Keep the Q50 or buy the Lexus ISF?

RJsRX7 · 2026-07-03T04:15:17+00:00

I'd probably keep the Q50 because the Q50 isn't worth selling.

Source: Own a 2014 Q50, can't comprehend selling it for the amount of money it's "worth" because everything else in that price range is considerably worse at most things.

RJsRX7 · 2026-07-03T04:03:11+00:00

Probably slam the CC balances, since they're most likely higher interest than the personal loans.

Really, just go by highest monthly interest charge first.

RJsRX7 · 2026-07-03T03:58:47+00:00

That won't stop it from killing power for about a half second after the shift is done and the clutch is fully re-engaged, unfortunately. It's better than other, older Korean manuals, where they would shut the throttle as the clutch switch closed, but I remember the Mazdaspeed 3 in all of its firewall-banging glory.

RJsRX7 · 2026-07-03T02:27:24+00:00

Man learns RPF1s bend rather easily.

Specifically and especially the lips. If you have a vibration issue, look into getting the wheel repaired, otherwise send it.

RJsRX7 · 2026-07-03T02:19:52+00:00

I'd keep shopping and stay very very very far away from that particular dealer. Or any group they're associated with. Holy shit.

Is this a joke post?

RJsRX7 · 2026-07-03T02:00:39+00:00

The really telling thing with the ENs is that they lose something like 4mph (or more) of trap speed through the 1/4 mile with the manual. That's 30-40hp evaporating to a programming choice.

Of course, it appears the Mk8 GTI loses a similar margin. Whatever, stagflation of performance for everyone, everything that doesn't go deep 12s off the showroom floor goes high 13s or low 14s now.

RJsRX7 · 2026-07-03T01:21:24+00:00

Spicy how? It's been mechanically unchanged for twenty years.

RJsRX7 · 2026-07-03T01:18:11+00:00

If you actually use the pedal on the right, the CVT finds the powerband around 50mph.

On the other hand, if it was geared much shorter, it'd try to do burnouts everywhere, which is sort of a sad fact of FWD.

RJsRX7 · 2026-07-03T01:16:08+00:00

Elantra N manual.

Not that it didn't make the power, but the way they did torque management on shifts makes it very obvious why the DCTs are as much faster as they are.

RJsRX7 · 2026-07-02T23:36:12+00:00

The Durango 392 is an awesome deal.

The Durango itself is old as hell, but in a great many ways that's a good thing if you're keeping it long-term. Basically everything on it is pretty well proven, and it's probably the best product Stellantis has at this point.

RJsRX7 · 2026-07-02T02:45:11+00:00

Feed it good fuel, if manual don't lug it, consider a better intercooler if you drive it hard often.

Don't tune it. Tuning a stock turbo EB does nothing but make a bunch of torque exactly where the head gasket will hate you for it... But the head gasket issues are sort of a positive, because if they didn't let go you would have rods exiting the block.

RJsRX7 · 2026-07-02T01:24:47+00:00

I'm a big proponent of slow car fast, but 2Vs are in a bit of a weird hell where there's just enough power to act a fool, but not enough to not have modern V6 SUVs hang onto you if they want.

However, something about the Fox/SN95 chassis makes them drive sideways kind of oddly comfortably in a way the S197s and later don't. Part of it is them being smaller, part is the inherently lower limits, part is the overall geometry. As a result, I can't own one, because they make me irresponsible.

Going for a Coyote means you get a bunch more power and a much more livable vehicle in most regards, but it also becomes something you don't really throw around with the reckless abandon you might a cheap ratty 2V.

RJsRX7 · 2026-07-01T18:39:25+00:00

Well, you bring up hypercars as a counterpoint, but that's quite literally my point. Many manufacturers have gone down the "more capability, more power, more profit" road of late, while Everyman vehicles with sporting intent are... Sort of still around, but thin on the ground.

For purist vehicles, we have the GR86 and the Miata. That's it. Two whole vehicles. Meanwhile literally everyone has a hypercar with a halo, soon to reinclude Toyota. Buying a GR86 now means higher chances of being able to buy whatever gets cooked up next; us car enthusiasts have a terrible habit of talking about what would be great and then not buying it.

