Autocorrect ? . We know what you type often LOL.

After reading this thread I'm going to test drive a 2015 Challenger RT Plus tomorrow. Would love the scat pack or hell cat but can't afford either. Will see how it turns out.

I was so close to pulling the trigger on a 16 STi but not happy it's got the exact same engine that was in the car 8 years ago.

I agree with that approach. I really wanted an STI in March of this year but stopped short of getting one because the local dealer wanted more than $41k and I didn't see the value at that price. My local dealer is now telling me I can get one for $39k but for me going over $40k with everything included is more than I want to spend.

I read some of the Mitsu bashing earlier in this thread and I have had the direct opposite experience with their performance vehicles. I've personally had 7-8 of them over the years with no major problems. My previous car was on 03 Evo that I had for more than five years and I had great luck with it. I think owning the Evo is what makes me want the STI.

I had made a stand that I wasn't going to buy a Dodge because of the bailout but I find myself drifting back to them as a brand. My dad owned a Dodge dealership in the 80's/90's when I was growing up so I have a soft spot for the brand. I really wish I could buy a brand new Stealth right now!!

Thanks I can't wait!!

Thanks for the info!

Re: Mitsu, I agree I wouldn't buy one now based on what I see is their lack of commitment to the U.S., I was mainly referring to the comments about them being unreliable.

Cool car too bad they don't make it in a manual.

So I just got back from test driving a 2015 Dodge Challenger R/T Plus in Sublime green. What I loved:

1. The green paint
2. The exhaust note
3. The wheels and tires

And what I didn't:

1. The car is huge. I feel like I am driving a late 80's Lincoln Town Car
2. Not much rear seat space
3. Not a lot of head room. My head was hitting the ceiling.

Its not a bad car but I just wasn't excited to drive it. I'm now back in the mode of wanting an STI. I test drove a 2015 STI Limited earlier this year and I was ear to ear grinning. I think that is just the type of car I like. I like technology and turbos.

That being said I am also thinking about a 2016 SS Camaro

Those seats remind me too much of baby seats.

I wanted to drive the scat pack but the cheapest one they had was $48k.

I was hoping I would fall in love with it. Green is my favorite color

The seat was all the way back and as low as I could get it. I don't like the seat back laying down. I've definitely not perfected the gangster lean .

The car I drove did have the sunroof.

6'3". Maybe I had the seat back too far forward. I have to mention it wasn't as much my head hitting as it was my hair

I would LOVE to get an M3. Beautiful car with great lines.

I give you a lot of credit for wrapping the hood vs painting it. You can put it back to stock easily. This may become a collectible car someday, it would be a shame to make a permanent modification. Actually even if it's not collectible I'm not a fan of mods that aren't reversible.

Yes but his car was ordered with the white hood so painting it would make it un-original.

Replacing it would not longer make it a factory car. Can you tell I don't modify my cars?

So I'm having a hard time choosing my next car. I'm all over the map at the moment. This past weekend I test drove a BMW 228i. I love the size and I like the quality of the vehicle. I tried to tell myself that the power it had was enough. Then I drove the M235i. WOW. Great sounding car with the TT 6 cylinder. I love the adjustable suspension. Then I saw the price tag. Almost $50k.

Although I would love the M235i I can't see spending that much for it. So that leaves me with other cars mentioned in this thread. I'm still wishy washy with the STi. I got a great price quote from an out of state dealer but I can't pull the trigger. I have also been thinking about a 2016 JCW Mini. But it's not as fast as the other cars I have looked at.

I've even thought about a mustang but I agree that it's kind of a girls car. This is probably the most frustrated I have ever been when trying to find a car. I wish I could live with an automatic since that would blow my search wide open but I can't. I guess I keep on driving the old beater Camry for a while longer

I blame my dad too

I drove a 2016 Mustang GT at lunch today. Not sure it's my style but man it's quick. Love the Shaker sound system.

Which model Challenger do you have?

Thanks for your post! I'm not knocking off the STi from the list just yet. I won't see any snow here in Texas.

I want something relatively unique so knowing that a JCW Mini or an STi would be more unique than a Mustang or Challenger which are everywhere.

I had thought about a used M3 but I would be looking at something that is 4-5 years old to be within the budget.

I had an 84 318i BITD and it had its share of minor problems, most annoying being those door switches to shut off the interior lights. That was a bad design.

Very cool. Although I think the guy with the mustang was nuts to try and beat an SRT Challenger.

