New Car for the wife....
 

OK, the wife has a 2000 Honda Accord Coupe that she loves. It has 165K miles and she wants something new. It has the 6cyl VTEC with 200hp. She loves the power. She is a cop and has taken, and taught, high performance driving classes so she knows what she likes.

Here's the rub.....she commutes 125 mi. round trip every day. Leaves at 5pm home at 6am. The car must be uber dependable. Gas mileage is important but not at the expense of POWER. She will not drive puny 4 cyl. POS. (Her words)

We plan to hand the 2000 down to our oldest daughter so therefore will not have a trade or substantial down payment.

She would love a red convertible (wouldn't we all) something. She wants a coupe but it has to have 'real' back seats.

She doesn't like the 2004 Accord coupes (kinda boxy, she says). We have went and test driven the Acura RSX (way too small) and Acura TL (great but this is really a luxury sedan), we tried to drive a TSX but they didn't have any. They are four door and have a 4 cyl. but she was willing to consider it.

She likes the G35, but who doesn't. They are everywhere. 35Grand too.
We're going to test drive a Solara convertible. So, no opinion yet.
Her fave of course is the Lexus SC430 but 55K for a commuter car is kinda dumb.
She's 5'10" so I can't see her in a Miata.
I rented her a MB 230 convertible for a week for her birthday and she loved it but the service costs and reliability rule that one out.


What do you guys think? I was thinking about maybe test driving a Boxster, just to see how she liked it. Would it stand up to the commute?

Any other suggestions? Don't say WRX. She doesn't like them. :rolleyes:

Thanks......

how about the new GTO or is300?

Well if you want something with alot of power and you don't really car if it's fwd or rwd and willing to get something a little older...my recommendation is the 97-03 pontiac grand prix gtp...they get about 30-32 gas mileage if your easy on them and about 28 with a little rough driving...they are pretty dependable and easy to work on..plus they have raw power...plus you can find one used with very little miles on them since people don't like to have them as a daily driver and plus alot of punk kids don't own them since if someone young (like me) owned one they couldn't afford the insurance....the new gto's get pretty good gas mileage too...easy to work on and parts are easy to find since it's a normal LS1 engine...if you can wait a year I think they are coming out with a convertible version soon hoping to up sales...

S2000

That puny 4 cylinder POS will rip most above mentioned cars

Mustang GT Convertible

Go back for the TSX. It gets 200hp out of the 4cyl. It's a nice, classy car that's pretty comfy. I Dont think she'll be disappointed at all.

I have a TL and I will swear by it to the end, but if she doesn't like luxury when she drives so much every day... well I can't cure her.

Second the vote for the GTO.
Coupe. RWD. 350 horsepower and plenty of room for a 5'10" person and a useable back seat. And the LS1 is one of the best engines ever built and they don't crap out too easily and the gas mileage for the power is pretty good. The styling isn't the greatest but it's not going to be as outrageous and I think it would fit a female cop's personality.
And since the 05 GTOs are about to come out in a few months the 04s are going for dirt cheap because nobody wants to pay the full price for a car that's going to have 50 fewer horses than the newer versions. I've been talking to several folks that are getting them for around 25-26k.
Check out these websites and go hit up a Pontiac dealer
www.newagegto.com
www.ls1gto.com

Agreed. The TSX is a perfect replacement for a good Accord. It handels pretty well, it looks good, and it has the power your wife seemingly needs.

Aside from that, try the Chrysler 300 series. It has the HEMI, which means power, but it also is able to shut off 4 cylanders, so it can have great milage when you want. The 300 E base starts at $23,920, and has a 2.7L DOHC 24 valve V6. The 300 Touring starts at $27,720 and has a 3.5L 24 valve V6. The 300 Limited starts at $30,530 and has the same engine as the touring. The 300c (the only one worth buying), starts at $33,495, and has the 5.7L HEMI V8 w/ the multi displacement system. I think, like the Dodge Magnum, it's based on the E-class frame and suspension.

Also, the Mitsubishi Galant seems to be a decent choice. The GTS comes with a 230 hp 3.8L V6 and "Americas #1 warrenty".
The Nissan Maxima is also pretty good. 3.5L V6 285 hp and put you back $29,350.

