Are there any "stealth wealth" brands/cars left?
Posted by MentalMiilk@reddit | cars | View on Reddit | 764 comments
I'm sure I'm forgetting something, but it seems like all of the more upmarket cars/brands are constantly shoving their model/branding in your face by way of outrageous styling or excessive badging. Even historically "classier" brands—like Aston Martin—have these grotesquely huge grilles up front. The Toyota Land Cruiser was always the go-to for this, but the US isn't getting the 300 Series—except for the Lexus LX, and the Lexus badge detracts from the "stealth" significantly.
What's the "stealth wealth" car for the modern market?
RelativeMotion1@reddit
ITT: people who have a really detached definition of what “wealthy” is, people who haven’t been in many new vehicles, and people who just really hate anything that isn’t a passenger car.
Same as it ever was, I guess.
Ok-Response-839@reddit
Seeing people call a $90k Volvo "stealth wealth" is crazy to me. In Europe it is more likely to be a fully specced VW Touareg R worth $150k USD.
FrankReynoldsCPA@reddit
Reddit has always been very bitter towards people who finished college and got a real job. Lots of chipped shoulders about people earning more than $50,000 per year.
Mojave_Idiot@reddit
This place is essentially becoming an intersection of /r/finance and /r/fuckcars
At least the new ZR1 post was fun.
Gorgenapper@reddit
This sub has always been an intersection of various finance subs, including wsb.
handymanshandle@reddit
I genuinely wonder on what planet is a 7 digit net worth considered “middle class”. I saw someone making a comment like that not too long ago and I was beyond confused.
Recktion@reddit
If you have a house paid off and have been contributing to retirement your life there is a decent chance you have 7 figure net worth. That doesn't make you wealthy.
stonklord420@reddit
The same planet where only people making 250k a year should be financing base model corollas
withsexyresults@reddit
VHCOL areas where middle class folks bought their houses 20 years ago and are now worth 2mil
RelativeMotion1@reddit
I was thinking of the comments that posit that “nobody but the wealthy can afford an $80,000 car,” but yes, it seems there are two ends of the out-of-touch spectrum.
anotherwaytolive@reddit
Probably the big American SUVs and trucks. Jeeps, Chevy, etc. they could be 40k, could be 100. Who knows?
LionSlicer13@reddit
Top of the line normal cars like Denalis and Platinums
FB6Alcorax@reddit
King Ranch 6.7 Powerstrokes are just absolutely gorgeous
magus-21@reddit
With how automakers are pricing things these days, every new car is stealth wealth because only people who are well-off can afford a new car.
MajorBlaze1@reddit
That or they're going into serious debt with some financing 100 months on a depreciating asset. New cars are a wealth killer for middle income people.
squirrel8296@reddit
Can confirm. I just bought a new car and could have paid cash but financed it because even though I have super prime credit, I'm looking to buy a house in about 5 years and needed to diversify my credit mix. They looked at me like I had grown a second head when I said I was going to finance it for 4-5 years. Only went with 5 years because the rate was so much lower that I ended up paying less over the life of the loan. But they were really trying to sell me on a 7+ year loan.
skerpz@reddit
In my experience, all that the bank will really care about for a mortgage is your debt/income ratio, after tax income (these are by far the most important assuming no defaults), whether you’ve ever had a mortgage before, and whether you’ve ever defaulted.
The rest is mostly tangential nonsense, and for most people the hit to DtI from taking out a car loan will hurt more than credit mix.
Most-Car-4056@reddit
I bought a (then new) 2022 Lexus RX350L. I put a good bit down. Could have paid cash. But borrowing 1.9% financing on the Lexus, and C/D rates at 4-5%, why would I pay cash.
MarcTheCreator@reddit
I financed my 2021 Crosstrek at 0.9% for 6 years. I’m sick of the car payment because 4.5 years into the note but at least it’s low.
Most-Car-4056@reddit
You're averaging ~$20/interest. 0.9% is great! I don't want a car payment either. But it made financial sense to me, in my situation. I got a vehicle I wanted (and could afford), and paid it off early. Right now you are probably close to 99% of your payment going to principal. You are good! 😁👍
squirrel8296@reddit
Exactly. I'm also making more in interest on my savings and investments right now than I would save by not paying interest. Gotta play the game.
andrewordrewordont@reddit
Same here. I didn't need to, but did finance to the longest length of the lowest APR (48 mos in my case). Meanwhile the cash is invested to offset, and then some.
ForeverFPS@reddit
You can get a mortgage with no credit, this was a financially irresponsible decision. Pay off the low ASAP before interest accrues.
squirrel8296@reddit
No it's not. You get a much better interest rate by having a credit mix.
ForeverFPS@reddit
You. Don't. Need. Any. Credit. For. A. Mortgage.
CahBih@reddit
What did you need?
ForeverFPS@reddit
Stellar employment history, a low debt to income ratio, and a few good references like a landlord.
CahBih@reddit
Thanks.
Intel_Oil@reddit
Loan over 5 Years are illegal where i'm from since its not possible to predict how your financial situation will look like after that.
coyote_of_the_month@reddit
How does your country approach mortgages then?
Intel_Oil@reddit
I should've said "Car Loans", since they're a depreciating asset while Housing is an mostly appreciating one.
As Security for mortgages you have to bring 20% of the value before being able to get a mortgage since thats already an indicator of financial responsibility (e.g. if someone is able to save 200k, they're able to adjust their financial decisions to pay off their mortgage of 800k over 30 years).
NEAWD@reddit
Help me make this make sense. I have a damn near perfect credit score. I own three houses. I haven’t financed a vehicle since 2009.
Credit mix is worth only about 10% of your FICO score.
Financing a vehicle for 5 years means paying thousands in interest, plus car depreciation, insurance, taxes, and fees. You're taking on debt and monthly obligations just to slightly adjust your credit profile- not an efficient tradeoff.
Mortgage lenders care a lot about your debt-to-income ratio. Adding a car payment can hurt your DTI, which could hurt your mortgage approval odds later.
If your goal is to boost credit, it’s smarter to: Build a long history of on-time payments
Keep credit utilization low on revolving accounts
Pay down balances
Avoid new inquiries close to your mortgage application
Taking out a 5-year auto loan just to improve credit mix — with the sole purpose of buying a house in 5 years- is an expensive and inefficient strategy. Unless they actually needed a car, there are better ways to prep your credit for a mortgage.
squirrel8296@reddit
I was buying the vehicle regardless. I keep my vehicles until the wheels fall off, and the wheels were about to fall off on my old one (it was over 20 years old, had developed a couple of major issues, and I'd had it since it was new). I plan on doing the same with this one. My current one will be paid off before I go to get a mortgage (currently on track to pay it off in \~4 years) so DTI will not be an issue.
Credit mix might only make up 10% of FICO but it can make a difference of 1%+ with the current rates. That 1% on a house is substantially more than I will be paying on over the life of my car loan. As someone who their only credit history was credit cards that were paid off every month since they turned 18, even with a super prime score it wasn't enough to qualify for a good mortgage rate due to a lack of mix.
magus-21@reddit
In my 20s, I did $30,000 for 60 months @ 9%. Refinanced a couple of years later down to 5%, but still took me 7 years total to pay it off.
I hated myself so much for that. It wasn't even a flex car; it was a Camry Hybrid, and I got it because my dad was holding my previous car (Corolla) over my head whenever he came to visit. It was pure (loving) spite so that he couldn't just say, "I paid for this" and take my car on a road trip anymore when he visited, lol.
But I kept that Camry for over a decade, and the seven years of frugality it forced upon me hammered home the lessons I needed to learn to set me up for my 30s.
wlonkly@reddit
I bought a 199 Saab 9-3 in 2001 at age 26, to "keep up" with coworkers with Audis and BMWs. Also 60 months at also some ridiculous rate. Held onto it six years, sold it because I lived in the middle of Toronto and didn't need a car. Was fun to drive but expensive to maintain (and had a lot of issues).
In retrospect I realize I could've got a Civic or an Integra (or even a Prelude) and been really happy with it. Ah well.
sonofsochi@reddit
I mean...if there's a single responsible car to finance in your 20s....Camry pretty much takes the cake lmao
mini4x@reddit
Sane $30k would have gotten you a mustang tho.
sonofsochi@reddit
So what's your rank and where are you stationed?
Longshot726@reddit
Has it looped back around to Mustangs? All the new enlisted wanted Chargers back 10-12 years ago when I was in college next to a military base. The people with Mustangs were the 40 year olds going through their mid-life crisis after getting out.
mini4x@reddit
In his flair it says he currently has a Mustang..
sonofsochi@reddit
Welp, trends change and Mustangs typically go where fhe crowds go so...
thedogthatmooed@reddit
I saw some early 20s construction worker roll up in a TRX today. Blows my mind seeing that because even used they still hit the 60k+ mark.
aprtur@reddit
Turns out not having to pay for housing saves you a lot of money.
thedogthatmooed@reddit
Probably pretty high. I wonder if that will be the case after 6/7 years
Then_Entertainment97@reddit
FR. Stealth wealth is a two year old Ford with no obvious cosmetic damage.
Ch4rlie_G@reddit
I’m in the top 3% of earners and I drive a 2006 Audi worth 3 grand. I still do most of the maintenance too.
There is a big hedge fund billionaire who famously drives an F150 from the 90s.
The only time I’ve spent more than 15k on a car was after my MIL died in a car accident and my wife wanted a model with crash avoidance.
Then_Entertainment97@reddit
Dude, why? I'm not saying go out and buy a Ferrari, but a $50k vehicle would be pocket change to you. What's the money for if it doesn't affect your lifestyle?
CaptainGo@reddit
People like different things, doesn't sound like the guy will get $44,000 more enjoyment out of your suggestion than he gets out of his $6,000 Audi
Then_Entertainment97@reddit
Bro's making over 300k. That's the equivalent of a $500 car on an average salary.
CaptainGo@reddit
That doesn't change anything I said though.
Then_Entertainment97@reddit
The guy would not feel $47k. He doesn't need to care about a $50k car.
CaptainGo@reddit
Then why buy it in the first place
Then_Entertainment97@reddit
Yes. He wouldn't feel that much money missing.
Mojave_Idiot@reddit
Damn. Mines a year too old and has a little obvious cosmetic damage. And here I was thinking the dent in the tailgate made me cooler.
frog-hopper@reddit
Seriously when a 5 series cost most than a fully optioned M5 from 10 years ago everyone has a “stealth” wealth car.
strongmanass@reddit
5 series and M5 prices have stayed flat.
frog-hopper@reddit
10 years ago a 5 series went for 49-65k and now goes for 65-90k before packages in Canada.
An M5 has gone from 90-140k. That’s not flat to me.
strongmanass@reddit
Does your dollar today buy you the same amount of stuff as it did 10 years ago?
frog-hopper@reddit
I know what inflation is. I’ve already said many times I’m not considering it. Pure dollars. Wages haven’t gone up 40% over 10 years. Let’s be real.
strongmanass@reddit
In that case why stop at 2010? Gas should only be 30 cents a gallon. A one pound loaf of bread should only cost 5 cents, my private doctor's visit should be $1, and a house should only cost $10,000. Those were all numbers that those things used to cost. Pure dollars.
hi_im_bored13@reddit
(wages have also well outpaced inflation but everyone seems to pretend that’s not a thing for whatever reason). Metric for inflation is up for debate though considering housing costs in certain areas.
strongmanass@reddit
That's the one point I'll concede to people who say we shouldn't use inflation in discussions like these. But from what I can see, determining how to weight the variables is complicated academic-level economics with no clear consensus. So I default to basic CPI inflation calculators because it's the best simple tool for "why number go up" discussions.
frog-hopper@reddit
Because it’s my point of reference, gramps. I didn’t grow up in an era where a car was $5000 but the rise in price from 2000-2015 was about 300-500 a year.
Don’t pretend prices on cars hasn’t risen dramatically in the last 5-10 years and well beyond the value proposition they represent or inflation.
Prices of cars is up 50% since 2020 which is unheard of and well past inflation.
They’ve also outpaced inflation.
magus-21@reddit
This is the wrong question. The question should be, does your job pay you to buy the same amount of stuff as it did 10 years ago?
