i have a friend who is bent on buying a nice car for 15 or below. what are somw good options. she is bent on an stype, a4, or crossfire. i am worried about the reliability of those cars past 5ok miles. what car would you tell them to get. she makes 41 grand a year and after all her bills she has 8 hundred left for a car payment or anything else. she is bent on a 3 year old or newer lux car

 

3 year old S Type, A4 or crossfire for 15K?

You can't even get into a high mileage 04 TSX for 15k.

Considering the 15K and the 41K per year, I'd suggest a slightly used Mazda 3.

 

Mazda 3 FTW...

 

i forgot to add she is putting 2 grand down.

 

uh i don't call a Mazda a Lux car.

 

So what...? Given her choices and maintenance required for an Audi or Jaguar (listed by JJ as possibilities), I'd suggest getting a Mazda 3...which can be had for quite new and with minimal upkeep.

And to be honest, the anemities aren't bad in that car.

 

an 03 tl or tls,
i know it's 4 about to be 5 but still nice car for the $$

 

You could get a really low mileage CL Type S....

 

she can get an RSX or RSX Type S probably 03-04 model year

 

she wants a lux car and willing to buy an older one. with the crossfire it had fifty k miles for 15,9 and after figuring rent, food, utilities, ins, car payment (249/m with ten per int and 6 year loan) she would have 5oo a month leftover. i need some facts to tell her not to do this because i feel it is pushing it and if the car breaks shes fucked. but i need some numbers or something to convince her to get a nice cheaper car.

 

Why are there certain people that are so fixed on a brand name or symbol that they are willing to sacrifice reliability or stretch their budgets? Tell her flat out to stop being such a badge whore, and get something that is reliable, wont stretch the finances, and something that she won't be paying 6 years on. I would never ever take out a 6 year loan for a car, especially a used Crossfire with 50k on the clock already

 

She won't be able to find a "lux" car for $15K that's only 2-3 years old.

Even the X-Type, Crossfires and little Lincolns will be above $20K despite their incredibly high depreciation. And it sounds like she might not be able to afford maintenance, let alone repairs if something expensive breaks (which is likely with the German and British designs).

She can lease a lux car, if she has to have one.

Otherwise, tell her to wake up and get a nicely optioned used, reliable car.

 

I missed this post before my previous one- has the Crossfire been in a wreck??

Have your friend call Chrsyler to ask about cost of a brake job, with and without new discs. The Crossfires are actually the prior-model Mercedes SLKs. That should convince her any used German car is a bad idea on a limited budget.

 

list some nice looking reliable cars someone making 41k a year by themselves could afford. her rent for the next 9 months is a grand and she has no credit card or loan debt. i am trying to make a list since she is a good friend and other then her taste in cars is smart. btw right now she is driving a 199o mazda 626 lol.

excuse the use of o for zero and no uppercase i am on my blackjack and to lazy to switch the buttons.

 

used accord or camry? may not be considered "luxury" by some, but those things come with a lot of bells and whistles, can be very nicely equipped, and they will be the most reliable vehicles you can get for the money.

 

Instead of wasting money on a car, or at least a luxury car, wouldn't it make more sense to keep your car payment to a minimum and save the money to buy a house, and get out from the financial hole renting puts you in?

 

US$15k for a not beat-up newer lux car?

Do not look at a Crossfire -- I have a friend with one (leased) and it is nothing but a turd. Do no recommend it. It shares more than just the old-gen SLK chassis from MB, which means high maintenance costs. Visible is marginal, at best ... so much better cars to buy than a Crossfire.

Why not a RSX as someone already has suggested if your friend is so brand conscious?

 

anyone with experience at car auctions? what about that route?

 

I make less then her, but pay half as much for rent.

I just bought new car for ~15k. Although I put 6k down, but my 4 year loan monthly payments are ~$180. I wanted to do a 3 year loan, but figured I can just pay a little more when I got the money.

I would rather have a cheap reliable car, if you don't have the money for maintenance. That was my main issue with my last car. I think I bought a lemon, but every couple of months something went wrong.

I would probably look for an IS300 or TSX, but might have to spend a more than 15k for either of those. I think my friend sold his 04' IS for like 17k though. Maybe a Maxima? or a nice Accord? I'm not too sure of the prices.

 

Maxima (pre-2005)
Infiniti I30 or I35
Lexus IS300
Accord
Mazda 6
Mazda 3
MX5
RSX (insurance may be $$$)
Celica (insurance may be $$$)
Prelude (insurance may be $$$)
Civic
Corolla
Camry ( but XLE has a decent interior)

My order of preference for recent used cars with above-average reliability.

No TL/TL-S due to the glass trannies of 2000-2003.
And no, no old Fords, Chevys or Pontiacs on the list (I do like the present Fusion and G6 exteriors and options, but don't know about reliability).

 

15k luxury car, I say go with a used Lexus. Like a 2002-2004 ES or GS.

 

Wait EBay has some good deals on S types. I don't how reliable they are tho. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2000-...QQcmdZViewItem
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/01-ST...QQcmdZViewItem

 

2004 Saab 9-3. Should be considered a luxury car. Looks pretty good and with GM's extended warranty that applies to CPO cars as well (6 years for Saab?), it should be good for reliability for a while. Plus, it has a 5 star crash rating so maybe insurance rates might be lower.
http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sgv/car/397427176.html

 

Ls430

 

In this market I'd rather rent

 

personally i'd buy a previous generation maxima.

 

you can get a lexus is300 for around that price and they are very reliable

 

Nissan 240

 

I've been itching for an SRT-4 to mod for some reason. You can get one of those with low miles for 12-15 grand.