A brand new BMW 7 Series starts at about $81,000.
It's a really nice car. For those who can afford it.
Even the BMW 2 Series, which is among BMW's lowest end models, has an opening price tag of more than $30,000. And it's just a compact.
So what kind of car should a person buy to appear rich, even if he or she doesn't have a lot of money?
Jay Leno, host of CNBC's "Jay Leno's Garage," argues that pulling off the impression isn't actually that difficult if you make one simple choice: Go used.
"The good and the bad is that cars depreciate pretty quickly," he says. "So, you can get a four- or five-year-old luxury car for the price of a brand new car."
A simple online search supports his argument. There are plenty of slightly older luxury cars out there for a fraction of the price of the newer models.
"I mean, you could get a four- or five-year-old Mercedes Benz for the price of a new Fiat," Jay explains. "That's probably the way to go."
What scares off some buyers is the idea that older cars come with older car problems. But Jay isn't concerned: He believes that notion isn't as true as it once was. A car with 100,000 miles on it can last you for years.
Modern technology, he says, has allowed cars to easily tack on 200,000 miles and more.
"I've got a '68 Mercedes next door that has 325,000 miles on it," Jay says. "It still runs really, really well."
CNBC's "Jay Leno's Garage" airs Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET.
