Mercedes-Benz C300
Mercedes Benz came out with its C300 model somewhere in the mid-’90s. The car was an instant success, and featured the same interior as its E-Class counterpart, but had a much more curved and sleek design. It’s also a relatively cheap Mercedes, and costs around $40,000, making it quite affordable for upper-middle-class Americans.
The main downside behind owning the C300 is the same as with any other Mercedes model. Maintenance and repairs are certainly not cheap, and you can expect to pay around $200 for a basic oil change. It’s definitely worth it if you’re a fan of the German luxury car brand, but otherwise, you should probably save that money for better use.
Nissan GT-R
Let’s face it, anyone buying a $100,000 Nissan GT-R clearly isn’t looking to save money. These affordable sports vehicles are one of the fastest production cars on the market. They also tend to be highly customized and go through a lot of modifications, including special engine upgrades and custom paint jobs, and many owners like to add some extremely loud speakers to hear that engine roar.
It can cost the average GT-R owner more than $1,500 to maintain and fuel this vehicle. In addition, larger fixes such as replacing its timing chain, will set you back more than $2,500. This is a very real possibility since the car was not built for safe, legal, and slow driving and most drivers will likely need to renew their timing chain within a few years' time.
Lincoln MKS
Lincoln has never been known for making cheap cars. Their vehicles might have a wide range of prices, but everyone knows that Lincolns cost money. Their MKS model was no different. It was a full-size luxury sedan that was sold by the automaker starting in 2007, and was recently discontinued in 2016.
Reports have come out that it costs more than $1,500 to maintain the Lincoln MKS annually. This adds up to almost $20,000 in a decade, a figure that doesn’t include gas and all the potential problems that might occur over that span of years. The car was also known for having issues with its brakes. These would cost between $250 to $750 to fix, which would get pretty pricey since there was no way around it.
Infinity Q45
Infinity is a luxury brand that belongs to Honda. It's known for having pricier vehicles that promise a greater level of quality and comfort. The Q45 was one of the brand’s flagship vehicles and was sold for many years until it was replaced by the M45 in the recent decade. Despite the new model that came out, maintenance costs have been and remain steadily high.
As a Q45 or M45 owner, the average cost of maintaining and fueling your vehicle is expected to be around $1,300 per year. Prepare to save some money for oil changes too, as these cost around $200 each. The same goes for brake pad replacements, which also go for upwards of $240. You do the math.
Ford Focus
One of the most affordable cars on this list is the Ford Focus. The car is an entry-level sports car and gives the appearance of a highly affordable vehicle. What most Focus owners learn only after they get the actual car, is that it is rife with annual maintenance fees that amount to over $1,000 in fuel, upkeep, and repair costs alone.
These recurring costs are just the start though, as the Focus is notorious for having various technical issues with its components, such as faulty door latches and motor breakdowns. You would be better off skipping this one altogether and considering a slightly more expensive option, such as the Volkswagen GTI, which could end up saving you both money and headaches in the long run.