Or, in other words, if you control for job level, has pay kept up with inflation? Most people only keep up with inflation because they get promoted. But I think that if you control for job level (i.e. comparing a Software Engineer II in 2015 to a Software Engineer II in 2025, as opposed to comparing someone who was a Software Engineer II in 20215 but is now a Software Engineer IV in 2025), it hasn't been.
strongmanass@reddit
My question is macroeconomic, yours is microeconomic. I'm essentially asking "has OP's economy experienced inflation?" And you're asking "has OP's salary kept pace with the inflation their economy has experienced?" The erosion of one group's buying power is a problem, but it's (kind of) a separate issue from the fundamentals of inflation itself. Inflation affects the supplier side as well. BMW has to pay more for steel, aluminum, copper, electricity, pensions, transit, etc than it did 10 years ago. So the number on the sticker has to increase to maintain the same profit margin as 10 years ago.
(There's the separate issue of chasing infinite growth, which is an inflation driver, but that's too difficult to pull out discretely IMO.)
magus-21@reddit
This thread is asking about microeconomics. The macroeconomic concepts of inflation have little relevance when it comes to what's considered affordable and unaffordable. Those are inherently microeconomic questions.
strongmanass@reddit
Inflation is the relevant benchmark if you're dicsussing pricing over time, which the person I replied to was. Claiming 5 series prices have increased based just on the window sticker figure being more today than it was 10 years ago fundamentally misunderstands the cause. And that in turn leads to misplaced anger at car companies. Someone not being able to afford it isn't the auto maker's fault.
To your original comment about new cars being stealth wealth, I agree. To combine it with the 5 series comment, the 5 series (especially the M5) has never been aimed at median earners. Buyers of those cars are typically homeowners who have seen real income and net worth growth over time. And housing prices are the main driver of lack of affordability, meaning if you've owned your own home for a few years you've been mostly insulated from housing pricing runaway.
magus-21@reddit
Everyone on this thread (except you) is discussing affordability over time, not simply absolute pricing over time. And inflation is NOT the relevant benchmark for that: affordability is.
guy_incognito784@reddit
Were you working 10 years ago or were you a student back then?
If you were, has your income increased to keep up or beat with inflation?
shellmiro@reddit
According to inflation it is flat. It just doesn't seem flat since wages haven't gone up along with inflation.
Bigbadbrindledog@reddit
What are you talking about? Adjusted for inflation the price of an M5 has actually come down, but even without adjusting the above statement isn't true.
victorpaparomeo2020@reddit
Interestingly in my market because the new M5 is now a PHEV and because of the way we tax vehicles, it costs about €100k less than the previous version.
icemonsoon@reddit
The price is even better when you realise its actually an m7
Cool-Bunch6645@reddit
People forget everything has jumped up one series in size and performance for BMW/Benz from what we remember them as
icemonsoon@reddit
Yeah i waited 2 decades for an m3 touring only to see it weigh more than an m5
guy_incognito784@reddit
Accounting for inflation, those prices haven’t changed much.
icemonsoon@reddit
A 2005 m3 retailed at 37k a 2025 340i costs over 60k thats well above inflation
guy_incognito784@reddit
Wrong. A 2005 M3 started at around $50K. Today that’s worth about $80K. An M340i starts at $61K. G80 M3 starts at $77K.
icemonsoon@reddit
37k in the uk i had the sales documents
erva_mate@reddit
Well if you drop those numbers into the govt inflation calculator, $37k in Jan 2005 is $62k today, so that looks pretty flat to me. https://data.bls.gov/cgi-bin/cpicalc.pl
frog-hopper@reddit
I don’t care about relative cost. There’s still expensive as heck and I don’t want to spend what I consider top end money for a mid range car.
guy_incognito784@reddit
Then don’t?
guy_incognito784@reddit
You can still get many good new cars in the low to mid $30K range.
DoobieGibson@reddit
i just got a got a 2025 subaru crosstrek for 31,000 that holds it value extremely well and has similar reliability ratings to Toyota and Honda
plus the used 2021-2024 crosstreks i was looking at were $20,000+ with a higher interest rate on the loan
i’m paying like $20 a month to have a new car over the lifespan of the loan
FarrisAT@reddit
$20 a month? How exactly? 72 months for 31k is closer to $400. That math doesn’t math.
DoobieGibson@reddit
$20 more*
gogojack@reddit
I was looking around for a car in that range, and I could get a new top-trim Civic hybrid, a mid-tier Accord, or a Camry for about 32k.
I wound up with my current car (BMW 330e) with absurdly low miles for that price. However, if I'd walked in without a stellar credit score, a trade, and a bunch of cash I'd be looking at a monthly payment comparable to rent on a one bedroom apartment. Low 30s for a new car is a lot of money for someone living paycheck to paycheck.
guy_incognito784@reddit
It is but I also would not advise someone living paycheck to paycheck to not buy a new car just in the same way I’d advise someone who makes $150K/year but is upside down in their car and wants to roll that negative equity into a new car to not do that.
shellmiro@reddit
But noo we want a car that costs 100k now at the price that it was a 2 decades ago.
guy_incognito784@reddit
Someone just told me a 2005 M3 had a retail of $37K so they don’t even know how much shit actually costs back then.
thumpetto007@reddit
The real answer.
akmacmac@reddit
The stealth part is they paid cash for the car.
kon---@reddit
The Lincoln Navigator base price is an eye watering $100k
RobinsShaman@reddit
Jeep Grand wagoneer!
ShadyDrunks@reddit
Afford?
Sorry man we abandoned the demand curve years ago, we will keep allowing riskier and riskier loans until everyone has a new car!
WordWithinTheWord@reddit
They’ll just go the way of boats and offer 15-20 year financing.
i_use_this_for_work@reddit
Mercedes EQS. A fully loaded 580 SUV is 150k and looks like it’s 70-80k - indiscernible on the outside from a less expensive car.
Inside, it’s plush AF with awesome tech.
AMGsince2017@reddit
lease that EQS for $500 a month lol. that thing loses value so fast.
i_use_this_for_work@reddit
Always lease an EV.
peepintong@reddit
maybe the Lucid? nobody really seems to know what they are.
hutacars@reddit
They're $50k used now. Even I'm considering grabbing one.
Rivians OTOH hold their value pretty well.
TG690@reddit
Big reason why I got one - thought it would mostly blend in and be discreet. The amount of looks and attention/questions it gets though is surprising, and people who aren’t too familiar but have heard of Lucid often ask if it’s the $250k one (no).
I think it’s good looking for an EV, definitely less stealth than expected from non car people.
pepe_silvia_12@reddit
How do you like the Lucid?
TG690@reddit
Would be an incredible car if they could manage to get their software on the level of…literally any other auto manufacturer.
Stupid fast, handles great, rides great, great range, motor and battery tech is best in the industry, insane amount of interior room and storage for its size. All of that becomes kinda pointless when the software is dog shit though and controls everything in the car.
I’m hopeful they can get it together through updates, I’m 6 months into a 3 year lease and honestly just looking forward to the day I turn it in.
Pinecone@reddit
Would you believe it was even worse than before? Like you couldn't unlock your own car kind of bad.
TG690@reddit
Oh I believe it, because that’s still my number one complaint. Most basic function of any car and they can’t figure it out.
DepthHour1669@reddit
Any car that held the 0-60 record for a sedan at any point isn’t stealth wealth. People know it from youtube videos. Same thing applied to the Model S in 2018.
MentalMiilk@reddit (OP)
Lucid is a good pick. I'm sure they get a bit of "that's different" points but I'd imagine most think they're around the price of a base S class at most—not that people know how much a base S class actually costs either.
Koraboros@reddit
I see lots of Lucids but I always try and see a different-looking one hoping it's the sapphire but I think I've only seen one.
sxtrailrider@reddit
Same. Only seen one production sapphire on the road in Phoenix area the last year. Though before it was announced I did see one testing on the 10 between Phoenix and Tucson. Came up on it, noticed the slight wider track and little spoiler with a bunch of testing equipment on it.
leftword4Zombies@reddit
I see a lot of stealth wealth Lucids in LA.
peepintong@reddit
yeah lots of them in the bay area too but still fly under the radar IMO since the styling is low key.
lubesta@reddit
Any 30 year old german boat.
You are either a mechanic keeping it on the road, or paying one nicely to keep it there.
HankSteakfist@reddit
Yep. If I see an E38 on the road, I know that person has disposable income.
If I see a 2024 BMW on the road, I assume that person is leveraged to the hilt on finance.
hutacars@reddit
Depends fully on the type of wheels and state of the suspension. Stock wheels and standard ride height = stealth wealth. Oversized aftermarket wheels + collapsed suspension = poverty epitomized.
patjeduhde@reddit
Heres the thing with classics you cant really finance them, so every clean example owend has alot of money spent on it.
jayffc1220@reddit
this. i work on a lot of these cars pretty regularly. car might be worth 5k kbb, but these guys don’t bat an eye at 5-10k repair bills.
Bombstar10@reddit
An extreme example but that definitely rings true.
Realising a university friend of mine had a 90s Continental didn’t tell me they were wealthy.
Realising it was immaculate and fully functional despite having over 95 000 miles did.
wannabe_engineer69@reddit
95k miles is a lot in US? I've always noticed in discussions that for some reason americans vs rest have very diff understanding of what is high mileage.
Bombstar10@reddit
I wouldn’t consider it high mileage for that age, but for the type of car it definitely is for NA + Western Europe.
You do find 80s Rolls Royce sedans and such with 150-200K miles sometimes. Again either in perfect condition or absolutely ruined.
Brad-ryan-1@reddit
What would you consider high mileage and where are you from? Genuinely curious not asking to be a jerk in any way.
wannabe_engineer69@reddit
You might get various answers depending on region, but for eastern europeans, I would say +200k miles.
Cristov9000@reddit
This is the answer. The real stealth wealth cars are the well maintained classics on the road. People rocking immaculate Range Rover classics, ford bronco’s, 80s and 90s BMWs and Mercedes, air cooled Porsches. Most people just see old cars but they can be equally or more valuable than their brand new variants.
Automatic-End-8256@reddit
Its not a starter car, its a finisher car
jib661@reddit
i saw a beat up audi quattro (group b era) on the road in the US the other day and I thought "holy shit that dude must be loaded"
stoned-autistic-dude@reddit
Having actually restored my own old car, I can all but guarantee those things are held together with duct tape and crazy glue. Barring the few rare examples, they usually do just enough to keep it on the road. Rich people don't actually maintain their cars. It's sad but true. They think the car stops at the engine, brakes, and exhaust. They ignore everything else holding the thing together.
There are exceptions, yes, but more often than not the cars are basically clapped with clean paint and engine bay. You look under the car and those bushings are screaming for dear life.
iller_mitch@reddit
I've had trouble buying a decommissioned Type 209 for sale.
KeythKatz@reddit
Someone clearly has the money to maintain a 30 year old car.
20 year old cars on the other hand are roulette between wealth and bad financial decisions.
doug_Or@reddit
Like S class/7 series? What is stealth about that?
YellowFogLights@reddit
The high spot pickup truck trim levels are in North America.
It’s why the Escalade pickup and Lincoln Mark LT didn’t stick around. You can buy a $100,000 F-150 and no one will bat an eye cause it’s still a Ford truck
HeftyAd6216@reddit
Why anyone would spend 100k on a 25k truck with some trim slapped on it is beyond me
PinkishOcean430@reddit
Go drive one. Better yet rent one for a week. You will get it.
hutacars@reddit
I did. Rented a Ram a few years ago. Huge. Impossible to see out of. Impossible to maneuver. And everything I left in the bed the previous night got soaked when it surprise-rained the next morning.
Trucks are just as stupid as I thought.
HeftyAd6216@reddit
I have. I did. It was great for hauling stuff. Love it for that. Terrible for everything else except driving on a highway.
Educational_Fox6899@reddit
Because I need a tow vehicle. I want comfort and tech when I’m road tripping. My truck is also a generator for both my rv and house in an outage. If you’d actually been in a modern truck, you’d fell different. Yes my truck has a live axel. It’s also a far cry from a year 2000 f150. Besides I have an m240i for fun.
