Yes, you can get a $6,000 used car that will look at home in a country club or yacht club that billionaires frequent. No, you won’t look like a billionaire trying to flex. That would cost millions. But you might look like a billionaire putting off stealth wealth vibes. What’s that? That’s the old money family that buys a reliable luxury station wagon or sedan in a subtle color, then drives it for years.

Doug DeMuro has been reviewing cars for years, from quirky collector vehicles to brand-new Ferraris. He also runs the Cars and Bids website, so he knows used car values. He recently wrote up the best cheap used cars to flex, and some give major old money vibes.

DeMuro’s stealth wealth vibes tip is to opt for a basic grayscale (white, silver, gray, or black) car with stock rims, stock ride height, and no modifications like blacked-out tail lights. Without further ado, here are four of the cheapest stealth wealth cars you can buy today.

Volvo V70 station wagon (P2 generation, 2000–2007)

DeMuro highlights the V70 as the ultimate “old money” wagon, a practical yet upscale car that blends in with high net-worth crowds. That’s because Volvo has long been the engineering-forward safety-minded luxury car for the folksy rich crowd.

Most V70s were sold with five-cylinder engines, naturally aspirated or turbocharged, and are valued for their durability. As DeMuro puts it, “Folks, you can buy a used Volvo V70 station wagon for like six grand. And if you take that into some wealthy area, people will just think that you’re one of those old money rich people who drives a car into the ground because I know the value of a dollar.”

DeMuro also says these wagons avoid the new money stigma of a more showy car. “We sell these on Cars & Bids pretty regularly…these are perfect for this category exactly because they’re not cars that anybody has ever used to flex.”

Mercedes-Benz E-Class wagon (W211/W212, mid-2000s to mid-2010s)

Again, a luxury wagon is a great way to look like old money. The Mercedes-Benz E-Class wagon represents quiet wealth. It’s commonly owned by affluent families who prefer function over flash.

Typically powered by a 3.5-liter V6 with 4MATIC all-wheel drive, these wagons carry a strong reputation for lasting luxury. DeMuro notes, “Older, cheap, I would say like if we’re talking about like the mid-2000s to the mid-2010s, these are $7,000 to $12,000 cars. They are not expensive, and yet they project this air of sort of old money, my daughter rides horses kind of wealth.”

BMW 5 Series (F10 generation, 2011–2015)

The F10 5 Series is a refined executive sedan, understated yet premium, with options like turbocharged six-cylinders or a twin-turbo V8 in the 550i. DeMuro calls it a classic “respectable rich guy” daily driver that costs a fraction of its original MSRP. And unlike a 3 Series or Z4, the big sedan’s reputation hasn’t been sullied by teenage racers who watch too much Fast & Furious.

DeMuro points out, “You can get an early F10 5 Series, not an M5, but just a regular F10 5 Series, pretty easily for $6,000 to $11,000.” He adds that the styling helps with the stealth wealth image. “It has a very kind of understated, like I’m a respectable businessman kind of style to it, even though they are pretty affordable cars.”

Just don’t expect perfection. DeMuro says, “They’re unreliable, I want to be clear. Basically every car on this list is unreliable.”

Audi A8 (D3 generation, 2003–2010)

The D3 A8 has a modern design and a reputation as a connoisseur’s luxury sedan, with many featuring a dependable 4.2-liter V8 and quattro AWD. It’s sleek and subtle, favored by those wanting sophistication without flash. “A D3, early D3 A8 is a $9,000 to $14,000 car. They are shockingly cheap to buy, shockingly cheap.”

DeMuro calls the Audi the thinking man’s stealth wealth sedan. “The A8 has always kind of been the connoisseur’s choice. It’s like the guy who buys it isn’t just some rich guy who doesn’t know any better. It’s like the architect or the thinking man chose the A8.”

DeMuro warns the A8 lands in an awkward middle ground between performance and comfort. “They’re not actually that great to drive…They’re not that luxury. They’re not that soft and wafty and comfortable like the Mercedes-Benz S-Class or the 7 Series.”

Why stealth wealth wins

At the end of the day, these cars aren’t about flexing on Instagram or blowing past strangers with a roaring V12. They’re about slipping quietly into the same spaces as the old-money crowd—and looking like you’ve been there for decades. For as little as six grand, you can buy a car that tells the world, “I don’t need to prove anything.”

You can see the rest of DeMuro’s list embedded below: