People buying used luxury cars for cheap pisses me off.

"RotaryLover" (rotarylover) 10/08/2013 at 09:18 • Filed to: Rant

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All the freakin' time I have a friend, a friend of a friend or a plain unknown being that gets a luxurious car at a cheap price and got tricked by the nice and freshly cleaned/detailed interior, the freshly waxed paint, the freshly cleaned up engine bay and yada yada yada. They drive it for a couple miles/days/months and bam, something breaks. They go to the dealership and they get mad because they quote 2000$ or more to fix the issue or more. They go to their usual mechanic and they quote them 1000$ or more which is still expensive for them. They pay it and fix it then complains on Facebook statuses. Now hold on a sec, you bought a LUXURIOUS car! WTF did you expect??? That it would be like a Camry/Corolla and that you could just change oil, put gas and call it a day while being grounded to the ground?

Let's see the definition of "Luxury" in the oxford dictionary shall we:

noun (plural luxuries)

[mass noun]

a state of great comfort or elegance, especially when involving great expense : he lived a life of luxury

Buying a luxury car involves great expenses! It's like the dots doesn't connect to theses people when they buy it. Then they complain that they gotta put premium gas instead of regular, that it uses more oil than the Civic I had before, that the tires are expensive, that insurance costs more and bla bla bla, it just doesn't stop.

Then you got the ones that think they can break the system (theses are actual things that I heard from people!), saying "Dude, I bought a Lexus ES330/Acura TL why does it uses premium gas when the Camry/Accord V6 is the same and gets to use regular? I think it's bullshit and i'll use regular instead." or "Dude, you see, my old Civic used to gets 320 km on a tank, the Accord V6 I have now gets 330 km per tank. Getting a V6 Acura TL should no big deal right since it will do roughly the same mileage" I mean really? Yes the ECU will compensate for having less octane but you'll end up with worst mileage, more wear on the engine and a rough idle in some cases. As for the mileage story...I think you guys see the major fails in it.

I say to theses people, DEAL WITH IT. You want a luxury car? Then you better make your research right, check your damn budget and save more money for a cleaner well sorted one!

Because of theses people, we get unloved, cheaply ghetto repaired, regular gas drinking, dented, wal-mart tires wearing, engine light showing, suspension squeaking, repair needing luxury cars at a cheap price that are occupying craigslist/kijiji's space waiting for another buyer to take a bite at that nice and freshly cleaned/detailed interior, the freshly waxed paint, the freshly cleaned up engine bay and yada yada yada.

Jagvar > RotaryLover 10/08/2013 at 09:22

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But complaining about it is half the fun!

Nibby > RotaryLover 10/08/2013 at 09:22

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What luxury cars are your friends getting?

505Turbeaux > RotaryLover 10/08/2013 at 09:25

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in my opinion, you are correct. My father works for a carmax in an urban metro area. These people will end up paying more for a luxury car at huge APR than go to the hyundai dealer and get something that makes sense for the long haul. Sad really. When your ML benz has an issue you are going to wish you had bought a Sonata.

All that said, if you are going to go there, go real deep and get something real in the luxury world. I would take this over an accord all day long (but I can fix it myself)

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Nibby 10/08/2013 at 09:26

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Bad ones from the sounds of it lol

RotaryLover > Nibby 10/08/2013 at 09:26

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Acura TL, Lexus Es330, BMW M3, BMW 3 series coupe, Infiniti M35, Infiniti G35. That's about it.

Volvosaurus-Rex > RotaryLover 10/08/2013 at 09:26

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Someone woke up on the wrong side of the car this morning.

I only buy used luxury cars to complain about them.

Tekamul > RotaryLover 10/08/2013 at 09:27

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There are many people around me that have considered doing the same.

I always tell them the same thing, as they go shopping, "There is nothing more expensive than a cheap luxury car"

Demon-Xanth knows how to operate a street. > RotaryLover 10/08/2013 at 09:29

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Those are entry level luxury at that. Imagine if they picked up a $10k rolls.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Rol…

dropthatclutch > RotaryLover 10/08/2013 at 09:31

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This is EXACTLY my brother. Just bought a used German luxo-barge and won't fix anything right. Always looking for the cheap fix. Wants the status without the cost.

