There Are Still Great Deals In The Used Market If You Look In Right Place
You can avoid some of the used car price inflation by thinking fancy with four doors.
The biggest frustration with shopping for a used car in this current market is that often the prices are so inflated, you might as well buy a new one. However, there is one segment that still presents some great cars at solid values: Luxury sedans.
Buyers have been told forever that the best strategy for buying a car is to get something pre-owned where you take advantage of someone else's depreciation. This gets you the most car for your money. Right now, that advice has, for the most part, gone out the window with the rising cost of used cars due to the limited new car inventory. But some segments are not experiencing the same level of price inflation as others. Recently, I helped a client who wanted a reliable and comfortable sedan for long drives. I found him a very nice certified pre-owned Lexus ES350. Which got me thinking: What other deals are available for used luxury sedans?
Here are some samples of what you can get if you prefer fancy four-doors.
Full-Size Executive Sedan
There was a time when, if you were a corporate big-shot, you would roll around in a large luxury sedan. That trend has given way to big SUVs, but if you want to get that old-school baller style, check out this Certified 2019 BMW 750xDrive with just under 21,000 miles for about $67,000.
The original MSRP on this BMW was about $107,000. That's a $50,000 savings!
Ferrari-Powered Four-Door
If you want fast, there is this Certified 2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio. This car has about 28,000 miles with an asking price of around $58,000.
It's a loaded model with an original MSRP of $87,000. While the 2017 models can be a bit "problematic," the CPO coverage should protect you for a few years.
Midsize Comfort Cruiser
If comfort, style, and tech are more your thing, this Certified 2019 Volvo S90 with about 18,000 miles for $36,500 is the way to go.
The original MSRP on this smooth Swede was $62,125, so instead of dropping that kind of cash, you are paying fully-loaded Camry money.
Compact Turbo Fun
While all the above cars present good values, they can be a bit pricey for most buyers. If you were targeting a price in the mid-$20,000 range, there are still some options, such as this 2018 Audi A3 with Premium Plus package. It has under 17,000 miles for around $25,000.
While this car doesn't have the AWD that Audi is known for, it did have an original MSRP of around $37,500, which makes it kind of like a fancy Jetta GLI.
Recently, I brought up the idea of getting a "hold me over" car to wait out this bonkers market. If you can manage to live without a crossover or SUV for a bit, luxury sedans might be the right way to drive in style at a reasonable price.
(Tom McParland is a contributing writer for Jalopnik and runs AutomatchConsulting.com. He takes the hassle out of buying or leasing a car. Got a car buying question? Send it to Tom@AutomatchConsulting.com)