New DD? Large mid-luxe without hassles.

I think I'm going to get rid of my '11 Mustang 5.0. Don't need it for tracking any more (just finishing up an AI Mustang) and it's not a great DD, particularly when I need to take the kids somewhere.

Current "other car" is a diesel Excursion so I don't need an SUV. If I did I'd consider a Grand Cherokee SRT8.

Was thinking about getting a cheapo plush car like an early 2Ks Caddy, Town Car or similar, but the "fun to drive" quotient there is non-existent. And I don't wear white shoes.

So I'm considering a used mid-luxe sedan.

Budget: Mustang is probably worth $25K or so and if I could just make this a wash that would be best. Could go a little higher.

Priorities:

1. No projects/no heavy, expensive maintenance before ~100K miles. Just gas and go.

2. Reasonably fun to drive. Decent power, can go around a curve.

3. Quiet inside/luxe level of trim

4. Four doors/reasonable sized back seat.

5. No VAG products (been there, done that)

6. I'm 6'4" so need headroom/elbow room. No little cars.

Jag XJ8 or BMW 550 or 750 with about 50K miles probably fit budget and most of the above, though I think they both fail point 1.

Lexus LS460 gets a little pricier and may fail point 6 and maybe 2.

MB S550 starts to get pretty expensive and may fail point 1.

Other thoughts? I'd consider a little older car if I could find the right one (low miles, good records). If there's a 'murican car that fits the bill all the better. Caddy CTS (-V fails 4 and is outside budget)?.

Volvo turbo?

If a Town Car doesn't fit the bill, and I see why, cross shop over to a Crown Victoria/Grand Marquis. It really is just the same car chassis with different panels and badging.

Acura RL/TL/TSX?

The BMWs wouldn't be that bad to maintain; the 5er more so than the 7. They just don't deal with DEFERRED maintenance.

How does a CTS-V fail? The back seats aren't THAT bad, and it is a sedan.

Acura RL is the dark horse in this segment, worth considering.

Mercury Marauder. Impala SS.

Genesis sedan. The forgotten unloved luxury car.

If you can step "down" to an LS430, you should be well within your budget. And there WAS a sport suspension option lurking around the spec sheets at some point – somebody on here will know more. Should hit most of your points.

Cadillac CTS or STS if you need more rear seat room. With that budget, you could easily get an STS-V...

LS400 fits all your requirements. I would assume the LS4xx would as well. Of course, you have to try cars on like pants, but you know that.

The Marauder is an interesting option i wouldnt have thought of myself. It might be a little downmarket from most of what the OP seems to be considering, though i wouldnt say it's any less classy than a town car.

Mercedes W126 and pocket $20k

Infiniti M35

You could buy a really nice BMW 5-series for that much (or less) money. As SlickDizzy noted, they aren't really that maintenance intensive. They just need regular maintenance. There's a reason they were consistently voted the best sports sedan in the world, year after year.

You can find first-gen CTS-Vs well below your budget, and I never had a single complaint about the back seat.

bgkast wrote: Mercedes W126 and pocket $20k

He said, "no projects..." M-B would be so far off the list as to not exist.

I wouldn't touch a used 5 series in that price range unless it was a CPO car from a dealer. Yes, this will get tons of replies about how somebody bought a cheap,used 5'er and hasn't done a thing to it, but you are also just as likely to get a real pig. I've just been burned by too many used European cars that were supposedly in great condition with a stack of maintenance records that turned into big piles of pita sh1t.

If you want something utterly reliable, albeit it a bit boring, Lexus is the easy button. The Genesis is another possibility. I rarely hear bad things about Hyundais.

I am so going to regret this later but I really want one of these. If I could find a lower mileage one I might jump.

STS-V

Hemi charger

I'd think

or

But I admit I'm a Toyota junkie. Doubt you'd have any trouble with either, both have decent power and good suspensions.

If you want to take a quick run up to Carlisle, Ontario, you can get a 2008 STS-V in Mary Kay Pink.

I can't believe I just typed that sentence.

It's under the $26k cap, though!

I think that something from the nissan/infinti line or some flavor on Chrysler 300c are the best bets. For your budget a decent low mile example can be had easily. A dark horse option is the Volvo S60R

Sorry but the Volvo S60R is not low maintenance. Consider them in the Bimmer 5-series range of maintenance. I will agree with the Chrysler 300C, Charger SRT-8, Nissan/Infiniti, marauder. Basically, if you don't want too much maintenance, get something with a simple engine and not too many accessories (gadgets).

marks93cobra wrote: Hemi charger

plus one for the R/T

... if you can find one, I been looking for a month w/ not many desirable examples in results. Most are high milers still at premium prices. Many more nice 300Cs w/ lower mileage tho.

poopshovel wrote: Acura RL/TL/TSX?

This! Acura RL or TL .

In reply to Ian F:

I agree to avoid the 5 series. One of my Coworkers has a 545i for 2006 maybe. He has had a few thousand in random repairs in less then a year. Only get one of those if you have FULL ability to work on it yourself.