Any big red flags on 02 through 05 jags, LS's, C classes SLS's all around 100k miles?

[Slacker]

Been looking for a sedan with a nice interior and something resembling decent performance, the cars I listed keep turning up in the 3 to 5 k$ range.

The Jags scare me just because I know parts for repairs I could do myself, would be expensive and I know nothing of their engines and trans fail points (ie they all need a trans/head gasket at 120k) mostly seeing x types

Lincoln LS, kind of blah but looks decent and seem to be on the lower end of the price range I mentioned.

Lots of C classes out there c240 through c320 usually with a bit higher mileage, around 120k, similar concerns to the jags

Caddy SLS/STS and similar models also lower in the prices but I have a bit of an aversion to GM, I love me a pre 73 chevy but GM vehicles in this price range the quality and durability concern me.

Also seeing a lot of Audi, A4 A6 some A8 I really know nothing about these cars, interior is a bit plain but they seem to be mostly "My dad cant drive anymore so I am selling his car" deals

I would love a Lexus ES330 but would have to finance, a decent 04 es330 with 90 to 120k miles is around 8 k$

My first choice for the vehicles in the range I mentioned would be the jags and c classes, for nice interiors and decent performance they look to beat out the others.

If I could jump into an 04 xtype for less than 5 k$ and drive it for years with standard maintenance that would be awesome, but I have a nagging feeling that might not be the case...

My current car is a 2000 crown vic ex detectives car with 165k on the clock and it wants my money, front end rebuild, power steering pump again, exhaust system rusted out (sounds sweet though : ) )

its been a good car, plenty of power, but the interior has always been utilitarian, it has the taxi floor and heavy cloth, almost canvass, seats.

I have been looking at craigs list for weeks and have been tempted a time or two, went to test drive a 02 c240, it was nice but had some pretty bad rust at the center of the bottom edge of both rear doors, car was from new Hampshire, made me think of high dollar rusty exhaust repairs so I passed.

so I am looking for words of warning, red flags to help me remove this or that car from the list, and maybe a car or two I haven't considered that I should (which reminds me, I have seen some Volvo's in the range too, v40 or v60 I think. <edit, looks like it might have been s40 and s60>

Here is one ad that caught my eye but it is a couple years older than I would prefer http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/cto/3922925495.html

 

[Slacker]

an example of a jag I like, asking $6100, sounds like 5k to me : )

http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/cto/3882919685.html

 

[phucheneh]

Toyota Corolla.

Seriously, 3-5k and 'Jag' is your first thought? X-types are terrible cars. They're also Ford Tauruses. S-types are terrible cars. They're Lincoln LS's (also terrible).

If you think a Crown Vic is a money pit, you're in for a rude awakening.

The only thing decent mentioned is the Volvo S40/V40. And they are very far from great. It's a Mistubishi chassis with a Volvo 4cyl. Cheap S60 or S80? Possibly the worst thing listed.

 

[Slacker]

see, this is what I am looking for, thank you. I admit I know nothing on some of these cars.

If I could swing it, I would jump on this one, http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/cto/3941792979.html
:wub:

 

[phucheneh]

I'm sure there are those that will disagree with my personal views on particular cars. But I think most will echo the sentiment that you're not being realistic.

It's like saying 'my 1995 Camry is becoming too expensive to fix, I have 20k to spend a new car; I was thinking of this.'

 

[iamwiz82]

Hahaha, there is a huge red flag on ALL of those cars in those years at those miles.

 

[PhoKingGuy]

6k? Early 00's Nissan Maxima/Infiniti I30/I35 perhaps?

 

[Zenmervolt]

The only thing decent mentioned is the Volvo S40/V40. And they are very far from great. It's a Mistubishi chassis with a Volvo 4cyl.

First generation (through '04) yes. After that it's Volvo's own P1 chassis, no Mitsubishi in it. Still not a great choice for someones who's looking for something to be less expensive to keep going than a Crown Vic (say what you want about them, but Ford's Panther platform cars are dirt cheap to keep running).

OP, I completely agree with phucheneh here. The cars you've listed are not going to be cheap to repair at all. It sounds like a great bargain to be able to get a luxury car for $5k, but the issue is that it's still a luxury car and just because it's $5k now doesn't mean the maintenance costs have also magically depreciated. What you're doing, in effect, is buying a $5k car with the maintenance appetite of a $50K+ car.

Even the X-type, which shares 20% of its structure with the Ford Mondeo (not the Taurus) has so many unique parts (the V6 engine in the X-type, for example, is not used in any other car anywhere) that despite the fact that Ford's influence did make it a lot better than previous Jags (and I do mean a lot better), it's still going to be expensive to fix. And besides, it's not the engines that go wrong, it's all the fiddly electronic bits for the luxury bells and whistles and the Jag will be a nightmare in that regard.

