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Buying Luxury used cars

411 messages,  Last post on Jul 13, 2009 at 10:22 AM

You are in the Classic Cars Forum. Your Host is mr_shiftright

What is this discussion about? Classic Cars, Coupe, Convertible, Truck, Sedan, Wagon


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#104 of 411
Re: What's that old saying... [andre1969] (Mr_Shiftright) (lemko) [hpmctorq [andre1969] by Mr_Shiftright HOST
Jan 06, 2009 (9:35 am)
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Replying to: andre1969 (Jan 06, 2009 9:31 am)

Your messing with language again
 
If Buicks were "luxury" than what are Mercedes, Lexus, 7 Series BMWs, Bentley, etc. "Super Luxury"? "Ultra Luxury"?
 
If a Buick is "luxury" so then is every other car in the price range, which means just about all cars are luxurious, which means just about no cars are actually luxurious.
 
Dilution of meaning. Language inflation.
#105 of 411
Re: What's that old saying... [andre1969] (Mr_Shiftright) (lemko) [hpmctorq by andre1969
Jan 06, 2009 (10:01 am)
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Replying to: Mr_Shiftright (Jan 06, 2009 9:35 am)

Well I just look at luxury as a range. IMO, something like a Buick Electra, Olds 98, or Chrysler New Yorker would be the low end of the luxury spectrum, while a Bentley, etc, would be at the upper end. Although once they started issuing those K-based New Yorkers and Imperials, even I had a problem calling those luxury cars!
 
By 1988 standards, I'd consider Lemko's Park Ave to be a luxury car. That thing probably stickered for $22K or more, which is an awful lot of money in my book! My '79 NYer probably stickered for about $10K, while my other one, the 5th Ave, was probably around $12K...up into Cadillac/Lincoln territory, and I've always considered those to be luxury cars. Now that's chump change compared to what a nice Benz or BMW would have set you back in the same years
 
But, time has marched on. Cars have more standard features these days, as well as more power. So more has to be done to separate the real luxury cars from the rest of the herd.
#106 of 411
Re: What's that old saying... [andre1969] (Mr_Shiftright) (lemko) [hpmctorq [andre1969] by Mr_Shiftright HOST
Jan 06, 2009 (10:05 am)
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Replying to: andre1969 (Jan 06, 2009 10:01 am)

Okay I'll spare with you on this a bit more.
 
What exactly is the difference between "low end luxury" and "high end economy"?
 
You've got to have a standard here, and to my mind the standard for what we call "luxury" has gone far beyond GMs 1988 idea of it.
 
There is simply no comparison in luxury, appointments, technology and complexity between an old Buick and a Mercedes S600.
 
GEEZ if you can't fix a simple 1988 Buick, then coping with a used BMW 7 Series is going to bring you to ruin and devastation right quick.
#107 of 411
Re: What's that old saying... [andre1969] (Mr_Shiftright) (lemko) [hpmctorq by andre1969
Jan 06, 2009 (10:23 am)
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Replying to: Mr_Shiftright (Jan 06, 2009 10:05 am)

What exactly is the difference between "low end luxury" and "high end economy"?
 
Well to me, "high end economy" would be something like a fully-loaded Toyota Corolla or Honda Civic. Cars that might be well appointed, but are still small, sacrifice comfort, and have a primary focus on fuel efficiency.
 
I might consider a "low end luxury" car today to be something like an Acura TL or Toyota Avalon. On the domestic front perhaps something like a well-appointed Buick Lucerne or a Chrysler 300 Limited or C. Or maybe a better term for them would be "near luxury", which is what they started calling that step-up class back when Acura first came out, and then Infiniti and Lexus followed.
#108 of 411
Re: What's that old saying... [andre1969] (Mr_Shiftright) (lemko) [hpmctorq [andre1969] [Mr_Shiftright] by circlew
Jan 06, 2009 (11:08 am)
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Replying to: Mr_Shiftright (Jan 06, 2009 9:35 am)

I'd say Buick's are more like lounge wear rather than designer clothing representing the brands you mentioned. Like all American cars, the depreciation represents the value or lack thereof.
 
Take a Cadillac, whose status regarding luxury branding has been destroyed over the last few decades. The residuals are crazy low. If you get $4K off a CTS, that locks in a faster decline in value as soon as you drive that car off the dealer lot. In 1 year, you are in the mid $20K at best for a upper $30K vehicle. Punch in a 2007 CTS at Cars.com and before the first 50 cars are viewed in a country-wide search, mid-twenties. A CTS-V under 10K miles is mid-$30K.
 
The Germans are hurting as well but since they start at a much higher price the value decline isn't as drastic as domestic brands.
 
Regards,
OW
#109 of 411
Re: What's that old saying... [andre1969] (Mr_Shiftright) (lemko) [hpmctorq [andre1969] [Mr_Shiftright] [circlew] by Mr_Shiftright HOST
Jan 06, 2009 (11:15 am)
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Replying to: circlew (Jan 06, 2009 11:08 am)

Now a CTS-V is a car I wouldn't mind picking off real cheap in a few years. Being domestic-made, I think I could deal better with the out of warranty issues, and I bet a lot of regular CTS parts from the wrecker would fit.
#110 of 411
Re: What's that old saying... [andre1969] (Mr_Shiftright) (lemko) [hpmctorq [andre1969] [Mr_Shiftright] [circlew] [Mr_Shiftright] by circlew
Jan 06, 2009 (11:19 am)
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Replying to: Mr_Shiftright (Jan 06, 2009 11:15 am)

It's a solid play. The new CTS is a far better car than previous. Go for it.
 
I can not get used to the Arts and Science.
 
Regards,
OW
#111 of 411
Beauty is in the eyes of blah blah by Mr_Shiftright HOST
Jan 06, 2009 (11:22 am)
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Replying to: circlew (Jan 06, 2009 11:19 am)

Yeah maybe I can do some body mods or something---perhaps monochrome the car or some such. It's awkward to my eyes. But then again, I'll be behind the wheel so I won't have to look at it too much.
#112 of 411
Re: Beauty is in the eyes of blah blah [Mr_Shiftright] by circlew
Jan 06, 2009 (11:25 am)
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Replying to: Mr_Shiftright (Jan 06, 2009 11:22 am)

That's the ticket, get out and never look back. Close your eyes before entering! At least the interior on the new one will not give you indigestion!
 
Regards,
OW
#113 of 411
Re: 1990 LS400 (corvette) [texases] by lemko
Jan 06, 2009 (12:30 pm)
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Replying to: texases (Jan 05, 2009 12:59 pm)

No problems so far. Replaced the battery about a year or so ago and that's it.

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