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Are expensive cars worth it?

#121
socialleper said:
What I am trying to figure out is whether or not econoboxes don't last as long, or if there is a truly tangible improvement in confort\ride. Of course the ads say there is, but ads are lies in pretty boxes and utterly useless.
I want to know if a $50k car is more likely to stay on the road for 200k or 300k vs a $20k car. So far no car I've owned has made it past 130k of constant use.
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You had a bad run.

Dollars don't equate the apples and oranges. Most people get the ''best'' car they can for ''X" $.

The $$ are applied to a 4D matrix of
original cost
depreciation cost
operational cost
likely cost of repairs

Then there's consideration for size requirement and value consideration in style and safety, lack of dents, age. Age flips over when style wins big and you have a ''classic''.

Classic rolls back to the economics each time a major problem occurs.

Reliability is pretty well guaranteed in modern Japanese and Korean, with occasional glitches. You should have only minor mechanical problems commuting 300,000 miles.

You could spend 30k to get a bigger safer nicer car with a little more resale or 20k and still run out the distance no problem.
 
#123
fdeck said:
In my view, most people don't need AWD either. It's my understanding that proper snow tires make a bigger difference than AWD. We now have a set of snow tires for each car.
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The problem with snow tyres is they cost extra. That was really not a problem when you could have snows on the driving wheels only. Then the Nanny State told us all 4 wheels or none. Then they told us 4mm tread required. Then I gave them up.
 
#124
I have no way to relate to anyone who is able to afford a very expensive car (say $100,000 or more). Are you really getting your money's worth?

Here's a Porsche 911 T. It's 370 HP and costs about $100,000:
maxresdefault.jpg


This is 911 Turbo with 540 HP that's about $160,000:
LUC_3917316.jpg


And finally, the 911 GT2 RS at 700 HP with a price tag of almost $300,000.
_WR_0364.jpg



I suppose if you were rich enough where a quarter of a million dollars is walking around money, then getting the GTR RS as an upgrade is no big deal. But for mere mortals, how can you justify that kind of money?
 
#126
Downunderwonder said:
The problem with snow tyres is they cost extra. That was really not a problem when you could have snows on the driving wheels only. Then the Nanny State told us all 4 wheels or none. Then they told us 4mm tread required. Then I gave them up.
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They were pretty cheap for both of our cars. I went to Invalid Link Removed and ordered a package deal for each car -- 4 tires, mounted and balanced, ready to install. They showed up a few days later on our driveway. At the time, we were driving to a ski hill 2-3 times a week for kids' ski team, and weren't ready to replace our older cars.

I'm unaware of anybody getting arrested for having worn-out tires, but if the tread is gone, they're not really snow tires any more.
 
#127
I currently drive an Acura TLX. In the higher end realm, I have also owned an Acura TL, Infiniti G37x, Lexus RX330 and ES330. Along with those, I have owned too many other cars. I am a big Acura fan. Always have been. A far cheaper fully loaded Mazda6 hatchback I owned was also one of my favorite cars. Other than that Mazda, the return on investment is significant, IMO. I drive a lot, and want to enjoy my drives.

My next car will probably be an Infiniti Q50 Red Sport. At least that's my current thought. Luxury sport, and damn quick. I very well may change my mind before I'm read to buy. I'd also really like a Tesla S Type,, but I can't justify that kind of cost, plus Tesla is on super shaky ground right now.
 
#128
I know the theory with a lot of people is to never buy a new car, but I've bought 2 new cars in my life with great success. My father would say buying a used car is buying someone else's trouble, and from my experience in buying used cars (twice) he was right. However, I did buy a used 2004 4Runner just to haul stuff in, it I must admit that it's been trouble free.

socialleper said:
"Are they worth it?" Do more expensive cars last longer?
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Depends on the car. Our BMW is worth it. Like the commercial used to say, it's a driving machine. No oil change for the first 30,000 miles

socialleper said:
Is there really such a thing as driving pleasure?
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Absolutely. My 2001 Toyota MR2 is so much fun to drive it makes me want to cry.
 
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#130
When it come to cars, it's individual and there is no one right way. My friend's new Ferrari was over $300,000 (they start at $280,000...) and I've never seen him happier. The sound of the engine and the power to accelerate make him as happy as I feel when I pick up a good musical instrument and feel the resonance.

Others think anything beyond utilitarian is a waste.

I have friends who changed their vehicle choices after accidents. One friend went from a Thunderbird to a succession of "E" Series Mercedes because he thought they were safer after getting t-boned in the T-Bird. Another had a parking lot crash with a Honda Element and didn't think it was made with enough strength and bought a Volvo (his wife also just had a baby).
 
#133
Mike N said:
The car probably went to the auction where some small 'tote your note' dealer picked it up, fixed it and sold it for twice it's value someone with zero credit.
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A former used car salesman once explained to me how a "note car" works. The down payment is more than the car is worth. When the buyer falls behind, they repo it and pocket the down payment. They can cycle that car through a long succession of buyers.

More and more, I think that kids in high school should be taught a course on how consumer financial services work. My son wrote a term paper on the payday loan industry, and it was eye-opening for him.
 
