Buy more for less. Look like a million pounds in these cheap used luxury cars

As much as we love the thrill of driving, sometimes it’s just nice to flex. It may not be right to admit but it does feel good to be driving a car that others think is worth more than it may actually be.

It may be one of humanity’s flaws, to judge another’s worth based on their material possessions, but just as jealousy, greed and lust, this is undoubtedly a part of human nature. If you want to take advantage of this human flaw and have others think you’re richer than you actually are, look no further than these cars.

With a good finance plan or even buying them outright, you could be paying less for a Maserati than your neighbour pays for a Ford. There is one rather large caveat that applies to virtually all of these luxury vehicles, however, and that is the fact of repair and maintenance bills. An older used luxury vehicle will often rack up maintenance costs that are equal to the price tag, so buyers beware!

Mercedes E Class

Mercedes-Benz E Class
We found: 2013, 110,000 miles, approx. £8,500

The Mercedes C Class is already enough to impress people and the E Class is one step above so imagine how their heads will spin when you turn up in one! Although it’s looking slightly more dated when next to the newer models, the 2013-2016 model received a drastic facelift which brought them up to date. Today, these models still look modern and a 2013 model simply does not look as old as it is! Save a few thousand pounds by buying one with over 100k miles on it and then spend the money on tidying it up and taking care of it!

Jaguar XF

Jaguar XF 2015
We found: 2015, 61,000 miles, approx. £12,000

Yet another 4-door saloon, the XF often isn’t as demanded as its German counterparts which favours well for buyers looking to save. The great thing about 4-door luxury saloons is that they’re of a respectable size and often have performance variants which helps with their perceived value. With a good sense of presence and luxurious interiors too, XFs old and new still look the part!

Lotus Elise

Lotus Elise
StaraBlazkova, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

We found: 2003, 30,000 miles, approx. £23,000

Although these miniature sports cars may not have the road presence of a larger luxury saloon, they have a reputation of excellent performance. An Elise from 2003 still looks like it’s only a few years old thanks to the tried and true styling that Lotus has stuck with over the years. The only problem is that the car will be almost 20 years old! Still, drives like a dream and certainly looks like a rich motorist’s car!

Porsche Cayman

Porsche Cayman 2007
We found: 2007, 110,000 miles, approx. £13,000

Porsches are known for their reliability. They are also known to attract respectful owners that often keep their Porsches for a long time and meticulously care for them. You can put these myths to the test by buying one for less than £15k! Not a bad price to pay to own a good Porsche!

Maserati Quattroporte

Maserati Quattroporte
Ben, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

We found: 2015, 64,000 miles, approx. £21,000

What many believe to be a £100k car can be yours for around 1/5th of that! The only issue being that you may pay the price of the car again in repairs and maintenance alone. Used Maserati’s are a lot cheaper than most realise, either because they’re expensive to run or because those that want to buy a Maserati have enough money to buy one that no one has sat in before.

BMW 3 Series

BMW 3 Series
We found: 2012, 65,000 miles, approx. £8,000-£11,000

Following the theme of cheap to buy, expensive to own, most used BMWs can be bought for a lot less than what they look like they’re worth. This is often because the expense lies hidden below. Looking at 2012 models, buyers have a choice between the still-gorgeous E92 3 Series coupe and the later generation F30 4-door saloon. Both are available for a price that’s less than the average person thinks it is.

Jeep Renegade

Jeep Renegade
We found: 2015, 50,000 miles, £10,000

One of the most modern entries on the list, Jeep Renegades don’t look at all aged and come with plenty of modern features. Sporting the classic vertical Jeep grille that’s instantly recognisable, colourful Renegades are in plentiful supply with models in bright red and orange ready to make a statement on the road. They’re not common and the average person often has no idea just how little it costs to drive away in one of these crossovers.

Mazda MX-5

Mazda MX-5
We found: 2017, 30,000 miles, £15,000

With what looks like Mazda’s brand new sports car, one would expect for a new-shape MX-5 to cost at least £25,000. The fact is, you can buy one that’s just a few years old with hardly any miles on the clock for less than a new Ford Fiesta.

Mustang

Ford Mustang 2016
We found: 2016 5.0 V8, 27,000 miles, £27,000

Mustangs are not as expensive as most people think. Their reputation is truly overhyped and we can understand why, given their gorgeous design and roaring V8 engines. That being said, the free market has decided that they are simply not worth that much money, in the grand scheme of things. If you love Mustangs and are looking for something that turns heads, you can have your dream car for a very achievable and reasonable amount.

Audi A7

Audi A7
We found: 2011, 89,000 miles, £12,000

Audi’s, in my opinion, do not tend to age very well. Whilst other cars age like apples, Audis age like blueberries, simply getting old and mouldy if you open the fridge one too many times. However, the A7 was (and still is) one of the more expensive models in the lineup and an example from 10 years ago still looks excellent today, likely thanks to an active spoiler, beautiful rear sloping roof design and LED lights.

Let us know if there’s a car that looks worth way more than it actually is that we missed on this list!

If you enjoyed this, you may also like: ‘What is a BMW ZHP?

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