Looking to Buy New/near New SUV or Sedan for Parents Budget $60-70k

[Deactivated] on 31/01/2020 - 15:06
Last edited 31/01/2020 - 15:32

Hi All,

I am looking to buy my parents a new car as a gift and seeking suggestions.
As suggested below, they will be invovled in the final selection process. Probably looking to shortlist down to 5 models brand combination. Then have them pick.

They have always wanted a luxury car of the below brands:

Merc
BMW
Lexus
Audi

They are not "car people", that is they don't really care about acceleration, handling, tech ect.

All they care is
The badge
SUV or large sedan
Some nice interior trim
Brand new/Demo

Budget below 70k

They will probably own the car for 5-6 yr then sell it off, depreciation probably won't be their concern as it is a gift.

Why am i doing this, you may ask?
Well my parents have saved vigorously all their life to send me to private schools and give me the best chance to succeed.
Now I have got some money, I would like to buy them something nice.
They've been talking about buying a entry level luxury car for a while now, but unless I buy it for them I doubt their frugal mentality would allow them to do so.

Automotive Car SUV

Comments

      • Euphemistic on 04/02/2020 - 06:47

        Please give us more detail of your obviously unbiased opinion. Saying ‘it’s terrible’ helps no one, especially coming from someone who only seems to think that expensive European cars are the only things worthy of gracing your butt.

        • [Deactivated] on 04/02/2020 - 10:02
          +1

          Sure. It chassis shares with a Ford Mondeo, which is an old car. That means it’s essentially a front wheel drive sedan, raised, with all wheel drive on demand. It’s got a shifty ZF9 gearbox (ZF8 is much better), it’s engines are lethargic, it’s not luxurious; full of hard plastics and cheap leather, and it’s roof line is purely form over function. You bang your head getting into the back seats if you’re taller than a child. They market it on the pretence of off-road ability and it has none. No low range box, poor clearance and no diff locks. It’s also way too expensive for what it is. My Auntie keeps buying them and each time I get in one I can’t believe how crap it is.

  • kronicmacstigator on 03/02/2020 - 10:56
    -1

    2016+ Volvo XC90, NOTHING comes close safety wise!

    MOVE BITCH! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rf7t_D0CSgg

  • weee on 03/02/2020 - 11:29
    +1

    or just buy a nice Japanese car, use the rest to fund them a nice long holiday and probably a lovely dog, for their age, a badge car means very little.

  • Skramit on 03/02/2020 - 11:59

    OP I highly recommend the Lexus NX300. Perfect for the older generation. Reliable and excellent customer care form Lexus/Toyota (compared to other snobby brands).

    It's a super boring car to me personally, but my folks have one and they love it. The interior is very nice without being spectacular (heated/cooled leather seats etc etc)

    Has all the tech safety kit and you dont need to buy 10 extra packs for another $20k. And it's super reliable being a toyota.

  • reddwarf on 03/02/2020 - 12:40

    Lexus NX300 FWD Luxury Auto
    2019 demo can be had for as low as 53k

    • [Deactivated] on 03/02/2020 - 19:49
      -2

      Only a moron would buy a front wheel drive SUV.

      • Gotchas on 03/02/2020 - 23:21

        This guy doesn’t think so

        https://youtu.be/hCjMvCynvvw

        • [Deactivated] on 03/02/2020 - 23:58
          -1

          If he’s your expert, then you’ve got more issues than buying a fwd SUV.

      • reddwarf on 05/02/2020 - 17:08
        -1

        ¯_(ツ)_/¯ fits my purpose as:
        extra wear,
        extra price,
        access to a toyota prado 4wd,
        pretty conservative city and countryside driving,
        reports of underperforming AWD from multiple makes,

        made it not worth it

        • [Deactivated] on 05/02/2020 - 19:56

          FWD SUVS are going to have faster wear on the front tyres.

