Wondering if anyone has gone through the process of trading up their 2.5 to a 3.3. I'm a bit on the fence, I don't need the extra power but it would be nice to have. Not to mention the 3.3 has way more aftermarket support just in case. Thoughts?
I think it's really worth doing a test drive of the GT1 to see for yourself. I have not drive the 22 GT-Line, but from interior pictures I like some of the interior trim pieces a lot better on the GT1. It doesn't have the piano black like the GT-Line.
One thing to keep in mind is gas mileage! The 3.3 is thirsty. Some people here report highway mpg in the high 20s, but I can only manage mid 20s at best, and that is with Eco mode and keeping the car 75mph (or lower) on a flat surface. My highway mpg is ually more in the lower 20s. I live in a very hilly region so most cars get less than stated EPA mileage, so your experience may vary.
Wondering if anyone has gone through the process of trading up their 2.5 to a 3.3. I'm a bit on the fence, I don't need the extra power but it would be nice to have. Not to mention the 3.3 has way more aftermarket support just in case. Thoughts?
While I actively chose the 3.3TT over the GT-Line drivetrain (so obviously I under stand the desirability), upgrading would be a tough call in the current car market. You will probably end up eating your shirt between trade-in and whatever the 3.3TT model will cost, unless you got extremely lucky. Even with gas prices being high, the demand for the GT-Line as an economy car doesn't exist and the demand for the 3.3TT models is still high for the very reason you want to upgrade. In other words, you won't be getting more at trade-in for your GT-Line than the 3.3TT is going to cost (unless maybe you find a very high mileage 3.3TT model).
Living in congested hell (chicago), true enjoyment of the 3.3 would happen just a few times a year. It was a tough choice going with the 2.5T, but made the most sense. Also, being older, the need to go fast [in a straight line] just isn't there any more. It's all straight lines and some on/off ramps around here.
The kid at disco tire asks me today how fast does the car go? Told him no idea, going fast in straight lines puts me to sleep and there's few if any corners around here. I think my answer blew him mind.
Vroom offered $38,250 as of 6/9. That's still a ~$3750 loss compared to the OTD price. Personally I think it's a waste of money to get rid of a brand new car. But, if you're a youngin, sometimes these lessons need to be learned. I learned the hard way too 13 years ago when I got the optima instead of something faster and w/ a manual (g37). The 2.5T moves pretty well for what it is.
Living in congested hell (chicago), true enjoyment of the 3.3 would happen just a few times a year. It was a tough choice going with the 2.5T, but made the most sense. Also, being older, the need to go fast [in a straight line] just isn't there any more. It's all straight lines and some on/off ramps around here.
I test drove the 2.5T and 3.3T and found the 2.5T sufficient for my driving style in the city with enough acceleration on the highway. The 2.5T was a good fit for my needs especially with the 30+ MPG you can achieve without much effort. The speed advantage of the 3.3T just couldn't overcome the disadvantages for me (lower fuel economy, lower range, 19 inch wheels that can't be rotated, and higher price).
However, the 3.3T is absolutely faster and I can understand why people would prefer that engine. I wouldn't blame anyone going that direction as that's the best way to get more power with this car. In this current market with 22 GT-Line's selling for 42k+ used at dealers I think this would probably be an OK time to swap over to a 3.3T engined car.
You understand me! I am absolutely thrilled, going into my fifth year with my "brand new car", with my super powers that allow me to pass fast: make that a pass FAST!
Living in congested hell (chicago), true enjoyment of the 3.3 would happen just a few times a year. It was a tough choice going with the 2.5T, but made the most sense. Also, being older, the need to go fast [in a straight line] just isn't there any more. It's all straight lines and some on/off ramps around here.
The kid at disco tire asks me today how fast does the car go? Told him no idea, going fast in straight lines puts me to sleep and there's few if any corners around here. I think my answer blew him mind.
There's plenty of truth to the sentiment that being stuck in traffic can be accomplished with a moped. However, I have in recent weeks found plenty of opportunities for some safe 'fun' here and there, despite mostly being on my commute/neighborhood routes. It's taken me a while to be confident with the vehicle and with new tires recently installed a bit of necessary mental recalibration (learning the new limits) to bring a bit of spirit to the daily boredom commute. Traffic has also declined a bit recently (warmer weather, tourism slowing, who knows) so my commutes are maybe dull only half the days now.
Few owning the Stinger have it purely as a weekend toy, there's better cars for that. Most of us use these as daily drivers, and there's still plenty of joy to be found in the mundane if looking for it.
Maybe you should have gone back to that Optima (or K5)? Old becomes new, again.
^^What I really should have done was _NOT_ sold my G. Rather, sold the accord, kept the G even with its smaller trunk and poorer mpg. That car was a bit of a unicorn in these parts - 4 Doors, 3 pedals. Easy to work on.
I'm glad the k5 was out of reach. It's another fwd based car. At least the stinger is mostly rwd biased.
I've pondered the same thing, and ended up buying a JB4 for my 2.5t. Gets me another 40-50 hp and probably within spitting distance of a stock 3.3tt in a quarter mile while still getting a healthy advantage in fuel economy. Obviously, modding a 3.3tt gets one far more power and speed if one chooses that to be a priority.
I've also got other vehicles (TransAm and Husqvarna motorcycle) that are more fun for me than a Stinger 3.3tt would be for me, so that helps me decide to stay with a 2.5. If a Stinger were my only vehicle, then sure, I'd probably go with the 3.3.
Few owning the Stinger have it purely as a weekend toy, there's better cars for that. Most of us use these as daily drivers, and there's still plenty of joy to be found in the mundane if looking for it.
Yeah I don't get the thinking that the 3.3 can't be enjoyable because of traffic. UNLESS you live in LA, New York City, Atlanta or Chicago. I thought traffic here in the Mpls/St Paul area was bad. Until I visited those places, wow!
If I ever get my Stinger back from the body shop I'm gonna take it straight to the speed limiter. Haha, I kid, I kid.
But yeah, I'll open her up a bit, knock the dust off.
