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Q50 vs..

22K views 54 replies 22 participants last post by  Fateswarning 
#1 ·
Since I'm a car guy and my lease will be coming up in a bit I've been checking out the new stuff. The cars that are 100% off my list are pretty much anything with Run Flats, or worse Run Flats and No Spare tire and no way to get a spare.. Frankly Infiniti is teetering on the brink. I like the RS400 I had one as a loaner for a weekend. The best thing about it is the motor, but a motor does not a car make..The 19" run flats were horrible they flat spotted big time and the car would shake for at least the first ten miles after sitting. The non DAS steering was stupid light and over boosted. According to Infiniti one can get a spare tire if you buy over $3K worth of extra options..Non RFT are also available at no charge but from what I understand only on the RWD car..We'll see as we get closer. A Q50 RS400 with a spare tire will be a $60K car..I like the Q60 too but no spare no real tires no for me..

Next on the list is an Audi A4 Typically beautiful inside drives great and a Premium Plus with all the toys ( real tires and a spare NO Extra charge) Sport package leather Nav the cool TFT dash B&O stereo the car lists at about $49K It's a bit under powered but an APR Stage 1 tune is about $600.00 and has the A4 putting out about 300hp to the wheels and getting it 0-60 in about 5.5 seconds.. works for me..

Next was the new Alfa (Not the Quadrifoglio..drool drool) Really pretty car 280hp is probably enough but RFT's and no Spare, no option for a spare I'm not going down that road..Plus it's an Alfa..

The new Genesis G70 could be a winner with the 3.3 Twin Turbo 365hp motor and AWD Or the new G80 Sport.. but the G80 is a bit bigger than I need or want..

BMW nope: Ubiquitous and over priced..

And the current Favorite: The new Jaguar XE. With the 340hp Supercharged 3.5, AWD and in the R-Sport Trim it comes with pretty much everything standard: Meridian audio, touch screen Nav, HID lights, led's, ambient lighting, REAL TIRES and a Spare no extra cost, huge sun roof.. gorgeous Red and Black leather interior... All the bells and whistles as standard at about $53K it's actually a bargain.. Free scheduled maintenance for 60K fit and finish are superb...Plus it drives like a Jag WOW!

So that's my story please feel free to flame me.:)
 
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#2 ·
People are getting serious deals on the RS...I don't believe a model as you described with new tires is a $60K car.

I have driven the new A4 with the virtual cockpit. The interior is gorgeous. It's not that slow either...or didn't feel slow when I drove it. I have no idea what the performance times are but if I had to do it over again I would seriously consider it over my RS. The lighting package is awesome also.

The Genesis...ehhhhhh, not my cup of tea. I would never buy a Hyundai.

I'd like to drive the Jag...are you sure it's only low $50's with all of those options??? That seems like a bargain. It's a beautiful car.
 
#3 ·
@azcatz11

Here's my build from the Jaguar USA site:
2017 XE R-SPORT
3.0 liter V6 340HP Supercharged Gas AWD - All Wheel Drive
Base MSRP $51,700
Configured options: $350
Delivery and Destination charge $995
TOTAL MSRP $53,045¹

I picked a white car, red and black leather, aluminum trim standard 19" wheels, only option is the Black package which does the grill black, grill surround black, front blades black, side blades black

If I was going to add any other option it would be technology package :

Technology Package
SPECIFICS
10.2" InControl Touch Pro™ with SSD based Navigation
Wi-Fi Hotspot
Connected Navigation
Meridian™ Digital Surround Sound System (825W)

The standard 8"touch screen is fine comes with Nav, and the Standard 325 watt Meridian audio system sounded miles better than my Bose system..
 
#4 ·
I didnt quite get what you were trying to say about the Q50RS. Brink of what? Did you like it?.....

Fact of the matter is this, unless you start doing real shopping and research you wont find a good price on any car. When I first did some digging on lease days and whatnot I found that people were paying $600-$650 on their RS400s. When I did actual research I found that you can have the RS400 in the $450 range without a single penny down - depending on where you live. We have about 3-4 dealers in a 20 mile zone so it was easy to pull the "ill go to this dealer and get it cheaper from them" card. I am paying $460 for mine, for an overall cost of $45k with extra paint option, nav and AWD. Cars MSRP was $55k.

I am not fond of Jaguar design language. My brothers 2007 XJ8 was a looker, anything that came after was rather bland. Their top sport sedans are rather nice, but a good chunk of change.

I have the hydraulic steering in my RS400, didnt get DAS and I am glad I didnt. My steering is now heavier since Ive driven the car for about 1800 miles. It almost feels the same as my G37 Coupe so I dont understand where the complaints are coming from. BMW steering feels even worse and essentially its where its going with electronically assisted systems. Run flats are not great, but what prevents you from getting a nice set of tires for about $800? Not many cars come with good tires from factory...

