As far as the golf clubs go... I only need one set!
Anyway, I needed some closure today so I went and testdrove the MS6. With the discounts/rebates that are available (I've been quoted as much as $6k off sticker) I would have regret not at least giving it some serious consideration.
Aside from the wheels (which I doubt would ever grow on me) and the silly antennae, I really like the exterior styling. I think it was C&D that said the hood looked "gawdy" but I diagagree. Overall, the car has a very clean yet tough look to it. For those of us looking for a more mature, conservative car... this certainly fits the bill.
On the inside, though it falls well short of some of the higher-priced competition in terms of fit/finish, the interior is at least nicely designed. I could do without the chintzy plastic dash and air vents but, for the price, it's certainly not something one can complain about. Aside from the types of things we all know (and love) about the car's interior (like the awesome keyless entry/start system) one of the things that most people haven't mentioned... but really appealed to me was the lighting of the dash. whether it's day or night, the lighting is on and looks great. Though I liked the feel of the steering wheel, the center portion's hard plastic and bland styling didn't do much for me. In contrast, the 3 and RX-8 have far better looking steering wheels. But that's nitpicking... You really have to stretch in order to find negatives on the inside. Since I'm a big Sirus radio fan, I would have prefered they have a larger display. Most of the competitors have double-din displays that are capable of providing artist/song information... the MS6 is unfortuneatly not able to do this. As some have mentioned, though it is a Bose unit, it fails to compare to the MSP's. unfortuneatly, because of the setup, it's going to be very difficult to upgrade.
All of that stuff I could have acertained by sitting in a showroom vehicle or, at the least, looking at pictures online. I didn't go there to make mental notes about the pros and cons of the interior... I went to judge it on what I find to be most important, driving dynamics.
This is where I was highly dissapointed. Now I know many of you reading this not only have MS6s but also previously owned an MSP. Needless to say, what I'm about to say is merely my take... Since most of you are obviously happy with your choice, that's really all that matters. For me, however, I personally couldn't see myself owning this car. here's why...
First, the seats. One of the things the MSP has taught me is the importance of having heavily bolstered seats. It doesn't matter if you're simply going to "cruise". However, if you intend on carving up roads... they're a must have. As much as I dislike the MSP seats, the MS6's are even worse. They might as well have been covered in crisco. After the test drive, in comparrison, the MSP seats felt like the ridiculously over-bolstered SRT-4s. So that was a dissapointment. I was also dissapointed with the clutch. In fact, dissapointed isn't the word... Perplexed might be a better choice! I've probably driven well over 2 dozen M/T cars in my day. I've NEVER driven one with such an awful clutch. The action is just... well.... for me, despite everything else, a deal-breaker. For those who haven't driven one, it simply has a very unnatural feel. Very loose and awkward... While I did (somewhat) get used to it as the testdrive went on, I doubt I'd ever get used to it enough for it not to drive me crazy.
On the flipside, the acceleration was awesome. While the MSP "feels" fast (and maybe even faster), this car actually IS fast. Stomp on the gas and you'll be thrust into the back of your unbolstered seat... about as much as you would be in a 300hp V-8. Many of the reviews have said it feels like a V-8 and.. they're right. The turbo comes on nice and quick (no turkey or whoosh sound mind you) and delivered power in a very smooth manner. I had the car up to 90 on the hwy in a blink... really was impressive. The shifter, besides being longer/higher than I'd prefer shifted gears smoothly enough. smoother than the msp... but then again, my car's 3.5 years old.
As impressed as I was with the acceleration, however, I was almost equally unimpressed with the handling characteristics in the turns. This is a big, heavy car... I think there is something like 700-800lbs difference between the MSP and the MS6... and it shows it. I just felt like I was driving a buick or something. maybe that's a bit extreme but, in comparrison to the reggie bush-esque athleticism of the MSP... this car felt more like a fullback who only gets touches in short yardage situations. It wasn't the suspension's fault.... it provided the right combination of smoothness over rough roads and tightness in turns. I think it just had more to do with the weight and size of the vehicle. I just didn't have that same "connection" with the vehicle I have with the MSP. combine that with the fact that I was slippin all over the place on those damn leather seats and well.... at this point, I had had enough.
In short, despite some of my criticisms, this is a great car. For guys (or gals) with familys... that want the safety of awd and power of a 270+hp engine, this is a great choice. I can definitely see why/how it falls in the middle of the pack on many of the comparrison reviews. What I dont' like about those reviews is that they don't seem to factor in price. As much of a bargain i thought it was before, it's even more so now. Despite the fact that I told them (very nicely) that this car wasn't for me... and that the MS3 would undoubtedly be a better fit, they still tried to sell me this car... A GT w/sunroof and sirius for $26k even That's abotu $6000 off the sticker!! A sticker that was, again, pretty reasonable to begin with.
For those of us who fall into the "enthusiast" category and need a greater connection with the road, a more agile/nimble "driver's" car... the MSP and (hopefully) the MS3 are far better choices. In sticking with the theme of this thread, though I'm looking to "grow up" and find a car that's more in line with my (relatively) conservative lifestyle and corp type day job, if I were to buy this car I'd still harbor serious regrets. 10 years from now... much different story. As I mentioned, hopefully the MS3 will live up to my expectations. If not, this corp suit will just have to stick with his bright orange MSP!
