Ok, so am I first to off the S for an Equus?
03-11-2013, 02:36 PM
#26
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What is completely ridiculous in the USA is that it seems 90% of luxury car purchases are entirely "status-driven" decisions, particularly MB and BMW. Driviing one of these just says "I'm very conscious of my perceived status". The Equus is a huge foil to all that! Love it.
03-11-2013, 02:40 PM
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What is completely ridiculous in the USA is that it seems 90% of luxury car purchases are entirely "status-driven" decisions, particularly MB and BMW. Driviing one of these just says "I'm very conscious of my perceived status". The Equus is a huge foil to all that! Love it.
Not saying anything wrong with that, but that is how it is.
03-11-2013, 02:47 PM
#28
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People laugh at Hyundai now, just like they did at Lexus 20 years ago. Lexus blew MB out of the water each of the first 15 years the LS was offered in the US...
03-11-2013, 03:32 PM
#29
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Cost of labor is also a factor ,why you are paying more for a European car.
As well as cost of materials.
Of course as you do with all well known brands you are paying also for brand name.
Nothing wrong with the Hyundai or Lexus brand name.. but for instance on tire- names :its comparing Michelin or Contis to Nexen or Hankook ,they all do the same but we know the difference all too well...
As well as cost of materials.
Of course as you do with all well known brands you are paying also for brand name.
Nothing wrong with the Hyundai or Lexus brand name.. but for instance on tire- names :its comparing Michelin or Contis to Nexen or Hankook ,they all do the same but we know the difference all too well...
03-11-2013, 03:36 PM
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Cost of labor is also a factor ,why you are paying more for a European car.
As well as cost of materials.
Of course as you do with all well known brands you are paying also for brand name.
Nothing wrong with the Hyundai or Lexus brand name.. but for instance on tire- names :its comparing Michelin or Contis to Nexen or Hankook ,they all do the same but we know the difference all too well...
As well as cost of materials.
Of course as you do with all well known brands you are paying also for brand name.
Nothing wrong with the Hyundai or Lexus brand name.. but for instance on tire- names :its comparing Michelin or Contis to Nexen or Hankook ,they all do the same but we know the difference all too well...
The navigation seems like it is from the early 90's in Mercedes still. I just never understood that part.....It did work fine, just not very intuitive compared to what's out there in much less expensive cars.
03-11-2013, 03:52 PM
#31
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Cannot help the feeling here, that you Desant89 ,are in some way commercially related to a certain brand?
I think Mercedes-Benz and other luxury brands surely need the competition to keep delivering an excellent product for a good price.
The world is rapidly changing and manufacurers that do not keep up with this will eventually have to stop.
If you look at Asia they will have a huge market there the coming years, wheras the 'old world' will decline in significance.
What I personally find already for some time is :
It all goes to the cost of basic quality: like driving characteristics and safety ,rather then all the bells and whistles that are all well and very nice but superficial and secondary to a vehicule imho..
I think Mercedes-Benz and other luxury brands surely need the competition to keep delivering an excellent product for a good price.
The world is rapidly changing and manufacurers that do not keep up with this will eventually have to stop.
If you look at Asia they will have a huge market there the coming years, wheras the 'old world' will decline in significance.
What I personally find already for some time is :
It all goes to the cost of basic quality: like driving characteristics and safety ,rather then all the bells and whistles that are all well and very nice but superficial and secondary to a vehicule imho..
03-11-2013, 03:59 PM
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Cannot help the feeling here, that you Desant89 ,are in some way commercially related to a certain brand?
I think Mercedes-Benz and other luxury brands surely need the competition to keep delivering an excellent product for a good price.
The world is rapidly changing and manufacurers that do not keep up with this will eventually have to stop.
If you look at Asia they will have a huge market there the coming year wheras the 'old world' will decline in significance.
What I personally find already for some time is :
It all goes to the cost of basic quality: like driving characteristics and safety ,rather then all the bells and whistles that are all well and very nice but superficial and secondary to a vehicule imho..
