Expensive Car Purschase

[Koing]

S2000, only cost me £10.5k. That wasn't too bad for me. I saved the £££ for years worth every penny. I love smashing it on the track with not a care in the world. Love the savagely high revving engine, just hate 1st gear from a standstill but thats not what the car is about

I think I would have been gutted at getting an M3 when I was 22 though. The insurance was insane, read 3-5k and the car was about £24k and now it's only worth 13-15k 3yrs later! I'd have been p!ssed the car devalued so much. I wasn't making enough to see a fat £3-4k a year in the cars value taken off it. The S2000 I'll sell next year and get an E46 M3 and I'll only lose 2-3k in 2yrs which isn't too bad. I just love driving the S2000, it puts a smile on my face everytime I drive it

Koing

 

[melijak]

Saved $7K on brand new 335i by doing Euro delivery. Made a good decision to lease it since the car depreciated so much in last year. If I wanted to buy it out next year, it will be another $5K+ discount from the buyout price. No regrets here.

 

[BoberFett]

Originally posted by: zoiks
I just bought an '08 Infiniti g37. I paid 28.5k for it and I certainly don't regret buying it. I'm not rich but I am single so I can afford the car. I could have purchased with cash easily but chose to finance part of it. I owe 13k right now 3.99% interest. Hope to pay it off within 2 years. I figure that I'll probably sell it in a couple of years but I won't regret the 4-5k depreciation since I really like well made sport-luxury cars. I expect that this is the most I'm willing to spend on a car however. Next stop is a house.

How do you like the car? I'm looking for something right now somewhere between fun and practical, I was going to go look at the G37 tonight. There's a local dealer trying to clear out some '08s.

Edit: N/M, found your brought it home thread.

 

[alkemyst]

Picked up a new GTI VR6 in 1996 for $21k...bought a house that year before I was only 23 or something. I immediately gutted most of the mechanicals....like almost all my cars I have owned.

I would have been better off waiting for some to turn up used in 6months and saved about 20-30%. I don't think I will ever buy a brand new car again unless I was able to just piss away money. For my wife maybe...but even then down here in S. Florida we have tons of used cars in mint condition and hardly driven. My buddy picked up a S2000 that was only used for a commute back and forth to the airport (guy was owner of a private plane), had about 5000 miles on it, the top was never up even as it was never driven in rain nor outside a garage.

 

[EGPoulin]

heh... 2005 Saab 9-3 Arc 2.0T... It was apparently my wife's life long desire to own a Saab. We picked it up when they had the employee discounting the first time (in '05). Just a hair under $30K with everything rolled in. It was the "Driver's Package" so it was relatively loaded. She LOVED it... until the problems started kicking in. Started with some strange electrical issues, had to replace the radio (which is essentially the car's brain) at 25K miles, had a couple of sensors go bad, strange error messages, etc that all needed dealer service under warranty. Then the doozy at less than 3 years and 55K miles... just 5K over the warranty. Had an ECM failure that almost completely disabled the car while she was in the middle of rush hour traffic in the left hand lane.. almost got in multiple accidents just trying to get to the side of the road. $1000 and three days to replace the ECM and we were fed up with the damn thing.

With 210 horse (big "T" engine compared to the 175hp little "t" engine) and decent manual tranny, it was a blast to drive, but COMPLETELY not worth the headache. Oh yeah, and it sucked going up to Vermont to go skiing. That thing just did not handle the snow. Luckily we were able to trade it in and get full loan value last year for a Subaru Outback.

 

[Jumpem]

I bought an STi and sold it two months later to buy a house.

 

[sdifox]

Used 06 MB E350 4Matic. No regret since it was about the same price as a new Camry.

 

[herm0016]

car that was expensive to me was 5500 on my 1999 olds 88. still a great car, never had to do anything other than regular maint. i spend most of my savings at the time (4 years ago) and never regretted it at all because i have a great, reliable, comfortable car that i use to this day and have put nearly 40k on.

 

[RichieZ]

Originally posted by: melijak
Saved $7K on brand new 335i by doing Euro delivery. Made a good decision to lease it since the car depreciated so much in last year. If I wanted to buy it out next year, it will be another $5K+ discount from the buyout price. No regrets here.

Thats 7K off MSRP, to put it in real terms you saved something like $3-$4K off US invoice + $XXXX dealer profit. Still a great deal, but you're stretching it a bit.

Hopefully you maxed out MSD's.

 

[evident]

dont know if i regret my purchase since i got a great deal on my 07 accord coupe i4 EXL $21300 + taxes, about $which is pretty much 2000 below invoice, but i thought about the possibility of getting a comparable used car for less , or used lux like a TL or 3 series. but then i think about the 0 problems i've had w/ this car and possibilities of getting a dud of a used and i think i have no regrets

car audio: I dumped about $1300 into a new car stereo equipment and have been questioning some of the parts i purchased, but i may start another thread for that...

 

[halik]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: amdhunter
Ferrari Testarossa - my parents bought it for me, but the maintenance was horrible. While it was cool driving a Ferrari at 16, it was a nightmare to maintain. Almost a 5th of my money was spent on the damned thing.

