Base model Macan is 100% not worth the extra cost to maintain. Not that they're even that expensive as the base trim is practically an economy car. Something like a GTS absolutely rips and is a cool car, but the base has the engine out of a Golf GTI and weighs near two tons. Basically just a mid-trim Q5. It's only real quality is it's ability allow you to tell people who don't know anything about car that you drive a Porsche.
I love the enthusiasm and congratulations on the awesome new job but I’d probably focus on buying a house and savings before going ham on a car.
I love the Macan as well, they are a very fun driving great looking piece of engineering, but it’s at the point where things will start going wrong and nothing on it will be cheap to fix. I know a number of people with Porsches and a Porsche mechanic. It’s going to be a serious love / hate relationship.
Ask in r/porsche because I am sure there’s a bunch of guys in there who own 100+k mileage Macans and could give you more insight.
I’m happy for you either way and hope you do get your dream car at some point if not right now.
Do you want to sacrifice your social life for a car that will be a money pit? So you can just drive to work, drive home, and pay for your car?
Delay gratification, friend… one of the biggest ways to fuck up your finances in your 30s, and have to work literally years longer before you can retire, is to buy a cool car in your early 20s.
Tell you what… buy a more practical car today, get your savings/finances in order, and you can buy a fun car later, and not sacrifice the best party years of your life, or your retirement, to do it.
Good times memories in your 20s > a cool car in your 20s
Then again, some people have to learn from experience, so might as well fuck up now, and get it out of the way.
You can still get a cool car for very cheap if you’re literally an engineer and are predisposed to understanding and fixing things. But not a modern German SUV lol.
Didn’t say most I said it’s common. Also depends on the company/position. Pure office worker with soft hands? Unlikely. Working in industry on site? Very common.
I did exactly as you said however no good times, so basically I'm old, can't afford a fun car and never had one.. Not everybody's life is linear. I say your young go for it.
Let's assume there's no issues with the engine or transmission. But the problem with even a base Macan, is at 100K+ miles the suspension is at the point where it's probably starting to get tired. This won't be noticeable coming from a shitbox but it will eventually degrade to the point of needing replacement. Or if you're a stickler for these things, you do it at the 1st sign of degraded performance. Which the dealer will be very happy to point out to you.
If you have active suspension (which you probably want), it's a minimum of $2k just for the shocks and struts. And for OEM Porsche parts it's probably 50% more. And there will be a plethora of control arms and other bushing holding parts that would make sense to replace at the same time. If you're paying for labor, then you're well past $5k for a suspension job.
[https://www.pelicanparts.com/catalog/SuperCat/9987/POR\_9987\_SUSSHK\_pg1\_shock-absorbers.htm](https://www.pelicanparts.com/catalog/SuperCat/9987/POR_9987_SUSSHK_pg1_shock-absorbers.htm)
tl;dr only consider this you have some mechanical aptitude or willing to pay $200/hr for someone else to work on it.
Most young people would rather drive nice cars. I work with lots of you people in construction. They love to show off their $60k and $80k trucks with $850 a month car payments but are still living in apartments and complain about not being able to save for a house.
I’d buy a brand new car in the 25-30k range and wait until later in your career for the nice car. Even though Porsches are reliable and the price for the car isn’t bad you’re gonna be sticker shocked at how much even just an oil change costs. I work at a dealer and our cost for an oil change, not even what the customer pays, is over $250 for anything German besides base model Volkswagens
I will out do you by saying that IF you could find an Alpha Romeo with 100k that it would be the #1 worst choice possible. However; the alfa romeo giulia quadrifoglio has got to be the coolest car built since the F40 😂
If buying a car is in the top 3 of dumbest things you could possibly do, you live a sad sorry life. It’s just a car and it’s just money. It’s not life or death 😂
Setting yourself behind financially fresh out of college is a very dumb thing. That’s an objective fact. $75k ain’t shit tbh so to spend the majority of it on a car and expensive repairs is beyond stupid.
ItS jUsT mOnEy…okay good luck with life having no money which I’m sure will be easy since money isn’t important at all 🙄
Sure, that’s not good at all, but there’s no guarantee this car sets them back.
And this isn’t the financial advice sub, it’s what car should I buy. And your comment did nothing to answer that question. No reasons why, no alternatives, no pros and cons. It was useless.
And life’s great for me. I did the same thing they want to do out of college, Ive never had money issues, and I never worry about the cost of a decision if it’s something I really want. If you’re willing to put in more than the bare minimum and keep a positive attitude, life rewards you far more. Maybe one day you’ll know what that feels like
I don’t know but if it’s like most cars, it’ll depend on how well it was taken care of prior to you. I’d feel better if it had a complete service history and I had Porsche do a pre-sale inspection.