I think Mercedes-Benz and other luxury brands surely need the competition to keep delivering an excellent product for a good price.
The world is rapidly changing and manufacurers that do not keep up with this will eventually have to stop.
If you look at Asia they will have a huge market there the coming year wheras the 'old world' will decline in significance.
What I personally find already for some time is :
It all goes to the cost of basic quality: like driving characteristics and safety ,rather then all the bells and whistles that are all well and very nice but superficial and secondary to a vehicule imho..
I know this vehicle has the pre-crash options in it like more premium brands. However, who knows how well they work. I am sure Mercedes experience at this stuff will shine in some areas. As far as in vehicle comfort options, and electronics, this vehicle is far superior to what I had in my S class. Navigation is simple to use, and this stereo system is way better.
I am reading what I am typing, and still not believing it myself. I know I am extremely happy with my GL450, and actually am having performance work dones ot my SL55 as we speak. I love Mercedes. I just could not switch to a newer S that is almost identical to what I had other than the lights. Given that, I am glad I looked around, and am very happy with my decision at this point.
03-11-2013, 04:02 PM
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Oh, and check the BMW forums, Z06 forums, Dodge challenger forum, Lincoln, Mustang world etc. I have owned all of them. There is years of proof on all of them that I am in no way affiliated or partial to any brand. My username is desant89 on all of them.
03-12-2013, 12:15 PM
#35
I am sure ones a new bodystyle s-class comes out you ll be in it in a year or two.
What is completely ridiculous in the USA is that it seems 90% of luxury car purchases are entirely "status-driven" decisions, particularly MB and BMW. Driviing one of these just says "I'm very conscious of my perceived status". The Equus is a huge foil to all that! Love it.
?
Last edited by stas2007; 03-12-2013 at 12:33 PM.
03-12-2013, 01:18 PM
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The difference to me is that a Camry does not have a luxurious ride or good quality materials in it. The Lexus is an awesome car. It definitely is better quality that Mercedes in every single way. However, I thought it was really boring to drive. MB gives you some kind of feel to it. There is a connection for sure. And the status is another plus.
I did not start this thread to do a comparison. MB has a name that to some, it would not matter what the car was like. When you see a C Class, do you look at it as prestigious? If you had to buy a car, and keep it for 10+ years, I guarantee MB would not be the car. I was not getting into all of that though. I do love MB. Just that when I drove this, the MB was not even close to worth double. Having a family, I am willing to give up a status (for now). I can tell you not one person looked down on the car yet though as they have no clue what it is. When I tell them, they think I am lying.
I did not start this thread to do a comparison. MB has a name that to some, it would not matter what the car was like. When you see a C Class, do you look at it as prestigious? If you had to buy a car, and keep it for 10+ years, I guarantee MB would not be the car. I was not getting into all of that though. I do love MB. Just that when I drove this, the MB was not even close to worth double. Having a family, I am willing to give up a status (for now). I can tell you not one person looked down on the car yet though as they have no clue what it is. When I tell them, they think I am lying.
03-14-2013, 09:43 AM
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Cannot really tell yet on the quality, but it seems good. As for the layout, and the way things work, it is easily at or above the level of my S (2007). I think there are a lot of changes coming in 2014 though. Again, I am in no way saying this is a better car than the S overall, but if people were blindfolded until they are inside or someone put a MB emblem on it, a lot of opinions would change.
03-14-2013, 12:51 PM
#43
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Maybe it's the photos but the interior looks a bit plasticky. Maybe since I'm in the all leather/alcantara 600 I am more picky about such things.
I felt very similar when I looked at the Lexus LS.
I felt very similar when I looked at the Lexus LS.
03-14-2013, 12:58 PM
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This topic really made me think. I couldn't quite place why I could never buy an Equus over the S550, other than status and ego, so I started to feel a bit shallow. But after a bit more thought, here's what I came up with.