Yeah, I've owned 2 of them. They are a lot of money to maintain properly.

Should've got for a Diablo, the only problem was bottoming out on my highschool parking lot.

 

[Black88GTA]

Most expensive car I ever bought was my BMW 8 series @ $18k in 2006. Never regretted it for a second. It's extremely solid / well built, and a great driver (although heavy). Although when gas skyrocketed, the resale value tanked considerably and hasn't really recovered. :| So much for avoiding depreciation by getting used.

I'm keeping an eye on 98+ Lotus Esprit turbos (always loved those) for my next fun "weekend" car, although not planning on seriously looking right now. Maybe in a few years.

 

[DarkThinker]

Originally posted by: sdifox
Used 06 MB E350 4Matic. No regret since it was about the same price as a new Camry.

But what about "Teh Maintenance"? Isn't that by the "Natural Theorem of the Used German Car" supposed to make you wish you bought a new Camry instead...in a while? Or is that not a concern to you for some reason (i.e you do your own Maintenance)?

Cause I would near kill to get my hands on a "pre-depreciated" 535i with low miles (have seen plenty of nice deals on sub 30k miles ones...) but the maintenance would leave me crying like a little girl when it would need to happen....I am sure

I just wish right now I were in a position to get one at the time, oh well not the end of the world, but It's a shame,an I6 Twin Turbo lag-less , luxurious 6-speed 4 dr roomy sedan.....a match made in heaven if you ask me, I would keep the damn thing till the freaking grill and emblem literally fall off LOL

Originally posted by: Black88GTA
Most expensive car I ever bought was my BMW 8 series @ $18k in 2006. Never regretted it for a second. It's extremely solid / well built, and a great driver (although heavy). Although when gas skyrocketed, the resale value tanked considerably and hasn't really recovered. :| So much for avoiding depreciation by getting used.

8-series = Respect

What a beautiful car, best car ever made from IMO.
But how bad is maintenance for you really? I know parts are pretty hard to come by....I guess that maybe more true for the 850 than the 840 since the 840 shares plenty of parts with the 540....right?

 

[Black88GTA]

Originally posted by: DarkThinker

Originally posted by: Black88GTA
Most expensive car I ever bought was my BMW 8 series @ $18k in 2006. Never regretted it for a second. It's extremely solid / well built, and a great driver (although heavy). Although when gas skyrocketed, the resale value tanked considerably and hasn't really recovered. :| So much for avoiding depreciation by getting used.

8-series = Respect

What a beautiful car, best car ever made from IMO.
But how bad is maintenance for you really? I know parts are pretty hard to come by....I guess that maybe more true for the 850 than the 840 since the 840 shares plenty of parts with the 540....right?

Maintenance really isn't as bad as everyone makes it out to be, at least in my experience. My car was very well cared for before I got it though, so that may have something to do with it - a beat / neglected one will quickly become a huge money pit. When maintenance is needed, however, I do most of it myself. I do also have a very good (and reasonably priced) independent mech in the area for the stuff I'm not equipped to handle or cannot otherwise do on my own for whatever reason.

Body parts and other 8-series specific things can be hard to track down, but they are readily available used if you know where to look. You can find almost anything you need at the dealer as a last resort - even from the dealer, parts in general aren't as expensive as many seem to think. I've found that parts prices for that car are about on par with Honda / Subaru parts for most routine things. Plus, there is at least one dealer out there who offers a 25% discount off all parts sold to 8-series owners

Even with this though, as with most foreign cars, dealer prices for certain items are astronomical. And, as you assumed, many drivetrain parts are shared between the 540, 740, and 840 models using the 4.0L M60 V8 so those aren't hard to find at all. Even the V12 parts are readily available, as this engine was also used in the 750. The V12 is a bit fussier and more trouble prone than the V8 though.

 

[StageLeft]

That 8 series is interesting. I did also read that it was a legendarily expensive thing to keep going, though.

 

[Koing]

Originally posted by: alkemyst
Picked up a new GTI VR6 in 1996 for $21k...bought a house that year before I was only 23 or something. I immediately gutted most of the mechanicals....like almost all my cars I have owned.

I would have been better off waiting for some to turn up used in 6months and saved about 20-30%. I don't think I will ever buy a brand new car again unless I was able to just piss away money. For my wife maybe...but even then down here in S. Florida we have tons of used cars in mint condition and hardly driven. My buddy picked up a S2000 that was only used for a commute back and forth to the airport (guy was owner of a private plane), had about 5000 miles on it, the top was never up even as it was never driven in rain nor outside a garage.

I'm with you with not buying a brand new car until I can literally p!ss away £££ whichis probably never.

I don't mind 6yr old cars that have reliabilityand not insane maintenance.

Koing

 

[2dt Drifter]

I have friends and co-workers that give me the "wtf did you buy that for" look when I told them I bought an 04 Jeep Grand Cherokee V8. "waste of gas, it's an SUV blah blah blah blah" I know that. Bought it from a good family friend for 11.5K and havent regretted it once. I love my jeep, haven't had a problem with it yet. I take the bus everyday to work so it sits un-driven during the week. I take it to the mountains when we ski, it's a beast in the snow and if i have a long trip we take my girl's camry!