Not saying Q50RS is a perfect car, but when you begin to look at competitors it starts to make a lot more sense. People shouldnt focus on MSRP as you can get much better deals without much hassle. I got mine in a day, which took 1 hour to negotiate.
 
#5 ·
Brink of being off my list of cars to replace my Q50.. I hate RFT's and won't get a car without a spare, at least with a spare I can safely ditch the RFT's.. I'm willing to pay for a spare.. But really should I have to on a Fifty Thousand Dollar car? And Infiniti now makes me buy $3 grand of options to allow me the Privilege of Buying a Spare Tire..I think Infiniti's idea of optioning flat out sucks. Lets say I want a Premium Q50 AWD with Leather I have to spend $5265.00 to get freaking LEATHER in a luxury car?? Granted $1000.00 of that is for the leather. The rest is a Premium Package, $2150.00 for a driver assistance package, lighted F--ing kick plates for $475.00 ... Oh Well.. :)
 
#6 ·
So that's my story please feel free to flame me.:)
i will flame you for reaching too many conclusions this early in the process..... MSRP comparisons are useless in the real world unless you have zero research and negotiation skills

i believe a spare tire can be had as a standalone option in the $300 range. i was talked out of it b/c the sales mgr said there was no room, but i believe subsequent research proved that to be false, but you should research that if that is the only dealbreaker

the jaguar is a good value if they are offering a significant discount off msrp. i think you would be dissatisfied with any interior short of the r-sport trim

you are doing yourself a disservice by ruling out bmw this early since 3 series fell significantly short of anticipated 2016 sales volume, so many 2016 can be had at significant discounts

good luck!
 
#7 ·
Thanks for your feedback Bo...I sold Porsche /Audi for 15 years I understand pricing.. I don't see a Spare Tire offered as a stand alone option; last year for it was 15'. I understand that for the RWD Red Sport only, one can specify at no cost Non Run Flat tires. Then one can order a spare but you have to also buy about 3K in extra option packages..that's not a stand alone option in my book. Also I'm in Jersey I want an AWD car..

As far as the Jag I did mention I would be getting an R spec car. I'm leaning toward Black with a Red and Black interior.. Trying to decide between getting their Tech Package or not..

And I simply don't want a 3 series..Were I live they are everywhere like Honda Accords. Also as the joke goes: What's the difference between a BMW and a Porcupine?? On the BMW the Pricks are on the inside.. Around here that really seems to be the case..
 
#15 ·
You can always check out the new KIA Stinger. Seriously. Quite the bit of car coming down the pipe.

As for the Q50S or RS, you can always buy a matched balanced tire and stick it in the trunk with the tools and nuts with a net cover - done. The Q50 models that don't come with a spare have a deeper trunk, no big deal. The ones that do come with a spare use that space anyway.

I had my dealer swap the stock RFTs for top-end snowies on the stock 19" wheels. I've got a set up 20" summers I'll be putting on in a couple months. No spare. If I feel anxious? I'll just throw a bottle of pump-sealant into my car and let the tire shop clean the goop off the wheels and rubber's inside if such a mess occurs.

2 cents.
 
#18 ·
Jaguar's is free for the first 5yrs-60K :

"Complimentary Scheduled Maintenance Coverage for all 2016 and newer Jaguar models covers factory recommended scheduled maintenance as detailed in the Passport to Service for 5 years or 60,000"

And since I lease my cars there is typically no real major services, in the first 36K anyway..
 
#55 ·
#27 ·
You're absolutely right. If I was buying an Audi yes the prices are very close between and an optioned up A4 Prestige and an S4.. BUT if leasing..It won't be close.. Audi does not incentivize S and RS model cars.. They don't feel the need to.. There is usually a big spread between the Money Factor and Residual Value between them..
 
#29 ·

"look jerky, i may be 5'2" and smell like red bull vodka, salami & axe body spray, but i sold audi & porsche to the friggin' morristown elite realtors and tanning salon owners for like 15 years, so i know whatmdoin', capiche?!! the spare tire option is a FUGAZI! forget about it!"
 
#31 ·
Yeah - forget it with any Audi not sitting on the lot with the standard options. They don't do any lease support on the prestige or R/RS lines and those unsubsidized lease numbers look terrible. I have gone to look at Audis every time my lease has been up over the years and it hasn't changed. One thing that really made a difference for me with the Audis is the front seat thigh support. It was way too short on the A6 and A4 without the upgraded seats with the adjustable thigh support. So for that simple option I would have needed to pay a LOT more for the lead since you couldn't get that seating option without going outside of the standard options so then you have the horrible leases. The RS sport seats have the thigh support and since that was pretty important for comfort helped with the decision.