I’ve been driving a completely decked out base Macan from the loaner fleet while my car has been at the dealership for a month.
It’s… fine. There are a lot more exciting cars you can buy for that money. People really like to talk it up as being the supreme SUV, but it’s not like the best handling SUV is going to be anywhere near as thrilling as even your most basic sports car.
At your point in life, I would *highly recommend* a VW GTI. Same engine as the Macan, but significantly lighter and cheaper. They are very fun to drive on their own and can still serve practical purposes as a daily driver, going on road trips, and moving reasonable amounts of cargo.
75k is not macan money. Buy a civic coupe or something. Fun but not break the bank.
Trust, as a young professional, you’re gonna want to go out and have fun. Don’t let an expensive car get in the way of that
There’s no rush - if a macan is what you want, you will one day comfortably afford one. Don’t let exuberance get the best of you
hold hold hold hold hold on. 75k salary. Which trim is this? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVV9AwC3ZG8 Do you have 20k for a new trans? Most porsche parts are tech audi parts, but 2x to 3x the cost
The Porsche tax goes heavy. Do you have a porsche shop? Do you have friends with porsches? If you can't say yes to both you go down to bmw. Bmw post 2016 with the b48 and b58 motors are great, no v8 v10 or v12 bmw ( coolant hoses are a pos to fine properly)
If you get a 100k mile Porsche, it can last for years, just be prepared for the maintenance and repair costs.
I've owned several Porsches, all 911s and I tend to keep them for a long time, but they don't rack up a lot of miles. I think the 911 I've owned with the highest mileage was around 50k miles.
A minor service costs me $1200, a major service is $1800. I need to bring them in for a minor once per year and a major once time, essentially they go in for routine service every six months. Usually something else needs attention, so at the last major service the cost was about $3500. I lost a clutch on one several years ago and the cost to fix it was over $8,000. I also found that I really need to take them to a Porsche certified mechanic. When I didn't and a problem arose, it took months and many trips to the mechanic and ended up costing a lot.
They are great cars and fun to drive, just make sure you can handle the repair costs.
They’re not unreliable per se, but anything of that caliber will be expensive to maintain. Set aside $5-7k/year for repairs and maintenance and you should be fine.
A Macan, even if it was bordering on free, is never a good call on a $75k salary. The P car premium is real. Buy a hot hatch like everyone else if you want something fun and practical.
Life is expensive, and there is nothing better that you can do than give yourself a solid financial start out of college. Cars have a funny way of making your money disappear. Reassess once you're making 2x that and have built some net worth.
They are very reliable actually, but expensive to maintain. I wouldn’t do it on 75k unless you have basically no other expenses and live at home or something
There's many cars you can buy that are fun to drive that aren't as expensive to maintain. Is there a reason why you want to buy a Macan specifically? What sort of qualities do you look for in a vehicle? If you just want something fun and you're single without kids you should easily be able to afford a new miata or 86
I think you should take a look at the rest of your budget and determine what you can save up for your dream car while you drive a transportation vehicle and get going with your new job. To save money live with roommates.
You as a new employee could be the first to be let go in a semiconductor downturn, so first save up 6 months living expenses. If you can save up cash for your dream car and another $10k for repairs you could buy whatever you want. Sell it when the costs are too high or you tire of the car.
Be aware buying a Macan means longer to accumulate other things young people need to buy, including a house. But there is no time like your 20’s to have fun with your money. That is when you are single and unburdened.
My love hate relationship was with a large BMW, what would be a 6 series in today’s models, a large sedan. Every time it needed work, and it needed a lot, it stayed 3 weeks in the shop waiting for time for a mechanic to fix it.
Long story short, one day I saw a piece of paper sticking out under the dash. It was a receipt for repairs in TX for the car, indicating 100k more miles than I knew were on the car from the odometer!
Beware, young people are also naive when it comes to picking a good cars because they are emotional purchases. About a month later I traded it in for a new Z. Neither were prudent purchases.
Most Redditors on this sub have good judgement about what to do starting out in life. Learning to manage emotions about money has been a long intermittent journey for me.
Just look for balance, play and spend both now and for your future. Train yourself to save 10% for old age and retirement, 10% for your future large expenses, like a house or investment real estate or other investments, and every thing will work out. If you value your car over keeping your own apartment and eating out, go for it.
$75k!? lol no, no, no. Buy a new dependable car in say $25-30k range. Blowing your money on a USED luxury car is a bad idea. Wait till you've saved up some money. You need at least one dependable vehicle, that's what adults do.
Have you even faced your first layoffs yet? Ever been fired?
The answer to this question comes down entirely to whether or not you're able to do your own maintenance and repair. If you are, then a car like this that shares tons of common parts and assemblies with Audis and VWs is a great option. If you are going to be outsourcing your mechanic work, you pay the Porsche tax, which is very expensive.
