I am interested in hearing what people think is the best riding(smooth) sedan there is, under 50K. I don't want to pay outrageous prices in up-keep either so please consider this when informing me of your opinions.

I am hoping to use these responses to help me buy a nice sedan.

Thanks in advance

Cadillac CTS-V hands down. It'll get you the most bang for your buck.

the CTS is under 50 k?? are we talking US or canada figures here?

US figures.

I second it, CTS-V

I would take the S4 V8 over that anyday...

The S4 is hard to argue against. But, I thought the price tag was over 50K

Are these recommendations from personal experience or just research you guys have done?

Thats funny, no one has mentioned the 5 series, granted you would have to go for the 3.0L engine in this price range. I've never driven one but I hear they are hard to beat when it comes to the overall package.

bmw!!! or i could be bias...a civic is a great gas saver. if you want more power...an accord would do. other than that...id go bmw.

The S4 is hard to argue against. But, I thought the price tag was over 50K

It starts at $46,340 according to www.audiusa.com

So it squeaks under there...

:naughty:

Believe it or not, if ride really IS a consideration, I recommend the Volvo S60R over everthing else disussed so far...excpet maybe the 5 Series. Now, let me tell you why.

At only 300hp (only being a relative term) it is definately outgunned by things like Audi's S4. However, it is most definately a luxury car first with a lot of performance and exceptional handling to go along with it. While the S4 is a four door sports car, period. (Forgive me Nissan)

Not that the S4 is not a nice car, just that it IS a sports sedan and it rides like one. It rides nicely enough, but it rides nowhere near as nicely as the S60R or many, many other sedans in this range...not even close. And frankly, it isn't supposed to.

The S60R is easily quieter, smoother, and more comfortable than the S4 as an everyday ride. It feels like you borrowed your uncle's LS430 for the day until you stand on it.....seriously. If you don't care that much about power a standard S60 AWD rides even better. And yes, I have driven both.

As far as the CTS goes I will say it once again.......the S60R rides better than my mom's std Caddy CTS and the Caddy is a bigger car! I advised her to get the Caddy as she really fell in love with it at the dealer (God only knows why) and it is a well built auto that will serve someone fine. But honestly, if ride is this important to you the very nice CTS and the Lincoln LS are both gonna dissapoint you, as they are definately sport oriented.

If ride really is a prime consideration you need to give the Swede a look. In a sea of makers building entry level, hi-po, sports sedans that ride okay they are the only ones I have seen trying to build an entry level luxury sedan that happens to go fast. Not to mention the S60R is a bargain compared to most other cars in this range.

If you want a bigger car, considering your emphasis on ride, I would recommend the Lexus GS series cars. A mini LS430 in so many ways...including ride. Someone mentioned the 5 Series BMW and while it is another car that rides well, there are cars that ride better. Granted, those cars, like the GS series Lexus, sacrifice some performance for that ride. However, that is a choice you always have to make.

I would love to give more in depth advice but I cannot advise on cars I have not driven. Again, the S4 and CTS are fine cars.....but not if ride is your prime concern. The 5 Series does great all around, but there are cars that ride better for 50k.

If I had 50k to spend I would probably pick the very comfortable outgoing BMW 5 series for myself.....before the ugly one comes out. It meets my criteria very well indeed, as the all out magic carpet ride, no noise, no nada treatment isn't my thing....For your wants you sound like a Lexue guy to me.

For ten g's less I would pick the S60R as if I were buying a full on sports car I woul pick up a gorgeoyus two door and get it right to begin with.

the audi has 340 hp, and its not turbo charged, if the IS is really nice you can always wait for the 430, i read that the inline 6 is a cast iron block, while the v8 is aluminum, so there is no weight difference, just a great jump in power.

