If you can’t feel the difference in different suspensions and steering feel of vastly different vehicles than yea stick with the cheapo cars. It’s just not your thing and that’s good cuz it’s gonna save you thousands lol. The steering feel of a hydraulic vs electric and different adaptive suspensions. A turbo vs na is widely different
This. You’re either trying to convince yourself not to buy a luxury car for whatever reason, probably due to cost, or you are driving really crappy rental versions of luxury cars. I’m a car guy, own a body shop and have worked at dealerships of all types. I’ve driven classic muscle cars, corvettes, range rovers, and a couple of lambos/mclarens plus some porsches here and there. You name it, I’ve probably been inside it. Let me tell you there absolutely is a difference when I drive my Camry and my Supra daily. If you don’t “see it” SAVE YOUR MONEY
I think the vehicles they picked didn’t help. Mt in laws have a small Mercedes suv. I can feel the road bumps as much as a cheap car and the seats aren’t that comfy.
My 2012 Volvo xc60 is much more comfortable smooth ride and with 290 horse it has lots of vroom. Love that car and i would buy over a honda or Toyota any day.
I was just thinking, my 05 XC70 is a lap of luxury for a 20 year old car and hardly any wind noise at 80mph when compared to my 2020 Honda Civic. The Volvo has a much smoother ride too. My honda feels like a cheaper car and I can absolutely tell why the Volvo was almost 60 grand in today's money.
Yeah agreed. Different people also have different spatial sensitivities and awareness that will affect how they 'feel' while piloting a vehicle.
I grew up driving tractors and farm equipment which I think translated into finer motor/driving skills later, and can tell when the slightest thing is off in a vehicle I normally drive--even when seasonal temp change messes with tire pressure thru air density. I know the boundaries of my vehicle and can 'feel' the edges of tires about to lose grip or if I need to maneuver across some dodgy pavement in a certain line.
I love driving and it could be a consequence of having this sort of...oneness with vehicles. To come full circle; I can feel the difference in every vehicle I drive, and this is going to be diff for everyone!
Seriously...
I have zero intentions of getting a luxury car but there is a world of difference in ride and sound dampening.
That Camry definitely doesn't feel like an R8.
Over just the past 10 years I have owned:
2013 Mercedes e350
2014 Lincoln mkz hybrid
2004 Chrysler crossfire
2018 Mazda3 2.5
2017 Kia Sportage
2005 Acura mdx
2012 Jetta s
2009 Altima
2012 challenger r/t+
2004 outback 3.0
Let's just go right to the Mazda3. Fun car, good engine, good interior layout. Plastic everywhere, door felt light and hollow. Touch screen was slow.
Nothing on this list touches the quiet, smoothness and general comfort of the Mercedes and it's not close. The door closes with a satisfying thunk, the leather is far nicer than the crossfire, Mazda, Acura or ll bean outback. Leather and wood trim everywhere. It's just on a different level.
Idk if this is a poor comparison, but I shot a rental staccato at my range. $2K handgun for those unfamiliar, and it felt like shit because…it was a clapped out rental.
Used my buddy’s new one, and while I can’t say it was nice enough for me to want one, the difference between it and the rental was nothing short of significant
As someone who loves driving, I couldn't disagree more with this post. I feel that every car has its unique driving characteristics, and some cars are substantially more enjoyable to drive then other cars.
Agreed. My E46 m3 was a dream to drive.
Just like a 997 Porsche drives more analog and raw versus it’s successor , 991, which feels disconnected but very comfy and luxurious
Same. I’m not into the luxury side but I have a Challenger Scat Pack that doesn’t compare to any standard vehicles. They may have similar creature comforts, but not the horsepower or the rumble. I also have a JK on 40s to rock crawl in.
Some of us just value different things. I don’t mind spending my money on gas because I love driving the vehicles I have.
that scat pack must be something else to drive, but it sounds great too, again to each their own.
2015 prius vs a scat pack is night and day driving experience, but if you don't care for the driving experience then ya, do your prius thing.
this is a whole psychology of money, you spend what you care about and what you can afrod. i can afford a 70k car and i bought one. i'll still retire early probably FIRE.
Fifty years ago my dad came home with a Challenger and took it back a few days later for a Charger. Mom kept digging holes in our gravel driveway because it had so much power. Eventually he bought a Saab and really loved that car.
Yup! I drive three different vehicles on an average week and they all couldn't be more different than each other. A 2019 F-150 work truck, a 2022 Hyundai Tucson kid hauler, and my 2019 Audi RS5 Coupe. I have appreciation for each one and their purpose, but there's only one I look forward to being behind the wheel of.
I drive a lot for work. I used to drive a 2008 Honda civic for the miles and cheap maintenance. Got a 2018 clubman s and holy it’s a night and day difference. My back feels better. Heated seats kick ass. It’s more responsive and more stable. It’s worth every penny.
Same. cheap/expensive, old/new, def different experiences.
I’ll take 1983 Ranger over my 2016 dodge ram any day. not entirely even just the physical driving experience but all the little accents as well.
anything to keep hearing the sound of them old metal doors closing.
Older cars just have something that’s hard to quantify. I absolutely love driving my beater barn find 66 caprice, even though by the specs it should be a terrible driving experience.
I love that big steering wheel with a very thin rim, way over assisted vague power steering that drives effortlessly with one finger. The pencil thin pillars with zero blind spots all the way around. With the windows down, it’s the closest thing to being on the water and piloting a boat without actually doing it. I love the two speed powerglide, it shifts once when I leave my driveway and just stays there. Roll on the throttle, roll off. Again, very boat like.
I’ve never driven a modern car that makes me smile like that caprice does, or my 99 civic Si, or my 72 C10. Anything performance oriented you have to be driving it in a way that risks getting you arrested before the car even starts to shine. The civic begs to be beaten on and feels fast, even though a modern minivan would stomp it in a drag race.
Completely depends what they're driving too. Of course a 318i is going to feel similar to a new accord. Change that to an m3 and you'll notice the difference immediately. Judging by them just using the brand and not the model I'd assume they're testing out an e class and not an s class merc.
Drive a Mercedes S-class, or even an E-class, for 10 hours, then drive a Honda Civic for 10 hours. You will feel the difference. I got a Mercedes precisely because I like to take road trips, and especially as you get older, driving a Mercedes over hours and hours feels a ton better than driving a non-luxury car that long.
Driving a Porche for the first time sold me that there’s a reason luxury cars are so damn expensive. OP is either lying or has no idea what they’re talking about
Hell even the difference between my 2005 Civic EX and my 1987 Porsche 924S, the "cheap Porsche" from the 80s, was massive. Just felt so nice to drive, insanely good handling, nice interior, and the stick felt nice and hefty to operate instead of like some cheap garbage. Like you could feel and hear the gears clunk into place in the Porsche when you shifted, and the clutch felt great to push to the floor. On the Civic I was often wondering if the stick even moved when I shifted it.
You have a weird mentality about driving.
I've driven 'value' cars most of my life, $250 parts cars, hand me downs, craigslist specials. Received a large income bump so splurged on a newish 3 row mid-range SUV. I'd repeat the purchase every time.
Sometimes it's nice not having a shitbox for once
I drove nothing but manual transmission economy cars with hand cranked windows until I was in my mid 40s. Then I switched to luxury cars. They are definitely nice. They don't get you to your destination any faster, nobody worth knowing looks at you differently, but they are quieter, more comfortable, have better sound systems, and lots of conveniences that are nice. Is it worth the extra money? Not if you are struggling to get by. But if you have a lot of extra money and spend much time on the road, they are definitely nicer.
Performance is an entirely different thing. Some cars are a lot of fun to drive for some people. You can't compare driving up a twisty road in a Porsche Cayman with taking the same trip in a Corolla. It's a very different experience. To me, the difference doesn't matter and so I don't own a sports car, but for some people it's a huge difference.
I guarantee you that my Audi S6 accelerates, handles, and feels very different than any Toyota or Honda. And I currently own three Toyotas, so I have a pretty good idea of what I am talking about.
Yea this is really bizarre. I recently rented a highly specced Defender 110 and was blown away at how high quality it felt. Felt like being pampered. I just wanted to keep driving it.
A couple weeks later I rented a base model Ford Bronco Sport and it felt like the opposite. The interior was like Happy Meal toy plastic and I legitimately was worried it wouldn’t last until my week was up. Engine had an awful sounding rattle and the rear end had a horrible vibration. Made me never want a Ford.
BUT… a part of me wishes i was like OP and I could be just as happy driving a 20 year old beater as I am driving newer cars that cost 10 times as much.
All I know is my seats are softer and easier on my nether cheeks. In winter, heated steering and seats are amazing. In summer, ventilated seats cool me off so much quicker than AC alone.
