Auto Experts Say Stop Buying These 6 Luxury Cars Immediately
Written by
David Nadelle
Edited by
Amen Oyiboke
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It’s not uncommon to experience buyer’s remorse, even with a small purchase. However, those feelings of regret can get amplified when you’re making a significant purchase, like a new or used vehicle. While buying an already depreciating asset, the car owner can suffer from anxiety when high expectations don’t measure up to the post-purchase reality.
There’s a certain standard that people assume after spending a lot of money on a luxury car, but high-end brands are prone to overpricing, expensive maintenance and repeated repairs.
GOBankingRates asked two experts — Alan Gelfand, owner of the Hollywood specialist repair shop German Car Depot, and Chris Pyle, an auto specialist with the expert-on-demand platform JustAnswer — which luxury cars weren’t worth buying, and they weren’t short on opinions.
Luxury Cars You Should Avoid Buying
1. Range Rover Sport
Don’t expect Land Rover to top any reliability rankings anytime soon. Consumer Reports placed the brand at No. 30 out of 32 in its most recent overall car brand report card. Land Rovers are expensive to buy — and to maintain — and they tend to break down frequently.
“The parts are not cheap, and labor is high too, since most shops will not touch them, so you are stuck using the dealer,” Pyle said. “Also, failures have repair bills in the thousands, not hundreds.”
Gelfand agreed and pointed to the Range Rover Sport as a particularly problematic model that “has earned its place as one of the most troublesome models for repair technicians to work on.”
“The vehicle experiences frequent air suspension breakdowns, electronic system malfunctions and oil leaks, which create costly maintenance problems for owners,” Gelfand added. “The high price point of these vehicles leads customers to expect dependable performance, yet they frequently need to visit repair shops repeatedly.”
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2. BMW 7 Series
Although CoPilot considers newer versions of the 7 Series Bimmer more reliable than models dating from 2002-2010, Gelfand noted that contemporary 7s have their own set of issues.
“The 7 Series flagship model from BMW comes with advanced technology, but this advanced system leads to multiple system breakdowns that result in high repair expenses after warranty expiration,” he said. “The electronic system failures of this vehicle become so common that owners experience a significant decline in their vehicle’s market value, which results in a bad investment decision.”
3. Mercedes-Benz CLS
Both experts picked different Mercedes models, both of which keep mechanics busy.
“The Mercedes-Benz C-class is a vehicle often seen in the shop getting things worked on in the cab and under the hood,” said Pyle. “Techs often laugh after fixing one and sending it out the door. We say, ‘See ya soon,’ all too often. It is true and not for repeat failure … just something else that has stopped working right.”
Gelfand noted that the more expensive, CLS executive sedan — discontinued in 2023 — is an upscale money pit.
“The CLS model has lost its appeal since its introduction because of its stylish design,” Gelfand said. “The vehicle requires expensive maintenance because its suspension and electrical systems experience frequent breakdowns. The CLS fails to provide sufficient value for its premium price point when compared to other Mercedes-Benz models.”
4. Audi A3
A major selling point of luxury cars is their performance: their handling, tech and power. When it comes to the latter and the A3, Pyle has his concerns.
“[This Audi model] comes in with low oomph from the engine,” he said. “It was designed to be a car with luxury and good MPG, but it needs a little more bang under the hood. It is not so bad that people only see the driver’s side because you are stuck in the slow lane, but you are for sure going to get left in the dust by much cheaper cars with more performance.”
5. Cadillac Escalade
The “go big or go home” Escalade appeals to drivers who want more of everything — space, seating and storage. The base Escalade, along with the IQ, ESV and IQL models, made MotorTrend’s “Largest SUVs for 2025” top 10 list, but its sheer size is only one of the common complaints.
“The Escalade provides an imposing appearance but lacks functional usability,” said Gelfand. “The vehicle presents difficult handling and poor fuel efficiency because of its large size. The interior quality of this luxury SUV falls short of European competitors while its ownership expenses remain elevated.”
Pyle is less specific with his gripes about Cadillac. When asked which luxury models people should stop buying, he said, “Cadillac, all of them. You pay top dollar premium for these nice vehicles, then within a month it has depreciated 15%.
“You may lose 10-20k before you have made the first monthly payment,” Pyle continued. “Around five years old, you will lose around 60-70% value and find it hard to sell or trade and get what you want from it.”
6. Genesis GV80
Advanced tech is an enticing feature for many car buyers. However, how much is too much? Today’s tech can be overwhelming, according to Scientific American, which wrote, “Cars in the current generation can be pricier to repair, harder to understand and operate, and, some experts in the field say, more likely to cause distraction and driver disengagement.”
The GV80 by Genesis falls into the overly advanced vehicle category for Pyle. “It has some great features, especially the surround video for blind spot lane changing. However, it has a little too much,” he said.
“It has this thing called the mood curator system. Which helps wake you up or calm you down with coordinated music, ambient lighting, and cabin fragrance combinations. Figuring out how to use all the plush extras in this car may be overwhelming for the older generation.”
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