Och

iTrader: (3)

NYC has a lot of frustrations, but I've spend a lot of time outside of NYC, and outside of US in the last few years and I realized that I would not trade it for anything else. Being elsewhere is like being thrown back into the 80ies in a time machine.

SW17LS

The time machine sounds pretty good sometimes LOL.

All kidding aside, if I was going to live IN a city, no doubt NYC would be where I would want to live.

Och

iTrader: (3)

Well to me NYC is frustrating, while other places are depressing. If I was to leave NYC I would probably leave the US entirely.

mmarshall

I'd get a Rolls before a Bentley....more my style.

SW17LS

I've been many, many places in the US that are not depressing lol

mmarshall

Thanks.....I test-drove another Lacrosse today (18" wheels) and I'm getting used to the odd shifter for most basic Park/Drive/Reverse functions, but it is still a little tricky in and out of Neutral.

I don't think the Lacrosse is built quite as solidly as the Genesis G80 (you can tell the difference in the doors and interior hardware)...but the G80, to me, just isn't as comfortale and satisfying to drive. Its ride, interestingly enough, though not bad, doesn't feel quite as smooth as that of the 2Gen Hyundai Genesis it was rebadged from. The Lacrosse, with 18" wheels and 50-series tires, is more cocoon-like, isolated, and library-quiet....traditional American big Buick, though with better handling than the ones before about 2010. The MKZ and ES350 seem to fall somewhere in between.

SW17LS

You know you want the Lacrosse, just get it

Och

iTrader: (3)

Mike, these are all boring cars. I remember you almost pulled a trigger on a plum purple Challenger, why not just get that?

mmarshall

Different time, different circumstances. First, there's no way I'd have RWD anymore....that's out the window, though I understand that an AWD Challenger may be soon coming. Second, the whole Charger/Challenger platform (which also included the Chrysler 300) has been unreliable from Day One. Third, FCA dealerships, in general, have developed a reputation for crappy service. Fourth, insurance would be a lot higher (the purple color is only available on the high-output 6.2L Hemi SRT)...though I could probably still afford it. Fifth, where I live, there aren't very many places to either legally, practically, or sensibly and safely unload the SRT's power. Sixth, I may be a car enthusiast, but I'm not necessarily a speed enthusiast. And, last, I certainly don't find this class of entry-level sedans boring....if I did, I wouldn't be looking at them. I happen to enjoy comfortable-riding cars......just like I did almost half a century ago in high-school/college, when, yes, I liked both classic luxury cars and classic muscle-cars.

A high-school friend of mine, BTW had a brand-new 1970 purple Challenger R/T with the 440 triple-carb (6-Pack) and hood Shaker-Scoop. Atrociously bad build-quality (especially by today's standards), but it was fun to ride around in...we didn't have wall-to-wall traffic back then in this area. Looked a lot like this one:

dseag2

Not so much these days. With climate change, we have been one of the best areas as far as weather in the entire country. We had no ice or snow this winter, our Spring came early and we are right now in the lower 80's. The tornado sirens have only gone off twice in the 10 years I've lived here and (knock on wood) we've had no damage. We only had one month of 100+ temps last year, and it is a dry heat. In South Florida, 80 degrees was sweltering because of the humidity. Also, the nights cool off here, so the mornings are beautiful. We use the convertible probably 8 months out of the year. There are a lot of misconceptions about Dallas (brutality hot summers, country bumpkins). It is actually a very cosmopolitan city with a fairly temperate climate, full of friendly people.

