Mercades becoming more mainstream and less exclusive

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To be honest, I really don’t know if I spent over £40k on my current C-class for exclusivity and to keep away from mainstream. I think that mostly I bought it because I liked it. But who knows, perhaps the snob in me told me to spend the money. At the time, I had been considering a used Aston Martin for similar money, but my vaguely sensible head persuaded me to think about the running costs. That same head forgot to remind me of the far greater depreciation of the brand new MB.

But I don’t regret my decision, I can still bask in the knowledge that only around 50 models of my car with its particular engine were registered in the UK. It doesn’t even bother me that 99.999% of the population have no idea how exclusive my car is, I know. Knowing that I have a Mercedes that doesn’t have a black interior is an added bonus!
 
To be honest, I really don’t know if I spent over £40k on my current C-class for exclusivity and to keep away from mainstream. I think that mostly I bought it because I liked it. But who knows, perhaps the snob in me told me to spend the money. At the time, I had been considering a used Aston Martin for similar money, but my vaguely sensible head persuaded me to think about the running costs. That same head forgot to remind me of the far greater depreciation of the brand new MB.

But I don’t regret my decision, I can still bask in the knowledge that only around 50 models of my car with its particular engine were registered in the UK. It doesn’t even bother me that 99.999% of the population have no idea how exclusive my car is, I know. Knowing that I have a Mercedes that doesn’t have a black interior is an added bonus!

With you there, I still feel good behind the wheel of my 'C' and I am sure that I will have another, no question. I have had the VX's, Peugeot's and fords ETC, the A4 and 3 Series but it still brings me back to MB. :)
 
I think with so many cars now leased or bought on PCP etc it means folks can generally drive new cars they wouldn't necessarily be able to afford/justify if paying cash outright. So i guess there's less exclusivity across the board if that's what you look for unless you drive something mega expensive. Or you could buy something less mainstream like a Beauford!
Even with PCP, there are still many folks driving cars they cannot afford.
 
Ahh! gone are the days when Porsche 911 drivers used to give a small wave to eachother such was their relative rarity (1975ish. In the 80s other drivers started giving a rather different sort of wave!). Exclusivity is almost by definition a function of volume. In the quality sector where volumes have grown very fast over the last 30 years, so excluivity has become, I think, more related to models....."you dont se many of those". I get a certain sad satisfaction from the CLS , not because its a Mercedes but because there are only 350ish in the country maybe less now. Only yesterday on the M25 there was a knowing nod between myself and another silver 55 with a far far louder exhaust than mine. That was the first one I'd seen for probably 6 months.
Exclusivity comes with rarity so in reality my, still not running, MGC would feel quite exclusive to me were I ever to get to drive it.
Prestige is a rather different feeling and perhaps probably relates more to brands. And of course sub brands such as AMG, BMW M, Audi RS,
 
Ahh! gone are the days when Porsche 911 drivers used to give a small wave to eachother such was their relative rarity (1975ish. In the 80s other drivers started giving a rather different sort of wave!).
Weirdly got this with my mk2 focus ST. Not an exclusive or rare car!
I do find other AMG drivers often show mutual appreciation as well 😁
 
Many motorcyclists will still acknowledge each other but not all. Never had a nod from a Harley rider, perhaps that's because they feel exclusive and only nod to other Harley riders.

I haven't been there for a while but my favorite gesture between motorists was to be found on the rural back roads of southern Ireland where you got the finger. It's not at all what you think, it's a slow and laid back salute with the index finger in a unique style that only the Irish can master.
 
If ever there was a case for arguing money cannot buy class or a basic understanding of the English language this is it :doh:
What, three different meanings in one short sentence not enough for you??
 
Even with PCP, there are still many folks driving cars they cannot afford.
Not wishing to take the topic off at a tangent unnecessarily, but when I have heard and read this type of comment before I don’t really understand it.

I’m old fashioned and buy cars rather than finance them - with one exception - and whilst I have never taken out a PCP (or similar) I can understand why people do.

If someone chooses to pay for their car monthly - whether they had the ability to buy outright or not - and they keep up repayments then surely they can afford it.

Following the same logic I can’t afford the homes I’ve lived in because I have mortgaged the vast majority of property I have bought, like most people.

Just because I didn’t pay up front in full for the properties I mortgaged doesn’t mean that I couldn’t afford them, it just meant thy in many cases I couldn’t pay upfront.

I dare say that the majority of people on this forum could afford to buy their smartphone outright, but only the minority do actually buy smartphones up front.

It’s not because they can’t afford it, and it’s not because it’s less expensive. We’re just conditioned into bundling the cost of phones with our airtime and data plan.

Car buying is following a similar path, and as ownership becomes less popular then pay for use will become more popular, bundling all of the associated costs.

Vive la difference.
 
