I’m a Car Expert: 5 Luxury Cars To Avoid Before Retirement
Written by
G. Brian Davis
Edited by
Zuri Anderson
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Don’t want to spend your retirement driving a loaner from the mechanic, while your luxury car languishes in the shop?
Watch out for these money pit vehicles that come with some not-so-senior-friendly features.
Land Rover Range Rover
- Price starts at: $109,375 (Kelley Blue Book)
Range Rovers boast a certain rugged panache, but they won’t do your wallet any favors. The 2025 J.D. Power dependability study put Land Rover near the bottom of the list for manufacturers.
Range Rovers also come with safety concerns for seniors.
“The tall stance and heavy weight mean longer stopping distances and a higher-than-average rollover rate,” explains Michael T. Gibson, attorney at AutoJusticeAttorney.com. “Sophisticated air-suspension parts frequently end up on back-order, leaving clients in rental limbo.”
Tesla Model S
- Price starts at: $81,880
For all the talk that electric vehicles should have fewer maintenance issues due to their simpler engines, Tesla still manages to rank among the worst brands for reliability, per Consumer Reports.
“Attractive electric performance is offset by numerous recalls and a sparse service network,” notes Patrick Peterson, auto expert at Goodcar.com. “Proprietary components can result in extended repair lead times and premium charges.”
Jaguar F-Type
- Price starts at: $79,175
Jaguar is discontinuing the F-Type in 2025, which might sadden enthusiasts but shouldn’t cause any tears for retirees. Jaguars in general retain their reputation for terrible reliability, and sure enough, the latest WhatCar‘s dependability survey ranked Jaguar 20th for reliability for cars aged up to five years old.
Gibson adds the F-Type also poses some extra risks for aging drivers.
“It may be beautiful but it’s brutal on aging joints. Its low sill height and wide doors contribute to hip and wrist injuries during everyday ingress and egress, not just crashes,” he said.
BMW 7 Series
- Price starts at: $98,475
BMW plunged headfirst into digital-only dashboards and driving — and that doesn’t do retirees any favors.
“The iDrive’s layered menus and haptic sliders turn simple tasks like turning on the AC or the radio into eyes-off-road scavenger hunts,” notes Gibson.
It also leaves BMWs less dependable, as specialist mechanic Alan Gelfand of German Car Depot explains.
“BMW’s move towards complex electronics with iDrive, active roll stabilization and electronically controlled damping increases the number of points of failure,” Gelfand said.
BMW buyer beware.
Porsche Panamera
- Price starts at: $104,795
While Porsche in general has made great strides in reliability, not all their cars are created equal.
“The Panamera delivers exceptional performance, but incurs approximately $12,000 [to] $14,000 in ten-year upkeep,” observes Peterson. “Elevated recall frequency, specialized parts and fewer authorized service centers further inflate ownership expenses.”
As a final thought, many luxury cars — especially less common ones — come with higher ownership expenses across the board. That includes repairs, maintenance, parts, fuel, and insurance. For a luxury experience that won’t cost you quite as much in retirement, Peterson recommends checking out the Lexus ES and LS, Acura MDX and Buick Enclave.
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