# Is There Any Point To Buying A Luxury Car Besides The Prestige? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 8, 2015, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-point-to-buying-a-luxury-car-besides-the-prestige/727287 "2015-08-08T01:38:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2015, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-point-to-buying-a-luxury-car-besides-the-prestige/727287/41 "2015-08-09T21:52:24Z")
> [@california\_jobcase](#): > > It gives me an impression of haughtiness and makes me wonder just how badly he or she will try to fleece me. You’d rather be driven around in a bucket of bolts? “Gee, how many houses have you sold anyway?” ---
**Author:** ![Saintly\_Loser](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saintly_loser/32/4045_2.png) [@Saintly\_Loser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saintly_Loser)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2015, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-point-to-buying-a-luxury-car-besides-the-prestige/727287/42 "2015-08-09T22:08:08Z")
> [@Fuzzy\_Dunlop](#): > > Whenever I’m in someone’s car and I have to hold my finger on a button the entire time the window is going up or down I feel like I’ve been transported to some kind of Eastern block nation. I thought that was almost as obsolete as hand-cranked windows. In my 13-year-old VW Passat, one touch on the button and the window goes up or down. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2015, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-point-to-buying-a-luxury-car-besides-the-prestige/727287/43 "2015-08-10T02:45:21Z")
> [@Martin\_Hyde](#): > > [T]he Lincoln and Cadillac marques have long been associated (despite efforts by Ford and GM to change this) with the over 55 crowd, people that as a cohort are looking for the kind of cars you largely deride. I bought my last luxury car _despite_ the prestige or perception of it as being for old-men-with-hats. I was a young 31 then, and bought a 2001 Lincoln Continental off lease from my company. At the time, there wasn’t anything that my company built that I really wanted to drive, but we’re a drive-what-you-build culture, and so eventually decided to give up my Pontiac Bonneville (I worked at that company prior to my current company). The Bonny had (IIRC) 220 HP V6, all leather, cool electronic features, climate control, and other than bad torque steer under heavy acceleration, was an awesome, perfect car in every way (“luxury with attitude” was the tagline then, I think, although I didn’t consider it a luxury car at all). There was no way that I’d step into something as mundane as a Taurus, and (at the time) trucks and SUVs didn’t appeal to me in the slightest. But, what’s this? A big V8 with 275 HP and 275 ft-lbs of torque? Cool electronics? Leather seats? Super quiet on the highway? Very, very fast? Tell me again why only old people drive these things? I sold it before accepting my assignment in China, and I miss it. I’ve since had a Mondeo (similar to current Fusion) and currently have a Kuga (Escape), and if there’s a bump in the road, I can feel it. Road noise can’t be avoided. They’re both pretty quick (9.3 0 to 60 for the Kuga), but not like the Continental (7.8 seconds, I think). And no matter how many passengers or how much luggage, the big V8 kept strong (the Bonny was a dog with passengers). ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2015, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-point-to-buying-a-luxury-car-besides-the-prestige/727287/44 "2015-08-11T13:39:17Z")
I think it is amazing that you can now get good climate control, sound system, ABS, traction control, etc., of moderately priced cars. Luxury cars give stuff like leather seats, nice interiors…but you can get 90% of that in a reasonably priced car. As far as the handling and powerful engines-if you drive in traffic, that is not much of a consideration. ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2015, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-point-to-buying-a-luxury-car-besides-the-prestige/727287/45 "2015-08-11T13:43:57Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > I think it is amazing that you can now get good climate control, sound system, ABS, traction control, etc., of moderately priced cars. Luxury cars give stuff like leather seats, nice interiors…but you can get 90% of that in a reasonably priced car. As far as the handling and powerful engines-if you drive in traffic, that is not much of a consideration. All those things were new decades ago. The things that are new now will be introduced on luxury cars first. And over time they’ll become standard as prices come down. Relatively new features now include automatic cruise control, collision warning/mitigation, head up display, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2015, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-point-to-buying-a-luxury-car-besides-the-prestige/727287/46 "2015-08-11T14:05:08Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > Is there any point in buying a Rolex when you can buy a Timex? > [@AK84](#): > > Fuck no. Besides being a better constructed watch and the prestige value, Rolexes hold their value exceptionally well (or even appreciate in value) which isn’t something you can say for a Timex. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2015, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-point-to-buying-a-luxury-car-besides-the-prestige/727287/47 "2015-08-11T14:10:47Z")
