These are the best-selling cars in wealthy zip codes
08-09-12, 08:35 AM
#1
These are the best-selling cars in wealthy zip codes
These are the best-selling cars in wealthy zip codes
Perhaps the most frustrating thing about being mired in the 99% is that due to the prevalence of reality-distorting TV and the booming personal security business, we really have no idea what it's like to be Mitt Romney, Donald Trump or one of the Koch brothers. At least in the olden days, we plebs could point and stare, mouths agape as the robber barons rode through city streets in their jewel-encrusted carriages. But today? Good luck catching a glimpse of Trump's platinum-dipped Maybach or the plutonium-burning hovercrafts that the Koch's use to fly to their secret Tea Party Illuminati meetings.
What's that? Rich people buy their cars at dealerships just like we do?
Yep, and according to a new study from TrueCar, Mr. and Mrs. Moneybags don't go in for luxury models nearly as completely as you'd think. TrueCar has released a list of the top 10 most popular cars in the wealthiest zip codes in the U.S. and, shockingly enough, half the vehicles on it are mainstream models from Toyota, Honda and Volkswagen.
As you would expect, a Mercedes-Benz is indeed at the top of the list, but note that it's the E-Class rather than the S-Class. Runner-up was the BMW 3 Series, just ahead of the C-Class. Fourth place went to the Lexus RX, and fifth to the Toyota Prius. Then the real commonplace models take over, with the Volkswagen Jetta in sixth, the Honda CR-V and Accord in seventh and eighth, and the Toyota Camry taking ninth. The BMW X5 wraps up the list in 10th place.
What this tells us is that the rich are clearly not stupid, choosing to buy the same sorts of vehicles that the rest of us do, models with good reputations for quality and value. Either that or they're paying their servants in cars.
TrueCar.com Study Identifies Top 10 Vehicles in Wealthiest Zip Codes
Half of Vehicles are Non-Luxury Brands; Only Two Vehicles Over $50K
Just because you're wealthy doesn't mean you drive the flashiest car on the block, according to a recent TrueCar.com study that reviewed the top vehicles purchased in the wealthiest zip codes. While admittedly, luxury cars may fit into the stereotype lifestyles of these rich and famous, TrueCar data shows there are plenty of wealthy consumers who opt to drive mainstream brands.
TrueCar.com, the authority on new car pricing, trends and forecasting information, examined the car buying preferences of residents in the 10 wealthiest zip codes in the United States, as determined by the Internal Revenue Service to determine the most 10 most popular vehicles sold in America's wealthiest neighborhoods.
Among the top 10 most popular vehicles in America's wealthiest neighborhoods, half are non-luxury vehicles. And in a demographic where a car budget doesn't seem to be much of a concern, all vehicles are priced less than $50,000 - with the exception of the Mercedes-Benz E-Class and the BMW X5.
Some of the key findings in the data include:
• The Toyota Prius was the most popular vehicle in Ross and Century City, Calif.
• Of the top five vehicles purchased in Downtown Chicago, none were from luxury brands
• The Mercedes-Benz S-Class was the most expensive model purchased in top ten wealthiest Zip codes
• Manhattan represents the city with the wealthiest zip code and the most popular vehicle purchased was the Mercedes-Benz E-Class while the Honda CR-V rounds out the top five
• SUV's are popular in Greenwich, Conn. with four out of the top five
• The Toyota Sienna and Honda Odyssey are the only two minivans to make the top five purchased by residents in Medina, Wash.
"Luxury brands like BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Lexus are the top choice for the well-off, but with wealth often comes freedom of choice. The data demonstrates, that wealthy consumers of today make value a top priority as half the vehicles purchased are from mainstream brands including Honda, Toyota, and Volkswagen that offer the best in vehicle amenities and comfort that near those of some luxury models," said Kristen Andersson, Senior Analyst at TrueCar.com. "For affluent buyers who live in places where environmental concerns reign supreme, the Toyota Prius is the ultimate status symbol in eco-luxury."