Infuriates me because he is constantly asking me what to do about repairs, doesn't like my answers, then does something cheap and cobbed together, and then the cycle repeats itself when the next thing breaks.

RotaryLover > Demon-Xanth knows how to operate a street. 10/08/2013 at 09:31

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My friends aren't crazy enough to get this atleast lol but seriously...I don't want that nice Rolls to end up badly repaired.

RotaryLover > dropthatclutch 10/08/2013 at 09:33

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It's the exact situation with me. Since I do a bit of car mechanic on the side, they come to me to check what's wrong. I tend to give the answers they don't wanna hear.

dinobot666 > RotaryLover 10/08/2013 at 09:34

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Who would buy a Corolla knowing darn well that Toyota reused the trunk hinges from the previous model? I mean, seriously.

RotaryLover > Tekamul 10/08/2013 at 09:35

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Exactly! But some of them just won't listen. If they knew what they would get into, I'd say ok why not, but it's not the case.

dropthatclutch > RotaryLover 10/08/2013 at 09:36

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He's been rolling on a tire with a massive gash in the sidewall for about 6 months now, because they're expensive. He thinks he beat the system because it hasn't blown out. Like I am the idiot.

RotaryLover > Jagvar 10/08/2013 at 09:37

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Yeah...complaining I can somewhat deal with it, it's the cheap repairs that I can't stand. Ruining good cars :(

Party-vi > RotaryLover 10/08/2013 at 09:38

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The best money ever spent on car is the previous owner's.

That being said, I agree that people who see the badge and not the maintenance that having the badge requires are ruining the used car market. It's at the point where a used luxury car is either 1) cheap because while it looks good everything mechanical has been let go or 2) ridiculously expensive because "all the others have been let go". I'm young and dumb and bought a used BMW - I can afford the maintenance and will hopefully pass it on to another enthusiast when I'm done with it.

EL_ULY > RotaryLover 10/08/2013 at 09:38

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i'd rock an ES330, not the most Jalop car but solid as fuck, easy as hell to work on if needed. As an ex Leaus master tech, its a cherry that was a fine example of why soo many people switched their heavily troublesome but fun German cars for a well built acceptable luxury car at the time

RotaryLover > 505Turbeaux 10/08/2013 at 09:39

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Same with me, but in my case it would be a Citroen SM hahaha

Party-vi > RotaryLover 10/08/2013 at 09:39

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E46 M3's are probably the worst offenders for expensive repairs after buying for a steal.

505Turbeaux > RotaryLover 10/08/2013 at 09:41

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having had one in driver condition, to exaggerate slightly, I can attest that the SM is a fairly robust little car. Funky but once you wrap your head around it they can be maintained for not too much cash-ola (pretty much correctly)

RotaryLover > Volvosaurus-Rex 10/08/2013 at 09:42

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When you get years and years of people complaining about them and not liking your rational answers about the repairs or what to do with the car...one morning you get this lol

RotaryLover > dinobot666 10/08/2013 at 09:43

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Loyal Toyota owners?

zadtheinhaler > 505Turbeaux 10/08/2013 at 09:44

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I've only seen one Lagonda, and I didn't get as close as I'd like.

I would love to get one, and replace all of the dodgy electrics with capacative switchs and LCD displays - bring it into the 21st Century. It is _such_ and impressive car.

Annnnnd I'll be in my bunk.

GhostZ > RotaryLover 10/08/2013 at 09:44

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The solution is to get a high end and well-spec'd non-luxury car. Get an older but still top-model Nissan Maxima, Lincoln LS, Lincoln Town Car, Lincoln Zephyr, or Cadillac CTS. You get 90% of the luxury, 150% of the reliability, and at 50% of the long term cost.

My god, I think I just realized what late 90s and early 2000s Lincolns are good for. They're perfect for someone who wants a German Luxobarge, but needs to budget cheap!

zadtheinhaler > RotaryLover 10/08/2013 at 09:45

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From what I can recall, there's a damn good reason it's called the SM.

"Whip me harder, Master Mechanic, make me bleed!"

