Most Expensive Vehicles

The priciest vehicles consume the most money over time, but bargain-priced cars aren't necessarily a better deal in the long run.

The 10 vehicles with the highest overall cost of ownership are top-drawer luxury models, but that doesn't mean that lower-priced vehicles are necessarily a better value.

True, the more affordable the car, the less cash it gobbles up overall. But digging into cost-of-ownership data from Vincentric, a firm that tracks vehicle lifecycle expenses for car dealers, manufacturers and others, shows that the five-year lifecycle costs of the 10 most expensive vehicles to own are lower multiples of their base prices than models that cost less.

Take two examples: the 2007 BMW M6 Convertible, with a manufacturer suggested retail price (MSRP) of $104,900; and the 2007 Audi A3, with a $25,340 MSRP. The pricier BMW M6 Convertible is fourth on our list and is more expensive to own than the Audi A3, which is among the 10 least expensive luxury vehicles to own. But the M6 Convertible’s cost of ownership after five years is $150,565, less than 1.5 times the car’s base price; whereas the A3’s five year total cost of ownership of $51,513 is more than two times the vehicle’s base price.

The lesson: If you sink more than $100,000 into a car, each of those dollars stretches farther over time. That's largely because high-end cars tend to hold their value better than regular vehicles. But remember, you’re still shelling out more money for the pricier car.