5 Used Luxury Sedans You Can Snag for Under $15K
In an effort to increase engagement around here - as if you lot in the B&B have ever been shy with nothing to say - our corporate overlords in Downtown Canada have asked us to pen a few articles of this type, ones in which we muse and mull about a topic you may find interesting. It’s our way of quenching their thirst for lists without completely selling it down the river - yet still providing topics on which you want to give an opinion.
We’re sticking with a price theme for this type of post this week, so stay tuned for another segment and price point tomorrow if today’s choice isn’t to your fancy. Speaking of fancy, this assemblage will be comprised of second-hand luxury sedans under $15,000 - a type of rig which generally suffers off-a-cliff depreciation once its warranty runs out.
History tells us the fourth or fifth owner of these things is likely to defer just about every single maintenance item in favour of, well, just about any other expense, really. But at the $15k mark, there’s a case to be made that the car hasn’t been abused too badly - yet. Chances are it was fastidiously maintained by its original owner, well cared for by the second, and now you get to choose your own adventure as its third caretaker.
An excellent argument can be made stating these cars at this price are just coming into the era of its life cycle in which the Really Expensive Stuff is starting to break - and that argument is valid. Hey, someone’s got to fund college for the mechanic’s kid. Jokes aside, buy into a car of this type for such cheddar at your own peril.
But you’ll look great when it’s running.
[Images: Olivier Le Moal/Shutterstock.com, Sellers]
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Mercedes-Benz C 300
Balling on a budget with the tri-star brand used to mean popping for an obviously older (but not old enough to be cool) model or one of the infernal A-Class entry-level runabouts. These days, it isn’t impossible to find a five-year-old C-Class for this amount of scratch, meaning one will be rolling in a car whose body style is new enough to fool the neighbours. Even a pre-Covid E-Class can be snagged for this money if you’re not scared of high mileage.
Lincoln Continental
It wasn’t supposed to be this way. In a parallel universe, sedans are big sellers and Lincoln is continuing to update the new-for-’17 tenth-generation Continental, a car which only stuck around for three model years. Picking up a ‘19 or ‘20 for 15 stacks is not uncommon these days and, given our predilection for Lincolns around the TTAC office, someone might just do that sooner rather than later.
Acura TLX
This is a great sedan, one which should have been called Legend or Vigor if not for dunderhead marketing types inside Acura. At the $15,000 mark, one is dealing with a ‘19 model year at least, meaning the bizarro-world dual screen center stack is present. Barring that mystifying decision, Acura had binned that guillotine grille for something far more palatable, improving its style immensely.
Lexus IS 300
Given the resale value attached to this brand by most folks, shoppers will be looking at an IS sedan in this price range, or going back a couple of extra model years if choosing its larger ES cousin. An advantage of the IS from the ’17/‘18 model year is that, thanks to Lexus’ glacial design cycles, it looks very much like a current example (which is likely to vanish soon).
Alfa Romeo Giulia
This one is for the adventurous sort, a type of gearhead who is willing to endure quirks and quarks for the sake of gorgeous style and a bucket of soul. There’s a solid chance this thing will drive you up the wall with its foibles but, for the price, it’s tough to find another sedan of this vintage with such appeal. Be sure to buy a red one - and download a ridesharing app.
