10 European Luxury Cars That Are Not Worth The Investment

Aug 24, 2023

European car manufacturers certainly know how to get luxury right, but when they miss the mark, it's a lot of money down the drain.

Many people associate luxury cars with the European auto market, and rightly so. The Europeans certainly have a flair for classy, premium, and plush vehicles which still pack a punch. Brands like Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Maserati, are some of the most famous, household names across the globe for their luxurious offerings. Of course, they are also known for being some of the most expensive production cars out there.

As such, anyone who wishes to bring home a luxury European car is also making a significant investment, considering the cost of purchasing and maintaining a luxury vehicle. Cars like the Genesis G90, G80, Lexus LC, and Chevrolet Camaro, are some of the most reliable luxury cars on the market today. Sadly, the worst thing to happen would be to realize that you wasted your money on a luxury car, choosing to trust brand value over reviews or real-world ownership experience. Without further ado, here are 10 European luxury cars that are simply not worth the investment.

The Mercedes-Benz S-Class has always been the pinnacle of automotive luxury and excellence, but the 2018 model had plenty of problems that rendered the experience rather ghastly. Apart from a whopping 13 recalls against the car, the 2018 even had a roof panel that ran the risk of falling off.

In fact, on the safety front, the S-Class even had a horrible problem of sending out the wrong location of the vehicle when it crashed. There were plenty of problems with this S-Class, which made its $100,000+ price an overrated amount for the troubles it came with.

Maserati's cars have never been known for their reliability, even though the brand is almost synonymous with luxury and performance. Sadly, the Maserati Quattroporte, which entered its fifth generation in 2003, was a horribly unreliable luxury car.

For starters, you’d be surprised by how harsh the gear changes of the fifth-gen Quattroporte are. Maserati Quattroporte owners complained about running into clutch issues at as early as 13,000 miles, which didn't make things better for the brand's image of reliability.

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When the 2010 BMW X6M came out, enthusiasts loved it, but over the years, the luxury SUV has managed to gather a number of complaints and recalls against it.

Most particularly, the 2010 BMW X6M suffered from a failing water pump that would lead to an overheated engine by emptying the coolant, leading to complete engine failure. In fact, it also led to the risk of a fire in the car. As such, the $90,000 price tag for the 2010 X6M didn't give you any peace of mind, making for a luxury SUV that cost a huge amount, but wasn't worth it.

The 2005 BMW M6 came armed with an engine that sounded fantastic when reading the spec sheet. Riding on a 5.0-liter V8 engine, the BMW M6 made a whopping 507 hp, while being packed with great features and fitments inside.

Sadly, this S85 engine in the M6 was one of the worst engines ever put in a car. Cracked coolant hoses, problematic water pumps, and oil leaks were just some of the gremlins that plagued this engine, making the 2005 BMW M6 one European car to always stay away from.

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In 2008, Jaguar launched the XF, armed with a 3.0-liter V6 engine. Now, for $50,000, customers expected both luxury and power, which, by all means, Jaguar should have delivered on. Even though the cabin, at the time, was pretty plush, the performance of the car undeserving of its cost.

Sadly, despite paying $50,000 for a 5.0-liter V6 engine, customers only got 234 horsepower from the 2009 Jaguar XF. In fact, this luxury European car took 8 whole seconds to reach the 60 mph mark, which made it sluggish, and definitely worth the investment.

The 2015 Mercedes-Benz C300 cost around $40,000, but sadly, it was never worth that price tag. Out of the 13 recalls against the whole 2015 C-Class lineup, the C300 accounted for 10 of them. One of the most baffling problems with the 2015 Mercedes C300 was the risk of the roof panel detaching!

Just like the 2018 S-Class after it, the 2015 C300 suffered from a software problem as well, which gave out the wrong geo-location in case of an accident. Making things even more unsafe was the incorrect deployment of airbags in the luxury sedan, along with the risk of a fire thanks to an incorrectly-attached fuel delivery module.

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Let's make one thing clear - the Mercedes-AMG GT is breathtakingly gorgeous. It's extremely powerful too, making over 500 hp. Sadly, the car has proven to be one of the more unreliable Mercedes-Benz cars over the years, which makes spending nearly $300,000 quite a sour experience.

With six recalls to its name, the AMG GT is not a car whose luxuries you’d be able to enjoy uninterruptedly. Airbags have been a major concern in this car constantly, along with the old Mercedes problem of pinging out the incorrect location in the event of an accident. For the money the AMG GT commands, it certainly doesn't deliver enough peace of mind.

The 2017 E-Class lineup from Mercedes-Benz has a whopping 20 recalls against it, with the E300 being the biggest defaulter in the range. From unresponsive gear shifts to a spoiler that could come off any time, the Mercedes E300 is one luxury sedan you would regret bringing home.

Faulty seatbelt and airbag systems are also a problem with the 2017 E300, along with an even bigger issue of losing power steering assistance right in the middle of the drive. For a $30,000 car that bears the Silver Arrows, the 2017 E300 was never worth the investment.

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Aston Martin priced the 2010 Rapide at an astronomical $201,300. Armed with a V12 engine, the British super-sedan made 552 horsepower, and boasted a top speed of 188 mph.

Sure, an Aston Martin sedan for a family sounds like a good deal, but ten minutes in, you’d realize the problem. The $200,000 Aston Martin had a harsh ride quality, with many owners complaining about it being hard to handle as well. Factor in the Rapide's huge depreciation, and you have a super-sedan that simply wasn't worth the money from day one.

The Maserati Ghibli returned in 2013 after a 15-year hiatus, and it certainly had enthusiasts excited. There was plenty of luxury inside the new Ghibli, along with three V6 engines on offer, but the car itself was horribly unreliable.

For the $80,000 asking price, the Ghibli's engines were prone to seizing out of the blue, and the model managed to earn 6 recalls against it. The fuel system was prone to leakage, and the electrical system could short, leading to the risk of a fire. Even on the used car market, where the 2014 Ghibli costs about $23,000, the luxury car isn't worth the money or the headaches.

Sources: NHTSA, Consumer Reports, CarGurus

If it has wheels and an engine, Samarveer Singh is going to be obsessed with it. He is a budding Indian motorcycle racer, competing at the national level in his country in his very first year, chasing his dream around every corner of the racetrack. A touring enthusiast, Samarveer is forever stuck between the urge to constantly redline his bike, or save its clutch plates for longer.