Living the lap of entry level luxury. Entry level automobiles for you and me.

If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. I promise to write things that will help. Thanks for visiting!

If you are like me, you love cars. Its always nice to wake up early in the morning and go to work in a nice car especially when days get rough at work. My basic philosophy in life is to be as cheap as you can with the things that you don’t really care about but don’t feel bad spending money on the things that you enjoy as long as you don’t do it in excess. For some, this may be shoes (yes you ladies), for others it may be fine dining at nice restaurants. For me, its pretty much down a nice automobile.

If work gets tough, I know that its only hours away until I can take a drive around town and just sort of daydream (without getting into an accident). I’ve done a few cross country trips alone and even did some stupid things like driving over 130 miles per hour in new mexico.

In this quick article, I just wanted to state that a “luxury” automobile is not far out of reach for people like you and me. Take into account that an entry level luxury auto is in the low 30’s and the fact that used cars can be had for much less, it doesn’t make sense to spend 20 grand for a brand spankin’ new kia with the works. Here are the various luxury automobiles and their generations:

1. Mercedes C230 - made my Daimler Chrysler- Mercedes Benz in 1993 to replace the 190 series. The first model was the W202 replaced by the W203 that came in 2000. The new W204 is just now out for the 2008 model year. You can’t go wrong with a used W203 model. The C class was updated in 2004, especially the interior and the C230 changed its engine from a kompressor (4 cylinder turbocharged) to a V6 in 2006 which offers quieter ride. If you want the luxury of a relatively new C230 go with the 2004 and up. Private party price at edmunds for 2004 C230 sedan is around 16.5K. A new entry level C class sedan can go for 30-32K.

2. BMW- 3 series. Probably one of the most beautiful long running series of automobiles. My favorite being the 2 generation 3series. The first generation E series was introduced in 1975. The second generation ran from 1984-1994. The fourth generation is the series that ran from 1998-2005 with the most amount of cars out on the road this series may be your best bet for good deals and driving in a new luxury auto. The confusing part is that the older models in the 4th generation were called 328 or 323. The 328 reflects the 2.8L engine and the 323 actually was the 2.5 L engine. New engines came online in 2001 with the 3.0L which was called 330 and the 323 name was replaced with the 325. To get the best earliest BMW it would make sense to purchase the 2001 325 or later. The 2001 Sedan goes for 11,300. New BMW go for 32-33K base price.

3. Audi A4 - This is a relatively new car first introduced in 1994. The B5 model was the first generation and you still see a lot of these cars on the road today. Audi is already on their 4th generation A4s with the B8 models rolling out in 2008. Your best bet would be to get the B6 model that debut in 2000-2005. The 1.6L base model was kept throughout the 6 years running. The 2000 model at edmunds runs approximately 6,000 dollars.  New Audi A4 can go for 28-29K base price.

4.  Cadillac CTS was designed in 2003 to replace the cadillac catera which was a horrendous automobile (my opinion). The first generation run is between 2003- 2007. With the new generation coming in line in 2008, you can get some pretty sweet deals on the first generation models. The awsome part about this car is that it is a rear wheel drive vehicle. The engine was changed in 2004 from the 3.2 L V6 to the 3.6L DOHC V6 variable timing which higher horses. The entry level engine became the 2.8L in 2005. To get the newest change to the oldest model, you can go for the 2.8L 2005 CTS which runs 19K. The 2003 models goes for around 14,700 dollars on edmunds. Cadillac can go for 29-33K base price.

5.  Acura is the luxury devision of Honda- The base luxury sedan is the TSX which replaces the integra. it was introduced in 1996.  Most people believe that the acura is a great car because it is built by Honda.  Japanese cars tend to do very well reliability wise so a car like this can last you for a number of years.    The first year of the TSX was introduced in 2004.  A 2004 can be had on average for 18-19K.  A brand new base TSX goes for around 28K.

6.  Lexus is the luxury devision of Toyota. The IS line is also a new player in the luxury entry level market first coming online in 1998. The first generation being very successful but I find that the front end seems a little funny looking. The complete redesign second generation is a beauty. You need to check out the instrument cluster and dash to really appreciate the car. Introduced in 2006 it may still be too expensive to get in. However, Lexus is the most reliable luxury brand out there so it may be worth it as this car will hold for 10 years. It has a 2.5L V6 married to a 6 speed manual or automatic. A 2006 model can be had for 24-25K. A new model goes for around 30-31K base price.

7.  Infinity is the luxury devision of Nissan. The entry level luxury is also known as the Nissan Skyline in Japan so you know you are getting a sporty car. The G35 came online in 2003 and they are already at their second generation with the 2007 year. A 2003 sedan can be had for 15-16K.  A new car can be had for  31-32K.

8.  Volvo S40- was first introduced in 1995 and has had only 2 generation runs so far. The first generation ran until 2004. The newer models have a more boxy chubby look but beautiful none the less. The manual transmission clutch felt not as smooth as the the mercedes on test drive but definitely worth looking at. A 2004 model entry level can be had for 14,800 based on edmunds private party price.  A new model goes for 24 to 25K.

Bottom Line:  Driving a luxury automobile does not have to be an expensive proposition.   If you are the type of person that doesn’t believe that a car is a thing that takes you from point A to point B, then it may make sense to take a closer look at these cars that are out in the market.  Remember to also look at important things such as gas mileage, how many miles the car has, the condition it is in, and maintenance costs.  Luxury brands tend to cost more to maintain.

Popularity: 83% [?]