Another way to look at it is “Top 6 Used Car Bargains.” Still, with so many cars costing north of $100,000, there are bound to be some that drive off a cliff. Monetarily speaking, of course. But let’s be frank — one of the most sure fire way to let others know how big a deal you are is to roll up in a slammin’ — if not pimpin’ — ride. People are always going to buy fancy cars. In poker, you often get all your money in the pot, only to be shocked when their cards don’t hold up. Similarly, when you spend a big portion of your bankroll on a bling-mobile, the last thing you want is for your car to lose half its value five minutes after you sail it off the lot. Or in the case of the rides on the following list, much more than half the value. Have a look.

Mercedes CL: All of ‘em. There are so many winners (or losers) here that I’m behooved to include the entire CL product range. From the 493 horsepower supercharged 5.5-liter V8 of the CL55 AMG to the monstrous twin turbocharged 5.5-liter V12 of the CL600, everything in this model series has taken a nosedive of Greg Louganis proportions. Several CL600s with under 100,000 miles sold on eBay recently — to some delighted new owners — for under $20,000. With an original sticker of over $127,000, that’s an incredible bargain for an utterly bone crushing 590 lb-ft of torque. Not to mention the characteristic Mercedes V12 cacophony of engine/ear intercourse. If that’s just too silly for you (silly in a good way), you might consider a 300 horsepower CL500, still under 100,000 miles, selling for a more reasonable $13,000 — down from a sticker priceof over $90,000 just four years ago.

Lincoln Navigator: Escalade what? This is the luxury SUV that started the idea of gargantuan luxury SUVs when the only competitors was the rapper unfriendly Range Rover and Lexus LX450/470. By 2003, Lincoln did a clean sheet redesign of the Navi. They added a 300 horsepower V8, some gorgeous leather and wood trim, and more power features than ever (like retractable running boards). With the crash of the SUV market this year, the 2003-2007 Navigators have taken a major hit in price. Sure, in 2004 the Navi would have set you back a cool $56,000. But a lucky feller on eBay Motors just picked up a 37,000 mile example from 2004 for only fifteen grand.

Jaguar S-Type R: The poor Jaguar S-Type had a tough gestation. When it debuted in 2000, it shared a platform with the Lincoln LS and Ford Thunderbird and featured styling that most folks dumped on. But by 2003, Jag got back on track. The V8s were upgraded, the interior was totally redone, and the suspension revised from “ok” to “awesome.” The range topping S-Type R was introduced that year, with a 390 horsepower supercharged 4.2 liter V8. It’s an utter monster, about as fast as the E39 M5. And while the $62,000 sticker price was a bargain compared to that same M5, there weren’t all that many takers. Now you can get an S-Type R with reasonable mileage for the low, low price of $15,000. About two-thirds less than said M5.

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