Test Driven: 2013 Dodge Dart Rallye, Al’s Take
Posted: October 16, 2012 Filed under: Green & Economical, TEST DRIVEN | Tags: 1.4T, Best In Class, C-Segment, Citrus Peel, Dart, Dart Rallye, DCT, Dodge, Dodge Dartre, Dual Clutch Transmission, Excellent, green, Mind over motor, Multiair, Test Driven, turbo, value, Yellow Leave a comment »
Lately, Dodge has shown a bold initiative not seen in a few years. Since Fiat bought a piece of Chrysler, they’ve taken their time in bringing the best of what they have to America. But, the work has paid off. You are looking at a Citrus Peel 2013 Dodge Dart Rallye, and it’s by far the best compact I’ve driven. The Caliber is dead, and this is its replacement. Dodge took a laughing stock of a car off the market and replaced it with one that demands our attention on the street nearly as much as its spokesman (who I can’t stand), Tom Brady, demands on the gridiron. Read the rest of this entry »
Test Driven: Buick Verano, Nick’s Take
Posted: October 5, 2012 Filed under: Green & Economical, TEST DRIVEN | Tags: 31mpg, Buick, comfort, Compact, Cruze, Driven, ecotec, GM, Infotainment, IntelliLink, Leather, Luxury, Mind, modern, motor, Over, review, Sedan, Test, value, Verano 1 Comment »
Lets talk about luxury in the modern sense, what is it really? I feel I have to ask this question because nowadays the line between luxury and performance has been blurred by most of the “luxury” brands out there. Cars like the BMW 550i are immensely comfortable and well made, but will also blow the doors off of many cars that were considered “supercars” not too long ago. Such offerings play a game of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hide, with the ability to both raise and lower your heart rate dramatically. These are great cars, but “luxury” in the proper sense is really only about relaxing a bit, and lowering your heart rate so that you can travel in peace. This is what Buick focused on when making the Verano, a car focused on the modern luxury experience specifically.
Some say a car can’t be a good investment, and I say to them: BMW Z8
Posted: August 29, 2012 Filed under: AUTOMOTIVE INSIGHTS, INDUSTRY TALK | Tags: 394hp, Alpina, BMW Z8 prices, M5, Mind over motor, Price, Roadster, V8, value Leave a comment »
I remember the first time I saw a Z8 in person. It was right around the time I was really starting to get obsessed with cars, and I had become familiar with it through the latest James Bond Playstation game. My mom and I had just parked to go run some errands when I saw a sleek, low, silver car approaching. At first glance, I thought it was a Porsche, but then I realized this was 007’s car. In the decade or so since then, many things have changed in the world, but the Z8’s price has remained the same. Many people are surprised this car has held its value so well, especially since it received a rather mixed reception from many journalists. I have been thinking on this myself, and I have a few ideas as to why it has remained so expensive. Read the rest of this entry »
Porsche: The Value Question
Posted: August 23, 2012 Filed under: AUTOMOTIVE INSIGHTS, MEDIA RESPONSE | Tags: 4.0, 6, Flat, future, GT2, GT3, investment, manual, Mind, money, motor, Nick, Over, PDK, Porsche, prediction, Price, RS, six, turbo, value, Walker, worth 2 Comments »
GT3 RS 4.0 by Marcel Lech
I just saw Chris Harris’ new video on Drive where he informed us he had sold his Porsche GT3 RS 4.0 and had bought a Ferrari 599. While I understand his motives, this made me wonder if he had just made a financial mistake that he would regret for the rest of his life. I have talked to far too many people with the same story, “If only I had held onto that (now incredibly valuable car) I had back then…”. You see, looking forward I think that the 997 series of GT 911s may well be a pinnacle generation for Porsche, just as the 993s were, being the last air-cooled cars.
Rumors have been circulating that there will come a time when GT series 911s will no longer be available with a clutch pedal, and it could even happen soon with the 991. Porsche has already wet their feet in this approach with the 997 Turbo S, which was only offered with their PDK transmission. Paddle shift gearboxes have basically become the norm for high performance cars, and they are undoubtedly faster on the track. So, is there any reason to doubt these rumors? Unfortunately not, and that could make the 997 GTs some of the most sought after Porsches in the future.
This is especially so of the top spec RS models, cars that had very limited production. The GT2 RS and the GT3 RS 4.0 will command the highest amounts for sure, but I see more normal GT3 RSs and standard GT3s appreciating as well. Sure I expect the 991 GT3 RS to be faster and more powerful than the 997 RS 4.0, but without the manual it will never offer the same sort of experience. A similar situation can be seen today where 991 Carrera Ss match the power and performance of the old 993 Turbos, but the 993s still command the same money as a new 991 and will definitely continue to appreciate whereas the 991s will not.
