Post: #1

I'm in the market for a car. I want to spend about $25,000. I have access to an old SUV if I ever have to haul a lot of stuff, go camping, or take a long distance road trip, so I don't necessarily need to be practical.

I like these cars:

Jaguar
Corvette
Maserati
Porsche
Range Rover

How bad of an idea is this in terms of repairs? I'm not handy at all.

I know Jags used to have a poor reputation, but didn't Ford start making them and improve the manufacturing process? When did that happen?

What are good sources of information on costs-to-own and likelihood of repairs?

I've owned higher mile Japanese cars, Toyota/Lexus, Honda/Acura, Nissan/Infiniti, and have been very pleased. I also had a 3 series BMW and sold it over 100K miles but before it ever needed major repairs. I don't really like the looks of BMW or Mercedes anymore, but I do like Porsche.

I am open to suggestions, but there are already a lot of car threads on this forum - I"m looking for information on comparing these cars' reliability and cost of repair.

Post: #2

Those are the worst possible cars for maintenance.

Also switch corvette and jaguar and go from_the bottom to the top, and they are 5 ofnthe gayest brands around.

Range rover - dont get me started.

Porsche - unless you are getting an old one and are a college professor, they just scream "I can't afford a Ferrari"

Maserati I think is the worst reliable car made today. Google it.

Jaguar - Fords of all types are pieces of shit. If Ford couldn't make ford better, they aren't going to help jaguar.

Corvette - wait until you are 66 years old.

I suggest a GMC Yukon denali. You can get a good one for that money. Or how about a Cadillac CTS? Real nice.

Aloha!

Post: #3

Maserati and don't look back

Post: #4

Nah fuck that


Get the c6 corvette in manual with the ls3 .itll be the best bang for your buck out of all the brands in that price range. If money wasn't an option I'd still go for the corvette or Porsche


With the c6 corvette you'd have a STRONG aftermarket for any part you can think of on the car .ls engines are reliable and respond well to mods. Parts are affordable also. A lumpy cam sounds like thunder when you hear it.seriously ,go one YouTube and type in canned corvette .no other car is fucking with those engine note.i wouldn't go with the base model though.id stack up a bit more and bump your spending range in the mid thirties and cop a grandsport .

Cam it . Throw on some nice wheels and call it a day.

Post: #5

Already done by Top Gear:

Post: #6

This sounds absolutely terrible. Double your price and you might be able to get a reasonable one, but besides a low tier Range Rover, most of these cars are going to be ancient before they get into your price range

Edit: Also, performance-wise these will all be subpar compared to a high performing, newer non-luxury vehicle

Post: #7

Why not BMW, Mercedes?

Yes maintenance costs can be an issue, but much less than Range Rover, Maserati, or Jaguar. Used Mercedes, many (not all) of them are built very well, especially the AMG models that have hand-built engines and better suspension, plus all the bells and whistles come standard. Find a clean, well maintained one from a southern state (no rust) and you can get something nice for $25k.

Or go for BMW and get an M3 / 335 or M5 / 535.

The V10 (V10!!) BMW m5 versions are in that price range now, years 2005-2010, pretty unique vehicle.

Have fun!

Post: #8

If you have to ask then you can't afford it

Stick to something like a lexus or acura if you want the luxury feel without the high maintenance costs

Post: #9

(03-07-2017 10:14 PM)GeneralMacDaddy Wrote:  Why not BMW, Mercedes?

Yes maintenance costs can be an issue, but much less than Range Rover, Maserati, or Jaguar. Used Mercedes, many (not all) of them are built very well, especially the AMG models that have hand-built engines and better suspension, plus all the bells and whistles come standard. Find a clean, well maintained one from a southern state (no rust) and you can get something nice for $25k.

Or go for BMW and get an M3 / 335 or M5 / 535.

The V10 (V10!!) BMW m5 versions are in that price range now, years 2005-2010, pretty unique vehicle.

Have fun!

