As you can see, I've expanded this list to include my 2008 picks as well, as the market changes I'll put my favorites here. I've Every year about this time, I see a new wave of depreciation crest and then wash up on shore. As the tide recedes and takes with it a former owner and their $2000.00 per month car expenses for a couple years, left behind are very attractive buys in particular areas where depreciation hits hard, and original retail prices soared. Cases in point are below. Not only have these vehicles depreciated such that they're now affordable to normal people, but they're still dynamic, reliable, highly developed cars you'll be proud to own. As always, I've steered clear from everything domestic, or Japanese, focusing on what I buy. Nothing below will be over 20 grand, sometimes much less.
2008 Best Car for the Money | 2003 - 2004 BMW Z4
OK, I admit it, originally I wasn't 100% sold on the Z4's looks, the flame surfaced Chris Bangle design, especially along side the Z8, its upscale contemporary, the Z4 was too much of a departure for me...well it's been a few years, and I've driven, owned, and sold 10 or so Z4's this past year. The looks have more than grown on me, it's a beautiful package, especially in dark gray and silver. It's also a potent performer, both the 2.5 and the 3.0 are fast; really fast, 5 speed, 6 speed, auto or SMG, I like them all for different reasons. All are excellent transmissions, and no one makes a better inline 6 cylinder than BMW. You've seen the reviews on this car, and now's the time to get one, it blows away the Z3 for not much more money. The Z4 is quieter, smoother, has better suspension, brakes, climate control, and some incredible design elements and features that just make it a better car than the Z3. This is a thoroughly modern car that has everything you'd want in a sports convertible. The 3.0si with navigation is a favorite.
2007 Best Car for the Money | 2001 - 2002 Porsche Boxster S
People ask me all the time, what can I buy for under 20k with a drop top, a ton of look, great performance, and ice cold air. There are tons of choices out there, but for my money there's really only one affordable high performance choice: the Boxster S. The regular Boxster and the S sort of don't compare with one another. With the S specification you get a higher horsepower engine, plus a ton of extras, and luckily for you Boxster S owners tended to option them up a good deal as well. Figure the original owner spent 20% over the base msrp for options like full leather, or hifi sound, or trick lit-tronic lights. On the used market, those don't matter, so you reap the rewards of that long list and 60k sticker. Now, like then, a Boxster is still less money than a Carrera, and for a 30% mark off from a 996 of the same vintage, you get the look, a great mid engine package, and a true performance car. To me these drive, at least with regards to acceleration, more like the older Carreras than 996 Carreras, its a more pure performance car, and they'll out handle both any day. What competes with it? A Z3, well not really Boxsters really handle much better, and it's a different feel, M roadster, sure they're a blast too, but there's a premium on that car that usually pushes you over 20k for the best ones. A Mercedes CLK? No again, they're not performance oriented in the least, and MB-Chrysler styling is bland and boring. So for the cost of a 2 year old Mitsubishi go a couple years back for the Porsche, you'll thank yourself. The best part is, the newly designed 07 Boxster looks the same as the original from 1998 for 98% of the driving public. Oh you didn't know there was a new one? Neither does anyone else. Get the look, keep the cash.
2007 Best Car for the Money | 2002 Range Rover HSE 4.6
So what do you do if you need a big SUV, you don't want American or Japanese, and you don't have 80k handy. I think you go for the last generation Range Rover the Series II final version. In 2002 the Range Rover had a couple of options besides paint or interior color. All of them had 18 inch wheels, nav, sunroof, huge harman kardon stereo etc. What I'm getting at is that this Rover always comes with every option imaginable, in a very attractive and now pretty affordable package. The 4.6 engine, while not overtly powerful is completely sufficient and reliable. The tires are big, headlamps integrated, interior is gorgeous. It's sort of a what else do you really need in an SUV...SUV. As they approach 80k miles the complexities of the self leveling suspension begin to show themselves, but a simple conversion to shocks fixes this malady forever. Figure 1000 on top of the purchase for the new setup. Otherwise, put 89 in 'em and don't look at the trip computer. I take that back, actually these get better mileage than a Discovery @ 19 or so highway and 15 in town. Plus, they're aluminum so they'll never rust. I think they're my favorite SUV of the recent past. Be sure to get the bull bar and roof rack...
2007 Best Car for the Money | 2002-2003 Jaguar XJR
What followed somewhat of a rocky start for the V8 XJ and XJR in general became one of the best Jags ever built. The final two years of the 'old body' Jaguar are in many ways the very best, bulletproof engine, roots supercharger, Mercedes AMG E55 tranny, excellent interior fit, and the best part is, it looks better than the model which replaced it. And even if it didn't, 98% of Americans or Brits for that matter can't tell the difference. Put that extra 60k back in your pocket, go out and buy a restored E-Type for your weekend car, and then build a garage to park them both...that's how much money you just saved. These units were 75k out the door just a few years back, now you can buy them anywhere from 18-25k more or less depending on miles and year. In short, I love them. Big wheels, big engine, classic Jaguar balance with the guts to back it up. 370 Horsepower to be exact. Maybe it doesn't feel like M5 power, but who cares, this car is going to be a classic, and never worth less than 10 grand. Plus, the engine is basic in comparison with other cars in the range generating this much horsepower, and no Mobile 1 oil changes required. These are really very dependable cars, with minimal effort they'll stay on the road forever. Transmission, you can't kill it, what about those Nikalsil cylinder issues? Resolved for 2001 cars. Plenty of owners with they had the non Mahle engines. Don't buy a 2000. The depreciation's over, go out and find one, this is a 4 door super car you can live with. (At least until it needs new Michelins.)
2007 Best Car for the Money | 2001-2003 VW Passat W8 4 Motion
Released at a time when VW was betting the farm on a reach upscale, and with good reason since every offering from Mercedes (for whom they were gunning) looked like a Chrysler Sebring, the Passat W8 was VW's most expensive car to date. Starting at 38k, and reaching towards 43k for the W8 wagon with Sport package, they weren't cheap. But after having bought and driven at least 10 of them, I think they should have been priced higher. I know, I know that would out price the A6 2.7T or 4.2. But in many ways the W8 is the more dynamic car, without all of the Audi overhead. Plus you could get a V8 with a manual transmission. Not from Audi, at least not in those years, so in this way the W8 was gunning more for the 540i. Or maybe it just slipped between the mark and sort of petered out, without the fanfare it deserved. OK, so why buy one. A terrific W8 4.0 liter engine, which is without a doubt the best 'smaller' displacement 8 I have ever driven. Extremely dynamic, gobs of torque, and mated to the 5 speed transmission it's perfect. Add to it all wheel drive borrowed from Audi, a unique interior, and features including Xenons, and you've got everything you need. Plus, and I think this is a big plus, it's the right size. You've got an all wheel drive well balance car, that will outrun just about anything you'd meet at a stoplight. Why, lower weight, high torque, and excellent 4wd. Sorry Audi, VW won this one, but no one ever heard. I think it's too bad they discontinued the program, but now we get to buy them right. Figure 15-20k depending on miles, year, and 6 speed. Personally, I like the wagon best of all, it has a lower exhaust note due to slightly longer pipes.