RotaryLover > dropthatclutch 10/08/2013 at 09:45

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When the tire blows up, I sure hope that he wont be on a corner or at high speed. Some people sometimes...

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > dropthatclutch 10/08/2013 at 09:46

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Yea I bet he's all kinds of pissed when he has to pay for a new rim when it blows out on the highway and he has to ride his rim to the side of the road....

RotaryLover > Party-vi 10/08/2013 at 09:46

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We need more people like you hahaha

RotaryLover > EL_ULY 10/08/2013 at 09:49

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He had to change the transmission on his though. I heard there was a recall for them right?

RotaryLover > 505Turbeaux 10/08/2013 at 09:51

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Yeah but here in Canada, it's not the same story. Parts are expensive to get. I gotta ship them from Europe, and they are RARE. I found one but it's seems to be a basket case.

RotaryLover > zadtheinhaler 10/08/2013 at 09:52

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My body is ready for that :D

EL_ULY > RotaryLover 10/08/2013 at 09:53

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if it was issued after 2010 i wouldn't know, but a 3 hour job maximum with the right gear. Smooth as huevos car, loved them, but again not the most Jalop car :)

CalzoneGolem > RotaryLover 10/08/2013 at 09:54

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This is why I always tell people to buy a Prius.

505Turbeaux > RotaryLover 10/08/2013 at 09:54

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as with anything weird and rare, depends on your network of clubs and enthusiasts. Buy the basket case and sit on it if it is cheap enough, then buy a nice one and cannibalize the beater for parts. Just like having your own junkyard in one tidy package

zadtheinhaler > RotaryLover 10/08/2013 at 09:55

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Well, as long as you know what you're in for... :-)

RotaryLover > GhostZ 10/08/2013 at 09:57

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That's the trick, buy domestic. But people wanna end up with Benz, BMWs, Audis and all their kinds because of the name. Lincoln and Chrysler doesn't show off enough to them. Cadillac...yes but not as much as the Germans.

RotaryLover > EL_ULY 10/08/2013 at 09:59

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Smooth it is indeed, you don't hear a thing when the car is running right and it's really really comfy!

RotaryLover > CalzoneGolem 10/08/2013 at 10:01

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I said this to my sister when she wanted to get rid of her Acura CSX...got a slap behind the head lol

RotaryLover > 505Turbeaux 10/08/2013 at 10:02

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I like the way you think!

RotaryLover > zadtheinhaler 10/08/2013 at 10:03

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No worries I've done my research properly hahaha

Volvosaurus-Rex > RotaryLover 10/08/2013 at 10:04

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You would not believe what happened to me the other day, I paid this guy $5000 for a BMW 850i! He said I was stealing it from him! I test drove it and it was a solid car, VERY luxurious. Then, when I got home, it started squealing, and a few minutes later after revving the engine to the limiter, some orange, then blue, then greeen smoke poured out of the everywhere. I thought it was my reward for getting a BMW, a spectacular colored smoke show. I turned it off and went to bed. The next morning, the car WOULD NOT START!!!!! German quality my ass. My last car was an old M-Class and that thing was rock solid for an entire month.

I'm thinking I'll try an Audi A8L tomorrow, there's one around the corner going for $6000!

RotaryLover > Volvosaurus-Rex 10/08/2013 at 10:13

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Is that your bed?

Hindered23 > Party-vi 10/08/2013 at 10:21

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got a used '05 s4 for 18k with 70k miles on it. my dad and i have put around 7k back into it already one year later. fortunately, it looks like it's been totally fixed up besides one thing... the air conditioner won't work without a 2.7k fix. life....

Casper > RotaryLover 10/08/2013 at 10:26

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I think it has less to do with "luxury" and more to do with not being able to afford what they buy. I was told by a Ferrari tech once that he would never touch a used Ferrari (without records) with someone else's 10 ft pole for one simple reason: 95%+ of people who buy them can't afford to service them correctly. At the time I thought this was mostly true of expensive cars, but I have been shocked at what I see in cheap cars as well. It's like people do the same bad practices but justify it in reverse: "It's a $150,000+ car, it shouldn't need it's brakes worked on!" vs "It's only a $5,000 car, why would I put $500 into brakes on it?".