Avoid the M5 unless you have the cash to replace the entire drivetrain in one fell swoop. Those things are street legal race cars, especially E90 series M3/M5. Depending on the condition, it might have been abused, and they all sorts of high dollar problems. For 25k, buy a camry and stop pretending you can afford a luxury car. Any porsche you buy for this price, is cheap for a reason. Google "IMS bearing". Jag & Land Rover stay away from. I agree with the post above, stick with Lexus or Acura if you have a budget and want "luxury".

Post: #10

IMO you've just gotta be prepared financially for the upkeep. I own a Jaguar and it's no fun paying for the parts and labor, but still it's a sexy whip to me and it is worth it.

When you buy any luxury car you know the premium on the insurance is going to be higher also. It's just life. Buy what you like and grind harder to maintain it.

Post: #11

I'd lower your budget to $6-5k and use the rest for repairs.

Seriously, there's no point in paying more than that amount for any vehicle as the value will keep on dropping and the maintenance costs will go up.

Pick up an old Merc and use the extra cash for repairs.

Post: #12

If you're about to spend $25,000 on a luxury vehicle, be aware that the depreciation will be VERY quick, so do not finance it - pay cash or go lower. My thoughts on the car:

Range rover: Breaks often, but getting spare parts is actually easy and free, just follow one on the road and grabs whatever falls off.
Porsche: I bought one (new) 5 months ago, zero issue so far. The cost of repair is very high, but the reliability is #1 among "high end cars".
Maserati: No experience, but their reliability score isn't very high
Jaguar: See the posts above. It's sold in the same showroom that Range Rover, there's a reason for it.
Corvette: It's a car for old people. If you're over 60, go for it.
BMW: I had one for 2 years, and had 2 major electrical failures that cost over $2,000 in repairs. The engine is reliable, but it's everything else that breaks.
Benz: Better than BMW, I never had one but my old LTR did and although reliable, it caters more to girls.

There's also Lambo and Ferrari, but for $25,000 it's just impossible to secure a good deal unless you're a mechanic.

Post: #13

(03-08-2017 04:34 AM)Rawmeo Wrote:  If you're about to spend $25,000 on a luxury vehicle, be aware that the depreciation will be VERY quick, so do not finance it - pay cash or go lower. My thoughts on the car:

Range rover: Breaks often, but getting spare parts is actually easy and free, just follow one on the road and grabs whatever falls off.
Porsche: I bought one (new) 5 months ago, zero issue so far. The cost of repair is very high, but the reliability is #1 among "high end cars".
Maserati: No experience, but their reliability score isn't very high
Jaguar: See the posts above. It's sold in the same showroom that Range Rover, there's a reason for it.
Corvette: It's a car for old people. If you're over 60, go for it.
BMW: I had one for 2 years, and had 2 major electrical failures that cost over $2,000 in repairs. The engine is reliable, but it's everything else that breaks.
Benz: Better than BMW, I never had one but my old LTR did and although reliable, it caters more to girls.

There's also Lambo and Ferrari, but for $25,000 it's just impossible to secure a good deal unless you're a mechanic.

Care to elaborate on that?

Post: #14

Regarding Benz reliability, my old LTR and a family member of mine had them - both regular C class sedans. One was new, and one was second hand. Both of them never had any issues. However I think that this is a kind of car that is more suited to girls - that's just my personal preference, I have no facts on that.

Post: #15

(03-07-2017 10:14 PM)GeneralMacDaddy Wrote:  Why not BMW, Mercedes?

Yes maintenance costs can be an issue, but much less than Range Rover, Maserati, or Jaguar. Used Mercedes, many (not all) of them are built very well, especially the AMG models that have hand-built engines and better suspension, plus all the bells and whistles come standard. Find a clean, well maintained one from a southern state (no rust) and you can get something nice for $25k.

Or go for BMW and get an M3 / 335 or M5 / 535.

The V10 (V10!!) BMW m5 versions are in that price range now, years 2005-2010, pretty unique vehicle.

Have fun!

I'm white collar guy, and I want something a little exciting. So Mercedes is a fine car, its just dull to me.

I used to have a BMW 3 series (E36). They are very common where I live. I know an M5 is different, but not enough different. 5 Series is a possibility, but I like the look of some of those others better.

