Purchasing a luxury car comes with a set of pros and cons unique to this most expensive segment of the automotive market. Since buyers pay a premium price for new luxury cars that are often inflated compared to economical cars that perform nearly as well, these high-priced vehicles tend to rapidly depreciate in value. As a result, many shoppers choose to wait until luxury cars appear on the used car market for more reasonable asking prices. As much better values now than when first introduced to the public, used luxury cars have several other advantages including the fact that they generally have less mileage and were meticulously cared for by previous owners.
While there are plenty of reliable luxury cars on the used car market in excellent condition, the risks of buying a luxurious lemon are potentially debilitating maintenance and repair costs. These extravagant cars tempt shoppers by only costing marginally more than budget-friendly options, but replacement parts and repair costs remain significantly higher than other cars. Thorough research is especially critical when targeting a pre-owned luxury brand like BMW, Lexus, or Cadillac. The following vehicles have proven themselves the most durable luxury cars and include SUVs, sports cars, and traditional full-sized sedans.
Announced in 1998 and sharing the same chassis as the Volkswagen Touareg, Porsche's first SUV came with the upgraded performance and technology Porsche buyers demanded. The Porsche Cayenne finally reached dealerships in 2003 and redefined what a Porsche could be with four doors and ample room for five passengers.
The 2009 model introduced an optional enhanced Porsche Communication Management system with Bluetooth connectivity and was one of the best luxury SUVs of its time. It's not uncommon to encounter a 12-15-year-old Porsche Cayenne in excellent condition on roadways today with over 200,000 miles, a testament to its reliability.