Somewhat off topic - in 2004 Pontiac revised the engine in the GTP. Its now the Series III, still supercharged but now w/ 20 more HP, uses regular and is rated for 3mpg more than previous years. So, that's a much better engine than the previous year's.

Damn for a GTO that cheap I would go for it...to bad I don't have to cash!

GTO huh? I thought she wanted a reliable car. Preferrably something that looks good too. That's just my opinion.

I say the TSX as well. I have had one for almost a year coming off a 2000 Accord and have no complaints.

Yeah, god forbid she doesnt buy a TL :rolleyes:

Jeez just cause it's an american car makes it unreliable....

how about the new nissan maxima?

I feel for her because I have a long commute myself, I drive a 2003 TSX so I wouldn't recommend it, it's a great toy but the 4 cyl just ain't gonna cut it, there is like no torque until 4500rpm

since she wants reliability, then just stop looking at american cars, just fuck them, period.

the alternatives are Altima 3.5SE, at a great price 25G, it's 3.5 litre V6 at 255 hr, and it's a big arse car. The reliablity is great.

wait, if she's a cop, why isn't she driving a Crown Vic?

I was gonna say.. don't cops get some discount from Ford, or whoever supplies their district with vehicles?

We get a discount from Ford through work and it sucks, so those aren't always so good.

New cars are a complete ripoff anyway. A 2-3 year old car generally has 80% of it's life left and has lost 50% of its value. Just be patient and shop for a low mileage used car. I bought my car three years old with 7,000 miles on it. I paid $10,000 less than a new one.

Save the money, keep the used Honda, and buy a house closer to her office!

Could you stretch to a BMW 645 convertible? If you need four seats any beemer ragtop might fit the bill.
Otherwise, a Boxster would be an excellent choice, commuting just not an issue.
Do try an Elise if you can - as has been said, 4 cylinders can be more than enough, and for someone really interested in driving there is nothing more involving on the market.
Otherwise, my friend loves his S2000 - they're very good value in Europe at least, but the Honda remains a division below both Porsche and Lotus in terms of hooning about:)

Personally I'd go for the TL, Halx is a lucky bastard for having a new one. I drive a 98 3.2TL, and I wouldnt mind the upgrade to 04, but its a great car for it being 8 years old and having the milage that it does. Honda or Acura is the best bet for dependable cars that still perform. Keep working her on the TSX :thumbsup:

S2000 = Mazdaspeed Miata

I agree that those WOULD rip, but he said he wouldn't see her driving a Miata.
Same thing with the Lotus Elise. She wants to seat 4 from what it sounds like. I'd suggest fuck american cars as well, becuase they suck.

Suggestions:

Coupe
--- Mazda RX-8: Nice sports style coupe that can seat 4, relatively quick and handles exceptionally agile from what ive heard. Fuel economy might be a little lower than desired.
--- BMW 3-series: Coupe or Sedan, pretty versatile car, great mix of luruxry, with dependability, fuel economy and sports type power and handling. Outside of the Acura TL, it's what I would pick in her situation.

Sedan
---Mazda 6s
---Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution
---Nissan Altima 3.5SL

But I dont know. I'm just a guy with an opinion.

It's one thing to say American cars suck if you own a Honda or Toyota.

If you are saying Nissan,Mazda, and Mitsubishi and trying to equate that to reliability...ummm no.

I have a Nissan and it gives me more problems than my Ford does...that's two years older. My sister just bought a brand new Altima(I did my best to talk her out of it)...guess what the engine has already developed a tick.

Nextly if you are saying lump the GTO...based on what? Because it's a Pontiac?
What have you heard about the GTO failing and falling apart?
Is it the engine? Oh wait not that ain't it it's got an LS1 the thing is tough as nails and makes tons of power. It's a performance engine with going on 6 years of useage in Corvettes and Camaros. These things don't just quit on you. In fact would you take a slapped together generic V6 from some schlub of a company that doesn't have near the construction tolerances of a performance engine from GM?

Is it the transmission? I know that ain't it either. It's got a T-56 tranny. Again one the best things you can have or else they wouldn't stick them in Vettes and Vipers.

So what would make you guys say the GTO is "unreliable"?

I agree on the GTO, it is a gerenalization that all american cars suck. Some sucked in the past, and some suck in the present, but it fluctuates. The new mustang (2005 GT) is supposed to vindicate ford for all of it's past crap by being reliable...go figure! I, a former mustang hater, am already on the test drive list. It it delivers what it promises, I will probably buy one.

