What car to buy with $30k??????????????

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pinoyheat551

New member
If you had 30k to burn on a used car, what kind of car would you buy??? Would you go for a used 7 series or s class (high mileage though), or a used m3? Or perhaps even an 07 benz E55 AMG? Heck, i've seen a lotus elise for 30k online. For 30k, what car would get you the most bang for your buck???
 
The 7 Series are notoriously expensive out of warranty. Electrical issues, trim problems and engine maintenance. The E55 is even more expensive regarding engine maintenance...and you HAVE to do it. The purchase prices can be attractive but don't forget ownership costs and insurance on high dollar cars.



These are sexy and attractive cars, especially the E55, but can drain a wallet fast. Trust me, I know. :)



A BMW E46 M3, Audi B6 S4, Porsche Boxster are other ones to think about.
 
seeing as i have a audi b5 s4 i would go for the bmw e3. since you don't have either what are your plans for the car daily driver, fair weather, year round? the audi with all wheel drive will handle snow better the m3. for summer fun it will come down to driver preference as to weather you like all wheel drive or rear wheel drive.
 
How much of that $30K are you gonna hold back to fix the all reasons the car's for sale?



Noting that I ballpark many of my projects as $25-30K, and I'm no stranger to older German stuff, I bet you could do a lot worse than buy the best nearly-new (or even brand-new), not-so-fun vehicle that won't need much in the way of repairs.
 
pinoyheat551- Heh heh, I've been asking myself that, and spending the $, for a long, long time. Noting that I like to ballpark many of my projects as $25-30K, and I'm no stranger to older German stuff, I bet you could do a lot worse than buy the best nearly-new (or even brand-new), not-so-fun vehicle that won't need much in the way of repairs.



Sorry, I know that's not the kind of answer you're looking for, but it's easy for a $30K vehicle to turn into a $35K vehicle that you're anxious to unload.



How much of that $30K are you gonna hold back to fix the all reasons the car's for sale? No, it's not on the market because the owner just wanted something different; no, it's not 100% no-problems-OK; yes, it's gonna need work. Well...*maybe* a CPO lease return might be pretty trouble free, but that's kinda a different ballpark than I think we're talking about here.
 
To own an older german car you need:



1: Patience



2: Good troubleshooting skills (not parts replacing) or deep pockets and a mechanic that does.



Parts and labor on cars that were once very expensive remain expensive. Find a car you like and buy the best example of that car. If you shop based on price, you will end up with a turd.
 
I'd think about a G35. Great looks, performance plus, and not too many inherent problems. Heck, you can even get a set of golf clubs in the trunk.



My garage queen is a Z3 M Coupe. More fun than a barrel of monkeys but I have to take my drivers and long irons out of the bag and put them in the passenger compartment. Only then will the bag fit in the trunk.



Japanese designers factor in driving to the golf course. German designers don't play golf I think. They design for the autobann and driving through the alps.
 
I'd rather pick up a brand new car in that price range than settle on a used example of something high dollar.... say, a loaded Chevy Cruze, decently equipped Buick Regal, or perhaps a base Caddy CTS. Just seems like a smarter option since you're getting something with a warranty and no miles that you *know* the history of, as opposed to something with likely much higher miles and a significantly increased ownership cost.



Just my $0.02
 
Or if you have a hankering for euro but want a warranty, the new Passat is in your price range and its a really nice car. The CC is another awesome choice for the money.
 
Don't know if you are buying as a second, fun car or something you will be driving everyday.

Also do not know if you have any mechanical skills, a decent assort of automotive tools, etc.

Myself, since I value my money, etc, don't like paying for a car that in a month has depreciated 10% to 20%, only one way for a red blooded American, old Marine, to go.



A nicely restored Mustang, Camaro or Challenger to start.

Next would be classic Chevy in the 55 to 58 year range.

There are some others, and if restored correctly and one takes care of them, they just get worth more as time passes.

Plus, anyone with basic mechanical skills can do most repair work on them.

One of my vehicles, actually use it regularly is a 75 Ford Ranchero, 351W, had 72,000 on it, bought i 3 years ago for $2,600 and turn down offers of $4,000+ every month.

