Buying a Used Luxury Automobile.

[blueherons]

Originally Posted by sj08054

My tip is to buy a used one from private seller, especially exec who just take their car to dealership for service until he/she is ready to get new vehicle.


As the previous poster suggested.. Know your budget and plan to what you can afford each year for up keeping.

I bought my uncles 1996 E320 in around 2005 when it had 110,000 miles on it. I just sold it in October and it had 250,000 on it.

I can't remember doing any major repairs on it and it drove much better than my late model Cadillac SUV.

I wouldn't hesitate to buy another used luxury car.

[skinsguy37]

Originally Posted by RyanR

Uh oh. You mentioned "family" then dropping down to 1 car for awhile then picking up this vehicle.

Since you said "family" instead of "spouse", I'm assuming there's more than 2 in the household. If that's the case, I wouldn't get something like a Z4 but instead, look for something more appropriate for the size of your family.

When I went looking for something new to me and fun to drive, I was originally looking at 2-door coupes (Z3/4, Nissan Z3*, MB SLK...). Then reality set in. Family requires family vehicles, especially if you only have 1 or 2 cars in the driveway. I was thinking of driving a Z to pick up my son at high school football practice then realized how many times he has gear that needs brought home or friends that need a ride. Reality set in that I needed a sedan. I still wanted fun so I bought a used, 1-owner, dealer maintained BMW 5-series. It's still a blast to drive but is practical enough for family needs.

In our case, we have one child and aren't planning to have more than him. We have one SUV, so we already have what is appropriate for our family.