Maserati - Would you?

[Baleforce]

I don't think there's any hate here.

I can only speak for myself when I say I'm merely bemused that they've conned people into doing what you did there and grouping Audis with "added value" brands.

Audi make very good cars, so do Ford and Volkswagen. BMW and Mercedes make very good cars that people aspire to own.

Take an extreme example with Rolls Royce. A Phantom is a much better car than a Mondeo. It's more comfortable, it's faster, it has a better build quality, etc. But is it £280k better than a Mondeo? I think you'd be hard pushed to justify the extra on that basis alone.

The difference is all in the brand. To a lesser extent this is the same with Mercedes, BMW and Audi in that order. There's an intangible extra in the way owning that car makes you feel and in what it tells people about you.

It's why Tom Ford shirts are worth owning. The guy who makes my every day shirts can cut one exactly the same from equally good material for a third of the price, but if I'm really dressing up for something special - it's Tom Ford all the way.

admittedly, and I say this as a mondeo driver, but (and maybe this just my essex roots coming through) if I could afford a merc or a Beamer, I wouldn't buy one, as with that kind of money I could run something more... well... fun

 

[scaramanga]

admittedly, and I say this as a mondeo driver, but (and maybe this just my essex roots coming through) if I could afford a merc or a Beamer, I wouldn't buy one, as with that kind of money I could run something more... well... fun

Unfortunately those days are gone for me. 2 seats used to be my maximum and sideways used to be my driving style. Having a family changed that.

 

[Baleforce]

I have 2 kids as well, thats what the mondeo is for, and my 2 are so messy i wouldn't let em in a nice car anyway

 

[vkn17]

Pretty much.

Their marketing department has to be one of the best in the business. Without changing what they do they've managed to get some people talking about their cars in the same breath as BMW and Mercedes instead of Mondeos and Passats. It's a work of sheer genius.

Are you freaking serious? Have you even driven the S5? To suggest that Audi should be in the same class as Mondeos or Passats is ridiculous, sorry. I've never been a Mercedes fan but I do love BMW's. I've had an M3 and absolutely loved it. It's a different feel to the S5 and doesn't allow for as many mistakes as the S5 but if I was to choose speed&comfort in one package I would always go with the S5 or preferably R8.

 

[Danishfurniturelover]

I have 2 kids as well, thats what the mondeo is for, and my 2 are so messy i wouldn't let em in a nice car anyway

I wont say what my main car is because no one will believe me anyway. But I quoted your post because I found it funny, the rows I have had with the family that I will not even let fish and chips in the car when we have take away we have to use the wife's car or the van. I only have 1 son but good GHod despite being a nie well behaved boy he is so flipping messy.

We could be in the middle of a heatwave with not a puddle in sight and he would still get mud everywhere.

 

[Baleforce]

i said the kids but to be honest my wife is just as bad, crisp packets, coke bottles, empty coffee cups, its a disgrace

 

[DTA]

I don't think there's any hate here.

I can only speak for myself when I say I'm merely bemused that they've conned people into doing what you did there and grouping Audis with "added value" brands.

Audi make very good cars, so do Ford and Volkswagen. BMW and Mercedes make very good cars that people aspire to own.

Take an extreme example with Rolls Royce. A Phantom is a much better car than a Mondeo. It's more comfortable, it's faster, it has a better build quality, etc. But is it £280k better than a Mondeo? I think you'd be hard pushed to justify the extra on that basis alone.

The difference is all in the brand. To a lesser extent this is the same with Mercedes, BMW and Audi in that order. There's an intangible extra in the way owning that car makes you feel and in what it tells people about you.

It's why Tom Ford shirts are worth owning. The guy who makes my every day shirts can cut one exactly the same from equally good material for a third of the price, but if I'm really dressing up for something special - it's Tom Ford all the way.