HeftyAd6216@reddit
Not a lot of people deny the utility of pickup trucks. Many people have genuine needs for them, and no one is going to stop such people from buying them.
What most people have issue with regard to trucks is more so the necessity of them for normal people who use them for normal car stuff 364.5 days a year they're not using them for truck stuff.
I remember a YouTuber saying (paraphrased) "have the cargo carrying needs of the average American changed THAT MUCH in 25 years that would necessitate normal families buying what is essentially a farm vehicle for their daily commuting needs?"
It comes down not so much to people choosing trucks because of their utility as much as the fact that manufacturers make so much money from these things they're using their billions of dollars of marketing funds to create a need that doesn't exist 99.5% of the time for 99% of people who need a vehicle.
There are social costs to people making these choices, not just for pickup trucks but just general vehicle size inflation and the broad shift towards SUVs. Most people who think similar to me are simply pointing out those social costs. And again, this isn't driven by REAL demand, but manufactured demand via the very powerful auto industry. Family sizes have decreased on average and yet we're buying bigger and bigger cars because that's what makes car companies more money.
Anyways, I love trucks for truck stuff. I couldnt drive one daily myself because fucking hell it's awful to drive one in any way other than in a straight line on a highway. And like most people, I can't afford multiple cars.
PanchoPanoch@reddit
Get the right suspension on a truck and they’re quite comfortable
HeftyAd6216@reddit
Comfort definitely wasn't the issue at mid to higher speeds, cruising essentially. it was, I hate to say it, all the other things that a work truck isn't meant to do well.
Low speeds on bad roads are never kind to live axle cars, as many jeep owners know.
driving position: don't like sitting up high because physics isn't kind to high centers of gravity and it feels scary as shit when doing any emergency movements
parking anywhere urban was a pain in the ass
pretty bad fuel economy, V8 and all
not confidence inspiring when trying to enjoy a corner or two in the rural Twisties, actually was quite terrifying.
outside of first gear, where it would just spin tires, it was slow as shit, but it was an early 2010s pickup so maybe with 450 hp and 9 speed autos they're probably a lot quicker, not that I would ever want to go above 120 in a pickup given the dodgy handling characteristics
PanchoPanoch@reddit
Yea that’s fair. I’m also jaded by the fact that I’m around a lot of aftermarket stuff which helps. I guess I’m thinking long distance, multi-day drives. My truck wins all day. I’m not speeding in it so gas mileage isn’t too bad even with a lift and bigger tires. Sometimes I’m averaging 22mpg on 35s.
That said, if we’re going into the city or just close by, we’re taking my partners car.
Arc_Ulfr@reddit
22 mpg is decent for a (gasoline) truck, but pretty terrible for most cars. My old car would cut the fuel costs for a road trip in half compared to your truck, and my current car would drop it by about a third.
PanchoPanoch@reddit
Well yea. It’s a truck not a car. My car project car gets close to 30 but I’m not driving that every day and my partners car gets 27ish. Neither of those cars have the utility of my truck and I do try to drive it less and less.
WoodenNet8388@reddit
Yeah the marketing for those stupid things has ruined a lot of people’s perspective. We recently purchased a 4Runner for my wife and are about to sell my 2011 Armada for something with more life left in it, and she’s pressuring me to buy a pickup truck but I don’t want to spend fucking $40,000 on a USED pickup, much less $75,000+ on a new one. We have nothing to tow. We’ve never needed the bed of a pickup truck. She keeps saying “yeah but it’s so nice to have a truck when you need one” and I just keep countering with the maintenance costs haha
HeftyAd6216@reddit
I mean the running costs of a pickup truck are significantly higher as well. I mean they're a hell of a lot better than they used to be on gas but they're still 2 ton+ utility bricks on wheels. You can't fight drag and physics
shellmiro@reddit
Cause 100k ain't worth jack to them. You just get the best best truck that Ford makes. Who cares if it's 100k or 150k? That's how it is after a point.
HeftyAd6216@reddit
I guess.
Best truck is a strange thing though if we're talking f150s. I would have thought "best truck" would be the one that can do the most work, given that it's a work vehicle. Not the one that has the most supple leather to cosplay as a working class guy.
Why can't we just be allowed to buy a normal truck anymore? My favourite new trucks on the road are the white Silverado 2500s with the tiny (but very functional) steel wheels that are clearly working vehicles.
awp235@reddit
Man, I must be such a weird wedge case if I were to believe Reddit.
I want a bed topper camper, and to be able to tow. Put 800# in the bed for the camper and a weekends supplies, add in 600# of me and my canoe (2 adults, 2 big dogs, all our stuff) and I’m at or over payload on a lot of the half tons. The moment I hitch a 7-12k# trailer ( steel open car hauler loaded, or large aluminum enclosed) I’m doubling payload capacity. I need a 250 minimum to do what I want to completely within stated limits from the factory, and it kind of depends on the particular f250 whether I have enough payload to actually do what I’m looking to do or not. I basically need 3100# payload, and that’s assuming I never upgrade to a slide in that weighs 1400# loaded, vs the 800# topper.
And sure, I’m not doing this every day. I may do it 5-10 times a year that I’m camping while towing. But nowadays a high trim truck is a super nice vehicle to drive daily if neede/ regularly at minimum, and still have the capacity to do my “extreme” use case a few thousand miles a year. Sure, folks can say “oh rent a bigger truck for this few times”, but that doesn’t work when it’s a 1 week trip that’s 1500 miles each way for a big track event, etc. renting the truck sucks, and is why you buy a truck.
And in shopping, I was looking at lariats, but if I’m spending 65k on a lariats, why not get a plat for 5-7k more with the same miles? It’s 10%, and you probably get 10% added on the sale price whenever I sell it in the future, for a lot of comfort/ NVH/ convenience.
WordWithinTheWord@reddit
There is literally nothing stopping you from buying a work-truck spec of a pickup.
Mojave_Idiot@reddit
The point is complaining about it. There’s 3 regular cab f-150 XLs sitting at my modest local ford dealer right now.
It’s performative austerity and virtue signaling. These people probably don’t recycle their aluminum cans.
2016KiaRio@reddit
The root cause of your confusion is that it's no longer a "work vehicle' here. A lot of them don't see use as a truck more than once a year, where a hatchback could most likely do it, albeit harder. Aside from being used in fleets as work vehicles, they're also a class of car to pick from for the average consumer, even though it makes no financial sense in a lot of cases.
shellmiro@reddit
Almost no one buying luxury trucks are actually doing work by putting in physical labour and "using their truck". They're most probably owners or heads of companies in those industries who manage the work. Old habits die hard so you still want a truck so you get one that's the nicest since you can afford it. Simple as.
Lighthouse_seek@reddit
Rich people need a way to tow their boats to the lake
BritishMotorWorks@reddit
They had electronically controlled shocks in the 19th century?
Shishamylov@reddit
The top of the line ones have independent air suspension now. Drives similar to a Range Rover.
kratos61@reddit
They're comfortable, very well equipped, practical, and can still do truck stuff if necessary.
InternalAd3921@reddit
it's hilarious how much r/cars hates trucks when they are literally the best do everything vehicles you can buy. F-150s are comfortable as fuck and have literally the perfect blend of physical hvac controls with a nice carplay screen.
withsexyresults@reddit
Cuz boring to drive
lolastrasz@reddit
I feel like I'm the archetypical /r/cars poster, because my first response to this was, "Can't a hatchback basically do all of the same stuff?"
Like, I know you can't tow or carry huge payloads, but most people aren't doing that.
InternalAd3921@reddit
you also can't carry around 5 people in legit comfort in a hatchback
lolastrasz@reddit
I don't think anyone in the middle seat of anything has described their experience as comfortable lol
cowabungathunda@reddit
You should get in the backseat of an F150 sometime. It's massive, legroom for days. Someone could sit in the middle and be comfortable.
juttep1@reddit
Forgot best at causing fatalities in accidents and pedestrian strikes.
Also best at having inflammatory regressive stickers.
InternalAd3921@reddit
Nice b8
juttep1@reddit
That is a weird way to say objectivity But sure
ArcticBP@reddit
I’ve got two people in my neighbourhood who bought trucks they don’t need that can’t fit in their garage (so they park it in the alleyway garage with the door open) and who need to make a 7-point turn to make it into the alleyway in the first place.
It is insane.
One time I literally had to wait 6 minutes to park my normal-sized car in my own garage because one of them had to make a right turn before parking in their garage. But if you dare point out a factual criticism in this sub about trucks or their revolting owners in this sub, everyone with a Tremor/Raptor/Trail Boss/etc. flair will descend upon you like a pitbull in a preschool.
HeftyAd6216@reddit
Never spent any time in this sub and the one time I tried to post I got it taken down because it was anti truck death machine baby killer unsafe machines. I'll take your word for it
ArcticBP@reddit
These people have wrapped their trucks so far into their identities that if you even imply that it is unreasonable to spend 1000/month+ for a mobile living room to take them from the McDonald’s drive-thru to two parking spots in a Walmart, you’re going to get personally attacked.
Mojave_Idiot@reddit
This used to be a subreddit where people generally liked fun vehicles. There’s still a lot of us left so you’ll find that pushback. There’s probably better places to discuss that opinion.
Mojave_Idiot@reddit
Everyone is making fun of your hysterics because you cannot even describe the hypothetical without going to an ad hominem.
It’s terminally online behavior. Look beyond your neighborhood. Sorry that your neighbors are assholes.
ArcticBP@reddit
I honestly wasn’t expecting to trigger the “facts over feelings” crowd in under 10 minutes so lets ignore my “ad hominem” and only look at stats:
What type of vehicle dominated the list of deadliest vehicles in the US? https://www.wccbc.com/most-dangerous-vehicles/ Top 10 Most Dangerous Cars in America | Wells Call Injury Lawyers
But at least these deadly vehicles are being driven by sober people, right? https://www.carscoops.com/2020/12/study-finds-ram-2500-drivers-have-more-than-twice-dui-citations-compared-to-national-average/ Study Finds Ram 2500 Drivers Have More Than Twice DUI Citations Compared To National Average | Carscoops
Even Consumer Reports is pointing out how bad the visibility of these things are: https://www.consumerreports.org/cars/car-safety/the-hidden-danger-of-big-pickup-trucks-a9662450602/ The Hidden Danger of Big Pickup Trucks - Consumer Reports
But surely even RAM themselves wouldn’t advertise their truck to men who scare & disappoint the women in their life, right? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9rfl0CLcco
But I’m sure the actual designers of these vehicles don’t think so, right? “we spent a lot of time making sure that when you stand in front of this thing it looks like it’s going to come get you. It’s got that pissed-off feel, but not in a boyish way, still looking mature. It just had to have that imposing look.”
The victim complex runs so deep that even the company themselves making the decision to stop selling an engine and then bringing it back is marketed with a “symbol of protest” because “They hate the fact that we took away the freedom of choice” https://www.cnbc.com/2025/06/05/ram-hemi-engine-pickup-trucks.html Ram resurrects Hemi engine with 'Symbol of Protest' badge for pickups
CaffinatedManatee@reddit
Savage (but true)
2days@reddit
My work truck is a Ford F150 platinum. It was about 85 $90,000 brand new in 2019. I got it used for my father because I haul robotic farming equipment around but it is the best truck I’ve ever had Mas massaging seats. it’s out of control, luxurious parked itself and it’s a super extended edition
__-__-_-__@reddit
And owning a truck isn’t the end of it. If you’re using it for truck stuff, you keep upgrading and it gets more and more expensive. People don’t realize how much those little baja designs cost. Or the tonneau cover, suspension, roof top tent, tires, wheels, all that.
timetopat@reddit
A friend of mine was shocked when i told her how much some ford and gm pickups cost and what options are in them. A lot of people dont realize some of those big ford platinums they are in porsche country in terms of price.
TheCrudMan@reddit
Yeah, and because you're probably not wealthy and just borrowed up to your gills on it
peepintong@reddit
Pretty sure those are "stealth debt". most of those drivers shouldn't really afford those vehicles
Shmokesshweed@reddit
I live near a lake where the cheapest house is probably $5 million.