          The biggest problem is the passive safety aspect. FWD is fine for very small cars, but it's really bad on long wheelbases. It means that on and over the limit, you're going to experience pretty bad understeer, often unrecoverable over the limit. And over the limit might only happen 0.1% of the time in an emergency situation, but that 1/1000 time is going to be much safer in an AWD.

  • darkchoc on 03/02/2020 - 18:37

    When negotiating with luxury car dealer, wear your monocle and ask the crucial question….

    "What advantages does this motorcar have over, say, a train? Which I could also afford."

    • tooblue on 04/02/2020 - 12:58

      "You don't need to look up the timetable."

  • onlyletters on 03/02/2020 - 20:44

    2019 Toyota Prado, hands down best car bang for buck can do it all

    • [Deactivated] on 03/02/2020 - 21:21

      It's incredibly underpowered. And the interior is junk.

      • Euphemistic on 04/02/2020 - 06:45
        +2

        Here we go again. It’s not ‘incredibly underpowered’. If it was it would not sell as well, nor be seen towing all manner of oversized caravan, boat and horse trailers around this country.

        It might have less power than your magic euro equivalent machines, but it is suitably powered for the task and chassis. You don’t need a gazillion kW or Nm in every vehicle. They are powered to suit the task.

        The interior probably doesn’t meet the BT euro luxury benchmark, but it is a Toyota and not designed or meant to be super luxury.

        • [Deactivated] on 04/02/2020 - 10:07

          It has like 140kw in a 2.5 tonne car. It is incredibly underpowered. Putting a 4 cylinder diesel in a car that size was moronic. Similar size X5 has nearly double the torque and 25% more power (with a much better gearbox). If you need to go off-road a Jeep Grand Cherokee is considerably more powerful for the same size.

          The power in a Landcruiser is bad for its size (and engine capacity), but the Prado is an absolute joke. The petrol version of the Prado has half decent power, but I’m not sure they sell that anymore.

          • Euphemistic on 04/02/2020 - 10:37
            +1

            @[Deactivated]: But when do you need all that extra power? Hardly ever. Maybe in a traffic light Grand Prix? but if you want that, don’t buy a prado, but a sports car of some sort.

            I own a diesel ute, think it had 110kw when new. I’ve driven plenty of other diesel utes, with and without loads. None of them have had over 140kw and they all keep up with traffic, and the chassis, just fine.

            Just because the opposition has more power doesn’t mean it’s necessary. It might be about balancing economy with power.

            • [Deactivated] on 04/02/2020 - 18:23

              @Euphemistic: You’ve obviously never driven a car with decent power. If you’d done so you’d realise that there is no such thing as too much power. The answer is always more.

              • Euphemistic on 04/02/2020 - 18:56
                +1

                @[Deactivated]: I certainly have driven a car with a lot of power. Too much for the chassis in fact. It was scary in some situations. Also too fast to licence losing speeds. Had just as much fun in a 20yo corolla that you could often drive near the limit.

                The answer is power is fun, but not necessary in day to day driving.

                • [Deactivated] on 04/02/2020 - 19:53
                  -2

                  @Euphemistic: Sure. If the car is decent 400-500 hp is easy to daily drive. In the near future affordable performance EVs are going to be pushing 1000hp and be daily driven. It's always better to have more power.

    • Euphemistic on 04/02/2020 - 06:03

      Prado is not suited to urban driving. Good for towing and off road work though.

      • [Deactivated] on 04/02/2020 - 10:14

        I thought it had a sub 3500kg towing capacity? Like 3000kg or something? There are many better options for towing.

        • Euphemistic on 04/02/2020 - 10:32

          Maybe if you need to tow more than 3000kg. It’s a perfectly good tow vehicle provided you tow within its limits.

          • [Deactivated] on 04/02/2020 - 19:55

            @Euphemistic: Obviously a car with a signifcantly higher towing capacity makes towing much easier. HD 2500/3500 pick up trucks have 15,000kg + towing capacities. No one actually tows that kind of weight, but towing a 3000kg load with an HD truck is much easier/better than a car on its towing capacity limit.