1) I like **** engineering...especially from a company that makes a car that typically is produced for 5-7 years without a major redesign...it means they really spend a lot of money up front on engineering...design, safety, mechanical, longevity, etc.
2) No Hyundai model products in 2009 looks anything like it does today. This is just annoying. So I would truly expect that in 4 years its gonna lose 70% of its original value, and trying to find someone to work on it may even prove challenging over the long term.
3) Regardless of some things you hear on this forum, the Mercedes is a well-built/safe car. The Nav may suck, your car may also experience mechanical issues (vibrations, tranny, etc) but there is a reason there are so many taxi-cabs and limo's around the world using Mercedes as their main vehicle. The S-class & E-class remain the choice of diplomats globally. There is a good reason all of these people choose mercedes over any other car.
4) The concept of over-engineering simply does not exist in the east. Germans regularly over-engineer their product, even when the budgets simply don't allow for it. They don't seem to be too good at over engineering the electronics, but the suspension, body and drivetrain is still a work of art and the drive is incredible. The Lexus, Infinity & Hyundais are fine for the first 100K miles, but I question their longevity to maintain it beyond the 100K.
5) Maybe this is a bad reference point, but my 1985 300D still looks great, drives great, is easy to repair and is very safe to drive. Everytime I work on the car, I am amazed the painstaking effort the engineers took to keep the car simple, practical yet functional & beautiful. Despite that I recognize that cars are no longer built like that. But this legacy keeps my hope up.
Anyway, those are my reasons and I conclude that I am not a shallow person and would likely never choose a Hyundai over a Mercedes regardless of cost.
1) I like **** engineering...especially from a company that makes a car that typically is produced for 5-7 years without a major redesign...it means they really spend a lot of money up front on engineering...design, safety, mechanical, longevity, etc.
2) No Hyundai model products in 2009 looks anything like it does today. This is just annoying. So I would truly expect that in 4 years its gonna lose 70% of its original value, and trying to find someone to work on it may even prove challenging over the long term.
3) Regardless of some things you hear on this forum, the Mercedes is a well-built/safe car. The Nav may suck, your car may also experience mechanical issues (vibrations, tranny, etc) but there is a reason there are so many taxi-cabs and limo's around the world using Mercedes as their main vehicle. The S-class & E-class remain the choice of diplomats globally. There is a good reason all of these people choose mercedes over any other car.
4) The concept of over-engineering simply does not exist in the east. Germans regularly over-engineer their product, even when the budgets simply don't allow for it. They don't seem to be too good at over engineering the electronics, but the suspension, body and drivetrain is still a work of art and the drive is incredible. The Lexus, Infinity & Hyundais are fine for the first 100K miles, but I question their longevity to maintain it beyond the 100K.
5) Maybe this is a bad reference point, but my 1985 300D still looks great, drives great, is easy to repair and is very safe to drive. Everytime I work on the car, I am amazed the painstaking effort the engineers took to keep the car simple, practical yet functional & beautiful. Despite that I recognize that cars are no longer built like that. But this legacy keeps my hope up.
Anyway, those are my reasons and I conclude that I am not a shallow person and would likely never choose a Hyundai over a Mercedes regardless of cost.
03-14-2013, 01:54 PM
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This topic really made me think. I couldn't quite place why I could never buy an Equus over the S550, other than status and ego, so I started to feel a bit shallow. But after a bit more thought, here's what I came up with.
1) I like **** engineering...especially from a company that makes a car that typically is produced for 5-7 years without a major redesign...it means they really spend a lot of money up front on engineering...design, safety, mechanical, longevity, etc.
This is the main reason I did not get another S class at this point. When we think of status, a person spending 30k on an 07 gets the same as a 2013 due to the car looking hardly any different.
2) No Hyundai model products in 2009 looks anything like it does today. This is just annoying. So I would truly expect that in 4 years its gonna lose 70% of its original value, and trying to find someone to work on it may even prove challenging over the long term.