Edit: And I'll add a supercharger, better suspension, rims, brakes, headers, exhaust, manifold, etc...

If you do like the Stang and want to add those things....wait there's going to be some nice little surprises coming from Ford in the Mustang package.

Sence when has a GM car not been reliable?

lets see...the 3.1 and 3.4 v6's with bad gaskets or ones with piston slap, the quad4 with it's awesome power to blow headgaskets. The Chevrolet 305 that was made in the 80's that had nylon coated timing chaing gears and somethings soft camshafts. The 80's Olds 307, easiest engine I ever blew up. The mid 80's Cadillac 4.1L V8 that was the most ass backwards engineered thing to come out of Detroit. It's a big list...but remember NO manufacturer is perfect.
You sir just hit the nail on the head for what i was gonna say next. To sum it up proven components put together in a nice package.

I meant the sports car...mostly Pontiac

Most of those examples listed were mid 80's. Well, almost 20 years later thing have improved, amazingly enough. Yes, GM Sucked the Big One in the 80's ... they have improved remarkedly. I work at a Mazda/Chrysler/Pontiac dealership, and we rarely ever see the GTOs in. Usuall its oil change or body shop. We see even less of the 300/magnum. Both seem to be pretty reliable cars, and the powertrain in both is well proven, though the Displacement on Demand is pretty new technology.

Has she looked at the new G6? Its not the most powerful machine, but still kind of nice. The styling isn't even that bad, especially for a pontiac. 200HP, and that cool retractable sunroof makes it a little more like a convertible.

I would highly reccomend the Mazda 6 though. 220 hp v6, handles well, personally i like the styling too. right in the 20 grand range.

Pontiac has a G6 Superchnger in the works with well over 250hp

I drove a new GTO not long ago. It was 6 speed manual version. What a great car it seems to be. LOTS of power, and a great feel to the tranny. The clutch took a bit of gettin used to, I had to be very smooth cause take up was VERY quick. I was really impressed with the ride and handling of the car. The suspension was taut with a great feel and to me, excellent feel of what the car was doin, and great brakes as well. One thing I loved more than any was probably the sound. You could hear enough to know what u were driving, but not so much to piss you off during a roadtrip.

The interior is clean and works well, even for me at 6'4. Imo however, it is just a bit bland for the car, but the colored gauges and available interior accents are a nice touch.

Hey, thanks for all the feed back.

I did happen to go to the Pontiac lot tonight....The G6 is nice. But the GTO....wow...much more impressive in person. That car in yellow is hot (and a hot rod).

I still can't see her being impressed by the TSX. She wants a sporty, not quite luxury coupe, and the TSX is neither.

The problem is she doesn't know what she wants either. She says 'Why don't you just pick something you know I will like and bring it home and surprise me'. This is not a bad idea really, cause then I can go look at used cars which really opens up the field for finding a good deal.

This is like the third time we have been down this road. Buy a nice car, put excessive miles on it, get stuck with not being able to sell it. The car is driven from covered garage to covered garage and it looks like it could have 30K miles on it. I change the oil every 8K miles which is about every two months. The only people we can sell to are other people who own Honda's, cause they know they will run forever with proper maintenance.

Well, I'm going to keep looking.......and definitely keep you guys suggestions in mind.

I'm tellin ya take the GTO home to her let her get her foot in the sucker and she'll definately probably want to keep it.

One word of advice if you do decide to go with the GTO play hardball. I'm talking put the screws to them and don't let up. These dealers know in about 8 weeks they'll be getting their 05s and once that and winter time sets in nobody will want the 04s.
Tell them you'll give them 26k take it or leave it and if they call their bluff tell them you'll be back in late December with 24k. And if you can find two dealers to play off on one another and I assure you the 26k if not less.

What about the Volvo C70? Coupe or convertable, they're nice sized plenty powerful and actually have pretty taut suspensions, plus they're comfortable, reliable and good looking (well that last part is my opinion, but whatever).

If you want to shell out 56k (which is relativly close to a boxter) the audi S4 convertible is nice, and it seats four.. cheaper, mabye a miata (mx-5) but that won't seat four..; Rember the power to weight ratio when you talking about bigger cars though.. thats really whats going to get you around..