    • spackbace on 04/02/2020 - 12:18
      +5

      As someone who sells them, no, the Prado makes a shit city car.

      Tech is old-hat compared to newer offerings, and the pickup of a turbo-diesel can seriously leave you wanting

      It has it's purpose, for 4wding, long-range trips etc, but not for a city SUV for 2 older people

      Just no

      • [Deactivated] on 04/02/2020 - 19:57

        We don't agree on a lot, but we agree on this.

  • biozet on 03/02/2020 - 20:48

    volvo

    • payless69 on 04/02/2020 - 16:18
      +2

      then wait much longer for the inheritance

  • Aarent on 04/02/2020 - 00:38
    -2

    get a premium CX5 or SanteFe and get some 'Tesla Badges' and tell them its 'soo' luxurious, the internet doesnt even list that model >_>

  • lltravel on 04/02/2020 - 09:37

    Stick to the BMW range. The incar tech is way ahead of Merc

    • [Deactivated] on 04/02/2020 - 16:16
      +1

      will definitely pay attention to both

      • Euphemistic on 04/02/2020 - 17:50

        Be careful with comments like this. They sound like they are from someone who has read it in a review somewhere but could never afford a new Toyota, let alone a BMW.

        Read the reviews, but test both for yourself. In car tech that is ‘way ahead’ might have a new user interface that you’ll struggle to learn initially. Could be better off with older tech that is more familiar and therefore easier to use.

        • [Deactivated] on 04/02/2020 - 19:58
          -2

          You are not better off with old tech.

          Be careful with comments like this. They sound like they are from someone who likes everyone to hear their opinion, but has no idea what they're talking about.

          • Euphemistic on 04/02/2020 - 21:19

            @[Deactivated]: Yeah, I have no idea what the differences are and TBH I don’t care.

            Older tech is fine, not that long ago it was the latest and greatest. They keep bringing out ‘newer’ and ‘better’ tech to keep suckers buying new stuff they don’t really need.

            I bet you’re one of those that line up at the apple store for every new model because the old one is ‘no good’ while millions happily purchase the older generation, save heaps of money and still get 90% of the features. My 6 works just fine and I can put the hundreds saved into things I really enjoy.

            I’m not sure if you are trollin or actually believe the stuff you spout.

            • [Deactivated] on 04/02/2020 - 22:37
              -2

              @Euphemistic: Oh, you're one of those guys with an iPhone 6… That explains a lot. I can understand people rocking old tech, but an iphone6 is what, 6 years old? Get with the program grandpa.

  • deme on 04/02/2020 - 12:42
    +2

    Get them a Mercedes A/C class so everyone knows they are trying to show off but can't afford a S class.

  • ozbargainer88 on 04/02/2020 - 16:02

    Hey its me ur parent

  • IamEzza on 04/02/2020 - 21:38

    Get a Subaru Outback 3.6R loaded with options they want and a quality dashcam.

    Perfect height for a car, not too high like some SUVs/4WDs and not low like a sedan.

  • netjock on 05/02/2020 - 12:22

    We any closer to an answer yet?

    • [Deactivated] on 05/02/2020 - 12:34
      +1

      Current short list I am considering
      BMW X3
      Audi Q5
      Merc GLC
      Lexus NX300 and RX450

      We haven't gone for any test drive yet. Will keep updated.

      • capslock janitor on 05/02/2020 - 13:02

        Any reason why not a hybrid ver?

        • netjock on 05/02/2020 - 13:08

          Maybe free petrol too.

        • [Deactivated] on 05/02/2020 - 13:36

          Yes Hybrid version included.

      • [Deactivated] on 05/02/2020 - 19:58
        -1

        You'll rule out the GLC and Lexus straight away after driving those cars. It will be between the X3 and Q5. Flip a coin or work out which one is the best deal. There isn't much between them, your parents will be happy with either.