If you absolutely must have something "luxury," then look for older Acura and Lexus models.

For example:

http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/cto/3950065221.html

http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/cto/3949986901.html

The Lexus in particular is a high-miler, but the reputation that both Acura and Lexus have for reliability is far and above anything you'd see from the cars you've mentioned. Plus the RL does not have the problematic transmission that the TL and CL from those years had.

Frankly though, something like this is probably even better if maintenance is a big concern:

http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/cto/3939500620.html

ZV

 

[Jimzz]

Lincoln LS 2004 and up is decent with the V6. They updated and fixed the common issues in the 04+ update. Skip the V8 in these models.

Cad STS 2005+ V6 and up is ok. My BiL has a 2005 with over 100k and its been his best car hes owned so far. Skip the v8 in this; the Northstar is not bad just more costly.

The other ones skip. A high mileage European car out of warranty is asking for trouble.

 

[phucheneh]

Even the X-type, which shares 20% of its structure with the Ford Mondeo (not the Taurus)

Okay, it's not a Taurus, it's a Contour. Bit of a lose-lose situation.

And yeah, I was talking about the S40's to '04. '04.5 and up (to which the counterpart would be V50 rather than V40) are better, but out of the price range, I think. I just look at the early S40's as the simplest and generally most reliable Volvo offering of that era. But I'd rather just go back farther and buy an 850.

Also agree on 'maintenance appetite.' People will argue that a BMW or something is just as reliable as non-premium American or Japanese car. While I scoff at the latter, the thing to remember about both is how much cheaper repairs are. Crown Vics are definitely a good example of that. Sure, you may just repair it as often as BMW of a similar year (...though I doubt it). But price per repair? Ridiculous difference, OP. I can do major drivetrain repairs to that car for less that what one teeny little electronic German widget of some sort will run you.

 

[Thegonagle]

If I wanted something a little luxurious on a budget like yours, I think a loaded "regular" brand would be a better value. Buick, Ford/Mercury, Honda Accord EX, Toyota Camry LE, etc. That's the direction I'd look in. They might not have quite as many bells and whistles, but they'll be a lot less expensive to keep in tip-top shape.

 

[Dr. Detroit]

Okay, it's not a Taurus, it's a Contour. Bit of a lose-lose situation.

Okay it's not a Contour, Its a Mondeo!

X-Type wagons I have a thing for.

 

[phucheneh]

Mondeo is a Contour. Or, rather, Contour was a Mondeo, I guess? They quit making the Contour over here around 2000, I think, but kept making the Mondeo. I dunno what changes it went through over those following years without an NA-equiv before (IIRC) the Mondeo became a Fusion.

 

[Zenmervolt]

Okay, it's not a Taurus, it's a Contour. Bit of a lose-lose situation.

Eh, the Mondeo wasn't a bad car. In the generation that was sold in the US as the Contour (the generation before the X-type) it was pretty well-regarded car. IIRC the biggest "problem" was that it was just too small for the sort of car it was. Instead of the Tempo replacement that it was supposed to be, people treated it as a too-small Taurus. The ones I had a chance to drive all drove very nicely.

And yeah, I was talking about the S40's to '04. '04.5 and up (to which the counterpart would be V50 rather than V40) are better, but out of the price range, I think. I just look at the early S40's as the simplest and generally most reliable Volvo offering of that era. But I'd rather just go back farther and buy an 850.

As much as I love the 850/S70 Volvos, I'm not sure there are any left without shattered dashboard mounts. Or maybe I'm just a little annoyed still from having the dash out of my S70 this past weekend to epoxy and reinforce the 4 plastic tabs that hold the dash to the firewall and had shattered from age. Common issue with the 850/S70 cars.

Also agree on 'maintenance appetite.' People will argue that a BMW or something is just as reliable as non-premium American or Japanese car. While I scoff at the latter, the thing to remember about both is how much cheaper repairs are. Crown Vics are definitely a good example of that. Sure, you may just repair it as often as BMW of a similar year (...though I doubt it). But price per repair? Ridiculous difference, OP. I can do major drivetrain repairs to that car for less that what one teeny little electronic German widget of some sort will run you.

Yup. While my older European cars have never left me stranded or anything, their maintenance costs are much more than for comparable American or Japanese cars. The maintenance requirements tend to be more stringent too.

ZV

 

[MistaFreeze]

I've had an 05 3.0 X-Type Sport for about 5 years now. Bought it after two owners with a little under 50k miles. It now has 106k and I haven't done any major repairs. Preventative maintenance and babying it has been my focus. For the money, if it has been well maintained, I think they're great cars. As others have said, unless you know a mechanic that's reasonable for these kinds of cars, it will be expensive once something major happens.