Post: #16

- surprised at the disdain for corvettes. as a kid I always wanted one.

- mercedes and bmw - too corporate for what I am looking for.

- financing - I would pay cash, and i have the savings for repairs, etc. Just trying not to make a dumb decision. I could afford more but don't want to spend more.

as a comparison, you can get a good Porsche boxster for about $10,000. while the performance is not the same as some other cars, its still an interesting car. very different from a C-class mercedes.

Post: #17

"surprised at the disdain for corvettes. as a kid I always wanted one."


Don't be . I don't no what these guys are talking about .vettes are for old folks? Maybe a decade ago .but now? I never seen so many young guys driving vettes . Since the c7 dropped the prices for c6 vettes dropped significantly,hell the zr1 can be had for the 50 or so ish and you got 638 horses from the jump . You can get a c5 zo6 for no more than 30gs .

They handle great also. Check out car and drivers c7 grandsport vs the Porsche 911 and see which one wins.

Post: #18

@Hypno

Why are you buying the car? Is it to get laid , race, or personal enjoyment?

to get laid-convertible Jaguar

race- Corvette z06 demolishes any Italian import that costs under $250,000

Personal Enjoyment -Depends on how you enjoy your personal time

To the other posters on this thread-The Corvette is an american masterpiece and the best value for your buck in terms of a sports car. A brand new 2017 z06 (roughly $75,0000-$90,000) will beat anything that costs triple the price. The Corvette engine is the most frequently used engine in boutique super car companies(Mosler, Falcon F7, ect.). Don't sleep on American Muscle.

Post: #19

Add ultima gtr and Hennessy venom to that list^

Post: #20

Good thread,

I think Corvettes are sexy and they can smoke my sports car easily (Challenger R/T). The stingrays look really nice. All of the shorties I deal with say it's an old man car though. Same thing for Porsche.

Maserati isn't the most reliable car I've heard but they are unique. If you can get a nice Maserati for that price I'd definitely give it a shot. At the point one of these cars is around 25k then a lot of the depreciation has already hit the vehicles so I wouldn't trip on depreciation after buying the car.

Post: #21

(03-08-2017 08:00 AM)Atlanta Man Wrote:  @Hypno

Why are you buying the car? Is it to get laid , race, or personal enjoyment?

Not to race, I'm too risk averse.

More about getting laid and personal enjoyment, and moving my image from a 9 to 5 executive to something a little more dangerous.

I guess sports car would have been better in the title rather than luxury car. Nothing wrong with the Benzs and BMWs, its just not the direction I am going in.

I am seeing 2007 Jag XKR convertibles for under $25K; 1997 for $10K

Post: #22

Depending on how political you are, you've got to get an older one to ensure that the CIA can't hack the computer and steer you to your death. Per Wikileaks.

Post: #23

Sounds like a poser move to me.

"Ima get a used luxury car so people think I'm a lot richer than I really am"

Your charade will be exposed as soon as you invite people over to your digs and start talking about what you do for work.

People will LOL IRL.

Especially when there are some VERY NICE cars you can pick up new or almost new for 25-30.

Post: #24

Get a Porsche Cayenne - maintenance of Porsche is competing with Toyota and absolutely the best with all the cars you listed.

Post: #25

(03-08-2017 07:34 AM)ShotgunUppercuts Wrote:  "surprised at the disdain for corvettes. as a kid I always wanted one."


Don't be . I don't no what these guys are talking about .vettes are for old folks? Maybe a decade ago .but now? I never seen so many young guys driving vettes . Since the c7 dropped the prices for c6 vettes dropped significantly,hell the zr1 can be had for the 50 or so ish and you got 638 horses from the jump . You can get a c5 zo6 for no more than 30gs .

They handle great also. Check out car and drivers c7 grandsport vs the Porsche 911 and see which one wins.

Agreed--the "Corvettes are for old people" trope displays either a lack of knowledge about Corvettes or a willful blindness to American cars (or blind allegiance to European and Asian sports cars)