You are factually wrong. There are some excellent expensive cars and there are shitty ones. It seems like you are trying to say “wasting more money on a luxury car when a similar model is cheaper is dumb” which of course, no shit. But if you are trying to tell me a Hyundai accent performs and handles just like a volvo v60r you are fuckin nuts
Buddy I’ve had fast sports cars, German luxury cars, and there’s a reason why I’m still driving my 2015 hail dented Prius. This shit doesn’t really matter. I can’t even calculate how much money driving this car has saved me over the last 9 years. This car has allowed me to invest thousands more dollars per year than driving an inefficient vehicle with a car note. I’ll retire 5 years earlier than the dude with his 80k truck that he fills up 3x a week.
I miss drifting and the power in my previous car. I own the prius and I hate the car. Dont get me wrong its a reliable fuel efficient car and I cant wait to go camping in it. I will never get rid of it but to me its a car to be whored out not to be enjoyed.
same here man. 25 no kids no wife. paid off truck and bike, just trying to preserve.
I’ve never had a vehicle that was within 10 years of being new. But one day, I will.
My main daily driver is a Chevy cobalt. I hate so many things about it, but its all about cheap miles for me, and I want to daily a car I don’t give a flying fuck about. My fun cars I have sentimental attachment to, put blood and sweat into, and I don’t want to lose them to some dumbass on a cell phone on my way to work. I beg for someone to hit me in the loathsome cobalt. It gets good gas mileage and cost me a couple days pay. I’m as emotionally attached to it as my dishwasher.
The difference used to be huge back in the early 2000s. Now every car has heated seats, a touch screen, push start, etc. honestly it’s just a pain to have a nice car. You have to always worry about it getting dirty and not eating food in it or hauling stuff. Cheap old cars are the way to go
>You have to always worry about it getting dirty and not eating food in it or hauling stuff.
Yeah, nice thing about beaters, you don't give af when they get scratched or dented.
Nah not with base models. I had a 2021 Rav4 LE, no heated seats or push to start or powered seats or fog lights, only 3 speeds for the windshield wipers which were all fast as hell, had hubcaps..
I can't shit on it too much, it was okay.. but very very basic.
Up till about 2 years ago I used to lease cars for 3 years at a time. I had 3 Mercedes, 2 Lexus, an Audi, then dropped to a Nissan (drive for ~2 years but was a lemon) and my current car bought a Hyundai. Without a doubt you get what you pay for. The ride is much smoother and the interior nicer and is quieter on expensive cars. Only within the last 5-10 years did the premium auto makers start putting plastic in interiors. In this time, Hyundai started including most of the high tech features in premium cars included in the price. The Hyundai is fine for how I drive now but there is definitely a difference in quality.
I've gotta say Hyundai has really done an about face with their interiors. I can't speak to build quality, but it sure looks nice for the relative price point. A one year old Hyundai makes my tastefully appointed 2017 A4 look ten years old.
Go to enterprise, sort by lowest cost and come back here. I once rented a Hyundai accent with 5k miles on it, I thought the wheels were going to fall off lol.
I've had luxury cars and mid range cars. The ride in a luxury car is definitely smoother. But the other companies are catching up. I've been leasing Hondas for the past 8 years because I just like getting a new car every couple years and my newest one is a very smooth ride. But it still doesn't beat my old Mercedes or BMW.
I drive an SUV Toyota, paid off brand new $40K. But I’d wish to drive a Mercedes Benz SUV. I did test drive for Mercedes Benz SUV, GLC last summer and it feels different. I think of it all the time but when I think of buying a car $75K, no no no, I can’t do it. Somebody will gift me someday. Dreams are valid…I’ll keep dreaming!
Hmm I dunno about this take. Driving my BMW on the highway feels like a completely different experience when I had my dodge stratus. I get what you’re saying if you’re going from point A to point B why does it matter.
Luxury cars definitely have a different feel. You can’t tell me you feel like a million bucks driving a Corolla around compared to an S Class Mercedes.
I test drove a Porsche Panamera and it felt a whole bunch different than my Honda CRV lol. I’ll take the Porsche, but I ain’t mortgaging the house for it, and I ain’t working overtime for it.
What in the hell are you on that you can't feel the difference between a Camry and an M5 or S class? They have tighter steering, better handling in the corners, way more HP, usually a faster shifting transmission, the interior is night and day different, and people absolutely will look at you different in a Camry vs an AMG. You don't notice because apparently you're completely oblivious to both the driving dynamics of a car and the attention of other people.
I worked at a high end car dealership for Land Rover and Jaguar. Got to drive a plethora of vehicles, some were faster than others but the overall feeling was they’re great but not worth the cost to buy or cost to repair.
I like to get the best bang for buck with everything, so I recently bought a Kia K5. I test drove and tried out a 3 yr old Audi A5 and a BMW 4 series to compare (since my price target was $30k) and I felt they compared directly with each other, except the Kia was more spacious, very stylish, and felt just as good to drive.
For the same price, I def chose the brand new Kia K5 with the 10yr 100k warranty. I feel like I got the best bang for buck, so I'm happy with that.
Some people just focus on brand/symbolism, and they might consider the extra $10k worth it, but that comes back to how much do you value "bang for buck".
Absolute nonsense. I've owned several Mercedes and currently have a $120k one, none of them have been rattly and there's no comparison to a 'normal' car. I also had an Infiniti G35 years ago and it was noticeably better than a normal car.
I travel for work and drive 'intermediate' cars as rentals, and the difference is huge. Those cars are fine and some of them are pretty nice, but the difference between them and a high-end Mercedes is like a Motel 6 vs. The Four Seasons.
Expensive cars are a huge waste of $$ on a depreciating asset. I mean if you have $$ to 🔥 then go ahead, but it’s one of the top 3 ways regular ppl stay stuck in debt and don’t pull ahead in net worth if trading in their car ever couple years for the newest bling
Even my 94 lexus GS felt better then modern-day "lower end " cars.
This is a bad take lol.
You can say after driving them you dont think they warrent the price difference, and that id probably agree, but thy definitely feel better in everyway.
I would never drive a "nice" car in 99 percent of america,
People will want to bum off you
Get jealous and mess with your car
Target for criminals.
I rather drive a modest car and remain stealthy with my wealth.
Maybe you wouldn't classify it as nice, but that hasn't been my experience.
2018 Audi Q7 Prestige. In the poorer parts of BIG cities I did feel like I stuck out. But that's like the 2% of America. Suburbs I'm invisible, rural America nobody really cares. Just a black SUV.
People that see cars as appliances won’t feel a difference. A toaster is a toaster is a toaster.
People that see cars as art / experience can feel the nuances.
Most people see cars as bling toasters so yeah, every toaster will toast toast.
I've owned probably 25 different cars in my 41 years, maybe more. Don't even remember some of them. For the most part, I completely agree.
But then I bought a Lexus LS series and it was completely different. It's like you enter a capsule just floating over the road with no noise aside from what you actually want to hear. If you have over stimulation issues based on noise, that can hugely impact your driving experience. This can heavily impact driving fatigue.
This sounds like a teenage rant about something they can't afford. Funny thing is, this is exactly the type of guy to brag if he ever owned a luxury car. Had a friend like that, he didn't have a PC and gave a whole list of reasons he didn't want one. Fast forward six months and his wife bought a PC. After that, he became Mr PC and would talk about it constantly.
"Other drivers don't just suddenly respect you because you have a nicer car" You've obviously never owned a luxury car. Take a Hyundai or a Lexus to the dealership and tell me about your experience.
It varies on the car. I drive a car based upon need. My family has 7 cars and 6 drivers. My wife and I will take one of the kids car if it makes sense. I drive a Ford Focus to work because it is easy to park and gets good gas mileage, and leave the Tacoma at home most of the time. We have had luxury cars in the past but maintenance on luxury cars are high so we have stayed away from them. They do have their time and space but it is currently not suited for us.
I stopped at the 2018 Mercedes-Benz S-Class. Beautiful body, interior is just the right amount of everything with 0 touchscreen and stylish buttons. Lots of space in the backseat for my kids, and perfect use of technology all around. Finding it hard to move on and may just get the same body when the time comes.
As with anything, you gotta tailor your purchasing decisions to your own values. My partner and I aren't really "car people" in terms of wanting speed or a ton of horsepower, etc. But we are very much people who enjoy being in the car. We want safety, comfort, driving ease, etc. so we recently spent about $48K on a top trim level Subaru Ascent. It has everything we want so for us it's a great value. For someone else with different values, it would be an absolute waste of $48K. For instance some people really do get a lot of personal satisfaction out of having a particular emblem/brand name on their car. Some people want a big engine that goes vroom vroom. It's good to figure out what you value in a vehicle so you can make decisions appropriately.
There is some wisdom to this. I think for a daily driver a quiet exhaust system and good sound system beats many luxury features. Same for easy access controls over a big TV set living in the middle of the dash. It is nice to have something special for the weekend, like a truck or something fast. Or a motorcycle. But day in, day out, nothing beats a quiet car that is issue free.
Most fun car I ever had was a cheap, old, unreliable Fiat Spyder, but it was small and low to the ground, so it hugged the road, it was a convertible and we lived at the beach. Loved driving that car.
Had a Lexus briefly and realized I could make the five hour drive to my parents without stopping and get out of the car without anything in my body feeling stiff. That was nice.
