I saw this post and wanted to ask the opposite. What are some items that really arenโt worth paying the expensive version for? Preferably more extreme or unexpected examples.
Hard disagree!
Are you saying that youโve owned both cheap and expensive cars, and that your favorites have always been the cheap ones? That theyโve been more reliable, more comfortable, better-riding, and better-driving? Or, at least, no worse than the expensive ones?
Yes, more expensive cars are more expensive. They often have a higher cost of ownership. And, sometimes, brands really fuck up and cut corners they shouldnโt, and result an reputational harm that takes years to recover from, long after theyโve fixed the production issues (c.f. Audi in the early 00โs). But, IME, itโs usually worth it, if you can afford it.
Cheap cars definitely are more reliable if you pick the right brands. On all the other points it just doesnโt make enough of a difference to me to justify the enormous cost increase.
Our $10k used Camry is still kicking ass over ten years later and hasnโt ever needed work more extensive than replacing leaking struts. The reliability truly is astounding.
EDIT: But, letโs not talk about my camera-buying habits lol
Our 2016 (new) BMW has never had a major issue. Our 2014 (new) Volvo - which cost half what the BMW did, has almost never not had something going wrong with it. We bought a new Altima many years ago that was less expensive than the Volvo; we had it for several years and it was fine, but it was still in the shop more than this BMW (but less than the Volvo).
The issue isnโt so much reliability, but what it costs when there is a problem. Fixing the Altima would certainly be cheaper than the same repair of the BMW. The Volvo TCO is higher than the BMW or the Altima.
I also think you have to be comparing similar years. My sister - whoโs 20 years younger than me - is still driving a 1996 Nissan 240SX, and itโs in great chat wasnโt a โcheapโ car when it was new, but still. I think cars from last century were more robust.
Thereโs not going to be a huge difference between something like a Toyota and a Mercedes other than cost and reliability. Youโre paying for the brand.
I disagree as well. I think itโd be pretty obvious to anyone whoโs sat in each the difference in comfort, ride quality, material choice, technology, and drivetrain refinement between a Corolla and an AMG.
I would still buy the Corolla though for the reliability - or better yet, a Lexus which kind of has both.
This person has never driven a Merc.
Thereโs a difference between Toyota and Lexus
Mercedes is an outlier. Try comparing Toyota with Lexus, Nissan with Infiniti, Chevy with Cadillac, or Ford with Lincoln. In all of these instances, the luxury marques have equivalent or better reliability than their economy counterparts.
Of course, whether or not the reliability and features are worth the cost is a different question entirely. (I generally lean towards no.)
Lol I donโt think the reliability difference between Lexus and Toyota is measurable. If anything I see way more old Toyotas on the road than I do old Lexuses. But that may be just because less were produced.
