New car
 

Well I've started looking for new cars. I've gone around test driving just about everything in the $23K range

Wolfsburg Jetta - slow
Altima 4 dr - felt like an 80's buick so much body roll and terribly light steering
Accord - same prob
Mazda 6 - just too big
Mazda 3 hatch - nice but missing something (proteges better)
GTI - amazing car my gf giggled with joy when she drove it I was looking for prices on one but VW wasn't selling them without package 1 in my area so its too expensive
Altima coupe - amazing car (looks wise) its going to be a crazy head turner for a few months. Drives much better then the altima 4 dr, still very light on the steering. Then nissan jumped up my ass about not being able to get it without x options the base model coming with pretty much nothing at all. So for 25 grand I get a terrible engine note, shitty interior (the demo was rattling), 16" hubcaps. And almost no color choice because you need the v6 for any real options. They werent selling the 22k base model at all.

Finally I visited the volvo dealer. S40 while out of my price range had enough incentives to make it to 21k! New models coming out next year (different tail lights, I dont see the difference otherwise) Drove amazing. Solid. All the other cars I was chirping the tires. Under steering through turns GTI had way too much trouble getting traction. This thing was just right. With 4 people in the car I threw it into a 20 mph sweeper and floored it. It was a left turn into a right. I was at 80 mph before I realized O shit theres another turn here. I just turned and it didn't squeal a tire.

Interior was amazing. Easily the best I've ever seen. There cloth seats was some kind of wet suit material so there really nice. Im thinking this is the one. The dealer gave me shit about only having silver in stock (hell no) There going to see if they can get a black or a gray.

Anyone have anything to say for or against the volvo. Any other choices that I should consider?

I'm thinking black with smoked headlight, taillight and foglights, dark tints, and the lip kit.

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member...222_2_full.jpg
Teh sex!

Isn't the S40 a Mazda 3 anyway?
Not a bad looking car, though.

Hmm, good price, I thought they went for more than that.

I'd say go for it. It's nice to have an uncommon car that you don't see 30 times on your way home from work.

Even Mazda 3s are becoming too common around where I live. They can't sell enough of them.

Its pretty much the king of mazda 3's. Much better made (in Belgium), and while I was test driving it the dealer just rattled of tuner options it could have. The ride was amazing. It stuck to the road like nothing I have ever felt before. 90 mph felt like 20. Im going to get so many tickets!

I wonder what the similarities are though. I know the volvo is actually shorter by a few inches, and that they share brakes but thats about it.