I Need A Rad Ride With A Roof Rack! What Car Should I Buy?

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Mike is an avid kayaker from bluish Alabama and really does emotion his 2014 BMW 3-Series, but it's clip for an upgrade. He wants thing that has decent performance, a comfortable interior, and astir importantly nan expertise to grip a tile rack for a kayak. With a fund of up to $60,000, what car should he buy?

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Here is nan scenario.

Hi Jalopniks! I'm fresh to move connected from my 2014 BMW 335i. I emotion my car and it's sewage beautiful overmuch everything I want successful a car but I'm looking for thing new. When I opportunity new, I mean caller to me, I'm only willing successful utilized cars successful nan 1-4 twelvemonth range. Car history goes 93 Grand Cherokee Laredo, 2003 VW Golf, 2007 BMW 3.0 Z4, and 2014 BMW 335i. Looking for a nosy regular driver that's sewage immoderate velocity but is besides comfortable. Something a small different would beryllium a positive but not necessary. I'm a BMW feline but could beryllium swayed to a Merc. 4 doors is beautiful adjacent to a must and it's gotta person a tile rack option. The Quadrifoglio looks awesome but nan car shed queen reliability it's associated does not. Being a BMW feline I'm not opposed to having an relationship to squirrel money distant for an unexpected hole but I'd alternatively not unrecorded astatine nan mechanic. I've sewage a 25 infinitesimal thrust to and from activity connected a regular basis.

Overall I want thing quick, that tin negociate a rack, pinch a bully interior and is reasonably reliable. Budget is astir $60,000

Quick Facts:

Budget: up to $60,000

Location: Northern Alabama

Daily Driver: Yes

Wants: Nice interior, bully power, tile rack

Doesn't want: Something excessively costly to maintain

Autotrader.com

Mike, if hauling a kayak successful style is your goal, my friend, you request a wagon. While you tin technically put a rack strategy connected a four-door, location is thing a spot disconnected astir nan aesthetics. Now, flip immoderate crossbars connected a long-roof, and it conscionable works. I don't cognize precisely why, but I don't make nan rules.

Unfortunately, nan wagon marketplace successful America is simply a spot limited, but astatine nan $60,000 value constituent you person options. My prime would beryllium nan Audi A6 Allroad. That gets you each nan comforts and tech you would expect from a mid-size executive car, successful summation to an already integrated tile obstruction strategy that tin easy judge nan cross-bars for nan kayak. Under nan hood is simply a 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 that makes a coagulated 335 horsepower. That's akin to your BMW, and frankly it's difficult to really utilize overmuch much than that successful a regular driver. These Audis person coagulated build quality, and while they aren't going to beryllium arsenic accent free arsenic a Lexus, they won't drain your savings for illustration an Alfa. Here is simply a very bully 2020 exemplary pinch 37,000 miles and nan preferred assemblage colour fenders for only $40,000.

You look to really emotion BMWs, Mike, truthful I'm going nan easy way and telling you to conscionable get different one. Specifically, you should get this 2018 M3 Competition I recovered for you successful Atlanta, pinch 61,281 miles connected nan timepiece for conscionable $50,097. You mightiness opportunity that it doesn't person a tile rack, and frankincense doesn't meet nan literal 1 request you group distant for a caller car, but spot me. I person a solution for you.

That solution comes successful nan shape of SeaSuckers, tile racks that equine pinch suction to nan extracurricular of your car. You tin get specialized mounts for immoderate usage cases — nan motorcycle equine is awesome — aliases regular crossbars if that's much your thing. They should instrumentality correct to that M3's c roof, giving you each nan holding spot you could ever request for immoderate you've been hauling pinch your existing 3-Series.

Plus, nan SeaSuckers tin instrumentality pinch you erstwhile you alteration cars — getting a group intends you'll ne'er person to scrounge astir for cars pinch factory-installed tile racks again. They'll unfastened you up to a full world of possibilities, wherever each capacity car is an action for you. I person a friend who utilized to transportation his motorcycle astir connected SeaSuckers, and they ne'er erstwhile grounded him.

Mike, get yourself an M3 and a group of SeaSuckers for your tile mount. If nan thought of putting each that weight connected c concerns you, location are plentifulness of non-Competition M3s successful your area — but, c'mon, get nan nosy one. Just look astatine those wheels, and show maine this isn't nan car you want.

You know, Mike, sometimes I publication a What Car Should You Buy submission, and by nan clip I'm done, I cognize precisely which car they need. This, however, was 1 of those times wherever I really didn't know. The bully news is, I'm a professional, truthful I past deployed my backup strategy — scrolling done online listings that mostly met your requirements until I recovered thing that said to me. Which is really much difficult pinch a patient fund for illustration yours, judge it aliases not.

And do you cognize what car said to me, Mike? This 62,000-mile 2021 Porsche Panamera. It's successful Chattanooga, which shouldn't beryllium excessively acold from what I'm assuming is nan greater Huntsville area. You'll astir apt person a amended clip successful Tennessee if you're a Bama fan, but you ne'er know. Maybe nan trader will return pity connected a sad, miserable, beat-down, dead-behind-the-eyes Auburn instrumentality and support nan shot jokes to a minimum. No consciousness kicking a fanbase while it's down.

Anyway, backmost to nan Porsche. It's bigger than your BMW, but don't worry. You're going to emotion really it handles, and while it isn't nan quickest Panamera successful nan lineup, 325 horsepower ain't nothin'. Plus, moreover if repairs are going to beryllium pricey, it should beryllium decently reliable, astatine slightest compared to nan Alfa Romeo you've been eyeing. Does this circumstantial car person a tile rack installed? Not yet, but if I cognize 1 point astir Porsche, it's that you tin get thing you want, arsenic agelong arsenic you salary capable money for nan privilege. It's cleanable for you.