21st Mar 2018, 17:57
Exactly.
People who can afford Escalades and Denalis are better able to weather the fluctuations in oil prices.
22nd Mar 2018, 03:02
I will never let gas prices ever influence what I truly want to drive. I own the car; the pump does not.
22nd Mar 2018, 20:59
Sure - not everyone will panic and sell their big trucks and SUVs, but that is what A LOT of people did exactly during the last recession, and for that matter probably the last few before that. Once again, financing has gotten really lax and anyone with a pulse can go dancing into the dealer and get a loan for a $70,000 truck easily. I know way more people than I care to admit who own such vehicles and pay for them by the skin of their teeth. An awful lot of folks working in construction, the oil fields, contractors and so on seem to buy giant vehicles like these in huge numbers, and they tend to be the first to lose jobs when the recessions hit... and hence why so many of these things suddenly appear on dealer lots.
And if you can afford to shove $100 worth of gas into your vehicle, then good for you. I make well over 6 figures and despite that would rather spend the money on other things... like saving for retirement, a vacation to Hawaii or maybe a newer car every 10-15 years. But hey - enjoy paying for gasoline...
23rd Mar 2018, 15:05
Mere pittance when you have the car you dreamed of. My dad taught me long ago that you cannot pull a U Haul with a hearse. Another example was an uncle who saved every dime with multiple jobs for an early retirement. Drove rattletrap cars and did everything on the cheap. Died in his early 50s. To me there’s a balance, and if you work smart, do not deprive yourself. Are you driving a car or a wallet? If you are healthy, you can work part time if necessary well into retirement. Just for fun if nothing else.
24th Mar 2018, 13:23
If you consistently made well into 6 figures over many years, buying vehicles or something trivial like gas shouldn’t be an issue. Unless that income is in extreme cost of living area where you are impacted by high housing, tax etc. Plus this luxury car demographic can have a couple 6 figure incomes within the same household. I would venture to say many owners in this segment have already paid off their homes and debt and use their funds saved from that alone to buy something nice. Not always taking out a loan. I have yet to see any destitute parents or older family members experiencing abysmal downfalls over buying a new car. Working smart and being successful, why drive more than a basic boring appliance type vehicle. It’s pretty depressing to us.
25th Mar 2018, 17:44
After you buy food, the grocer owns your money. You probably should eat plain rice for every meal.
26th Mar 2018, 15:32
Way to completely miss the point that was directed towards 03:02. Also don't assume that I'm conservative; my V8 gets 17 MPG. Do I care? No, I like what I drive.
27th Mar 2018, 18:41
I didn’t write it, but I agree with the point he was making. You can skimp to take early retirement, but is your quality of life going to improve when you get there? It costs more than people realize with all the free time you will have. And you may not live to spend the bankroll. Why not drive a fantastic car now on your commute? I skimped to buy a house and owned it in 15 years. The last thing I care about is fretting over buying nice cars and related fuel expense. It’s totally worth it now.
I nearly opted for early retirement and found everyone I knew was working during the day. Plus no health care bills on your own, which would buy some pretty nice transportation today. Not everything has to have a price connected to it. Enjoy and also save some. You’ll get there with having a balance in life.
28th Mar 2018, 17:19
Anyone who thinks an inanimate object like a car or truck will somehow improve your quality of life, might need to look into what their priorities are. I'm still driving a 23 year old truck and wouldn't trade it for any of the ridiculous monster truck sized, glitzy SUVs and trucks sold today. Back in the day, a truck was a basic tool to haul stuff and an SUV was a large vehicle for people with lots of family members. But today they're just big fluffy things that still get pretty terrible fuel economy.
Everyone has their own idea of what will somehow make their lives more worth living, but I can assure anyone a grossly depreciating truck or SUV ain't gonna' do it.
29th Mar 2018, 00:59
The whole point is you can skimp and save for decades. In life there is a balance. If you can enjoy some really nice things today, it actually can improve your mindset for greater success. Better mindset vs long years of depriving yourself just to retire out a few years only. A really nice vehicle, maybe a nice suit. A good vacation once a year gets me highly motivated. And got me ahead. I pull into work with a smile on my face. This may sound a bit extreme, but it’s really not. It’s not putting a price tag on every single item. What enjoyment does that bring? And it goes beyond just cars. Save, but not to the point of skimping on everything. That’s pretty much it.
29th Mar 2018, 10:40
What makes a vehicle fluffy? Another inanimate item that makes us very happy is our home.
30th Mar 2018, 17:57
There’s nothing more inanimate quite frankly than looking at a paper bank statement or opening a lot of quarterly envelopes with dividend checks. There’s 2 ends of the spectrum on here on what constitutes value. If you like it and it’s fun, it’s highly valuable. Coming on a luxury vehicle segment, harping on gas and depreciation is not going to change most people at all in the luxury segment. Just as much as they are not rushing out to buy 20 year old vehicles and drive til they are in the ground. If you are a solo household or just a spouse, and just are about the cheapest A to B driving, great, we respect your choice. Works for you. But coming on here knocking those that have none of the issues you mentioned is off base. We are all curious and read about innumerable vehicles that we will never consider or ever buy. But others may enjoy a new ride, something with room or for a family, maybe want something as a much better upgrade, more features, more comfort etc. It’s like wearing a 23 year old pair of socks that you are tired of having. Even with garages, these daily drivers take their toll. Scratches, dents, worn paint and clear coat, worn interior and seat wear. Or just beat. Sorry, a lot of us have funds to pick up a nice vehicle. It’s not like out buying stocks. It doesn’t impact many of us in any negative way. In the end, people buy what they like anyway. If something upsets you so badly, simply look away or don’t buy. It doesn’t get any easier than that.
31st Mar 2018, 14:22
Let's get back on the Escalade on review. These lessons on life are going around in circles and getting nowhere.
1st Apr 2018, 11:34
That absolutely was the direction taken. An Escalade is not a small Tacoma or Volt. One vehicle we had a lot of issues with in this specific segment and personally would not recommend, was the Range Rover. Also high end, but with engine and air suspension issues. You can go well with the Suburban, but the Escalade has a better turning radius and more power. I have only been a passenger in the Escalade, but it’s a nice vehicle. I don’t like all the Cadillac emblems throughout (even on the headrests). Styling wise and paint, I like the new Suburban in all black. The Escalade in white.
21st Mar 2018, 10:32
There will always be plenty of business owners, execs with families, physicians, ones towing boats etc that will not be panic selling vehicles such as this. Recession or not. My daughters in laws have one to often drive to a second beach home and at least 4 other newer cars. My thought is this isn’t the only vehicle these owners have. Plenty of room though for everyone to go together on trips, carry food and luggage. MPG isn’t going to detract them buying this. This vehicle is likely much more practical than having a very expensive seasonal vehicles such as a convertible in our area. Long winter months and frequent precipitation; at least a vehicle like an Escalade can still be driven year round. We are having a bad snowstorm here today and it wouldn’t be a unsafe or a bad pick at all to venture out in. A Navigator is another. I would still rather have a large 4 door loaded new pick up with a fully usable 8 foot bed, unlike an Avalanche or Cadillac EXT. Much more versatile, still having room for us.