Tips on Buying Cars: Which Car Should I buy, bmw 5 series, acura rl

Question
QUESTION: Im really in a position where i dont know which car best fits me. I own a
Cadillac sts 97 and its in the 250k. Im thinking abt trading it in and leasing or
buying another. But i dont know what kind to get. I travel alot, travel fast
because of my job. I travel long distance so something laxuary would be
good. i want a car that wont loss value alot. Im looking for something in the
$35k.

Please help
Sean

ANSWER: Okay- you want luxury and good resale value, you drive a lot, and want to spend around $35000.  Because you drive so much, I do recommend you buy used; let someone else take the huge first and second-year hit on the depreciation.  You could look at another STS, but make sure you get a comprehensive warranty with it (later models have had a number of problems).  BMWs and Mercedes are great driving cars, but reliability is hit-and-miss; can you afford to be broken down somewhere, trying to locate the closest dealer?  If I were you, I'd look at something from Acura, Lexus or Infiniti, or even a low-mileage Lincoln LS.  Which model will be determined by your particular needs.  For instance, the back seat of the Lincoln or a Lexus IS is tight- they may not do if you regularly have people riding with you.  

If you can provide more info as to your needs, please respond and I can probably direct you to a more specific car.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you Jeff for the reply. It has really helped me. I was looking towards the
same choices you told me in your reply.

To be specific with my needs, I need something reliable, something with
speed and power. Handles well in wet, ice, dry conditions. Has room in the
back seat. And I also like big sedans.

Answer
I'd look at any of the large luxury sedans that offer all-wheel-drive: Acura RL and the big Infiniti are your best bets; further down the list would be the Europeans (BMW 5-series, M-B E-Class, Audi A6 Quattro, maybe the Volvo S80) due to their lesser reliability.  Not to mention the greater cost of repairing them.  The Lincoln LS & Town Car are RWD, as well as the Lexus LS.  Yes, they offer traction control, but it's no substitute for AWD, especially with today's high-performance, low-profile tires.