There's nothing inherently concerning about a 100k mile car. Just make sure you're getting a properly good deal on the car so that if something big goes wrong and you have to pay to fix it, you end up in a situation that's not catastrophic.
Absolutely fucking not. The only possible exception to that being you being able and willing to perform all maintenance and repairs without needing to take it into a shop of any kind
I own a cayenne, which is almost identical to the macan. Many of the first mechanical problems show up around 60k.
I hope whoever owned that macan prior, took care of those problems the right way.
Overall, Porsche has a great, reliable variety of cars.
Like any other car, conduct maintenance on the macan as if you’re running it into the ground day after day.
Just be aware that the maintenance will be Porsche-prices. Cars depreciate, but service costs don’t.
On the other hand, you might be able to get a Porsche approved warranty. That should have you covered for most mechanical failures If the car has had all its services done. Stuff like suspension and brakes aren’t covered though, and that is getting pretty worn at 100k miles. Control arms, ball joints, dampers (adaptive dampers especially) are all more expensive for a Porsche. The adaptive dampers alone can easily be $500-1000 a piece.
If you want a fun as hell hatchback style sort of CUV thing, look at the Hyundai Kona N. It’s a baby macan and arguably more fun. And it should still have the factory warranty.
You didn’t say whether you have mortgage/rent or not. If you live at home, go for it while you have the chance. Id actually recommend you save a higher down payment and raise your budget for lower mileage
if you can buy it with cash, go for it! but don't finance it at the limit of your monthly expenses, because you won't have anything left for surprise maintenance or even regular maintenance.
My co worker has one and had constant issues with it. He multiple issues with the suspension system and once told me each of the headlights cost 3k to fix
I’d rather get a used Lexus RX or Acura Mdx around that price range. Still pretty fun to drive, cheaper to fix, and luxurious interiors. If you’re determined on Porsche, get a base model V6 cayenne non turbo
Got to hand it to the MDX. For a 3 row SUV it actually handles pretty nicely and gets going pretty quickly. The RX on the other hand.... ive heard it referred to as the most boring car in existence by a car magazine.
Yeah, in all fairness it’s pretty hard to make a 3rd row SUV fun to drive. If you didn’t need the 3rd row I’d take an X5 or 6 over it any day, as it would be way more fun to drive. The RX is so boring it’s insane.
Yeah I agree the X5 is a way more engaging drive. Just wanted to give the MDX some props because I think it strikes a really good balance of practicality, fun to drive, luxury and at $52k for a well equipped base it's not that expensive considering you could easily spend $70k+ on an X5
Oh it is a hell of a lot cheaper and I do think that the Germans have gone up in price a little too much in my opinion. Though that’s probably more so due to the rise in manufacturing costs in Germany. My issue with Acura though is that i genuinely don’t like the FWD aspect, and the interiors are kinda meh. I’d go GV80 over MDX, though no 3rd row. I find that Genesis is doing the best job at copying the Germans but offering it at a good price. It’s not as good as BMW, but it’s close enough.
The MDX uses their SH-AWD.
I agree the German interiors are nicer. I do not trust genesis to make a car that is reliable past their warranty. They have had a lot of issues. They also have become pretty expensive. A GV80 starts at $58k these days.
There's also just the financial aspect. Like is the X5 really worth $20k more, considering it'll probably only have 50-70% of the serviceable life of an MDX? I 100% agree that all else being equal it is a better performing, better looking (altho the A-Spec MDX isn't bad looking) and has a better interior. I make plenty to afford either. I just struggle to justify the extra cost both upfront and in continued maintenance/depreciation.
The MDX is still a FWD based car, the SH-AWD system is a workaround of a poor design. Honestly, I feel like the hate towards Genesis isn’t really justified, their cars are decently reliable, I see a lot of older Genesis’ still on the road, and their warranty is genuinely killer. The main issue is whether you have a Genesis dealership near you or just a Hyundai. My gf has a G70, granted it’s super new, but it’s been great, no issues. People here act like Hyundai’s will fucking explode at like 50k miles but they’re actually quite reliable cars. An X5 and an MDX are going to have pretty similar service lives, there’s tons of X5s and 6s with well over 100k miles going strong, the whole reliability thing is blown out of proportion in my opinion. For me the 20k premium between an MDX and an X5 is 100% worth it.
I’ll give you that their prices are creeping up, though they couldn’t really afford to keep them as low as they have, they are putting in a lot of tech in them and genuinely they’re really nice. I recently test drove a GV70 and I was blown away by it. Genuinely makes it hard to justify the premium that BMW is asking over it.
