With many manufactures coming out with revised models of their flagship sedans ( BMW, Mercedes, Audi, Acura, etc ) I makes sense but I couldnt believe how cheap some of their previous generation models are becoming. I saw a pretty recent model year S class at a local dealership selling for 22k, which is less than my S2000 is valued at blue book.

Since a car like the S2000 satisfies my need for speed, especially with modification, I was thinking that one of these sedans would be a great daily driver and satisfy my need to carry more passengers and cargo.

Would love to hear everyone's opinions on which of these large luxury sedans are the best and why.

 

Be very careful.

Once those big sedans get out of warranty, the electrical gremlins and fixes could put you in the poor house rather quickly.

 

but I would say lexus isn't too bad of a choice.

 

Especially if they came from the Fatherland....

 

If you maintain them properly they will last forever, if you don't, yes they will eat your wallet alive.

 

Of course, maintaining them isn't cheap either.

Mechanically its just another car, but these sedans have a ton or electronics and gizmos that can go or start to act wonky, so it comes down to what level of quirkiness you can live with. I'd stay away from cars with advanced transmissions and high miles, but if the seat massager stops working, no biggie.

 

Now that I think about it after looking at the Lexus GS, has anyone ever had experience with the previous generation RL or know anyone who has had experience in owning one? I really love the look of them and the prospect of SH AWD in a daily driver

 

If I wanted longevity and reliability, I wouldn't buy anything but a Lexus. An Acura RL will be just as reliable but it definitely doesn't have the looks or cachet of the Lexus brand. The Lexus LS is definitely the choice for someone that doesn't want to spend a fortune on repairs.

I love the Audi A8 (the S8, really) - it's beautiful inside and out and drives well. I'd take it over the S-Class or 7-Series all day long. However, I don't know that it's any more or less reliable than the other two.

Also don't forget that all of these manufacturers have a CPO program. With that, you can expect an extended bumper-to-bumper and powertrain warranty (the latter longer than the former). That may allay some fears of repair costs for a minimal purchase price increase.

 

They get cheap quick because most people with big dollars to spend on a car don't want to buy a dated model. That plus the maintenance costs.

I looked into a used E65 7 series earlier this year and unless you like dropping $1-2k on random problems you better have a warranty on those cars.

BMW/Audi/Lexus CPO warranties cover alot more than the powertrain. There is a specific list of exclusions and everything else is covered.

 

The best luxury sedan? Depends on whether you're delivering pizzas or not. If you are, the Lexus LS460, the pizza aroma seems to do well with supple nappa leather, if not, the audi A8 W12.