Worst depriciating cars of the last decade

[sportyaccordy]

I hope this thread isn't as boring as I see in my head. I'm looking for surprises here.

Still though, as expected as the brand/model in this link is, the rate of loss is worse. You could have bought a house in Las Vegas at the top of the boom for the MSRP of this car and come out ahead today...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Mercedes-Benz-S-Class-S65-2006-S65-AMG-EVERY-OPTION-CHEAPEST-AROUND-WONT-LAST-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQitemZ330456604821QQptZUSQ5fCarsQ5fTrucks

Make: Mercedes Benz
Model: S65 AMG (twin turbo V12)
MSRP: $175,000
Asking price: $31,000
Net depreciation: 20.5%/year!!!

[Vinsanity]

well, it is a salvage title, meaning you'd be buying the equivalent of a foreclosed house with holes punched in the walls and the copper piping ripped out.

[Onslaught]

Yep, salvage title kills it.

[Colonel Cadillac]

I still nominate it for the award. They can be found for $55k on the reg.

[Onslaught]

I don't have time to look up cars. So I'll just nominate any car with a Jaguar on the back of it.

[sportyaccordy]

I still nominate it for the award. They can be found for $55k on the reg.

AN S65!!!!

And who would spend that $$$ on an out of warranty S65 anyway? I guess that explains the price.

[Laconian]

Phaetons have depreciated pretty badly.

[Payman]

Phaetons have depreciated pretty badly.

Yeah, but they bottomed out in the 20k range. The cheapest one I could find online was an '04 going for $21,995.

The worst depreciation I've personally seen was for a 2008 Mercury Grand Marquis, which was sold new for $43,000, and up for sale at Bayview Auto for $6995. I bought my 2001 Cadillac STS, which is loaded, for $6000 cash 3 years ago. Depreciation can be a wonderful thing to savvy buyers.

[sportyaccordy]

I'd imagine Town Cars have suffered a similar fate. They're really not terrible cars though... at least to be driven in.

[Minpin]

All cars depreciate badly, just some look worse than others. 

That said, it seems like M-B anything falls off the wagon pretty quick.

[Onslaught]

RX-8's fall like a rock too. Not that I care.

[Vinsanity]

The worst depreciation I've personally seen was for a 2008 Mercury Grand Marquis, which was sold new for $43,000, and up for sale at Bayview Auto for $6995. I bought my 2001 Cadillac STS, which is loaded, for $6000 cash 3 years ago. Depreciation can be a wonderful thing to savvy buyers.

wtf...it should be a crime to sell a Grand Marquis to some poor old unsuspecting geezer for that kind of price. No wonder old people are always complaining about "in my day, such-and-such only cost a nickel!"

[sportyaccordy]

wtf...it should be a crime to sell a Grand Marquis to some poor old unsuspecting geezer for that kind of price. No wonder old people are always complaining about "in my day, such-and-such only cost a nickel!"

I'm sure they're heavily discounted. Plus old people put about 1,000 miles on a car in a year, so they may never buy a new one

[Gotta-Qik-C7]

Around here 7 Series BMWs and Range Rover prices are faling like a rock.

[Payman]

wtf...it should be a crime to sell a Grand Marquis to some poor old unsuspecting geezer for that kind of price. No wonder old people are always complaining about "in my day, such-and-such only cost a nickel!"

They were pretty expensive here in Canada when new. I remember several years ago the local dealer had a black Marauder stickered at $52,000.

[ChrisV]

yeah, my neingbor bought that S55 a year old for half price. They just fell like crazy. Most luxury cars do, however, with only a coule rare exceptions.

Which is great for those of us who like the cars but don't care if they get to be a few years old before we own them.

[MX793]

RX-8's fall like a rock too. Not that I care.

That's because they sell new with heavy discounts at the end of every year.  The one I was looking at last fall apparently sold for about $8K under sticker between the heavy rebates already on the car (at least $5K, IIRC) and the dealership just wanting to unload the thing.

[sportyaccordy]

Chris I think your car hit the sweet spot for used luxury cars. The E38 is techy, but not to the point of fiberglass engine harnesses and stuff. The E65 is frighteningly cheap- I've seen some as cheap as 13K on the private market.

[Vinsanity]

when I bought my car, it was 3 years old, and had 27k miles. It came with the original window sticker from 2004, which showed the sales price as $40k and change. My out the door price: $20k + fees.

Today, my car is worth maybe $15k to the right buyer (glad I'm keeping those service receipts), and probably $12k if I were desperate to unload it.

[Vinsanity]

I don't have time to look up cars. So I'll just nominate any car with a Jaguar on the back of it.

this is tempting. I'm pretty sure this is within 100 miles of my own odometer reading:
http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.jsp?ct=u&car_id=279725987

but this is even more tempting...
http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.jsp?ct=u&car_id=276829702

[Onslaught]

That's because they sell new with heavy discounts at the end of every year.  The one I was looking at last fall apparently sold for about $8K under sticker between the heavy rebates already on the car (at least $5K, IIRC) and the dealership just wanting to unload the thing.

And that's why you see the blue car in the picture below.

[68_427]

this is tempting. I'm pretty sure this is within 100 miles of my own odometer reading:
http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.jsp?ct=u&car_id=279725987

but this is even more tempting...
http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.jsp?ct=u&car_id=276829702

Just freaking do it.  You know you want to!!!

[Vinsanity]

Just freaking do it.  You know you want to!!!

shiet...

...want to buy a 2004 Cadillac for $15k? 61k miles; got a transmission and coolant flush done at 60k...

[68_427]

shiet...

...want to buy a 2004 Cadillac for $15k? 61k miles; got a transmission and coolant flush done at 60k...

If it was a CTS-4 and up in NY that would actually be a possibility.

[sportyaccordy]

shiet...

...want to buy a 2004 Cadillac for $15k? 61k miles; got a transmission and coolant flush done at 60k...

Damn your car is actually holding its value pretty well. I think same year 3's and G's are going for a little less

[Vinsanity]

Damn your car is actually holding its value pretty well. I think same year 3's and G's are going for a little less

well, to be honest, there are probably a number of reasons for that:

- cars in SoCal are probably in better condition generally than cars in NYC (less rust, less wear and tear)
- E46's and 1st gen G35's are noticeably more common than 1st gen CTS's
- the 325i had a lower starting price than the most common CTS, the 3.6, by about $1,000 in 2004. The G35 was cheaper by a few hundred $ IIRC.
- the 3 series and G35 were redesigned before the CTS was. This helps the 1st gen model feel "newer", somewhat.

for whatever reason, this wasn't quite the case in late 2007. Otherwise, I would have probably ended up with a G35 coupe (when I was looking, they were at least $3,000 more for similar model year/mileage)

[GoCougs]

Luxury marques in general are bad but not as worse as fleet queens like the Taurus.

[Vinsanity]

also, I recall when gas was approaching $4.00/gallon in SoCal, I was seeing year-old Escalades (newer body style) with 25-30k miles going for under $30,000. That's half the price when new. And no salvage title, either. Same dealer that I bought my car from.

[3.0L V6]

Luxury marques in general are bad but not as worse as fleet queens like the Taurus.

I'd think that luxury cars are worse (% wise), as fleet Tauruses and the like were pretty heavily discounted to begin with. Unless you're talking about depreciation from MSRP, in which case, I agree with you.

[the Teuton]

I kinda hope Saturn Astra XRs hit the crapper quickly now that the brand is dead. They're halfway decent vehicles that would be worth a second look when it comes time to replace the PlastiCar. I know I said I'd never own another GM, but if they come in at a decent price, I'd consider one against a used Subaru or newer Fiesta.