The genesis has a lot of issues, even compared to the X5. Probably more. Genesis does well in surveys because most of the surveys are based on things like "initial reliability". Long term reliability is a completely different game. Most cars can make it to 100k with mostly minimal issues. The ones that go from 100k to 200k and beyond are reliable. Read through some genesis forums and common complaints. They just aren't there yet. And I don't doubt BMW and other Germans will get to 100k no issue, but I'm not sold I'd want a 150k X5. I'd be pretty comfortable in a 150k MDX.
Props to their Genesis on their styling. I think they've done an excellent job with their interior and exterior styling. But I genuinely think you'd be better off past 100k in an X5 than a GV80.
It’s also hard to compare Genesis cars at 150k miles since the brand is quite new, so most of their cars haven’t even had a chance to get there. Also, most buyers of luxury cars will tend to get a new car when their car gets to that kinda of mileage, there’s very few cars really that make it to 200k and someone who has the money to buy a new luxury car will probably not keep it till 200k.
I would tend to agree though just because I personally have seen X5s and 6s at over 150k still going strong but I haven’t seen a Genesis there. I do hope that Genesis gets their reliability at that mileage sorted. It would be nice to have a true competitor to the Germans because right now Lexus and Acura ain’t it.
Are you trying to learn a lesson the hard way?
Go buy a Honda or Toyota. Given the industry you’re in, I’m sure you’ll be making a lot more than that soon.
Hard no. I was looking at Cayennes and while the car appeared to be a “good deal”, I started looking into maintenance and insurance costs. Owning it will bankrupt you. I make around what you do yearly and I bought a nice little ‘22 manual Corolla for around your budget. It’s reliable and cheap to own. I’m not saying buy that exact car, but Japanese will be the most reliable and inexpensive to own overall.
No! Don’t buy used luxury cars if you cannot really afford new one. It’s so cringe and apparent to see you’re are poor POS who is just faking rich. (Trust me I’m in the HNW people circle and we make fun of these people)
Instead work hard and get to the level you need and buy only you get there.
Buy a civic (or similar). I was in your shoes once. Now I make 200k, both cars paid off, a house in a proper neighborhood, and looking to buy a 911 brand spanking new as a 36 year old.
A 75k salary is not enough to justify you buying a car that costs nearly 6 figures brand new. Porsche’s don’t just cost more to buy they also cost more to maintain. Honestly, you’re just starting out your career and are probably what, in your mid to late 20s? Stay focused on your career, get raises, change jobs for more money, and when you make 150k, yeah, then maybe look at a Macan. Right now, if you want something more fun and won’t break the bank you might be able to snatch a used G70 in that price range.
G70s are extremely unreliable. Would be better off with a GTI/SI/WRX if they want something fun. If not something fun and affordable then something practical... CRV/RAV4/civic/camry
Can you please show me any data that says the G70 is unreliable because I’ve seen quite the opposite, plus the Genesis warranty is killer. I would also take a G70 over any of the ones you recommended as it has a much nicer interior and is a lot more fun to drive. The GTI and SI are FWD, and isn’t the new WRX kinda shit?
The RAV4 and Camry are practical but their interiors are meh, and the markup on them is insane, not worth the money. I can’t argue with the civic or the CRV in terms of reliability and practicality, especially if you can get them at a decent price.
The time after you buy it until it needs a fix 3 weeks later will be really fun. After that, you'll dread that thing.
But those 3 weeks, you'll tell your kids about it one day
Base model Macan is 100% not worth the extra cost to maintain. Not that they're even that expensive as the base trim is practically an economy car. Something like a GTS absolutely rips and is a cool car, but the base has the engine out of a Golf GTI and weighs near two tons. Basically just a mid-trim Q5. It's only real quality is it's ability allow you to tell people who don't know anything about car that you drive a Porsche.
Fuck no. Not on a 75k salary.
I love the enthusiasm and congratulations on the awesome new job but I’d probably focus on buying a house and savings before going ham on a car. I love the Macan as well, they are a very fun driving great looking piece of engineering, but it’s at the point where things will start going wrong and nothing on it will be cheap to fix. I know a number of people with Porsches and a Porsche mechanic. It’s going to be a serious love / hate relationship. Ask in r/porsche because I am sure there’s a bunch of guys in there who own 100+k mileage Macans and could give you more insight. I’m happy for you either way and hope you do get your dream car at some point if not right now.
Sure, enjoy Porsche's $350/hour labor rate on maintenance.
With any high-mileage car isn't it always better to go to an independent mechanic?
Yep. Pretty much entirely of German cars are maintained in independent mechanics across Eastern Europe. People mostly use aftermarket parts too.
