Luxury cars which dont carry any prestige today
Discussion
There are many great luxury cars on the market which one can buy for very little money. They had been the top-of-the range model, costing so much they were out of range for nearly everyone when new, offering all the bells and whistles one can think of - and yet they fail to impress today.
Examples:
- BMW 750iL E38
- MB 600SEL W140
- Daimler Double Six XJ81
- Range Rover 4.6HSE Autobiography P38
Cars like a 911, Corvette or even a Defender attract much attention, turning heads, making car lovers drool. The cars above are very much ignored by the general public. They are seen as "old men's cars" or simply old bangers.
I love the stealth barges. 15" wheels, big engines, fart-dry conservatism on wheels. No "special editions", wings or mesh grilles.
Examples:
- BMW 750iL E38
- MB 600SEL W140
- Daimler Double Six XJ81
- Range Rover 4.6HSE Autobiography P38
Cars like a 911, Corvette or even a Defender attract much attention, turning heads, making car lovers drool. The cars above are very much ignored by the general public. They are seen as "old men's cars" or simply old bangers.
I love the stealth barges. 15" wheels, big engines, fart-dry conservatism on wheels. No "special editions", wings or mesh grilles.
I think the issue is that the idea of what people generally think of luxury evolves so fast. All of the cars you mention will be very basic compared to what you can get today. They won't have sat nav, cooled seats, massage seats etc all things people think of as luxury now so they just look to many like big old cars whereas a 911 will always be a 911
craigjm said:
I think the issue is that the idea of what people generally think of luxury evolves so fast. All of the cars you mention will be very basic compared to what you can get today. They won't have sat nav, cooled seats, massage seats etc all things people think of as luxury now so they just look to many like big old cars whereas a 911 will always be a 911
e38 and sl600 does 
And I am talking about "genuine" luxury brands which have been established as such for many years (and are, if we look at MB, Jag, RR/B or LR/RR all diluting their brand value by offering "entry level" models, while companies like Audi try to move UP), so no artificial brands like Lexus, Infitiny or the like.
Maybe Cadillac is missing in my list.
Maybe Cadillac is missing in my list.
I think there are 2 questions here. The first is whether the cars listed above are generally admired by the public. The second is whether that admiration is reflected in their current market values.
In my experience a well cared-for example of the above - and "well cared-for" is the key - still attracts a lot of attention. You just get a different kind of attention. Young people are curious about them; they don't know exactly what they are, but they see that they are something special, and they want to know more. The previous generation nod sagely and look at your crotch, in order to admire the balls of someone who actually owns and runs one. You get admiration rather than envy.
When I had my Double Six (XJ41) I lost count of the number of people who would come and coo over it. This once included a coach load of pensioners where all the men took turns sitting in it
Regarding prices, the unfortunate fact is that these types of cars can cost a fortune to run and are not always practical in today's world of ever-smaller parking spaces and ever-greater driving restrictions. Petrol, repair, maintenance and insurance costs can be huge. That gets reflected in the price. I spent a small fortune on my XJ41 getting it sorted to a state where I was happy with it. It cost me more than twice the purchase price of the car.
Having said that, a top example of any of the above will command good money and find a buyer. With these cars, condition and history are key.
In my experience a well cared-for example of the above - and "well cared-for" is the key - still attracts a lot of attention. You just get a different kind of attention. Young people are curious about them; they don't know exactly what they are, but they see that they are something special, and they want to know more. The previous generation nod sagely and look at your crotch, in order to admire the balls of someone who actually owns and runs one. You get admiration rather than envy.
When I had my Double Six (XJ41) I lost count of the number of people who would come and coo over it. This once included a coach load of pensioners where all the men took turns sitting in it
Regarding prices, the unfortunate fact is that these types of cars can cost a fortune to run and are not always practical in today's world of ever-smaller parking spaces and ever-greater driving restrictions. Petrol, repair, maintenance and insurance costs can be huge. That gets reflected in the price. I spent a small fortune on my XJ41 getting it sorted to a state where I was happy with it. It cost me more than twice the purchase price of the car.
Having said that, a top example of any of the above will command good money and find a buyer. With these cars, condition and history are key.
Nevermind e38, have you seen the price of an E60 M5? £15,000 on a 05 plate, 5.0V10 with 500+ hp. 0-60 in 4.7secs and 203mph derestricted. Sat nav, heated seats, heads up display in M mode. I know its cliche but during clarksons test drive he likened it to the Ferrari F430, looking at the figures on paper I can see why! Madness at 15k.
I think you can pick up an 03 RS6 for £7000 now, thats 450hp twin turbo v8!