Re: the traffic, it is bad for those who live in Plano, Frisco and McKinney... the suburbs of Dallas. They move there because it is Suburbia and they commute. Unlike other major metropolitan areas, one can actually buy a very nice house in the Dallas Metro area without paying the high prices one would pay in DC, NYC, etc. If you live in Metro Dallas the traffic isn't that bad. We are considered in Metro Dallas and can walk to White Rock Lake, drive 5 minutes to the Dallas Arboretum or 10 minutes to Music Hall at Fair Park (where they have broadway shows). Our house is in a great neighborhood but would be considered very inexpensive in other major cities. Again, it is a great quality of life.

mmarshall

Thanks for the question....and it deserves a response. Sorry......I had typed one out, but for some reason, it wouldn't post (perhaps it went past the response time-limit in the data-base), and the auto-saved feature lost most of it. I'm very tired now, going to hit the sack early tonight...and I'll get back with you later on this.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

^^ looks like your post did make it.

since you've got the funds, you're retired and deserve it, why not an AWD LS? wonderfully smooth and quiet, impeccably built?

davyjordi

probably because it won't fit in his parking space.

SW17LS

The SWB LS isn't that big. Stupid incredible deals on them right now too.

mmarshall

Yes, an LS would be stretching it some in the condo-space department.So would the Continental, CT6, and S550, and a couple of other large luxury sedans in that department. I also need some space on either side of my car to shovel snow and open/close the doors without banging cars next to me. Plus, I'm not terribly impressed with the nearest Lexus shop (the one I bought my IS300 from some years ago).....and the next closest one is in a very bad-traffic area. But one big reason is that, while I can afford it, I'd simply rather not spend that much on a car. Even with my house paid off, it is wise to keep money in the bank for emergencies....I've had two operations now in the last seven years, and, even with good health insurance (which I have), one can never forecast the future.

OK, bit...let's get back to your question. The G80, strictly by the numbers, depending on if it has a sunroof or not, has (slightly) more headroom and legroom in front. In back, the G80 has slightly more headroom, but the Lacrosse has a couple of inches more legroom. I'm single, and usually don't carry people in back, but I do sometimes use that space to carry things like my brief-bag, gym/excercise/swimming gear, groceries, extra coats/winter gear, etc.....so the extra room will come in handy. Plus, if you DO want the trunk, the Lacrosse has a handy linkage where you simply push in on the big tricolored Buick emblem on the trunk (similar to the VW logo-linkage on some of their vehicles), and the trunk pops open....that's a standard feature on all Lacrosses.

As far as choosing between them, I have to admit that all four of my front-runners are a temptation (the G80 is clearly the most solidly-built of the four, with the best hardware, despite the nice fit/finish and slick paint job on the ES350)....and I'd probably be at least fairly happy with any of them. The G80, though, would require extra-cost AWD (RWD is simply not an option in my book....too many bad winter experiences with it, even with electronic traction-aids), and the AWD is not available at all in the impressive 5.0L V8 version, only the 3.8L V6. The ES350 promises reliability, but (IMO) a somewhat flimsy, cheaply-done interior except for the nice polished-wood steering wheel, Ho-Hum management at the local Lexus dealer, and (slightly) less refinement in ride/quietness than previous versions, though still not bad in that department. The MKZ, like the Lacrosse, has what I would call nice road manners, has great styling with the Continental front end, and, of course, I know the General Manager of the dealership from previous dealings when he was with Lexus. But the MKZ is built in Mexico (taking money and support away from American labor, which would also be the case with the G80), has questionable solidness in its assembly quality like its sister MKC SUV, and has a rather poor engine choice for a mid-size luxury sedan of this class (either a 2.0L turbo-4 of Ecoboost-origin or a boy-racer 400 HP TT V6). So, basically, that leaves the Lacrosse, which falls down a little in build quality (and interior hardware, despite its plush surface-look) to the G80, but IMO makes up for it in a tomb-quiet ride, good ride comfort over bumps with the 18" wheels, and acceptable though not agile handling/steering response. It would also (for me) probably give the best dealer service (even though I know the manager of the Lincoln shop), comes with GM's superb On-Star system, and, of course, gives me the chance to do something I've wanted for decades....a new Buick flagship. Although it's not cast in stone, the Larossse is what I am probably going to end up with...I'd say better than even chance over the G80.