What about the Honda S2000 best 4cyld in its class rwd drie and a responsive chassis
and plenty of scoop to modify as well , Or a legacy 3.0r no turbo 6cyldr may be not avaidable in states yet . Or holden astra turbo convertible not sre if avaidable in states either , What does your wife want not you !!!!!

The commutes right? Are you sure you want the LS1 V8 to commute with? I dunno about gas prices where you are.. That that would get extremely spendy.

If you get into used cars, I'd also throw a vote out for the 330xi from BMW. You can get an '01 in the 23-26k range.

You apparently dont realize the mileage a LS1 can knock down on a commute like that.

What? 22 or so?

The six speed will knock down 29 or 30 on the highway.

What about one of those Camry Sportivo models. Are they the Solara in the US?

They look pretty good to me. And Toyotas are reliable (not saying other manufacturers aren't)

http://www.toyota.com/vehicles/2005/.../exterior.html

Pretty good, the test in C/D said they only got 22 though. :crazy:

Most will average mid to high 20s in the GTO in highway driving.

See: My parents 94 caddy deville that they recently retired.. ugh that thing was a piece of shiat
See: My sister's 98 Chevy Silverado Z71... in the shop every other week
See: The reputation of the entire Pontiac division. I don't know where you get your propaganda, but I have never heard good reliability comments regarding them.

Kind of like the propaganda that all Honda vehicles are slow? ;)

Working in broad strokes tends to be a bad idea when cars are concerned.

Everyone has different horror stories.

I have a VW Touareg we're dying to get rid of before our new baby comes. Need that third row seat baby!

Seriously though, my Silverado has been great. Had an 87 Grand Am when I was in college (Yes, I was a poor college kid, I drank the cheap beer) that was not a nice car, but started every morning, and never had anything wrong except CV joints. Sold it for 500 bucks at 287,000 miles. 400 more then I bought it for. :)

Everyone has tales of death and dispair. I've never personally met anyone who had a GM vehicle in the shop every other week. Or any car for that matter, except Touareg's. :) (We've had good luck with ours so far, knock on wood)

Honda/Acura along with Toyota is as reliable as they come. I personally don't find the styling of either very appealing, but you can never go wrong with owning one. I've never met anyone with any issues with the new Honda and or Acuras.

I've heard only one person mention this car so far. What about the lexus IS300 or IS430? A fast and sporty yet luxurious car, coupled with excellent built quality and re-sale value.

My first thoughts about the GTO as a daily driver were that she'd be spending ridiculous sums of money to fill the tank every week. approximately 30 miles per gallon on the highway is quite good actually, i just can't stand the looks of the car though personally. Another issue would be winter driving a rwd beast.

My only other suggestions would be an RX-8, which are slightly underpowered (IMO, and according to stock dyno #s), but are amazing through the twisties, attractive looking (IMO), not to mention a 9000 rpm revving rotary motor.

Keep us posted on your car hunt.

Might I suggest the new Mercedes CLS that is coming out?

http://www.motorportal.com/daimlerch...b2004f633b.jpg


If you don't want to wait then how about a CL500 or better yet a CL55

I can rip you one at auction.

I just ripped a 02 CL600 Sport Pkg. Blk/BLK with 10465 miles Mint condition for $66,000.00.

The wholesale book was 84,000.00 and retail was 98,000.00 :D

Or the CLK430 cabriolet or even the CLK55 if you want the power, but if none of those is your cup of tea...GO WITH THE ACURA! The new RL is sweeet

I know this is a bit off but have you tried the Prius, it is soo cool. Lots of Lexus technology at toyota prices.

Problems with RX-8. Search the web for cold start issues. If the car dies and the engine is still cold it gets flooded and needs a tow! I got a wrx based on that fact alone.

I don't think the Prius would fit the "power" portion of his needs. :)

MINI Cooper S or even a MINI CS convertible.

:) so much fun to drive...I can't wait to rent one again when we are in Madrid.

Ok we get it you don't like GM, I don't like Honda/Acura but you don't see saying it everytime I post!

Well, we went and test drove the G35 the other day. She loved it. I thought it was loud. Not like my BigBlock ElCamino, but still the exhaust noise was noticeable in the cabin whenver the car accelerated. She said she didn't care but I think you would hear it over the radio, and it would definitely be noticeable on the hiway at 80.

