"Among non-luxury brands falling below the average of 41.8 percent residual value were: Buick, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Daewoo, Dodge, Ford, Hyundai, Isuzu, Kia, Mazda, Mercury, Mitsubishi, Oldsmobile, Pontiac, Saturn and Suzuki.

Automotive Lease Group did not give the specific rank of below-average brands. Sundaram said the lowest percentage for a non-luxury brand, which he did not identify, was 29.5 percent.

Among luxury brands, Mercedes-Benz vehicles were best, with an expectation they will retain 54.5 percent of their original value after three years. Its CLK was top-rated in the luxury segment.

Luxury brands falling below the average of about 49 percent were: Cadillac, Infiniti, Jaguar, Lincoln, Saab and Volvo.""When a new vehicle costs less, its value erodes at a quicker rate.".......................................

So on average 3 year across the board LUX depreciation runs 54% to 45.5% of MSRP, just like the real estate business you want the least expensive house suitable in the Best neighborhood.Even if the Q loses 52% of its value in 3 years [36-40,000 miles] and an LS430 loses 47%, it can't overcome the fact that the LS costs more to own/lease/drive over the period due to the almost $5,500 out the door cost for equally equipt units.

Unless you put at least 20% down the scarey thing is you almost always owe more than either car is worth at 3 years.

Getting [private party sale] 25% of MSRP [$13,000] for a 6 year old [1996 Q model] [72,000 mile] is a challenge vs $17,500 for an equal LS400. But the LS cost you $60 more per month to drive so total ownership costs are a wash.

Certain 6 cylinder MB [E320] can be an relative [compared to others in the same class] economic deal if you are careful - don't have an accident [diminished value].

So what you're saying is the suits have it figured out pretty well, there's no free lunch, it all ends up costing the same.

Sure looks that way.

Well a decent new car is $24,000 and it will probably last 100,000 miles with a little care surely not more than 5-7 cents per mile or $7,000 in maintenance and repair. It may be worth $3,500 at the end!A $50,000 may cost 10 cents per mile and be worth $7,500 @7-8 yearsThe total cost of ownership varies from $4500 to $13,000 per year.Some cars cost $1000 a year to keep up [M&R] some $2,600.How much do you want to pay per mile? Is a $1.20 mile more pleasurable than a 30 cent mile, does $1.20 mile return its value?Does it matter? Depends on how much money you make?

Had a nice dinner with a guy running for US Senate [unfortunately he won't win] from Georgia he drove a 1987 midsize MB with more than my 235k, his wife drives the Lexus. We spent 30 minutes talking about the trials and tribs of owning an old car....Harvard Law/MBA et al.My son is driving one of the Republican gubernatorial hopefuls around the State to rallies in his Nissan Pickup.

Many things are more important than what you drive and flash scares me.

Quote »Many things are more important than what you drive and flash scares me. [/quote]so true- I drive what I drive because *I* like it, not because I want to be seen in it. (At least I think so, who knows what kind of number advertising has been doing on my subconscious...) I figure a new vehicle every 10 years- currently own 4, so every 2.5 I'm spending 40k or so. What is that, 16k per year plus maintenance?. For all vehicles.

Hell, the decision to buy an Infiniti versus Lexus back in 90 was, I believe, driven partially by this philosophy: the folks more concerned with driving the "in" marque chose Lexi.

PS Local dealer is getting a preproduction M45 on Friday...I think I'll look.

It really makes you think that if you buy an expensive car, you should take really good care of it and make it last. I have a 84 300ZX that I bought new for 18k in 1984, have certainly put money into it, but it is a great sunday car but could easily be a reliable daily driver. My 85' maxima has 265k and has a new tranny, motor mounts, steering rack, etc. but still runs and is reliable. These help my 97' Q45 not roll miles up as fast as it should/would without the other cars, but the more I look at the way the cars lose value the more I think about seeing this car hit 200-300k on the odo.

Still seems like it's most economical to buy a new car EXACTLY as you want it as long as you keep it for 10 years (or longer).

If you buy a car based on what's it's going to be worth in 5 years, sounds like you didn't really like the car that much in the first place.

Still think I'll hold out for a bare-bones G35.... or maybe an M45 if I can hold out long enough.

I've heard the G35 will be offered in red (a real red!) pretty soon. Hope they add a charcoal color too.

The truely wealthy or those that know how to cook the books or owners of miracle automobile additive companies are in a cost class by themselves:

Based on 15k per year over 5 years from Edmunds Total Cost to ownJag XJR.... = $1.26 per mile or around $19,000 per yearMB S500.. = $1.18Audi S8 &BMW 745 .= $1.10Q45LS430.......= $0.83

Boy am I glad I only spent $105,000 over the last 12.5 years guess the secret was driving almost 19,000 miles per year.

AT 45 cents per mile not looking forward to any new car again as an I35/G35 would be about 55-58 cents per mile in the first 5 years.

I've gotten use to only paying about $5500 per year to drive the old Q [insurance, gas, repairs, maintenance ] now that it can't depreciate any more........thats only 37 cents per mile.

Now all I have to do is keep finding old wrecks to keep it going

No, let me tell you the guys that drive new cars all the time, the people that have their own business (obviously that are doing well). My cousin has a wherehouse that throws off tons of cash and drives a new S500 every 2 years..."nothing like a Benz" is what he says. "How much a month does it cost" is my question, "I have no idea" is the answer....must be nice