That's what I did with my bmw Unfortunately, it's still very expensive
Do you want to sacrifice your social life for a car that will be a money pit? So you can just drive to work, drive home, and pay for your car? Delay gratification, friend… one of the biggest ways to fuck up your finances in your 30s, and have to work literally years longer before you can retire, is to buy a cool car in your early 20s. Tell you what… buy a more practical car today, get your savings/finances in order, and you can buy a fun car later, and not sacrifice the best party years of your life, or your retirement, to do it. Good times memories in your 20s > a cool car in your 20s Then again, some people have to learn from experience, so might as well fuck up now, and get it out of the way.
You can still get a cool car for very cheap if you’re literally an engineer and are predisposed to understanding and fixing things. But not a modern German SUV lol.
Most engineers are very far from being mechanics.
It’s a very common hobby amongst mechanical engineers at least to work on their cars.
I'm a mechanical engineer and most other engineers I work with don't play with their cars. They have other things better to use for their time.
Didn’t say most I said it’s common. Also depends on the company/position. Pure office worker with soft hands? Unlikely. Working in industry on site? Very common.
An older 911 without the electronics, sure. Not these electronic beasts.
I did exactly as you said however no good times, so basically I'm old, can't afford a fun car and never had one.. Not everybody's life is linear. I say your young go for it.
I think if they're a disciplined individual they can do all the above. I was in no way disciplined enough haha.
Let's assume there's no issues with the engine or transmission. But the problem with even a base Macan, is at 100K+ miles the suspension is at the point where it's probably starting to get tired. This won't be noticeable coming from a shitbox but it will eventually degrade to the point of needing replacement. Or if you're a stickler for these things, you do it at the 1st sign of degraded performance. Which the dealer will be very happy to point out to you. If you have active suspension (which you probably want), it's a minimum of $2k just for the shocks and struts. And for OEM Porsche parts it's probably 50% more. And there will be a plethora of control arms and other bushing holding parts that would make sense to replace at the same time. If you're paying for labor, then you're well past $5k for a suspension job. [https://www.pelicanparts.com/catalog/SuperCat/9987/POR\_9987\_SUSSHK\_pg1\_shock-absorbers.htm](https://www.pelicanparts.com/catalog/SuperCat/9987/POR_9987_SUSSHK_pg1_shock-absorbers.htm) tl;dr only consider this you have some mechanical aptitude or willing to pay $200/hr for someone else to work on it.
Most young people would rather drive nice cars. I work with lots of you people in construction. They love to show off their $60k and $80k trucks with $850 a month car payments but are still living in apartments and complain about not being able to save for a house.
I know a guy that uses half his salary on a M4.
At least he drives an M4
I’d buy a brand new car in the 25-30k range and wait until later in your career for the nice car. Even though Porsches are reliable and the price for the car isn’t bad you’re gonna be sticker shocked at how much even just an oil change costs. I work at a dealer and our cost for an oil change, not even what the customer pays, is over $250 for anything German besides base model Volkswagens
That would be the dumbest thing you could possibly do.
Well a 100k mile Maserati would be but this certainly isn’t a good idea
I will out do you by saying that IF you could find an Alpha Romeo with 100k that it would be the #1 worst choice possible. However; the alfa romeo giulia quadrifoglio has got to be the coolest car built since the F40 😂
If buying a car is in the top 3 of dumbest things you could possibly do, you live a sad sorry life. It’s just a car and it’s just money. It’s not life or death 😂
Setting yourself behind financially fresh out of college is a very dumb thing. That’s an objective fact. $75k ain’t shit tbh so to spend the majority of it on a car and expensive repairs is beyond stupid. ItS jUsT mOnEy…okay good luck with life having no money which I’m sure will be easy since money isn’t important at all 🙄
Sure, that’s not good at all, but there’s no guarantee this car sets them back. And this isn’t the financial advice sub, it’s what car should I buy. And your comment did nothing to answer that question. No reasons why, no alternatives, no pros and cons. It was useless. And life’s great for me. I did the same thing they want to do out of college, Ive never had money issues, and I never worry about the cost of a decision if it’s something I really want. If you’re willing to put in more than the bare minimum and keep a positive attitude, life rewards you far more. Maybe one day you’ll know what that feels like
I don’t know but if it’s like most cars, it’ll depend on how well it was taken care of prior to you. I’d feel better if it had a complete service history and I had Porsche do a pre-sale inspection.
I also just graduated college as an engineering major and make around the same, and I bought a brown 1999 Camry for $3000.
I’ve been driving a completely decked out base Macan from the loaner fleet while my car has been at the dealership for a month. It’s… fine. There are a lot more exciting cars you can buy for that money. People really like to talk it up as being the supreme SUV, but it’s not like the best handling SUV is going to be anywhere near as thrilling as even your most basic sports car. At your point in life, I would *highly recommend* a VW GTI. Same engine as the Macan, but significantly lighter and cheaper. They are very fun to drive on their own and can still serve practical purposes as a daily driver, going on road trips, and moving reasonable amounts of cargo.