How does this sound....
255 HP V-6
233 ft/lb Torque
30/37mpg
XM radio standard
Leather
Full ABS




Give up ?



New 2005 Honda Accord Hybrid
http://automobiles.honda.com/images/...lery/4-big.jpg

Not a coupe, but lots of power and luxury. The hiway mileage alone would save us $150./mo in gas. Price - supposed to be around $30K.

Decisions, decisions.

I am DROOLING over that Accord Hybrid! I've been wanting a Civic Hybrid, but that Accord... That's just pretty.


Oh, if only I had $30,000 laying around.... Sigh.

Audi's are quite nice, very dependable, good milage.

I thought we were talking about sports cars?!

So did you go with the G35? Coupe or sedan? anyway, how about the new Acura RL, its a V6, 300hp, and AWD.

I'm assuming the drool is because of the gas mileage and not the exterior package. :)

Low milage, off lease 2002'ish BMW 330ci?

Should be able to pick one up for around $25k. Enough power to keep you happy. Excellent road manners. Won't be exhausting to drive that distance. *Decent* milage at around 28'ish on the highway.

Why buy a brand new vehcile when you are putting 5,000 miles a month on it? Save yourself tens of thousands and buy a used one with an ESP through the original manf.

I got a question why can't honda make a car that has more torque then hp?

I would never by a car/truck/SUV with less torque then HP, but I tow a trailer a lot.
But its up to you

Good trade. ;)

If she gets a chance to get her foot in a Solara, that's a really nice option. The V8 engine plus the amenities of the camrys, plus Toyota dependability. That would have been my choice of vehicle after my truck.

Just an update.....

I think "we've" decided on an Infiniti G35 Coupe. Black w/tan leather, auto, aero package.

I've got her convinced that I can get a nice 03 or maybe 04 with 8K to 15K miles for right at $30K. Now all I have to do is find one. I'm hoping the dealers will get aggressive with their 04's as the end of the year approaches, otherwise I'll just keep watching the online classifieds.

Excellent choice. Make sure to check cars.com, i easily found many 03 or 04 coupes for under 30k. Good luck with whatever you decide on.

Good choice. Consumer Reports recommended, good power and reliability. Good luck.

Actually torque is what does the work....just like a diesel

Good choice in car, nice to see people are supporting new technology

ok, I won't say WRX .. how about a Forrester XT, 210 hp AWD

I'm a LEO and my go-down-the-highway car is a real sleeper; Mercury Grand Marquis with the "sport" suspension, 16" alloy wheels, 4 wheel disc brakes, 4.6 liter V-8 slightly warmed up. I am continuely amazed at its good road manners and performance. 22/25 mpg at 75 mph highway cruise. It is not real sexy looking, but it is a real pleasure to drive far and fast. The price is a real bargain. 2004s can be purchased new for 17.5k to 18.5k.

I'm a CAPRICORN. My go-down-the-garage-car is in a deep coma.

Pontiac Bonneville
 

What I like about the Pontiac Bonneville is that it isn't a popular car and within a year of each year's release, it devalues a lot, and you can pick up one for not very much money, compared to cars that keep their value.

I bought a 2004 Bonneville with leather seats, cd player, lots of features, and 10,000 miles on it for $17,000 plus tax.

I love the power of the Bonneville transmission and V-6 arrangement. My drive is only 50 miles per day.

It is my third Bonneville and the thing you have to keep a watch on is the radiator water level. The engine gasket in some models wears out around 75,000 to 80,000 miles and can cause water to leak into the engine. They've corrected the design on newer years though.

Other than that it is a relatively trouble free car and will cost less to repair than a Japanese or European car.

Regards.

Thanks for everybody's comments.......we went and picked this up earlier today.....

http://www.infiniti.com/m/cma/i/ban/ban_g35c_press.jpg

2004 G35 Coupe. Auto, premium package, Sirius, splash gaurds. Desert platinum, willow leather. 16 miles. We were commenting that this is the first non-Honda my wife has driven the entire time we have been married.(21 yrs)

Felt like I got as good a deal as I could. It was obviously the end of the month and year. This was the last automatic 04 they had. We had considered a MT but while sporty, shifting around town does get old. There are not a lot of 04's left anywhere in FL and the 05's are hard to get as well. MSRP - $35,310. Paid - $32,250. Flat invoice price.


