Buying first German car!

[aututto]

Hello everyone!

Well after a struggling winter with my elegant xj8 it is time I find a vehicle suited for all seasons (as I can only have one). I'm quite partial to European cars and it seems as though the Germans build what I'm looking for! Luxury and awd! Haha

So I had a 2006 xj8 black/black factory chrome 19's; just gorgeous. But it was temperamental with 25 F degrees and below. Especially the suspension. Otherwise worked flawlessly.

My dad has an e55 (03) which he likes To drive with spirit as it should be and my brother has a golf 2.0 n/a (which has been to hell and back with him). So I know mechanically Germans can build em tough!

So I'm looking to spend $20-$25k and keep mileage under 60k (just a personal thing I won't sway on) and unfortunately no BMW's, I just can't seem to like those!

I'm currently looking at

05-08 Audi a8 (only heard of electrical gremlins)

04-06 cayenne turbo (will only buy if coolant pipes done, otherwise seem reliable)

2012 mercedes c300 4matic (new, easier to find, better financing)

2009-2011 audi a6 3.0t


Now little electrical gremlins like headrests not working and such aren't a worry for me. My main concern is repairs or reliability issues that disable the car from driving like suspension failures, coolant pipes on the cayenne for example.

My main need is a nice awd car or SUV. Don't need one over the other and the list I have seems to be most appealing coming from my jag but I can't decide between these four!!!!

So sorry this is such a long thread! But there is so many German options it's taken me forever to narrow it down this far! Haha

Thanks all in advance!

 

[mini_cooper4]

You want reliability. From all the cars you mentioned only the E-Class can be considered as reliable from my experience.
A6, A8 and Cayenne Turbo MK1 are all frequent visitors of my service stations. I'd personally go with the E-Class if I was you even tho I love the looks of both the A6 and A8 more.

 

[aututto]

You want reliability. From all the cars you mentioned only the E-Class can be considered as reliable from my experience.
A6, A8 and Cayenne Turbo MK1 are all frequent visitors of my service stations. I'd personally go with the E-Class if I was you even tho I love the looks of both the A6 and A8 more.

Well that's good to hear! I guess haha. I really was digging the limo feel of the a8 haha. But I don't think I opted for e because it's too similar to a c for a lot more money. I guess I'll look more into the c300! Thanks!

I guess I should state I will only need said car for a year or two. By then I should be done with college and be able to buy something newer under warranty haha. So the most I plan on owning the car is about 10-20k miles. If I can own any of these for that long without spending over $1k-$2k in repairs I think it'd fit the bill

 

[KiwiRob]

Have you though about winter tyres for the Jag?

 

[mini_cooper4]

Have you though about winter tyres for the Jag?

The car is already sold.

 

[aututto]

Have you though about winter tyres for the Jag?

Yes what Mini Cooper said. Car has been sold. Traction was not an issue, it was the air suspension being finicky. For example, too cold and the car would not lift off the ground in the front.

 

[aututto]

Was looking up a 2006 a8 on NADA guides. Were these available without air suspension?

 

[aututto]

Sorry to bump this old thread, but my search range has now changed to

2006 a8 (found about 3 all with 50-60k miles)

2006 Range Rover HSE (found about 4 with 60k-70k miles)

2006 Range Rover Sport HSE and Supercharged (found about 2 one with 55k and the other with 69k)

2012 C300 4 matic (low miles, cheap, probably most reliable, but not near as astounding as the rest)

 

[ateekt]

Glad to see you're coming to the German family. Considering your options, for many reasons, I'd suggest you go with the C-Class. BTW, why are you excluding BMWs?

Oh, thank me later & don't you even think about getting one of them Range Rovers. I made a tremendous mistake of purchasing that nightmare & I reget it to date.

 

[aututto]

Glad to see you're coming to the German family. Considering your options, for many reasons, I'd suggest you go with the C-Class. BTW, why are you excluding BMWs?

Oh, thank me later & don't you even think about getting one of them Range Rovers. I made a tremendous mistake of purchasing that nightmare & I reget it to date.

Hey,

Glad to hear a suggestion. And i didn't know range rovers were so bad? Did you buy an 03-05, or an 06+. I have heard my fair share of horror stories about 03-05 Range Rovers.

And excluding BMW's simply because they don't quite do it for me unless they are M cars, which unfortunately aren't awd, I plan on owning a v8 m3 sometime in the future!

Would an a8 be worse than a range rover? That's the area I'm trying to sort out as well

 

[sanpt7777]

Just get an AWD wagon E-Class. You get a practical car that can handle the winters and still look cool. It's has a good presence too.
Good luck!

EDIT:
May I suggest a Volvo? Seems like people don't like them but I think they are fine automobiles.

From tyhe cars you mentioned maybe the C300 would be the best option. this may seem like I'm biased towards Mercedes but they just fit your needs. The W204 is (in my opinion) better than E9x and B8 A4 in terms of interior quality and are good to drive

 

[sanpt7777]

If those suggestions don't cut it, then by all means get a Subaru and show that winter who's boss:

Seriously, get a Merc. I'd push for the C300 4Matic. Even if it's not as astounding, you will like it a lot. And I bet you can get one with a warranty if bought from a Mercedes dealer