Most Popular Cars Sold in America's Wealthiest Zip Codes
Rank Make/Model Segment MSRP* Market Average** % Discount
from MSRP†
1 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Luxury Car $51,365 $48,068 6.4%
2 BMW 328 Luxury Car $35,795 $34,461 3.7%
3 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Luxury Car $36,095 $34,144 5.4%
4 Lexus RX Luxury SUV $39,950 $37,628 5.8%
5 Toyota Prius Small Car $30,565 $29,525 3.4%
6 Volkswagen Jetta Small Car $26,085 $24,978 4.2%
7 Honda CR-V Midsize SUV $29,575 $28,875 2.4%
8 Honda Accord Midsize Car $23,070 $21,210 8.1%
9 Toyota Camry Midsize Car $25,535 $23,871 6.5%
10 BMW X5 Luxury SUV $58,595 $54,995 6.1%
Wealthiest Zips data based on IRS Tax table. Filtered for zip codes with 1,000 returns or more. If the particular zip code didn't have a large enough sample size, it was expanded to include surrounding zip codes. Zip codes are in the file that are associated to the location. *MSRP is based on the most popular trim.**Market Average is estimated based on the national average of recent vehicle transactions, including destination and delivery charges after incentives that are subject to change, but does not include tax, title, licensing, documentation or processing fees, other state and governmental charges and/or fees, or any other charges or fees allowed by law. †Percent Discount is rounded to the nearest tenth.
Half of Vehicles are Non-Luxury Brands; Only Two Vehicles Over $50K
Just because you're wealthy doesn't mean you drive the flashiest car on the block, according to a recent TrueCar.com study that reviewed the top vehicles purchased in the wealthiest zip codes. While admittedly, luxury cars may fit into the stereotype lifestyles of these rich and famous, TrueCar data shows there are plenty of wealthy consumers who opt to drive mainstream brands.
TrueCar.com, the authority on new car pricing, trends and forecasting information, examined the car buying preferences of residents in the 10 wealthiest zip codes in the United States, as determined by the Internal Revenue Service to determine the most 10 most popular vehicles sold in America's wealthiest neighborhoods.
Among the top 10 most popular vehicles in America's wealthiest neighborhoods, half are non-luxury vehicles. And in a demographic where a car budget doesn't seem to be much of a concern, all vehicles are priced less than $50,000 - with the exception of the Mercedes-Benz E-Class and the BMW X5.
Some of the key findings in the data include:
• The Toyota Prius was the most popular vehicle in Ross and Century City, Calif.
• Of the top five vehicles purchased in Downtown Chicago, none were from luxury brands
• The Mercedes-Benz S-Class was the most expensive model purchased in top ten wealthiest Zip codes
• Manhattan represents the city with the wealthiest zip code and the most popular vehicle purchased was the Mercedes-Benz E-Class while the Honda CR-V rounds out the top five
• SUV's are popular in Greenwich, Conn. with four out of the top five
• The Toyota Sienna and Honda Odyssey are the only two minivans to make the top five purchased by residents in Medina, Wash.
"Luxury brands like BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Lexus are the top choice for the well-off, but with wealth often comes freedom of choice. The data demonstrates, that wealthy consumers of today make value a top priority as half the vehicles purchased are from mainstream brands including Honda, Toyota, and Volkswagen that offer the best in vehicle amenities and comfort that near those of some luxury models," said Kristen Andersson, Senior Analyst at TrueCar.com. "For affluent buyers who live in places where environmental concerns reign supreme, the Toyota Prius is the ultimate status symbol in eco-luxury."
Most Popular Cars Sold in America's Wealthiest Zip Codes
Rank Make/Model Segment MSRP* Market Average** % Discount
from MSRP†
1 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Luxury Car $51,365 $48,068 6.4%
2 BMW 328 Luxury Car $35,795 $34,461 3.7%
3 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Luxury Car $36,095 $34,144 5.4%
4 Lexus RX Luxury SUV $39,950 $37,628 5.8%
5 Toyota Prius Small Car $30,565 $29,525 3.4%
6 Volkswagen Jetta Small Car $26,085 $24,978 4.2%
7 Honda CR-V Midsize SUV $29,575 $28,875 2.4%
8 Honda Accord Midsize Car $23,070 $21,210 8.1%
9 Toyota Camry Midsize Car $25,535 $23,871 6.5%
10 BMW X5 Luxury SUV $58,595 $54,995 6.1%
Wealthiest Zips data based on IRS Tax table. Filtered for zip codes with 1,000 returns or more. If the particular zip code didn't have a large enough sample size, it was expanded to include surrounding zip codes. Zip codes are in the file that are associated to the location. *MSRP is based on the most popular trim.**Market Average is estimated based on the national average of recent vehicle transactions, including destination and delivery charges after incentives that are subject to change, but does not include tax, title, licensing, documentation or processing fees, other state and governmental charges and/or fees, or any other charges or fees allowed by law. †Percent Discount is rounded to the nearest tenth.
