W221 S550 hunt
Posted: Sun May 02, 2021 7:08 am
Since I already have an STS thread I'll just put this here. EDIT: decided to move it.
I discussed some fleet options with Jamie yesterday evening while I was (re)-polishing the headlights on the E55. Here are some thoughts and options.
I cannot just sell the STS and then do nothing. That leaves me with no winter vehicle, and no general backup vehicle should the E55 or SRX be out of commission. Enter the first option. I COULD replace the truck with something more modern and 4WD. I could put like that notional $10k into it and I guess I could look at what the market would provide but it would theoretically provide me all the truck functions and it could also be my winter vehicle. Hell I could even get something with a plow I guess.
This option has several flaws:
- Jamie doesn't really want to drive a truck. I mean as a backup car that would be rare so maybe not a total deal breaker.
- I am not sure that $10k gets as much truck as it should. People want trucks and I'd have to bend over to find a good value that wasn't rusty. This breaks one of the rules of value car purchases: don't buy what everyone else is trying to buy.
- Frankly I don't want to daily drive a truck in the winter. And when you look at the Ram, what it is providing is transfer station runs and occasional truck stuff. I don't want to just sink $10k into it, especially if it's just going to experience wear and tear. I'm not into trucks. Seems like a waste.
So the other option should be obvious by now. Replace the STS with something similar. This is recently possible because I just got a 2 year sticker and maybe even tackled the P0430 which would increase the value. When I bought the E55, the idea was it would replace my Roadmaster and STS. But the V1 was in the picture. With that car gone, replacing the STS seems more reasonable.
Right now the most obvious choice for that notional $10k figure would be a G37X. The G37S seems to really be a step up but is RWD only and the G37XS seems like a waste as it really doesn't do any of the things the RWD S does. Since it's not really an enthusiast purchase maybe I just shrug and get the AWD since one of the functions is a winter car, and something that Jamie could drive with no caveats required.
I figure I can get like an 09-11 or so, and something around 100k maybe even less. That would make it my newest, lowest mileage vehicle if so.
But yeah here's how I feel the G37X stacks up against the STS:
- Handling is superior
- Faster (talking like 5 tenths and 5 mph in the 1/4, maybe even more)
- They are pretty reliable so probably an upgrade here, too
- Stereo should be decent if not as good as what the STS has
- As far as luxury stuff, I believe I can basically get all/most of what the STS has. I may even be able to find one with adaptive cruise.
For cons I think there's really only one thing. I think it is a little smaller than the STS in the interior department and I think I am really talking about the back seat. I mentioned this to Jamie and it doesn't seem like a big deal. I guess I'd have to check one out to see for myself. If it's really super cramped like a 3 series that might be an issue. As long as the front seat knee room is decent, then you can always move the front seats up temporarily to increase rear seat room if needed. Some cars have poor front knee room and this isn't really possible.
Anyway so the idea would be I guess I would sell my STS nowish, and then closer to winter really actively shop for a G37X. If I feel like prices for the X are inflated due to time of year I'll either buy earlier or just wait. The risk is, I get stuck driving my Ram if I can't find anything that I feel is reasonably priced. So there is some risk.
I guess the other option is I just get something at my leisure and simply sell my STS afterwards. Less risk to me but probably fetches less for my STS. In reality this may not matter as I figure the STS is probably worth $2500 (maybe $3000 with no CEL?). And so several hundred in either direction doesn't seem like it should drive the action plan here...especially when the risk is I could have no car by winter, or that I feel compelled to buy the wrong car or pay the wrong price because I put myself in this situation where "I need to buy something." That's a rule of smart car buying. Do not put yourself in that position. So even if I left a little cash on the table with the STS, I think the stress-free environment for finding a G37X would more than make up for it in terms of getting the right car at the right price.
I discussed some fleet options with Jamie yesterday evening while I was (re)-polishing the headlights on the E55. Here are some thoughts and options.
I cannot just sell the STS and then do nothing. That leaves me with no winter vehicle, and no general backup vehicle should the E55 or SRX be out of commission. Enter the first option. I COULD replace the truck with something more modern and 4WD. I could put like that notional $10k into it and I guess I could look at what the market would provide but it would theoretically provide me all the truck functions and it could also be my winter vehicle. Hell I could even get something with a plow I guess.
This option has several flaws:
- Jamie doesn't really want to drive a truck. I mean as a backup car that would be rare so maybe not a total deal breaker.
- I am not sure that $10k gets as much truck as it should. People want trucks and I'd have to bend over to find a good value that wasn't rusty. This breaks one of the rules of value car purchases: don't buy what everyone else is trying to buy.
- Frankly I don't want to daily drive a truck in the winter. And when you look at the Ram, what it is providing is transfer station runs and occasional truck stuff. I don't want to just sink $10k into it, especially if it's just going to experience wear and tear. I'm not into trucks. Seems like a waste.
So the other option should be obvious by now. Replace the STS with something similar. This is recently possible because I just got a 2 year sticker and maybe even tackled the P0430 which would increase the value. When I bought the E55, the idea was it would replace my Roadmaster and STS. But the V1 was in the picture. With that car gone, replacing the STS seems more reasonable.
Right now the most obvious choice for that notional $10k figure would be a G37X. The G37S seems to really be a step up but is RWD only and the G37XS seems like a waste as it really doesn't do any of the things the RWD S does. Since it's not really an enthusiast purchase maybe I just shrug and get the AWD since one of the functions is a winter car, and something that Jamie could drive with no caveats required.
I figure I can get like an 09-11 or so, and something around 100k maybe even less. That would make it my newest, lowest mileage vehicle if so.
But yeah here's how I feel the G37X stacks up against the STS:
- Handling is superior
- Faster (talking like 5 tenths and 5 mph in the 1/4, maybe even more)
- They are pretty reliable so probably an upgrade here, too
- Stereo should be decent if not as good as what the STS has
- As far as luxury stuff, I believe I can basically get all/most of what the STS has. I may even be able to find one with adaptive cruise.
For cons I think there's really only one thing. I think it is a little smaller than the STS in the interior department and I think I am really talking about the back seat. I mentioned this to Jamie and it doesn't seem like a big deal. I guess I'd have to check one out to see for myself. If it's really super cramped like a 3 series that might be an issue. As long as the front seat knee room is decent, then you can always move the front seats up temporarily to increase rear seat room if needed. Some cars have poor front knee room and this isn't really possible.
Anyway so the idea would be I guess I would sell my STS nowish, and then closer to winter really actively shop for a G37X. If I feel like prices for the X are inflated due to time of year I'll either buy earlier or just wait. The risk is, I get stuck driving my Ram if I can't find anything that I feel is reasonably priced. So there is some risk.
I guess the other option is I just get something at my leisure and simply sell my STS afterwards. Less risk to me but probably fetches less for my STS. In reality this may not matter as I figure the STS is probably worth $2500 (maybe $3000 with no CEL?). And so several hundred in either direction doesn't seem like it should drive the action plan here...especially when the risk is I could have no car by winter, or that I feel compelled to buy the wrong car or pay the wrong price because I put myself in this situation where "I need to buy something." That's a rule of smart car buying. Do not put yourself in that position. So even if I left a little cash on the table with the STS, I think the stress-free environment for finding a G37X would more than make up for it in terms of getting the right car at the right price.