The things I appreciate and want to pay for are synthetic leather (I don’t care, just not fabric), quiet and lack of vibration. I also appreciate heated seats and seats that adjust a lot.

I dgaf about the engine or anything else really so the right car for me is usually like a Toyota with one or two levels up of trim. Maybe a Volvo.

OP, I get it. I have a Toyota Highlander, DH has an Audi A8, I don’t see much difference at all between the two.

There is a difference ofcourse, but not big enough to want to own one.
I feel a bigger difference between the size and the type of the car and whether it's electric or not. I don't care for the extras at all.
And then there's this experience where every luxury car has been in shop or stopped at the side of the road.
I don't know where you live, but nobody in my neighborhood (20016) has a luxury car that stands out.

Anonymous wrote:The secret is to buy a 2-3 year old one and it's basically new but 50% less

Not anymore. The prices on new and 2-3 year old vehicles are closer than they used to be.

It's not about showing off. It's a better car. Quieter on the inside, better safety equipment, nicer sound system, good handling (sometimes), faster.

I drive a luxury car and when I get a rental.. usually a Kia or similar.. I can notice the difference. Noisier, slow acceleration, cheap interior materials, and so on.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What's your usual car? A Mercedes loaner suggests a Mercedes.

I drive a <$100K BMW. Not a 6 figure BMW I might get as a loaner. I don't think that's where you find the big difference. When I get in my kid's Honda or a rental car, yes, there's a difference that I am not going back to.

NP. I don’t get it. What is the difference that you are not going back to? What is so special about your bmw?

Different poster but ride quality, road noise, infotainment, and material quality would be the big ones for me.

It’s because you are telling the people around you that you have moneys, ergo you be better than them.

Are you slow or something?

I have a Mercedes. My DC has a Hyundai. You can really feel the difference. But my regular Mercedes is not $130,000, so I can’t speak to that end of things.

Anonymous wrote:The secret is to buy a 2-3 year old one and it's basically new but 50% less

Not really the norm post COVID with the used car market skyrocketing but yes pre 2021 this was the hack to buy an off lease luxury car for 50+ % off

Anonymous wrote:What's your usual car? A Mercedes loaner suggests a Mercedes.

I drive a <$100K BMW. Not a 6 figure BMW I might get as a loaner. I don't think that's where you find the big difference. When I get in my kid's Honda or a rental car, yes, there's a difference that I am not going back to.

NP. I don’t get it. What is the difference that you are not going back to? What is so special about your bmw?

The secret is to buy a 2-3 year old one and it's basically new but 50% less

It's a status symbol for people who are insecure, and suckers.

The kind of car you drive bears absolutely zero relevance to your net worth, income, or "status."

What's your usual car? A Mercedes loaner suggests a Mercedes.

I drive a <$100K BMW. Not a 6 figure BMW I might get as a loaner. I don't think that's where you find the big difference. When I get in my kid's Honda or a rental car, yes, there's a difference that I am not going back to.

It is just a status symbol. You could probably buy a Toyota Camry for 90K less and get potentially similar experience but to each his own if it makes someone happy.

My dealership's service department gave me a new Mercedes GLS 580 SUV loaner with the sticker still attached. This is a $130,000 vehicle. It's fine but I honestly don't get what's the big deal. I don't feel special driving it. I don't detect anyone cares or even notices it on the road or in a parking lot or anything like that. Some people, including our neighbors, seem almost addicted to driving really nice vehicles like this. What am I missing here?