Again, I like this. When you get a new car, you want it know. Take chances. I will not touch depreciation as it certainly will not depreciate more than a new Mercedes.
3) Regardless of some things you hear on this forum, the Mercedes is a well-built/safe car. The Nav may suck, your car may also experience mechanical issues (vibrations, tranny, etc) but there is a reason there are so many taxi-cabs and limo's around the world using Mercedes as their main vehicle. The S-class & E-class remain the choice of diplomats globally. There is a good reason all of these people choose mercedes over any other car.
I agree that they are well though out, have a tone of experience, and their motors are solid.
4) The concept of over-engineering simply does not exist in the east. Germans regularly over-engineer their product, even when the budgets simply don't allow for it. They don't seem to be too good at over engineering the electronics, but the suspension, body and drivetrain is still a work of art and the drive is incredible. The Lexus, Infinity & Hyundais are fine for the first 100K miles, but I question their longevity to maintain it beyond the 100K.
Only problem is that the engine will last that long. You will spend another 30k+ fixing everything else at a minimum. I would like to see how many people buy new, and keep past 100k. My tranny slipped into 2nd, my seat bolster popped at one point, my parktonics kept giving warnings for no reason. Again, little things that would be VERY expensive to fix without warranty. All of the added electronics will kill you over time. If we had a MB engine in a basic car with rollup windows and manual seats, then I agree it would last forever.
5) Maybe this is a bad reference point, but my 1985 300D still looks great, drives great, is easy to repair and is very safe to drive. Everytime I work on the car, I am amazed the painstaking effort the engineers took to keep the car simple, practical yet functional & beautiful. Despite that I recognize that cars are no longer built like that. But this legacy keeps my hope up.
I agree, it was much simpler which makes that car great to keep forever. Can never do that with today's car though.
Anyway, those are my reasons and I conclude that I am not a shallow person and would likely never choose a Hyundai over a Mercedes regardless of cost.
1) I like **** engineering...especially from a company that makes a car that typically is produced for 5-7 years without a major redesign...it means they really spend a lot of money up front on engineering...design, safety, mechanical, longevity, etc.
This is the main reason I did not get another S class at this point. When we think of status, a person spending 30k on an 07 gets the same as a 2013 due to the car looking hardly any different.
2) No Hyundai model products in 2009 looks anything like it does today. This is just annoying. So I would truly expect that in 4 years its gonna lose 70% of its original value, and trying to find someone to work on it may even prove challenging over the long term.
Again, I like this. When you get a new car, you want it know. Take chances. I will not touch depreciation as it certainly will not depreciate more than a new Mercedes.
3) Regardless of some things you hear on this forum, the Mercedes is a well-built/safe car. The Nav may suck, your car may also experience mechanical issues (vibrations, tranny, etc) but there is a reason there are so many taxi-cabs and limo's around the world using Mercedes as their main vehicle. The S-class & E-class remain the choice of diplomats globally. There is a good reason all of these people choose mercedes over any other car.
I agree that they are well though out, have a tone of experience, and their motors are solid.
4) The concept of over-engineering simply does not exist in the east. Germans regularly over-engineer their product, even when the budgets simply don't allow for it. They don't seem to be too good at over engineering the electronics, but the suspension, body and drivetrain is still a work of art and the drive is incredible. The Lexus, Infinity & Hyundais are fine for the first 100K miles, but I question their longevity to maintain it beyond the 100K.
Only problem is that the engine will last that long. You will spend another 30k+ fixing everything else at a minimum. I would like to see how many people buy new, and keep past 100k. My tranny slipped into 2nd, my seat bolster popped at one point, my parktonics kept giving warnings for no reason. Again, little things that would be VERY expensive to fix without warranty. All of the added electronics will kill you over time. If we had a MB engine in a basic car with rollup windows and manual seats, then I agree it would last forever.
