OT and updated: high end cars now seems to be the time (seems it was)

[glepore]

Originally Posted by zap

.

Keep looking at SL55's. Same basic engine as our wagon.....longer stroke to 5.5l and a supercharger. These can be modded to around 700hp.

The 55 is a sweetspot. I love the 65's but they're a different strata pricewise. I have a v12 sl r129, but man, I'd like to have the folding hardtop. The dated mmi, not so much.

[redir]

Originally Posted by glepore

Those are fine chassis, had an E320 wagon. The 124's are great, but the 320 engine suffers from external head gasket leaks. 94 still has the biodegradable harness as well.

Yeah I would not consider it if the harness was not replaced. My guess is that if it's running today then it probably was but still.

[zap]

Originally Posted by glepore

The 55 is a sweetspot. I love the 65's but they're a different strata pricewise. I have a v12 sl r129, but man, I'd like to have the folding hardtop. The dated mmi, not so much.

Saw a 129 with a V12 on bring a trailer recently.

The 65's go for about the same as 55's. Some have modded 65 engines to around 1000hp.......alas, the driveline can't handle that.

Old cars come with compromises. Performance wise, the 230 platform has a slow shifting transmission. Not sure what it would take to put in the newer quicker shifting 7 speed transmission.

I don't think the world is ever going to see these types of vehicles again.

[C40_guy]

Originally Posted by glepore

Its always been that way. At least with the earlier ones a mere mortal with time on his hands could do most of the work if willing, now not so much.

The Lexusification of German cars really has killed the solid quality. Most of the guys on the car boards I frequent wouldn't touch a later BMW that was out of warranty if it were given to them. Unfortunately, Audi and MB not far behind. Porsche might be the sole exception, so long as you're willing to take the intermediate shaft lottery.

I generally buy Audis with 100K on them...they've gotten to the bottom of the steep part of the depreciation curve and some of the bugs have been sorted out. They're reasonably priced, and leave some room for the typical unscheduled maintenance.

That having been said, as they get more complicated, long term maintainability is increasingly questionable.

Water cooled (non-Metzger) Porsches aren't a lottery...just replace that IMS bearing on purchase.

[BobbyJones]

Originally Posted by cmg

"2000 BMW 750's ($90k-ish list) and Honda Accords ($20k-ish list) and you can now buy either for about the same price." The Honda's will be in the 2015-2019 range.

Huh?

[b33]

Originally Posted by cmg

So how long will you keep the "2016 BMW 750 loaded w/ 34k miles for $42k, warrantied for 5 years with a $250 deductible"? Just the 5 years it's under warranty? What would be the cars worth then? would you have add another 100K miles? Kind of curious. Beautiful car with too many gadgets to keep up with.

Most likely not, we'll keep it till 150k miles or so. We purchased it for 40 cents on the dollar but our plan is to put 80% of the overall miles on the car.

My last BMW, a 530, went till 160k miles and really only got rid of it because the seat kept getting screwed up (a common issue) and it was 16 years old.

[2000m2]

Originally Posted by goonster

2009 was the doldrums of the financial crisis. I thought about buying a clean 964 for $12k (still haunts me), and know of at least two independent Porsche dealerships that went bust because they just couldn't make any sort of margin to stay afloat. An exceptional window.

Wow! I really enjoy driving mine, but paid about 2.5x that for it.

I feel like I've read a few articles recently about the lack of used cars currently available. People are supposedly buying cars in a frenzy because they don't want to use mass transit. There's also supposedly a dearth of new cars since manufacturing was shut down for a while. Maybe it's like the bike sales boom - mostly at the lower end?

I'm mildly tempted to upgrade from our 12 yr old 4Runner, but no real need to. We barely drove much before the virus hit. There were times when neither car moved for a week.

Those big German sedans are darn nice. Going the CPO route is the way to do it, in my opinion. The M760i in flat black caught my eye a few years ago! Wonder where they are at price-wise nowadays...

[54ny77]

Come back to this thread after a few more years of ownership and putting on enough miles to hit the 80k+ range.

Bust out the popcorn, this'll be good!

[Ken Robb]

By the end of the year there may be a glut of used cars because as part of Hertz' recovery attempt they are required to sell 180,000 cars from their fleet. They have already dumped some new Corvettes.

[tylercheung]

On the other hand, talking about irrational markets:

https://www.importavehicle.com/inventory

Including vehicles described by Lil Bow Wow as "the Mona Lisa of drifting"...

[many_styles]

Always wanted a 2017+ 328D AWD BMW wagon. Luxury wagons in general would be nice!


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[martl]

Originally Posted by C40_guy

Right. And look up the 75K or 100K service on both cars.

Owning an expensive German car is not for the faint of heart...particularly if you don't have a very good private mechanic.

you can get a W215 CL600 for 5000€/$ - but you really shouldnt

[C40_guy]

Originally Posted by cmg

"2000 BMW 750's ($90k-ish list) and Honda Accords ($20k-ish list) and you can now buy either for about the same price." The Honda's will be in the 2015-2019 range.

The key is to buy these older German cars from someone who has meticulous maintenance records, preferably from a dealer or very good private mechanic.

Once you get to the third or fourth owner, the car has become an inexpensive status symbol for someone who doesn't understand preventive maintenance and can't afford either the scheduled or unscheduled work. Then it's a money pit...unless of course you *really* know what you're getting into.

Case in point...I bought an '04 allroad 5 years ago for 3% of original list. Yea. It had gallons of water sloshing in the footwells, needed a timing belt done, etc. I put $4K of required work into it plus another $5K of upgrades - suspension, Cayenne brakes, S6 sport interior, etc., and have driven it for 60K miles since. I bought it in part because for most of its life it was serviced at a Porsche/Audi dealer in Beverly Hills, and had been neglected for its last two years. And I know the platform well.

[many_styles]

Originally Posted by C40_guy

The key is to buy these older German cars from someone who has meticulous maintenance records, preferably from a dealer or very good private mechanic.

Once you get to the third or fourth owner, the car has become an inexpensive status symbol for someone who doesn't understand preventive maintenance and can't afford either the scheduled or unscheduled work. Then it's a money pit...unless of course you *really* know what you're getting into.

Case in point...I bought an '04 allroad 5 years ago for 3% of original list. Yea. It had gallons of water sloshing in the footwells, needed a timing belt done, etc. I put $4K of required work into it plus another $5K of upgrades - suspension, Cayenne brakes, S6 sport interior, etc., and have driven it for 60K miles since. I bought it in part because for most of its life it was serviced at a Porsche/Audi dealer in Beverly Hills, and had been neglected for its last two years. And I know the platform well.

This could apply to all makes and models. All my used cars I’ve bought have been this case.


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[glepore]

I look at it simply lime I could drive a seriously high end car and throw 3k or so a year at maintenance/ wear items or drive something mid range but new for the same payment or opportunity cost. It helps to have a couple, as the one downside is lack if loaners from indys.


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