The very idea of affordable luxury might seem absurd to some, with luxury often defined by how much you are willing to spend on something, like some sort of spending contest.

In reality, and at least in the automotive world, affordable luxury certainly does exist. Luxury cars depreciate so severely that there are usually many good deals to be had, especially among less fancied brands. The old saying still rings true, though, if it looks too good to be true, it probably is. So with that in mind, it becomes ever more important to just straight up eliminate a few models in your quest for affordable luxury, although they might be tempting, avoid these cars like the plague.

Related: 5 Most Reliable SUVs (5 That Cost A Fortune To Maintain)

8 Range Rover

Land_rover_range_rover_1999
Via: Favcars.com

The first generation is actually an excellent off-roader, the newer models have become almost infamous, but people rarely talk about the ultra-luxurious second generation. We say ultra-luxurious because of how different it was from the original Range Rover.

land_rover_range_rover_1999
Via: Favcars.com

It clearly targeted the already growing luxury SUV market, but quickly became a bit of a nightmare. Wiring issues are common thanks in part to a lot of new tech being added, and if those gremlins somehow get into the archaic immobilizer system the vehicle will be rendered undrivable. Air suspension is another issue, maintaining or replacing suspension components is an expensive process.

7 BMW 520i (E34)

The BMW 5 Series E34 - A Sedan Model
via commons.wikimedia.org

In many ways, BMW was a victim of their own success with this particular 5-series. Their corresponding 3-series was doing well, and the small-displacement inline-6 seemed like a good fit for an entry-level 5-series.

A black E34 540i
wikipedia.org

Therein lies the problem, an entry-level exec. Although we certainly don’t all want a luxury car that drives like a sports car, this was far too anemic even back in the 90s, today it is just plain slow.

Related: 10 Most Reliable Cars BMW Ever Produced

6 Chrysler TC By Maserati

1990 Chrysler's TC by Maserati 2-Door Convertible
Via: Facebook

Sadly, this caught out thousands of buyers when it was first sold, it got marketed as an Italian luxury brand when in reality all they did was put lipstick on a pig.

1990 Chrysler's TC by Maserati Grand Tourer
Mecum Auctions

Although it looks suspiciously like a dolled up LeBaron, it really did get built in Italy, and the thing got all the shoddy wiring and workmanship their market is associated with. After dreaming of creating a best of both worlds convertible, they ended up taking the worst from each company and lumped it into one sorry excuse for a car.

5 Maserati Biturbo

Maserati Biturbo
Via Maserati

Many of us dream of owning a Maserati one day, all aware of their foibles and the potential pitfalls. We would strongly advise against the Biturbo though.

Maserati Biturbo Rear
Via Maserati

It was made while the company was on the rocks, so they desperately tried to save money in pretty much every department to meet their target price. Once it finally reached the market, instead of being the Maserati for the masses, it was just another poorly built mass-produced car with almost no sign of that desirable Italian luxury.

Related: Here's What The 1980s Maserati Biturbo Is Worth Today

4 BMW 740i (F01)

4. https://blog.caranddriver.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/2011BMW740i.jpg

Not to be confused with the older 740 V8, which actually makes a very good case for affordable luxury. This was the N54 inline-6 you would otherwise find in the 335i.

2012 BMW 7 Series
Via: Atlanta Autos

This is one of the most infamous modern BMW engines, with vanos solenoid failures, high-pressure pump failures, and a host of other issues all rolled into one unfortunate engine. This powertrain has no place in a 7-series, so if it is cheap, prepare for a wild maintenance ride.

3 Maserati Ghibli

Maserati Ghibli - Front Quarter
Via NetCarShow

Under the watchful eye of a newly invigorated Ferrari, much was expected of the Ghibli. They certainly got the design right, and if you are lucky enough to sit in one it feels like the real deal too.

Maserati Ghibli - side view
Via NetCarShow

Sadly, once the rubber meets the road you will find out the hard way just why the car is so very affordable on the used market. Ferrari maintenance bills are to be expected, but it is their failure rate that is so alarming. Most of the problems are related to wiring and there are a few recalls, so that half-price bargain might turn into a lemon overnight.

Related: Here's What Everyone Forgot About Maserati And Its Cars

2 BMW M5 (E60)

BMW M5 E60 via autotrader 1
via autotrader 1

This is where luxury sedan meets supercar, the V10 that came with this 5-series made incredible power and an even more incredible noise.

BMW E60 M5's S85 V10 engine
Via: engineswork.com

Sadly the one and only reason these go for cheap now is because of that supercar engine, which ironically won engine of the year in 2005. It became a big sore point for BMW as their rod-bearings gave way under warranty, costing them and unlucky customers a fortune.

1 Porsche Cayenne

The front of the Cayenne Turbo
favcars.com

When the Volkswagen group invested in this platform it was one of, if not the most advanced SUV when it came out. Wiring was by far the biggest issue with these SUVs, there was just so much of it and they were forced to tuck a large proportion of the harness into the frame.

The rear of the Cayenne Turbo
favcars.com

As the vehicles aged and the wiring deteriorated they became a maintenance nightmare where one fault code would just replace another, befuddling even the most experienced technicians.