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It's already the case that driving a newish Mercedes is like having a bumper sticker: I Have Too Much Money and Not Enough Taste Buying one is like opening a

It's already the case that driving a newish Mercedes is like having a bumper sticker: I Have Too Much Money and Not Enough Taste Buying one is like opening a vein. You've given permission for them to take all they want.

MuffinFlavored 4y ago
> Not Enough Taste Debatable...
- fuzzfactor 4y ago
  I'll enter the debate. For those that do admire the reputation of Mercedes for being tastefully done, if they can actually afford the newish model of their dreams, wouldn't it show even better taste to purchase a vintage model instead? Made back when the company was profiting from selling its own brand of luxury & performance rather than renting it out directly. Makes you think there must be other designed-in compromises that would never have been acceptable when the executives were still focused (by tradition if nothing else) on making the major purchase itself be as satisfying as possible. It may be the same company, and technology has certainly advanced, but today's executives themselves are not as advanced as people used to be in previous decades. This is a plain ordinary decision-making deficiency. Remember at one time a Mercedes plant was doing extremely well simply manufacturing the vehicles and letting any aftermarket leasing be handled by third parties. Now it's plain to see they're struggling to squeeze the consumer in ways that are simply distasteful compared to higher-class operation under more respectable higher-performance executives in earlier times at the same company. It's a slippery slope, first you're raking it in simply building luxury homes and selling them for market price. If that's not enough then leveraging what's built by renting out the same asset instead of parting with it is a consideration but it involves a lot more financing arrangements. There's always been more to be made through financial work without having to build anything new, so eventually you reach peak time-sharing. I like executives and engineers who are effective enough to prosper without any predatory shenanigans, whether financial or not. That's something I just never developed a taste for.
  - Cupertino95014 4y ago
    Good analysis. An old Mercedes has class. A new Mercedes is just vulgar.

MuffinFlavored 4y ago

> Not Enough Taste Debatable...

fuzzfactor 4y ago
I'll enter the debate. For those that do admire the reputation of Mercedes for being tastefully done, if they can actually afford the newish model of their dreams, wouldn't it show even better taste to purchase a vintage model instead? Made back when the company was profiting from selling its own brand of luxury & performance rather than renting it out directly. Makes you think there must be other designed-in compromises that would never have been acceptable when the executives were still focused (by tradition if nothing else) on making the major purchase itself be as satisfying as possible. It may be the same company, and technology has certainly advanced, but today's executives themselves are not as advanced as people used to be in previous decades. This is a plain ordinary decision-making deficiency. Remember at one time a Mercedes plant was doing extremely well simply manufacturing the vehicles and letting any aftermarket leasing be handled by third parties. Now it's plain to see they're struggling to squeeze the consumer in ways that are simply distasteful compared to higher-class operation under more respectable higher-performance executives in earlier times at the same company. It's a slippery slope, first you're raking it in simply building luxury homes and selling them for market price. If that's not enough then leveraging what's built by renting out the same asset instead of parting with it is a consideration but it involves a lot more financing arrangements. There's always been more to be made through financial work without having to build anything new, so eventually you reach peak time-sharing. I like executives and engineers who are effective enough to prosper without any predatory shenanigans, whether financial or not. That's something I just never developed a taste for.
- Cupertino95014 4y ago
  Good analysis. An old Mercedes has class. A new Mercedes is just vulgar.