RE: Mercedes-AMG turns new E53 into plug-in hybrid
Discussion
Ray_Aber said:
Fake vents. I'm with Harry Metcalfe on this. Unnecessary and pointless. If you have to pretend something, what else are you being duplicitous about?
The car lacks authenticity to me. A sports saloon should never be this heavy. It's not ugly, the tech is impressive, but it flatters to deceive. I'll take my fast saloons in sub-1800kg guise, thanks, with no fake anything.
AgreedThe car lacks authenticity to me. A sports saloon should never be this heavy. It's not ugly, the tech is impressive, but it flatters to deceive. I'll take my fast saloons in sub-1800kg guise, thanks, with no fake anything.
Makes one wonder why they didn't use this engine in the C63 in place of the 4-pot?
In general, I'm a bit 'MEH' with the current Merc Saloon styling, but that looks a lot better IMO - although I'd prefer non-recession white colourway. Not a fan of the gaudy coloured LED lights inside however, presumably they can be switched off, or at least made white & dimmer.
In general, I'm a bit 'MEH' with the current Merc Saloon styling, but that looks a lot better IMO - although I'd prefer non-recession white colourway. Not a fan of the gaudy coloured LED lights inside however, presumably they can be switched off, or at least made white & dimmer.
DonkeyApple said:
ThomW said:
Who the hell is buying performance estate cars at £150,000?
No one really. The fabricated RRP numbers have never really been less relevant. It's what the various monthly agreements offer that are pertinent. Not many have £150k sitting around but ask how many have a couple of grand a month of excess income and the answer is more than enough for it to be worth building the cars. About 2.5m households in the U.K. earn in excess of £100k/annum. Over 350k individuals earn in excess of £150k/annum.
Consider that many of these higher income households will have cleared mortgages, filled pensions and have children out of education and that's quite a large group to sell into.
Not terrible. Sure it's heavy, expensive and you'd want to spec it to dial-down the chintz, but the drivetrain should be reasonably efficient (mid-30s if the existing 450/53 are gone by) and extremely refined - as suits something like this.
I can't help but feel it would have been better as a 450/530 - so big and heavy that a sporty attitude seems daft - I'd prefer it as a mileage crushing, tomb-silent wafter, with 600hp on tap to sort out scruffs in hotch hatches and diesel Audis. But that doesn't sell, in the UK at least.
I can't help but feel it would have been better as a 450/530 - so big and heavy that a sporty attitude seems daft - I'd prefer it as a mileage crushing, tomb-silent wafter, with 600hp on tap to sort out scruffs in hotch hatches and diesel Audis. But that doesn't sell, in the UK at least.
Julian Scott said:
DonkeyApple said:
ThomW said:
Who the hell is buying performance estate cars at £150,000?
No one really. The fabricated RRP numbers have never really been less relevant. It's what the various monthly agreements offer that are pertinent. Not many have £150k sitting around but ask how many have a couple of grand a month of excess income and the answer is more than enough for it to be worth building the cars. About 2.5m households in the U.K. earn in excess of £100k/annum. Over 350k individuals earn in excess of £150k/annum.
Consider that many of these higher income households will have cleared mortgages, filled pensions and have children out of education and that's quite a large group to sell into.
ThomW said:
Julian Scott said:
DonkeyApple said:
ThomW said:
Who the hell is buying performance estate cars at £150,000?
No one really. The fabricated RRP numbers have never really been less relevant. It's what the various monthly agreements offer that are pertinent. Not many have £150k sitting around but ask how many have a couple of grand a month of excess income and the answer is more than enough for it to be worth building the cars. About 2.5m households in the U.K. earn in excess of £100k/annum. Over 350k individuals earn in excess of £150k/annum.
Consider that many of these higher income households will have cleared mortgages, filled pensions and have children out of education and that's quite a large group to sell into.
Conversely, my father in law, ex bank manager, 87 years old, had never bought anything he wanted/craved in his life, always saved for a rainy day. Always bought the cheapest car he could find and ran it until it was worthless. Never bought clothes unless he absolutely had to.
Took his bonuses in shares not cash (but worked for NatWest, so then lost it all). Retired 30yrs ago, currently sits on a £75,000/yr pension, miserable b
d, moans permanently, andes despite his miserly ways, has less of an estate than I do. He found himself in intensive care last year, followed by 5 months in hospital. He's knackered and genuinely in God's waiting room. He's filled with regret, hasn't done anything with his life and now he can't. I said to him that if I found myself on my death bed tomorrow I'd be really bloody annoyed.....but I would have no regrets. I've lived. I've enjoyed life. If you don't enjoy life, what is it all for?
