I used to own a BMW 530i, and it went to hell before I sold it. Seems like after a certain amount if miles, it starts to give a lot of problems; and I've heard that all 3 give electrical problems at some point in time (I think BMW gives the most and Audi the soonest).

The Audi is my least favorite if the big 3 Germans, but I do find the A8 rather appealing.

How reliable are A8s from 2004+?

I see an 04 A8 for $14.5k with 107k miles. Black on black with nav. Rear space is HUGE and I love it. Is it worth it for the cost?

From the 3 Germans, which do you find most reliable and worth the money to spend?

 

bmw the most? where did that come from.

all the people i know, almost all of them say stay away from audi. they are so ridiculously cheap used for a good reason. even my friend who is a GM at bmw/porsche/audi dealership, he says don't keep audi, it's horrible.

euros imho are hit and miss, you either get something very solid, or you get a lemon. my m3 has been as solid as one can get. my friend's 335 never had any issue. i have seen plenty of 335 that are nightmares. same goes with mb and audi. but overall, i would pick bmw and mb over audi

 

Well, my 530i was giving electrical problems, mainly the dash where the odometer was, had a few lines completely faded away, same with the radio.

Both window regulators needed to be replaced on the right side, not sure if you'd consider that as electrical.

I'd love to own a 335i or an is350. I wouldn't mind the high miles on a Lexus compared to the high miles on a BMW.

 

What are the best models if Mercedes to get and between what years to get em?

I'd want something fairly new, but then again, anything would be new compared to my '90 LS, lol.

 

You should purchase a copy of "Consumer Reports Used Car Buying Guide". It is available at most magazine stands. It gives detailed information regarding the reliability history of most cars going back to 2006.

 

I see it this way...

Audi = Always expensive repairs/service from day 1. Only know person who kept one past factory warranty (Audi TT) and then she traded it in because it was due for an expensive repair lol

BMW = Service is free for 4yr/50k, after that, it's still pretty good for a while but you have little issues often, after 70-75k things get super expensive though

Mercedes = Service is expensive, but car is pretty reliable early years. As it gets older, it gets more and more expensive. I've heard of some pretty crazy repair bills as early as 60k.

None of the 3 are gonna be as reliable as a Lexus.

 

The way I see it German cars are more fashion accessories than anything. Most often they are leased, and the resale value takes a nose dive as soon as a newer style is introduced. If you mainly sell cars as leases to buyers who get a new one every 3 or so years and buy primarily for the badge, there is little incentive to build them well.

Depreciation is your first sign that a car is probably not going to be very reliable. If they're selling them cheap, there is a reason. Quite often it is near the point where it will need some repairs. Incidentally in my neck of the woods I see 2006 BMW 3 series under 100,000km going for $16k-$18k, the cheapest I've seen a 2006 IS250 go for is $20k and it climbs rapidly after that.

Out of the 3 Germans I'd place Mercedes at the top followed by BMW and Audi dead last.

 

Looks:
Audi - MB - BMW

Driving
BMW - Audi - MB

Reliability
MB - BMW - Audi

Choice
www.lexus.com

 

Looks I'd put it:
BMW - Audi - MB

Everything else is agreed.

 

stay the hell away from used Audis. I admire the designs and the dynamics that German cars provide but I dont think I would risk buying a new or used one. Stick with Lexus

 

This pretty much sums up my opinion.

 

seriously, with your situation, why would you even consider euros. just stick with a simple japanese car (even forget luxury for that matter) and get things back on track first

 

I know right, from considering living in an RV to buying used luxury cars. What's wrong with a 10k reliable Hyundai to get things back on your feet first. Dont you have the new iphone and a real nice Mac too? Going with a free phone or a cheap Dell could of easily paid down your debt and allow you to shop for a used Euro right about now haha...

 

Buying a high-mileage euro car is not a smart financial move. You once mentioned that your IS250 got repossessed. So I am guessing your financial situation is a bit shaky. If so, then you need to drive something affordable and reliable (Hint: Toyota) while you concentrate on rebuilding your credit and saving up cash. You WILL NOT save any cash if you have to dump thousands of dollars into maintenance and repairs for an old MB/Audi/BMW.

 

If you watch Top Gear, a couple of episodes ago they had a challenge where for roughly $12k they try and see what luxury cars they can get. Clarkson got a beautiful 9 year old Mercedes CL. Compared to a Corolla it has stitched leather everything on the inside and loads of features. However within a week of purchase the ignition coil was out and cost nearly $2,000 to replace.

So yes a used luxury car will be a lot more tempting than a used Corolla or the like, but the cost of ownership will be far higher.