I think you can pick up an 03 RS6 for £7000 now, thats 450hp twin turbo v8!
Yes, but this is not about performance cars, it is about the (forgive me) GENTEEL top-of-the-range chairman's choice etc cars.
I believe that nowadays elegance/refinement/conservatism has very much overruled by a more aggressive, "sporty" and/or "trendy" movement.
Picknick tables? Lambswool rugs? Coachlines? Curtain blinds?
No - huge alloy wheels, tintes windows, spoilers, mesh grilles....all the Halfords bits even in the former luxury ranges. MB build a S65 but not something similar to the 1960ies 600.
I believe that nowadays elegance/refinement/conservatism has very much overruled by a more aggressive, "sporty" and/or "trendy" movement.
Picknick tables? Lambswool rugs? Coachlines? Curtain blinds?
No - huge alloy wheels, tintes windows, spoilers, mesh grilles....all the Halfords bits even in the former luxury ranges. MB build a S65 but not something similar to the 1960ies 600.
If I see a perfectly maintained bahn-stormer from a few years ago I have the height of respect for that person to have invested the time and money to keep it going. Takes so much more commitment than just buying a new S-class from a dealers, albeit probably less money. OK so they don't have sat-nav and other boring stuff 
, and some may view it as an old banger, but I think it says so much about the driver. Give me one of these over most new cars any day:
, and some may view it as an old banger, but I think it says so much about the driver. Give me one of these over most new cars any day:It also depends a lot on setting and upkeep, an old BMW Seven Series, even a really early one can carry off some gravitas. Put one in a grotty town centre, lowered, blacked out windows, big wheels, extra badges etc and it looks like a scrote limo, take the same car and put it somewhere average and return it to standard it still looks smart and I think has additional kudos over a new one as that can just be an executive taxi for chauffeuring suits around where and old one is either a cherished classic or a well maintained one in regular use by wealthy but canny individuals.
Clues like no modifications, quality tyres and it just looking like it did when it was new are what do it and the old dowager can still look way more classy than new ones, a lot of new ones are festooned with DRL's and get blinged by the owners, rarity helps as well, difficult to retain much prestige in an RR Sport round here as there are thousands of them.
I think the problem is that prestige cars have got more accessible, it used to pretty much follow that if you had a prestige car, you had money, now, anyone with enough money to meet the monthly lease cost can have one, nobody ever owns the car or buys it outright, not saying that is right or wrong, if you can afford it, go for it and enjoy it.
Stuff like Omega's and Scorpios used to have a whiff of prestige about them, they dont make them any more, a Mondeo or Insignia fills that role being bigger but they wouldnt sell anyway as everybody wants a German Badge.
Saw an old TR5 before, that managed some serious class as do a lot of classics, none VW era Bentleys manage it (though I like the Continental it doesnt carry prestige off quite as well) , Rollers still have it.
I don't think diesel can be totally classy really either, it destroys the mystique that you are a high roller if you are worrying about trivial things like MPG, it varies but thats my general rule, if you have a Supercharged RR you get extra posh points as you arent messing.
Clues like no modifications, quality tyres and it just looking like it did when it was new are what do it and the old dowager can still look way more classy than new ones, a lot of new ones are festooned with DRL's and get blinged by the owners, rarity helps as well, difficult to retain much prestige in an RR Sport round here as there are thousands of them.
I think the problem is that prestige cars have got more accessible, it used to pretty much follow that if you had a prestige car, you had money, now, anyone with enough money to meet the monthly lease cost can have one, nobody ever owns the car or buys it outright, not saying that is right or wrong, if you can afford it, go for it and enjoy it.
Stuff like Omega's and Scorpios used to have a whiff of prestige about them, they dont make them any more, a Mondeo or Insignia fills that role being bigger but they wouldnt sell anyway as everybody wants a German Badge.
Saw an old TR5 before, that managed some serious class as do a lot of classics, none VW era Bentleys manage it (though I like the Continental it doesnt carry prestige off quite as well) , Rollers still have it.
I don't think diesel can be totally classy really either, it destroys the mystique that you are a high roller if you are worrying about trivial things like MPG, it varies but thats my general rule, if you have a Supercharged RR you get extra posh points as you arent messing.
Bentley Continental GT
just so many about, they have lost all prestige
see a few of them parked in the multi story and they just seem to be driven by chavs who have sold their council house or are making a killing from subletting them
they never seem to work, just spend all day going to the gym
just so many about, they have lost all prestige
see a few of them parked in the multi story and they just seem to be driven by chavs who have sold their council house or are making a killing from subletting them
they never seem to work, just spend all day going to the gym
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