Since 2007 I have owned 2 mercs (clk and ml280), bmw530, and a lexus 400h all nice and very different cars but for an alrounder the A6 pips them all ..... the clk was my favorite ( maybe because it was my first really nice car.. And the car I kept for the longest, and maybe your right about the Merc making you feel special..... But the a and b class (old shapes) has taken a little shine away from that I feel. But yeah audi A6.. Does everything well and turns heads, everyone of those others had something it didn't do well whether economy (clk ml) excitement (lexus) or comfort bmw.... I would definatly buy Merc and Audi again but can't see me in another lexus... And I'm not sure about bmw either

 

[DTA]

I don't think there's any hate here.

I can only speak for myself when I say I'm merely bemused that they've conned people into doing what you did there and grouping Audis with "added value" brands.

Audi make very good cars, so do Ford and Volkswagen. BMW and Mercedes make very good cars that people aspire to own.

Take an extreme example with Rolls Royce. A Phantom is a much better car than a Mondeo. It's more comfortable, it's faster, it has a better build quality, etc. But is it £280k better than a Mondeo? I think you'd be hard pushed to justify the extra on that basis alone.

The difference is all in the brand. To a lesser extent this is the same with Mercedes, BMW and Audi in that order. There's an intangible extra in the way owning that car makes you feel and in what it tells people about you.

It's why Tom Ford shirts are worth owning. The guy who makes my every day shirts can cut one exactly the same from equally good material for a third of the price, but if I'm really dressing up for something special - it's Tom Ford all the way.

Will check out tom ford... But I'm more of an Omega then Rolex man... If you get what I mean, both in terms of price and brand.

 

[Superted]

What's the deal with Lexus? I've heard a few comments now that they aren't what they are cracked up to be.

 

[DTA]

What's the deal with Lexus? I've heard a few comments now that they aren'twhat they are cracked up to be.

For me the rx 400 didn't do anything badly at all (apart from blue tooth , which was ****) but it just didn't give me that much joy to drive, big part of that was probably the CVT gear box which creates a disconnect with the driver, when driving I like to feel like part of the car and the CVT stops that, it's like your driving a 50k bumper car only one gear, I have owed autos before and although I do prefer manual in a normal auto box you still feel the gears, or you use the tiptronic ....the CVT nothing.... Nah not for me.

 

[scaramanga]

Since 2007 I have owned 2 mercs (clk and ml280), bmw530, and a lexus 400h all nice and very different cars but for an alrounder the A6 pips them all ..... the clk was my favorite ( maybe because it was my first really nice car.. And the car I kept for the longest, and maybe your right about the Merc making you feel special..... But the a and b class (old shapes) has taken a little shine away from that I feel. But yeah audi A6.. Does everything well and turns heads, everyone of those others had something it didn't do well whether economy (clk ml) excitement (lexus) or comfort bmw.... I would definatly buy Merc and Audi again but can't see me in another lexus... And I'm not sure about bmw either

It's not about quality - everyone builds good cars now - even the Koreans. Well, OK, the French are still making heaps of sh1t.

It's about desirability above that quality - Mercedes have that, BMW to a lesser extent, Audi and Lexus just don't have it.

As for Tom Ford - try it. His clothes are all about understated elegance - think modern Savile Row (if they allowed Americans in).

 

[Baleforce]

thats only an issue if you don't think it through logically though Scara

 

[scaramanga]

thats only an issue if you don't think it through logically though Scara

Not entirely. There's the often important issue of what a car says about you. Much like clothes, haircuts, the length of your beard, etc the car you drive creates a lasting impression on people.

To come back around to the original question, a Maserati says quite a lot that's complimentary about a person. Mercedes and BMW are reasonably neutral, which is often very good. They are an understated sign of success. Audi and Lexus don't really have that.

 

[kaboulus]

Imho better question is where do want to ride with car like this?

 

[Superted]

Not entirely. There's the often important issue of what a car says about you. Much like clothes, haircuts, the length of your beard, etc the car you drive creates a lasting impression on people.

To come back around to the original question, a Maserati says quite a lot that's complimentary about a person. Mercedes and BMW are reasonably neutral, which is often very good. They are an understated sign of success. Audi and Lexus don't really have that.