 

[KentState]

I don't know what is considered expensive. When I got the CTS, it stickered for $46k and I was able to get it for $42k after the employee discount. My biggest regret was getting it because I wanted a nice AWD car for winter and then I moved to Atlanta 5 months later. The job offer down here came as a surprise so it wasn't something that i could plan for. If a couple stocks pan out in the next month or so, I'm looking to buy an used 05-06 GTO so supplement the need for a sporty car.

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: halik

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: amdhunter
Ferrari Testarossa - my parents bought it for me, but the maintenance was horrible. While it was cool driving a Ferrari at 16, it was a nightmare to maintain. Almost a 5th of my money was spent on the damned thing.

Yeah, I've owned 2 of them. They are a lot of money to maintain properly.

Should've got for a Diablo, the only problem was bottoming out on my highschool parking lot.

Sounds like my buddy in high school. Ninja and 86.5 Supra in 1986, then a 87 930, then a new 328 or 348, then a testarossa (not new but was like the Miami Vice car, a Countach, and a few others.

It was funny when one day he was called out of class for stealing the 930. It was registered in his father's company's name from California. They didn't sue, but there were some apoligizing letters sent to him and his family.

He gave it all up and is now just a drug/gang cop in Florida...

 

[DarkThinker]

Originally posted by: KentState
I don't know what is considered expensive. When I got the CTS, it stickered for $46k and I was able to get it for $42k after the employee discount. My biggest regret was getting it because I wanted a nice AWD car for winter and then I moved to Atlanta 5 months later. The job offer down here came as a surprise so it wasn't something that i could plan for. If a couple stocks pan out in the next month or so, I'm looking to buy an used 05-06 GTO so supplement the need for a sporty car.

What year CTS do you have? Do you have a 3.6L V6 or a V8?

I have found the 3.6L V6 to be a really nice alternative to the V8....the V8 already has tons of power IMO but I feel the V8 is an overkill.

 

[Imported]

Now that I look back on it, I regret buying my 2003 Accord. No amount of modifications ever made that car "fun" to me.

I recently purchased a used G35 Coupe which I adore and don't regret buying at all.

I've gone used both times to avoid taking a massive depreciation hit though.. so I can't factor that in.

 

[KentState]

Originally posted by: DarkThinker

Originally posted by: KentState
I don't know what is considered expensive. When I got the CTS, it stickered for $46k and I was able to get it for $42k after the employee discount. My biggest regret was getting it because I wanted a nice AWD car for winter and then I moved to Atlanta 5 months later. The job offer down here came as a surprise so it wasn't something that i could plan for. If a couple stocks pan out in the next month or so, I'm looking to buy an used 05-06 GTO so supplement the need for a sporty car.

What year CTS do you have? Do you have a 3.6L V6 or a V8?

I have found the 3.6L V6 to be a really nice alternative to the V8....the V8 already has tons of power IMO but I feel the V8 is an overkill.

I have a 2008 that was built in December of '07 I believe. The AWD only comes with the DI 3.6L. I can tell that the AWD has a performance penalty, but the car still has plenty of power in almost any situation unless it's a sunny day and a sports car wants to be a dick. It is fun however smoking RWD cars off the line in the rain

 

[DarkThinker]

Originally posted by: Imported
Now that I look back on it, I regret buying my 2003 Accord. No amount of modifications ever made that car "fun" to me.

I recently purchased a used G35 Coupe which I adore and don't regret buying at all.

I've gone used both times to avoid taking a massive depreciation hit though.. so I can't factor that in.

It's an FF car at the end of the day. If you get it for anything besides commuting and some dicking around you are in for a big disappointment. Pick a nice beater for commuting you can never be disappointed due to how low it's cost is, just like I am

 

[PlasmaBomb]

Originally posted by: Koing
S2000, only cost me £10.5k. That wasn't too bad for me. I saved the £££ for years worth every penny. I love smashing it on the track with not a care in the world. Love the savagely high revving engine, just hate 1st gear from a standstill but thats not what the car is about

I think I would have been gutted at getting an M3 when I was 22 though. The insurance was insane, read 3-5k and the car was about £24k and now it's only worth 13-15k 3yrs later! I'd have been p!ssed the car devalued so much. I wasn't making enough to see a fat £3-4k a year in the cars value taken off it. The S2000 I'll sell next year and get an E46 M3 and I'll only lose 2-3k in 2yrs which isn't too bad. I just love driving the S2000, it puts a smile on my face everytime I drive it

Koing

Model: M3 Saloon
Price: £49,525

 

[JDub02]

bought a new 2006 Mazda6 back in 12/05. completely loaded. came out to ~$27k out the door with an extended warranty. can't really say i regret it because i love the car. i just wish i would have gone the used route with a much cheaper car because i financed the whole ball of wax. although, with the "s-plan" and incentives at the time, the price on the car wasn't bad.

then my wife decided she liked it ... and proceeded to take it from me.