08-09-12, 09:40 AM
#2
Driver School Candidate
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: AZ
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
TrueCar.com Study Identifies Top 10 Vehicles in Wealthiest Zip Codes
http://www.autoblog.com/2012/08/09/t...thy-zip-codes/
Surprised at the amount of Toyota and Honda cars on the list...however, not surprising is the lack of domestics lol.
Just because you're wealthy doesn't mean you drive the flashiest car on the block, according to a recent TrueCar.com study that reviewed the top vehicles purchased in the wealthiest zip codes. While admittedly, luxury cars may fit into the stereotype lifestyles of these rich and famous, TrueCar data shows there are plenty of wealthy consumers who opt to drive mainstream brands.
TrueCar.com, the authority on new car pricing, trends and forecasting information, examined the car buying preferences of residents in the 10 wealthiest zip codes in the United States, as determined by the Internal Revenue Service to determine the most 10 most popular vehicles sold in America's wealthiest neighborhoods.
Among the top 10 most popular vehicles in America's wealthiest neighborhoods, half are non-luxury vehicles. And in a demographic where a car budget doesn't seem to be much of a concern, all vehicles are priced less than $50,000 - with the exception of the Mercedes-Benz E-Class and the BMW X5.
Some of the key findings in the data include:
• The Toyota Prius was the most popular vehicle in Ross and Century City, Calif.
• Of the top five vehicles purchased in Downtown Chicago, none were from luxury brands
• The Mercedes-Benz S-Class was the most expensive model purchased in top ten wealthiest Zip codes
• Manhattan represents the city with the wealthiest zip code and the most popular vehicle purchased was the Mercedes-Benz E-Class while the Honda CR-V rounds out the top five
• SUV's are popular in Greenwich, Conn. with four out of the top five
• The Toyota Sienna and Honda Odyssey are the only two minivans to make the top five purchased by residents in Medina, Wash.
"Luxury brands like BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Lexus are the top choice for the well-off, but with wealth often comes freedom of choice. The data demonstrates, that wealthy consumers of today make value a top priority as half the vehicles purchased are from mainstream brands including Honda, Toyota, and Volkswagen that offer the best in vehicle amenities and comfort that near those of some luxury models," said Kristen Andersson, Senior Analyst at TrueCar.com. "For affluent buyers who live in places where environmental concerns reign supreme, the Toyota Prius is the ultimate status symbol in eco-luxury."
Most Popular Cars Sold in America's Wealthiest Zip Codes
Rank Make/Model Segment MSRP* Market Average** % Discount
from MSRP†
1 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Luxury Car $51,365 $48,068 6.4%
2 BMW 328 Luxury Car $35,795 $34,461 3.7%
3 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Luxury Car $36,095 $34,144 5.4%
4 Lexus RX Luxury SUV $39,950 $37,628 5.8%
5 Toyota Prius Small Car $30,565 $29,525 3.4%
6 Volkswagen Jetta Small Car $26,085 $24,978 4.2%
7 Honda CR-V Midsize SUV $29,575 $28,875 2.4%
8 Honda Accord Midsize Car $23,070 $21,210 8.1%
9 Toyota Camry Midsize Car $25,535 $23,871 6.5%
10 BMW X5 Luxury SUV $58,595 $54,995 6.1%
Wealthiest Zips data based on IRS Tax table. Filtered for zip codes with 1,000 returns or more. If the particular zip code didn't have a large enough sample size, it was expanded to include surrounding zip codes. Zip codes are in the file that are associated to the location. *MSRP is based on the most popular trim.**Market Average is estimated based on the national average of recent vehicle transactions, including destination and delivery charges after incentives that are subject to change, but does not include tax, title, licensing, documentation or processing fees, other state and governmental charges and/or fees, or any other charges or fees allowed by law. †Percent Discount is rounded to the nearest tenth.