More often than not, what I see out front is a 15 to 20-year-old Subaru or Toyota.
munche@reddit
Worth noting, I was once driving through Beverly Hills for work and I commented to a friend how many kind of beater cars I saw parked in front of these incredibly expensive houses
My perspective shifted when someone offered "Those are probably their housekeeper's cars"
But I do agree with the general sentiment, I think Stealth Wealth is not getting a flashy expensive car at all. Just something sensible with good return on your $$$.
hutacars@reddit
Or maybe not.
PlatinumElement@reddit
Even some of the nice but everyday cars are housekeepers cars. We got my mother in law a gorgeous two year old VW Golf that had every single option and had been traded into Beverly Hills Audi by a local family that had bought it for their housekeeper.
Due_Percentage_1929@reddit
Housekeeper was a stealth side piece perhaps?
strongmanass@reddit
Calm down Arnold.
FuzzelFox@reddit
Last I knew Keanu Reeves still drives his 90's Accord that he bought new after he finally made enough money from acting to afford it.
LOL_YOUMAD@reddit
It really is. I am friends with a few multimillionaires and if you saw them driving it’s always like a 2010 corolla or accord. Something that you buy and don’t worry about it for 20 years. A few of them even wear shirts with stains and holes in them, you’d think they are broke at first glance until you see their house or fun toys.
BlueFiSTr@reddit
one of my friends made a couple million when his company got acquired. He says his dream car is a honda civic (not a type R, just a regular civic) but he doesn't have enough money for one yet. He told me he wants a kid but needs make at least 25 mil before he can have a kid, he wouldn't be able to afford one until then. Somehow having money (and knowing people with a lot more money than you have) can really mess with people's perspective
Bamres@reddit
I would really love to dive into the logic he has here. Like i can understand frugality when you're wealthy to some extent but these numbers seem completely arbitrary unless he's budgeted to max out the kid's life for the next 18 to 50 years lol
Mrke1@reddit
He just hasn't met the right man/woman yet.
Th1rt13n@reddit
Oh, I wear some torn tees too… I feel like I’m safe now lol
dan_oftheyear@reddit
Now if only you could see what was in their garage..
Normal_Reply8148@reddit
probably 15 bicycles and all their kids crap, thats what most of these houses look like in rich areas for me when i take their golf carts to the shop to service/repair, very rarely do they really have expensive cars
akep@reddit
Yeah. Sounds like most peoples garages that aren’t car people. Sister is rich lives in a nice house and drives an older accord, like 2008. But her garage is filled with all sorts of junk she never uses except the one time and it wasn’t fun or whatever. She work from home or not far from it at any rate.
One train of thought is don’t waste money on cars you just lose money on them. Put money in house.
I made peace with the fact I’ll live in a decent house but it’s going to have some sick cars in the driveway/garage. And motorcycles. I’m probably gone around 6 months of the year not including being in my actual office at work. I spend a lot of time driving, and my car is the environment I spend a lot of time in.
Do I want to sit in a 95 Corolla DX for 6 months or a car that feels like a nice living room? If I have to fight traffic and pass regular traffic type cars, would I prefer the 95 Corolla or the [premium/sports car]?
AtlanticRelation@reddit
Ain't that the truth.
I live in an affluent neighborhood and the real expensive houses usually have average cars parked on the driveway. The 'less' expensive houses, on the other hand, have expensive cars parked out front.
HotLikeSauce420@reddit
You can sleep in a car. You can’t drive a house.
akep@reddit
Can’t race a house*
QuantumPineapple@reddit
- top of the line john deere sit down lawn mower
- a mountain bike that’s carbon fiber, GPS-tracked, and never ridden.
- a floor so clean, you feel bad walking on it, even in socks.
- old peloton machine
- a professionally organized wall of labeled bins for car supplies, tools, and things they'll never use.
Mojave_Idiot@reddit
Mountain bikes are just insane to me from a cost standpoint. Even a top shelf KTM 450 is like 12k and it’s easy to go flying right past that at a bike shop.
theunholyporker@reddit
As an avid mountain biker I totally understand this opinion because it’s absolutely true. Theres a really interesting video about this by a channel called Fortnine on YouTube. Basically a 12k bike is essentially identical to what a professional mountain biker would ride where as the 12k KTM is about 100,000 cheaper than a professional motor bike. Is a $12,000 mountain bike worth it? Probably not, but you are getting pretty close to the best you can ever get. I spent $4,500 on my bike brand new and that seemed like way too much money haha
Acceptable-Noise2294@reddit
i have a 15 -20 year old walmart mountain bike, what am i missing out on?
bikedork5000@reddit
Take it to a DH trail and you'll learn in a hurry lol
Acceptable-Noise2294@reddit
What does DH mean?
bikedork5000@reddit
Oh - yeah that means downhill. Like this: https://youtu.be/-BJX0cci41k?si=-r4WK2G2ZsR_7Gb2
I rode that course when I was there a few years ago. You really do need a quality full suspension bike for it to not be a big time dice roll.
Acceptable-Noise2294@reddit
Oh yeah that looks fun. if i lived near good trails i would have gotten something better for sure. i just go into the woods occasionally and it's been ok. i added a basket to it as well, worth more than the bike lol. also redid brakes. i have a tendency to polishing turds though so maybe i should have just gotten a new one.
bikedork5000@reddit
I can dig that vibe too. My road/around town bike for years was an old 80s road bike I pulled from the trash and fixed up as a single speed. Hell I did an all day 56 mile ride on that thing once! Even gave it a name, Bike Tyson. Only item I've ever named lol
Mojave_Idiot@reddit
I probably overestimate the headroom on those mountain bikes then. And yeah, something like Eli Tomacs bike is probably worth 250k plus if you could even put a price tag on it given the labor and tuning and one off parts.
theunholyporker@reddit
No you aren’t overestimating too much. You can honestly go into a bike shop and drop $20,000 without a problem but that really is the top end of mountain bikes as far as components go, beyond that is just paint or wraps that might add a few hundred dollars. Absolutely insane pricing for something with pedals haha
AlrightAlbatross@reddit
Eh, $20k not really unless you're getting into something weird and custom. $15k you could certainly hit, but that would be a top-spec eMTB or a competition-ready XC race bike with things like electronically-controlled damping and power meters.
theunholyporker@reddit
I should say this is Canadian dollars. But your right, taxes in on top of the line e-bikes and all carbon bikes is hitting like $17-19k Canadian.
Mojave_Idiot@reddit
Yeah that’s what I meant though by headroom. I was assuming you buy the 20k bike and then even crazier aftermarket parts. Didn’t really realize that you could reach the top of the mountain basically off the shelf.
bikedork5000@reddit
Yep. The parts spec on the highest end factory builds are already the top parts, period. Unless you just want to say.....get a totally custom wheelset and store the stock ones. Then add like $3500.
bluninja1234@reddit
compared to car parts, there are only really 2-3 high-end bike component manufacturers for each part. For example a pro derailleur is complex stuff with a huge amount of delicate parts that only the top brands make
Hard_NOP_Life@reddit
Sort of, the really discerning and deep-pocketed will do frame-only builds with crazy stuff like custom geometry, brakes with carbon or 3D-printed titanium levers, custom tuned forks and shocks, etc.
$20k would absolutely be on the upper end of what you can spend though, and you're getting very boutique parts at that price point.
bikedork5000@reddit
I honestly would not even know how to do a $20k build unless you're adding genuinely custom parts. Even an SWorks Turbo Levo, which when you're talking e bike full suss AND S works that's about as much $$$ as you can conjure, is $14k on Fanatikbike. Now.....road bikes? That's where the truly rich dudes open their wallets. The audiophiles of the bike world for sure.
BannytheBoss@reddit
Yeah but on a mtb the rider is the motor. $12k for a mtb is a ripoff and I have spent thousands on bikes myself. That $12k mtb is still mass produced.
NatesYourMate@reddit
Here's the vid - love Fortnine's content, and it definitely helped me understand why the cost so much, even if it absurd lol
Dodoz44@reddit
You could buy a used sports bike, a cruiser, and some adventure bike all for the price of one of those bicycles. Always boggled my mind a bit.
bikedork5000@reddit
You're comparing the price of used motorcycles to the price of new mountain bikes. Not a fair comp at all.
Dodoz44@reddit
I'm sure there are used bicycles that are more than that too.
bikedork5000@reddit
Ehhh I would not at all agree that it's "easy" to go past $12k on a MTB. The one I would add to my garage if I was really looking to get a new bike is a Pivot Firebird. $9200 gets you the top of the line model, but even $5300 gets you one that is a fantastic parts spec. When I built my Ripmo in 2018 I did a custom build at a local bike shop, which is easily the most expensive way to do it. Came to about $7200 overall.
boomerbill69@reddit
The vast majority of Firebird specs on their site are >$10k right now. Ibis also sells a $12k Ripmo.
All you gotta do is walk into a Specialized shop around me and there will be multiple SW Epic 8s on the floor for a cool $15k.
bikedork5000@reddit
The prices on Pivot's are msrp. You can almost always find them at actual retails for less (sometimes a lot less). But again, you're then talking the most expensive builds, on one of the most expensive models, from one of the most expensive brands. By any measure, $4k gets you a brand new fantastic MTB, $5500 gets you an outstanding one, and $8k gets you an elite tier bike with all the trimmings.
boomerbill69@reddit
I don't disagree. Most of the bling on the highest end builds is unnecessary IMO other than a decent carbon wheelset.
If you're at the point where full X01 and Flight Attendant are actually something you need then you shouldn't be paying even close to full price or maybe even paying for it at all.
bikedork5000@reddit
I'll pay $$$$ for top level suspension and brakes. The rest is ehhh. I mean, tires too but even the best are not that much money. Carbon wheels are cool and all but I've been totally happy with my DT Swiss wheelset with EX471 rims. If I need lighter I'll swap less aggro tires on.
Averageinternetdoge@reddit
Meh, I'd count myself as an avid mtb'r and my new bike was 2 grand.
Nobody sane buys those 12 grand bikes. Only rich people who have too much money buy them since it makes no difference for them.
boomerbill69@reddit
Old rich people buy them full price.
Otherwise, paying full price for high end bikes always confused me. I don't know anyone who does it. If you're good/serious enough to finally be able to justify a $12k bike from a performance standpoint, you're probably on a team and have access to discounts/get bro deals from industry friends.
hineybush@reddit
top of the line and fit golf clubs used a max of 5 times per year
Gedsu@reddit
And a sparkly chromed out Harley they ride once or twice a year.
guy_incognito784@reddit
Yeah I’ve got someone in my neighborhood with an older Camry and Rav-4 in the driveway.
In the garage is a Rolls Royce.
It stays in the garage because it doesn’t actually run but still.
theBarneyBus@reddit
Rolls Royce is a funny one to me:
- anything from the last ~20+ years, wealth & luxury
- anything from the ~60s-80s, probably hardly running & only worth 5k
- anything from the 20s-30s, likely hand-restored/rebuilt, 50/50 on you being Jay Leno
Marshall_Lawson@reddit
what year do you think it is right now?
ConfusedTapeworm@reddit
Same lmao. The guy daily drove a Golf. I saw his garage door open, and inside was a Z4 parked next to a Rolls Royce.
That day I stopped thinking about if that man knew how much it cost to keep all the lights in his big house on, basically 24/7.
mintz41@reddit
The very large majority of truly wealthy people do not care about cars, just like the rest of the population
Shmokesshweed@reddit
I have. Many of them. Older Raptors, Escalades, etc.
I'm continually surprised by the lack of really, really expensive cars.
unatleticodemadrid@reddit
A good part isn’t them actively choosing to be stealthy with their money, it’s just that they genuinely do not care about cars. Plenty of wealthy folk out there with regular traffic cars and nothing else in the garage.
autocol@reddit
There's also the knowledge that expensive cars are an awful investment, and people with several million dollars generally get there (at least in part) by being good investors.
My parents drove 5-15 year old second hand cars when I was a kid. The only car we bought new was a base-spec work ute every two years because the tax incentive for buying it through the business was so good you could get a new one every two years at basically no cost.
My friends' whose parents had new BMW's generally inherited about $200k from their parents when they died. I inherited.... a lot more than that.
