I certainly appreciate the time you took for such a thoughtful response.
I guess this is my confusion. My family has been driving almost exclusively MBs sine the early/mid 1980s. I remember when MBs were on a totally different planet from all other mass-produced cars, quality wise (b/f “quality” was defined as having french stitched and diamond quilted everything). The difference btw MB and everything else has shrunken considerably, esp since all major car makes know how to make a stiff structure and a car w/ good crash protection.
I feel like buying a Porsche or a Ferrari is more about the experience of owning an incredible car and possibly an asset that will increase in price (so it isn’t about $, esp since the demographic can easily afford the price).
IMHO, MB (at least at the C-Class level) just isn’t special enough to be immune to such “real-life” concerns (such as pricing concerns). W/ MB, for the most part, you’re buying a disposable product that’s maybe only a little bit better than any other product.
I went another route (instead of a BMW) b/c I was only interested in a near-unicorn pricing, and it was clear I wasn’t going to get that. So I don’t feel like I wasted the dealer’s time. Or, at least, I didn’t waste their time unreasonably playing games (if that makes any sense). When they reached out to follow up, I told them that the price was higher than I was comfortable w/ and that they didn’t need to reach out again. I bought a car 2 weeks later, so I was ready to sign… but only for a car I could comfortably afford.
But I also guess that opinions like mine are only a small minority since, of course, MB is selling a ton of cars. Oh, well.
For context I have had 14 BMW and 4 Porsche cars. And I look at all the brands each time I get a new car. I can relate to what you explained RE: MB product and quality.
This issue in my opinion has more to do with all these brands trying to move up market (until they can’t anymore) with a passable product (BMW 760 $165K with plastic parts in the interior, ditto with the $170 i8 Roadster) and consumer purchasing power than loyal owners not wanting to stay with a particular brand.
The successive quantitative easing phases around the world have only begun to take their toll on currencies in the form of inflation.
People have no money because their income hasn’t kept up with the cost of living.
Winning during a deal negotiation is one thing but the most people on this site are happy to waste away a week or more worth of their time to save a few bucks on their monthly. Because they have more time than have the money.
You know, I haven’t been able to get into MB, aesthetics don’t appeal the me. They have a lot of presence on the road, they are beautiful and the design ages well but not for me…
Jaguar, I looked at again just this month. Ditto, I can’t do it. The whole wooden panels and old British allure do nothing for me.
Gawd, never were truer words spoken (unfortunately).
Jags don’t do that anymore! And that’s why I think they have no place in today’s automotive scene. Audi does sleek and impersonal better than anyone, so why would you get a more unreliable Jag?
To be fair, Jags also used to be beautiful (if archaic). The F-Type is great, but everything else they do gets a “meh” from me (the I-pace is kind of interesting, I guess).
