Cars. Hot, hot cars. And trucks. Hot, hot trucks.

[DapperButch]

Originally Posted by Sparkle

I looked at the Mini Cooper S, the Audi A4, the Honda Accord and the Volvo S4. It took me 6-8 weeks and a lot of research to find the right car.

I went with the Volvo in the end, I got a great deal on a low mileage, former executive lease car that was fully loaded.

It is 2005 S40 T5 AWD; 6-speed, V5 (great in the new england winter!). I really love it, its not the sporty little race car my old Audi was, but it handles beautifully, it has got a good amount of power, and it does feel like a small tank. It has been well maintained and I keep that up. I had a great pre-owned warranty on it that expired last year, and I have not yet had to put much in to it in terms of repair/replacement (touch wood). Volvos are typically pricier to repair than a Honda, but no where near as dear as the cost of an Audi. And Volvo's have a reputation for averaging 250-400,000 miles over their lifetime.

I'm really happy with the car I chose, and I'm really really happy I did my homework before I bought it.

Sweet car you chose, Sparkle! AWD, 6 speed, V5! Nice! Very nice! And yes, for safety, head right to Volvo!

I love Audi's too, but have never had one. The thing that keeps many people away from some wonderful machines is the repair costs (Audi, BMW). BMWs, for example, will run for many, many miles and since they run so long, you can get a higher mileage used one for cheap, and have it last for many years. The initial investment is not the problem for many of these cars, it is the high repair costs, unfortunately.