PlaneCandy@reddit
This is such a weird comment where you are humblebragging that your parents were thrifty so that you could inherit a lot of money when they died
autocol@reddit
I mean, this is an anonymous account so I'm not really bragging I don't think.
I'll admit I'm incredibly lucky though, and I'm doing my best to offer the same opportunities to my own kids.
unatleticodemadrid@reddit
Checks out. But if buying a bunch of BMWs was all that stood between you leaving behind millions vs a couple 100k, you were never wealthy to begin with. That’s just upper middle class that overextended.
autocol@reddit
It's not just the BMW's. They're just an example of the relationship people have with money, and emblematic of tens of thousands of other decisions occurring daily which aggregate and compound to decide whether you end up middle class or filthy rich.
WoodenNet8388@reddit
Can confirm!
A good friend of mine’s dad just retired from being some insanely high level executive at Liberty Mutual. They own a house basically ON a ski resort in Colorado, a house in Texas near my friend, a house in North Carolina on a lake or something, and two other houses I can’t recall. They are like multi-multi-multi-millionaires, very possibly approaching billionaire status. Everyone in his family drives a 5-6 year old Nissan, because they like them. I don’t mean GTR, I mean altimas, a frontier, and an xterra.
bemenaker@reddit
I valet parked for a private company that was for hired events only back in high school and college. The upper echelon regularly drove old beat Toyotas, Hondas, old Mercedes. Their clothes were worth more than their car.
MembershipNo2077@reddit
Yep, when I worked as a valet at a very high end restaurant the cars would range from old beaters, like barely running Jeeps, to super cars. But most cars were just basic bitch Toyotas or maybe BMWs. Very few were even newer Escalade level let alone super cars.
The guys with the crazy sports cars and RR Phantom were either peacocking younger guys or had wealth to a degree that their "buy a car for me" guy had just purchased them a Phantom, they didn't care what car he bought for them, really.
Automatic-End-8256@reddit
I did it as well as a teen and they mostly sent me to a DC country club and it was mostly BMW merc and audi. The place that got the most sports cars was a Christmas party we did every year for a gym... Come to think of it, Christmas parties in general brought out the nicer sports cars.
lostfate2005@reddit
My parents are worth around 100m. They drive matching Priuses
AdShoddy7599@reddit
My parents are worth 100 billion and drive matching ford pintos
deleted_by_reddit@reddit
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shellmiro@reddit
Yup. I've been to literal billionaire's houses in Asia where all they have are a top end Toyota SUV and a Mercedes E class.
KNT-cepion@reddit
I knew a girl in college whose family lived in Aspen. They were simply uninterested in having fancy cars. Something comfortable and reliable was all that was necessary.
hhtran16@reddit
Ever thought not every rich person is a car enthusiast?
Automatic-End-8256@reddit
Also, when you get to a certain level and all your friends can afford Bugattis its not a flex any longer
Shmokesshweed@reddit
Of course. But you don't need to be a car enthusiast to buy a new car. What I'm seeing more often than not around me is they're older cars.
guy_incognito784@reddit
If you don’t care about cars you’re more likely to drive them into the ground and buy them used when they need to be replaced. I did that with the X3. It’s to haul the dog around and beat up on during long road trips to remote areas to backpack so I didn’t really care to spec it exactly how I wanted one and saved some bucks by just getting a CPO.
Dopplegangr1@reddit
My experience with wealthy people is they like money, so they don't like the idea of wasting a bunch on a heavily depreciating asset like a car. They also don't like hassle so they don't want to learn the new tech and such with a new car, they just want one that works. Also I think some prefer the image of frugality/practicality over wasteful spending that could be seen as vain.
Ran4@reddit
Having fancy new cars without being a car enthusiast is more of a middle class thing.
V12-Jake@reddit
This, to a tee.
NotoriousCFR@reddit
I used to do some work for a wealthy family. Mansion on a gated property in an extremely wealthy NYC suburb worth about $10 million. Father was a hedge fund guy, mother sat on corporate boards and shit like that. Every year they threw a Christmas party at the house with close to 100 guests, catered with full wait and bar staff.
They had a black Suburban and a black Q7 parked in the circular cobblestone driveway. I was dying to know what was in the garage - I was like man, if they're keeping the Audi and the 'burban outside, lord only knows...
Couldn't help myself and stopped to have a peek through the window at the top of the garage door one evening on my way out. Wanna guess what was in there?
A fuckin ping pong table. And lots of expensive mountain bikes like the other guy mentioned.
Some people just don't really care about cars. As long as it's got CarPlay and enough room for the kids, they're happy.
strongmanass@reddit
(thank automod)
That's the real stealth wealth car for Greenwich, Boston, and San Francisco. It's the only premium(ish) compact car on the US market, and it's quirky and stylish. It reads like an accessory more than a necessity. In Boston at least, the message it sends is "this is my city car for the brownstone. I have a Range Rover/Porsche at the Cape."
deleted_by_reddit@reddit
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Kallisti13@reddit
I was just in Kitsilano, which is probably the richest neighbourhood in Canada, and there were some nice cars - mid level BMWs, Audis, Lexus etc, but the real show of wealth were the road bikes. Those things weigh like 50oz and are worth 10k, 20k, 30k. Absurd.
finding_center@reddit
This exactly.
haragoshi@reddit
That’s their vacation car for not attracting attention
larphraulen@reddit
I was about to say Subaru, Honda, and Toyotas. Not even new ones. They ones they bought when starting a family.
My managing directors and C-suite folks for the most part fall into this category. People looked at me like I was crazy for buying a heavily depreciated CPO Audi.
strongmanass@reddit
They own $5 million lake houses. Their not practicing stealth wealth, they just don't care about cars.
standardissuegreen@reddit
I feel you are confusing the idea of "stealth wealth" with the idea of just being a miser.
Stealth wealth is generally referred to "things you do while out and about that do not scream your wealth, except to those who are sage enough to 'know.'" A Grand Seiko watch, for example, may just look like a boring old Seiko to a lot of people who don't realize it's a $8,000 watch that has one of the best movements ever created. It may look like you're just wearing a black t-shirt and jeans, but the fabric and the cut of them may only be discernible to certain people who know exactly why they fit so good and drape so perfectly.
It's buying really nice things that don't seek attention for attention's sake.
I think it's also closely aligned with the idea of "new money" and "old money," with the latter being more refined and discreet. In that sense, putting your money into property is about as old money as it gets.
strongmanass@reddit
As you say, stealth wealth is quality or indulgence that also sends a signal to those in the know. The best examples are unambiguous - e.g. a $5000 Brioni suit with no appeal to anyone but the target buyers and no notoriety to anyone who hasn't handled one.
A 20 year-old economy car is not that. If you didn't know the driver your first thought would not be that it's a wealthy person trying to be discreet because most such cars are driven by people who can't afford newer cars. Sure there are wealthy people driving them. And some of them even do it deliberately to hide their wealth. But middle-aged man or woman in 20 year-old 150,000 mile Toyota is decidedly not the same as a Grand Seiko watch or a Brioni suit.
Before EVs a Prius was stealth wealth among rich people pretending to be environmentalists. But that hasn't been the case for many years.
standardissuegreen@reddit
In terms of cars, the "stealth wealth" I see near me (in a neighborhood filled with people who own companies you've probably heard of) are people with older luxury cars that they bought new and contently spend money to keep on the road. They don't worry about needing the latest vehicle.
Quite a few L322 Range Rovers, 100-series and 200-series Land Cruisers, and W463 G-Wagons. The latter is not really as "stealth," but those are what I see most of.
Due_Percentage_1929@reddit
Probably have a nice boat instead
TurboFucked@reddit
Old Subarus are a pain to maintain. If they didn't care about cars, they'd get something new an under warranty.
Driving old Toyotas and Subarus is a rich person trend.
KennyGaming@reddit
Pretty uncharitable take. A top trim 15 year old Toyota or Lexus is like the definition of “stealth wealth”.
FledglingNonCon@reddit
To be fair, the may have bought the house 10 years ago for $800k with the way the real estate market has been. I live in a neighborhood (rent) where basically no one who lives here can actually afford to live here if they had to pay current prices for their homes. Full of $1.5-2m homes owned by people who most have way under $200k household incomes. The average car age is probably 10-12 years old. Lots of Hondas, Toyotas, and an occasional Tesla. Almost zero luxury brands unless you count my neighbor's mid 90's Saab 900.
TheOneKnownAsMonk@reddit
In general though a house that is now 5 million was absolutely not that much 10-20 years ago but it likely wasn't a cheap house compared to average home prices. I can't afford the home I currently own based on current prices but when I bought the home it was still expensive compared to neighboring cities. Some people just don't care about what they drive or buy a nice car and then get old, don't really drive anymore so they stop getting new cars or upgrading because it doesn't make sense. Budgets also start changing when you retire even if you were making decent money during your working years.
strongmanass@reddit
Based on the way OP phrased it I assume the properties they're talking about are vacation homes. A recreational property is, if not an overt signal of wealth, a visible indicator of and indulgence in wealth.
But yeah what you're talking about is a big issue. IIRC California changed their property tax laws to be based on sale price instead of current market value so that older folks wouldn't be priced out of their own homes based on property taxes.
Shmokesshweed@reddit
Fair enough.
NotoriousCFR@reddit
Their expensive toys are tied up to their docks
Gperhar@reddit
I’ve seen these types of neighborhoods. Oftentimes those cars belong to the help (dog walker, cleaning service etc).
moonRekt@reddit
I mean yes but I imagine the average 15-20 Subaru or Toyota owner has less assets/income than an XC90 owner.
Coleprodog@reddit
Lake Minnetonka?
Shmokesshweed@reddit
Nope. In Washington.
Coleprodog@reddit
✅
iPoopAtChu@reddit
I never understood that, I understand not wanting to be seen in a flashy car but buying a lightly used Subaru or Toyota would be much safer for their family
M4roon@reddit
Yeah kind of fits here too. The building I live in is probably top 5% earners in the country I’m in (in east Asia), and the car park is mostly older Japanese economy vehicles. There is the odd M car, Range Rover, Mercedes, but about 70% econoboxes.
WingerRules@reddit
I work at a store selling luxury items like jewelry and watches. The people walking in with Rolex often are driving Toyota and Subaru like you said. Today we had someone come in wearing a Rolex and selling 2 more Rolexes, he was driving a Subaru, and not even a current model.
Mojave_Idiot@reddit
The only thing that I took away from this is that the subs premier maverick foe lives in a 5 million dollar lake house.
I feel like I can visualize this. Rescued my first Land Cruiser, an old 100 series, out from under a pile of leaves in front of a nice big house on the river in Daytona Beach.
Shmokesshweed@reddit
Hah! I rent a studio with a sliding door for my bedroom.
As someone else put it, I try to be an equal opportunity hater. But sometimes, er, often, I give Ford more than their fair share.
HerefortheTuna@reddit
Can confirm am millionaire. The most expensive car I own is a new GR86 that screams boy racer but my other rides are just used Toyotas
Atompunk78@reddit
I live in the middle of nowhere England, and yeah old land rovers and rav4s ans Volvos and such are what the classier old money daily
PseudonymIncognito@reddit
The most old-money vehicle on Nantucket is a vintage Wagoneer.
elinyera@reddit
The house costs that now but how much were they when they acquire the properties?
soysssauce@reddit
I wonder why.. you spend a ton of time in your car, like prob as much as your couch. If they spend a ton of money on their couch why not cars? And it’s safety issue.. a 20yrd old Toyota or Subaru is not as safe as modern car..
Spirited-Pause@reddit
Those are the housekeepers cars
JefferyGiraffe@reddit
I think OP is asking for expensive cars that don’t look flashy, not cheap cars that rich people might drive. Any car would be stealth wealth by that definition
MentalMiilk@reddit (OP)
More or less, though specifically new cars. There's plenty of expensive old cars that don't look overly costly.
ArcticBP@reddit
Of the richest people I know, the most popular vehicle is a Rav4 prime & Genesis GV80, followed closely by the X3
brownent1@reddit
Yes that’s def a good point. Lots of high income people don’t want to waste money, or just don’t care about cars.
