Maybach leads luxury segment... in depreciation
Anybody want to buy a used Maybach? Hello? The idea may sound entirely preposterous – an anathema, even, to the brand's nouveau riche market – but it may be the best way to get your hands on Mercedes' super-lux big brother. Of course that's the positive way to look at it, but the flip side is that, as demonstrated by recently released statistics, Maybach has the highest depreciation rates of any car on the market.
Over the course of the first year of ownership, a new Maybach 62S is assessed to lose a whopping $183k off its half-a-million-dollar sticker price. That's 39% off its purchase value in the span of a year, or roughly $500 every day. The Rolls-Royce Phantom, by comparison, loses "only" about $100k, or 24%. Slightly further down-market, things are even worse... by percentage, at least: a BMW 7 Series loses a tear-jerking 51%, and a Mercedes S-Class 47%. While depreciation is expected on a new car, this is bordering on depressing.
[Source: Automotive News Europe - Sub. Req.]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
jjpg2000 3:35PM (2/03/2009)
51% for a 7 Series, that's just brutal.
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Mobius_1 4:27PM (2/03/2009)
So if you bought a 750i, you'd be left with approximately a 335i after a year... ouch!
pmiddle5 7:54PM (2/03/2009)
I love your math!
chad.dawkins 3:35PM (2/03/2009)
I still want one. I love the white interior in the 57S.
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warsteiner89 4:03PM (2/03/2009)
if that's the case, get a last generation S-class used and save some $$.
PumaGTO 5:00PM (2/03/2009)
or you could just wait another year and buy it for a buck.
need4speed_13 3:40PM (2/03/2009)
Even more of a reason to never buy new.
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Iridium 3:44PM (2/03/2009)
Of course big luxury cars have the most depreciation. Hell look at a 1990s Bentley. You can buy a hand built '90s Arnage with $75k worth of wood, metal, and leather inside for a litte over $30k.
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xspeedy 3:46PM (2/03/2009)
I think the high depreciation comes from the fear of having to maintain one of these beasts outside of warranty. Just look at the amount of stuff to go wrong and you'll be your mechanics best friend in no time.
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Jake B 3:48PM (2/03/2009)
All of these said cars are extremely expensive to repair. You can scoop a mid nineties S600 with the v12 for little over ten grand. Those things rang the register at around 130 grand when they were new. Most of it being scared of fixing that v12.
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Hamhock 3:54PM (2/03/2009)
In some places houses are doing just as badly....
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erayapana 3:55PM (2/03/2009)
Sounds like a killer deal for whoever can afford a used Maybach. The amount of planning and detail that goes into those cars are crazy. I'm most amazed by the fact that the factory saves a chunk of the same wood they used in your car in case pieces of it needs to be replaced down the road (like in a car accident or if your woman's stillletos crack a piece while you both are testing out the killer seats in the back). That way the wood grain and patterns aren't mismatched. crazy!
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Shouldbeworking 5:14PM (2/03/2009)
To me and you its a huge waste of money. To a large corporate CEO its just another business expense. Resale and maintenance costs are never really taken into account when its not your own money.
Suprised to see that the VW W12 Phaeton is not mentioned, talk about loosing some serious cash on that one!
Richard S. 5:42PM (2/03/2009)
Something is wrong here...
"Over the course of the first year of ownership, a new Maybach 62S is assessed to lose a whopping $183k off its half-a-million-dollar sticker price."
I doubt that this is after the1st year. Nor do I believe a BMW 7-Series loses 51% after the 1st year.
Perhaps the author meant over 3-5 years of ownership?
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FSM 6:44PM (2/03/2009)
I think what you guys are missing is that if you were to try and sell your used Maybach or 7 series back to the dealers, then you would see that 50% depreciation. Of course then when the dealer tries to resell it, they naturally jack the price up.
Pokey 4:09PM (2/03/2009)
I don't care how luxurious it is, I don't see why anyone would pay $500,000 for something that looks like a Hyundai from five years ago, and is probably less reliable than a five year old Hyundai.
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Mobius_1 4:29PM (2/03/2009)
And having 12 Genesis sedans would probably look more impressive than just one Maybach, especially if you can find enough drivers for a motorcade.
Hyundai, like Sunday. :)
Craig 4:10PM (2/03/2009)
Sweet! At this rate in about 8 years I'm going to be driving a Maybach. Can't wait.
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caddy-v 4:20PM (2/03/2009)
Never thought any car could depreciate faster than a Hyundai.
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noz 4:25PM (2/03/2009)
That's what happens when you overprice a car to begin with. On top of the fact that most German luxury cars are hideous. That can't help.
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