The economy might still be a bit sluggish, but luxury automakers are not noticing, as sales of high-end vehicles have been up sharply this year compared to 2010.
BMW is doing the best out of the bunch, and looks to be on track to seize the title of best-selling luxury automaker in the U.S. by the end of the year. The German brand's sales in September were up nearly 10 percent, and the January-September window was even better, up 15 percent.
"We made solid gains right across the globe and once again achieved record sales for September, which contributed to a record third quarter," BMW sales chief Ian Robertson said in a statement.
Mercedes and Audi were no slouches either. Both automakers sold more than 120,000 vehicles in September, although they trailed BMW by about 8,000. Audi posted a double digit increase, while Mercedes claims that it is poised to deliver the most successful year in the company's history.
Buying a high-end car can be an instantly gratifying experience, but these vehicles require great care to ensure that they last for years. Be sure to set yourself a regular auto maintenance schedule and pay careful attention to things like brake service and oil changes over the life of the vehicle to keep it running like new.