I'm Upgrading My Touareg To Something More Modern! What Car Should I Buy?

Paul is a semi-retired IT guy from Oregon. He has a 14-year-old VW Touareg that he doesn't drive much and it's time for an upgrade. He wants another SUV with good resale value and reasonable maintenance costs. With a budget up to $50,000, what car should he buy?

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Here is the scenario.

I'm semi-retired and currently own a 2011 VW Touareg VR6, which spends most of its time in the garage (less than 2000 miles per year). I don't see my driving situation changing significantly going forward but would like to upgrade to something newer — specifically, an SUV that's likely to hold its value better than average. In as much as any car can be considered an asset. I want something that will have a solid resale value, without costing me too much in insurance and other carrying costs in the meantime. Given that I prefer a larger-sized SUV, but don't need three row seating, what's my best option for a new vehicle? My budget is up to $50,000

Quick Facts:

Budget: up to $50,000

Location: Salem, Oregon

Daily Driver: Yes

Wants: AWD, good resale, easy to maintain

Doesn't want: Something too small

Oh boy, a 2011 Touareg! Which is arguably one of VW's best and worst cars, depending on your experience. But the fact that it's still kicking all these years later means either you got a solid example or you have a very tight relationship with a German mechanic. If you are looking for low maintenance and solid resale, I'm going to pass on the obvious choice that will likely be mentioned later and give you a just as good alternative, the Honda Passport.

Honda's 4x4 doesn't feel quite as "trucky" as its main competition, but still has plenty of off-road capability, and it doesn't seem like you are climbing up mountains with this car. While the Passport won't be as swanky as your VW, it will offer all the modern amenities you are looking for and the build quality will keep it in your driveway more than in the shop. Honda's steady resale value will ensure you won't get hosed in a few years if you decide to trade, especially with how few miles you will put on it. For about $47,000, you can score a nicely equipped RTL trim.

Paul, when you're looking for a vaguely modern SUV with two rows that can hold its value incredibly well, not cost an arm and a leg to keep running, last you a lifetime and cost around $50,000, there's really only one choice: it's the Toyota 4Runner. However, you're semi-retired and currently own a VW Touareg — a decidedly nice luxury car, so you need something slightly nicer than a 4Runner. Luckily for you, the Toyota Motor Corporation agrees, and that's why the J150 Lexus GX460 exists.

There really has never been a car more tailor-made for you. Sure, you can argue its 4.6-liter V8 is a bit too thirsty, but you're only driving 2,000 miles per year, so that shouldn't be too much of an issue. Maintenance, reliability and resale value on these rigs is also pretty much second to none. I'm willing to bet you'll be able to buy this minty-fresh certified pre-owned 2021 Lexus GX460 Premium I found for you in Sacramento with 48,000 miles on the clock (because I'm such a great guy), put another 100,000 miles on the clock (which would take you 50 years) and then resell it for nearly the same as its current $47,000 asking price when you're all done.

On top of all that, you get nice luxury bonuses like blind spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control, and automatic parking, heated and cooled front seats and acres of wood and leather. What's not to love about this thing, Paul? Ignore the little voices in your head telling you to make some sort of wacky decision on your next purchase. You know the GX460 is exactly what you need.

Your goals are at odds with each other here, Paul. On the one hand, you want a $50,000 luxury SUV — if that's really your desire, then Andy has the right pick for you. But if your other goal is the primary one, your desire for a vehicle that won't lose value, then you shouldn't spend 50,000 United States American dollars on an SUV. Instead, you should buy something at the absolute bottom of its depreciation curve: This $6,500 Land Cruiser.

Now, did I pick a 100-series Land Cruiser for you just because I have an emotional attachment to them? Yes and no. On the one hand, this does appear to simply be the cheapest Land Cruiser on AutoTrader in Oregon; on the other, I was planning on getting you the cheapest Hundy regardless. The core problem with your ask is this: Every car, no matter how little mileage you put on it, will lose value over time. The only way to solve for that is to get a car so old and so depreciated that it's done most of that already. 100-series Land Cruiser prices are pretty bottomed out, so this should never stray far from that $6,500 entry point.

Now, you might be worried about that little "407,000 mile" reading on the dash. I get that. I have two things for you to consider, though. First, this is a Land Cruiser, and those simply do not die. Second, we're leaving a solid $43,500 in your budget to swap out some belts and tires. Just do a bit of preventative maintenance, and keep on top of your oil changes.If you want something that holds its value, Paul, don't buy the latest and greatest. Get something that was fantastic two and a half decades ago, and is now so cheap that you can roll it without severely impacting its resale value. Get an old Land Cruiser, Paul, and drive your 2,000 annual miles with the full knowledge that they're costing you nothing in depreciation.