That does it. I’m canceling my order for a Maybach GLS!
Maybach used to be a brand all unto itself. They sold cars costing…$300,000 - $450,000. Basically competed against Rolls Royce. The brand didn’t sell as many cars as they expected.
It’s kind of like Cadillac trying to break into the luxury big sedan market with the CT6. They wanted to compete with the MB S Class, BMW 7 Series, Lexus 400 Series and Audi A8. Didn’t work.
A couple of miles from my house, there is a long, winding driveway leading to a large house that is just barely visible from the road. I have no idea who lives there, but last year, as I was passing by, a Maybach of some sort and a Ferrari were in the driveway, preparing to leave. Whoever lives there clearly has… a few bucks… or at least they have friends with a few bucks.
Given the property taxes in Northern New Jersey, I’m sure they are loaded.
We’re in Central NJ, where the property taxes are lower than in Northern NJ.
Still, not necessarily “cheap”, but certainly more reasonable than in the counties to the north.
When I was growing up, a luxury car was a car with a radio (AM in those days), ashtrays and cigarette lighters in the front and rear seats, a rear center armrest that folded down in the middle of the back seat, a passenger side sun visor, and a dome light that came on when the doors were opened. I do hope modern luxury cars retained these features.
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If I remember right, the last time Maybach was an independent brand, they were building engines for Nazi tanks. The big Maybach revival of the late 90’s and early 2000’s was under the Daimler umbrella, which also at the time owned Mercedes. So in a sense it’s been at least a Mercedes sibling the whole time it’s been associated with high-lux cars.
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Maybach and Daimler, the men, worked together to develop IC engines for the Daimler engine company (DMG) but left to form a subsidiary company making engines for the Zeppelin company in 1907 or so. Started building cars in 1919 until about 1940. Built Tiger Tank engines during the war. Daimler bought them from Zeppelin in the early 1960s.
Maybach Zeppelin from 1930… pretty nice looking car!
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The property taxes in southern nj are just as crazy.
Which is why so many folks from NJ are moving to Florida. That and no state income tax. The east coast is thick with 'em.
The west coast, where I live, is getting overrun with New Yorkers.
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I would only move to southeast Florida, I love it there
We all have our preferences. We vacationed on both coasts before deciding to move to the west coast.
The funny thing about these articles is that the folks with “Real Money”, the kind that goes back 3+ generations, don’t waste their money on foolish things like this. They grew up wealthy, understand the benefits and problems of being wealthy and have no need to advertise their wealth so they’re more likely to be driving an older Ford truck or Toyota sedan than something like this.
So if you really want to emulate the style of the “Really Rich”, hang onto that older Toyota Corolla or Ford 150 and stick the balance in the bank for your next generation.
And BTW, if you still really want that Jaguar F type, just wait a few years when it comes “off lease” and it’s a third of the original price.
Maybe yes, maybe no. It probably varies in different parts of the country.
A few years ago, I took a drive through Peapack-Gladstone, NJ, where the real “old money” folks in the NY metro area live. In that town, parked on the downtown streets, I spotted a few Rolls-Royces, a really tacky-looking fire engine red Bentley sedan, a Maybach, and more Mercedes S-class sedans than I could count.
In that town, the only Corollas are likely driven by the maids, and the only pickup trucks are probably driven by tradesmen.
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The richest guy I know usually drives an 11 year old Mini or rides in a 6-8 year old Chysler minivan. Really, really, wealthy, for several generations, all of whom grew that wealth with each generation.
The second richest guy drove a Maybach 62. And sometimes a Mercedes sports coupe with the twin turbo V8. 2nd generation company CEO.
Rich people are like everyone else. Some like cars, some think of them as appliances. Also, don’t think that when you see some rich guy driving an inexpensive car it’s because he doesn’t care to drive anything more expensive. He very well may have other cars. Bill Gates drives a Ford Focus to stay under the radar. If he drove one of his Porsches, it is much more likely he would be recognized. No, he isn’t old money, but he has more dough than any of them do.
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Many years ago, when I was a young teenager, a very wise man named Meyer Lansky gave me some good advice. He said “Even when you have the money for one, don’t drive a Cadillac, everyone will want to be your business partner, and the IRS will develop an interest into the source of your money. Get an Olds 98 or a Chrysler New Yorker”. Just his way of saying “stay below the radar”.
West coast? I thought you were in FL unless by the west coast, you mean the Gulf of Mexico side of FL. New Yorkers are about the only people who would move TO California nowadays. Central Texas was ruined by Californians long ago and now here comes Elon Musk moving here!
Bingo…