Car gurus answer me this question PLEASE
 

I have been looking at used vehicles. I am trying to stay under $15K and around 100K miles.
I have noticed that I can get Mercedes and BMW at the same or better price points than any American made vehicles.
Why is it that those "higher end" cars have IMO better price on used cars than the American made autos?

I have looked the prices of various common parts that would have to be replaced such as alternators, water pumps, etc. They are very comparable.

I've found that complete opposite is true. American cars lose their value and drop like a rock, while foreign vehicles retain theirs. So I have no idea what you are talking about. A foreign vehicle 5 years old, same mileage should be worth way more than a Ford or Chevy etc on average.

Now with trucks or something, I have no idea.

I have been searching, just looking around, with Autotrader within 300 miles. The vehicle needs to be AWD or 4 wheel drive. I have found that the BMW with the XDrive or the Benz with 4Matic can be attained for the same or less money, $13K to $16K with comparable mileage of the SUV market that would fit in my parameters.
So I have been thinking that I might get a BMW or Mercedes instead of an Equinox, Armada, etc.

Enjoy being in a great market for buying a used car?

I think a lot of the foreign cars are expensive to have serviced. Friend of mine had a Mercedes and a oil change was over $200.

I started out wanting a 4 door GMC 4x4 truck or Tahoe or Yukon, for $15K they have 200K+ miles. I am not going to do that.
I don't want a Hyundai or Kia SUV.
The main things for me is to be able to seat 4 or 5 people while having AWD or 4x4.
I don't mind the idea of a car. It would be awesome to get a Mercedes or BMW. I am just not familiar with them at all so I wanted some info from those that are in that profession.

I can and will change my own oil and do most, common, repairs. I think a lot of garages see those names and adjust their prices.

I also found that around 2014 there are several models of vehicles that the transmissions can't be serviced.

I'm not a real fan of GMC vehicles in particular and I am probably in the minority, but I think nearly every Mercedes is ugly.

A nice BMW will be a good get if you can handle doing your own repairs.

I've always been into Fords and Subarus. I had an 87 T-TOP GT and a 90 GT hatch. I currently have a 93 F150 in phenomenal shape, both body and mechanically.

I've also had a 97 Legacy Wagon, a 97 Impreza RS coupe, a ****ING BUILT 02 WRX that I STI swapped, and currently an 04 Forester XT that I'm moving parts from the built WRX after I was t-boned and it totaled. A slammed and built wagon.

Anyway, for 15k you can get quite a bit as far as used cars go. What are you looking for? Sporty, grocery getter, dump run truck? I'm somewhat active in a Subaru community and 15k will get you STIs with under 120k miles, which for a Subaru is nothing. Hell, I paid $4100 for my pickup and it has a sub 1000 mile 302 in it. New fuel lines, brakes and lines, new almost anything repair parts-wise.

Subarus are easy as **** to work on, minus the spark plugs lol.. Imagine 4 plugs taking nearly an hour because of proximity to frame rail. I don't know what it costs to have them serviced though..

The C-Class and E-350 are pretty sharp. I also like the 535i that I have seen.

100% correct. With the exception of 82-95 pickups, Chevys are ugly. European cars are a nightmare to work on and absurdly expensive to repair or have repaired

No offense but those Forresters are UGLY. I wouldn't feel comfortable with the Legacy or Impreza let alone a WRX unless I bought them new. Those things are fun to drive and I see how people drive them. I would feel like I was buying something that had been rode hard and put up wet.

Im in the same boat as you man! I don't know why luxury cars lose value so quickly but I will say if something breaks you're kinda ****ed if you're paying 15k alot of parts can cost newr 1k.

That's why I've been looking at Kias. That 100k warranty is great plus what you save on gas will damn near pay for the car.

I have price matched several parts, that I could change easily, alternators, etc. They are $20 to $50 higher than the same year of a GMC/Chevrolet. That is not that much difference.