Needs, Wants, and Desires
I want a new car. I need a new car. Both of those statements are a bit debatable though because I don’t necessarily have to drive a new car to get from point A to point B. But a new car is so much more satisfying with all the niceties of luxury options compared to a beater car that can also do the job.

Current Ride

My current car is Toyota Celica GT and is 7 years old. I bought it way back in 2000 when it was just released in its new shape and form. 165,000 kilometers (100,000 miles) later, it still runs but it’s taken a beating from me. The good thing about the Celica is that it’s quite good on gas. I can get around 550 kms (approx. 350 miles) on a 50L (13.2 gallons) fill-up at the gas station. The car is only 2400 lbs (1100 kgs) and that’s a huge factor in the gas mileage. The bad thing about the car is there’s hardly any torque. It takes a bit to get the car moving from a standstill so forget about passing cars with ease.

My Celica:

The Selection Takes a Long Time

I don’t really see myself in a new car right now because I don’t even have one car narrowed down yet. Realistically, I can see myself in a new car 1-2 years down the road after all the research, test-driving, and price haggling is done. If I had to choose right now, I would pick between the Lexus IS250 RWD, Honda Accord Coupe V6, and the Infiniti G35 Coupe. I know that the G35 Coupe is going to become the G37 in a couple of months as a 2008 model with more engine displacement, power, and new styling.
The 3 cars are in a different class from each other but they are sporty and have an available 6-speed tranny that I require to drive. I probably won’t be driving an automatic transmission car for another few decades because they are boring as hell.

2008 Infiniti G37:

2008 Honda Accord Coupe:

2007 Lexus IS250:

What COUNTRY to Buy From?

It’s hard enough to choose what car to buy but to have to choose what country to buy from adds to the confusion. The Canadian dollar is at a 30 year high and is almost at par with the American dollar so it’s really tempting to purchase a car south of the 49th parallel and save upwards of $10000. There are issues though with it like paperwork, taxes, duties, daylight light conversion, odometer change, etc. The biggest point that prevents Canadians from buying in the States is some car companies do not allow it. Toyota/Lexus will not allow their dealerships to sell to anyone with the intent to export. Dealerships are threatened with the revoke of their licenses if they knowingly sell to a customer who ships the car out of the country.

Only Time Will Tell

I will post a message on here when I do buy a new car but that won’t be for another while. If you have any suggestions to what I should buy, please whip me an email or comment on here.