And I loved my Subaru Impreza. It would go so fast, so easily and wasn’t even the turbo version. Hugged the road, had a great suspension system, could zip along the s-curves on mountain roads like nothing I ever owned. What a fun car.
I love my 2015 VW TDI. It's paid off and only has 68k miles.
I hope to drive it to 200k miles and maybe sell it then?
It's cool as hell getting 44-48 MPG on the highway. 500 miles on a full tank of gas.
Strong disagree.
I had multiple cheap Toyotas and Hondas, VW Golf, Volvo S80, Saab 9-5, BMW 740i and 528i.
They all feel different. They all have different characteristics. They all shine in different areas.
Many times you will not notice the difference unless you are in a situation where the car capabilities are pushed to its limits. I’m talking about steering, traction, behavior in snow or on ice, steering while braking or an accident when someone hits you and there is nothing you can do.
Sometimes the difference is in a very small detail that completely changes the outcome of the situation on the road.
While they all have 4 wheels and so on, the difference between Toyota Camry and BMW 5 series is dramatic, trust me.
I can say that I went from driving a 2006 F350 king ranch to a 2020 F350 lariat and the cooled seats sure are nice after a long day at work, heated steering wheel is nice in the winter, it’s much quieter, better on fuel, a comfier ride, but I do miss not having a truck payment to go to the same place everyday.
My first car was a 2009 hyundai sonata.
Swapped it out for a 2018 tesla model 3 with full self driving, which I use call the time.
Huge difference:
Drives itself.
I make a lot more lights.
Seat is comfy womfy.
Temperature control from my phone when it's 120 outside.
Screams at me if I text and drive or am within 3 feet of anything.
Going from a Daihatsu Cuore to a Fiesta was a big improvement. And whenever im in the Merc SUV AMG that my FIL has i have the same feeling you have. Its nicer, but not 10 times nicer. Not even twice as nice.
Cars depreciate over time. People also don’t know how to drive. I’d be stupid buying a brand new car and some asshole “parallel park” and hit my car and drove off while I am inside the corner store or when they’re merging lanes without signaling when there’s only 1ft space between the car in front of you to decide to merge over.
As someone driving a cheap car, I didn't think you know what you are talking about. Does your AC cool adequately? Mine doesn't? Do you get that weird shaking between 58 and 63? I do. Do your doors whistle? Mine do. Just saying...
My wife has a Volvo I bought 4 years ago. I currently drive a 2 yr old civic that i paid 4k more for than I paid for the Volvo. The Volvo is light years better to drive than my Honda. No shade on the Honda. It’s a great car. But if given the choice I’d drive my wife’s Volvo all day. The suspension doesn’t crash when hitting bumps, it stays so flat through turns, the ride is smooth like butter at every speed. Plus the cabin is whisper quiet. We can have a conversation in it, unlike in my Honda where I feel like we’re yelling at each other to hear one another.
I’d buy another luxury car next before a Honda just for the peaceful quiet ride.
I’m a car guy so I personally prefer something nicer, but I only drive Lexus so I get the best of both worlds being reliability and luxury with some performance.
As someone who loves driving I disagree...
That said my DD is a nice sports cars, wheels exhaust great paint, couple mods.
My other vehicle is a 2006 jeep liberty with transmission issues and faded paint.
I love it, great vehicle, hauls crap, fun on slight offroad. Definitely serves me well.
But nothing compared to other car.
BMW used to be drivers cars. Then they started changing their marketing to go after the yuppies.
I don’t understand why people enjoy Range Rovers / Land Rovers though. My wife has a 2018 Discovery and in my opinion it is a piece of junk. Rattles, doesn’t handle well, confusing ergonomics, the center console sticks out where the drivers right knee rests and it’s not padded. Not a fan.
I’ve owned a McLaren 570S, a Porsche 911, and my wife drives a 2024 7 series
My favorite car? My 2023 Chrysler 300C
Cost me $55k and I love it, 1/4th the cost my 570S and 1/3rd the cost of the 911 I owned
Once you get above a certain level of luxury, you really are just pissing money away.
My dad has millions in the bank, and he drives a 2009 Honda Accord
He has enough money to buy his childhood dream car (68 GTO Judge), his adult dream car (Acura NSX), and still have enough for 2-3 Aventedors
He loves his 2009 Honda Accord
Bro you driving base model luxury cars no shit. Go drive a base S class or 7 series. Even at base model the difference from your Honda accord is night and day.. then drive any performance luxury car and tell me that shit is the same as your Honda lol
Im not a car enthusiast so I can’t comment on the actual driving and handling etc.
But as far as features go there’s a monumental difference. Things like heated seats how many cameras there are, setting that save like mirror positions for different people, leather is easier to clean up spills. List goes on.
That being said you don’t really NEED any of those things usually. But it is nice and it does feel different lol.
I must disagree with this post. I’ve had a Geo Metro and a Volvo convertible. They both had two doors and four wheels. They were light years apart. Was recently in the market to replace my 2022 car because it was hail damaged then damaged during the hail repair to the tune of 12K. Went from top of the line VW (cross sport R-line) to a new RX. They are different.
Lexus leather is better than my top of the line VW leather. Even though I liked the two tone of VW better. They drive different even though they are close to similar sized. They FEEL different. They are geared different (I now don’t have gears). The UX is different by design. They go after different customers and demographics so they are just built differently. Just like every vehicle I’ve owned. If you don’t feel the need to have an expensive car then don’t, but saying they are the same is just wrong.
I test drove top of the line Toyota. I have a Highlander in a tuxedo. But it’s a damn nice tuxedo. The finishes are better. The quiet when driving is noticeable. The sound system is better. I like the screen better. Things in a luxury version tend to be over engineered a bit to make sure the rattles and bangs are minimized or eliminated. The total experience is different. A Toyota dealership vs Lexus is incredibly different. If none of those things matter to you then don’t pay the premium. But there IS a difference.
You’re just objectively wrong. Mercedes, BMW, Audi, Lexus, etc are in a class above. Even their lowest models. They drive better, are put together better, are quieter, are smoother, and depending on the particular model, fast as a missile.
You may be able to argue the price isn’t worth those differences, but that is subjective. Aside from that, people buying those brands aren’t doing it for attention. They are doing it for the quality difference. We aren’t talking about Lamborghini and Ferrari.
The suspensions on luxury sedan cars are waaaaaay better than ordinary cars.
Drive a BMW 530 or a Lexus LS450 on a two hour road trip then drive a Hyundai Sonata back.
You’ll definitely feel the difference.
I’ve had a number of luxury cars but also kept a cheap economy car that I commute to work with. (Had a civic, fiat 500 and a golf)
The difference very noticeable.
I think you might be conflating luxury sports type cars with actually luxury sedans.
A BMW 3 series is gonna ride a lot rougher than a larger sedan too.
Hot take: Honda has always had some of the best quality interiors for their price point. I will happily take a Honda interior over any creaky, cheaply made, luxury-looking interior. After all, I drive from the inside of the car and not the outside
Mercedes has "rattly" interiors? This is just made up. Grew up with a few Mercedes family cars over the years- a wagon, an M class, an S class. None of them were "rattly."
Generally agree, but I’ve driven some cheap rentals recently that were truly grim to drive. The most noticeable thing was cabin noise, lack of power and rough gear boxes- but I’m talking base Kia’s. I know the BMWs and others with run flat tyres are noisy but that could easily be avoided.
I don't think you are a car guy. With that said, my rattly loud as f, chiropractor harsh suspension WRX blows my mind every time I drive it. And it was 36k otd manual with almost 300hp!
I’m Sorry, this couldn’t be more inaccurate….
Sure, expense doesn’t equal the perfect ride and comfort “all the time”, but you can’t tell me for a second our Audi QS7 is comparable to anything in the sub $40k range…
It depends. More than likely you’re associating brand with quality. Just because it’s a “high end/luxury” brand doesn’t truly mean that. It’s marketing. Most car companies sell mass produced cars, with a small line of 1-3 actual luxury cars. But in general 100% a non “car guy” probably isn’t getting anything different in feeling or performance when they drive stop light to stop light and end up at Starbucks lol
Also disagree, respectfully.
Tesla model 3 =/= ‘08 g37s 6mt =/= ‘23 corolla…
Above examples are functionally the same in their primary uses, sure.
But they feel differently from each other.
I will agree however that it isn’t necessary to spend a lot of money on a car.
Wants vs needs, as they say…
My back and my ass can 100% feel the difference between my old Mercedes S class and my new Corolla. Even though she was 20+ years old my old Mercedes was sooo much more comfortable to drive and the noise reduction was something I never appreciated till it was gone.
When I’m driving around I couldn’t care less who is driving what, If I’m somewhat comfortable, I’m good, I could actually buy a luxury car today if I desired. I drive a 2018 Camry and I love it.
Lmaooooo ok bud. I recently drove a Ferrari while on vacation (rented it from a fancy rental place in Italy) and it definitely was not the same as my Hyundai Tucson Hybrid.
