The New 7-Series is Here to Battle the S-Class - If You Can Get Past the Front End!
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2024 S580
Its Mercedes as a brand also. My business partner had a C Class, and always got snide comments from people. We own a Property Management company and thats what he primarily does, so he interacts with tenants etc. He traded his C Class in on a more expensive and bigger Lexus GS and the comments dramatically lessened. Now he drives an $80,000 pickup truck and gets no comments.
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2022 S580
Additionally, the high end brands like MB have opened up there product base to a wide array of socioeconomic clientele. I recently bought my son a VW Golf R but for about the same price I could have purchased a MB A Class or a lightly equipped C class.
Most cars today are leased. It will be interesting to see how the rise in interest rates effects this.
So the old adage of you are what you drive I don’t really think applies in today’s world.
If you want to know real “status” perhaps it’s the people who live well, simply and don’t carry debt.
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Its Mercedes as a brand also. My business partner had a C Class, and always got snide comments from people. We own a Property Management company and thats what he primarily does, so he interacts with tenants etc. He traded his C Class in on a more expensive and bigger Lexus GS and the comments dramatically lessened. Now he drives an $80,000 pickup truck and gets no comments.
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23 S580 Executive
I think in previous times you are what you drive was true. But with QE, and easy credit for so many decades almost anyone can afford a “high end” vehicle.
Additionally, the high end brands like MB have opened up there product base to a wide array of socioeconomic clientele. I recently bought my son a VW Golf R but for about the same price I could have purchased a MB A Class or a lightly equipped C class.
Most cars today are leased. It will be interesting to see how the rise in interest rates effects this.
So the old adage of you are what you drive I don’t really think applies in today’s world.
If you want to know real “status” perhaps it’s the people who live well, simply and don’t carry debt.
Additionally, the high end brands like MB have opened up there product base to a wide array of socioeconomic clientele. I recently bought my son a VW Golf R but for about the same price I could have purchased a MB A Class or a lightly equipped C class.
Most cars today are leased. It will be interesting to see how the rise in interest rates effects this.
So the old adage of you are what you drive I don’t really think applies in today’s world.
If you want to know real “status” perhaps it’s the people who live well, simply and don’t carry debt.
Even within sports cars you're a different person if you pull up in your Corvette versus the 911 and another person again in the Jaguar. I believe you've driven exotic so you know how that goes.
An entry level German doesn't get the same consideration as it used to because they're moved so far down market but even then you've become a poser who can't afford the "real" Mercedes and yeah, just as you stated some will peg you as a guy who is leasing outside of his income bracket. It goes on and on.
I just can't agree. It's nothing new: Using available data to quickly try and make a judgment about threat levels is an ancient biological adaptation linked to fight or flight and developed further into the social assessments, done instinctively, which we all have now. Both men and women quickly make assessments about fecundity, fitness, social status, etc. The car, home, and so on, is an extension of that process applied to possessions.
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No, it's still a thing. The goalposts have moved but nothing has really changed. I drive up in a lot of different hardware and I'm always a different person with each car. Until recently I had a diesel truck, I'm one guy driving that. Sport utilities something else. Another when I'm in various sports cars.
Even within sports cars you're a different person if you pull up in your Corvette versus the 911 and another person again in the Jaguar. I believe you've driven exotic so you know how that goes.
An entry level German doesn't get the same consideration as it used to because they're moved so far down market but even then you've become a poser who can't afford the "real" Mercedes and yeah, just as you stated some will peg you as a guy who is leasing outside of his income bracket. It goes on and on.
I just can't agree. It's nothing new: Using available data to quickly try and make a judgment about threat levels is an ancient biological adaptation linked to fight or flight and developed further into the social assessments, done instinctively, which we all have now. Both men and women quickly make assessments about fecundity, fitness, social status, etc. The car, home, and so on, is an extension of that process applied to possessions.
Even within sports cars you're a different person if you pull up in your Corvette versus the 911 and another person again in the Jaguar. I believe you've driven exotic so you know how that goes.
An entry level German doesn't get the same consideration as it used to because they're moved so far down market but even then you've become a poser who can't afford the "real" Mercedes and yeah, just as you stated some will peg you as a guy who is leasing outside of his income bracket. It goes on and on.
