Used luxury cars

[Cymon]

I had a 2012 Infiniti G37XS. Nice car. Fun to drive. Pain to work on. Sensors on everything.

I would say they are good cars as long as you can afford to take them to the shop when little things go wrong.

 

[KnappShack]

BMW = Break My Wallet

Fella on the Twitter. He also says amazing deals can be found on retirement community bulletin boards.

 

[somecyguy]

With the Bimmer the little problems were many initially, but the aftermarket parts have corrected those things. I was fortunate to have found one well maintained by the first owner. A fair amount of it at Campus Garage in Ames. It's a fantastic machine all dialed in. I would expect the exact same thing in an Audi.

I've only owned Audis, so I'm willing to be wrong here, but in the past when I've researched buying either BMW or Mercedes, neither have a lower cost cousin to share parts with, hence the cost to repair remains high. Acura shares parts with Honda, Lexus with Toyota, Infiniti with Nissan and Audi with VW.

 

[dmclone]

I've only owned Audis, so I'm willing to be wrong here, but in the past when I've researched buying either BMW or Mercedes, neither have a lower cost cousin to share parts with, hence the cost to repair remains high. Acura share parts with Honda, Lexus with Toyota, Infiniti with Nissan and Audi with VW.

Kind of true but not really. A lot of the powertrains are spread across models inside the lineup.

The BMW that I owned had a ZF8 transmission that is very common. It also had a turbo 3.0l inline 6cyl that was used in nearly every model BMW makes.

from chatgtp

The BMW N55 is a 3.0-liter inline-six cylinder petrol engine that was produced from 2009 to 2018. It was used in a variety of BMW models, including:

1. BMW 1 Series (F20)
2. BMW 2 Series (F22, F23, F45, F46)
3. BMW 3 Series (F30, F31, F34)
4. BMW 4 Series (F32, F33, F36, F82)
5. BMW 5 Series (F10, F11)
6. BMW 6 Series (F06, F12, F13)
7. BMW 7 Series (F01, F02)
8. BMW X3 (F25)
9. BMW X4 (F26)
10. BMW Z4 (E89)

The ZF8 transmission is a type of 8-speed automatic transmission that was developed by ZF Friedrichshafen AG, a German multinational corporation that specializes in engineering and technology. It was used in a wide range of vehicles, including:

1. BMW: Many BMW models, including the 1 Series, 2 Series, 3 Series, 4 Series, 5 Series, 6 Series, 7 Series, 8 Series, X1, X3, X4, X5, X6, and Z4, were available with the ZF8 transmission.
2. Audi: Several Audi models, including the A4, A5, A6, A7, A8, Q5, and Q7, were equipped with the ZF8 transmission.
3. Jaguar: The ZF8 transmission was used in the Jaguar XF, XJ, and F-Type.
4. Land Rover: The ZF8 transmission was available in the Land Rover Range Rover and Range Rover Sport.
5. Maserati: The Maserati Ghibli, Quattroporte, and Levante were available with the ZF8 transmission.
6. Rolls-Royce: The Rolls-Royce Ghost, Wraith, and Dawn were equipped with the ZF8 transmission.
7. Other vehicles: The ZF8 transmission was also used in various other vehicles, including the Bentley Continental GT, the Dodge Challenger and Charger, and the Ram 1500.

 

[somecyguy]

That's fair, but I'm thinking more about accessory items, like water pumps or wiper motors, things like that. If the drive train craps out, that's a whole other headache.

Last year my oldest son purchased a first generation Acura RDX with about 170K miles on it. Look under the hood or behind the dash and it's littered with Honda labeled parts.

 

[besserheimerphat]

Not really but sure. Just 20+ consecutive years of attending the Chicago Auto Show until Covid. Also compare the amount of desperation of a luxury brands mentioned here compared to their Honda/Toyota counterparts.

Are you arguing that what you experience at the Chicago Auto Show is representative of how those same vehicles will operate after 5 to 20 years of operation?

ETA: I work in the heavy duty truck industry. We build trucks for national/international shows all the time. Those vehicles get WAY more inspection and scrutiny than a production vehicle to make sure they are a pristine example of what the model can be. They are not representative of what will be on showrooms a year later. I'm not just talking about concept vehicles, but the 2024 Toyota Corolla level vehicles too. A car show is a marketing/PR tool.

For reference I drive a 2012 Honda Civic with just under 90,000 miles. It's been terrific as a cheap and reliable daily driver and I don't plan to EVER sell it. But it's developing many squeaks and rattles that I wouldn't expect from a similarly aged Acura. Some of the steering wheel radio controls act up from time to time. The defrost buzzes when the fan is above 70% until the cabin gets really hot. Since it was new, the transmission "whines" a bit in reverse. It's due to less precise gearing, which you can get away with since people drive so few miles backwards over the life of a vehicle. But in an Acura/Lexus/Infiniti I'd expect them to take the extra care and make sure none of that stuff happens.

 

[besserheimerphat]

That's fair, but I'm thinking more about accessory items, like water pumps or wiper motors, things like that. If the drive train craps out, that's a whole other headache.

Last year my oldest son purchased a first generation Acura RDX with about 170K miles on it. Look under the hood or behind the dash and it's littered with Honda labeled parts.

Part of that could be branding and corporate organization. You'd have to check the PNs to see if they're really "the same." I work for PACCAR, the company that owns Kenworth and Peterbilt. Lots of items are marked as PACCAR Parts or Dynacraft, but the parts aren't interchangeable between truck brands. For example, KW and PB use different DEF tank assemblies but they are all assembled and marked as Dynacraft parts.

