Name's Casey, Ohio dude, first time posting, pleasure to be here.
My concern at its core is: I'm a young though dedicated (brainwashed?) "domestic" buyer. Want to know if there are Genesis sedan owners who have made the switch from owning "domestic" cars to... welll... the Genesis!
I'm 23. My first car which I bought (full cash) was a very low mileage 1998 Crown Victoria LX, fully loaded in January of 2008. Basically a Town Car without the sunroof and POS airbag suspension. I had that car until summer of 2012 and I loved that car. I babied it and took exceptional care of it; honestly, I wish I had never sold it, though I do realize it was getting up there in miles (around 115k when I sold it) and change was needed. FYI, I do a good amount of driving for someone as young as me - average of 1000 miles per month.
In summer of 2012 I received my second (current) car, a 2000 Lincoln Continental. My grandmother (who with my grandpa bought the car new) gifted me the car after she gave up driving after hip surgery and moved in with my parents. The car is nice, but I ehh, I don't know what to say. At its heart it has the same 4.6L V8 as the Vic, but modified a good bit. Pushed out 275 HP over the Vic's 200 (220?) but the damn thing takes premium, gets the same gas mileage, and is based on the Taurus's platform (FWD). Definitely quicker than the Vic, but it feels like a Cadillac DTS or older STS (oversized, too heavy FWD car). Plus, while I got the car with even lower miles than when I bought the Vic, it's been a hassle. The fuel pump went out on it last month, the AIRBAG light has been on for the last year, and twice - get this - mysterious smoke has come out of the steering column while I was driving.
Needless to say, I graduated university last year, and just got hired on a new job that fits my career path. My parents (the people who pay for repair bills) have told me that I should look at a new car and that they'll help me out. I really wanted something "domestic" (I put domestic in quotations because I realize that's a tad pretentious and very often off-the-mark entirely - e.g. my Crown Vic that was built in Canada). My first look was at a Cadillac ATS. I was hyped about it before it was produced and really, it's the only Cadillac that caught my eye. I test drove one and it was simply too small. I'm 6'1, 250 lbs. about to enter police academy at the end of the year and I don't have a single "small" friend. All my friends are tall and either muscular or fat. I liked the ATS and knew it would be small, but there was no room for my friends with myself sitting comfortably and barely any as it was.
Second car I looked at was a 300. Not a bad car, but I've always had severe hesitations to Chrysler given their horrible reliability (firsthand experience as a non-owner) and I must say that the interior was god awful cheap looking. It was so horrendous looking. Honda Civic EXs literally look nicer inside. My other turn off was just how clunky it seemed. I love a big car, but the body/window size proportion seemed completely lopsided and I did not like it.
Finally, I checked out a Genesis and I really, really liked it. Much more pep to it than the 300 and base non-turbo i4 in the ATS, seemingly roomier, nicer inside than the 300, and a much better overall driving feel. I hate the "sport-mimic" shifter (or whatever it may be called, where you have to move the shifter up down left right and every other damn direction) but that's the only fault I can find in the car. That is, minus it being a Hyundai. I know, very cliche, but I'm the cliched American sedan lover. I love my big body American sedans and just the STYLE and sense of AMERICANA that they ooze. I mean hell, I spent a month in Cuba last year, a big part of which was just to oogle over all the old American big bodies still in use (most Cuban cars are Russian and satellite Ladas) though 9 out of 10 of those Yank Tanks were actually running on Hyundai diesels.
Anyway, I know it's a LONG post, but my question is; who else here as made the switch from a DEDICATED "domestic" buyer to a Genesis and how do you feel? Why did you make that switch? How do you view the Genesis community in terms of the "domestic" community you left (the owners)? Are there any "domestic" cars that are a close second or even eclipse the Genesis? As a "domestic" aficionado, did you even consider any other "imports?"
Thank you!
*** As you may have noticed, despite being a Ford person I did not look at any Fords/Lincolns. Biggest reason being is that I don't (think I) want a FWD car. My cousin did get a new Fusion and it's a very nice car (even at base), but its base engine is waaaaay too slow IMO. I know Lincoln offers some nicely beefed up Fords but I just can't justify it for another FWD badge engineered Lincoln.
My concern at its core is: I'm a young though dedicated (brainwashed?) "domestic" buyer. Want to know if there are Genesis sedan owners who have made the switch from owning "domestic" cars to... welll... the Genesis!