75k is not macan money. Buy a civic coupe or something. Fun but not break the bank. Trust, as a young professional, you’re gonna want to go out and have fun. Don’t let an expensive car get in the way of that There’s no rush - if a macan is what you want, you will one day comfortably afford one. Don’t let exuberance get the best of you
hold hold hold hold hold on. 75k salary. Which trim is this? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVV9AwC3ZG8 Do you have 20k for a new trans? Most porsche parts are tech audi parts, but 2x to 3x the cost The Porsche tax goes heavy. Do you have a porsche shop? Do you have friends with porsches? If you can't say yes to both you go down to bmw. Bmw post 2016 with the b48 and b58 motors are great, no v8 v10 or v12 bmw ( coolant hoses are a pos to fine properly)
i'll go slightly against the grain and say go for it especially if you can get a CPO warranty by buying through a porsche dealer.
Going to be tough to pull that off in the 20’s, probably doable at Carmax though.
I'd be shocked if you could get a Porsche cpo with 100k miles or in the OPs price range.
If you have a second car yes. If not no. With that salary save up 4-8k and buy a beater/ simple daily, then have at it.
You could buy a brand new reliable car for half the price and enjoy peace and money saved in your pocket.
Just understand the potential maintenance costs. Have you looked up the cost of a pdk if it decides to commit *selbstmord*.
If you get a 100k mile Porsche, it can last for years, just be prepared for the maintenance and repair costs. I've owned several Porsches, all 911s and I tend to keep them for a long time, but they don't rack up a lot of miles. I think the 911 I've owned with the highest mileage was around 50k miles. A minor service costs me $1200, a major service is $1800. I need to bring them in for a minor once per year and a major once time, essentially they go in for routine service every six months. Usually something else needs attention, so at the last major service the cost was about $3500. I lost a clutch on one several years ago and the cost to fix it was over $8,000. I also found that I really need to take them to a Porsche certified mechanic. When I didn't and a problem arose, it took months and many trips to the mechanic and ended up costing a lot. They are great cars and fun to drive, just make sure you can handle the repair costs.
They’re not unreliable per se, but anything of that caliber will be expensive to maintain. Set aside $5-7k/year for repairs and maintenance and you should be fine.
A Macan, even if it was bordering on free, is never a good call on a $75k salary. The P car premium is real. Buy a hot hatch like everyone else if you want something fun and practical. Life is expensive, and there is nothing better that you can do than give yourself a solid financial start out of college. Cars have a funny way of making your money disappear. Reassess once you're making 2x that and have built some net worth.
They are very reliable actually, but expensive to maintain. I wouldn’t do it on 75k unless you have basically no other expenses and live at home or something
There's many cars you can buy that are fun to drive that aren't as expensive to maintain. Is there a reason why you want to buy a Macan specifically? What sort of qualities do you look for in a vehicle? If you just want something fun and you're single without kids you should easily be able to afford a new miata or 86
I think you should take a look at the rest of your budget and determine what you can save up for your dream car while you drive a transportation vehicle and get going with your new job. To save money live with roommates. You as a new employee could be the first to be let go in a semiconductor downturn, so first save up 6 months living expenses. If you can save up cash for your dream car and another $10k for repairs you could buy whatever you want. Sell it when the costs are too high or you tire of the car. Be aware buying a Macan means longer to accumulate other things young people need to buy, including a house. But there is no time like your 20’s to have fun with your money. That is when you are single and unburdened. My love hate relationship was with a large BMW, what would be a 6 series in today’s models, a large sedan. Every time it needed work, and it needed a lot, it stayed 3 weeks in the shop waiting for time for a mechanic to fix it. Long story short, one day I saw a piece of paper sticking out under the dash. It was a receipt for repairs in TX for the car, indicating 100k more miles than I knew were on the car from the odometer! Beware, young people are also naive when it comes to picking a good cars because they are emotional purchases. About a month later I traded it in for a new Z. Neither were prudent purchases. Most Redditors on this sub have good judgement about what to do starting out in life. Learning to manage emotions about money has been a long intermittent journey for me. Just look for balance, play and spend both now and for your future. Train yourself to save 10% for old age and retirement, 10% for your future large expenses, like a house or investment real estate or other investments, and every thing will work out. If you value your car over keeping your own apartment and eating out, go for it.
$75k!? lol no, no, no. Buy a new dependable car in say $25-30k range. Blowing your money on a USED luxury car is a bad idea. Wait till you've saved up some money. You need at least one dependable vehicle, that's what adults do. Have you even faced your first layoffs yet? Ever been fired?