So.....the people that choose to spend 10% of their income on monthly car payments....let them. It's their choice.
Thank you for coming to my TED talk.
ThomW said:
It's just a different world. I'm a huge petrolhead and we have acombined income of £250k, are a year away from being mortgage free on a £1m house and yet I can't imagine spending £1000-1500 per month on a car. It seems utterly insane to me.
Did you really need to boast and wave your big financial willy at us? fantheman80 said:
ThomW said:
It's just a different world. I'm a huge petrolhead and we have acombined income of £250k, are a year away from being mortgage free on a £1m house and yet I can't imagine spending £1000-1500 per month on a car. It seems utterly insane to me.
Did you really need to boast and wave your big financial willy at us? Julian Scott said:
ThomW said:
Julian Scott said:
DonkeyApple said:
ThomW said:
Who the hell is buying performance estate cars at £150,000?
No one really. The fabricated RRP numbers have never really been less relevant. It's what the various monthly agreements offer that are pertinent. Not many have £150k sitting around but ask how many have a couple of grand a month of excess income and the answer is more than enough for it to be worth building the cars. About 2.5m households in the U.K. earn in excess of £100k/annum. Over 350k individuals earn in excess of £150k/annum.
Consider that many of these higher income households will have cleared mortgages, filled pensions and have children out of education and that's quite a large group to sell into.
Conversely, my father in law, ex bank manager, 87 years old, had never bought anything he wanted/craved in his life, always saved for a rainy day. Always bought the cheapest car he could find and ran it until it was worthless. Never bought clothes unless he absolutely had to.
Took his bonuses in shares not cash (but worked for NatWest, so then lost it all). Retired 30yrs ago, currently sits on a £75,000/yr pension, miserable b
d, moans permanently, andes despite his miserly ways, has less of an estate than I do. He found himself in intensive care last year, followed by 5 months in hospital. He's knackered and genuinely in God's waiting room. He's filled with regret, hasn't done anything with his life and now he can't. I said to him that if I found myself on my death bed tomorrow I'd be really bloody annoyed.....but I would have no regrets. I've lived. I've enjoyed life. If you don't enjoy life, what is it all for?
So.....the people that choose to spend 10% of their income on monthly car payments....let them. It's their choice.
Thank you for coming to my TED talk.
ThomW said:
fantheman80 said:
ThomW said:
It's just a different world. I'm a huge petrolhead and we have acombined income of £250k, are a year away from being mortgage free on a £1m house and yet I can't imagine spending £1000-1500 per month on a car. It seems utterly insane to me.
Did you really need to boast and wave your big financial willy at us? Julian Scott said:
Me too...although 5 years ahead on the mortgage free.....BUT.....plenty of people do chose to pay £1,000-£1,500 per month on a car. Free choice. Free world.
Conversely, my father in law, ex bank manager, 87 years old, had never bought anything he wanted/craved in his life, always saved for a rainy day. Always bought the cheapest car he could find and ran it until it was worthless. Never bought clothes unless he absolutely had to.
Took his bonuses in shares not cash (but worked for NatWest, so then lost it all). Retired 30yrs ago, currently sits on a £75,000/yr pension, miserable bd, moans permanently, andes despite his miserly ways, has less of an estate than I do. He found himself in intensive care last year, followed by 5 months in hospital. He's knackered and genuinely in God's waiting room. He's filled with regret, hasn't done anything with his life and now he can't.
I said to him that if I found myself on my death bed tomorrow I'd be really bloody annoyed.....but I would have no regrets. I've lived. I've enjoyed life. If you don't enjoy life, what is it all for?
So.....the people that choose to spend 10% of their income on monthly car payments....let them. It's their choice.
Thank you for coming to my TED talk.
It is indeed a free world.Conversely, my father in law, ex bank manager, 87 years old, had never bought anything he wanted/craved in his life, always saved for a rainy day. Always bought the cheapest car he could find and ran it until it was worthless. Never bought clothes unless he absolutely had to.
