Well on the edge of that most dreaded of life processes car shopping. I am unusual in that I start the process about 2-3 years before I actually buy a vehicle. I like to catch off lease-used cars. I think this is a good bargain. I will not buy a new car, because the thought of something dropping 2-3000 dollars in value five minutes after I drive away from the lot is just repugnant to me.

I currently own a 2000 Acura TL, its been a great car so far and I plan to get at least 150K miles out of it before I sell it. It has a bit over a 100K on it now, with no real issues. For its size and performance the gas mileage is pretty reasonable and it rides handles rather well(albeit with too much body roll).

I would like a sedan of similar size and even better perfomance, with some nice style to boot. I eliminated the usual German suspects( BMW, Audi, Mercedes, Volkswagon) Long term ownership on this cars is expensive, and I have heard too many horror stories about replacing things on these vehicles once they hit the 100K mark. Sorry, but my two Hondas, I have owned in the past and the Acura have all been far too reliable for me to want to go down in that aspect.

The wife and I are DINKS( double income, no kids) so I have no need of an SUV, Minvan, or crossover. A roomy sedan will do. I have narrowed the possibilites.

Infiniti G35: This is CR's highest scoring near luxury car, the chasis is superb, and the 3.5 VQ engine is a powerhouse (306Hp). The driving experiance is the closest thing to 3 series Bimmer outside of Germany. The 2007 refresh looks good in both 2 and 4 door models.

2009 TL: The current TL is probably the best front wheel drive car on the planet, but that configuration limits its ultimate power and how effectively it's put to the ground. (FWD cars start torque steering once you hit over 270Hp) I am hoping Acura will endow the coming redesign with it's SH-All Wheel Drive set up and at least 295 Hp/ Otherwise the TL comes very well equipped, and has a great track record on reliability.

Cadillac CTS DI: There has been a lot of great press on this car and I like the looks. It runs away from Cadilac's former reputation as an old man's land barge. The car has been praised for great luxury and performance. The interior looks great( Finally GM, a decent looking dash) and it appears to be a real quality product.

Pontiac G8: The press on this one is also very good, and it's a pretty car with a lot of room and a great chasis. I have not heard any reviews of the V-6 model. The automotive press is fixated on the V8. I am not sure I want to deal with the cost of gas and insurance on a V-8. My only other reservation is that Pontiacs in the past have had very cheap interiors with third rate feeling switch gear.

What do you guys think?