OK- since a lot of you guys have been asking and curious to see what I ended up doing, I figured I should go ahead and post. As you all know I sold my G outright, jumped on a plane, flew to Charlotte and test drove an 06 BMW 550i w/ SMG tranny. Well, I hated it. So, I got a ride back to the airport and flew home. I was then looking at Pontiac G8s, but was having trouble paying full MSRP for a Pontiac and having to do some things (add nav, get rid of some Atari style guages, and get rid of the black in the wheels) to be truly happy with it. It was very impressive and fun in a test drive though. So- I had decided to just drive my beater '90 Jeep Wrangler for a couple of months and wait and see how the 09 G8s were (hopefully w/ Nav) or if another great deal came along on a 550i w/out the SMG....

Then the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend I was driving the Jeep around looking at some cars and getting some ideas. I was about 1/2 way thru the Nissan dealership and all of a sudden pppssssssssss!!!! the radiator blew in the old Jeep. It has 200k+ miles on it, and leaks oil like a sive. It just so happens that it blew right by the new Pathfinders, so, I took a look. Then a test drive while waiting for my dad to come and take a look at the Jeep. We got the Jeep home, and it looks like the block is cracked, so, its not at all dependable. I decided to speed up the car search.

My choices were between the G8 or the new Pathfinder. I found a really solid deal on a Silverton Blue LE V8 Pathfinder loaded up with Nav, XM, back-up camera, DVD system, yada yada yada for $32,900 (MSRP $41,900). So, the decision came down to paying $32,900 for a $42k vehicle loaded with options I love and was used to from the G or $32,745 for a $32,745 that I would have to drop prob another $2500 in to be happy with....

I went with the Pathfinder. I just feels so familiar, the controls, voice commands, features- feels like my G. So, I was able to sell the G, pay some bills I had slipped on (2 mortgages!) and get another nice vehicle for similar monthlys. I will definately miss my G, I hate seeing it sitting on the lot for sale. I will not obsess over the pathfinder nearly as much, maybe thats a good thing though! I am happy with it though, its a nice vehicle and it can actually get into the fiance's driveway and anywhere else I want to go. I will get some pics eventually, weather has sucked lately...

If you read all of that, I apoligize.

glad you are happy.

^+1

Thanks guys! I will be back in a car at some point in the future. I need to sell some damn houses and get married/settled yada yada yada.

Then... itll be M/AMG time!!

Congrats Sean...glad to hear you got some bills paid too...especially those types of bills. Bus is better than missing those mortgage bills...

And at least you stayed in the Nissan family!

Dayum! How'd you get $9000 off MSRP?!?!

he bought an SUV

Yeah, you can buy SUVs cheap as hell right now....

Good call Sean... now is definitely the time to buy an SUV if you're interested in one.

you seriously thought the 550i was a nice car? lol, you deserved the little bit of torture you endured. GG finding a vehicle that suits you, though

wait... so you are trying to save money... but flew to charlotte to test drive a 550i... and then ended up buying a Pathfinder for only a few thousand less than what a new G35 would cost? I don't understand where the savings is coming from

My wife drove a '05 Pathfinder when it first came out. Loved that thing. Although, she's looking at the BMW X5 now, and let me tell you, that $hit is still in the $50ks. Test driving, again, the Lexus RX350 and RX400h. then, my personal favorite, the new '09 FX35!

It wasnt as much of a 'savings' as it was cashing my equity out of the G in order to pay some stuff off/down. Slight difference....

and I found a $69 flight from my local airport to Charlotte. So, I didnt break the bank there either. Once I didnt buy the 550, it did cost me $220 to get home though...

You should seriously stop smoking crack, its obvioulsy taking a toll. The 550i is a beast compared to our Gs. If it jsut hadnt had that damned SMG tranny....

Nice, congrats on the purchase.