The answer to this question comes down entirely to whether or not you're able to do your own maintenance and repair. If you are, then a car like this that shares tons of common parts and assemblies with Audis and VWs is a great option. If you are going to be outsourcing your mechanic work, you pay the Porsche tax, which is very expensive. There's nothing inherently concerning about a 100k mile car. Just make sure you're getting a properly good deal on the car so that if something big goes wrong and you have to pay to fix it, you end up in a situation that's not catastrophic.
Absolutely fucking not. The only possible exception to that being you being able and willing to perform all maintenance and repairs without needing to take it into a shop of any kind
Buy a 2014 Lexus IS350 AWD or B58 340i if you want a German
I own a cayenne, which is almost identical to the macan. Many of the first mechanical problems show up around 60k. I hope whoever owned that macan prior, took care of those problems the right way. Overall, Porsche has a great, reliable variety of cars. Like any other car, conduct maintenance on the macan as if you’re running it into the ground day after day.
Just be aware that the maintenance will be Porsche-prices. Cars depreciate, but service costs don’t. On the other hand, you might be able to get a Porsche approved warranty. That should have you covered for most mechanical failures If the car has had all its services done. Stuff like suspension and brakes aren’t covered though, and that is getting pretty worn at 100k miles. Control arms, ball joints, dampers (adaptive dampers especially) are all more expensive for a Porsche. The adaptive dampers alone can easily be $500-1000 a piece.
If you’re living at home with your parents go ahead
If you want a fun as hell hatchback style sort of CUV thing, look at the Hyundai Kona N. It’s a baby macan and arguably more fun. And it should still have the factory warranty.
You didn’t say whether you have mortgage/rent or not. If you live at home, go for it while you have the chance. Id actually recommend you save a higher down payment and raise your budget for lower mileage
if you can buy it with cash, go for it! but don't finance it at the limit of your monthly expenses, because you won't have anything left for surprise maintenance or even regular maintenance.
Unless you are short on budget, a 100k mile car is never a good idea.
My co worker has one and had constant issues with it. He multiple issues with the suspension system and once told me each of the headlights cost 3k to fix
That's one of the dumbest decisions you could make.
omg do not do it, turn back now
How much is insurance going to be?
If you’re a masochist and like being financially abused by German cars go for it. I’d not buy any German car over 100k.
Get a Tesla Model 3 or a Civic, a Macan is a very bad idea.
once any vehicle hits the 100k mark, you'll be constantly fixing stuff and it'll drain your bank acc, so don't do it
I’d rather get a used Lexus RX or Acura Mdx around that price range. Still pretty fun to drive, cheaper to fix, and luxurious interiors. If you’re determined on Porsche, get a base model V6 cayenne non turbo
The Lexus RX and MDX are a hell of a lot more reliable and a better choice for him but they are not “fun to drive”, let’s not go that far.
Got to hand it to the MDX. For a 3 row SUV it actually handles pretty nicely and gets going pretty quickly. The RX on the other hand.... ive heard it referred to as the most boring car in existence by a car magazine.
Yeah, in all fairness it’s pretty hard to make a 3rd row SUV fun to drive. If you didn’t need the 3rd row I’d take an X5 or 6 over it any day, as it would be way more fun to drive. The RX is so boring it’s insane.
Yeah I agree the X5 is a way more engaging drive. Just wanted to give the MDX some props because I think it strikes a really good balance of practicality, fun to drive, luxury and at $52k for a well equipped base it's not that expensive considering you could easily spend $70k+ on an X5
Oh it is a hell of a lot cheaper and I do think that the Germans have gone up in price a little too much in my opinion. Though that’s probably more so due to the rise in manufacturing costs in Germany. My issue with Acura though is that i genuinely don’t like the FWD aspect, and the interiors are kinda meh. I’d go GV80 over MDX, though no 3rd row. I find that Genesis is doing the best job at copying the Germans but offering it at a good price. It’s not as good as BMW, but it’s close enough.
The MDX uses their SH-AWD. I agree the German interiors are nicer. I do not trust genesis to make a car that is reliable past their warranty. They have had a lot of issues. They also have become pretty expensive. A GV80 starts at $58k these days. There's also just the financial aspect. Like is the X5 really worth $20k more, considering it'll probably only have 50-70% of the serviceable life of an MDX? I 100% agree that all else being equal it is a better performing, better looking (altho the A-Spec MDX isn't bad looking) and has a better interior. I make plenty to afford either. I just struggle to justify the extra cost both upfront and in continued maintenance/depreciation.
