Ah yes, that glistening chrome jaguar. Synonymous with luxury and prestige, the Jaguar brand is a car for those who enjoy the finer things in life. The XF, one of the brand’s newer models to come out, is certainly no exception to the Jaguar badge. The base model started at a cool $50,000, but Jaguar released the info that most of its clients opted to spend an extra $10,000 and get all the upgrades and special features.
But this was back in 2009 – and we know that Jaguar is considered a reliable second-hand buy, so why not look to the second-hand market for a luxury bargain? Good news for those of us looking for luxury on a budget: you can pick up at 2009/2010 model for around $15,000.
$10,000
You really can’t get a more iconic Ford than the Mustang. The model which sings out – actually, more like it purrs on the road, is a Ford classic. For the amount of power under its hood, the Mustang is a top pick for performance junkies! With a V8 engine that drives like a dream, the Mustang GT is a great choice – in terms of both value and performance. Due to the demand, Ford has been releasing generations upon generations of new Mustangs that consumers almost can’t keep up!
The speed at which Ford is releasing these newer models, however, has led to significant price decreases on earlier models. So you could pick up a bargain, saving over $20,000 on a car that retailed for $35,000 brand new! Also, you get the bragging rights of saying “the Stang” when referring to your new whip. Corny maybe, cool, yes.
$12,000
So good that we’ve snuck in both models onto our list, next up is the Nissan Versa/ Nissan Micra. The sedan is, in fact, one of the cheapest new cars available in the US, from under $13,000 drive away! Sadly for our Canadian friends the sedan isn’t available, but, there is the sportier Nissan Micra, which is even cheaper at under $12,000!
Definitely quite the bargain for a reputable and reliable car! Sure it isn’t built like some of the German or Italian supercars, but it’s got a great safety rating and is surprisingly roomy for the price (the sedan, more so obviously!). The Micra may be slightly underperforming when it comes to fuel economy, but it is also spacious for its size. Again, you get what you pay for – this is a base model, BUT if you’re looking for something cute to help you get from A to B that’s brand new, we are certainly flying the flag for Nissan here!
$25,750
Nissans are in that niche of the market where well, it isn’t so much a niche – more of a smorgasbord of car manufacturers. Competing with the likes of Honda, Toyota and Mazda, the Nissan created the Rogue SV to differentiate themselves from the pack. It sorta worked, sorta didn’t. When it was released its sporty lines appealed to the same sort of consumer.
The zippy Rogue SV underwent some massive design changes and was re-released. As such, it saw a 5% price drop, and made the initial release model even cheaper. So this rogue vehicle was exactly that: in both design and in breaking into the market!
$20,000
Originally with the words luxury and finesse in mind when it was being designed, the Lincoln MKZ had a lot going for it initially. However, sometimes even a good design can be poorly executed – such was the case with this particular Lincoln model. Falling short of the hype and vision of its designers, the MKZ just wasn't the cream of the crop enough to be truly classed as a luxury sedan. Given the price range for the vehicle, it could barely compete with far more luxurious models for similar prices.
You can’t overcharge and under deliver! That’s like the golden rule of sales! So upon its release, it had less than satisfactory sales, and many of these new models found their way in used-car car yards with low mileage. So instead of paying $36,000 brand new, you could be paying well under $20,000 for one in really good condition!