Thanks again for everyone's comments and I will update this post every once in a while to let you know how it's going.

oops didn't read you already bought it.

so how did you bargain down to invoice?

Good choice, the G is a very nice car

I've given other people here ideas on how to buy a new car so I tried to follow my own advice. I've always said the number one rule is 'don't fall in love'. This is easy to say but when the wife says 'I want that one' that kind of hurts my bargaining strategy. Just don't let the salesman hear her say that. Tell him 'Oh, I can live with any color..., I don't have to have XXXX options' meanwhile you are hoping that he doesn't sell the one you have your eye on. I didn't want to have to tell my wife that I didn't buy the car she was in love with because I dicked around over $500.

My wife says 'how can you talk to them like that? You sound like an asshat' I say 'they don't get pissed, they are just there to sell cars' Remember, you buy one every 4 or 5 years, a good dealership sells 5 cars a day. They are used to all types. I always tell the sales manager 'Make the big money off the old ladies, I'm here for a bargain'. You have to have an answer for their canned lines. When they say 'If we make the deal you want will you buy the car today?' You say 'yes.' They will try to somehow hold you to this - acting all indignant 'You said you would buy today' Fuck 'em. I just know in my mind I am going to offer low enough that there is no way they would take the first offer. I had ordered the Consumer Reports pricing report (ALWAYS ALWAYS do this), it costs $12. I knew the MSRP and invoice price of the car and all the options. They quoted MSRP, I offered $30,000. I knew they could not sell it for this but it told them that I was not looking for some BS $500. discount. Them hemmed and hawed and went back and forth to the sales manager and said they couldn't do it. I thanked them for their time and walked out. Now they know you mean business.

Don't hesitate to BS them either. Don't lie. But tell them the things that they want to hear. 'I really like your cars, but I have to get a deal', 'I will be shopping the other dealerships' , 'The other dealership said they would beat your price by $500, you don't want me to go there do you?' , ' I read that there is a factory to dealer rebate on this model, I want part of that'. They of course will have an answer for all of your lines. They are pros. Don't waver. Be prepared to walk away. I usually tell them "Look, I am in real estate and negotiate every day, I used to be a banker and know the numbers backwards and forwards so why don't we cut through the BS and get down to the deal. 'Do you want to sell me this car or not?'. This time I used a trick I hadn't used before. I had my daughter call me on my cell at exactly a certain time when I knew we would be negotiating. They excused themselves but I could tell they were listening. I faked the conversation along the lines of 'yeah I'm at the dealership, I found an OK car but I'll probably be home soon, I don't think we are going to be able to make a deal.' This is like throwing bloody chum into the shark pool. They want the deal so bad you can feel it.

Anyway, stick to your guns. Know the numbers. Know the best deal you can probably get. And when you get to the end, ask for a couple free oil changes, they can give you that and you can feel like you won.

the VQ is an awesome engine... good HP and high torque output with an awesome curve. ANyways... i think a lot of my ex maxima cohorts bought g35s and there a bunch of g35 forums. have fun (or at least ur wife)

Well all cars brake down, I got a 82 with a 350 and this thing has had its down times but it hasn't been anything I can fix in the driveway. I right now I just finishd a engine rebuild to get some power back, done all in the drive and it runs strong now!

I have never liked Caddies over the year of 82, and the Silverado shouldn't have been in the shop every week, I would tell your Sis to find a new mechanic.

My vote goes for the new C6 Corvette convertible.

Just thought I would dig up this old thread and give everyone an update on the G35.


PROS: This thing is a freakin' race car. It is so sleek and good looking it's scary. The exhaust sound on the outside is awesome. Sirius sat. radio is great too. We're still in the free trial period but it will be hard to go back to regular radio.

CONS: The trunk is small, but hey, it's a coupe. Gas mileage is not so great, 22 hwy. It's hard to get the grin off your face after smokin' some punk ricer kid in a Civic with fart pipes.

Overall: Very happy with the purchase and hoping that the reliability is what Infiniti promises.

Nice car choice, I think you and your wife will be really happy with that for years to come. I like your "phone call" bargaining technique. I'm not normally a dickhead, but one of the few places I take great delight in being one is at the car dealership bargaining table. I actually volunteer to be a "boyfriend" for my female friends when they car shop, so they don't get eaten alive.