I'm 23. My first car which I bought (full cash) was a very low mileage 1998 Crown Victoria LX, fully loaded in January of 2008. Basically a Town Car without the sunroof and POS airbag suspension. I had that car until summer of 2012 and I loved that car. I babied it and took exceptional care of it; honestly, I wish I had never sold it, though I do realize it was getting up there in miles (around 115k when I sold it) and change was needed. FYI, I do a good amount of driving for someone as young as me - average of 1000 miles per month.
In summer of 2012 I received my second (current) car, a 2000 Lincoln Continental. My grandmother (who with my grandpa bought the car new) gifted me the car after she gave up driving after hip surgery and moved in with my parents. The car is nice, but I ehh, I don't know what to say. At its heart it has the same 4.6L V8 as the Vic, but modified a good bit. Pushed out 275 HP over the Vic's 200 (220?) but the damn thing takes premium, gets the same gas mileage, and is based on the Taurus's platform (FWD). Definitely quicker than the Vic, but it feels like a Cadillac DTS or older STS (oversized, too heavy FWD car). Plus, while I got the car with even lower miles than when I bought the Vic, it's been a hassle. The fuel pump went out on it last month, the AIRBAG light has been on for the last year, and twice - get this - mysterious smoke has come out of the steering column while I was driving.
Needless to say, I graduated university last year, and just got hired on a new job that fits my career path. My parents (the people who pay for repair bills) have told me that I should look at a new car and that they'll help me out. I really wanted something "domestic" (I put domestic in quotations because I realize that's a tad pretentious and very often off-the-mark entirely - e.g. my Crown Vic that was built in Canada). My first look was at a Cadillac ATS. I was hyped about it before it was produced and really, it's the only Cadillac that caught my eye. I test drove one and it was simply too small. I'm 6'1, 250 lbs. about to enter police academy at the end of the year and I don't have a single "small" friend. All my friends are tall and either muscular or fat. I liked the ATS and knew it would be small, but there was no room for my friends with myself sitting comfortably and barely any as it was.
Second car I looked at was a 300. Not a bad car, but I've always had severe hesitations to Chrysler given their horrible reliability (firsthand experience as a non-owner) and I must say that the interior was god awful cheap looking. It was so horrendous looking. Honda Civic EXs literally look nicer inside. My other turn off was just how clunky it seemed. I love a big car, but the body/window size proportion seemed completely lopsided and I did not like it.
Finally, I checked out a Genesis and I really, really liked it. Much more pep to it than the 300 and base non-turbo i4 in the ATS, seemingly roomier, nicer inside than the 300, and a much better overall driving feel. I hate the "sport-mimic" shifter (or whatever it may be called, where you have to move the shifter up down left right and every other damn direction) but that's the only fault I can find in the car. That is, minus it being a Hyundai. I know, very cliche, but I'm the cliched American sedan lover. I love my big body American sedans and just the STYLE and sense of AMERICANA that they ooze. I mean hell, I spent a month in Cuba last year, a big part of which was just to oogle over all the old American big bodies still in use (most Cuban cars are Russian and satellite Ladas) though 9 out of 10 of those Yank Tanks were actually running on Hyundai diesels.
Anyway, I know it's a LONG post, but my question is; who else here as made the switch from a DEDICATED "domestic" buyer to a Genesis and how do you feel? Why did you make that switch? How do you view the Genesis community in terms of the "domestic" community you left (the owners)? Are there any "domestic" cars that are a close second or even eclipse the Genesis? As a "domestic" aficionado, did you even consider any other "imports?"
Thank you!
*** As you may have noticed, despite being a Ford person I did not look at any Fords/Lincolns. Biggest reason being is that I don't (think I) want a FWD car. My cousin did get a new Fusion and it's a very nice car (even at base), but its base engine is waaaaay too slow IMO. I know Lincoln offers some nicely beefed up Fords but I just can't justify it for another FWD badge engineered Lincoln.
but the Genny is a great ride! She is also the first Non Domestic car I have owned in my 38 years. From my first car a 1976 Thunderbardge(bird) to a 1998 Taurus I have been a blue oval man most of my life. Loved most of them but the electrical problems on my 84 Elan T-Bird was CRAZY and her winter road handling was how you say non existent. 
