7 good deals on used cars

You say you always dreamed to drive a Mercedes-Benz or BMW? This could be your time to get a late-model luxury sedan at about half of what it cost as a fresh car.

Automotive data and research stiff iSeeCars.com scanned the current market for the best bargains in three-year-old used cars — the time when most returning lease cars go up for resale. They found a clutch of luxury sedans, and some mainstream models, that are selling for just over half of what they cost as fresh cars. These models have depreciated at least 1.Trio times the average three-year loss in value for all vehicles of 34.Five per cent.

These sedans have lost value in part because of new- and used-car shoppers’ preference for SUVs. But the high incidence of leasing among luxury models also plays a part.

“Luxury brands are known for depreciating at a higher rate because they are so often leased to keep monthly payments down,” said Phong Ly, CEO of iSeeCars.com. “This helps create a constant influx of three-year-old vehicles in the used-car market, driving prices lower.”

In compiling this list, iSeeCars.com analyzed 1.1 million used-car sales from January through May this year. With models such as the Mercedes-Benz E-Class and others that have a large number of variations, they averaged the price paid for almost all vehicles under the umbrella of that model name.

For the original two thousand fourteen new-car prices, they also averaged all versions for the actual selling price — not the manufacturer’s MSRP.

We’re profiling the seven cars on the best bargains list that have average or above-average reliability in Consumer Reports ratings. (Two Cadillacs, the CTS and ATS, are priced at less than half their original cost but have below-average reliability).

Here’s a closer look at these five luxury and two mainstream brand two thousand fourteen sedans, in order of the size of their depreciation.

Mercedes-Benz E-Class

The two thousand fourteen E-Class is selling at an average of $33,727, according to iSeeCars.com. That’s 48.Four percent lower than its original price.

The E-Class ranked in the top three of midsize luxury sedans as rated by reviewers sampled at U.S. News Best Cars. Restyled for the two thousand fourteen model, the E-Class gets praise for its convenience, spectacle and top-notch reliability.

The two thousand fourteen model added modern safety equipment like lane-keeping assist to help the driver avoid accidents. The EPA rates the optional turbodiesel engine for twenty eight MPG in city driving and forty on the highway. The gasoline version is rated for twenty city, thirty highway.

Mercedes-Benz C-Class

This smaller, less-expensive Mercedes is selling at an average of $23,212 for the two thousand fourteen model. That’s a 48.Three percent drop from its original new-car price.

Tho’ not as sporty as some of its competitors like the BMW three Series (see below), the C-Class is recommended for its good-looking interior and its sustained, comfy rail.

Its base four-cylinder turbocharged gasoline engine is rated at twenty two MPG in city driving, thirty one on the highway. The more powerful six-cylinder version is rated twenty city, twenty nine highway.

BMW five Series

The midsize five Series is selling for an average of $33,474 — a forty eight percent decline from the original new-car price. Like most cars in its class, the five Series is praised for a slick rail and comfy seats.

The 6-cylinder diesel engine that was introduced for two thousand fourteen gets special mention for its spectacle and its rating of twenty six MPG in the city, thirty seven on the highway. The turbo four-cylinder gasoline version is rated for twenty three city, thirty three highway.

Nissan Maxima

Nissan’s upbeat, top-of-the line sedan is one of two cars on our list selling for under $20,000. It’s presently priced at an average $Legal,867, according to iSeeCars.com. That’s a 47.9 percent discount for the two thousand fourteen model from its original new-car price.

Reviewers like its easy-to use tech features. But the attraction for most buyers is the powerful V-6 engine — rated at nineteen MPG in the city, twenty six on the highway.

BMW three Series

The model that helped make BMW’s reputation for sporty sedans is selling for an average $24,821 for the two thousand fourteen model. That’s a 46.9 percent discount from its new-car price.

The three Series ranks No. One among puny luxury cars, according to reviewers sampled by U.S. News. Test drivers praise it for its power and agility. On the practical side, they find the three Series has good rear-seat gam room for its size.

The optional turbodiesel engine is rated for thirty one MPG city, forty three highway. The turbocharged gasoline engine is rated at twenty three city, thirty four highway.

Infiniti Q50

The Infiniti Q50 luxury puny car is selling for an average of $24,956 — a 46.9 percent discount from its new-car price three years ago.

Introduced with the two thousand fourteen model, the Q50 wins praise for its slick rail and easy-to-use infotainment system. Test drivers also like the powerful V-6, which is rated for twenty MPG in city driving and twenty nine on the highway.

Ford Fusion

However the Fusion is the least expensive car on our list at $15,140, it has depreciated less (45.1 percent) than the luxury models. Test drivers describe it as joy to drive with agile treating. They also like the relatively large trunk space for a midsize sedan.

The Fusion’s four-cylinder turbocharged engine is rated at twenty five MPG city, thirty six highway. The Fusion also comes as a hybrid and as a plug-in hybrid, which has a combined city-highway rating of eighty eight MPGe — the equivalent to gas mileage ratings for an electrified car.

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