I do need to start some metal restoration on it, but drives great, hauls what I need from the lumber yard, my restored small motorcycles, etc.

Am looking at present for a 67/68 Mustang fastback, small block v8, 4 speed perfered.

Grumpy
 
I had $30K to burn on a used car. Bought a used, ok pre-owned, 2008 BMW 328xi for $28,750.



Car has 22,000 miles on it and came with the balance of the original 4 year 50,000 mile warranty from BMW - which is great because the car was not put into service until April of 2009. Pre-owned warranty adds on an ADDITIONAL 2 years/50,000 miles on top of that. So basically you're covered for 6 years - 100,000 miles from inception.



I know you didn't mention anything about buying a car under warranty in your original post but if I ever bought any of the cars you mentioned without any sort of warranty - I wouldn't be able to sleep at night...
 
Personally, I'd never spend 30k on a used car unless it was a very low mile and well taken care of Z06 or GT500. Me, I'd take the $30K and get brand new 5.0L Mustang GT with the 6 speed, but it sounds like you're more into German luxury
 
cjbigcog said:
For 30K you could buy a new Subaru WRX Limited. Loads of fun!
Click to expand...



Exactly what I was thinking! :)



The idea of loosing all that money the minute you drive a new car of the lot sucks, but there is just something about a new unmolested car that is worth it to me...which is why I usually just lease as I get bored with a car after 2-3 years. :)
 
I actually just bought a 2012 Civic Si and im totally happy and content with the car. Could get more torque but nonetheless i am happy with it. Down the line, i want to get a second car. A used luxury car. The civic will be my daily driver and the second car will be the weekend car. I know you can get a great car for 30K, but lets face it, you can get a "GREAT" used car for that price. Some guys would not take this route because it cost a lot of money to maintain these cars but it would be a dream come true. I certainly cannot afford a new M3 (fully loaded M3 comes close to 70 to 80) but i can get a "mint" M3 for half. Of course you will be taking a risk by buying used cars. You dont know if the previous owner took care of it - oil changes, tires, timing belt, etc. But again, it will be a dream come true. Recently, on the click & brag section of the forum, i think it was oakes, a E55 was paint restored. That car rocks!!! Although it is about 7 to 8 years old, that car still looks damn good. Not to mention, i would rather get a old E55 rather than a brand new WRX. The quality is different. The performance is different. Plus, people look at these cars different. Who really turns their head on a WRX? But who would turn their head on a E55 or perhaps a M3? It's a matter of preference but i really like those german cars. Now, for 30K, im looking into M3's.
 
I'd lean toward the E46 M3, but that's just me. I do know someone who knows something about the ins and outs of used BMWs, and he's fine with the E46 M3, but is seriously against the SMG (automated manual) transmission. In his mind, SMG stands for "Serious Money Gone."



In his opinion, the SMG is prone to issues, and fixing it without replacing it is akin to finding a needle in a haystack.
 
Hey said:
I'd lean toward the E46 M3, but that's just me. I do know someone who knows something about the ins and outs of used BMWs, and he's fine with the E46 M3, but is seriously against the SMG (automated manual) transmission. In his mind, SMG stands for "Serious Money Gone."



In his opinion, the SMG is prone to issues, and fixing it without replacing it is akin to finding a needle in a haystack.
Click to expand...



After having recently been exposed to the first SMG I've ever encountered in an E46 M3, I have to say I'm far from impressed. Even a fully functioning unit like the one in the car I worked on is really finicky and feels quite strange . My preference would absolutely be to just get a 6-speed with a clutch pedal and call it a day.
 
Shiny Lil Detlr said:
After having recently been exposed to the first SMG I've ever encountered in an E46 M3, I have to say I'm far from impressed. Even a fully functioning unit like the one in the car I worked on is really finicky and feels quite strange . My preference would absolutely be to just get a 6-speed with a clutch pedal and call it a day.
Click to expand...



Yup. I have two friends with SMG E46s, where mine is a 6-speed. Their cars feel more "artificial" for some reason. I wish I could explain it better, but they just feel a little off. IMO, you can find a pristine E46 M3 for well under $30k, and in that range nothing else can match the performance, style and class of that car. Then again, I'm a little biased.:lol:
 
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