Not what you said this but so many people on Reddit are like no “wealthy” people drive fancy cars is so wild though.Fancy cars are sold and no poor people can’t finance $100k+ cars very easily. Porsche data for example shows their average buyers household income is around 500k. If that’s not “wealthy” then idk what is.
The_Safe_For_Work@reddit
The old Toyota Landcruiser.
g-4-ces@reddit
Housekeeper need transport too
mister_hoot@reddit
buddy those are the cleaners’ cars 😂
MentalMiilk@reddit (OP)
That's the feeling I've been getting, that true stealth wealth is not having a new car. Part of that comes from feeling like new cars aren't "classy" like older cars though, maybe that's just me.
Slowhands12@reddit
I mean the rich just aren't driving that much to begin with, especially nowadays. Unless you're a true blue petrolhead these guys are probably driving their cars less than a hour a day.
Ran4@reddit
An hour a day is a lot
guy_incognito784@reddit
That’s a good example. It’s also just likely people who don’t give a shit about cars.
Rebellious_Rabbit@reddit
This. I know a few wealthy people and the most expensive car I’ve seen them drive is a Tahoe. Most of these guys aren’t daily driving luxury brands.
OMGpawned@reddit
I’d think Jeep is stealth wealth. I’ve seen Grand Wagoneers snickering for $118k no one stops and thinks a Jeep is in the 6 figures price tag.
phantomcanadian@reddit
I work in wealth management for multi-millionaires. The number of people who buy very basic cars (Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, etc) are shockingly high.
dateraviator0824@reddit
Yeah but whenever I go track my car, I see rich folks roll up in an Accord or Camry and go to their climate controlled garage where they store their Porsches or Mcclarens and track it for the day.
Even one of my best friends has a civic as a daily but an M4 CS as a dedicated track car.
joahw@reddit
Yeah here in the PNW if you drive through the lakefront areas with multi million dollar homes you will see far more Subaru Outbacks than you might suspect.
icecon@reddit
That old Bezos interview, when the interviewer ask "What's with the Honda?" is gold.
MentalMiilk@reddit (OP)
I think there's something to be said for the idea that spending money isn't a great way to save money.
spacetruckinn@reddit
What’s stealth wealth? You should probably just drive what you want (whatever you can afford) instead of worrying what it says about you
MentalMiilk@reddit (OP)
I've seen replies in this vein several times—I'm not trying to look rich. I just was thinking the other day that it feels like every brand has become more aggressively styled and more in-your-face, especially when it comes to higher-end models. Made me curious if there are still any subtle expensive cars out there, or if they've all gone the way of the influencer.
spacetruckinn@reddit
I don’t think the brand matters. Flashy cars are meant for people who care about what people think of them. Wealthy people can probably care less about it since they are more focused on making more and retaining their wealth.
Taking care of the car you already own is a sign that you’re well off since maintaining your investment is cheaper than buying another vehicle in the long run. I work on cars for a living the people that come in with Land Rovers, Mercedes, Audis, etc are the first to complain when they are told they need brakes or tires where as the ones who own the less flashy brands want to keep their car on the road.
Energy4Days@reddit
Audi allroads
Leneord1@reddit
A land cruiser, people know it's a higher end Toyota SUV but not the fact it's about the same price as a GX
hi_im_bored13@reddit
Volvo is still the sealth wealth brand
AmericanExcellence@reddit
in my experience, volvo's an aspriational old-money brand. the mid-30s couple across the street from me has a decked-out xc90, and seeing their vehicular history it's clearly a decision made to try to look more established than they are.
Porshuh@reddit
Very true, it’s curious that the current popularity of Volvos coincides with everybody trying to ape old money aesthetics.
hi_im_bored13@reddit
To that I say this sub is very much in the know of what's what and is not representative of the general demographic whatsoever. On virtue of owning a z4 you think different to the average buyer and average client
I just asked my wife and she thought it would be in the mid-50s starting - of course those shopping around for one know what's what, but you can pull up to a meeting and nobody will bat an eye unlike an X7 or GLS.
Everyone I know, thats precisely why they buy them, they work in professions where optics matter, want something nice, get a Volvo, it works well.
hutacars@reddit
Is it not? BMW's site tells me $55k.
hi_im_bored13@reddit
Mid-50s referring to asking her about the EX90, ~80k starting actually, sorry for the confusion
redditproha@reddit
this is really interesting.
on the one hand there are brands that feel aspirational to own, so you could argue that optics are subliminal.
on the other, people buy for different reasons. I’m all about design language but also want something fun to drive. I love the EX90 but really dislike some other Volvos.
right now I drive something that’s considered effeminate but it’s fun as hell to drive without getting yourself killed so i couldn’t care less what others think while I’m tearing past them.
Vwburg@reddit
What if they just really enjoy the Volvo? It’s a great vehicle that’s a joy to be inside and to drive. Perhaps they don’t really care what you think of their car at all.
AmericanExcellence@reddit
it's got nothing to do with me. like i said in another comment, these cars may be many things to many people, buy they're clearly the same thing to a lot of people. or at least that cultural element has wormed its way into their minds and they're slotting a volvo into a space in a particular (and common / shared) image of their lives.
KennyGaming@reddit
Your second paragraph is so cryptic. Are you referring to middle class Black Americans?
litlron@reddit
AHH that would explain why they made such a dumb sounding leap of logic there. There are a surprising amount of racist chuds on here who get their feelings hurt when they see a black person in a nice car. I don't know how many times I've seen some knuckledragger on here make a moronic generalization about how 'everyone' in their town is 'living off credit cards so they can afford their car payment'. 'Hood rich' gets thrown around a lot in those types of comments too.
AmericanExcellence@reddit
who's getting their feelings hurt? you're making a lot of assumptions and throwing around a lot of terms, and it seems to be causing you suffering.
rich519@reddit
I’m curious what you mean by trying to “look more established than they are”. Like look richer than they are?
Averageinternetdoge@reddit
Probably some sort of millionaire cosplay. You know, buying only certain style of clothes, brands, living the tennis-playing and horse riding lifestyle and so on. Pretending to be toffs.
AmericanExcellence@reddit
nailed it, and of course you got downvoted for it. yeah it fits a pattern across a variety of people i've known over the years.
Koomskap@reddit
He doesn’t know. He’s just being insufferable and judgy for apparently no reason. People financial circumstances can change and they can have any motivation to buy a car, even being simply that they like it.
It makes OP sound like an unpleasant person to be around to make assumptions that his neighbors bought it to impress him.
litlron@reddit
Look at the pseudo-intellectual word salad that is their second paragraph. Translation: The people across the street are a black couple who make more money than they do, and they are upset enough about it to make up a story to try to feel better.
AmericanExcellence@reddit
talk about making up a story! i'm giving a very brief overview of a very wide range of observations i've made of many different people over the years. volvo may be many things to many people, but as a brand it very obviously rings in people's minds as the kind of "class" emblem that it is.
AmericanExcellence@reddit
it doesn't have anything to do with me, and of course there's all kinds of identifying detail i'm leaving out, but it's not a judgment or an assumption, just an observation. mainly, that there's this ongoing middle-class yearning to have been born into "class" or whatever, and since volvo is, at this point, baked into public consciousness as sort of an old-money car (think 30-year-old 240s in the hamptons), it's easy to see when people slot it into their aspiration vision of themselves.
AmericanExcellence@reddit
it's more than money, and obviously i'm leaving out a lot of contextual detail, but this isn't an isolated anecdote, and it's a part of the bigger picture i see of people going for this sort of trad-hamptons thing that i think is pretty trendy right now.
Agloe_Dreams@reddit
Partially, though I would also note that, if you drive a bunch of cars and then get in an XC90 or EX90...there is a particular wow factor without the "MB/BMW/Audi" focus. MY wife specifically shot down BMW and MB over the attention.
Tzunamitom@reddit
Pretty sure that’s why some old model land rovers cost more than the new ones!
Ran4@reddit
Everyone knows an EX90 is expensive as fuck though..
braedae@reddit
Maybe car enthusiasts, but if you asked my parents they’d think any Volvo was still a middle of the run vehicle.
Meh-_-_-@reddit
Until they drove one. Which is exactly the stealthy part.
narwhal_breeder@reddit
Maybe even after they drive one too. Test drove a V90 T6 to replace my E-Class wagon and the powertrain wasn't even as smooth as my 12 year old E-Class. Funky gear hunting, very pronounced 1-2 shift, and clunky downshifts. Ride was worse than my E-Class as well.
I think for most Volvo owners, their Volvo is their first luxury car, so it really feels like a huge step up compared to the Toyota/Honda they were driving before.
mandrsn1@reddit
As the owner of a V90 T6, I agree on the powertrain. I like the car, but coming from a e60 550i, the motor and transmission leave a lot to be desired.
Remote-Combination28@reddit
I 100% agree with you.
While they are a nice car, when comparing it to almost any other car in its price point, it really doesn’t feel very nice to drive
Big-Energy-3363@reddit
As a Volvo V90 T6 2018 and a Mercedes S560 2018 owner I agree about the V90 comparison. The Volvo with the Polestar reflash from the dealer, 1100.00, is a whole new feeling. The one thing with the Volvo wagon is the power is adequate, at 316hp from a supercharged AND turbocharged 2.0 four cylinder, it still isn’t smooth or refined when pushed. Of course the S class truly is in a league of its own!
gceaves@reddit
Ah. Fascinating. Thank you for that tidbit.
I have an XC60 with the T6 engine (both turbo and super charger; one at each end; about 311 hp) and I've often wondered how it compared to an E wagon.
I can it my "shooting break."
Thank you. ^^
Meh-_-_-@reddit
Try putting it into sport mode. I'm no stranger to luxury cars and Volvos hit right for me. BMW is too stiff, Lexus is too soft, Volvo meets me in the middle.
narwhal_breeder@reddit
I’m not looking for anything at all sporty in a 4500lb wagon.
I’m looking for a cargo sensory deprivation tank with a steering wheel.
Meh-_-_-@reddit
Ah, yes. Understood entirely. I also have a sporty car, so I can introduce you to my other: a 4700lb S90 T8 boat. More serene going 90mph on the freeway than my living room couch. At about 450 HP and 500 lbft, it still scoots, but... mostly in a straight line (I say that tongue in cheek, all things considered, it still drives quite well).
(There are still Volvos that are super sporty and fun to drive, get a Polestar-tuned S60/V70 and you will whip around corners and stay flat the whole time)
hi_im_bored13@reddit
The powertrains are definitely the worst - their i4's especially before the hybrids just feel like tractors, but the suspension tuning, nvh, materials, and especially the sound system are generally pretty solid.
Thats why I'm a fan of their new EV products, it's not a step forward in every single aspect but it is in most.
scruffalo_@reddit
This happened to me, exactly like that. I wanted a BMW 535xi wagon, but my father in law suggested an XC70 T6 that he found for a better price. I was skeptical right up until I got behind the wheel and was instantly convinced. Absolutely a top tier car, and I never would have had a clue if I hadn't taken a chance on one.
Uztta@reddit
I’ve been trying to convince my wife that our next auto purchase should be Volvo and she just doesn’t see what I I do in them.
Most-Car-4056@reddit
And stealthy quick!
braedae@reddit
For sure. They’re impressed by new Elantras and Mazda3s they’ve rented recently. The Volvo would blow them away!
nevergonnastawp@reddit
Thats the point lol
braedae@reddit
I agree, that’s why my comment was also confirming the point. The comment I replied to was saying everyone knows they are extremely expensive cars… which would mean not stealth.
Chicken_Zest@reddit
That's because they are. Sure the ex90 gets up there but as a brand, Volvo is trying to a lot their volume vehicles somewhere between a Toyota and a BMW.
carsonwade@reddit
Bro cars are my livelihood and one of my biggest passions and I've never even heard of the Volvo EX90
MauiSurfFreak@reddit
You must be pretty bad at your passion and livelyhood if you only have 90's shit boxes LMAO! Step up boyo
carsonwade@reddit
🤡
scruffalo_@reddit
Based on your flair, I'm going to say you're not their target demographic. But that just proves the point, even an enthusiast isn't guaranteed to know, hence the stealth part.
Mojave_Idiot@reddit
I own a Volvo and I could only vaguely guess what an EX90 is because I understand their naming scheme.
