I played with one of these on the highway and got thoroughly spanked. It was being driven buy an older guy and what appeared to be his son. The question has to be asked though why not just get the E wagon? I guess thats why they were special order and phased out so fast.
Second-row entertainment system doesn't sell it for me, it's the front-row entertainment that matters. And it's still not good enough.
500 horsepower is an awful lot of ponies for any ride short of a Caterpillar or the Nimitz, and AMG really rocks the MB product line when it comes to upgrades. But when you come right down to it, nothing will ever change the fact that you're sticking your foot deep into a reserve of minivan muscle. And that's just not good. It might have the stickiest rrack shoes on, but it's still an elephant in the shoes. Nimble, but ponderously so. It's got a big nose, a big middle and a great big ass that I would be ashamed to be hauling with any kind of alacrity.
This is a car intended for people who can afford to be indecisive. It is neither a sports car nor a minivan, not beautiful or ugly. If it were ice cream, it would be Neapolitan.
Just for the record, this does NOT have sliding doors. Half the utility is gone if it doesn't have sliding doors, and therefore I consider this thing a station wagon with a tall roof line.
In my neck of the woods, these are typically driven by small Asian women wearing odd welding mask sun visors. I'd think this price would be of great appeal to that group, although I think they most often lease rather than purchase, as the cars are licensed and insured under the family import-export business.
So when I bought my Mustang just over a year ago my soon-to-be-bride was not very happy with it. I asked her why she was down on the Mustang and she said that it wasn't practical.
"What?" I asked.
"Well, someday we are going to have kids and you can't get them in the back seat of that car," she said. That's what she calls it. "That car."
"Well, dear," I said, "it does have the LATCH system and it has a 5-star crash test rating. Besides, we aren't going to have kids for another couple of years. When that time comes I'll get another 'more practical' car."
She still isn't happy with it, and I'm dreading the day she informs me there is a bun in the oven because I know that will be the end of the Mustang.
I tell you that to tell you this. Anytime you can get a bad-ass, go-fast family hauler for half its original sticker and with low miles and a warranty you gotta go with "NICE PRICE".
@seoultrain: just read my comment to myself. You can stay here, but she has got to go. One thing will lead to another, and you'll eventually be driving a minivan. And not an R63.
@seoultrain: As a man who never thought he would get married, I have to say that she is actually pretty cool.
Besides, I may have to get a car that will allow easy access for strapping in the brats, but I don't have to give up my testicles altogether. To wit: M sedans.
@Bo Darville: I tried that argument, too. However, she's an accountant, which means for 4.5 months of every year I will most likely be picking whatever anklebiters we do have up.
Like I said, I may have to give up the Mustang, but that doesn't mean I have to go all soft. She has already agreed that I can get whatever I want (within reason, of course) when the time comes as long as it has 4 doors.
Tell her I had a Mustang Cobra and it was our family car until our second child so you have at least 18 months + recovery months to enjoy your ride... Fit a stroller, a car seat, etc. although my wife is short and could move the passenger seat up a ways. And being a convertible, it was easy to get to the back seat by lowering the top.
@bliq00: I thought about a convertible, but we live in Michigan. So, yeah, you could lower the top to get the kids in the back seat, but I'm sure one of my neighbors would be calling the Dearborn PD on us for child endangerment.
In 06-07, I saw about a half-dozen of these around town (all MFR plates). Haven't seen another one in over a year. I guess all the plant executives' leases were over. Probably not a very favorable buyout-to-value ratio at the end of those leases, either.
@tiberiuswise: Rare exception: My dad picked a 2004 R32 for his "company car." When the lease was over, the market value exceeded the lease buyout by nearly 50%. That's pretty unusual, though.
@Ash78: Agreed, nice price. But why can't the option in the poll just say "nice price"? Throwing in "the price will never be lower than this" is just plain stupid. For 99.9% of the cars out there, the price will always be lower in the future.
@scott johnson: Yeah, that was not good editorial there.
This thing won't depreciate AS fast over the next two years, but it's still beyond my personal tolerance. I try never to count total household vehicle depreciation in more than low-4-figures. This one's a 5-figure by itself, probably for the next 2-3 years.
01/23/09
01/23/09
01/23/09
But if you want three rows of bucket seats big enough for adults, this is the only thing on the market.
01/23/09
01/23/09
500 horsepower is an awful lot of ponies for any ride short of a Caterpillar or the Nimitz, and AMG really rocks the MB product line when it comes to upgrades. But when you come right down to it, nothing will ever change the fact that you're sticking your foot deep into a reserve of minivan muscle. And that's just not good. It might have the stickiest rrack shoes on, but it's still an elephant in the shoes. Nimble, but ponderously so. It's got a big nose, a big middle and a great big ass that I would be ashamed to be hauling with any kind of alacrity.
This is a car intended for people who can afford to be indecisive. It is neither a sports car nor a minivan, not beautiful or ugly. If it were ice cream, it would be Neapolitan.
It is a crack pipe at any price.
01/23/09
01/23/09
/runs
01/23/09
01/23/09
01/23/09
"What?" I asked.
"Well, someday we are going to have kids and you can't get them in the back seat of that car," she said. That's what she calls it. "That car."
"Well, dear," I said, "it does have the LATCH system and it has a 5-star crash test rating. Besides, we aren't going to have kids for another couple of years. When that time comes I'll get another 'more practical' car."
She still isn't happy with it, and I'm dreading the day she informs me there is a bun in the oven because I know that will be the end of the Mustang.
I tell you that to tell you this. Anytime you can get a bad-ass, go-fast family hauler for half its original sticker and with low miles and a warranty you gotta go with "NICE PRICE".
01/23/09
01/23/09
01/23/09
Besides, I may have to get a car that will allow easy access for strapping in the brats, but I don't have to give up my testicles altogether. To wit: M sedans.
01/23/09
01/23/09
Like I said, I may have to give up the Mustang, but that doesn't mean I have to go all soft. She has already agreed that I can get whatever I want (within reason, of course) when the time comes as long as it has 4 doors.
01/23/09
Tell her I had a Mustang Cobra and it was our family car until our second child so you have at least 18 months + recovery months to enjoy your ride... Fit a stroller, a car seat, etc. although my wife is short and could move the passenger seat up a ways. And being a convertible, it was easy to get to the back seat by lowering the top.
01/23/09
01/25/09
01/25/09
01/23/09
Nice price, but even at 50% of the original MSRP, it's still a lot of money.
01/23/09
01/23/09
01/23/09
01/23/09
01/23/09
01/23/09
01/23/09
This thing won't depreciate AS fast over the next two years, but it's still beyond my personal tolerance. I try never to count total household vehicle depreciation in more than low-4-figures. This one's a 5-figure by itself, probably for the next 2-3 years.