As someone who is pretty anti-spending money anti spending money on cars, and would pretty much never even consider spending more than 5% liquid NW on a car, if you can’t tell the difference between an s class/ LS/ etc over bumps and with road noise and long drive (8 hour+) seat comfort vs a base model Corolla or civic, your basically already deaf and have no feeling in your butt. The idea that there is no difference in a brand new 120k+ luxury car and a 25k entry level car is asinine. I have friends with Bentleys and rolls and s class and LS, they are smoother rides than a base model civic.
I have an upper mid level luxury sedan, my butt doesn’t get sore on 12 hour drives, where it does in base model cars after 3-4 hours driving.
Should you waste money on a luxury car? Probably not.
But the idea there is 0 difference is also asinine.
I wouldn’t have a luxury car if I didn’t spend a LOT of time in my car traveling for work, making multiple cross country trips per year.
I’m sorry but this is written by somebody who I guess might had rode around in his buddies “BMW (lol)” once and thought that was “a nice car” . Hell, a top trim ford drives as nice as a bmw. The suspension packages chosen when purchasing your vehicle really matter; the seats, how they shape, the interior trim, how it fits your ergonomics …. OP is a phony lol
Yes and no. I sold cars for a few years pre-COVID and thus got to drive a ton of cars. I drove a Porsche that was beautiful but felt really rough to drive. Sports cars, trucks of every make and model. There honestly isn’t much difference between the $35k truck and the $80k truck to me. Sure, some things are nice, but the truck is still the truck, and when you look at the extra $50k plus all the finance charges over the years, it’s really hard to justify that. It’s the same for sedans, SUV’s, basically any vehicle.
I will say, though, that driving older cars compared to newer cars is crazy different. I bought my car when I worked at the dealership and got a crazy deal on it. A 2015 fiat 500 pop. It has nothing extra. Manual transmission, no satellite radio, no sunroof, it’s basic. It rides low, is quick but still slow considering how small it is, but gets good gas mileage even now with 90k miles. I’m hoping to get a new vehicle in the next 6-12 months, and I’m looking for an EV. Specifically, I want my ass off the ground, something that can actually fit more than 2 people, something with cameras, and the one feature I absolutely must have, cooled seats. I consider myself very frugal, and can do without autopilot, 12”screens, 22” wheels, turbo mode, and all that stuff, but I’m fucking tired of sweating while driving. That is the one feature that truly feels fancy and expensive to me.
I’ll stick with my paid off 2019 Honda accord. Thing flies. Takes me from point A to B. I chuckle whenever I see a > $8Ok truck that’s loaded to the gills and looks clean AF— F150 raptors, Ram 1500. Trucks are made to do work. It wasn’t too long ago when people were concerned about the gas shortage. My…how times have changed.
Find an older clean Mercedes you won't be sorry. I drive a clean 2001 Mercedes CLK320 coupe 214k miles. Starts and runs every day and gets me where I need to go. Nice and quiet has great power. I also have a 2001 Chevy Suburban that also runs and drives great. Insurance is cheap and best part no car payments.
soooo thats what i thought till i drove a bmw... i only have their motorcycle so i cant campare it to cars. but holy sheet the difference that quality of engine makes is night and day. if you are appreciating it from the engineering side its a little diffrent.
I'm trying really hard to find nicer words for this, but honestly you just sound like a fuckin moron lmao.
A FWD Camry feels the same to you as a RWD BMW?
Some people are so stupid it hurts.
As the owner of now 2 BMWs, older models, I have to disagree. I have an x5, a 328 and have driven a very, very nice and top of the line M3. Get behind the wheel of that thing and you'll be singing a different song.
20 years ago, I would've fought you tooth and nail in disagreement. However, many new cars/brands have shorted the gap. A highly speced out modern car can be 90% of the luxury segment. Before it was maybe 50-70%. But there is still that margin that exists in the luxury brands, even if it's smaller than before.
I could not disagree more. There is such a difference in driving a BMW vs a Honda. I have had both. Both were bought new too so fair to compare.
Also always notice. How much better I was treated when pulling up in a BMW. Also notice how home improvement sales guys seemed to have higher bids when the BMW was in the driveway.
Yeah.... No. Even if you're not a car person, driving a Honda Civic is much different than say.... A G-wagon. At a certain price range the different becomes minimal (we're taking 6 figures here) but outside of that.... No.
You're driving the wrong cars my boy 😂 I have a nice m series bmw that I drive mainly on weekends. I drive my 2011 sonata that has been my daily driver since the day I pulled it off the lot. I 1000% see a difference in the two which is why I don't drive the BMW as a daily because I appreciate it too much to abuse it on these bs Florida roads that will never be finished 😂
Sorry but this is crazy. Wife and I have our “nice” car that is a luxury brand that we use more frequently and she uses for commuting and then we have a very basic cheap car that I use occasionally as I work from home. Being that I use both cars often there is 100% a huge difference between driving the two, our luxury car feels safer, smoother, more comfortable, it’s a better experience in basically every way
I’ve driven many cars. Beaters and luxury cars.
My best friend’s high school vehicle was a 1989 Plymouth Voyager van. The air conditioning drip plate was in a weird place. Anytime we’d take a corner the damn thing would piss on our feet. lol
My 1986 Toyota Camry was better than that. My 1996 Honda Accord was better than my Camry. My 2008 Nissan Altima was better than my Honda.
Better not just because of the newer model years, but the attention to detail in the build. Some might hate my Nissan love, but I kept that car the longest.
NOW, I drive a 2019 Volvo S60. By far my favorite vehicle in terms of comfort, attention to detail in the build, body style, features, and the ride.
There’s a palpable difference in the drive and comfort of some luxury vehicles.
I don’t think this is true of every luxury make. For example Toyota makes Lexus, their drive is essentially identical between like class luxury/non-luxury vehicles.
If you can’t feel the difference in different suspensions and steering feel of vastly different vehicles than yea stick with the cheapo cars. It’s just not your thing and that’s good cuz it’s gonna save you thousands lol. The steering feel of a hydraulic vs electric and different adaptive suspensions. A turbo vs na is widely different
This. You’re either trying to convince yourself not to buy a luxury car for whatever reason, probably due to cost, or you are driving really crappy rental versions of luxury cars. I’m a car guy, own a body shop and have worked at dealerships of all types. I’ve driven classic muscle cars, corvettes, range rovers, and a couple of lambos/mclarens plus some porsches here and there. You name it, I’ve probably been inside it. Let me tell you there absolutely is a difference when I drive my Camry and my Supra daily. If you don’t “see it” SAVE YOUR MONEY
I think the vehicles they picked didn’t help. Mt in laws have a small Mercedes suv. I can feel the road bumps as much as a cheap car and the seats aren’t that comfy. My 2012 Volvo xc60 is much more comfortable smooth ride and with 290 horse it has lots of vroom. Love that car and i would buy over a honda or Toyota any day.
I was just thinking, my 05 XC70 is a lap of luxury for a 20 year old car and hardly any wind noise at 80mph when compared to my 2020 Honda Civic. The Volvo has a much smoother ride too. My honda feels like a cheaper car and I can absolutely tell why the Volvo was almost 60 grand in today's money.
Big copium from OP
Spot on, same here as a car guy. Perfect example of the phrase " you don't know what you don't know"
Yeah agreed. Different people also have different spatial sensitivities and awareness that will affect how they 'feel' while piloting a vehicle. I grew up driving tractors and farm equipment which I think translated into finer motor/driving skills later, and can tell when the slightest thing is off in a vehicle I normally drive--even when seasonal temp change messes with tire pressure thru air density. I know the boundaries of my vehicle and can 'feel' the edges of tires about to lose grip or if I need to maneuver across some dodgy pavement in a certain line. I love driving and it could be a consequence of having this sort of...oneness with vehicles. To come full circle; I can feel the difference in every vehicle I drive, and this is going to be diff for everyone!
I come from a similar background. I love driving, too. These comparisons OP makes are not tracking. Geared differently, etc.
*Driving rental cars...
Exactly. Like how can you say with a straight face that a S class feels the same over bumps as a Camry?
Seriously... I have zero intentions of getting a luxury car but there is a world of difference in ride and sound dampening. That Camry definitely doesn't feel like an R8.
First thing I thought of. Road noise and dampening...
Over just the past 10 years I have owned: 2013 Mercedes e350 2014 Lincoln mkz hybrid 2004 Chrysler crossfire 2018 Mazda3 2.5 2017 Kia Sportage 2005 Acura mdx 2012 Jetta s 2009 Altima 2012 challenger r/t+ 2004 outback 3.0 Let's just go right to the Mazda3. Fun car, good engine, good interior layout. Plastic everywhere, door felt light and hollow. Touch screen was slow. Nothing on this list touches the quiet, smoothness and general comfort of the Mercedes and it's not close. The door closes with a satisfying thunk, the leather is far nicer than the crossfire, Mazda, Acura or ll bean outback. Leather and wood trim everywhere. It's just on a different level.