Sweaty-Objective6567@reddit
I don't get why people think Volvo is stealth wealth, either. They're a luxury car brand and if you can afford to buy and maintain one you're clearly doing well for yourself.
itaos1@reddit
I could not recall what an EX90 was until this comment and I read this subreddit and car news daily
Looks like stealth wealth
Luxin@reddit
It's not your Uncle Olaf's Volvo...
And that pod over the windshield is ugly AF. Looks like a Taxi Cab sign.
junkmiles@reddit
It’s the brand new biggest, fanciest Volvo SUV. It is obviously and clearly expensive.
If anything, I assumed an optioned one was more than 90k
Porshuh@reddit
Probably because it’s really new and that user’s comment is obviously false. I’ve seen like 2 and I can’t turn a corner without seeing an XC90 or XC60.
cattywampus42@reddit
Average income of a new XC90 owner is over $200k/year
mimo_s@reddit
I thought that car was 60-70k max. Looks the same for the past 15 years or so. Love the design though
junkmiles@reddit
The EX90 came out in ’24
mimo_s@reddit
Oh sorry I didn’t realized we are talking about the electric one. Haven’t seen that one ln the road
FriedEldenRings@reddit
the layman does not even know that volvos are nice.
Averageinternetdoge@reddit
And it's not very stealth either anymore. It's very shiny and range rover-y these days.
Older volvo suvs used to look much more modest and "dull" if you will. That's how "stealth wealth" is done.
johnnygjk@reddit
I didn't know what it was or how much it cost until one pulled away from me at a stop light and flew off
kartoffel_engr@reddit
My S60R is expensive to keep on the road, does that count? 😂
Lanza21@reddit
How is this upvoted? I spend way too much time daily consuming car related things on the internet and have no clue what a Volvo EX90 is. Ask 100 people what it is and you might get a straight 0.
Less-Mushroom@reddit
I think most people recognize quality, and from that sense there's no truly "stealth wealth" vehicles. The common answers are going to still be expensive cars that anyone can easily see are expensive.
When I hear this question asked I believe what is being asked more often that not is "how do I not look like a douche and feel comfortable with street parking from time to time" and the answer to that question is Volvo or to a lesser extent Acura and Buicks Avenir line.
SNRatio@reddit
Toyota.
Expensive cars don't belong in the category.
They might drive modest cars, live in average homes, and generally blend into their surroundings despite the ability to indulge in luxury. The essence of stealth wealth lies in the belief that true financial security comes from being prudent and discreet about one's wealth, enabling many to avoid its pitfalls and trappings.
https://www.fool.com/terms/s/stealth-wealth/
Mojave_Idiot@reddit
My father-in-laws LaCrosse Avenir is a quicker, more comfortable and better looking car than I think most people would assume.
airfryerfuntime@reddit
I don't, because I don't really care about Volvo.
elementarydeardata@reddit
Car people do. Everybody else is like "that's a Volvo. They made boxy wagons in the 90's."
Jdoc27@reddit
There was a TikTok going around recently where a dude was complaining that his uber black was a Volvo since it “wasn’t a luxury car”. But I agree that most people who know cars know that the EX90s are expensive
Learn_to_stock@reddit
Omg I just thought of this when seeing the Volvo comment lmaoo
8N-QTTRO@reddit
Most people don't, in my experience. Most people hardly even remember Volvo exists.
KennyGaming@reddit
Strong disagree
Delicious-Income-870@reddit
I don't even know what it is
CloudsTasteGeometric@reddit
Everyone on car forums.
Regular folks have no idea - most just assume they're european Subarus. Which they are, to be honest, but they're also expensive and luxurious without LOOKING (at a glance) like they're fancier than a VW.
PotatoDrives@reddit
I guarantee most people would think they're like $50-60k.
cilantno@reddit
No they don’t.
Snoo93079@reddit
Ha, I don't think the vast majority know what the hell an EX90 is let alone how much it costs.
FuckinFlowerFrenzy@reddit
I don't even know what that is
caterham09@reddit
I don't think most of the general population does actually. I don't think anyone even really thinks about Volvo.
Kenneth441@reddit
I dont think most people know what an EX90 is lol. I doubt any of my non-car enthusiast friends could name a Volvo model in general.
bigloser42@reddit
Volvo’s quality, reliability, and safety has rolled off a cliff ever since they got sold though.
CandidArmavillain@reddit
Which time? They haven't been bulletproof since they stopped putting red blocks in their cars
bigloser42@reddit
I think it was when they first got sold to a Chinese company. The dropoff happened with the new chassis that came out after that.
Arc_Ulfr@reddit
They had major transmission issues in some of their models pre-2010, so this is not really the case.
CandidArmavillain@reddit
The dropoff happened well before that
bullet50000@reddit
Oh no, they dropped the Red Block engine WAY before that. That died in the 90s with the end of the 740/940
cilantno@reddit
What year is that?
bigloser42@reddit
August 2010.
WingerRules@reddit
2000s 5 cyl Volvos like the S60 were pretty reliable as long as you changed the transmission fluid. Problem was Volvo instructed people not to because they claimed it lasted the life of the vehicle.
After the Chinese take over they got rid of the reliable 5 cylinder and replaced it with a 4 cylinder that was less reliable. Some of these variants were turbo and supercharged at the same time. Some of them were even electric, turbo, and supercharged all at the same time. Tons things to go wrong.
Shadesbane43@reddit
It was the Ford merger. Over engineered sunroof drains with a Built Ford Tough electrical system killed a car with a perfect drivetrain for me. The T5 was quick and reliable, but the fact Ford made worse electronics than the Europeans is impressive.
P2s are the last good Volvos
Jigagug@reddit
Haldex filter/oil is a yearly service as well but no-one tells you that, and there are no error codes I've test driven some early 2000's haldex cars from users that never see snow and their cars have been strictly FWD for who knows how long.
Eldermillenial1@reddit
I definitely agree on the Tahoe/Suburban, those thing don’t look like much on the outside, but fully loaded they’re six figures, gotta have some fun money in order to run one of those, unlike the Escalade that has presence. Same with the Denali GMC Sierras, especially a one ton, that’s a six figure truck as well.
FuzzelFox@reddit
The outsides of those are so bland it hurts honestly. It's just right angles and flat panels.
saints21@reddit
I think owning an upper trim new SUV or truck is just straight up obvious upper middle class or overly stretched credit at this point.
New vehicles are fucking expensive. "Stealth wealth" is probably more something like a rebuilt old Range Rover. Joe Blow doesn't realize you're driving a $200k custom rebuild but he definitely knows a brand new loaded F150 is expensive.
Shadesbane43@reddit
Yeah, I feel like if nothing else, the fact that you're driving a school bus sized vehicle down the road means you're not worried about saving gas
SigmaBallsLol@reddit
Yeah my SIL's dad drives a tricked out Sierra.
They're fucking broke, i think that truck costs more than their house, they're just terrible with money and just pulled the "I neED it FoR WOrK" to justify it.
Barbarian_818@reddit
Agreed. There's a company that does extremely high end restomods of Dodge Power Wagons, Toyota FJs and the like. I saw them on Jay Leno's Garage. Maybe they were called Icon?
I did find a similar company called Desert Power Wagons that make original looking quad cab power wagons on modern chassis and drive trains. They go for half a million each.
redditonreddit_65@reddit
Yep. Icons (generally Broncos & power wagons) and ineos grenadiers (Land Rover) are pretty dope
Barbarian_818@reddit
I hope to some day get an outfit like Icon to make me a IH Travelall and 1200 pickup
One of my very many "if I ever win the lotto" dreams is a small fleet of obscure, quirky or otherwise unusual vehicles all sold the year I came into the world.
redditonreddit_65@reddit
Man Travelalls are so cool looking. A dolled up restomod would be pretty neat
SkiMWV@reddit
As a man who owns both a 23 Power Wagon and a 24 Ineos Grenadier, I concur. The Grenadier definitely turns more heads.
cafebrad@reddit
Icon is actually a good example of stealth wealth....those trucks can easily run well into 2 or $300k and to the untrained eye it's an nice old bronco
Eldermillenial1@reddit
Well the base models are hard to differentiate from the upper trims unless you’re a car guy, and the difference in price between the base model and the fully loaded is staggering, there’s tons of them where I live and most are lower trim levels, but there’s a few here and there that are not, they blend in with the rest very well to the untrained eye. Same goes for the trucks, I have a 2017 GMC Sierra SLT and the price difference between it and a Denali is huge, but park them next to each other and unless you know, it’s not obvious to tell the difference.
tobyhatesmemes2@reddit
Nobody’s ever dropped $200k on a Range River rebuild, you’re thinking Defenders.
saints21@reddit
Uh...they absolutely have. ECD, Chieftain, and more all have builds that push $200k or go well past it.
Thank you for proving my point though.
Mojave_Idiot@reddit
This is funny how this played out.
In general though simply keeping a classic car on the road let alone daily driving it is a pretty blatant expression of wealth but only for those who know. So I think it’s a great example.
MidnightMath@reddit
It’s like horses, or watercraft.
The best way to make a million in the industry is to start with a billion.
Cristov9000@reddit
They are so stealth that you haven’t even heard about them…
They are out there
Wally_Paulnuts009@reddit
This right here
wolfpack_57@reddit
Don’t they make Kingswoods or something which are just factory rebadged Caddys
reddisaurus@reddit
I don’t really understand spending that much on a Chevy, as the service experience is horrid. Nicer dealers will offer a concierge pickup for service. I already have a complaint with Volvo that I have to wait for oil changes, which is not a thing with BWM/Merc/Audi/Lexus/Infiniti.
phycon55@reddit
I had to look up what the e450 estate was. I recently sold my e450 XL shuttle bus (Ford Econoline) and was blown away the rich were buying Ford Vans.
A quick Google search made me realize I don't see THAT e450 on my neighborhood
tugtugtugtug4@reddit
Any luxury 3 row product is around 90k. Hell, mainstream 3 rows are in the 50s and 60s now outside base models and economy lines. A 100k car, while objectively expensive, is no where close to something that is exclusive to the wealthy these days.
The most stealth wealth car right now on sale that I can think of are the non-winged high trim versions of the 911, like the GT3 touring or the S/T. The body shape hasn't changed much so you can spec them out to look like your dentist's 10 year old base model 911 he bought for 70k while spending 5 times that much.
Astramael@reddit
Counterpoint - it does not.
AWill33@reddit
True. I just traded an x90 for an aviator. X90 was about 10-15k more, but the Lincoln gets a lot more comments about it being expensive.
Lighthouse_seek@reddit
Denali is rich people pretending to be blue collar, but I don't know if it's stealth anymore
Jlx_27@reddit
This is why you get the XC90 instead, a nice used one for 30K or less.
TheMatt561@reddit
I'm not sure anyone even knows what pollstar is
zkinny@reddit
An XC90 with the V8 also counts. Or even the V90.
Vast-Mud3009@reddit
Idk why Volvo reminds me of Buick, it looks cheap, but I know it’s nice
TheTicklishTaint@reddit
Obviously they’re well known for us in the car world, but I don’t think many people realize just how nice a genesis can be. Man those cars can be beautiful and really pack a punch power-wise.
MuayJudo@reddit
The real answer here is a V90. Not as showy as a big new SUV, no one expects a a volvo estate to do close to a 4 second 0-60, and can be specced to nearly £90k while looking like any other large estate.
Real_Establishment56@reddit
In the Netherlands Volvo’s used to be seen as doctor’s cars. The very kind of people that make a lot of money but don’t necessarily want to show that off.
