LexusWith 2026 being the last year of the Lexus LS 500, it may be time for lovers of premium sedans to head to the dealer. However, a sticker price of almost $100,000 for the model's swan song, the LS 500 Heritage Edition, may be a reason to think otherwise. For those still hankering for flagship luxury that traces its roots to the original LS 400 and the secret F1 project, a used LS 500 is an obvious alternative. Targeting the 2021 model year makes sense. It benefits from mid-cycle updates, so the exterior looks relatively current, and there's enough depreciation to create substantial bottom-line savings over new.Some estimates, including those from iSeeCars and CarEdge, put the five-year value loss at about 40%, but careful marketplace shopping can unlock real-world depreciation that is even greater. To get a better idea of the numbers, we'll dive into these projections and compare them with what 2021 Lexus LS 500s are selling for on dealers' lots. And if you're driven more by depreciation bargains than brands, we'll cover other options in the same category (Genesis G90, Mercedes-Benz S 500, and BMW 740i). All MSRPs mentioned in this article include factory destination charges.Read more: At $25,500, Is This 2007 Subaru Impreza WRX STi A Built Bargain?Depreciation for the 2021 Lexus LS 500LexusiSeeCars estimates that an LS 500 loses 42.4% of its original value over five years. On the other hand, CarEdge uses current market pricing from its website instead of generic forecasts, which yields a 38.7% depreciation rate for a 2021 LS 500. Averaging both numbers works out to about 40%, which is a good starting point for a ballpark shopping budget. The least expensive 2021 LS 500 trim started at $77,025. Do the math (original MSRP minus depreciation), and we're left with a ballpark remaining value of $46,000. If that matches your budget, then it's time to go shopping.AdvertisementAdvertisementWhile Autotrader isn't loaded with examples, there are enough secondhand 2021 LS 500s on the market to get an idea of what to expect to pay at a dealer (and that's without negotiating). Based on base-trim 2021 model-year units with no accidents or title brands and mileage that's close to average (around 65,000 miles), $47,000 appears to be the sweet spot. Add a higher trim, all-wheel drive, or lower miles to the equation, and the prices quickly head north. Of course, there are other luxury vehicles with terrible resale values.Compare Lexus LS 500 depreciation against competitorsGenesisIf lopping 40% or so off an LS 500's original price doesn't seem like enough of a discount, then a 5-year-old Genesis G90 may catch your attention. Whether you look at iSeeCars or CarEdge, depreciation rises to about 50% for a 2021 G90. Add in a lower starting price ($73,995) for the base trim, and you can join the G90 club for around $37,000. But pricing gets better in actuality. Marketplace listings, although not plentiful, are priced closer to $35,000, a cool $12,000 less than the LS 500.With a 2021 starting price of over $110,000, the Mercedes-Benz S 500 may not seem to be cheaper than the Lexus. However, its worse 5-year depreciation (55.4%, according to iSeeCars) helps level the field, with a projected resale value that's closer to $49,400. Yet, the market shows prices as low as $47,000, right on par with Lexus valuations.However, the true bookend to the Lexus LS 500's depreciation belongs to the BMW 740i. In 2021, it had a base MSRP of $87,795. Today, iSeeCars says to expect 61.8% depreciation, leaving an expected resale price of about $33,500 for a used unit. That number is spot on in the current marketplace. Autotrader shows several examples with a clean history and average or better mileage.AdvertisementAdvertisementWant more like this? Join the Jalopnik newsletter to get the latest auto news sent straight to your inbox, and follow us or add us as a preferred search source on Google.Read the original article on Jalopnik.
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