See, the CTS-V got 400hp.
400 > 340

Give me an S4 over the others. The quality of an Audi is outstanding, as well as the quality of their prestige interior. Now it may not be as powerful as the CTS-V, but power isn't everything when your picking a sedan. I believe the S4 can give the driver everything they need in a reliable and daily driveable sedan. It may not have a smoother ride than the Volvo, but it is no where near an uncomfortable leisure. I haven't actually rode in the Volvo so I wouldn't really know if it is as smooth of a ride as the Audi, but i'll take your word for it. As demand grows as fast as supply for a new trend in a sportier, aggressive, but smooth and comfortable sedan, the Audi S4 is the first car that comes to my mind in the 50k range. A 340hp sports sedan with the renowned quattro drivetrain make it quick, yet friendly in most conditions. Whether you want to sweep through curvy roads, or go on a casual cruise, the S4 provides all the necessary tools to make this all possible.

Now I like beemer and the caddy both, but give me the choice, i'm taking the audi no questions about it.

S4

AWD
4.2 V8
Luxury Car
6 Speed manual
Sports car
Dam-site better lookign than anything previously mentioned
Audi Reliability
Race-car like handling (Even beats an M3 on the track)

What more could you possibly want????- for sure it is better than the 3-series wannabe CTS, the outdated Lincoln LS and so on......

Though another option could be buying an Infiniti G35 and throwing some bucks into it- definitely a winner

I'll second the recommendation for the Volvo S60R. What the original poster failed to mention is that Volvo's new Rs have a driver selectable active chassis setup. If you want 'comfort' it's just a button push away. If you want a sport setup that's about the same as a BMW E46 you simply hit 'Sport'. If you want to take it to a track (and I don't recommend it for the street as it is quite hard) you simply hit the 'Advanced' button (which changes the profile in addition to acceleration pattern to boot.)

There's a great video online demonstrating the 'Skyhook' setup in 'Comfort' and then showing how dramatically tighter the 'Advanced' setting is. I've driven the S60R a few times including on a small autocross at an airport and it is a true Jeckyll and Hyde car that can change drastically on demand. Considering you get one with the 13" 4-pot Brembos, 6-speed, active chassis, leather, and bi-xenons for under $35k (Overseas delivery price which includes airfare, shipping, hotel, and insurance) or $37k at a dealership it's a steal (and you can add a chip for $1k to out gun the BMW M3 and Audi S4 - and in stock form it already has more grip than either of these according to Car and Driver.)

Good luck - there's several great choices and test drives are free!

-rollie
rdollie@att.net

Audi S4 Mate.awd, Second Best To Bmw M3.

A Subaru WRX Sti is a great car for under 50k. Trust me, I drive one and it is a great car. It has a bit of a rough ride but it it handles great. It even has a faster acceleration than the Audi S4. 0-60 in 4.6 seconds.

Isn't the M3 a 2-door coupe? I thought this guy was looking for a sedan? With $50,000 you have a lot of really nice sedans to choose from. You can't go wrong with any of the cars mentioned in my opinion. S60, S4, and CTS-V are all great choices. I'd say test drive them all and see what you like.

If you don't want to pay too much, but rather want the most amount of fun while driving; here's your car: the 2004 Saab 9-3 sport sedan Aero! It doesn't have the big engine that S4 has, but the car itself has beaten Audi A4 in MANY comparison tests...

im drawing a blank here between the M3 beeing a 2 door or 4 , im thinking 4 isnt it???damit i cant remember , anyway isnt that over the price limit of 50 k

See, the CTS-V got 400hp.
400 > 340

US car < All others Nuff said!!!

CTS is the way to go for under 50K. For under 40K it's definitely the best way to go.

http://www.myaudittsucks.com

http://archives.tcm.ie/breakingnews/2001/10/04/story25600.asp

http://www.consumerreports.org/static/0recall2580.html

http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2001/01/24/013311.html

What was that about audi?

Check out the initial quality press release for mid size luxury cars from JD power:

http://www.jdpower.com/cc/auto/releases/search.asp?CatID=1

"The study shows that the initial quality gap between Domestic, European, Japanese and Korean brands continues to narrow. While Domestics trailed their European and Japanese counterparts by at least 19 PP100 five years ago, Domestics and Europeans are now equal, and both trail the Japanese by 9 PP100. Korean manufacturers have demonstrated substantial five-year improvements in initial quality. In 1998, 116 PP100 separated Korean brands from the Europeans, which led the industry. By 2003, the quality gap between the Koreans and the industry-leading Japanese fell to 26 PP100."