You've got to ask, why do you need a car to make a statement about you? Perhaps its because your actions are unable to make that same statement? (not a personal dig)

I come across a lot of wealthy people in my profession. Those with the most money car less about what care they drive. My richest clients still use discount vouchers when going out to restaurants and drive an old Subaru.

 

[Yermiyahu]

Not entirely. There's the often important issue of what a car says about you. Much like clothes, haircuts, the length of your beard, etc the car you drive creates a lasting impression on people.

To come back around to the original question, a Maserati says quite a lot that's complimentary about a person. Mercedes and BMW are reasonably neutral, which is often very good. They are an understated sign of success. Audi and Lexus don't really have that.

TBH, and maybe it's the fact that I'm 50, I couldn't care less what my car, my clothes or my beard say about me, or the impression they create.

Do I care what people think about me? Well, I would hope that they think me a decent person who is kind, and does good deeds.

However, if people are shallow enough to be impressed by my car or my house or any other status symbol, then maybe they may like to reevaluate their priorities in life. I hope that this doesn't come across as a personal dig Scara, because it isn't meant as one. Just a perspective from a guy who had it all, lost it all then made it again.

The Maserati is fun though, I took it for a blast after the game today and it cheered me up immensely.

 

[scaramanga]

TBH, and maybe it's the fact that I'm 50, I couldn't care less what my car, my clothes or my beard say about me, or the impression they create.

Do I care what people think about me? Well, I would hope that they think me a decent person who is kind, and does good deeds.

However, if people are shallow enough to be impressed by my car or my house or any other status symbol, then maybe they may like to reevaluate their priorities in life. I hope that this doesn't come across as a personal dig Scara, because it isn't meant as one. Just a perspective from a guy who had it all, lost it all then made it again.

The Maserati is fun though, I took it for a blast after the game today and it cheered me up immensely.

It's not about a status symbol - a 5 Series is a fairly **** status symbol, it's about control.

If you control people's first impressions of you, you control most of what they think about you. You control what they think about you then you control how they act and behave around you. You control that and basically you control that person.

 

[scaramanga]

You've got to ask, why do you need a car to make a statement about you? Perhaps its because your actions are unable to make that same statement? (not a personal dig)

I come across a lot of wealthy people in my profession. Those with the most money car less about what care they drive. My richest clients still use discount vouchers when going out to restaurants and drive an old Subaru.

See my post above - it's all a part that adds up, including actions. It's not about wealth at all.

As for the Subaru owner, I'd say that money is wasted in the hands of those who don't spend it.

 

[Superted]

It's not about a status symbol - a 5 Series is a fairly **** status symbol, it's about control.

If you control people's first impressions of you, you control most of what they think about you. You control what they think about you then you control how they act and behave around you. You control that and basically you control that person.

Very zen. Interesting point of view and one I'd have to agree with somewhat.

I guess it depends on what you are trying to control and why.

Similarly, I bench. I am young. I am in an industry filled with old fat ****s who are going through their 3rd divorce. I guess I use my youth and "size" as a point of difference. I find men react differently around other men who they see are physically stronger than themselves. Helps with my self esteem issues.

Also the older wealthy women react differently in that they want to suck my ****erel (one assumes).

 

[scaramanga]

Very zen. Interesting point of view and one I'd have to agree with somewhat.

As I was typing it I heard parts of The Psychopath Test, glad it read the way I meant it.

I guess it depends on what you are trying to control and why.

Similarly, I bench. I am young. I am in an industry filled with old fat ****s who are going through their 3rd divorce. I guess I use my youth and "size" as a point of difference. I find men react differently around other men who they see are physically stronger than themselves. Helps with my self esteem issues.

Also the older wealthy women react differently in that they want to suck my ****erel (one assumes).

There's certainly a lot of deference towards size - it works very well.

I don't have time for fitness type stuff but fortunately I have a reasonably fast metabolism, I'm quite tall and have broad shoulders (not a dating ad!). This makes for a big frame which certainly changes the way people react towards you. I've known a few small, slight, successful people but they have to work so hard to get respect in the first place.