> [@HeyHomie](#): > > Is There Any Point To Buying A Luxury Car Besides The Prestige? Nope; the Prestige is the only luxury car worth owning. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2015, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-point-to-buying-a-luxury-car-besides-the-prestige/727287/48 "2015-08-11T14:14:49Z")
I’ve had to take my boss’s Bentley to get detailed before. It’s so quiet and comfortable inside, and runs with such smooth, effortless power, that it feels as though I’m driving a car simulator rather than an actual car. Driving my own decent, middle-of-the-range car (Honda Pilot) afterward is always a little depressing. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2015, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-point-to-buying-a-luxury-car-besides-the-prestige/727287/49 "2015-08-11T14:48:29Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > Is there any point in buying a designer suit when you can buy one off the rack at the men’s warehouse? > > Is there any point in buying a Rolex when you can buy a Timex? > > Is there any point in buying fine italian shoes when you can buy sketchers? > > Is there any point in flying first class when you can fly coach? > > Is there any point in driving a Mercedes when you can have a Chrysler? > Yes. Yes there is. You make a persuasive argument. No…the other one, you have failed to make a persuasive argument. Rolex vs. Timex: A very well made, arguably better looking watch that needs regular expensive maintenance and represents a major financial hit if you lose it or it gets stolen, vs. a watch that looks perfectly fine, actually has more features, and keeps time better, because mechanical vs electronic is a race that has been lost long ago. Fine Italian shoes vs Sketchers. No one dresses formally anymore, so this one is a non-starter. For most people, they’d rather have something they can engage in casual activities with, rather than something that will get spoiled by a mud puddle. And, for those rare occasions where I need actual formal shoes, the pair I picked up at the mall ten years ago still seem in fine shape. It’s the same issue with the designer suits – if you don’t need them for work, why buy a super expensive suit that’s going to be sitting in the closet feeding moths until someone gets married or dies? First class vs. coach. You clearly haven’t flown first class on Delta recently. The only difference between that and coach was a small bit of leg room, a very mediocre cup of wine, and cereal for breakfast. But even if we’re talking the leather seat and steak version of first class – is it worth an extra several hundred dollars to be slightly more comfortable on a three or six hour flight? Mercedes vs. Chrysler – Apparently, with all those new gadgets, you get [reliability issues](http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2012/05/are-german-cars-reliable-myth-german-engineering.html). And, if you mix luxury cars with reliability issues, you get very expensive repairs. The well is kind of poisoned here because [Chrysler has a dismal score for reliability with CR, but Mercedes is still worse.](http://jalopnik.com/fiat-chrysler-brands-last-in-consumer-reports-auto-reli-1651337569) ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2015, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-point-to-buying-a-luxury-car-besides-the-prestige/727287/50 "2015-08-11T15:01:42Z")
Quote: Mercedes vs. Chrysler – Apparently, with all those new gadgets, you get reliability issues. And, if you mix luxury cars with reliability issues, you get very expensive repairs. The well is kind of poisoned here because Chrysler has a dismal score for reliability with CR, but Mercedes is still worse. Good points: i see reliability in a car as very much related to the complexity-the more complex the system, the more things to go wrong. That is why the Mercedes has a shorter MTBF-the car is so complex, with many moving parts. take a simple car A/C system-you modulate it manually. Compare that to a 4 zone climate control system-many more parts, many more chances for failure. ---
**Author:** ![UberArchetype](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/2bfe46/32.png) [@UberArchetype](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UberArchetype)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2015, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-point-to-buying-a-luxury-car-besides-the-prestige/727287/51 "2015-08-11T15:09:13Z")
The loaded question “Is There Any Point To Buying A Luxury Car Besides The Prestige?” points at the people who buy more car than they can afford. It goes along with concepts like being “house poor.” Or just basically financially irresponsible. The answer is yes - absolutely! If of course, you can really afford it. ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2015, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-point-to-buying-a-luxury-car-besides-the-prestige/727287/52 "2015-08-11T15:24:11Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > Besides being a better constructed watch and the prestige value, Rolexes hold their value exceptionally well (or even appreciate in value) which isn’t something you can say for a Timex. So if you manage not to lose it or break it over the course of, say, twenty years, you could sell your $20000 Rolex for $20000? Or you could invest your $20,000 and, even at today’s crummy interest rates, buy a top-end Timex the first year and pocket the interest after that. I don’t think the “it’s an investment” argument holds water. Especially because the five year service on the Rolex costs something like $500.00. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2015, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-point-to-buying-a-luxury-car-besides-the-prestige/727287/53 "2015-08-11T15:27:27Z")