5) Maybe this is a bad reference point, but my 1985 300D still looks great, drives great, is easy to repair and is very safe to drive. Everytime I work on the car, I am amazed the painstaking effort the engineers took to keep the car simple, practical yet functional & beautiful. Despite that I recognize that cars are no longer built like that. But this legacy keeps my hope up.
I agree, it was much simpler which makes that car great to keep forever. Can never do that with today's car though.
Anyway, those are my reasons and I conclude that I am not a shallow person and would likely never choose a Hyundai over a Mercedes regardless of cost.
Seriously though, I loved my S, just got a little tire of it. To me, no design is timeless. Given that, I get tired of every car in a year or two which is why I probably owned over 40 of them and am just turning 40 myself.
03-14-2013, 03:08 PM
#46
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There was a time in this country where virtually all movie stars, diplomats, captains of inductry, and all the beutiful people would not be caught dead in a german piece of crap. If you were anyone, you drove a Caddy or lincoln. The real snob appeal for the German iron was a by product of the Disco/Cocaine era of the 70's. If you are shallow enough and your head is small enough, you may go bissfully through your snobish automotive life with your head firmly up the derriers of Germany.
08-14-2013, 10:35 PM
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Equus vs S550
My first post here, so if I don't get it in the right location, be patient.
I have never owned a Mercedes or a Hyundai product. I have owned a few Lexus, Volvo, Honda, Toyota, etc.
Monday, I test drove the 2014 Equus Signature after doing extensive online research. I liked the car, it drove great and an 2013 R-spec drove well except for the rough ride. An hour after driving the Equus, I drove a 2009 S550 with 30K miles. I am planning to buy the S550. It just seemed to be a better built car. It wasn't something specific you could point to, just an overall solid confident feel. The S550 felt more powerful to me probably due to the low end torque, a weak point with the Equus.
To me the main problem with the Equus is not the car, but the dealerships. I talked to five different Hyundai dealers and IMHO they are not prepared to sell a luxury automobile. I have heard more lies in the past several weeks than I have heard in years. Just trying to get a price is a challenge.
Just my opinion
I have never owned a Mercedes or a Hyundai product. I have owned a few Lexus, Volvo, Honda, Toyota, etc.
Monday, I test drove the 2014 Equus Signature after doing extensive online research. I liked the car, it drove great and an 2013 R-spec drove well except for the rough ride. An hour after driving the Equus, I drove a 2009 S550 with 30K miles. I am planning to buy the S550. It just seemed to be a better built car. It wasn't something specific you could point to, just an overall solid confident feel. The S550 felt more powerful to me probably due to the low end torque, a weak point with the Equus.
To me the main problem with the Equus is not the car, but the dealerships. I talked to five different Hyundai dealers and IMHO they are not prepared to sell a luxury automobile. I have heard more lies in the past several weeks than I have heard in years. Just trying to get a price is a challenge.
Just my opinion
08-15-2013, 08:53 AM
#48
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All I can say is that since I started this thread, I still do not look back for a second about my choice. I have no problems at all with the Equus. Not a single regret. I may even change up to the newer model in a year or more. I liked my S550, I really did. As of right now, I like this better. I thought I was going to miss the prestige more than I do, but people ask and comment on the car everywhere I go. I have had more conversations than one can imagine about this car, and people loving it. Even MB owners. If this car had a star on it, you would see them everywhere.
08-15-2013, 09:15 AM
#49
All I can say is that since I started this thread, I still do not look back for a second about my choice. I have no problems at all with the Equus. Not a single regret. I may even change up to the newer model in a year or more. I liked my S550, I really did. As of right now, I like this better. I thought I was going to miss the prestige more than I do, but people ask and comment on the car everywhere I go. I have had more conversations than one can imagine about this car, and people loving it. Even MB owners. If this car had a star on it, you would see them everywhere.
08-15-2013, 10:12 AM
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I still currently own two other Mercedes. If you are not interested, please unsubscribe to this thread. Never mentioned a problem with Mercedes, just an experience that I am having. This is a forum with mostly great people in it. It is nice to have different opinions.