        You want the 3.0i/d in the BMW and the 45TFSI in the Audi, (but you're going to have to get an optioned up Audi to match the BMW Spec).

        • [Deactivated] on 06/02/2020 - 09:18

          what makes you rule out the GLC and Lexus ?

          • [Deactivated] on 06/02/2020 - 11:12

            @[Deactivated]: The X3 and Q5 are much more modern, better cars. Every aspect is superior, they are both much more luxurious, perform better, their infotainment is vastly better and easier to use (the BMW is the best in this regard). The GLC and Lexuses are just old cars. Lexus tends to be pretty far behind when it comes to in car tech, so even when they release a new Model, it’s pretty dated. The GLC runs the previous generation of hardware, it’s more of a legacy car than a current model.

            Oh and BMW and Audi are much more willing to negotiate. I’m assuming you wouldn’t be financing the car (because buying a car for someone else and financing it would be moronic), but BMW have a $5000 incentive to buy an X3 demonstrator right now and Audi has some massive deals on demonstrators.

            But honestly, the best car in this price range is the Model 3. I know I said my mum just got an X3, but she’s closed minded and doesn’t want an electric car. If it was my money it would be a Model 3, all day long. Vastly superior to anything else in this price range in every way.

            • [Deactivated] on 06/02/2020 - 11:44

              @[Deactivated]: I will try to convince my parents for the Model 3 but I am afraid my parents are in the same boat as yours.
              Thx for the advise.

              • [Deactivated] on 06/02/2020 - 11:57

                @[Deactivated]: Take them for a test drive. It converts most people. The problem is that we have Teslas in the family and ironically mum has driven more Model S and X than any of us, because she’s the one who takes the cars in for service. So she’s the expert.

  • Fredfloresjr on 05/02/2020 - 15:10
    +1

    Good on you OP. All the best finding the car for your parents. Definitely will do the same to my parents in the future.

  • squaredonut on 05/02/2020 - 16:32

    My sister got my mum a GLC last year, she really likes it.

    That said, from what I hear, the GLA replacement is coming this year, and oddly enough the photos that I've seen of it seem to make it look bigger, i.e. it looks pretty much like a GLC

    https://carsguide-res.cloudinary.com/image/upload/f_auto,fl_…

  • Blitz001 on 05/02/2020 - 19:26
    -2

    Great another suv driven by a tiny old person on the road.

  • sajidmib on 05/02/2020 - 20:36

    skoda kodiaq has all features in standard model, plus nice alcantara trim. $43000 best car till it lasts

    Please never goto EAST SIDE SKODA maroondah hwy shit and arrogant ppl to deal with

  • LZCS on 06/02/2020 - 08:38
    -1

    Get model 3 for sure. You won't regret it. I've got it and it's changed my life. Solar power car, next to no maintenance. Spacious. Fast. Safest car in the world

    • [Deactivated] on 06/02/2020 - 09:18

      I am interested. But my parents are pretty stuck on the certain brand they want

      • LZCS on 06/02/2020 - 10:51

        Tell them tesla is now the number one carmaker in the world, it has overtaken Ford and GM. With a crappy euro car, the money you are wasting will mostly be the badge, then they have to waste thousands to maintain the car with overpriced cartel-like parts. In opposition, Tesla model 3 has no maintenance schedule and no engine - it will go forever. The model 3 I drive gets more looks and wows than even a 200k Mercedes.

        • [Deactivated] on 06/02/2020 - 11:19

          Tesla is not the number one carmaker in the world by any measure. Volume is VW, market cap is Toyota. Tesla is worth 25% less than Toyota on market cap and can’t compete with even small manufacturers on volume.

          But I agree about a huge amount of money being wasted on the badge. The Model 3 is a better car than anything in its price range.

  • Gotchas on 21/05/2020 - 15:14

    Any updates on the car purchase?

    • [Deactivated] on 21/05/2020 - 16:44

      Car purchase has been postponed for now due to short term job stability.

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