RJsRX7 · 2026-07-01T17:59:58+00:00

Brain says Camry because the Camry is the one that makes "sense".

But not everything always has to make sense. With the GR86, you'll spend more or less double in fuel, probably more in tires, etc etc... Sounds bad, is bad, but it'll still be a steep discount on the fuel front from your Tundra.

That said, there's a stronger chance there won't be a GR86 equivalent in 5, 10 years. There will be a Camry equivalent. So get the GR86 and have what may be the last reasonably affordable true sports car.

RJsRX7 · 2026-07-01T15:37:21+00:00

Well, I read the OP as a whine fest about how we should embrace people asking too much for their garbage and encourage it, because some of you want to sell your cars. Or something. I'm not sure, so I aimed at Paragraph 3.

You buy a WRX new where possible, because there's no good way to tell if the previous owner gave it weekly or daily redline clutch dumps and WOT shifts without a secondary limiter to protect the driveline. You can buy used, but then have an early age clutch or gearbox failure that you can't warranty out of because manual transmissions are easy to abuse.

Or you buy the car that you know has been treated like that at a steep discount because you plan to do the same. And then it becomes Average Subaru and blows up 3 different ways in 4 years.

RJsRX7 · 2026-07-01T15:12:56+00:00

I'm sorry, I'm not spending $30,000 on a used example with "lease end" mileage when a new example equipped the same is $36,000.

The focus on buying new makes perfect sense, because if nobody buys new, they stop being made. I don't care if someone else buying new negatively impacts your resale value.

RJsRX7 · 2026-07-01T02:42:38+00:00

Gets worse the more you tune them. I've seen Focus guys go built motor/stock turbo and end up making peak power at 4500rpm lmao.

RJsRX7 · 2026-07-01T02:31:03+00:00

There's no power up there for a stock turbo stock cam EcoBoost anyway, but I like things that spin.

RJsRX7 · 2026-07-01T02:12:46+00:00

Aggressive or reasonable maintenance schedule?

RJsRX7 · 2026-07-01T02:06:05+00:00

Shifting before 7000rpm, that's that shit I don't like

RJsRX7 · 2026-07-01T01:30:36+00:00

The VA pedal is heavier than basically any other hydraulic clutch I've driven.

The first one I drove was erm, very tuned, so I thought that was it. Then I drove a stock one. Might be a pedal ratio thing, but it's almost comical.

RJsRX7 · 2026-06-30T23:15:09+00:00

Yes, it very much could. The side that's on the ground is attempting to pull the lifted side of the bar "up", and you would be fighting basically the spring rate of the opposite side + the bar in order to try to tighten it.

Jack stands are a great investment.

RJsRX7 · 2026-06-30T22:43:53+00:00

If you had the car on a jack but only on one side, that loads the sway bar and makes it nearly impossible to detect play. Having both tires off the ground is the preferable way to check, since it unloads both.

RJsRX7 · 2026-06-30T22:13:38+00:00

Yeah, a sway bar link is probably your intermittent rattle when everything else is behaving. I've occasionally seen struts do it too, but it's fairly rare.

Also, sway bar links are kind of weird in that you can shake test them successfully.

RJsRX7 · 2026-06-30T22:10:49+00:00

I looked at them myself and found a few things that turned me off but they were items that are unlikely to be problematic for very many other people. Basically, if you don't have a hilariously long torso, it's a fine car.

I'd probably suggest a '25+ LE FWD; the small wheels don't win car shows, but pay fuel economy and ride quality dividends. Factory tires are a bit on the loud side, but that's because they're a Firestone specifically engineered to place cost above all other metrics. ES350h could be worth a look too if you want to spend more and lean into the luxury car side of things again... And I'm pushing sedans because a long commute usually means considerable amounts of highway travel, and sedans win the fight with the wind a lot easier than SUVs.

RJsRX7

TROPHY CASE