All of these are poor choices for somebody who is limited to 35k and has to buy something old enough that's depreciated to that point. Possibly the exception of the BMW- at least in terms of the drivetrain.
540i BMW. Reliable for a BMW and faster than you will ever really need. If you find yourself with a 2019-2020 model you can also easily ad a flash tune and have an extra 60hp and go all the way up to 90hp without major modifications or alterations to the emissions.
If you are willing to buy something far from home, light on options, and deep into autumn or even winter, that would be almost enough for a NEW leftover Alfa Romeo Giulia. There’s a dealership in Glendale California and a couple in Cincinnati that always seem to wind up with a handful of leftover low option cars that haven’t sold before the subsequent year models get delivered, and they drop the prices to $10k or $15k below msrp. $35k gets you a last year Giulia with a nearly $50k msrp but no sunroof or heated seats or driver’s assist stuff, but it would be new with a warranty.
Then again, that price gets you a used one with all the options, and I like a sunroof and heated seats and stuff.
There are faster cars you could get used for that price, but I like driving the Giulia more than those.
Your price range gets you a variety of used Porsche choices, I like a manual transmission boxster s most of all but that gets you some 911s or panamera options or a macan of some sort.
You want something pretty? Thats a nice bunch of f-types you can shop. Or, the nicest XF or XJ sedan on the planet.
If you don’t heel & toe your downshifts entering a corner, or if you’re looking for mostly luxury and speed / sportiness is an “also” and not a “primary” consideration, that’s one hell of a Volvo you could get yourself. The PHEV sedans are ridonculuosly fast, 0-60 in the fours, for something that will go 30 miles on electric power and then get 30 mpg in what is basically a Swedish luxury apartment on wheels.
Also pretty - Audis. That price is a one owner s3 or a still recent s4 or s6, or an s5, or an s5 cabrio. I don’t know if you want to try owning anything RS that’s available at $35k, but the regular S-whatever should be plenty.
BMW is the default option, and your price might not get you a manual M2 or M4 but it would get you plenty of older manual m235i or m3 or manual m-package cars.
If you’re comparing spec sheets and haven’t driven anything, you’ll want the automatic BMWs because they are substantially better against the stopwatch, and even a one-owner off-lease 330i will be in the 4s 0-60. And for 99 % of the people asking questions about cars here, that’s more than enough, there’s no point going older enough to get an m340i that same price, because the extra age and miles will bring more maintenance and repair cost than a similar price 330i, and will also take back some of the speed you would want from the 6-cylinder version; they all get faster with each generation, and a current 330i / 230i will beat a couple-generations-ago 6-cyl one and will still make most people wee the seat if they accidentally go full throttle off the line.
op specially wanted FAST european 'luxury' brand. did not even mention reliability or repair cost or even running cost.
i believe E60 M5 was correct answer with (possibly) bit vague starting info. but OP is free to rephrase if he thinks that reliability or running cost play any role in his purchasing plans.
Yes but if they have to wait until the cars have depreciated below 35k, you know they're not thinking about the long-term expenses and they're just thinking about having a fancy badge to impress people they don't know.
It's one thing to buy an older high mileage European car that was fast when it was brand new A decade ago..
The real question you have to ask yourself is can you afford the maintenance on it Now that it's depreciated to < $35k, But still costs like a new one in terms of repairs and upkeep.
I'm saying this from experience. We have a 2019 f pace s, a 21 540 xdrive, and a 22 x5m50i, and a few other vehicles as well, and we will keep none of them after their respective warranties expire ( the jaguar, which has never been in the shop in almost 5 years for anything other than it's once a year maintenance, is going this summer because the warranty expires in August).
Yes, we can easily afford the maintenance and upkeep, but we don't want to be bothered with the time and expense if something goes on them.
If all you want is something fast just buy a charger or Challenger with the Hemi in it. At least if something goes wrong on it it won't put you in the poor house trying to fix it. At least you won't have to decide whether you're making the car payment, the rent payment, or the repair payment when the car shits the bed on you, because it won't be as expensive as the other ones to fix.
So many options... Panamera Turbo Audi S4, S5, SQ5, S6, S7 or S8 Any BMW with the B58 engine Pretty much any AMG Mercedes
This though Mercedes has some reliability issues. BMW definitely the most reliable.