Nope but at least you can fit more than two people. I wanted a two seater but I was denied

Quoting myself... An update to my search progress. I decided against the STi for various reasons. Decided to put a deposit down on the 2016 Focus RS. Got duped by a dealer who is taking orders for retail cars and not for allocations. I didn't realize this until two weeks after the order books opened for it and pretty much every dealer is out. Now I'm most likely not getting that either.

I think I just need to keep driving my beater until mid next year and see what shakes out. Buying a car is frustrating.

I guess the only real advantage of the RS over the STi is the engine. It's relatively new with higher output. The primary reason why I ruled out the STi was the old carryover engine.

Actually I just today decided to skip the RS as well. Being misled so much by the ford dealer I chose to deal with has really killed my enthusiasm for the car. I guess that means I didn't *really* want it.

Now I have no backup plan. I'm going to buy another pinball machine next year instead.

Warning, this is long

The problem is with the dealers. Ford takes a lot of the blame as well but I primarily blame the dealers. The order banks for the RS opened on the 12th of October. I was there at 8:30 in the morning with a deposit in hand because the Saturday prior the salesman I had been dealing with emailed me to say that he, unlike other dealers, was accepting orders at MSRP. Here is his initial email to me:

Hugh,

Information was just released to us yesterday, scanned and copied the 2016 ORDER GUIDE information so that you could see what they are offering on the 2016 Focus RS & Focus RS 2 as far as colors and wheels and other options.

We are accepting orders for these vehicles as I understand from General Manager we already have 2 orders in place this morning. The actual Ford Motor Company Order Bank will not accept orders till Monday the 12th.

We are accepting orders at MSRP PRICING and not charging the MARKET ADJUSTMENT PRICE as we have heard other dealers are doing.

In the event you decide to follow through on an order call me and let me know how you want it built and I can price it for you, and better yet if you decide to order it come in sit down and we can go from there.

Please call me at 555-555-5555 any other questions.

Signed Salesman's Name

So based on this email I went in and we filled out an online form with the configuration of my car. The salesman didn't have an official order form for me to fill out since the order banks weren't opened yet so he had me sign the configuration form. He told me that the orders would be submitted at 10:30AM when the bank officially opened. So I left a deposit (check) and left the dealer. I was told that I was the third person in line and my order was good to go.

The rest of the week the salesman was out of the office but he was responding to email. I didn't take into consideration the whole Allocation/Retail order aspect at the time of my visit on the 12th but I was told via email that my order was part of their allocation. I waited two weeks and this past Monday I decided that I needed to head into the dealer. Everything I have been reading online since placing my order has stated that dealers received their allocations at the beginning of October and if they don't know their allocations now they aren't getting any. Plus another individual in my area has an order @ MSRP confirmed at a different dealer which was already submitted to the order bank.

Armed with all of this information I went in to find out what was going on this past Monday. The saleman brought me to the sales manager and he could care less about what I had found out or that another dealer already knows their allocations. He told me there was no sense in submitting any of the orders now since they will just sit there until their allocations are known. The salesman tried to apologize and proceeded to tell me that they technically didn't have my money since they didn't cash my check. That should have been my sign to ask for my deposit back right then and there but I foolishly held out hope that I would get a car. He even said to me that maybe I should place a concurrent order with another dealer just to ensure that I got a car. Desire definitely is a blinding force!

I have been reflecting on my experience quite a bit since placing my order and just last night I came to a conclusion: I shouldn't have to be fighting this hard to give a company this much money. I'm headed into the dealer today to ask for my check. I'm done. I am trying to think of the correct format to send this to Ford in because I think they need to fully understand how they are sabotaging themselves. Other companies have performed pre-orders with cars, Volkswagen (with the Golf R) and Mazda (With the Miata) so it is completely possible to process a pre-order successfully. It's very safe to say that I won't be buying a Ford anytime in the future.

Regarding this point, you can't trust a car dealer. Their guarantees of MSRP are not dependable. The 2016's are going to be gone, if you order now you will be getting a 2017 model.

That definitely works but realistically not everyone buys lots of cars. Mine typically last between 3-6 years depending on whether or not I am happy

I went to the Ford dealer yesterday and picked up my deposit check. I had to wait 30 minutes! Five hours later I got a call from my local VW dealer, they have a Golf R arriving in November. I originally wanted a R when I started shopping this past March. I am trying to decide today if I want to put a deposit on it tomorrow, the dealer is closed today. Or do I wait to see what next year brings? All I know if my wife wants me to complete this purchase sometime really soon, she is tired of hearing me complain about the process LOL

Thanks . Trying to be zen about it.

Nice car! It's too bad you can't buy one with a manual tranny.

I like the mechanical feel of a manual. Just pushing buttons does nothing for me.