TrueCar.com, the authority on new car pricing, trends and forecasting information, examined the car buying preferences of residents in the 10 wealthiest zip codes in the United States, as determined by the Internal Revenue Service to determine the most 10 most popular vehicles sold in America's wealthiest neighborhoods.
Among the top 10 most popular vehicles in America's wealthiest neighborhoods, half are non-luxury vehicles. And in a demographic where a car budget doesn't seem to be much of a concern, all vehicles are priced less than $50,000 - with the exception of the Mercedes-Benz E-Class and the BMW X5.
Some of the key findings in the data include:
• The Toyota Prius was the most popular vehicle in Ross and Century City, Calif.
• Of the top five vehicles purchased in Downtown Chicago, none were from luxury brands
• The Mercedes-Benz S-Class was the most expensive model purchased in top ten wealthiest Zip codes
• Manhattan represents the city with the wealthiest zip code and the most popular vehicle purchased was the Mercedes-Benz E-Class while the Honda CR-V rounds out the top five
• SUV's are popular in Greenwich, Conn. with four out of the top five
• The Toyota Sienna and Honda Odyssey are the only two minivans to make the top five purchased by residents in Medina, Wash.
"Luxury brands like BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Lexus are the top choice for the well-off, but with wealth often comes freedom of choice. The data demonstrates, that wealthy consumers of today make value a top priority as half the vehicles purchased are from mainstream brands including Honda, Toyota, and Volkswagen that offer the best in vehicle amenities and comfort that near those of some luxury models," said Kristen Andersson, Senior Analyst at TrueCar.com. "For affluent buyers who live in places where environmental concerns reign supreme, the Toyota Prius is the ultimate status symbol in eco-luxury."
Most Popular Cars Sold in America's Wealthiest Zip Codes
Rank Make/Model Segment MSRP* Market Average** % Discount
from MSRP†
1 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Luxury Car $51,365 $48,068 6.4%
2 BMW 328 Luxury Car $35,795 $34,461 3.7%
3 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Luxury Car $36,095 $34,144 5.4%
4 Lexus RX Luxury SUV $39,950 $37,628 5.8%
5 Toyota Prius Small Car $30,565 $29,525 3.4%
6 Volkswagen Jetta Small Car $26,085 $24,978 4.2%
7 Honda CR-V Midsize SUV $29,575 $28,875 2.4%
8 Honda Accord Midsize Car $23,070 $21,210 8.1%
9 Toyota Camry Midsize Car $25,535 $23,871 6.5%
10 BMW X5 Luxury SUV $58,595 $54,995 6.1%
Wealthiest Zips data based on IRS Tax table. Filtered for zip codes with 1,000 returns or more. If the particular zip code didn't have a large enough sample size, it was expanded to include surrounding zip codes. Zip codes are in the file that are associated to the location. *MSRP is based on the most popular trim.**Market Average is estimated based on the national average of recent vehicle transactions, including destination and delivery charges after incentives that are subject to change, but does not include tax, title, licensing, documentation or processing fees, other state and governmental charges and/or fees, or any other charges or fees allowed by law. †Percent Discount is rounded to the nearest tenth.
08-09-12, 09:43 AM
#3
Lexus Fanatic
The Prius, especially, is not surprising. Celebrities in ultra-high-income Hollywood and Beverly Hills have idolized this car for years, and helped to give it much of the glamorization it curently enjoys in the press.
08-09-12, 10:10 AM
#4
Lexus Fanatic
I know. I have a buddy in Studio City who lives on Mullholland drive who owns a Prius and a 911 turbo and he always talks about the Prius. I never hear anything about the Porsche
08-09-12, 10:22 AM
#6
Lexus Fanatic
The CT has a harsh ride (especially by Lexus standards), and doesn't quite get the same mileage of most Prius models. Despite the fact that most of us here in in this forum know the car well, it has also not gotten the same level of publicity and glamorization that the Prius has.