Rolex markets quartz watches in Europe-these are super accurate, and don’t need expensive service. But they are not sold in the USA-because it would “cheapen” their image. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2015, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-point-to-buying-a-luxury-car-besides-the-prestige/727287/54 "2015-08-11T17:51:39Z")
> [@Finagle](#): > > So if you manage not to lose it or break it over the course of, say, twenty years, you could sell your $20000 Rolex for $20000? Or you could invest your $20,000 and, even at today’s crummy interest rates, buy a top-end Timex the first year and pocket the interest after that. > > I don’t think the “it’s an investment” argument holds water. Especially because the five year service on the Rolex costs something like $500.00. In the late 1960 a Rolex Sub was $250 brand new. I just googled a used one for $7,000. You had better invest that extra money from buying that Timex very well. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2015, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-point-to-buying-a-luxury-car-besides-the-prestige/727287/55 "2015-08-11T18:38:06Z")
I don’t generally pine after luxury brands, but I do watch the commercials for one of the new Mercedes and want some of those safety features. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2015, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-point-to-buying-a-luxury-car-besides-the-prestige/727287/56 "2015-08-11T18:52:00Z")
> [@Rick](#): > > In the late 1960 a Rolex Sub was $250 brand new. I just googled a used one for $7,000. > You had better invest that extra money from buying that Timex very well. If one had a time machine that would be a good argument. That was 50-ish years and a 30x increase in nominal value but just a 7x increase in inflation-corrected dollars. It’s real implausible that the current crop of $30K retail Rolexes will experience a 30x increase to sell used for _one million dollars_[sub](pinky to mouth)[/sub] by 2065. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2015, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-point-to-buying-a-luxury-car-besides-the-prestige/727287/57 "2015-08-11T18:52:41Z")
> [@Spiderman](#): > > Yes. Typically new safety features start out in luxury cars before they trickle down to the lower priced models. Or, Typically new safety features start out in Volvo before they trickle down… I drive a Volvo , which is technically a 'luxury" line. It’s great. Super safe, well built, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2015, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-point-to-buying-a-luxury-car-besides-the-prestige/727287/58 "2015-08-11T18:56:17Z")
> [@Finagle](#): > > I don’t think the “it’s an investment” argument holds water. _Shrug_ I’m not trying to sell you a Rolex so I don’t much care. Just saying that there’s legitimate reasons to buy a Rolex over a Timex. If your situation is such that you need to choose between Buying a Rolex for $X or investing $X and buying a Timex with the interest then you’re probably not in the market for a Rolex anyway. I wasn’t even trying to represent it as an investment per se, just saying that you could spend $20k on a Rolex today and sell it for $20k whenever you didn’t want it any more. Again, if the opportunity cost of tying up that $20k is extreme to you then you’re probably not in the high end watch market anyway. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2015, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-point-to-buying-a-luxury-car-besides-the-prestige/727287/59 "2015-08-11T18:58:56Z")
late add: 7x returns over 50 years is about 7-1/2% annual real return compounded. So good, but not insanely unreachable with more conventional investments. ---
**Author:** ![dflower](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dflower/32/3270_2.png) [@dflower](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dflower)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2015, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-point-to-buying-a-luxury-car-besides-the-prestige/727287/60 "2015-08-11T19:15:00Z")
If the car is good quality not just luxury it is a worthwhile purchase. My Mercedes Benz is 32 years old and it runs fine. It gave me much more for the money than the Kia that I gave away for parts after a few years. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-point-to-buying-a-luxury-car-besides-the-prestige/727287.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-point-to-buying-a-luxury-car-besides-the-prestige/727287.md?page=4)