Whenever there is a big change in the Porsche 911, enthusiasts tend to respond with skepticism and turn to the best of the old 911s with their money. It happened with the death of air-cooling, and I believe it will happen again with the death of the manual transmission. So if you are in the market comparing your options, it may be smarter to buy that GT3 RS, or GT2 instead of a Ferrari 430 or Lambo Gallardo right about now. We will see what happens, but you may thank me in a few years.
-Nick Walker
Test Driven: Buick Verano Al’s Take
Posted: June 29, 2012 Filed under: Green & Economical, TEST DRIVEN | Tags: Buick, C-Segment, Compact, ecotec, Luxury, Mind over motor, Quality, review, Sedan, Test Driven, value, Verano Leave a comment »
Buick has not had the best reputation with smaller cars. Their most recent entry, the Skylark, turned a once great name into one best remembered for being an elderly librarian’s best friend and a speed demon’s worst enemy on I-95. However, Buick’s fortunes have turned around a lot in the past two years or so, with newfound success in the larger and smaller portion of the premium midsize market and a newfound lease on life. So, I took this white Verano you see here for a spin in South Florida to see if it was up to the hype. Read the rest of this entry »
Test Driven: 2012 Volkswagen Passat TDI SEL
Posted: January 3, 2012 Filed under: Green & Economical, TEST DRIVEN | Tags: Car of the Year, Chattanooga, Germany, Midsize, Mind over motor, Motor Trend, Motor Trend Car of the Year, Passat, Passat TDI, review, Sedan, SEL, TDI SEL, Tennessee, Test Drive, Test Driven, Upscale, USA, value, VW Leave a comment »
Volkswagen Passat TDI (Front)
As some of our readers might know, my very first post on Mind Over Motor was about the upcoming diesel option on the new Volkswagen Passat. Well, it’s here. And, somewhere along the way, the Passat won Motor Trend‘s 2012 Car of the Year award, one of the most prestigious in the business. This was likely due in no small part to the new diesel model, among other things. But, I had to find out for myself just what else makes this new Passat “Car of the Year”. A local dealer had one ready for a drive, so I took the opportunity and drove it around to find out. Read the rest of this entry »
Secondhand Saint: MazdaSpeed6
Posted: July 15, 2011 Filed under: Secondhand Saints | Tags: 2.3L, AWD, Car, driving, engine, fun, Inline-4, Mazda, Mazda 6, MazdaSpeed, MazdaSpeed 6, Mind over motor, MZR Turbo, New Car, Price, Secondhand Saints, turbo, Used Car, value Leave a comment »
MazdaSpeed 6 (Front)
The Subaru Legacy GT, when it was launched, was a very successful car for Subaru back in 2005. A year later, Mazda decided to fire back with a hot-rodded version of their otherwise-milquetoast family sedan–the MazdaSpeed 6.
Test Driven: Hyundai Genesis (3.8 and 4.6)
Posted: July 8, 2011 Filed under: Sports and Executive, TEST DRIVEN | Tags: 3.8, 4.6, bargain, Drive, Driven, Genesis, Hyundai, Korea, Korean, Leather, Luxury, Mind over motor, review, Sedan, Test, V6, V8, value 2 Comments »
The V8 Genesis I drove. Beautiful slate Blue over beige leather interior
On paper, Hyundai’s Genesis sedan is one of the best values available on the market. It is aimed at the likes of the Mercedes E-Class, BMW 5 Series, Lexus GS, and Infiniti M however it vastly undercuts all of them on price. In fact the entire Genesis line begins and ends (with their top of the line 5.0 R-Spec) below the starting price of the most basic Mercedes E-Class. That’s correct, for around $2,000 less than a bare bones E350 with a puny 282bhp V6 you can have a 5.0L V8 with 429bhp in your Genesis, surely a serious value. So, on paper it all looks totally legit, but for me, the real question is this: is the Genesis a legitimate competitor in this segment as a car without considering its value for money, or is it just a car you would only buy if you wanted some luxury but couldn’t afford the real deal? Read the rest of this entry »
Secondhand Saint: Ferrari F355
Posted: July 5, 2011 Filed under: Secondhand Saints | Tags: Berlinetta, Car, Exotic, F355, Ferrari, GTS, Italian, Mind over motor, Spider, Sports, V8, value Leave a comment »
The three offerings of F355, the Spider (front), GTS (mid), and Berlinetta (rear). I prefer the GTS because it is a nice middle ground of the three.
This is somewhat of a departure even from the other cars we have featured in this section, but the F355 is a fantastic value if you have the money for it. While it cannot be had for the price of a new Corolla (like many of the other cars we’ve featured), it is one of the most iconic modern Ferraris and it can be had for the price of a BMW 5 series, so it is still a fantastic value. Read the rest of this entry »