08-09-12, 05:09 PM
#7
Totally wrong way to judge what the wealthy people drive 
The study should be, what are the most popular cars registered at the homes in the wealthiest zip codes. Even that might not be that accurate, since the wealthiest have multiple homes and the cars might even be registered at their company's address. The most accurate is to court what kind of cars are parked in the homes in the wealthiest zip codes, but it is very difficult to do that study, since you can't just pull up from a database.
What kind of cars sold in a zip code doesn't mean those local residence drive those cars
The way I see it, the more wealthy a person is, usually the smarter they are, tons of ultra high end cars are bought pre-owned from out of state from all over the U.S.
The study should be, what are the most popular cars registered at the homes in the wealthiest zip codes. Even that might not be that accurate, since the wealthiest have multiple homes and the cars might even be registered at their company's address. The most accurate is to court what kind of cars are parked in the homes in the wealthiest zip codes, but it is very difficult to do that study, since you can't just pull up from a database.
What kind of cars sold in a zip code doesn't mean those local residence drive those cars
The way I see it, the more wealthy a person is, usually the smarter they are, tons of ultra high end cars are bought pre-owned from out of state from all over the U.S.
Trending Topics
08-09-12, 08:05 PM
#8
Guest
Posts: n/a
Totally wrong way to judge what the wealthy people drive
The study should be, what are the most popular cars registered at the homes in the wealthiest zip codes. Even that might not be that accurate, since the wealthiest have multiple homes and the cars might even be registered at their company's address. The most accurate is to court what kind of cars are parked in the homes in the wealthiest zip codes, but it is very difficult to do that study, since you can't just pull up from a database.
What kind of cars sold in a zip code doesn't mean those local residence drive those cars
The way I see it, the more wealthy a person is, usually the smarter they are, tons of ultra high end cars are bought pre-owned from out of state from all over the U.S.
The study should be, what are the most popular cars registered at the homes in the wealthiest zip codes. Even that might not be that accurate, since the wealthiest have multiple homes and the cars might even be registered at their company's address. The most accurate is to court what kind of cars are parked in the homes in the wealthiest zip codes, but it is very difficult to do that study, since you can't just pull up from a database.
What kind of cars sold in a zip code doesn't mean those local residence drive those cars
The way I see it, the more wealthy a person is, usually the smarter they are, tons of ultra high end cars are bought pre-owned from out of state from all over the U.S.
Also they probably are buying Hondas, Jettas and Camry's for their daughters.
08-10-12, 03:21 AM
#10
Lexus Champion
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: NYC/ATL
Posts: 2,618
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
People are confusing wealthy individuals for money rich/paycheck rich, look at the study it was done using IRS tax returns, I have 2 neighbors back home in NY, one owns beealive, 20 years ago they had millions, today they have way more, they buy a MB and drive it for 10 years 200k but they are old money, another neighbor of mine owns Lipton ice tea, they flip cars like no ones business, the cheapest car in the driveway is a GX460.
08-10-12, 07:00 AM
#13
Lexus Fanatic
iTrader: (20)
horrible article. robber barons? secret Tea Party Illuminati meetings? liberal biased article much?
08-10-12, 07:10 AM
#14
Guest
Posts: n/a
After my recent trip to LA/Hollywood/Beverly Hills etc I don't recall seeing any Jettas, CRVs, Camrys, Accords. What I saw in spades was Porsche and Panameras and mostly German cars with then the occasional Lexus. These were then surrounded by Ferrari's, Masers, Bentley's etc. The Panamera is very popular in high end areas in Atlanta but in the posh areas of L.A it was like a "Camry". It was utterly astounding to see that many of them. Now I know what I "see" might not reflect the entire area but its easier to believe than this list.
So again maybe they are buying those cheaper cars for business or kids cause I sure as hell didn't see them
08-10-12, 09:00 AM
#15
People are confusing wealthy individuals for money rich/paycheck rich, look at the study it was done using IRS tax returns, I have 2 neighbors back home in NY, one owns beealive, 20 years ago they had millions, today they have way more, they buy a MB and drive it for 10 years 200k but they are old money, another neighbor of mine owns Lipton ice tea, they flip cars like no ones business, the cheapest car in the driveway is a GX460.
The only rich people that don't pay income taxes are drag lord who deal with cash only that store their cash in a house, or tax evasion folks with off shore bank accounts