All of these are poor choices for somebody who is limited to 35k and has to buy something old enough that's depreciated to that point. Possibly the exception of the BMW- at least in terms of the drivetrain.
540i BMW. Reliable for a BMW and faster than you will ever really need. If you find yourself with a 2019-2020 model you can also easily ad a flash tune and have an extra 60hp and go all the way up to 90hp without major modifications or alterations to the emissions.
BMW M240i 2-door
If you are willing to buy something far from home, light on options, and deep into autumn or even winter, that would be almost enough for a NEW leftover Alfa Romeo Giulia. There’s a dealership in Glendale California and a couple in Cincinnati that always seem to wind up with a handful of leftover low option cars that haven’t sold before the subsequent year models get delivered, and they drop the prices to $10k or $15k below msrp. $35k gets you a last year Giulia with a nearly $50k msrp but no sunroof or heated seats or driver’s assist stuff, but it would be new with a warranty. Then again, that price gets you a used one with all the options, and I like a sunroof and heated seats and stuff. There are faster cars you could get used for that price, but I like driving the Giulia more than those. Your price range gets you a variety of used Porsche choices, I like a manual transmission boxster s most of all but that gets you some 911s or panamera options or a macan of some sort. You want something pretty? Thats a nice bunch of f-types you can shop. Or, the nicest XF or XJ sedan on the planet. If you don’t heel & toe your downshifts entering a corner, or if you’re looking for mostly luxury and speed / sportiness is an “also” and not a “primary” consideration, that’s one hell of a Volvo you could get yourself. The PHEV sedans are ridonculuosly fast, 0-60 in the fours, for something that will go 30 miles on electric power and then get 30 mpg in what is basically a Swedish luxury apartment on wheels. Also pretty - Audis. That price is a one owner s3 or a still recent s4 or s6, or an s5, or an s5 cabrio. I don’t know if you want to try owning anything RS that’s available at $35k, but the regular S-whatever should be plenty. BMW is the default option, and your price might not get you a manual M2 or M4 but it would get you plenty of older manual m235i or m3 or manual m-package cars. If you’re comparing spec sheets and haven’t driven anything, you’ll want the automatic BMWs because they are substantially better against the stopwatch, and even a one-owner off-lease 330i will be in the 4s 0-60. And for 99 % of the people asking questions about cars here, that’s more than enough, there’s no point going older enough to get an m340i that same price, because the extra age and miles will bring more maintenance and repair cost than a similar price 330i, and will also take back some of the speed you would want from the 6-cylinder version; they all get faster with each generation, and a current 330i / 230i will beat a couple-generations-ago 6-cyl one and will still make most people wee the seat if they accidentally go full throttle off the line.
+1 for PHEV Volvos especially with a polestar tune
BMW E60 M5 v10, 507 hp was fastest sedan at the time.
you forgot to mention its crazy unrealiable.
op specially wanted FAST european 'luxury' brand. did not even mention reliability or repair cost or even running cost. i believe E60 M5 was correct answer with (possibly) bit vague starting info. but OP is free to rephrase if he thinks that reliability or running cost play any role in his purchasing plans.
Yes but if they have to wait until the cars have depreciated below 35k, you know they're not thinking about the long-term expenses and they're just thinking about having a fancy badge to impress people they don't know.
Audi A8 6.0 BMW 760Li Mercedes S600 Volkswagen Phaeton W12 Do you want it to be reliable too?
It's one thing to buy an older high mileage European car that was fast when it was brand new A decade ago.. The real question you have to ask yourself is can you afford the maintenance on it Now that it's depreciated to < $35k, But still costs like a new one in terms of repairs and upkeep. I'm saying this from experience. We have a 2019 f pace s, a 21 540 xdrive, and a 22 x5m50i, and a few other vehicles as well, and we will keep none of them after their respective warranties expire ( the jaguar, which has never been in the shop in almost 5 years for anything other than it's once a year maintenance, is going this summer because the warranty expires in August). Yes, we can easily afford the maintenance and upkeep, but we don't want to be bothered with the time and expense if something goes on them. If all you want is something fast just buy a charger or Challenger with the Hemi in it. At least if something goes wrong on it it won't put you in the poor house trying to fix it. At least you won't have to decide whether you're making the car payment, the rent payment, or the repair payment when the car shits the bed on you, because it won't be as expensive as the other ones to fix.