CSpec

Thanks guys! I put my old TL on Craigslist and got a TON of replies, so I should easily clear the dealer's trade-in offer by $2000 or more.

Well after a few months of thinking about it, I finally pounced on something this morning: It's a 2013 VW CC V6 Lux (that's the FWD V6 model). It's a factory certified car and has 23,000 miles. I paid $21,300 which I think is a pretty good deal. The styling is fantastic.

That's a Cadillac BLS isn't it?

I was floored to see that there are 2011 BMW 550i's out there for under $30k. That's a hell of a lot of car for the money; I think they're so cheap because they get pretty terrible mileage. But 400 hp V8 and a luxury German interior is pretty enticing.

Alright I just drove an AWD Regal GS, a FWD Regal GS, and a Verano Turbo. I was honestly underwhelmed by the Regal--I like the styling, but the interior wasn't great and it felt sluggish. Interior trim pieces flexed and creaked easily when you push on them, and the capacitive touch buttons for the temp control are as bad as the reviews make them out to be. I thought the Verano actually drove better, but I don't like the styling on that car and the interior is a mess. If the Verano looked better I would have chosen it without thinking about it. As it is, I'm back to the drawing board. Perhaps an Acura TLX is in my future, or maybe even an ATS.

That's what I'm thinking--Koons is one of the biggest dealer groups in the country and this thing has been sitting there for a while.

Thanks, I'll see what happens at the dealership. I'm hoping to turn that $45k into more like $35k so we'll see how that goes.

I can get the GM Supplier Price through my employer, but the "discount" they offer is less than what the dealer is advertising. Can I take the discount off the negotiated price or is it useless in this case?

Going to look at a GS AWD today, fully loaded with metallic paint and both Driver Confidence packages. MSRP is $45,000 but the dealer is advertising it for $39,579. I think there's still significant room for them to go down further... It has the standard 19" wheels, not the optional 20"ers. Listing here: http://www.koonschevybuickgmc.com/new/Buick/2015-Buick-Regal-vienna-virginia-d693307b0a0a00653722897a39ceab70.htm

Thanks guys--leaning more towards the GS at the moment. I couldn't find any specs for the ground clearance, but comparing pictures of the Turbo and GS it looks like the ground clearance is the same but the GS has different body molding and bumpers that make it look a little lower.

I'm having some trouble figuring out if the Turbo AWD is the same as the GS AWD. I know the GS adds Brembo brakes, but is the AWD system and chassis otherwise the same between the two? They use the same engine.

I've been reading some reviews of the GS AWD, and the Haldex system actually sounds pretty impressive. 50-50 torque split at idle, plus the ability to send almost 100% of the power to the rear wheels. Brembo brakes, too. I also really like the big LCD screen in the gauge cluster, which you only get on the GS. My only concerns are some of the body trim pieces they put on, the huge "drug dealer wheels" (Jeremy Clarkson term), and the lowered ride height. I used to scrape the front air splitter on my Saab 9-5 Aero (lowered from non-Aero height) all the time.

I think comparing it with an A4 is a little bit too rich. I look at it more like a competitor to the Acura TLX and Volkswagen CC: sort of premium but not really luxury. The Regal interior looks nice for what it is but I think the A4 is probably a step up in terms of materials and build quality. But, that's the market segment I've been in with all my cars: Oldsmobile Intrigue, Saab 9-5, Acura TL, and now potentially a Regal. Good power, nice selection of features, comfy seats, what more do you need?

Man, Regal sales really stink. A dealer just emailed me out of the blue offering $6000 off right off the bat; I checked the sales figures and it's down over 25% from last year. That's bad. Their pain can be my gain, though...

Oh, question for you guys: FWD or AWD? I'm leaning FWD at the moment since I suspect the AWD doesn't make much difference, but maybe I'm wrong. I think it adds like 300 lbs to the curb weight.