It all goes back to the basics... people are stupid.

Volvosaurus-Rex > RotaryLover 10/08/2013 at 10:27

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The sarcas-mometer is weak with this one.

RotaryLover > Casper 10/08/2013 at 10:33

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Great point there!

Aya, Almost Has A Cosmo With Toyota Engine Owned by a BMW. > RotaryLover 10/08/2013 at 10:35

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Well, I bought an W140 a year ago for 10k. But that because my boss was a huge friend of the previous owner of the car, and that 10k is all paid for refreshing the whole car back to "new-ish" state.

So, If you want a cheap luxury car, make aure you know the previous owner of the car very well.

RotaryLover > Volvosaurus-Rex 10/08/2013 at 10:35

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I knew it was sarcasm somewhat. That's why I used that scene from Breaking bad.

GhostZ > RotaryLover 10/08/2013 at 10:37

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Its unfortunate that so much of the meaning of 'luxury' has to do with status and appearance, and very little with actual comfort or style. The country or origin or brand should not determine luxury, the actual aesthetic values and refinement should.

EL_ULY > Aya, Almost Has A Cosmo With Toyota Engine Owned by a BMW. 10/08/2013 at 10:37

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a W140.... (wallet takes off running in fear of repair shop bills) lol j/k.

RotaryLover > Aya, Almost Has A Cosmo With Toyota Engine Owned by a BMW. 10/08/2013 at 10:38

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And may I add the maintenance records also.

Mustafaluigi > RotaryLover 10/08/2013 at 10:40

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I hate when people bitch about premium gas. It's really not that much more in the end. Consider this:

You drive 12,000 miles a year. Which for most people is a lot.

Your car averages 20 mpg. Average, could be higher depending on the car but if we are talking luxury, then its not going to be that high.

On average Premium is $0.50 more a gallon.

Put that all together and you get $300 dollars more a year for gas.

When I had a coworker come to me looking for a new car, I mentioned a Fiesta ST, and he was all "but it takes premium gas, that sucks". That car gets on average 30mpg. That comes out to $200 more a year, and my numbers were inflated. This guy never leaves town and he lives 4 miles from work. So maybe, and I mean maybe he would spend an extra ~$150 a year on gas.

duurtlang > GhostZ 10/08/2013 at 10:41

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Exactly! That's why I bought a very nice Peugeot!

Volvosaurus-Rex > RotaryLover 10/08/2013 at 10:41

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One of my favorite scenes with one of my favorite characters from the show. Good choice.

Party-vi > Hindered23 10/08/2013 at 10:42

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I think recent late model Audi cars are the worst offenders. After I got my E46 I saw all these newer ('06-09) sedans for sale with less miles and nicer options for less money, until I read the parts lists they needed. Jeez. It really takes an enthusiast to sell and purchase these vehicles as the maintenance demands as mileage increases are going to be too much for someone looking for an appliance to drive.

RotaryLover > Mustafaluigi 10/08/2013 at 10:47

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That and those who put regular instead of the recommended premium gas on their cars thinking they'll save up but they actually don't at all!

Hindered23 > Party-vi 10/08/2013 at 10:48

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well, my rash decision has emptied my coffers, which is unfortunate as i now have 0 spending money and am at a big university now. didn't even get to bring my car with me...

Aya, Almost Has A Cosmo With Toyota Engine Owned by a BMW. > RotaryLover 10/08/2013 at 10:49

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Ya.

And oh, you have to know all things related about the car.

At least, you have to know common issues about the car and how much it gonna cost to fix it.

And you also have to note that, despite the car was cheap, the parts never going to cheap.

Seatbelt extender in my Merc cost 1250US$. Each. And there's 4 of them. And you can't drive without them because it's absurdly dangerous.

So I think prepare arround some extra cash for parts.

RotaryLover > Aya, Almost Has A Cosmo With Toyota Engine Owned by a BMW. 10/08/2013 at 10:53

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1250$ /EACH?????????????????????????????????????????????????????

Party-vi > Hindered23 10/08/2013 at 10:53

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Live and learn. If it gets too much to bear just sell the S4 (a shame with all that time and money invested) and get something more reliable.

