So, my co-workers wanted to give the Nissan Armada a once over...

[DonDavis]

hrumph!! I huff a bit, but go along.. I need a good laugh anyway.

We looked at 5 vehicles...
2 Armadas, 4x4 42k, 4x2 37k
Quest van, 35k
3fitty Z Roadster, 34k
Maxima, 30-Something k

My numbers could be off a tad, but bear with me.

What the heck is up with the prices all being in the 35k range??? Regardless of size or intent, all vehicles were in that range. Weird. 2 buddies were all googly-eyed over the Armada. All 5.6L/DVD/PwrSeat of it. Nice, I s'pose. If yer into that kind of thing. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

I sat in the Z and imagined Leland driving along, hitting a bump, hearing a rattle....squeezing the wheel at his missing SC.
Then I got out and closed the door..... it went "ting".

I would gladly spend 30-35k for a used higher-end car,like Porsche or MB or something, before I would give them the same $$ for those "Marvels-of-Marketing".

I left thinking about how much depreciation new cars have and how people line up to throw money at them anyway.

[turbo6bar]

You're just wierd. You don't think like everyone else. Let me illustrate. The Nissan-fanatic equivalent to DonDavis is a guy who lusts over transplanting a 300Z turbo engine into a 72 Datsun pickup (only year to have under-bed-rail tiedowns).

Have you seen a doctor yet?

[exc911ence]

I like the 350Z but for the same money, I like a two-year old Boxster S more...

[BlueSkyJaunte]

For the same money I like an RS replica.

[vash]

what is with the new trend toward putting those GPS map things into everycar? of all the modern luxuries, the only one i really like is heated seats. i dont mind winding up my windows, cranking the seat adjust knob, etc. new cars are so friggen extravagent, and yes they are all in the 35k range. they got us, because the cheap cars are like ford focus, ....oh well, i may get a new tundra, but my money is going into a 911SC...soon.

[MrPants]

Originally posted by unfixed
what is with the new trend toward putting those GPS map things into everycar? of all the modern luxuries, the only one i really like is heated seats. i dont mind winding up my windows, cranking the seat adjust knob, etc. new cars are so friggen extravagent, and yes they are all in the 35k range. they got us, because the cheap cars are like ford focus, ....oh well, i may get a new tundra, but my money is going into a 911SC...soon.

i think its a marketing scam to make cars more disposable. how long are those wing dings and gimmicks going to last? 5, 10 years? i already have enough trouble in my Porsche with DME, MAF, O2, TPS, Temp sensors etc. i cant imagine what it would be like if i had heated seats/navigation/adjustable mirrors/glass rigidity sensors or whatever else in a nissan.
buying 10 year old cars is going to be a thing of the past.

[911pcars]

MrPants,
I've mentioned this same prediction before. Manufacturers do not sell cars for eventual use as "pre-owned" cars. The warranty only lasts a few years; okay, some Korean folks advertise theirs for 10, but we know better. But iit's only a marketing scheme because they realize most people will buy a new one in 7. Most current vehicles have at least 5 ECUs and numerous more microprocessor boxes sprinkled throughout the electrical system, all waiting to stop communicating after x miles/hours of use. Sure, plain ole' ordinary switches wear out too, but guess how many of those electronic boxes will be available in 2013? Dealers have dedicated scan tools to diagnose electrical malfunctions. What are you going to use? What will be available to diagnose todays car 10 years from now? What? Can't switch the wipers ON any more? Buy a new one ..... car that is.

America. It's a consume-based econonmy. Hold onto your 911. It'll still work 20 years from now (as long as we can feed it fuel as we know it today).

Sherwood