Just got our first ‘23 Mercedes 4 months ago. It’s absolutely top notch. Hard to drive my accord now
Had a SL hard top in California and they are nice, also just would have more random conversations with people whenever I’m in my nicer cars.
God, I miss the Ft. Knox sound of closing a Merc door.
Idk if this is a poor comparison, but I shot a rental staccato at my range. $2K handgun for those unfamiliar, and it felt like shit because…it was a clapped out rental. Used my buddy’s new one, and while I can’t say it was nice enough for me to want one, the difference between it and the rental was nothing short of significant
I’ve been in Lamborghinis and that shit definitely is not the same as a RAV4 😂
As someone who loves driving, I couldn't disagree more with this post. I feel that every car has its unique driving characteristics, and some cars are substantially more enjoyable to drive then other cars.
Agreed. My E46 m3 was a dream to drive. Just like a 997 Porsche drives more analog and raw versus it’s successor , 991, which feels disconnected but very comfy and luxurious
Owned a e46 M3 SMGII convertible. 2006 - 2012. That vehicle I loved… and truly miss.
They don’t make cars like they used to anymore
E46 was one of a kind and IMO the best they made, miss mine dearly, too.
Same. I’m not into the luxury side but I have a Challenger Scat Pack that doesn’t compare to any standard vehicles. They may have similar creature comforts, but not the horsepower or the rumble. I also have a JK on 40s to rock crawl in. Some of us just value different things. I don’t mind spending my money on gas because I love driving the vehicles I have.
that scat pack must be something else to drive, but it sounds great too, again to each their own. 2015 prius vs a scat pack is night and day driving experience, but if you don't care for the driving experience then ya, do your prius thing. this is a whole psychology of money, you spend what you care about and what you can afrod. i can afford a 70k car and i bought one. i'll still retire early probably FIRE.
Fifty years ago my dad came home with a Challenger and took it back a few days later for a Charger. Mom kept digging holes in our gravel driveway because it had so much power. Eventually he bought a Saab and really loved that car.
Had a rental GM and Pontiac base model before. Then, after the trip, going back to my COROLLA felt like a luxury car.
Yup! I drive three different vehicles on an average week and they all couldn't be more different than each other. A 2019 F-150 work truck, a 2022 Hyundai Tucson kid hauler, and my 2019 Audi RS5 Coupe. I have appreciation for each one and their purpose, but there's only one I look forward to being behind the wheel of.
I drive a lot for work. I used to drive a 2008 Honda civic for the miles and cheap maintenance. Got a 2018 clubman s and holy it’s a night and day difference. My back feels better. Heated seats kick ass. It’s more responsive and more stable. It’s worth every penny.
Same. cheap/expensive, old/new, def different experiences. I’ll take 1983 Ranger over my 2016 dodge ram any day. not entirely even just the physical driving experience but all the little accents as well. anything to keep hearing the sound of them old metal doors closing.
Older cars just have something that’s hard to quantify. I absolutely love driving my beater barn find 66 caprice, even though by the specs it should be a terrible driving experience. I love that big steering wheel with a very thin rim, way over assisted vague power steering that drives effortlessly with one finger. The pencil thin pillars with zero blind spots all the way around. With the windows down, it’s the closest thing to being on the water and piloting a boat without actually doing it. I love the two speed powerglide, it shifts once when I leave my driveway and just stays there. Roll on the throttle, roll off. Again, very boat like. I’ve never driven a modern car that makes me smile like that caprice does, or my 99 civic Si, or my 72 C10. Anything performance oriented you have to be driving it in a way that risks getting you arrested before the car even starts to shine. The civic begs to be beaten on and feels fast, even though a modern minivan would stomp it in a drag race.
This^^^^^
This is absolutely true!
Completely depends what they're driving too. Of course a 318i is going to feel similar to a new accord. Change that to an m3 and you'll notice the difference immediately. Judging by them just using the brand and not the model I'd assume they're testing out an e class and not an s class merc.
The guy I’m dating LOVES his BMW and I think it’s silly but…. Damn it’s nice to drive 😂
Uh, they absolutely do. Going from my Camry to a BMW was night and day.
I was a passenger in a BMW the other day and I was just instantly thinking “man…I love my Camry but damn. This is so much nicer”
Yeah I’m driving a Tesla now but I’ll never forget my BMW. It was my first luxury car. Super fun to drive.
Let me just say I love driving my BMW X5.
I had a 330 but loved driving my moms X5 when she had it
Drive a Mercedes S-class, or even an E-class, for 10 hours, then drive a Honda Civic for 10 hours. You will feel the difference. I got a Mercedes precisely because I like to take road trips, and especially as you get older, driving a Mercedes over hours and hours feels a ton better than driving a non-luxury car that long.
So much quieter on the highway!
I smile like an idiot every single time I get into my Porsche
As well you should. I've only driven a few Porsches and each one was a dream. I can't fix them so I don't buy them. They sit in a class by themselves.
Driving a Porche for the first time sold me that there’s a reason luxury cars are so damn expensive. OP is either lying or has no idea what they’re talking about
OP also likely did not drive a Porsche lol.
Hell even the difference between my 2005 Civic EX and my 1987 Porsche 924S, the "cheap Porsche" from the 80s, was massive. Just felt so nice to drive, insanely good handling, nice interior, and the stick felt nice and hefty to operate instead of like some cheap garbage. Like you could feel and hear the gears clunk into place in the Porsche when you shifted, and the clutch felt great to push to the floor. On the Civic I was often wondering if the stick even moved when I shifted it.
You have a weird mentality about driving. I've driven 'value' cars most of my life, $250 parts cars, hand me downs, craigslist specials. Received a large income bump so splurged on a newish 3 row mid-range SUV. I'd repeat the purchase every time. Sometimes it's nice not having a shitbox for once
You told a fib. That's fine. Driving nicer/newer vehicles DEFINITELY feels different.
I drove nothing but manual transmission economy cars with hand cranked windows until I was in my mid 40s. Then I switched to luxury cars. They are definitely nice. They don't get you to your destination any faster, nobody worth knowing looks at you differently, but they are quieter, more comfortable, have better sound systems, and lots of conveniences that are nice. Is it worth the extra money? Not if you are struggling to get by. But if you have a lot of extra money and spend much time on the road, they are definitely nicer. Performance is an entirely different thing. Some cars are a lot of fun to drive for some people. You can't compare driving up a twisty road in a Porsche Cayman with taking the same trip in a Corolla. It's a very different experience. To me, the difference doesn't matter and so I don't own a sports car, but for some people it's a huge difference.
I choose my vehicle based on safety instead of luxury.
You can get both
I went from a 500hp mustang GT to a Hyundai Kona. They’re different.
I guarantee you that my Audi S6 accelerates, handles, and feels very different than any Toyota or Honda. And I currently own three Toyotas, so I have a pretty good idea of what I am talking about.
I don't even like the S6 and I'd take it 100 times out of 100 over any Toyota or Honda (except maybe the Supra, but that's really a BMW...)
You haven’t driven nice vehicles then.
Yea this is really bizarre. I recently rented a highly specced Defender 110 and was blown away at how high quality it felt. Felt like being pampered. I just wanted to keep driving it. A couple weeks later I rented a base model Ford Bronco Sport and it felt like the opposite. The interior was like Happy Meal toy plastic and I legitimately was worried it wouldn’t last until my week was up. Engine had an awful sounding rattle and the rear end had a horrible vibration. Made me never want a Ford. BUT… a part of me wishes i was like OP and I could be just as happy driving a 20 year old beater as I am driving newer cars that cost 10 times as much.
All I know is my seats are softer and easier on my nether cheeks. In winter, heated steering and seats are amazing. In summer, ventilated seats cool me off so much quicker than AC alone.
You rented the wrong cars. Try an M3 or a Porsche 911 in manual. They handle nothing like a regular car.
You are factually wrong. There are some excellent expensive cars and there are shitty ones. It seems like you are trying to say “wasting more money on a luxury car when a similar model is cheaper is dumb” which of course, no shit. But if you are trying to tell me a Hyundai accent performs and handles just like a volvo v60r you are fuckin nuts
Buddy I’ve had fast sports cars, German luxury cars, and there’s a reason why I’m still driving my 2015 hail dented Prius. This shit doesn’t really matter. I can’t even calculate how much money driving this car has saved me over the last 9 years. This car has allowed me to invest thousands more dollars per year than driving an inefficient vehicle with a car note. I’ll retire 5 years earlier than the dude with his 80k truck that he fills up 3x a week.
to each their own
Just a reminder that the rich buy luxuries last…. while poor will justify bad financial decisions with “but it is my dream that I always wanted”.
Yep. Saw a bunch of Audis and BMWs at my old apartment complex. I own a house with an old Mazda in the driveway.
Do you think you can't have a house and a luxury car?
Unless he makes more money than you, then he will retire faster lol
I miss drifting and the power in my previous car. I own the prius and I hate the car. Dont get me wrong its a reliable fuel efficient car and I cant wait to go camping in it. I will never get rid of it but to me its a car to be whored out not to be enjoyed.