In the number of problems per 100 vehicles it goes,
(Lexus is the best by a longshot, Caddy is number 2)

1. Lexus = 76
2. CADILLAC = 103
3. Infiniti = 110
4. Acura = 111
8. BMW = 118
14. Audi = 132
14. Mercedes Benz = 132
24. Volkswagen = 143

Industry average is 133 problems per 100 vehicles, which means Volkswagen failed to meet average and Audi and Mercedes barely squeaked by. Chevrolet, scored right above Mercedes and Audi.

That was initial quality, when you first buy the car, now check out the dependability study...

"Other notable performances in the 2003 results include Subaru and GMC, which both performed considerably better when measured at three years in VDS than when they were measured at 90 days of ownership. At the other end of the spectrum is Mercedes-Benz, which experiences the largest quality gap between initial quality and long-term quality measurements. Also deteriorating more rapidly than the average vehicle are Audi and Volvo."

"The 2003 Vehicle Dependability Study is based on responses from more than 55,000 original owners of 2000 model-year cars and light trucks. The study covers 147 specific problem symptoms grouped into nine major vehicle systems. For the first time, the study reviews models at three years of ownership instead of the historical four- to five-year period in order to better support manufacturer product improvement efforts in next-generation replacement models."

Once again, this is in problems per 100 vehicles, but over a 3 year period in this study:
1. Lexus = 163
2. Infiniti = 174
3. Buick = 179
6. Toyota = 201
7. Cadillac = 209
13. BMW = 262
26. Audi = 318
26. Mercedes = 318
(Yes folks, Merc and Audi scored less than Dodge)
28. Volvo = 330
32. Volkswagen = 391

US car < All others Nuff said!!!

I love how the following post just completely made you look like an idiot.

i wonder if the quality gap getting closer has anything to do with learning about other companies technique of building cars, and design, cause i mean a lot of car companies are combined now.

"i wonder if the quality gap getting closer has anything to do with learning about other companies technique of building cars, and design, cause i mean a lot of car companies are combined now."

Some, but not all. Certainly, why spend bucks developing something when you can buy a company that already does it? But some cases certainly aren't that way, such as GM and Kia, I doubt there is much GM could learn from the worst company on the list.

even if they re not combined, they could of still learned from other companies, plus some companies are lookin to other companies for engines, like GM is getting help from honda with their v6s.

"even if they re not combined, they could of still learned from other companies, plus some companies are lookin to other companies for engines, like GM is getting help from honda with their v6s."

GM is buying Honda V6s for the Saturns. The companies do collaborate on stuff quite a bit, although it's more likely that they just won't turn down phat lewt in the form of big checks from the 'big two', (Ford and Chevy)

also car companies can learn from other car companies by studying other company cars, like look at ford, how they tore apart a 360. they didnt use similar parts or anything, or same chassis layout, but they learned to do it better by looking at its chassis. i mean this shouldnt be a suprise, cause look how long these companies been out making cars, im sure a lot of car companies do this. you know if a car company got help from some other company, they re probably not gonna mention it, infact they would probably rather hide that fact.

yup, lots of them... *cough*japanese*cough* :)

yup, lots of them... *cough*japanese*cough* :)

well, lets not go there, im sure every country has their own share of copying.

New Infiniti M45. it beat the CTS by everything

CTS-V hands down. IMO the best looking of any of the cars mentioned, capable of 0-60 in less than 5 seconds, and still offers Cadillac appointments.
Someone used Audi's reliability as an selling point for the S4, I suggest you take a look at Audi's reliability before you use that in an argument for the S4.

New Infiniti M45. it beat the CTS by everything

Don't bring up year-old threads, please proceed to the corner.


Someone used Audi's reliability as an selling point for the S4, I suggest you take a look at Audi's reliability before you use that in an argument for the S4.

I said that. And I'll stand by it. (http://www.channel4.com/4car/news/news-story.jsp?news_id=11346)

which now appear on Consumer Reports' 'Recommended' list, include the Audi A4, Mitsubishi Outlander, Nissan Titan and four-cylinder Volkswagen Passat models.

The A4 is rated as reccomended, so that's what I think of Audi reliability, the end.


Locked.