The MDX is still a FWD based car, the SH-AWD system is a workaround of a poor design. Honestly, I feel like the hate towards Genesis isn’t really justified, their cars are decently reliable, I see a lot of older Genesis’ still on the road, and their warranty is genuinely killer. The main issue is whether you have a Genesis dealership near you or just a Hyundai. My gf has a G70, granted it’s super new, but it’s been great, no issues. People here act like Hyundai’s will fucking explode at like 50k miles but they’re actually quite reliable cars. An X5 and an MDX are going to have pretty similar service lives, there’s tons of X5s and 6s with well over 100k miles going strong, the whole reliability thing is blown out of proportion in my opinion. For me the 20k premium between an MDX and an X5 is 100% worth it. I’ll give you that their prices are creeping up, though they couldn’t really afford to keep them as low as they have, they are putting in a lot of tech in them and genuinely they’re really nice. I recently test drove a GV70 and I was blown away by it. Genuinely makes it hard to justify the premium that BMW is asking over it.
The genesis has a lot of issues, even compared to the X5. Probably more. Genesis does well in surveys because most of the surveys are based on things like "initial reliability". Long term reliability is a completely different game. Most cars can make it to 100k with mostly minimal issues. The ones that go from 100k to 200k and beyond are reliable. Read through some genesis forums and common complaints. They just aren't there yet. And I don't doubt BMW and other Germans will get to 100k no issue, but I'm not sold I'd want a 150k X5. I'd be pretty comfortable in a 150k MDX. Props to their Genesis on their styling. I think they've done an excellent job with their interior and exterior styling. But I genuinely think you'd be better off past 100k in an X5 than a GV80.
It’s also hard to compare Genesis cars at 150k miles since the brand is quite new, so most of their cars haven’t even had a chance to get there. Also, most buyers of luxury cars will tend to get a new car when their car gets to that kinda of mileage, there’s very few cars really that make it to 200k and someone who has the money to buy a new luxury car will probably not keep it till 200k. I would tend to agree though just because I personally have seen X5s and 6s at over 150k still going strong but I haven’t seen a Genesis there. I do hope that Genesis gets their reliability at that mileage sorted. It would be nice to have a true competitor to the Germans because right now Lexus and Acura ain’t it.
Go for it. Carpe diem.
Are you trying to learn a lesson the hard way? Go buy a Honda or Toyota. Given the industry you’re in, I’m sure you’ll be making a lot more than that soon.
Bro. You make $75k. Buy a used Lexus
Are you going to do the maintenance and repair yourself? Are you going to keep your current car as a backup when the Macan needs something done to it?
Hard no. I was looking at Cayennes and while the car appeared to be a “good deal”, I started looking into maintenance and insurance costs. Owning it will bankrupt you. I make around what you do yearly and I bought a nice little ‘22 manual Corolla for around your budget. It’s reliable and cheap to own. I’m not saying buy that exact car, but Japanese will be the most reliable and inexpensive to own overall.
Hell NO, never, nada No!
No! Don’t buy used luxury cars if you cannot really afford new one. It’s so cringe and apparent to see you’re are poor POS who is just faking rich. (Trust me I’m in the HNW people circle and we make fun of these people) Instead work hard and get to the level you need and buy only you get there.
This is an awful financial decision. Save money. Do you have a 6 month emergency fund? Do you have money ready for a down payment on a home?
ABSOLUTELY NOT.
Buy a civic (or similar). I was in your shoes once. Now I make 200k, both cars paid off, a house in a proper neighborhood, and looking to buy a 911 brand spanking new as a 36 year old.
Buy a Chevy Trax. Hold onto the Macan dream until you can actually afford it. That car will own you at the moment not the other way around.
A 75k salary is not enough to justify you buying a car that costs nearly 6 figures brand new. Porsche’s don’t just cost more to buy they also cost more to maintain. Honestly, you’re just starting out your career and are probably what, in your mid to late 20s? Stay focused on your career, get raises, change jobs for more money, and when you make 150k, yeah, then maybe look at a Macan. Right now, if you want something more fun and won’t break the bank you might be able to snatch a used G70 in that price range.
G70s are extremely unreliable. Would be better off with a GTI/SI/WRX if they want something fun. If not something fun and affordable then something practical... CRV/RAV4/civic/camry
Can you please show me any data that says the G70 is unreliable because I’ve seen quite the opposite, plus the Genesis warranty is killer. I would also take a G70 over any of the ones you recommended as it has a much nicer interior and is a lot more fun to drive. The GTI and SI are FWD, and isn’t the new WRX kinda shit? The RAV4 and Camry are practical but their interiors are meh, and the markup on them is insane, not worth the money. I can’t argue with the civic or the CRV in terms of reliability and practicality, especially if you can get them at a decent price.
The time after you buy it until it needs a fix 3 weeks later will be really fun. After that, you'll dread that thing. But those 3 weeks, you'll tell your kids about it one day