Car gurus answer me this question PLEASE

[Chief Roundup]

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.

[Chief Roundup]

Originally Posted by Buehler445

That has 130 K Miles.

Right but it is 12 years old and not exactly clean either.

[Buehler445]

Originally Posted by Chief Roundup

Right but it is 12 years old and not exactly clean either.

Agreed. But that’s different than 200K

[Buehler445]

Your sentiment is correct though. Pickups are crazy overpriced.

[Chief Roundup]

Originally Posted by Detoxing

Eh, depends on the part. The cost to repair and own is simply higher. BMW is, iirc, the most frequently traded in cars so the market gets a little flooded with the 3-series etc. They're also considered as a sporty car and get driven as such.

I wouldn't do it, man. I wouldn't purchase a pre-owned benz or BMW with 100K. You're just begging for trouble. There's going to be parts/costs that you're unaware of that WILL rape you. I got a buddy who runs a BMW/Porsche wrecking yard and he makes a killing stripping and selling parts off these cars because they're simply too expensive new.

No offense, but i don't believe you've done enough real research on your cost comparison. For example, a new water pump on a 3-Series is upwards of $400 because it's an electric water pump. On these domestic brands with mechanical water pumps, those pumps are $150 or less. That i know for a fact, as at one time i considered buying a cheap german sport coupe as well.

Here, look: 2014 BMW 328i A/C Compressor from NAPA, is $680 new. https://www.napaonline.com/en/search...Qualified=true

2014 Honda Civic A/C Compressor: $370.99 new https://www.napaonline.com/en/search...Qualified=true

Don't kid yourself. It's more expensive. Don't try to convince yourself otherwise because you WILL pay for it one way or another. I know those German cars are sexy, but be honest with the evaluation here and don't look the other way because you want the sexier car.

Things that people dont consider but chip away: Tire size. Those 18", wide, low profile tires cost considerably more than a standard 17x7 or whatever they're running on basic passenger cars.

Spark plugs. Minor, sure, but it costs more to buy 6 or 8 plugs and wires, vs 4.

Fuel. Do you HAVE to run 91 octane now, instead of the 87 on a standard passenger car? That shit add up.

Oil capacity. Does it cost 5-6 qts to do an oil change or 3-4 qts? My little Nissan Sentra takes 2.7qts of oil to do an oil change. A 2014 Benz C-Class takes 6.5qts. And the filter likely costs more.

It costs me $17 to do an oil change on my little Nissan commuter. It costs over $60 to do on my LS1. Things to consider is all...

I haven't looked at all the parts but the FEW Benz and BMW parts comparison I have done have been comparable. I do not use NAPA as they are the highest parts distributor out there. I also don't buy NEW parts. I buy the remanufactured parts that have a 5 year warranty through O'Riellys.

You guys are also part of the research process. There are a lot of people on here that give good feed back about personal experiences as well as friends experiences.

[Chief Roundup]

Originally Posted by Buehler445

Agreed. But that’s different than 200K

Originally Posted by Buehler445

Your sentiment is correct though. Pickups are crazy overpriced.

I probably didn't do a good enough job in being very clear.
I have been trying to find a '13 to '16 model GMC/Chevy 4 door 4x4 or AWD pickup or Tahoe/Yukon that is in my price range and the only way to accomplish that is with those 200k kind of miles. I figured out pretty quickly that things have changed drastically since I purchased my last vehicle. I have had this current p/u for 14 years.
So with sticker shock I have been looking at alternatives.

[Dayze]

hell, I remember about 9 years ago or so, I 'thought' I wanted a truck. Started looking, and was absolutely stunned at used prices on them given the mileage.

needless to so, I changed my tune quickly. Granted, I didn't 'need' a truck for work or hauling anything, I just like trucks. So it would've been soley a 'want' purchase for me at that point. I can't even imagine what the used market is on them now. I suspect as bad, or worse than it was back then.

[BryanBusby]

Originally Posted by New World Order

When you factor in maintenance costs he will (in comparison to the european luxury models).

Depends. Some of the luxury vehicles aren't great.

Like I know Acura has had some real turds over the last few years. Doing a timing belt/water pump maintenance is a real pain in the ****ing dick, and is stupid expensive to have a shop do it for you.

[Buehler445]

Originally Posted by Chief Roundup

I probably didn't do a good enough job in being very clear.
I have been trying to find a '13 to '16 model GMC/Chevy 4 door 4x4 or AWD pickup or Tahoe/Yukon that is in my price range and the only way to accomplish that is with those 200k kind of miles. I figured out pretty quickly that things have changed drastically since I purchased my last vehicle. I have had this current p/u for 14 years.
So with sticker shock I have been looking at alternatives.

I see now.

Those 07-13 GMCs are good rigs that will run forever if you can find one that has been taken care of.

If it matters the wife drives a Traverse that is awd and it was comparably cheap next to a Tahoe. Been a good rig for us. It did OK on ice and snow but I’m going to guess if you bogged it in mud it wouldn’t perform nearly like a Tahoe or pickup.

One car that I wish they still made is a Trail Blazer. It was a full framed 4x4 on the Colorado platform and it would get it. Way better than these car based crossovers. We have an 08 and it’s been bullet proof for a decade. Might be something to look at if you can find a low mileage rig.

I hate looking for cars.

[Munson]

We should have an Automotive sub-forum.

[BlackOp]

I wouldn't buy a BMW unless it had over 130K and maintenance records.

The reasoning being about the 90k to 120k is when things need to be replaced.

Find an individual owner that has already footed the heavy maintenance expenses...you'll be set for another 80k and the car has already depreciated.

Like I said...find a forum and create a check list of maintenance cycles. Water pump/timing belt...clutch, rod bearings, head gasket.

I had a BMW that had 190k but the owner had done all the repairs prior. Drove it for 5 years with little expense then sold it at a minimal loss.

If you blindly buy one at the end of the maintenance cycle...they can be very expensive.

[Lzen]

Originally Posted by Chief Roundup

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.

I discovered that years ago when I had to replace the alternator in a Pontiac van. The damn replacement was made in France and cost me $180. This was probably 12-15 years ago so I'm sure they're probalby over $200 now. Maybe I'm just getting old but I remember things like alternators costing about $40.

[Graystoke]

Originally Posted by Buehler445

Your sentiment is correct though. Pickups are crazy overpriced.

This all day long. I replaced my truck last year un-expectantly. Used trucks with 60K on the clock were to pricey IMO. So I bought new.
When a new truck cost as much as my first house they are overpriced.

[rabblerouser]

Get a VW, BMW, or Toyota. Or a KIA.

All "foreign"

[loochy]

I wish Cooper was here to lend us his professional opinion

[T-post Tom]

Originally Posted by Chief Roundup

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.

Might want to check labor on repairs that you can't do yourself. Not everyone will do labor on Mercedes and BMW. Specialty shops are high.