Took his bonuses in shares not cash (but worked for NatWest, so then lost it all). Retired 30yrs ago, currently sits on a £75,000/yr pension, miserable b
d, moans permanently, andes despite his miserly ways, has less of an estate than I do. He found himself in intensive care last year, followed by 5 months in hospital. He's knackered and genuinely in God's waiting room. He's filled with regret, hasn't done anything with his life and now he can't. I said to him that if I found myself on my death bed tomorrow I'd be really bloody annoyed.....but I would have no regrets. I've lived. I've enjoyed life. If you don't enjoy life, what is it all for?
So.....the people that choose to spend 10% of their income on monthly car payments....let them. It's their choice.
Thank you for coming to my TED talk.
And don’t forget….one cannot drive one’s house up and down the high street past the wine bar to show everyone how affluent one is. But you CAN do that with a car (plenty do, but not many PHers I’d guess) so many people will freely admit that they prioritise spending on their car above their house payments to ensure that a bit of social status peacocking is possible. I live in Essex, it’s basically the county’s sport.
BikeSausage said:
It is indeed a free world.
And don’t forget….one cannot drive one’s house up and down the high street past the wine bar to show everyone how affluent one is. But you CAN do that with a car (plenty do, but not many PHers I’d guess) so many people will freely admit that they prioritise spending on their car above their house payments to ensure that a bit of social status peacocking is possible. I live in Essex, it’s basically the county’s sport.
Likewise, people just enjoy owning and spending money on their car? I've just had a full suspension rebuild on my car, is that "social status peacocking"? I just wanted to do it to make it drive like a new car again. And don’t forget….one cannot drive one’s house up and down the high street past the wine bar to show everyone how affluent one is. But you CAN do that with a car (plenty do, but not many PHers I’d guess) so many people will freely admit that they prioritise spending on their car above their house payments to ensure that a bit of social status peacocking is possible. I live in Essex, it’s basically the county’s sport.
BikeSausage said:
Julian Scott said:
Me too...although 5 years ahead on the mortgage free.....BUT.....plenty of people do chose to pay £1,000-£1,500 per month on a car. Free choice. Free world.
Conversely, my father in law, ex bank manager, 87 years old, had never bought anything he wanted/craved in his life, always saved for a rainy day. Always bought the cheapest car he could find and ran it until it was worthless. Never bought clothes unless he absolutely had to.
Took his bonuses in shares not cash (but worked for NatWest, so then lost it all). Retired 30yrs ago, currently sits on a £75,000/yr pension, miserable bd, moans permanently, andes despite his miserly ways, has less of an estate than I do. He found himself in intensive care last year, followed by 5 months in hospital. He's knackered and genuinely in God's waiting room. He's filled with regret, hasn't done anything with his life and now he can't.
I said to him that if I found myself on my death bed tomorrow I'd be really bloody annoyed.....but I would have no regrets. I've lived. I've enjoyed life. If you don't enjoy life, what is it all for?
So.....the people that choose to spend 10% of their income on monthly car payments....let them. It's their choice.
Thank you for coming to my TED talk.
It is indeed a free world.Conversely, my father in law, ex bank manager, 87 years old, had never bought anything he wanted/craved in his life, always saved for a rainy day. Always bought the cheapest car he could find and ran it until it was worthless. Never bought clothes unless he absolutely had to.
Took his bonuses in shares not cash (but worked for NatWest, so then lost it all). Retired 30yrs ago, currently sits on a £75,000/yr pension, miserable b
d, moans permanently, andes despite his miserly ways, has less of an estate than I do. He found himself in intensive care last year, followed by 5 months in hospital. He's knackered and genuinely in God's waiting room. He's filled with regret, hasn't done anything with his life and now he can't. I said to him that if I found myself on my death bed tomorrow I'd be really bloody annoyed.....but I would have no regrets. I've lived. I've enjoyed life. If you don't enjoy life, what is it all for?
So.....the people that choose to spend 10% of their income on monthly car payments....let them. It's their choice.
Thank you for coming to my TED talk.
And don’t forget….one cannot drive one’s house up and down the high street past the wine bar to show everyone how affluent one is. But you CAN do that with a car (plenty do, but not many PHers I’d guess) so many people will freely admit that they prioritise spending on their car above their house payments to ensure that a bit of social status peacocking is possible. I live in Essex, it’s basically the county’s sport.
I have, undoubtably, in my formative professional days spent more on a car (outright purchase or monthly payments) than some of my contemporaries, for a variety of reasons, but I've also almost always had cars 'de-badged' or spec'd in subtle colours and certainly never really given a crap about what others think.
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