Aya, Almost Has A Cosmo With Toyota Engine Owned by a BMW. > EL_ULY 10/08/2013 at 10:55

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Well, you can call me weird but I rarely bring a wallet with me. It's a bit impractical. I prefer to put my money in my bag or my pocket instead.

Aya, Almost Has A Cosmo With Toyota Engine Owned by a BMW. > RotaryLover 10/08/2013 at 11:00

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Ya. And all the gear inside that thing is made out of plastic.

Luckily I found a friend from local mercedes club that made the same gear from metal, for much cheaper cost.

*In other news, I just bought a Mazda Cosmo Rotary Turbo for 2.5k . Or about the same as 2 seatbelt.

Mustafaluigi > RotaryLover 10/08/2013 at 11:04

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I used to drive a 2.8 V6 Passat and it requires premium as it is a high compression engine. There was always an argument about "can I run 87 in my car". Yes you can, but the car drives like shit and gets worse gas mileage. Even if it evened out with the cost of the gas, the car still drives like a wet turd, its not worth it.

EL_ULY > Aya, Almost Has A Cosmo With Toyota Engine Owned by a BMW. 10/08/2013 at 11:09

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understood buddy :]

burglar can't heart click anything > RotaryLover 10/08/2013 at 11:13

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Properly maintaining any car is expensive.

A 1995 Accord at 100k miles is going to need likely no more or less work than an 1995 E36 M3 at 100k. Shocks, brakes, ball joints, bushings, etc don't care what emblem is on the hood when they decide how fast to wear.

However we view the Accord as more "disposable" so it's ok if it wanders a bit on the freeway. But that M3? It's the ultimate driving machine, so it has to be perfect, right?

It's silly to me when people say you shouldn't get something because they think it'll be more to maintain. With some exceptions, most cars have been engineered to be used daily and last 200-250k miles if cared for. Of course some have been engineered better than others, some are easier to work on, some are simpler, and some have more plentiful and cheaper parts.

Nibby > RotaryLover 10/08/2013 at 11:15

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Oh, I thought you meant stuff like S class, 7 series, etc.

Hindered23 > Party-vi 10/08/2013 at 11:17

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I'm thinking some 600cc sportbike. not planning on becoming one of those biker gang squids though no worries

RotaryLover > Nibby 10/08/2013 at 11:21

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One of them wanted an S Class, he got scared by the bills lol.

Party-vi > Hindered23 10/08/2013 at 11:42

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Sounds like fun, but remember to check with campus rules on motorcycles.

chuck07 > Aya, Almost Has A Cosmo With Toyota Engine Owned by a BMW. 10/08/2013 at 12:51

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I have a S320 with the m104. The engine is pretty sound and simple, except for that head gasket. What gets you is the nice stuff. Raising very heavy windows doesn't provide a long life to the elements involved. The Self Leveling Suspension rides well, but costs ~$1500 to replace one. The self closing doors/trunk can come in handy, but I don't want to fix them when they break. I just have to remember that my $6k car was built with $70k in parts. (~100k now) It also helps to be willing to work on some things yourself and know someone at a dealer.

RotaryLover > burglar can't heart click anything 10/08/2013 at 13:16

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I'd say if their budget can do it then yeah, it's not a problem. But let's say they can't maintain the Accord that they have right now properly, what makes them think they can maintain an BMW they found at their right price with high mileage? That's my issue. Parts may not be expensive if you find the right contacts but if you don't, it's not the same story+ mechanics happily overcharges the labour on luxury cars owners unless DIY is involved.

Poundingsand > Party-vi 10/10/2013 at 14:25

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Same boat. I bought a used E46, and love it. But I took into account the cost of maintenance and service. Most of it I can do myself and save a pretty penny, but it HAS to be a factor when you buy a used "luxury" car.

Wonk Unit > RotaryLover 10/10/2013 at 15:00

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part of luxury is exclusivity. not everyone can afford a new Bimmer which is why people want them. is it still considered luxury if everyone has one?

RotaryLover > Wonk Unit 10/12/2013 at 20:41

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Well the name is established as a Luxury company and the parts are still expensive which is a characteristic of the word Luxury. So I'd say no.