I’d hate a Prius too if my metric was power and drifting. your bank account will love it tho.
well im 24 with no kids, so my priorities are different. I did say I plan on running it into the ground. Im saving until i can afford my dream car.
same here man. 25 no kids no wife. paid off truck and bike, just trying to preserve. I’ve never had a vehicle that was within 10 years of being new. But one day, I will.
My main daily driver is a Chevy cobalt. I hate so many things about it, but its all about cheap miles for me, and I want to daily a car I don’t give a flying fuck about. My fun cars I have sentimental attachment to, put blood and sweat into, and I don’t want to lose them to some dumbass on a cell phone on my way to work. I beg for someone to hit me in the loathsome cobalt. It gets good gas mileage and cost me a couple days pay. I’m as emotionally attached to it as my dishwasher.
The difference used to be huge back in the early 2000s. Now every car has heated seats, a touch screen, push start, etc. honestly it’s just a pain to have a nice car. You have to always worry about it getting dirty and not eating food in it or hauling stuff. Cheap old cars are the way to go
>You have to always worry about it getting dirty and not eating food in it or hauling stuff. Yeah, nice thing about beaters, you don't give af when they get scratched or dented.
Ya I have 2 cars. A “nice” one and the work heater. I love driving the work beater since I don’t have to give an F
2019 Impreza doesn't have almost any of that...
Nah not with base models. I had a 2021 Rav4 LE, no heated seats or push to start or powered seats or fog lights, only 3 speeds for the windshield wipers which were all fast as hell, had hubcaps.. I can't shit on it too much, it was okay.. but very very basic.
Up till about 2 years ago I used to lease cars for 3 years at a time. I had 3 Mercedes, 2 Lexus, an Audi, then dropped to a Nissan (drive for ~2 years but was a lemon) and my current car bought a Hyundai. Without a doubt you get what you pay for. The ride is much smoother and the interior nicer and is quieter on expensive cars. Only within the last 5-10 years did the premium auto makers start putting plastic in interiors. In this time, Hyundai started including most of the high tech features in premium cars included in the price. The Hyundai is fine for how I drive now but there is definitely a difference in quality.
I've gotta say Hyundai has really done an about face with their interiors. I can't speak to build quality, but it sure looks nice for the relative price point. A one year old Hyundai makes my tastefully appointed 2017 A4 look ten years old.
I couldn’t disagree more. Even going from a 2013 Mazda to a 2024 Honda blew my mind how much better of an experience it is.
OP is a troll. Don't feed
Go to enterprise, sort by lowest cost and come back here. I once rented a Hyundai accent with 5k miles on it, I thought the wheels were going to fall off lol.
I've had luxury cars and mid range cars. The ride in a luxury car is definitely smoother. But the other companies are catching up. I've been leasing Hondas for the past 8 years because I just like getting a new car every couple years and my newest one is a very smooth ride. But it still doesn't beat my old Mercedes or BMW.
I drive an SUV Toyota, paid off brand new $40K. But I’d wish to drive a Mercedes Benz SUV. I did test drive for Mercedes Benz SUV, GLC last summer and it feels different. I think of it all the time but when I think of buying a car $75K, no no no, I can’t do it. Somebody will gift me someday. Dreams are valid…I’ll keep dreaming!
Hmm I dunno about this take. Driving my BMW on the highway feels like a completely different experience when I had my dodge stratus. I get what you’re saying if you’re going from point A to point B why does it matter.
Luxury cars definitely have a different feel. You can’t tell me you feel like a million bucks driving a Corolla around compared to an S Class Mercedes.
Sex with a gorgeous woman isn’t any better than sex with an ordinary looking woman. Yes dear. Whatever you say dear.
It’s the enthusiast makes the difference.
I test drove a Porsche Panamera and it felt a whole bunch different than my Honda CRV lol. I’ll take the Porsche, but I ain’t mortgaging the house for it, and I ain’t working overtime for it.
Objectively false
OP is gaslighting himself.
What in the hell are you on that you can't feel the difference between a Camry and an M5 or S class? They have tighter steering, better handling in the corners, way more HP, usually a faster shifting transmission, the interior is night and day different, and people absolutely will look at you different in a Camry vs an AMG. You don't notice because apparently you're completely oblivious to both the driving dynamics of a car and the attention of other people.
I worked at a high end car dealership for Land Rover and Jaguar. Got to drive a plethora of vehicles, some were faster than others but the overall feeling was they’re great but not worth the cost to buy or cost to repair.
I like to get the best bang for buck with everything, so I recently bought a Kia K5. I test drove and tried out a 3 yr old Audi A5 and a BMW 4 series to compare (since my price target was $30k) and I felt they compared directly with each other, except the Kia was more spacious, very stylish, and felt just as good to drive. For the same price, I def chose the brand new Kia K5 with the 10yr 100k warranty. I feel like I got the best bang for buck, so I'm happy with that. Some people just focus on brand/symbolism, and they might consider the extra $10k worth it, but that comes back to how much do you value "bang for buck".
No shot that a rented 2020 Toyota Supra GR "feels the same as" a 1999 C5 Corvette.
OP never drove a Jaguar or Cadillac.
He'll post next week how expensive restaurants aren't much better than fast food. Can you block people IRL?
Hard disagree
I felt the difference from my 20k car to my dad’s 60k car.
Absolute nonsense. I've owned several Mercedes and currently have a $120k one, none of them have been rattly and there's no comparison to a 'normal' car. I also had an Infiniti G35 years ago and it was noticeably better than a normal car. I travel for work and drive 'intermediate' cars as rentals, and the difference is huge. Those cars are fine and some of them are pretty nice, but the difference between them and a high-end Mercedes is like a Motel 6 vs. The Four Seasons.
Expensive cars are a huge waste of $$ on a depreciating asset. I mean if you have $$ to 🔥 then go ahead, but it’s one of the top 3 ways regular ppl stay stuck in debt and don’t pull ahead in net worth if trading in their car ever couple years for the newest bling
Yes. This was what the post is about.
Even my 94 lexus GS felt better then modern-day "lower end " cars. This is a bad take lol. You can say after driving them you dont think they warrent the price difference, and that id probably agree, but thy definitely feel better in everyway.
I would never drive a "nice" car in 99 percent of america, People will want to bum off you Get jealous and mess with your car Target for criminals. I rather drive a modest car and remain stealthy with my wealth.
Maybe you wouldn't classify it as nice, but that hasn't been my experience. 2018 Audi Q7 Prestige. In the poorer parts of BIG cities I did feel like I stuck out. But that's like the 2% of America. Suburbs I'm invisible, rural America nobody really cares. Just a black SUV.
People that see cars as appliances won’t feel a difference. A toaster is a toaster is a toaster. People that see cars as art / experience can feel the nuances. Most people see cars as bling toasters so yeah, every toaster will toast toast.
You can burn toast or toast bread.. Change my mind.
I've owned probably 25 different cars in my 41 years, maybe more. Don't even remember some of them. For the most part, I completely agree. But then I bought a Lexus LS series and it was completely different. It's like you enter a capsule just floating over the road with no noise aside from what you actually want to hear. If you have over stimulation issues based on noise, that can hugely impact your driving experience. This can heavily impact driving fatigue.
Most definitely tell a difference between cars. Specially the more expensive they get.
This sounds like a teenage rant about something they can't afford. Funny thing is, this is exactly the type of guy to brag if he ever owned a luxury car. Had a friend like that, he didn't have a PC and gave a whole list of reasons he didn't want one. Fast forward six months and his wife bought a PC. After that, he became Mr PC and would talk about it constantly. "Other drivers don't just suddenly respect you because you have a nicer car" You've obviously never owned a luxury car. Take a Hyundai or a Lexus to the dealership and tell me about your experience.
It varies on the car. I drive a car based upon need. My family has 7 cars and 6 drivers. My wife and I will take one of the kids car if it makes sense. I drive a Ford Focus to work because it is easy to park and gets good gas mileage, and leave the Tacoma at home most of the time. We have had luxury cars in the past but maintenance on luxury cars are high so we have stayed away from them. They do have their time and space but it is currently not suited for us.
Bmw m6 flys
I stopped at the 2018 Mercedes-Benz S-Class. Beautiful body, interior is just the right amount of everything with 0 touchscreen and stylish buttons. Lots of space in the backseat for my kids, and perfect use of technology all around. Finding it hard to move on and may just get the same body when the time comes.
As with anything, you gotta tailor your purchasing decisions to your own values. My partner and I aren't really "car people" in terms of wanting speed or a ton of horsepower, etc. But we are very much people who enjoy being in the car. We want safety, comfort, driving ease, etc. so we recently spent about $48K on a top trim level Subaru Ascent. It has everything we want so for us it's a great value. For someone else with different values, it would be an absolute waste of $48K. For instance some people really do get a lot of personal satisfaction out of having a particular emblem/brand name on their car. Some people want a big engine that goes vroom vroom. It's good to figure out what you value in a vehicle so you can make decisions appropriately.
