For car buyers who appreciate the finer things in life—wood trim, minimal wind noise, and effortless power—a luxury vehicle is a must. But not everyone can drop $60,000 on a BMW X5 or Lexus RX, which is when purchasing a used model becomes an option. If you go this route, you may want to know which luxury brands have the best chance of reaching 250,000 miles and beyond. Thanks to a new longevity study from iSeeCars, we can see which brands are likely to hit that mileage milestone. In this case, we’ll compare three of America’s favorite luxury brands: BMW, Lexus, and Mercedes-Benz.
No Other Luxury Brand Can Touch Lexus
2002 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
Mercedes-Benz
In the study, the top-ranked luxury brand was Lexus, with its models having a 14.4% chance of reaching 250,000 miles or more. Considering the number of high-mileage, first-generation LS sedans still around in near-perfect condition, this isn’t a surprise. The more modern LS430 is also considered one of the most reliable full-size luxury sedans ever produced.
iSeeCars
All luxury brands combined have a 3.4% chance of hitting 250,000 miles, so Lexus is far ahead of the average. Mercedes-Benz ranks sixth with a 2.6% chance of reaching a quarter-million miles, while BMW is down at ninth, with its models showing just a 0.5% chance of reaching that mileage.
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While German cars are solidly built, they often use more complex technologies to achieve peak performance. There’s more that can go wrong, and repair costs can eventually exceed the value of the vehicle. In a recent analysis of car brand repair costs between years six and 10, BMWs had an average cost of $9,300, much higher than the $5,600 of Lexus models.
If you’re searching for a luxury car on a tight budget and need to decide between a Lexus, BMW, or Mercedes-Benz, this study indicates that Lexus is well ahead of its two rivals.
“For used-car shoppers, the longest lasting brand rankings can provide valuable context when comparing used vehicles with higher odometer readings,” said iSeeCars Executive Analyst, Karl Brauer.
How The Study Works
Lexus
The study is based on data for over 395 million vehicles, with average odometer readings calculated at each yearly age. Researchers then estimated the probability that each model would make it to various mileage thresholds using a proprietary model.
“To determine which brands build the longest-lasting vehicles overall, the odds of reaching the 250,000-mile milestone for each specific model and generation were calculated and then averaged across each brand’s entire lineup, weighing the results by how common each model is on the road,” said iSeeCars.
The study excludes heavy-duty vans or any other models with insufficient data.
Related: This Lexus May Be The Most Dependable Luxury Sedan Left
Why It Matters
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Buying a well-used, high-mileage luxury car always comes with some level of risk. Depreciation may mean your upfront costs are manageable, but one major repair could equal a large percentage of the car’s value.
As the study results show, Japanese luxury cars like Lexus and Acura are much more likely to reach 250,000 miles than German equivalents. These findings are often backed up in reliability studies, including the most recent predicted reliability scores from Consumer Reports, where Lexus was the top luxury brand.
This does not mean BMWs or Mercs are incapable of reaching 250,000 miles, but they’ll often require more regular maintenance and pricier repairs.
Related: Acura vs. Lexus vs. Infiniti Reliability: The Results Flip With Age
