Joined: Nov 2011

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From: ON/NY

Joined: Feb 2001

Posts: 75,631

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From: Present

So your philosophy is to buy toyota/lexus vehicles and keep them for at least 10 years (unless you make a mistake), even though they are 'not that great', and the lx gets horrible gas mileage, handles horribly, is slow as a pig and noisy. You do this because they 'don't break all that often'. Seems you view vehicles as a necessary evil and you're rationlizing your way of minimizing costs, but hey, if that works for you great, but don't come in here all pious and filled with virtue signalling as to why everyone else shoukd do the same.

my philosophy is to drive a vehicle as long ss i enioy its design, features, and capabilities and it fits my needs. In the last 15 years i've had lexus, ford, jeep and now genesis, all equally reliable basically. I've switched when i was 'done' with what i was driving and wanted features/designs of something that has come out. It works for me.

Joined: Oct 2003

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From: Virginia/D.C. suburbs

Joined: Feb 2008

Posts: 2,448

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From: Japan

Joined: Nov 2011

Posts: 31,752

Likes: 73

From: ON/NY

I don't think I have said my point of view is what everyone should be doing at all. There are many times I have said that what works for one, does not always work for another, and I have mentioned that I have seen another members POV. I also thought I said its fascinating to see other people take long term lease risks. Looks to me as though the S-Class intimidates people, maybe its the repairs or maybe its the cache of the model, or maybe the overall high end cost and generally speaking, vehicles that carry high brand cache are something you have to pay for. Then we went off on a credit card debate and for me the reason why I don't use my credits all the time is that 1. I do not like making money for the credit card companies which is what they do when you use them and 2. the whole points things is mostly designed to make you spend more as well as reinforce point #1 of making credit card companies lots of money. So back to cars and the S-Class, is an S-Class or any high end car a complete waste of money that depreciates, it sure is. Does it makes sense to buy one, perhaps and that depends on the individual but it is not possible to tell someone buying a high end car is a sound financial one. I get the point that you don't want your tombstone to read "I never changed my cars all that often" and I glad you live that way. We own a boat and we always have had one for most of our later married lives, its docked in a Marina just 20 minutes West of Toronto, is it a complete waste of money, yes. Does is just drain funds operating it, it sure does. Do we find it fun to have, we do. Are we over our heads with it, no. Could we live without it yes. We also should live without four vehicles for two drivers as well. I have said my next car might be a FWD Lexus non hybrid if they ever make a small model, I would also like to try a small Mercedes one day but I don't think I am willing to take that risk. For us, we value wealth and long term vs the short term. We found a way that has worked for us in life, perhaps its not the case for everyone.


Yes, I have seen your posts and you have been more than fair to all of the brands you have had and it appreciating to see that. I can't tell you which model Ford or Lexus you ever had, but I have seen you post about your Jeep and your new Genesis. You mentioned you lease your Genesis however you never go into details about the purchase process, in the Ontario, Genesis will apparently not sell you their cars for less than MSRP and everyone pays the same price, at least this is what they told me at Genesis Mississauga on Monday afternoon.

Back to the original question of this thread of "Why does an S class intimidate so many people?" If it did not intimidate people either the purchaser or the the person viewing the purchaser (for whatever reasons), then it is not doing its job as a high end luxury branded vehicle.

Here are some owner experiences: pretty scary.

https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-ben...owner-reviews/

Joined: Sep 2016

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From: AB

Joined: Nov 2011

Posts: 31,752

Likes: 73

From: ON/NY

I think this is one of the most overplayed terms when discussing cars. IMO, marketing plays a huge role in the fun factor ideals which I don’t believe are really true.

Joined: Feb 2002

Posts: 7,331

Likes: 73

From: New York

Its not just marketing.
You just never drove any fun cars.

Go take a BRZ or Miata for a spin. Fun cars for very low $$$.
Drive a Lambo or Ferrari and try not to have a huge smile.
Drive a Hellcat or M3 and feel the crazy power.

That was my experience at least.

Joined: May 2012

Posts: 58,376

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From: Maryland

Whether intended or not, your posts especially on this subject come across that way. Your “opinions” are full of strong declarative statements (an S Class is a huge waste of money” “we simply value wealth” as in, someone who buys an S class is ignorant to the value of money and doesn’t value wealth. The reaction your posts on this subject get from multiple posters should show you how they are coming across.

Im shocked you own a boat. A boat is a higely
expensive thing to own. Tons of maintenance, docking costs, etc. I suppose you’ve decided that for you the enjoyment of owning a boat is worth the enormous cost of that. Somehow you’re still able to “prioritize wealth” huh?

I guarantee it costs you more every year to own that boat than it costs me to drive my LS460, and likely would for me to drive an S Class.

So you’re prioritizong enjoyment over sound financial sense just like the rest of us, just on a different thing.

Theres this idea that people who buy or lease expensive cars are just doing something that’s totally financially stupid. Well, from a purely financial sense it is, but often these people who pass judgement on us have other things in their lives they spend a ton of money on that are equally as stupid. Like owning a boat. Or belonging to a country club, or buying timeshares, or expensive jewelry, or huge houses that they don’t need. I have a buddy who gives me a hard time (in fun) but he spends $800 a month to belong to a country club he never uses. He’s literally paying for nothing, at least I get to drive and enjoy my extravagance every day.

Joined: Jul 2018

Posts: 296

Likes: 17

From: Texas

That shows that you are not an enthusiast, nothing wrong with that. The “fun-factor” is my deciding factor while car shopping. It is also why I no longer drive a Lexus as my daily driver. I switched brands, simply because I enjoy driving the car as speeds that I shouldn’t and enjoy kicking the rear of the car out around a corner.

The fun factor is why I spend another $400 a month on my car note over what I paid on my old IS350. BTW marketing has nothing to do with the emotional feeling you get while driving a car quickly.

After reading your last few comments, it sounds like you are unhappy with pretty much all of your vehicles if your Camry is your favorite. You should try another brand, find a car that excites you.

Joined: Sep 2016

Posts: 2,047

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From: AB

Joined: Oct 2003

Posts: 91,715

Likes: 89

From: Virginia/D.C. suburbs

Joined: May 2012

Posts: 58,376

Likes: 2,793

From: Maryland

I think you certainly can like soft and cushy cars and be an enthusiast, I certainly am. It’s about finding a car that you “love”. I can’t imagine driving something I don’t love driving. Every car I’ve owned I loved driving at some point, save my wife’s Prius and our minivans. The Pacifica is better than the Kia was, but I would never chose to drive it if I didn’t have to. Over time that love faded and it was time to get something else.

My wife for instance isn’t an enthusiast, she truly doesn’t care what she drives, and she can’t even really tell the difference between different vehicles. To her a car is an appliance, that’s the difference. She drives my LS and she says “it drives really nice” and if she goes somewhere and I ask her if she wants to take it she says not really lol.

I don’t see how somebody who doesn’t love a car that they own or at least have some car they aspire to have that they love can be considered a car enthusiast.

Joined: Mar 2014

Posts: 3,171

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From: fl

Joined: May 2012

Posts: 58,376

Likes: 2,793

From: Maryland

I think to somebody that really doesn’t enjoy cars and driving, no car is “fun”.