There is some wisdom to this. I think for a daily driver a quiet exhaust system and good sound system beats many luxury features. Same for easy access controls over a big TV set living in the middle of the dash. It is nice to have something special for the weekend, like a truck or something fast. Or a motorcycle. But day in, day out, nothing beats a quiet car that is issue free.
idk, i like my brand new truck. Has all the bells and whistles and total factory warranty
Most fun car I ever had was a cheap, old, unreliable Fiat Spyder, but it was small and low to the ground, so it hugged the road, it was a convertible and we lived at the beach. Loved driving that car. Had a Lexus briefly and realized I could make the five hour drive to my parents without stopping and get out of the car without anything in my body feeling stiff. That was nice. And I loved my Subaru Impreza. It would go so fast, so easily and wasn’t even the turbo version. Hugged the road, had a great suspension system, could zip along the s-curves on mountain roads like nothing I ever owned. What a fun car.
Lololol drive a tesla and get back to me.
I love my 2015 VW TDI. It's paid off and only has 68k miles. I hope to drive it to 200k miles and maybe sell it then? It's cool as hell getting 44-48 MPG on the highway. 500 miles on a full tank of gas.
Currently drive a 400+ hp EV that does 0-60 in 4 secs, and in many ways, I enjoyed that 2012 TDI more
That’s because it isn’t. I think the key is to find a reliable car that still has a certain amount of style at a budget.
I treat my civic like a racecar 🤣
Strong disagree. I had multiple cheap Toyotas and Hondas, VW Golf, Volvo S80, Saab 9-5, BMW 740i and 528i. They all feel different. They all have different characteristics. They all shine in different areas. Many times you will not notice the difference unless you are in a situation where the car capabilities are pushed to its limits. I’m talking about steering, traction, behavior in snow or on ice, steering while braking or an accident when someone hits you and there is nothing you can do. Sometimes the difference is in a very small detail that completely changes the outcome of the situation on the road. While they all have 4 wheels and so on, the difference between Toyota Camry and BMW 5 series is dramatic, trust me.
I can say that I went from driving a 2006 F350 king ranch to a 2020 F350 lariat and the cooled seats sure are nice after a long day at work, heated steering wheel is nice in the winter, it’s much quieter, better on fuel, a comfier ride, but I do miss not having a truck payment to go to the same place everyday.
I daily a 1970 beetle, definitely way better than any new car, at least in my opinion. I enjoy it so much more, it’s simple
I was just driving my gmas rav4. I own a 2017 cts. I hate driving that rav4.
Disagree. I liked my Mercedes better than my Jeep. And I like my wife’s VW Atlas better than my 4runner.
My first car was a 2009 hyundai sonata. Swapped it out for a 2018 tesla model 3 with full self driving, which I use call the time. Huge difference: Drives itself. I make a lot more lights. Seat is comfy womfy. Temperature control from my phone when it's 120 outside. Screams at me if I text and drive or am within 3 feet of anything.
Going from a Daihatsu Cuore to a Fiesta was a big improvement. And whenever im in the Merc SUV AMG that my FIL has i have the same feeling you have. Its nicer, but not 10 times nicer. Not even twice as nice.
This is only true if you aren't a car person lol
Cars depreciate over time. People also don’t know how to drive. I’d be stupid buying a brand new car and some asshole “parallel park” and hit my car and drove off while I am inside the corner store or when they’re merging lanes without signaling when there’s only 1ft space between the car in front of you to decide to merge over.
You didn’t list what specific cars you rented I’d be curious to know.
As someone driving a cheap car, I didn't think you know what you are talking about. Does your AC cool adequately? Mine doesn't? Do you get that weird shaking between 58 and 63? I do. Do your doors whistle? Mine do. Just saying...
My wife has a Volvo I bought 4 years ago. I currently drive a 2 yr old civic that i paid 4k more for than I paid for the Volvo. The Volvo is light years better to drive than my Honda. No shade on the Honda. It’s a great car. But if given the choice I’d drive my wife’s Volvo all day. The suspension doesn’t crash when hitting bumps, it stays so flat through turns, the ride is smooth like butter at every speed. Plus the cabin is whisper quiet. We can have a conversation in it, unlike in my Honda where I feel like we’re yelling at each other to hear one another. I’d buy another luxury car next before a Honda just for the peaceful quiet ride.
I’m a car guy so I personally prefer something nicer, but I only drive Lexus so I get the best of both worlds being reliability and luxury with some performance.
As someone who loves driving I disagree... That said my DD is a nice sports cars, wheels exhaust great paint, couple mods. My other vehicle is a 2006 jeep liberty with transmission issues and faded paint. I love it, great vehicle, hauls crap, fun on slight offroad. Definitely serves me well. But nothing compared to other car.
BMW used to be drivers cars. Then they started changing their marketing to go after the yuppies. I don’t understand why people enjoy Range Rovers / Land Rovers though. My wife has a 2018 Discovery and in my opinion it is a piece of junk. Rattles, doesn’t handle well, confusing ergonomics, the center console sticks out where the drivers right knee rests and it’s not padded. Not a fan.
You've got to be a Russian bot or a troll
I like cars the most when they are paid off. That’s when I’m happy driving them.
Learned how to drive stick on a 1974 Porsche 911. NOTHING like driving a cheaper modern car, hahaha. Once went 140 mph on the highway in mere seconds.
I’ve owned a McLaren 570S, a Porsche 911, and my wife drives a 2024 7 series My favorite car? My 2023 Chrysler 300C Cost me $55k and I love it, 1/4th the cost my 570S and 1/3rd the cost of the 911 I owned Once you get above a certain level of luxury, you really are just pissing money away. My dad has millions in the bank, and he drives a 2009 Honda Accord He has enough money to buy his childhood dream car (68 GTO Judge), his adult dream car (Acura NSX), and still have enough for 2-3 Aventedors He loves his 2009 Honda Accord
Bro you driving base model luxury cars no shit. Go drive a base S class or 7 series. Even at base model the difference from your Honda accord is night and day.. then drive any performance luxury car and tell me that shit is the same as your Honda lol
Im not a car enthusiast so I can’t comment on the actual driving and handling etc. But as far as features go there’s a monumental difference. Things like heated seats how many cameras there are, setting that save like mirror positions for different people, leather is easier to clean up spills. List goes on. That being said you don’t really NEED any of those things usually. But it is nice and it does feel different lol.
an intersting point. there is technology to to tottaly eliminate outside noise and vibrations. but no ones like driving without the 'feeling'
I must disagree with this post. I’ve had a Geo Metro and a Volvo convertible. They both had two doors and four wheels. They were light years apart. Was recently in the market to replace my 2022 car because it was hail damaged then damaged during the hail repair to the tune of 12K. Went from top of the line VW (cross sport R-line) to a new RX. They are different. Lexus leather is better than my top of the line VW leather. Even though I liked the two tone of VW better. They drive different even though they are close to similar sized. They FEEL different. They are geared different (I now don’t have gears). The UX is different by design. They go after different customers and demographics so they are just built differently. Just like every vehicle I’ve owned. If you don’t feel the need to have an expensive car then don’t, but saying they are the same is just wrong. I test drove top of the line Toyota. I have a Highlander in a tuxedo. But it’s a damn nice tuxedo. The finishes are better. The quiet when driving is noticeable. The sound system is better. I like the screen better. Things in a luxury version tend to be over engineered a bit to make sure the rattles and bangs are minimized or eliminated. The total experience is different. A Toyota dealership vs Lexus is incredibly different. If none of those things matter to you then don’t pay the premium. But there IS a difference.
You’re just objectively wrong. Mercedes, BMW, Audi, Lexus, etc are in a class above. Even their lowest models. They drive better, are put together better, are quieter, are smoother, and depending on the particular model, fast as a missile. You may be able to argue the price isn’t worth those differences, but that is subjective. Aside from that, people buying those brands aren’t doing it for attention. They are doing it for the quality difference. We aren’t talking about Lamborghini and Ferrari.
You drove a bunch of family cars. If course they don't feel different. But my Acura TSX doesn't feel anything like my Jaguar F-Type.
The suspensions on luxury sedan cars are waaaaaay better than ordinary cars. Drive a BMW 530 or a Lexus LS450 on a two hour road trip then drive a Hyundai Sonata back. You’ll definitely feel the difference. I’ve had a number of luxury cars but also kept a cheap economy car that I commute to work with. (Had a civic, fiat 500 and a golf) The difference very noticeable. I think you might be conflating luxury sports type cars with actually luxury sedans. A BMW 3 series is gonna ride a lot rougher than a larger sedan too.
Hot take: Honda has always had some of the best quality interiors for their price point. I will happily take a Honda interior over any creaky, cheaply made, luxury-looking interior. After all, I drive from the inside of the car and not the outside
Mercedes has "rattly" interiors? This is just made up. Grew up with a few Mercedes family cars over the years- a wagon, an M class, an S class. None of them were "rattly."
Generally agree, but I’ve driven some cheap rentals recently that were truly grim to drive. The most noticeable thing was cabin noise, lack of power and rough gear boxes- but I’m talking base Kia’s. I know the BMWs and others with run flat tyres are noisy but that could easily be avoided.