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#134
walking Bass said:
When it come to cars, it's individual and there is no one right way. My friend's new Ferrari was over $300,000 (they start at $280,000...) and I've never seen him happier. The sound of the engine and the power to accelerate make him as happy as I feel when I pick up a good musical instrument and feel the resonance.

Others think anything beyond utilitarian is a waste.

I have friends who changed their vehicle choices after accidents. One friend went from a Thunderbird to a succession of "E" Series Mercedes because he thought they were safer after getting t-boned in the T-Bird. Another had a parking lot crash with a Honda Element and didn't think it was made with enough strength and bought a Volvo (his wife also just had a baby).
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I was a salesman at a dealership in '96-'97 and learned a lot about people's priorities. It was common for customers to initially insist on safety so of course I would show them vehicles with the latest and best safety features. But usually, the same customers would also insist on more performance, more luxury and more features of all kinds. At some point their list of "must haves" would get so long that the price of the vehicle was well beyond their budget and they would be compelled to give up some features.

Guess what was usually the first thing to be sacrificed? Safety.



It's a very common sentiment in society that no price is too high to save the life of a child. In general, this includes the idea that the health and safety of your family can't be measued in money.

That's B.S. Even the people who say that don't practice that in person. Almost everybody can (and does) put a price on the safety of their family. And it's surprisingly low.

Customer - "I want the safest model they make."

Salesman - "Here it is. It costs $30 per month more than your target budget."

Customer - "I can't go higher than that. I have to stick to the budget."

Salesman - "Okay. If you give up the wheel and tire upgrade and lose the premium stereo
system, then you can afford the top safety feature options."

Customer - "Nah, let's not do that. I need the fancy wheels and tires and the thumping
stereo. The less safe car is just fine for me and my family."
 
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#135
It just depends, I guess. If you're rich, and you want everyone to know it? Then, yeah, I suppose they're worth it. If you can take a track day whenever you like, or there are wonderful sports car roads all around you, then yeah, a high $$ sports car might be worth it. But... I see quite a few of them here in Vegas, and... gotta tell ya; they don't handle creeping up streets like Charleston Blvd. very well. Up hill, bumper-to-bumper at 25-30 mph (1st, maybe 2nd gear) in 110+ degree heat? They tend to wind up with lots of engine troubles and fried clutches - if they don't actually die in the middle of the street (which I've seen more than once). Definitely not worth it, IMO. Normal "cheap" cars can handle that environment much, much better... Expensive luxury cars? They're not supposed to be fun to drive; they're for you to sit in the back seat, and be chauffeured around in comfort, doing whatever rich people do in back seats... Are they worth it? Well, not if you like to drive, but... better than taking the bus, I imagine...
Personally, though, a high $$ car is not something I really want, anyway. I much prefer motorcycles. And if I want to go really fast (and I don't, any more - much), I can do it a whole lot cheaper on a bike...:cool:
 
#136
People forget that part of the Saturn business model was “The price you see is the price, and it’s fair. We’ve eliminated haggling, so Saturn buyers have a much more positive purchase experience”.

Tesla didn’t exactly invent that. Saturn was just ahead of its time. ;)
 
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#137
Once you make it in life, it's OK to treat yourself. As long as you can pay in full cash from the get go. Then it's worth it. If you need to make payments for life, it ain't. How much you spend or what you buy is a personal choice. Some like the adventures of going to remote areas off road. Others like to test their speed on the highways.
 
#138
I don’t know about now, but 30-40 years ago it was common for carmakers to skimp on certain stuff in their econoboxes. My sister bought a new 1980 Corolla that was a rustbucket after about 6 or 7 years. The lip around the trunk rubber gasket rusted out badly, allowing water to get in the trunk. Also the dashboard and vinyl seats cracked prematurely.
 
#139
Alkali Ike said:
People forget that part of the Saturn business model was “The price you see is the price, and it’s fair. We’ve eliminated haggling, so Saturn buyers have a much more positive purchase experience”.

Tesla didn’t exactly invent that. Saturn was just ahead of its time. ;)
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Following Saturn, some other car companies have followed no-haggle pricing as well, particularly on low end models. I believe the Ford Escort was no-haggle for a while, and my Scion XA was. I certainly appreciated being able to just look up the price online.

Now, the other part of the Saturn business model was: "Your engine will burn oil from day one." I considered writing a letter to Roger Smith, suggesting that GM should get motor oil declared to be an alternative fuel, so they could get a tax credit.
 
#140
fdeck said:
A former used car salesman once explained to me how a "note car" works. The down payment is more than the car is worth. When the buyer falls behind, they repo it and pocket the down payment. They can cycle that car through a long succession of buyers.

More and more, I think that kids in high school should be taught a course on how consumer financial services work. My son wrote a term paper on the payday loan industry, and it was eye-opening for him.
Click to expand...

There's a bunch of TYN lots around here that prey on the low/no credit people. I hear the ads on the radio all the time.... "poor credit, bankruptcies, judgements..... YOU'RE APPROVED HERE."

I've been approached by a few of those lots to do the work on their cars before they sell them. Every one has been the "just do the bare minimum to pass inspection" type, and that doesn't fly with me.
 
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