Value for the money, performance and the implementation of the safety tech keep bringing me back to Infiniti and I love my RS.

On my last Q50 I did pay for the spare. I ended up taking it out of the trunk for more space and never put it back in. Didn't worry about it with this one. Roadside assistance should help if I ever get into a jam.

Good luck with your decision making.
 
#32 ·
Main question - AWD or RWD RS400 faster?

Is there an optional sport exhaust for the RS400 akin to the bmw or amg option? Those sound fantastic.

Here is my shopping list (with brief notes):

Mercedes AMG C43
- awesome interior/exhaust
AMG63?
Jaguar XE
- too small
BMW 340 m sport
BMW M3?
BMW 540 m sport
Audi s4
Infiniti q50 400 hp
Cadillac ats v sedan
Kia Stinger GT
Genesis G70

I currently have a 2014 q50s awd. I like the car but wish it had more power. I was convinced I would just get the 400 hp version later this year when the lease is up, but I was at the Mercedes dealer looking at a car for my wife when the sales guy showed me the 2017 c43 amg. The exhaust was amazing. And it had a button to make it quiet which was equally amazing. The interior was sporty (steering wheel w/alcantara, red stitching, red seat belts) which I personally liked more than the bland q50. Is it faster than the rs400? I didn't drive it and I can only find info on the 2016 version with 7 speed tranny. It now has a 9 sp.

I really want an almost crazy fast, everyday livable, awd, 4 door sports sedan. Sub 13 sec 1/4 mile preferably. I read an article that stuck the rwd RS400 at 13 sec flat. Is the awd one faster or slower? Any input on the other cars on the list is also welcome. And I don't care about the manufacturer. I'll drive a Kia if I like it enough. The pics of the stinger I saw looked great.
 
#33 ·
Well I believe the C43 and the RS don't really compete as others have said. Forget quoting MSRP, if you are leasing there is no comparison. I'm paying mid $500's for my RS / no money down / received $1K back to cover my previous lease and the Merc would probably lease around $700 all things considered. Maybe more?

From everything I've read online, the performance of the two cars is going to be identical. The interior is a matter of opinion. I would take the Merc's interior everyday. I have heard others state they don't like the screen sitting on top of the dash awkwardly. There is not much exhaust noise on the RS. It's a very quiet car on the outside and looks very unassuming from the rear. The front looks very aggressive with the sport fascia.

The only other car you listed which competes in this segment is the 340. Unless you are looking at a used M3, C63, ATS-V, etc. which you mentioned.
 
#43 ·
Per the OP's initial thread, here are my 2 cents:
First let me say that I'm currently leasing a 2016 Hyundai Genesis AWD and I love it for the looks, interior quality, comfort, equipment, and most of all value per dollar. However, now that I'm 9 months into ownership, I still pine for a smaller, lighter, faster sport sedan that doesn't handle like a grand tourer.

Coming from a 2014 base AWD Q50, I really couldn't see myself getting a non-Sport Q50. At the time when my 2014 expired, the lease programs were complete garbage. A 2.0t AWD with premium package was $345/mo for 39/12k, including VPP-A and multiple loyalty incentives. I ended up leasing my $43k Genesis for $283/mo with $1k total due at signing. It's a base model, but real leather, navigation, 18" wheels, heated seats, and few other options that cost extra on all Q50 models came standard on the Genesis. It was a screaming lease deal I couldn't pass up. The 2017 changeover to Genesis G80 did raise prices and leases, but they are still a great value for what you get. My coworker leased a 2017 G80 AWD w/Premium package for $430/mo on a $49k MSRP. Granted, I would have gotten a Q50 RS all day for that payment, but he wanted a more comfortable car.

Now, for your list of cars, please DO NOT SLEEP ON the Alfa Romeo Guilia! I drove the base/Ti model with 280hp/306lb-ft 4 cylinder, and it was freaking unbelievable. Can't get that car out of my head. I agree with you on the reputation for reliability, but since you're leasing you shouldn't worry too much. Plus they offer FCA employee discounts, so there's a chance to find a supplier code.

The Kia Stinger GT is another car on my radar that pulled some emotional strings when I saw it live at the Detroit Auto Show. I've always been a sucker for sloping hatchbacks (A7, 6 series GC), and I think Kia has some great designs. Using the 3.3T V6 from the Genesis G90 doesn't hurt either :)

Like you, I've also had a soft spot for the Audi A4, but they have never EVER had good lease programs. The last time I looked at the 2016 A4, it had MSRP of $39k and lease was over $450/mo. Ridiculous.

In my opinion, the 2017 Q50 Red Sport AWD with minimal options (<$53k) may still be the best bang for buck. I keep seeing deals for under $450/mo, which is killer for a $50k vehicle.

