Used luxury cars & maintenance cost

I'm cheap, and I drive a lot. 25k/year, minimum.

Wife doesn't like my corolla. I will still try to keep it for another 100k miles, but she's got me looking to replace it with something niceR.

I do drive in snow, so AWD or FWD is preferable, and fuel economy is a factor, but not a major factor, if I can keep the purchase cost low. Budget will be under $10k (preferably more like $5k, and less than $8k)

So my questions are:

1) what small luxury sedan would you feel confident will last 200,000 miles or more? (i might purchase it with over 100k)
2) for those who have lived with RWD in a snowy climate, will snow tires get me through? I am not scared of DRIVING a RWD vehicle in snow, but my old truck would just not get traction. I could back out of my driveway and not be able to pull back in some days... Will snow tires and the additional weight over the rear wheels make a sedan more useful? If i can get the car moving, I'm not worried about spinning out of control. I actually prefer RWD.
3) is the cost of maintenance going to destroy me on anything German?

I would also like this car to be able to pull 1000 lbs. of open trailer, and XR100. Manual transmission is preferred, but not essential.

I have considered:

- Audi A4
- Lexus IS
- BMW 3
- Volvo S40
- Acura TSX

but those are just the ones I could think of... definitely open to other options.

 

Of your list, the Lexus and the Acura with snow tire will be fine. I used to drive my M5's snowboarding all the time. Just needed snow tires. I never even used bags of sand, but some of my friends with RWD sedans have done that. I think they were also using all season tires though. As far as your third question, most likely. Depends on if you are a DIY type of person or not. If you love working on your ride and are willing to learn the car top to bottom, then go for it. But at 200,000 miles, I wouldn't trust a German car unless you have an extensive history on it, get a PPI, and know that particular models failure points forwards and backwards and how to handle them. Generally speaking, if you do everything on them before it's an issue, they aren't so bad. But if you wait for a CEL, problems tend to stack.

 

I wouldn't touch a $10K A4. There are a lot of real nice 3 series in that $10K ~ $15K mark around here, they're the new Civic.

For your parameters I'd do the Acura first then the Lexus.

 

http://www.chevrolet.com/malibu-mid...MyAGmXql0BGj5b7tMwnk4aAuNP8P8HAQ&gclsrc=aw.ds

For no more then you are pulling an automatic will be fine.

 

What Dave K said. From what I have seen on the AcuraZine forums older TSXs are actually more reliable than the newer models, so don't fear the older ones.

 

As someone that has owned or had to repair (kids cars) under $10K luxury cars, I have learned my lesson the hard way. There is only one that fits the bill...Lexus. And I'm not a Lexus fan by any means. The damn things just work. My daughter bought an 07 IS250 with 100K miles a year and a half ago and it has been perfect. I'm actually getting to the point where I'm tired of driving my truck and my E30 toy is just a bit childish for a 56 year old and I'm looking at about a 5 year old Lexus LS460. Yep, the old mans luxo-boat. My dad has driven Lexus' for over 20 years and I swore to him that you'd never catch me in one of those bland ass vehicles. But I've finally thrown in the towel and seen the light; I just want a car that's comfortable as hell and dependable to the core.

 

Yeap, I said to Sam the other week that we should at least look at what Lexus has when it's time and she reluctantly agreed.

But no f@ckin' way I'll look at an Infiniti, I'm getting old but I'm not dead!

 

Not gonna lie, I have been debating the same thing lately. I drive about 1100 miles a week. My explorer is getting cramped for my long legs and after a couple hours, I have to get out and walk around.

Started looking for new cars with the most leg room, the Kia Optima kept coming up. Went and checked them out, and they are pretty nice. I have talked to several owners that I see and all say good things about the car and no issues as long as you take care of (just like anything else of course).

Best thing......you can pick up one NEW with a 100K warranty for about 18 grand. About 23 if you want it loaded out with leather, sunroom, navigation, prem. radio etc. For as much as I drive, thats about a 2 year warranty on a new car that gets about 28-30mpg on the highway that will be more comfortable for me and is a decent ride. Having a hard time pulling the trigger just cause I don't want to fork over the money, but know it will happen one afternoon when I get pissed off caused my legs are cramping on the way home.

 

HAHA the Q60 which is the old G35 is way cooler than any Lexus product other than the LFA and maybe the new RC F something?

I actually used to think you knew something about cars? But the way you wax poetic about the Mazda minivan and shitty VAG group products, and now baggin Infiniti, has me really questioning your manhood...I mean knowledge?

 

Infinitis (most or all) come with soul sucking CVTs. ;-)

Good engines tied to the wheels with the automotive equivalent of one of those wind up rubber bands.

 

Has Datsun stepped up their game suddenly? I didn't get the memo...

Oh, and Sarah's A4 is in the shop for its third steering rack in 13 months. Hello lemon law buyback proceedings...

 

3 series with full maintenance records.

Or an x3

Love my 330i. It had a few issues but I work on cars and get parts at cost so no biggie

 

If you want something with no worries. Lexus hands down. Change oil, brakes and tires when needed, and keep on driving.

 

And therein lies the conundrum that is BMW.

I'll say this with full non-blanked out cussing...BMW fucking (sorry) pisses me off. They advertise a brilliant and beautiful machine that just crushes your soul when you take ownership. It all starts off so wonderfully and then after a while the gremlins take over. But damn if they don't suck me in with their history and style. My mom had a new 99 740iL Sport and I had to borrow it for a week while she was out of town. It was truly gods chariot. I wanted to tell her that she couldn't have it back. Everything you would ever want in an automobile. And then after 50K miles it just went to hell. She couldn't get rid of it quick enough and it lost a Lexus's worth of value from its original sticker.

Which is exactly what she bought to replace it.

 

Dude I've torn apart and put back together pretty much every car known to man. BMW's are by FAR my favorite vehicles. They're just timeless and classic. No matter the year. The design and engineering is just so damn polished. But like the types of women I date... They require lots of maintenance and upkeep

I'm going to buy an e30 convertible for my daughter and do a ground up restoration over a few years and then give it to her for her 16th birthday

 

I totally agree with everything you said.

BTW, my current E30...89K two-owner miles.

 

Don't buy a used German car. You will regret it. Overly complicated, expensive to maintain.

 

OMG DRROOOOOOOOOOOOL!!!!!

 

Actually their V6 has been rated as a top 10 engines for years in Wards.

 

Is that thing any good? My son is coming home for the summer to work as an intern. I'm going to buy some kind of 1 to 2k beater for him to drive over the 2.5 months.

I was going to get a maxima or Honda. He asked if I would consider an older bmw or vw's. I said sure if you cover the repairs.

Actually last night I asked him to research older bmws that were pretty reliable. He mentioned late 90s 5 series? I had a 95 M3 and loved it, but sold it before the problems could have got me, because we had 2 kids in less than 13 months. Mini van time