun reading. Perhaps I touched a nerve in some of you. Pray for me (unless you saw the DeVincie Code and are a believer).
Best regards, as always
MikeC
There seems to be an excuse why I can't take the NSX. Where I want to park is a bad location; I need to haul computer parts, or other things that won't fit in the trunk; It may rain; I need to take more than one other person;
That's why selling it to someone who will use it and me getting a more practical but fun car is a good option.
So, as you may know when I had a serious buyer, (I ultimately made the deal go bad) I quickly went out and test drove some new cars as possible replacements. I think for a practical car I’m looking for a bit of luxury, gadgets (I'm a gadget freak), navigation, some nice wood trim, GREAT stereo, 4 person capacity, good looks, and still fun to drive.
1. Acura RL. The looks appeal to me. I like the adaptive headlights and the technology package. Not wild about the wood treatment of the dash and doors or the placement of the NAVI display, which reflects off the windshield at night. It's loaded with cool technology and of course has excellent build quality. The salesman was anxious for me to drive this 290 HP baby (re-rated from 300). I drove it on a 10 mile circuit of freeway and back roads.
Impressions: It's quiet, smooth and numb. Not a slug, but not the kind of power that gets the heart pumping. When we got back, the sales guy asked how I liked it. I finally told him that I think I need to age another 20 years before I can really appreciate this car. ( my sincere apologies to anyone who has one. It really is a nice car.. and allot for the money, but just not for me.)
He asked if I wanted to try a TL. said a little more sporty. I knew the TL was nice and took it out. Liked it much better than the RL. It felt considerably faster and more nimble. Steering had more road feel, not numb. Some torque steer when on the power, but not bad. So, I’m thinking that this could be a livable, practical car, and there are things I liked about it. I think Honda makes the best NAVI system, I like the cool blue lighted gauges and the seats are nice. It’s a shame they use plastic wood. I think its much better if plastic looks like plastic, carbon fiber looks like carbon fiber and wood looks like wood. The plastic wood really does have a fake appearance, but I could live with it.
Next I went to the Audi dealer down the street to look at an S4. The only one he had was a used 04 with tiptronic transmission. We took it for a spin and I just grinned the whole time. It was fun! Great steering and break feel. Power to make me smile and engine ‘noise’ to back it up. I forgot about the Acura’s and thought I needed an S4 to replace the NSX. But that’s not a perfect solution either. The S4 is fun, but on the outside it’s an A4. Nothing really special to look at. Not ugly, but not sexy either. The NSX gets stares everywhere. No one will look at the Audi.. not that I need that, but it’s a fact. The air of exoticness is not there. The Audi will also be a depreciation pig, especially the way I’d want it, with the tip auto trans and as an Avant wagon. (I have an older Avant A6 and I would not keep two Audi’s. The sedan has better resale value, but I use the wagon all the time to put things in the back. My 97 A6 was about 38K new and even in GREAT shape with 122K on the clock is worth about 3-4K. Audi’s depreciate to almost nothing. IMHO But.. I really liked driving it. The interior is nice. Real wood, killer stereo. Navi, and can be ordered with all the bells and whistles.
To throw another problem on the fire… I still love the NSX. I love looking at it, I love feeling it, I love hearing it, and I love driving it. So, what to do, what to do…
1. I can sell it to a good appreciative home… or anyone with the money for that matter and get an S4.
2. Sell it and get another car… if you think the Audi is a bad choice.
3. Keep it and don’t drive it much so that it retains maximum value.
4. Keep it and drive it almost every day. Put miles on it and enjoy it. Also watch it depreciate rapidly and agonize over each stone chip.
Be in good spirit, I’ve tried to make this post fun.. and it should be. Pleasure cars are just that; all about fun and enjoyment. But I do agonize over this stuff. I really don’t know what I’m going to do. Any one of the options seems to be the wrong thing.
Hope you had fun reading. Perhaps I touched a nerve in some of you. Pray for me (unless you saw the DeVincie Code and are a believer).
Best regards, as always
MikeC
