Registered User
He didn't say he was struggling to make the payment on the CLK55AMG only if he added the G on top of the CLK55 read his post. The 911 and the CLK55 are very closely priced if he could afford one he could afford the other. I can't stand G bashers but lets be realistic the CLK55AMG is out of the G's league and so is the 911, not bashing just being honest. By the way, I absolutly love the G.
Registered User
I'd say dump the CLK and get the G. Not because they're comparable by any means but because the G is such a great bang for the buck. Then if you still want to spend the leftover money get a nice motorcycle, jetski, take a vacation...
04, TB/W, Nav, Aero, 6MT, etc...
04, TB/W, Nav, Aero, 6MT, etc...
NY G-Squad G Race Driver
Well an arm and a leg to me means that he was going out of his way to make more of a payment than he wanted, better?
Martin
2003.5 BS G35
Nismo Aero/Sport Package
Injen CAI
B+G Springs
ADR M-Classic 19's..
Martin
2003.5 BS G35
Nismo Aero/Sport Package
Injen CAI
B+G Springs
ADR M-Classic 19's..
Guest
The CLK55 AMG is not just a performance car. It offers a level of luxury and technology that the G doesn't even dream about.
Clearly the CLK55 AMG is a much better car, but the G is more bang for the buck.
This situation is more of an "evaluate your lifestyle" kind of deal so that's the kind of advice I'm going to give you:
You shouldn't be spending more than 25-30% of your income on car payments (whether you lease or finance). Take your yearly salary, let's say it's $65K per year (I believe that's the current average in the US for annual household income). That translates to ~$5,400 per month and therefore you should be spending no more than $1,620 per month on car payments, insurance, gas, maintenance, etc.
I don't know what your situation is like now with the CLK55, but the best advice would be to just get the best car that you can "comfortably afford", assuming you have other bills and stuff to pay.
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MrElussive
03 G35C 6MT
Clearly the CLK55 AMG is a much better car, but the G is more bang for the buck.
This situation is more of an "evaluate your lifestyle" kind of deal so that's the kind of advice I'm going to give you:
You shouldn't be spending more than 25-30% of your income on car payments (whether you lease or finance). Take your yearly salary, let's say it's $65K per year (I believe that's the current average in the US for annual household income). That translates to ~$5,400 per month and therefore you should be spending no more than $1,620 per month on car payments, insurance, gas, maintenance, etc.
I don't know what your situation is like now with the CLK55, but the best advice would be to just get the best car that you can "comfortably afford", assuming you have other bills and stuff to pay.
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MrElussive
03 G35C 6MT
Registered User
why are u gonna ask someone you don't know about your personal choices?? why even consider downgrading if you can't afford it?
Registered User
Just for the record, I do not have a g35 yet. I am torn between the g35 and the acura tl. My lease is up in 30 days and so I will have to decide soon (please see my thread "mid life crisis and post your thoughts).
Bottom line is this (from a guy who has the clk55 2002. For me, the benz is 1000x the car the g35 is. But it is not worth the extra money. I was paying almost $1200 a month for 3 year lease. The acura tl and g35 I can get for mid 400. For $800 in my pocket a month, I would go with either of these two.
clk55 is a great car if you have money to burn. If not, its just not worth the money. As others have said, there are other cars with more "bang for the buck". If you are looking at the g35, you might want to take a look at the tl. It doesn't have the performace of the g35 but has more of the luxury look of the benz.
Bottom line is this (from a guy who has the clk55 2002. For me, the benz is 1000x the car the g35 is. But it is not worth the extra money. I was paying almost $1200 a month for 3 year lease. The acura tl and g35 I can get for mid 400. For $800 in my pocket a month, I would go with either of these two.
clk55 is a great car if you have money to burn. If not, its just not worth the money. As others have said, there are other cars with more "bang for the buck". If you are looking at the g35, you might want to take a look at the tl. It doesn't have the performace of the g35 but has more of the luxury look of the benz.
Registered User
Saying that the benz is 1000x the car the G35 is would imply that if the G35 is worth $400/mo, then the benz is worth $400,000/mo. Hmmm, I don't know if that's really true. For the cost of the CLK55, you can get 2 G35 coupes.
Registered User
This thread kinda reminds me of the SS/Z28 Camaro vs. the G35. [img]/w3timages/icons/tongue.gif[/img] Apples and oranges. I would suggest keeping the AMG and getting a second job to pay for the G. [img]/w3timages/icons/tongue.gif[/img] Hell, you might as well have fun while you're here, huh? Works for me. [img]/w3timages/icons/smile.gif[/img]
2003-G35C-5AT Laser Red/Black/Prem/XM/Tint/Chrome 17's/Black Badged
2003-G35C-5AT Laser Red/Black/Prem/XM/Tint/Chrome 17's/Black Badged
Registered User
i really don't see why ppl buy cars they cant afford and end up leasing it for 1000+ a month. thats a waste of money. do you really care that much about what kinda of car you drive?you put that much money into a car for 3 years and never own it. what a waste!
Guest
That's not true at all. When you lease a car, the monthly payments are much easier than financing, and you don't have to deal with selling the car after 3 years....you just give it back and get a new one! Also, let's say you lease the car for 3 years and you decide you want to keep it at the end of the lease. So you have been paying let's say $500 a month for 36 months. $500 * 36 = $18,000. So you have $18,000 (minus the little lease fees and crap) paid towards the car already and you just continue with a finance plan. Or you can just buy the car outright, without any financing.
The point is, leasing is a good and econonmical form of paying for your cars and it gives you plenty of options in the end, so long as you can stand the 3-year contract.
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MrElussive
03 G35C 6MT
The point is, leasing is a good and econonmical form of paying for your cars and it gives you plenty of options in the end, so long as you can stand the 3-year contract.
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MrElussive
03 G35C 6MT
Registered User
unless you put an insane amount of mileage on your car annually(like i do) and leasing just wouldn't be a smart option. =). Btw...G35c wouldn't be TOO much of a downgrade from your clk55. It's not like you're getting a civic or anything.(sorry for you civic owners) Plus, maybe with the extra money you have left over, some modding can be done.
'03 G35c DG/G 6mt, full options
'03 G35c DG/G 6mt, full options
Registered User
paying 36k for 3 years of driving a car is a waste of money imo.
Registered User
The fact that keeping both cars is even an option means that you shouldn't have any problems holding onto just the CLK. In that case, I really see no need to sell the CLK55 AMG (which you seem to be basing on cost, yet you say keeping both is a possible option).
Registered User
I completely disagree about the CLK55 being not half as fun. You seem to base this off the other AMG cars you drove, the E & S AMG. They weigh 500-700 lbs more than the CLK55, they're not supposed to handle as well no matter what AMG does.
If Infiniti made high performance versions of the M & Q, I wouldn't you expect it to be as fun or handle as well as the Skyline GT-R.
MotorTrend got a 66.4 mph slalom run w/ the CLK55 AMG, Car & Driver got a 0.87 g skidpad. It does handle well, not as well as the G35c but definitely much better than you give it credit for.
If Infiniti made high performance versions of the M & Q, I wouldn't you expect it to be as fun or handle as well as the Skyline GT-R.
MotorTrend got a 66.4 mph slalom run w/ the CLK55 AMG, Car & Driver got a 0.87 g skidpad. It does handle well, not as well as the G35c but definitely much better than you give it credit for.
GG35...i dont see what your problem is...everybody has a different view point on cars...i have a friend that buys a new car every yr...why....bc he enjoys it and thats his passion...its not about showing off or what not...thats what he likes doing...