I just can't agree. It's nothing new: Using available data to quickly try and make a judgment about threat levels is an ancient biological adaptation linked to fight or flight and developed further into the social assessments, done instinctively, which we all have now. Both men and women quickly make assessments about fecundity, fitness, social status, etc. The car, home, and so on, is an extension of that process applied to possessions.
Anyways back to the S-Class, I am sure most of us here are those who don't want to buy a vehicle just to show off or buy it due to status. Instead, really bought it as it is one of the finest automobile available on sale, so you can enjoy the ride, the creature comforts, amenities and everything in one whole package. This is the car to get and you made the right decision. Life is too short to care about what people think of what you drive in my opinion.
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2024 S580
Not that common around here...people just find MB to be ostentatious and they dont as much Lexus and dont at all pickups.
Thats why I bought it, but the "status" that comes with it, and the ostentatious nature of it aren't my favorite.
Anyways back to the S-Class, I am sure most of us here are those who don't want to buy a vehicle just to show off or buy it due to status. Instead, really bought it as it is one of the finest automobile available on sale, so you can enjoy the ride, the creature comforts, amenities and everything in one whole package. This is the car to get and you made the right decision. Life is too short to care about what people think of what you drive in my opinion.
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I understand.
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23 S580 Executive
I drive what I want to drive because I want to, that's it. I would bet most here are the same, they didn't buy their car for status, they bought it because they wanted it and they could. I get it guys, I'm just not going to pretend that status isn't a thing people think about or that they don't notice status symbols. For that matter are we really going to pretend that a top of the line Mercedes isn't going to be seen by some as inferring something? To me that seems disingenuous.
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I drive what I want to drive because I want to, that's it. I would bet most here are the same, they didn't buy their car for status, they bought it because they wanted it and they could. I get it guys, I'm just not going to pretend that status isn't a thing people think about or that they don't notice status symbols. For that matter are we really going to pretend that a top of the line Mercedes isn't going to be seen by some as inferring something? To me that seems disingenuous.
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2024 S580
No, there are plenty of high spec nice pickups being driven around, its just not like they are everywhere like they are further south or out west, etc.
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Its Mercedes as a brand also. My business partner had a C Class, and always got snide comments from people. We own a Property Management company and thats what he primarily does, so he interacts with tenants etc. He traded his C Class in on a more expensive and bigger Lexus GS and the comments dramatically lessened. Now he drives an $80,000 pickup truck and gets no comments.
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2024 S580
Just got curious, since this was a BMW thread.... do you think BMW shares the same reputation and recognition/value as Mercedes or do you think Mercedes is superior in people's eyes, and more prestigious (in their eyes anyways). For example if your business partner had a 3 series, how do you think will people react to his vehicle?
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Just got curious, since this was a BMW thread.... do you think BMW shares the same reputation and recognition/value as Mercedes or do you think Mercedes is superior in people's eyes, and more prestigious (in their eyes anyways). For example if your business partner had a 3 series, how do you think will people react to his vehicle?
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2024 S580
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I found it strange at least here in Canada MBs are more affordable than BMW prior to everything that is going on, now it is pretty much the same. The finance and lease rates for example were way lower than BMW. Not the reason why I chose Mercedes however, I just like MB more so personal preference type of thing.
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I was still however curious how and what people would otherwise thought if your business partner had a BMW instead of the C-Class and what the forum thinks about the brand and products in general, having competition is a good thing after all. The ultimate beneficiary will be the consumer.
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MBWorld Fanatic!
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From: Maryland
2024 S580
I found it strange at least here in Canada MBs are more affordable than BMW prior to everything that is going on, now it is pretty much the same. The finance and lease rates for example were way lower than BMW. Not the reason why I chose Mercedes however, I just like MB more so personal preference type of thing.
A 760 comparable to an S580 is ~ $20-25,000 cheaper. Lease payments are $8-900 a month less.
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Growing up, Mercedes-Benz was always an aspirational brand. I feel quite fortunate that there's a MB and a BMW in my garage. I enjoy them both, for different reasons. Drive what you like.
