This is a disconcerting fact, especially for those people whom prefer purchasing a new vehicle every few years. The reason being, when trading in a car, a high resale value is the greatest asset a person hopeful of owning a new car has.
While there are vehicles that do not depreciate in value as quickly as others — and people who prefer to turn in their late-model vehicle for new cars on a regular basis should consider purchasing one of them, — the real worry should be about purchasing a vehicle with extremely fast depreciation.
According to a page on Intellichoice.com titled Depreciation Overview, the vehicles that depreciate the fastest are mini vans, large sedans and premium model — limited editions like XLT — vehicles. Some of these vehicles can depreciate up to 50% a year for the first seven years.
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1. BMW 7 Series
Unquestionably, the German manufacturer BMW designs and engineers high-end, long-lasting vehicles. For someone that wants to purchase a new car and drive it for the next 10 to 15 years, a BMW is an ideal choice. However, as with most luxury line sedans the 7 series has proven to have a fatal resale value. The 740i series exemplifies the fact the BMW sedans fail to maintain their value. A 2014 BMW 740i costs almost 90k.
A 2011 can be purchased for $30,000. That is a depreciation of 66 percent in three years.
2. Bentley Arnage
In terms of luxury cars, Bentley is among the leaders in style performance and repute. Bentley does not make a vehicle that costs less than $100,000 new and few that are less than $150,000. In fact, Bentley sells several vehicles that are pushing the $300,000 price range. However, the difference between new and late model Bentleys is staggering.
Take the Arnage, for example. In 2003, the Arnage R cost $218,000. A 2004 Arnage — a 9 year old vehicle — can now be picked up for around $34,000. That is a depreciation of 85% or 9.5% per year, every year.
3. Maybach 57
If the layman thinks of a Bentley when having reveries about uber-luxury vehicles, the wealthy think about the Maybach. These vehicles have everything imaginable with regard to every feature that gives a vehicle value. This is a vehicle that the wealthy in Dubai are proud to own. A 2015 Maybach 57 has a base price of around one half of a million dollars.
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In 2007, it had a base price of $370,000. Today, a 2007 Maybach 57 can be purchased for $160,000 or less. That is a depreciation of 57%. A more illustrative means of thinking of the devaluation of this car is this: in the course of seven years, the value of a Maybach 57 dropped $200,000.
4. Cadillac STS-V
Cadillac has a rich tradition in the United States. While the manufacturer does not have the same cache it did during the 60´s, 70´s and 80´s, Cadillac sedans are still considered the American version of luxury line cars. For a sedan, $50,000 in 2014 is still a respectable sum of money. Unfortunately however, Cadillac sedans have a poor track record among buyers trying to re-sell. Take the 2010 STS-V, for example.
With sticker price of 75k in 2010, the same vehicle can be picked-up four years and 30,000 miles later for about $40,000. With 50,000 miles, the price dips into the low 30k range. In other words, for a car that has just been broken in, a person can pay 47% of the sticker price by waiting a few years.
5. Volkswagen Phaeton W12
The Phaeton W12 was Volkswagen´s´s attempt to do luxury. The sticker price was an eye-popping $95,000. While it is assumed that the Phaeton would have done well in terms of sales if another manufacturer — one with a reputation for selling high-end sedans — had produced that car, it failed miserably, an unfortunate fact considering that the Phaeton turned out to be a very reliable and stylish car. However, only ten years later, the price of the Phaeton has dropped to a staggering $10,000 used. That is an 89.5% drop in value in 10 years.
6. Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG
Mercedes-Benz is known for its ability to produce fine luxury sedans, but the SL65 AMG is a roadster that performs as well as any other in the market. Not only are is this roadster elusively fast, they are produced in exclusively low numbers. However, that has not seemed to help the SL65 AMG maintain the value of its sticker price.
In 2009, this vehicle cost $250,000 per. Today, any 2009 SL65 AMG with more than 5,000 has already lost $60,000 in value. A 2009 with 40,000 miles has already lost $150,000 of value. One with 50,000 miles can be had for $90,000. That equates to a loss of 64% of its sticker price in five years or roughly 13% annually.
7. Aston Martin Rapide
Aston Martin — arguably — defines roadsters and has for decades, generations even. However, Aston Martin is gaining a reputation for selling re-sale-lemons, the Rapide in particular. While the Ripide seems to have all the bells and whistles of every other Rapide, just a lower sticker price — ironic since it is still over $200,000.
To understand just how poorly the Rapide resells, consider the 2011. It cost an even 200k three years ago. Today, anyone paying over $120,000 for a 2011 with more than 10,000 miles is making a mistake. That means in three years, the value of a Ripide falls $80,000 or 40% of its value. That is 13.3% annually every year for the first three.
8. Porsche Cayenne Turbo
Renowned for their high-end roadsters and sports cars, Porsche has recently done well with their version of an SUV. However, those people who have purchased the Cayenne have not faired as well when deciding to trade-in or sell their Porsche SUV. To get an idea of just how dramatically fast a Porsche Cayenne loses value, consider the 2009.
The resale value of a 2009 Cayenne S Turbo is in the neighborhood of $45,000. Three years before, the Turbo cost upwards of $70,000. In other words, each month a Cayenne S Turbo is driven it depreciates in value by about $600.
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9. BMW X5
Unfortunately, BMW has made it onto the list twice. Again, while BMW makes incredibly fine vehicles and they seem to last forever, their resale value is not up to par with other vehicles in the luxury class. One of the best examples of the worse of BMW resale value — vehicle value depreciation — is the X5.
In 2011, an X5 cost upwards of $60,000. The same vehicle can now be purchased for as low as $30,000. In other words, in 36 months, the X5 has lost $30,000 worth of value. That means the vehicle has already lost 50% of its value 24 months before its 5 year, 50,000 warranty is up.
10. Cadillac Escalade
The Cadillac Escalade is an extremely popular vehicle that has done well by its manufacturer with regard to sales in its 15 year run. However, it has done far less to earn money for those attempting to sell it used. In fact, of all the value-depreciation culprits, it may be the worse of any.
A 2010 Cadillac Escalade can be picked up for as low as $25,000 if a person is willing to purchase a vehicle with over 100,000 miles. What makes that shocking is that the depreciation in the four years prior had to be $1,000 per month in order for that to happen. That is because the sticker price of a 2012 Escalade was $65,000.