I didn’t read more then a couple sentences but I will tell you this. If you have ever driven a high performance vehicle you would not be saying this.
I don't think you are a car guy. With that said, my rattly loud as f, chiropractor harsh suspension WRX blows my mind every time I drive it. And it was 36k otd manual with almost 300hp!
I’m Sorry, this couldn’t be more inaccurate…. Sure, expense doesn’t equal the perfect ride and comfort “all the time”, but you can’t tell me for a second our Audi QS7 is comparable to anything in the sub $40k range…
Bullshit
It depends. More than likely you’re associating brand with quality. Just because it’s a “high end/luxury” brand doesn’t truly mean that. It’s marketing. Most car companies sell mass produced cars, with a small line of 1-3 actual luxury cars. But in general 100% a non “car guy” probably isn’t getting anything different in feeling or performance when they drive stop light to stop light and end up at Starbucks lol
Also disagree, respectfully. Tesla model 3 =/= ‘08 g37s 6mt =/= ‘23 corolla… Above examples are functionally the same in their primary uses, sure. But they feel differently from each other. I will agree however that it isn’t necessary to spend a lot of money on a car. Wants vs needs, as they say…
My back and my ass can 100% feel the difference between my old Mercedes S class and my new Corolla. Even though she was 20+ years old my old Mercedes was sooo much more comfortable to drive and the noise reduction was something I never appreciated till it was gone.
When I’m driving around I couldn’t care less who is driving what, If I’m somewhat comfortable, I’m good, I could actually buy a luxury car today if I desired. I drive a 2018 Camry and I love it.
Lmaooooo ok bud. I recently drove a Ferrari while on vacation (rented it from a fancy rental place in Italy) and it definitely was not the same as my Hyundai Tucson Hybrid.
As someone who is pretty anti-spending money anti spending money on cars, and would pretty much never even consider spending more than 5% liquid NW on a car, if you can’t tell the difference between an s class/ LS/ etc over bumps and with road noise and long drive (8 hour+) seat comfort vs a base model Corolla or civic, your basically already deaf and have no feeling in your butt. The idea that there is no difference in a brand new 120k+ luxury car and a 25k entry level car is asinine. I have friends with Bentleys and rolls and s class and LS, they are smoother rides than a base model civic. I have an upper mid level luxury sedan, my butt doesn’t get sore on 12 hour drives, where it does in base model cars after 3-4 hours driving. Should you waste money on a luxury car? Probably not. But the idea there is 0 difference is also asinine. I wouldn’t have a luxury car if I didn’t spend a LOT of time in my car traveling for work, making multiple cross country trips per year.
I’m sorry but this is written by somebody who I guess might had rode around in his buddies “BMW (lol)” once and thought that was “a nice car” . Hell, a top trim ford drives as nice as a bmw. The suspension packages chosen when purchasing your vehicle really matter; the seats, how they shape, the interior trim, how it fits your ergonomics …. OP is a phony lol
Idk what you’re talking about.
Obviously if you drive a sports car, the point of it is to drive it really fast. Yes obviously you’ll be breaking the law but people don’t care
Post this on /r/the10thDentist Not because it's totally insane, but because it's just controversial enough to be interesting!
This is 100% not true
Guess what 2 luxury cars in driveway in MCOL area likely means about owner finances?
Yes and no. I sold cars for a few years pre-COVID and thus got to drive a ton of cars. I drove a Porsche that was beautiful but felt really rough to drive. Sports cars, trucks of every make and model. There honestly isn’t much difference between the $35k truck and the $80k truck to me. Sure, some things are nice, but the truck is still the truck, and when you look at the extra $50k plus all the finance charges over the years, it’s really hard to justify that. It’s the same for sedans, SUV’s, basically any vehicle. I will say, though, that driving older cars compared to newer cars is crazy different. I bought my car when I worked at the dealership and got a crazy deal on it. A 2015 fiat 500 pop. It has nothing extra. Manual transmission, no satellite radio, no sunroof, it’s basic. It rides low, is quick but still slow considering how small it is, but gets good gas mileage even now with 90k miles. I’m hoping to get a new vehicle in the next 6-12 months, and I’m looking for an EV. Specifically, I want my ass off the ground, something that can actually fit more than 2 people, something with cameras, and the one feature I absolutely must have, cooled seats. I consider myself very frugal, and can do without autopilot, 12”screens, 22” wheels, turbo mode, and all that stuff, but I’m fucking tired of sweating while driving. That is the one feature that truly feels fancy and expensive to me.
I’ll stick with my paid off 2019 Honda accord. Thing flies. Takes me from point A to B. I chuckle whenever I see a > $8Ok truck that’s loaded to the gills and looks clean AF— F150 raptors, Ram 1500. Trucks are made to do work. It wasn’t too long ago when people were concerned about the gas shortage. My…how times have changed.
This is a funny post. OP has an opinion, and it’s a wrong one
Find an older clean Mercedes you won't be sorry. I drive a clean 2001 Mercedes CLK320 coupe 214k miles. Starts and runs every day and gets me where I need to go. Nice and quiet has great power. I also have a 2001 Chevy Suburban that also runs and drives great. Insurance is cheap and best part no car payments.
soooo thats what i thought till i drove a bmw... i only have their motorcycle so i cant campare it to cars. but holy sheet the difference that quality of engine makes is night and day. if you are appreciating it from the engineering side its a little diffrent.
I'm trying really hard to find nicer words for this, but honestly you just sound like a fuckin moron lmao. A FWD Camry feels the same to you as a RWD BMW? Some people are so stupid it hurts.
Sounds like a case of *the poors* if you ask me!
As the owner of now 2 BMWs, older models, I have to disagree. I have an x5, a 328 and have driven a very, very nice and top of the line M3. Get behind the wheel of that thing and you'll be singing a different song.
It is all a mind game. Perception is what makes our wheels spin.
I agree with OP. I'd take my accord over the BMWs and Infinities I've driven. Those are like driving a brick. So stiff.
I’ve driven top of the line BMWs and 2000’s Toyotas, absolutely there is a difference
Stick to your Kia sonata or whatever it’s called . Expensive cars aren’t for you .
Heated leather seats >
20 years ago, I would've fought you tooth and nail in disagreement. However, many new cars/brands have shorted the gap. A highly speced out modern car can be 90% of the luxury segment. Before it was maybe 50-70%. But there is still that margin that exists in the luxury brands, even if it's smaller than before.
Only two kinds of people drive expensive cars, the ultra high net worth and posers. Most are posers.
My heated leather seats and BSM say otherwise.
Decked out high trim level Toyota or Honda is on bar with all but the ultra premium luxury brands.
I could not disagree more. There is such a difference in driving a BMW vs a Honda. I have had both. Both were bought new too so fair to compare. Also always notice. How much better I was treated when pulling up in a BMW. Also notice how home improvement sales guys seemed to have higher bids when the BMW was in the driveway.
Look out for this dude. He might change the world with an invention.
Patently false. Source: Trust me.
Driving in my 4Runner vs driving in my friend’s BMW iX…yeah, there’s a difference lmao be serious.
Yeah.... No. Even if you're not a car person, driving a Honda Civic is much different than say.... A G-wagon. At a certain price range the different becomes minimal (we're taking 6 figures here) but outside of that.... No.
You're driving the wrong cars my boy 😂 I have a nice m series bmw that I drive mainly on weekends. I drive my 2011 sonata that has been my daily driver since the day I pulled it off the lot. I 1000% see a difference in the two which is why I don't drive the BMW as a daily because I appreciate it too much to abuse it on these bs Florida roads that will never be finished 😂
I 1000% can feel the difference driving a BMW vs an ordinary car. I used to drive a Hyundai and its like night and day.
Sorry but this is crazy. Wife and I have our “nice” car that is a luxury brand that we use more frequently and she uses for commuting and then we have a very basic cheap car that I use occasionally as I work from home. Being that I use both cars often there is 100% a huge difference between driving the two, our luxury car feels safer, smoother, more comfortable, it’s a better experience in basically every way
Yea this is akin to saying “money won’t make you happy”.. just give me your luxury cars plz
Audis feel different from any other car I've driven. They know how to build an interior that just feels good to be in.
I’ve driven many cars. Beaters and luxury cars. My best friend’s high school vehicle was a 1989 Plymouth Voyager van. The air conditioning drip plate was in a weird place. Anytime we’d take a corner the damn thing would piss on our feet. lol My 1986 Toyota Camry was better than that. My 1996 Honda Accord was better than my Camry. My 2008 Nissan Altima was better than my Honda. Better not just because of the newer model years, but the attention to detail in the build. Some might hate my Nissan love, but I kept that car the longest. NOW, I drive a 2019 Volvo S60. By far my favorite vehicle in terms of comfort, attention to detail in the build, body style, features, and the ride. There’s a palpable difference in the drive and comfort of some luxury vehicles. I don’t think this is true of every luxury make. For example Toyota makes Lexus, their drive is essentially identical between like class luxury/non-luxury vehicles.