scdroptop

iTrader: (1)

Gang-I am thinking about a 2006 CPO or one with lower miles and wondered for those of you who have owned a 2002-2005 like I did can compare/contrast the new engine/transmission and supposedly different transmission, bluetooth and updates to the nav system?

I am aware and like the tail lights the little chrome changes down by the fog lights and the other subtle changes, but I really want to know if the manual-automatic is THAT much fun, or is it lame like all the others?

I am torn...get another 2002-2005 like my first one, or is the 2006+ worth it for the nav/bluetooth and transmission/shifter????

I HATE the fact they don't make an absolutely red in a 2006+. Looked at a matador red mica today and it wasn't the same for me. Thanks!!!

tromly

Hey, that matador red mica is still great looking, go for the 2006, I'm upgrading next year if the stock market holds ! Good Luck !

iolmaster

iTrader: (1)

I can't say the new shifter is fun or not. I have an 05 Subaru turbo that has the same shifter and I have an 06 SC430. I live in a very mountainous area of Virginia and I will say I use the shifter to my advantage going up and down these mountains. Is it more fun? I don't know. I do know it works great on both cars. I know I drove both incarnations of the SC before I settled on the 06. I do like the 6 speed and I do use the Bluetooth. However, I'm sure I would have been happy with an 02-05. Still great cars.

JTMav

I meet your requirements having owned an 03 and now an '06 for two years.
These are personal preferences more or less, but I have always felt the mid cycle upgrade starting with '06 was worth it. I think the the car seems to launch quicker from the line than my '03. Not only was the tranny upgraded but the ecu was reprogrammed as well. The engine, however is the same. The formula for HP rating was changed that's the explanation for the drop in HP. The blue-tooth works well, the new headlights are great. Styling wise, well many think the car is a bit long in the tooth and I wouldn't argue but I still find the car very attractive. My opinion is the '06 and later are worth the extra cost. The sum of all the changes made a great car even better. I have black on black and still love getting into the car for my daily 25 mile commute to Boston.
Good luck let us know what you end up doing.

scdroptop

iTrader: (1)

thanks for your opinion...i finally drove a black on camel and loved it but too much $41k on a 2006 cpo with 17k miles. I thought the shifter was just "ok", not really paddle shifter kind of fun like in my infiniti.

i did love the bt technology and the new camel color...much nicer than ecru. I wonder what the camel would have looked like with birdseye maple????