 

[AttackOfTheClones]

We've had 6-7 Toyota's; 4 VW's the last 20+ years

We now have an Acura SUV and a Toyota .

My favorite vehicle has been a Volvo XC60, which I traded last year. Why I traded? @ 50K I didn't like how it was wearing; and the maintenance after the warranty expired? over $1000 for one wheel (bushing + arm). A typical wear item I guess. It had a bad cell in the battery @ the 25K mark (new battery needed)

Anyhow--after several European cars, we are sticking to Japanese from here on out.

Our new Toyota Hybrid RAV4 probably an early favorite as one of the better all-around cars we have had. . We had to wait several weeks for delivery and ordered one coming from Japan (not the North American plant) which reviews have shown they're just built better over there (not a myth)

 

[gocy444]

I’m not trying to be a hater and don’t know your situation but why would you buy a 8-14 year old luxury car than a 2-5 year average car? You’d likely get something with newer features and less miles for the same price. You’ll feel good about the logo for around 2 weeks.

 

[somecyguy]

I’m not trying to be a hater and don’t know your situation but why would you buy a 8-14 year old luxury car than a 2-5 year average car? You’d likely get something with newer features and less miles for the same price. You’ll feel good about the logo for around 2 weeks.

It really depends on the car. I have a 2012 Audi, that I bought in 2019. It has heated and air conditioned seats, blue tooth functions, and safety features "regular" vehicles didn't start offering until much later. I like being pampered while I'm driving, so it a worthwhile tradeoff for me.

 

[dmclone]

Are you arguing that what you experience at the Chicago Auto Show is representative of how those same vehicles will operate after 5 to 20 years of operat.

Not the OP but I do find that the auto shows do point out some weak spots e.g. after 7 days off people getting in and out, GM leather is terrible. Range Rover/Land Rover leather still looks great. Funny considering how unreliable they are in general.

 

[MeowingCows]

I’m not trying to be a hater and don’t know your situation but why would you buy a 8-14 year old luxury car than a 2-5 year average car? You’d likely get something with newer features and less miles for the same price. You’ll feel good about the logo for around 2 weeks.

That's what I'd feel like. From a tech standpoint alone, a 10 year old car feels like it would be from the stone age versus something recent. Display and phone tech in cars has changed a ton. I suppose not everyone likes that change, though.

 

[AgronAlum]

I absolutely love my BMW X3. I would have preferred a Volvo XC60, had they had any with head’s up, and that will likely be my next vehicle - but I have zero regrets about the X3 and would have no problem owning another.

A BMW and a loaded pickup are the same price range, so it is a little bit of an imbalance at this point.

I have a Volvo S90 and have nothing bad to say about it other than it’s underpowered. This can be remedied by going with the T6 instead of the T5 that I have. It’s comfortable as hell and I haven’t had to do anything but oil changes so far at 83,000 miles (bought it at 30k). The AWD works well in the snow even with the performance type tires that Willis put on it before I bought it. It’s absolutely huge on the inside for a sedan.

 

[mynameisjonas]

Holding out for the iCar.

 

[BoxsterCy]

I heard the Brits never broke into the global IT market because they couldn't figure out how to make a computer drip oil.

There's a dozen Lucas Electrical jokes that tell why no one ever had a British radio or TV.

College Girlfriend: "Hey the MBG headlights won't come on."
Boxster: "No worries, open the glove compartment and hand me the electrical tape while I pull the toggle switch out of the dash. We'll hot wire the lights."

 

[ClonerJams]

I’m not trying to be a hater and don’t know your situation but why would you buy a 8-14 year old luxury car than a 2-5 year average car? You’d likely get something with newer features and less miles for the same price. You’ll feel good about the logo for around 2 weeks.

Honestly from what I find on autotrader, there isn't a huge price difference between a 10 year old lexus vs a 10 year old toyota; maybe a couple grand but to me its worth it if I get a nicer ride.

 

[gocy444]

Honestly from what I find on autotrader, there isn't a huge price difference between a 10 year old lexus vs a 10 year old toyota; maybe a couple grand but to me its worth it if I get a nicer ride.

The whole Toyota/Lexus brand is great and last forever. But a 2-3 year old Chevy might be the same price and 7 years newer.

 

[DBQR4CY]

Are you arguing that what you experience at the Chicago Auto Show is representative of how those same vehicles will operate after 5 to 20 years of operation?



For reference I drive a 2012 Honda Civic with just under 90,000 miles. It's been terrific as a cheap and reliable daily driver and I don't plan to EVER sell it. But it's developing many squeaks and rattles that I wouldn't expect from a similarly aged Acura. Some of the steering wheel radio controls act up from time to time. The defrost buzzes when the fan is above 70% until the cabin gets really hot. Since it was new, the transmission "whines" a bit in reverse. It's due to less precise gearing, which you can get away with since people drive so few miles backwards over the life of a vehicle. But in an Acura/Lexus/Infiniti I'd expect them to take the extra care and make sure none of that stuff happens.

My point is that after seeing these cars and getting to compare them for years the the top end of a car like Toyota isn't far off from it's higher end counterpart. The OP should consider that buying 4-5 year used luxury car could cost way more during life of ownership compared to highest trim level of a Toyota.

 

[Gonzo]

The whole Toyota/Lexus brand is great and last forever. But a 2-3 year old Chevy might be the same price and 7 years newer.

 

[mynameisjonas]

It’s not just how a vehicle looks in comparison to the lower end models, don’t forget what’s under the hood matters too.