Well, this assumes that it’s all about TCO or status.
But have you ever driven a Mercedes, BMW, Porsche or Audi? The driving expierence is superior to everything else! Tesla gets close...but I can’t think of any other brand that does.
I think it's fair to say this falls under grandparent's "enthusiast" category. Nothing wrong with being an enthusiast, but I think the characterization as "irrational" is probably correct.
Few human decisions are rational if you start taking that approach. You can always live in a smaller dwelling, wear worse clothes, eat cheaper food, avoid all paid entertainment, etc.
It would be better to state that the car market is not primarily based around the simple act of transportation. Which should be pretty obvious anyway.
> You can always live in a smaller dwelling, wear worse clothes, eat cheaper food, avoid all paid entertainment, etc.
Indeed. And the more of these you can check, the happier and more satisfying your life is likely to get. Why maintain an unused mansion when a small, cozy place will do? Why follow the latest fashion trends when your four year old OCBD is in fighting form? Why eat lobsters all the time when beans are so nutrient-dense and cheap?! Why sit on your ass wasting away at the behest of a mediocre film when you could read a book instead?
The other major difference, of course, is that there are few irrational decisions quite as expensive as buying an idiot pickup truck to show off. Maybe a boat or an aircraft, but not much more.
Why have a small, cozy place when you could live in a van down by the river? Why buy clothes when you can drape yourselves in discarded blankets? Why eat beans when you can haunt the dumpsters behind the local restaurants?
Of course it's a fallacy. One has to draw a line at some point. To me that line would be a way, way cheaper expense than a big, polluting truck. But it seems that to you, if I can't own a truck, I must go all the way to living in shanties/favelas and dumpster diving.
How do you decide where to draw the line? What’s the rational way to put some pleasures under the “rational” category and others under the “irrational” category?
You calibrate on what people were satisfied with thirty or a hundred years ago, eliminating modern status-seeking. You ask yourself "Would I be horrified to live like that, or do I just think I'm too good for it?" Like there's no way I am going to live as a boarder with another family, but I can definitely make my own lunch.
Life is too short to make saving money the first priority on every decision. Drive whatever you can afford and makes happiest (and makes sense for the use case you have in mind for it, offroad, snow, racing, commute time, etc).
BMW's recent models are mostly a joke in dynamics. See almost any review of many of their new models for further explanation. This unfortunately isn't 2010 anymore.
Mercedes hasn't been kenown for driving dynamics, but perhaps their solidity is great. Porsche is absolutely renowned for the driving experience they provide.
There are plenty that can match these in every class. If you only consider brands based on an overall perception, then sure, maybe not.
The Cadillac ATS and Alfa Romeo Giulia are almost universally regarded as dynamically superior to their 3-series equivalents, for a common example.
> The Cadillac ATS and Alfa Romeo Giulia are almost universally regarded as dynamically superior to their 3-series equivalents, for a common example.
Exactly, my 2017 Focus RS is so much fun to drive and has a lot more power than any German car of equivalent price. I mean where else can you find AWD, 350 HP and 350 ft/lb torque with a 6 speed manual for under $40,000?
Your comparing the price of a used car vs a new car? Of course the used car will be cheaper. A Golf R brand new is more expensive then a new Focus RS. Also I'm a Minnesotan I need a real AWD system not the Haldex system in the Golf R, which is basically FWD unless it detects low traction then it will engage the back wheels. Also the Golf R has only 288HP and 280FT/LB torque compared to my cars 350HP and 350FT/LB torque so I'm not sure why you think the Golf R is the "Better" car.
That's quite reasonable, and I may agree depending on what exact cars you test drove, but that's a rather different statement than the one made in the comment I replied to.
Had a B8.5 S4, now a B9 A5 with sports suspension. The power/transmission leave a little something to be desired, but the A5 is otherwise a very nice ride, and not too wallowy for an Audi. I have also a much more powerful sports car for the weekend, but the A5 has its charms too.
Is that true in typical urban driving conditions of stop and go, or at least slow traffic? I think the only thing that would help make my driving experience better in this traffic would be radar cruise control that can handle stop/go traffic.
I've found that the best driving experience in my commute conditions is a $500,000 bus because I can get some work done or relax so the length of the commute doesn't mattter so much.
Driving experience only goes so far in bumper-to-bumper traffic. Those aren't cars that people "need". Most lux car owners will also have a "beater" car that they use for real life.
Status is an important motivator and should not be dismissed.
they mean the majority of people get them for the badging, AMG are definitely the most fun sonically but most people arent bothering with straight piping or any fun performance mods. its mainly a flex
none of those cars are supposed to feel anything special, the 3 series is the entry level scrap bmw puts out to get people onto the brand and the newer bmws are last among the germans
mini, owned by bmw, is.. mini.. theyre the car parents get their daughters
I didn't downvote you, but I bet I could [pick them out]. They just value different things compared to american counterparts, especially in older models.
I (regrettably used to) own a 2002 BMW M3 -- relatively cheap to buy, and compared to anything else in its year or price category was unequivocally better as a "driver's car". But, many people don't really care about a driver's car -- they index higher on other things like electronics, safety, styling, etc. That's fine, it's only preference, but for raw performance nothing similar could compare.
My experience is that a lot of people equate "expensive car" or "german car" with "nice car", and for them "nice car" means something specific other than raw performance numbers, like comfort, safety, features, or Consumer Reports ranking. For enthusiasts, it means something totally different, and those qualities are indexed on by BMW/Merc/Audi (and some rare American and Japanese exceptions to be fair).
But have you ever driven a Mercedes, BMW, Porsche or Audi? The driving expierence is superior to everything else! Tesla gets close...but I can’t think of any other brand that does.