Long time I posted anything but thought ask the car smart ppl here for some suggestions:

looking to replace my 2007 Camry (daily beater commute car) with another. As soon as my lease ended on the RC, I bought a 2018 TAHOE for the family stuff so can’t be spending money on a $50-60k 4 door. BUT...

On my list (and for budget reasons) have 2016/2017 435/535, A6 2.0T and maybe another lux 4 door. Yes i can opt for another Camry or Accord but itching to get back to lux as I have had 5 series , GS and RC in my life.

Question: I’m really leaning towards the A6 , 2016, S line, with 25k miles and within my budget. Thoughts on the cars reliability and buying it used status?

thanks

 

The A6 is a superb car to drive, but Consumer Reports gives its reliability rating for the last couple of years as worse than average. Trouble spots have been the fuel system, brakes, and, to a lesser extent, electronics. If you decide on an A6, I'd consider an extended warranty....standard coverage is only 4/50 (even on the drivetrain), and that, on a 2016, will run out next year.

 

I would highly recommend the 2016 F10 535i.
It features the N55 Inline 6cyl which is very reliable mated to the excellent ZF 8speed auto.

I had the 2013 535i with no issues. But get CPO if you can, they should run you about $30-35k.
My 2nd choice would be GS350 but much more limited selection on Used market as they don’t sell as well as 5series.

 

Remember that anything from the german brands should only be bought with a good warranty or expectation thats things will break or require a rigorous maintenance schedule to adhere to. F10 series is a great option, especially LCI versions. A6 is good too, but that gen 5 series interior was way ahead of the pack tech wise.

I know this is probably the last thing on your mind, but if you want soft riding luxury but dont mind a toyota badge, take a gander to the 19 avalons. Majestic vehicles, brand new on a better platform that have insane amounts of trunk money (20-25% off sticker) and probably equipped as highly as well.

 

Related to the Avalon is the 2019 ES 350. Don't have to worry about getting a warranty too. Obviously the German midsize offerings are more luxurious, sportier, and more expensive though.

 

Thread is about pre-owned, not new.

 

A new ES 350 could very well be cheaper than a used A6. OP mentioned he can't drop $50K on a new car, but the Avalon/ES 350 are not priced that high. Just saying. If he doesn't want a new car (he did mention Camry and Accord too), then my bad.

 

Thank you peeps. Great insights and opinions which I will take into consideration while I’m finalizing my choice. Few things....

yes i I can buy a brand new Camry (new shape is awesome) and Maybe a Mazda 6 BUT itch is for a lux brand since I had them throughout the years .

I did have a 2014 F10 535 and frankly of all the cars I had , that was the best .... and the RC (oh I miss it!)

Appreciate the feedback on the A6... I’m just feeling it, never had an AUDI and want to try it. I’m sorry but imho only car that looks good at Lexus is the new ES (too old for me still), LS and RC. I had a 1999 and then a 2006 GS, I feel nothing for the new shapes. Feels like 2 different cars connected together front to back.

Looks like between A6 and F10 535 or maybe a 4series.

Thanks !

 

I'd get the A6 over the BMW..but I'd also look at used A7's. That's a design I have really grown to like and the interior space is well-designed.

 

A couple of weeks ago I traded in our 2016 A6. It was a great car with no issues. Just a couple of updates while in for service. It had the S Line package and sport suspension which was firm but compliant- Rode and handled great. I can't speak to long term reliability but rock solid while we had it

 

I’m actually in a similar situation as I’m looking to get a daily driver sedan. I went and drove the new A6 with the V6 in Sline trim. Dynamically it can’t hold a candle to a 5series in terms of handling, steering input/directness. It is really FAST. Btw i test drove it in various modes including “Dynamic”. Exterior styling looks nice, just don’t like the fake exhaust tips. I wasn’t impressed with interior layout (Low Nav screen) or materials. It also lacks the cool BMW features that I really prefer like adjustable side bolsters, fat M steering wheel, Idrive.

The F10 generation 5series was probably the BEST car i ever owned. It shared its platform with 7series and RollsRoyce so it was over-engineered. The N55 Inline 6 is really powerful and smooth. The interior didn’t have even 1 rattle after almost 40k miles driving on low profile 19s in NYC streets. The styling of exterior and interior is one of my all time favorites.
The new G30 5series which i have driven many times is a Superb car but I really can’t feel any significant improvements over the F10 dynamically at all. I also not crazy about the new exterior design.
I have started to look at some CPO 2016 F10 535s but hard to find ones in my desired spec in a 50-100mile radius. The F10 I had, i had custom ordered...so most likely i will end up ordering new one but i prefer the F10. For $30k its hard to get a better car.

 

When we were thinking about replacing our '16 A6 I looked at the new model and just couldn't warm up to it. I agree on the fake exhaust tips, they bug me for some reason. There are some really aggressive deals on it but not enough to motivate me. It's too bad because we really liked the one we had. We bought a new 2019 G30 5 Series which we are really enjoying.

 

i say cpo E550 4matic, you're essentially just a software update away from an E63 and balance of handling/comfort is great... the E550 might be too old to be certified at this point though, luckily the E-Class is generally pretty good overall

the buttery smooth twin turbo V8 torque and lovely rumble of a sound would be tough for me to pass up on