The pinnacle of motoring luxury belongs to Rolls Royce, not Mercedes!
21k these days is a lot of money for a car when you are a working class individual with or without a family, and a lot of us on here work hard for our cars.
Define lower market, and think very carefully about how you answer that.
An engine that`s found in an A Class can also be found in a Nissan, Renault and a Dacia !
Mercs are not what they used to be. Time to move on.
 
An engine that`s found in an A Class can also be found in a Nissan, Renault and a Dacia !
Mercs are not what they used to be. Time to move on.
But no one buying a car for its engine is buying a 1.5 diesel.
So it's the car and there's still sufficient difference between a Dacia and Mercedes for buyers to decide which they prefer.
 
Not wishing to take the topic off at a tangent unnecessarily, but when I have heard and read this type of comment before I don’t really understand it.

I’m old fashioned and buy cars rather than finance them - with one exception - and whilst I have never taken out a PCP (or similar) I can understand why people do.

If someone chooses to pay for their car monthly - whether they had the ability to buy outright or not - and they keep up repayments then surely they can afford it.

Following the same logic I can’t afford the homes I’ve lived in because I have mortgaged the vast majority of property I have bought, like most people.

Just because I didn’t pay up front in full for the properties I mortgaged doesn’t mean that I couldn’t afford them, it just meant thy in many cases I couldn’t pay upfront.

I dare say that the majority of people on this forum could afford to buy their smartphone outright, but only the minority do actually buy smartphones up front.

It’s not because they can’t afford it, and it’s not because it’s less expensive. We’re just conditioned into bundling the cost of phones with our airtime and data plan.

Car buying is following a similar path, and as ownership becomes less popular then pay for use will become more popular, bundling all of the associated costs.

Vive la difference.

No, what I meant is that many cannot truly afford the monthly payment on the PCP.

People overextend themselves financially to drive (what they consider to be) a flash car.

I’ve always pushed myself on mortgages but that was because it (property) was an appreciating asset rather than something (the car) that becomes worth less every day that I own it.

Financing anything other than a house has never made sense to me. Aa a rule, I only pay cash. IMO financing something is simply giving the banks money & I’d rather not have it until I can afford it by paying cash.
 
Not wishing to take the topic off at a tangent unnecessarily, but when I have heard and read this type of comment before I don’t really understand it.
...................
Have a read here..
https://forums.mercedesclub.org.uk/index.php?threads/rant-about-pcp’s-and-how-dangerous-they-can-be.189681/
 
Here is an opportunity for testing Mercedes exclusivity.
Jaguar and its dealers are organising a comparison of Jags versus other brands with a possibility to drive a Jag and other brand car model, from the same market segment, that same day. Might be interesting.
For example XF will be versus E class and the other models will be versus to other non-MB cars.
https://www.jaguar.co.uk/jaguar-versus.html
I love Jaguars, I've had 3 and would have one now if my drive and garage were wider.
I noticed the Jaguars always got a lot more comments on how nice they were compared to my mercs. Not everyone is mad about mercs.
I definitely wouldn't buy a merc at twice the price. They aren't that good (to me).
 
Have a read here..
https://forums.mercedesclub.org.uk/index.php?threads/rant-about-pcp’s-and-how-dangerous-they-can-be.189681/
Thank you for sharing, I’m still not sure that it means that many people buy cars they can’t afford because of PCP.

It reads like they got caught up in the moment, bought something without researching it, and then backed out. That happens when people have the cash in the bank, buying with an unsecured loan or buying anything (and not just cars).

I didn’t read anything that suggested that they couldn’t afford it, just that it was more than they wanted to spend in the cold light of day after they adddd the options they wanted and assumed the car had as standard features.

Regardless, people will overstretch themselves, and some can’t afford to buy some of the things they buy - or else items wouldn’t be possessed, people go bankrupt ot assets sold in a hurry - and that’s not just about cars ot PCP.
 
I love Jaguars, I've had 3 and would have one now if my drive and garage were wider.
I noticed the Jaguars always got a lot more comments on how nice they were compared to my mercs. Not everyone is mad about mercs.
I definitely wouldn't buy a merc at twice the price. They aren't that good (to me).

My son-in-Law can tell you a few stories about Jaguar, the XF in particular. After persistent faults Jaguar bought it back from him. He then bought an MB and not had any faults or regrets :)
 
Regarding the PCP/lease phenomenon that’s going on, if it makes sound financial sense then it’s a good thing.

What makes me laugh is how people now perceive ‘Dave down the road. He’s doin’ well for himself cos ‘ees got a brand new Merc’

Not so long ago I’d spend more on Marlboro’s per month than Dave did on his Mercedes.
 
My son-in-Law can tell you a few stories about Jaguar, the XF in particular. After persistent faults Jaguar bought it back from him. He then bought an MB and not had any faults or regrets :)
That can be said about any car my xfs has been brilliant,and some people on here have had a nightmare with MB'S
 

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