There are plenty of options open to you this year, so I recommend you take multiple test drives and follow lease programs closely (Edmunds forums & Leasehackr). Happy hunting!
 
#44 · (Edited)
Erik, I went through the same analysis when I bought my 2017 Q50 RS400 AWD in Dec. I had looked at the BMW 440, 340 and Genesis G80 5.0. I drove them all and each had their good's and bad's. My decision came down to BMW unwilling to give me any for my car and did not want to negotiate a dime. Genesis wanted ridiculous money and in the end its still a Hyundai! When I called Infiniti the first thing that came out of the sales person's mouth when asking about the RS400 was what about we give you the VPP discount. This was the first time the dealer offered to earn my business up front. The rest of the process was amazing, got what I wanted for my trade and I absolutely love my car! It's by far the fastest car I have owned.

Don't know how accurate the numbers but according to Infiniti Q50 0-60 Times, Quarter Mile Acceleration Stats this car does 0-60 in 4.2 sec. It feels that fast to me but hoping to dyno it one day.

Good luck, can't go wrong with the Q50's imo!
 
#45 ·
i Have the rs 400 and BMW 340i. very comparable and still feel fast even after driving my Z06

I'd look at two others
Audi s4 (had the 2013 great car) the a4 with a turbo 2.0 will feel like a dog compared to the rs400 or the others
Mercedes c43 AMG

All around $60,000 and all 13 sec cars to 1/4 mile
 
#46 ·
I came across a Q50 RS400 this morning, and I have to say, I am impressed! Those things are quick, I had no idea that model even existed, and certainly left the encounter surprised to say the least. I went into it thinking (like a cocky *******) that it would be an easy kill...
I have had very few races that were that even...I tried to wave, I'd have loved to stick around and chat cars with him for a minute, but he kept going, didn't wave back, nothing :(
 
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#47 · (Edited)
What are you driving....what, if any mods? From a dig, or rolling?

For this class of cars, the Q Red/Silver Sports won't be the fastest from a dig for a variety of reasons. However, from a rolling start, stock for stock...the Q car is a handful and then some
 
#48 ·
Here are a list of cars that I researched and tested before leasing my 2017 Q50 RS AWD, ranked from most intriguing to least:

1. Lexus ES 350 - the Lexus tempted me. It really came down to ES 350 v. Q50 RS. The Lexus was by far the roomiest car in terms of passenger seating, and had a luxurious interior and spacious trunk to boost. However, the fact of the matter is that the 268 hp felt like a dud compared to the RS. It is also only rear-wheel drive, which was a major dealbreaker. Also, the backup camera looked really bad, like a child drew yellow lines with a crayon. However, the ES 350 was about 10k cheaper than the RS, but still, couldn't sway me.

2. Alfa Romeo Giulia - loved everything about this car. Fast acceleration, funky design, beautiful logo, decently luxurious interior. However, the wife pointed out that the back seat and the trunk space was really, really limited. Personally I didn't care, but my wife forbid me to buy it, citing the once a year visit from her parents as the reason we can't have crampy backseats.

3. BMW 330i - similar to the Giulia, I loved the acceleration and handling. However, also similar to the Giulia, the wife pointed out that the backseats were too crampy. Another no go.

4. Jaguar XE - see Giulia and 330i.

5. Mercedes Benz C 300 - my wife loved the car, finding the car to be roomy and grand. It is definitely the most beautiful interior of any cars we looked at, and the sound system was amazing. However, I was turned off by the car, mostly by the gear shift that's shaped like a windshield wiper button....I held my ground and told her that there is no way I can see myself driving this.

6. Lincoln MKZ - the other sedan with 400 HP, the appearance was sleek and the backseat was roomy as well. However the dealer didn't have one available to test drive and before one was available I had already been taken by the RS.


And the RS itself...what can I say? You all have one you know exactly how it feels. The exterior is a thing of beauty. The interior is spacious. The dual screen is....ok, but fun once I got used to it. The transmission needs a little work, sure, but it shoots out of a cannon. There literally was no competition (but I am a little biased of course)
 
#51 ·
Maybe should have looked at MB AMG C43.. I find the Lincoln a strange choice.. Lexus ES350? Might as well buy a V6 Camry..Acura TSX A-Spec ? Anyway RS400 is nice so enjoy !!! Oh BTW If the real reason for no Alfa, BMW, or Jag was cause of the back seat size I guess for the what 1 or 2 days a year you could just rent a MINI VAN HAHAHAHAHA.. Men never let the wife pick your car, whipped!
 
#54 ·
Several of my die-hard Audi friends totally dismiss that RS3. Apparently it's got a lot of poor quality compared to the other RS lineup. I think they say the RS stands for Redheaded Stepchild.

I'm not sure from a personal perspective, I've seen them in person and they look okay. I'd rather have an M2 for the same price point.
 
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