Luxury car for friend

One of my friends wants to get a "luxury" car. Basically he wants something with a nice leather interior, that couch like soft ride, decent gas mileage (over 20) and decent reliability. Think price somewhere around give or take some $8k. We thought about old '70s Caddys and Lincolns but the gas mileage on those is a turnoff. We also thought about W126s but gas mileage came into play again. He doesn't like Lexus. So cars we came up are the Infiniti Q45 and MB W123 (the diesel models in particular).

Millenia or 929?

Are Infiniti M45s that cheap yet?

92CelicaHalfTrac wrote: Millenia or 929? Are Infiniti M45s that cheap yet?

I doubt the Mazdas will be something he would like. And no the M45s don't seem to be that cheap.

Is he 100?

3-series Bimmer, hands down. You should be able to find a gorgeous E36 for that money. Drives nice, good gas mileage. Durable and reliable. Luxury pedigree. Case closed.

Q45's are cool cars. A little more complex and thirsty with the V8 but they would be on my list for a turnpike cruiser. I seem to remember some sort of issue with earlier models - but not sure what. The logic that I heard was that any year with a proper grill is a good choice (the first years did not have grills.)

Infinit I30's are tarted up Maximas which are stout and reliable.

1988RedT2 wrote: Is he 100? 3-series Bimmer, hands down. You should be able to find a gorgeous E36 for that money. Drives nice, good gas mileage. Durable and reliable. Luxury pedigree. Case closed.

I promise a sports sedan isn't what he wants. He wants a pure luxury car.

93EXCivic wrote: Basically he wants something with a nice leather interior, that couch like soft ride, decent gas mileage (over 20) and decent reliability.

I think you just described a Buick.

ditchdigger wrote:

93EXCivic wrote: Basically he wants something with a nice leather interior, that couch like soft ride, decent gas mileage (over 20) and decent reliability.

I think you just described a Buick.

Heh, I was just about to recommend a Roadmaster.

For $7k, you can also get a mid-90s 7 series, I see 740iLs going for $6-7k not unfrequently on CL.

Regal or Park Avenue would be a good choice. Both had leather, couch like ride, and gas mileage in the 20's.

Yeah Buick, Lincoln Town Car, Q45, Acura RL

Float City

Lincoln LSC coupe. black/black. rough and cheepcheep.

My friend had a Park Avenue. Pure luxury. Didn't drive too bad either.

We thought about Buicks but they are a bit to plain jane looking. Should have also said 4 doors. I didn't think of the Acura RL. How reliable are W123s? Any Volvos that would work?

Lexus owns the reliable luxury market. Not liking Lexus but wanting a luxury car is like being a vegetarian but wanting steak. If you really want it, get over the vegetarianism and eat the damn steak.

A 1998 - 2000 LS400 is stupid fast, stupid comfortable, and stupid reliable. Second best is 1995 - 1997. $8k will get you a really nice one with some shopping, and you'll save $4k in maintenance over a 7-series BMW in two years. Gas mileage is high teens city, mid to high 20's highway. I've hit 26mpg on long trips including going through mountains.

A cooler choice is the Lincoln Mark VIII. Personal luxury coupe. Fast and comfy.

The Q45 is thirsty, complex, and less reliable than the Asian competition. The W123 diesel is built like a bank vault and just about as fast as one. And nothing sucks more than a slow land yacht.

If he won't drive a Lexus for some reason, direct him to a Toyota Avalon. It is a Lexus wearing Toyota badges.

That or a low-mileage Buick with the 3800 or 3800SC. Those tanks can pull over 30mpg on the highway, and that V6 is nearly bulletproof.

DavidinDurango wrote: Lincoln LSC coupe

LSC means "Luxury Sport Coupe", heh.

I guess we will keep the LS400 on the list. What was that '90s Buick Regal that a bit of a sleeper?

I was kind of thinking a well equipped Camry / Avalon when I read that description, but a medium to large Buick would fit the bill pretty well too. Or how about a Grand Marquis or Crown Vic? Maybe even an MN12 Thunderbird.

MadScientistMatt wrote: I was kind of thinking a well equipped Camry / Avalon when I read that description, but a medium to large Buick would fit the bill pretty well too. Or how about a Grand Marquis or Crown Vic? Maybe even an MN12 Thunderbird.

The Thunderbird is out because of wanting 4 doors. We thought about a Marauder.

93EXCivic wrote: The Thunderbird is out because of wanting 4 doors. We thought about a Marauder.

Can you find a Marauder for your budget? They sold, what, 7 of those things?

Nobody has suggested a 5 Series...

Don't forget that the W126s also came with Diesel engines - that money should buy a late W126 350SD with the more modern six instead of the older five pot. I wouldn't call a W123 a luxury car, but then again I've ridden in plenty of those with a "taxi" sign on the roof .

W123 are pretty much bullet proof mechanically, the main issue with those is rust. Don't discount a W124 either, but for those you really want the newest ones (ie after the second face lift) as Mercedes ironed most of the bugs on those. Actually the same is true of W123, but finding later ones over earlier ones is made much easier by the fact that most early ones have crumbled to dust by now.

For maximum oddness factor I'd recommend a W123 300CD, but make sure it's a turbo diesel.

Dayum...

<goes off to look at CL again>

In reply to BoxheadTim:

How slow is a MB W126 350SD?

How about '02-'05ish Bonneville SSEi. My wife had an '03 as a DD not too long ago. Had all the luxury bells and whistles you could ever want...heated leather (I have to say they are some of the most comfy seats I have ever sat in...in any car), auto climate control, power everything, heads up display, you name it. Has more stylish looks than it's sister car LeSabre. Very vaguely sporty, but more luxury cruiser than sports sedan. Supercharged 3.8L, pretty quick for its' size. Fuel mileage wasn't fantastic, about 18-20mpg in suburban driving, about 25 on highway. For slightly better mileage, you can go with the SLE trim, same luxury and looks, but no supercharger.

In reply to 93EXCivic:

They're not that bad, IIRC they're roughly up to par with the 280SE. So not fast, but not a rolling roadblock either.

Someone up the road from the office here has a W126 300SD and I occasionally end up in traffic behind the car. It has no problem keeping up with traffic here, but a traffic light dragster it ain't.

I've been toying with the idea of getting one or a 300D Turbodiesel as a runabout, partially "fuelled" by the idea that I have a biofuels station on my way to work. Ideally I'd want a W116 300SD, though. Part of the appeal is that they were never officially sold in Europe...