 

[Fritzo]

Out of that list, I'd probably go for the Cadillac. The STS is a solid vehicle, it has a proven engine used in many GM vehicles, the interior is decent, and even the wimpy STS base has good performance. The Lincoln is a close second. The Lexus will run forever, but expect to pay higher $$$ for it.

Jag- looking for trouble
Mercedes C class- Not bad, but a bit small compared to the other cars
Audi- can't keep them running IN warrant much less out of warranty

 

[Topweasel]

Mondeo is a Contour. Or, rather, Contour was a Mondeo, I guess? They quit making the Contour over here around 2000, I think, but kept making the Mondeo. I dunno what changes it went through over those following years without an NA-equiv before (IIRC) the Mondeo became a Fusion.

It's hard to say. The 2001-2007ish Mondeo looks like it's platform isn't the same as the Contours/Mondeo before it. It and the Jag are the only ones on that platform. Looking it over it since it doesn't have a value for the platform, that they may have choosen to use the platform they developed for the Jag and used it for the Mondeo instead of switching to the Mazda designed Platform Ford had moved to for most American cars.

 

[hans007]

some of those cars have serious red flags. i.e. basically ANY used jag.

i'd probably go with the cadillac given those seem to be pretty reliable. the W203 c class is what you would get in that range (or a b6/b7 audi, which is a horrible idea) .

i think for the w203, you probably want one that doesnt have a turbo or supercharger, so dont do a C230. but the 3.2 L v6 is a pretty solid engine for the benz , not exactly super modern but pretty solid and a lot of benze with the older v6 are running fine these days. its in the chrysler crossfire too i believe.

 

[Slacker]

Great stuff, exactly what I was looking for.

I had no idea Audi was something to disregard entirely.

I also had not even thought of an acura RL, will be checking them out.

 

[MixMasterTang]

For $6500 you should not be looking at Luxury cars and expect them to be reliable or cheap to maintain / fix.

 

[Zenmervolt]

It now has 106k

That's nice. Let us know how it does once it has some real miles on it.

ZV

 

[Fritzo]

Great stuff, exactly what I was looking for.

I had no idea Audi was something to disregard entirely.

I also had not even thought of an acura RL, will be checking them out.

Acura RL will be solid. Acura is a premium brand that always gets overlooked

 

[XavierMace]

http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/cto/3938042960.html

http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/cto/3949986901.html

http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/cto/3936575061.html

The way I look at it is if British stuff is bad enough that even the British make fun of it, you probably want to avoid it.

 

[phucheneh]

What's worth noting with these cars...ANY of them, Lexus and Acura included...they will always be less durable when it comes to technology. Elaborate interior electronics, radar cruise, heck, stuff as simple as auto up/down windows...it's all more to break, and in some cases, it can either cripple the car or at least make things really miserable (like malfunctioning climate control).

The same feature that may be failure-prone in a 2002 Lexus, will probably not be in a 2010 Toyota. Luxury cars are about paying to have the latest and greatest, and new tech breaks, period. Even something fairly 'normal' may be executed in a way that sacrifices reliability for 'wow factor.'

But once that tech makes it down the pipe to the cheaper models, it's been streamlined. They've gotten costs down, tweaked out the bugs, and generally built parts/systems in the most optimal way. So while that 'fancy' thing in your new Corolla might make someone say 'pfft, my ES had that eight years ago'...well, you'll have the last laugh when a) yours doesn't break and b) if it does, you don't have to pay for an obsolete, archaically-designed part.

 

[XavierMace]

The same feature that may be failure-prone in a 2002 Lexus, will probably not be in a 2010 Toyota. Luxury cars are about paying to have the latest and greatest, and new tech breaks, period. Even something fairly 'normal' may be executed in a way that sacrifices reliability for 'wow factor.'

While I don't completely disagree with that, I'd say I'd rather have a mild electronic annoyance with a Lexus than an engine on fire with a Jag. LOL. OP, in regards to the specific models I linked to...

My dad has had 3 ES's, a '95, '96, and a '99. The only electronic failures between the 3 were partial dash light failures. Mostly the clock and cd player screen. Probably about 750k miles between the three of them. Seats, sunroof, windows, wipers, climate, etc all work flawlessly. While the caddy system they use for the multidisk changer (trunk and glovebox models) may seem like a hassle, none of them have failed. I can't say that for the in-dash multidisk systems in my '01 IS300, '02 Eclipse, or '04 IS300. All the speakers still work flawlessly. Again, can't claim that in my '02 Eclipse.

To that end, the ES is the "entry level" Lexus. They don't have most of the gadgets on the higher end models. IE heated seats/mirrors/etc, navigation/gps. But it's still a Lexus without question. Good ride, nice fit/finish, etc.