Especially the brown station wagons, the 960’s or something. They fly under the radar but they rocked a full leather interior, 3-liter turbo under the hood, and all the bells and whistles you could think of. Much nicer than the average 5-series or E-class at that time but nobody noticed them.
dam_sharks_mother@reddit
lol no. Volvo 2025 is not Volvo 2004. The brand has been incredibly diluted over the last decade.
steelbeamsdankmemes@reddit
My girlfriend was surprised when I said Volvo was a luxury brand.
durrtyurr@reddit
I drive a Volvo S90 specifically because it is incredibly inconspicuous compared to MB and BMW. Nobody thinks that the guy in a Volvo is an asshole.
sri_peeta@reddit
Where are these simpletons who are still ignorant that a e450 estate, Yukon Denali or loaded Suburban/Tahoe, Sequoia Capstone is not a 90k car?
hi_im_bored13@reddit
The vast majority of people that exist see a toyota badge, chevy badge, gmc, and think its half that at most
KSAWill@reddit
But that’s way more stealth wealth than a Volvo…
hi_im_bored13@reddit
OP asked for brands as well which is why I put volvo. Each of those manufacturers has stealth wealth cars while volvo is still stealth wealth as a whole (IMO)
KSAWill@reddit
I would definitely say that any GM or Toyota branded vehicle has less curb appeal than a Volvo. Volvo are not really stealth wealth anymore
tquinn35@reddit
Also Volvo has shit resale so everyone assumes you just bought a used one cause they are cheap as fuck
mmelectronic@reddit
Yukon Denali XL, three rows, plus extra luggage space, and tows the boat if you need to.
MoneyPitAuto@reddit
Just to spin off of this, I think Polestar is achieving this as well?
My Polestar 3 had an MSRP of $95K (very very fully loaded) and I doubt anyone would guess that. It’s just a solid handsome looking car without a lot of flash.
hi_im_bored13@reddit
Polestar is definitely achieving it but the issue is the head honchos didn't want that lol. Its *supposed* to be a porsche competitor with the brand to match. Good cars though
deleted_by_reddit@reddit
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Mantis_Toboggan_M_D_@reddit
Thanks bot, but it’s about car quality as much as it is about where your money is going.
CarobAffectionate582@reddit
This was true up to about c.2010, when Volvo started building cheap and trying to go more upmarket. Yes they build pretty cars now, but they are unreliable in both engines and software is a nightmare; it seem they have Chinese trade school students writing it (thank you, Geely).
Volvo is trying very hard to BE a luxury marque (and failing), it’s not stealth at all. I’ve owned several Volvo going back years, but they are dead to us now.
inkedfluff@reddit
I had a 2013 Volvo S60, all service done at the dealer, and the engine failed at 76k miles due to their stupid piston ring defect. It also had constant electrical problems and the interior was falling apart. Scrapped it in 2023.
kyonkun_denwa@reddit
Was that the T6 engine?
Bad luck for you I suppose. 2013 was the only year with piston ring issues on that engine. Otherwise very solid.
inkedfluff@reddit
It was a T5. It was a horrible car anyways, it handled like a truck, got 20 MPG, and had the performance and luxury of a Toyota Camry.
kyonkun_denwa@reddit
Having driven pickup trucks, a 2015 S60 and a 2013 V6 Camry, I have to say I strongly disagree with your assessment on how all these cars feel lol. I mean, you’re entitled to your opinion, I guess. But that is not at all the impression I had of these cars.
Meh-_-_-@reddit
My 2011 T6 has been super solid. No major issues, just a few minor repairs here and there costing $100-500. It has about 75k on the odo.
Mojave_Idiot@reddit
Happy to hear this. As a V8 cultist the science project under the hood of my polestar is spooky to me.
hi_im_bored13@reddit
c.2010 is when they became stealth wealth cars. Their push upmarket was very successful.
I'm not sure how geely = chinese trade school
Going back years – you are not the target demographic anymore
shellmiro@reddit
Coz everything coming out of China is crap hurr durr. It's quite the opposite actually. Geely and all the Chinese manufacturers are now hiring people who developed iconic cars for western brands to come work for them. Most of the ex-BMW and other German head honchos work there now.
However, I do agree that the latest Volvo and Polestar EVs seem to be rushed out. They shouldn't be putting half-baked cars into customers' hands. They need some more time in the oven to sort the kinks out.
Mojave_Idiot@reddit
I think most people don’t wanna hear that what Volvos doing right now is still basically solely up to the folks in Gothenburg. Geely certainly benefited from this but mostly by exporting these developments to their other brands.
Chinese money is not the problem with Volvo right now. It’s Volvo.
CarobAffectionate582@reddit
You really don’t know Volvo’s do you? The software is crap and barely sufficient for a bargain basement Kia, much less a luxury brand. “Hurr durr” - duh - you contradict your self between paragraphs - “China is great, but things are rushed to market and don’t work.”
Logic is an art; embrace it.
CarobAffectionate582@reddit
You’ve just invalidated your own arguement - if c. 2010 they decided to push upmarket IT‘S NOT STEALTH. It’s out in the open and it is seen that way.
“I'm not sure how geely = chinese trade school”
You haven’t owned a recent Volvo, have you? The software is atrocious, constantly failing, and patched (badly) continuously. It’s amateur hour. The expression is a rhetorical device to underling that.
They say English comprehension is a dying art; we can sure see that in this reply!
Technical-Low-3051@reddit
The EX90 is definitely a stealth wealth car. Whether it's unreliable or not is not really the issue. The one person I know who has an EX90 is very wealthy (like nine figures) and got it specifically because he wanted a luxurious vehicle that would fly under the radar.
CarobAffectionate582@reddit
The problem is, that was Volvo’s image 20, 30 years ago. Since c. 2010 Volvo has been positioning itself very upmarket/luxury. That’s known and Volvo is viewed as a luxury brand now; it’s especially true in non-US markets.
kevtommo@reddit
This is the correct answer - go to any actually wealthy town and every second vehicle is an XC90.
hi_im_bored13@reddit
Thank you. People are going "oh but I know how much an XC90 Ultra costs" the average Joe outside these suburbs totally doesn't and thats what matters
ninjahelix@reddit
Expensive doesn't mean luxury. Cybertrucks were also running at that price when they first dropped, and the interior is all loosely aligned plastic parts with huge gaps in it, doors literally falling off, etc.
watduhdamhell@reddit
I'm going to hard disagree with Phil's every bit of it too. For 90k the interior materials are quite cheap compared to its German rivals.
Volvo is a good car but has never been a match for the Germans like literally ever. I can't recall one model that was as fast or built as well. I did love my S60 back in '04 though.
Most-Car-4056@reddit
And stealthy quick!
thebigbossyboss@reddit
My buddy has a 1971 swapped with an engine from a 94. We have manual brakes! Weeeeee
mehdotdotdotdot@reddit
They are the new landrovers. Expensive, unreliable and expensive.
kratos61@reddit
Nothing about a fully loaded Yukon Denali is stealth.
ShadyDrunks@reddit
Wouldn't call an EV luxury, nowhere near the comfort of an S or 7 series
Snoo93079@reddit
Isn't one of the defining features of a luxury car a smooth power train? Because experiencing shifting and narrow power bands doesn't sound very luxurious to me.
hi_im_bored13@reddit
I don't feel how there is anything more luxurious than uninterrupted linear power. See: Rolls Royce Spectre.
Also, the 7-series come in an electric variant (i7) which actually makes up a significant portion of its sales
ShadyDrunks@reddit
Yeah man that plastic bench seat is so comfy in the volvo
hi_im_bored13@reddit
I have no idea what this has to do with EVs
riketycriks@reddit
Weight savings end up being coincident with EV for range reasons.
unatleticodemadrid@reddit
Rolls Royce Spectre?
Ran4@reddit
That's just outright wrong. EVs are smoother.
losteye_enthusiast@reddit
Modern Volvos look expensive imo. Especially the 90.
I agree with your other choices, especially Denali trim suvs. They can easily be optioned so anyone would just think it’s a normal Yukon. Harder to do with the Platinum trims on fords.
ihaveadogalso2@reddit
We’ve got a sequoia capstone. While it’s very nice there’s zero comparison in terms of quality when compared to a high trim Volvo. Those are definitely next level imo. The sequoia is great for us and tows like a beast but it’s not nearly as refined.
BlazinAzn38@reddit
I was going to say any top tron truck is six figures out the door
Same_Lack_1775@reddit
Volvo’s are crap cars now.
HeadHot4286@reddit
gasp! don’t crap on volvos😭 what’s so bad abt them??
Same_Lack_1775@reddit
I leased an S90 a few years ago. Beautifully designed car on the interior and exterior…absolute turd of a car in for repairs every week it seemed like. The trim next to the drivers seat belt fell off the first day I had it. They were never able to get it to stay on. I finally just taped it up there. The seats were uncomfortable as hell. The engine was anemic for a car that size. Every manufacturer was going to a 4 cylinder plus turbo at that time. Volvo went with a 4 cylinder with supercharger. It had all the downsides of a turbo (complexity, sound, lag) with none of the benefits (the 0-60 was about 14 seconds and it got terrible fuel mileage). The infotainment was well done on paper but the constant glitches in software and terrible lag made it unusable.
As far as I was concerned it had 3 things going for it - nice design, great stereo (that B&W was the best I’ve head) and good headlights. The rest of the car was shit.
It’s the only car I’ve ever broken a lease on.
Ran4@reddit
Reliability. And now, lack of wagons. As absurd as it sounds.
icemonsoon@reddit
I had to check it wasn't april fools day when i heard that
walmarttshirt@reddit
I think they went through a few years of poor reliability but seemingly the newer ones aren’t too bad.
Wealthy people aren’t too fussed about reliability (for the most part) as they usually get rid of them before they become an issue.
Source: I live in an area with a lot of “old money” wealth.
Also there are a LOT of Subarus…
HeadHot4286@reddit
yess that’s bc subarus are made pretty nicely.
however, volvo has been so good to me. i’m running a 2011 s40 r-design. had her since HS, failed turbo, flooded catalytic converter and still runs nicely. they fight so hard haha
shellmiro@reddit
Pretty sure they're talking about the latest EV Volvos like the EX90. Fantastic cars but way too many software glitches and issues for a customer car in this day and age.
HeadHot4286@reddit
i know they are. i’m considering upgrading but i love my little baby
CarobAffectionate582@reddit
Yep. RIP Volvo, 1927 - c.2012. Gone but not forgotten.
hi_im_bored13@reddit
Volvos are the greatest cars alive now! Both equally useless comments
CarobAffectionate582@reddit
Crap software, constant engineering failures in drivetrains and electronics; Volvo is trying to be a great car, but forgot how to do it.
OK_GrapeVine@reddit
Agreed.
JessterKing@reddit
I know this isn’t exactly what you were looking for, but you can debadge your car.
Regular-Access9593@reddit
Should
Dannyz@reddit
Rivians and 200k merc vans
Medium-Cod-9407@reddit
Not stealth.
Godvater@reddit
Mercedes imo. Wait, hear me out first. I bet even half of r/cars isn’t aware how expensive new Mercedes prices got in recent years. A well equipped GLC easily pushes 90k Euro, AMG GT list prices are at above 200k. Yes MB has always been seen as expensive lucury cars but I bet people don’t realize how crazy expensive those got recently. Even inflation adjusted, you could buy an SLS AMG in 2014 for less money than a current AMG GT I believe. Crazy.
MentalMiilk@reddit (OP)
As ostentatious as modern Mercedes has become, I have to give you some credit since most people probably couldn't tell an S class from a CLA. Mercedes is probably the most subtle of the big German 3 (okay, maybe tied with Audi) when it comes to their top-of-the-line models, even though a new S starts well over six figures.
joahw@reddit
Even with porsches, like people know they are expensive but does the average person know the difference between a Cayman and a 911 Turbo?
Ok_Cook_1033@reddit
genesis
Yellowcat123567@reddit
A clapped out beater. Nothing says I have money like a car you dont care breaks down tomorrow lol.
realKevinNash@reddit
I mean Genesis doesnt throw a lot of badging at you. But you're probably stuck with huge grilles unless you go to the sport variants of cars which cuts into the luxury aspect IMO. I just cant find perfection.
Honestly I feel like at some point in the future someone is going to offer a service that outfits consumer class cars with the luxury features you choose because honestly I see that as the easiest way to get what you want.
I feel like my sedan is damn near perfect. Reliable car so far, low slung to the road, no sunroof to break or leak, I can get in it just fine as my tall self, inside its nice, I love driving it. Give me some options to replace the seat material and some high touch areas with suede because leather is ass, rear sunshades and rear zone climate control from the armrest and i'd feel like I had all the luxury I needed from a Bent.
I just dont understand why its so hard to find all of that in a modern luxury car unless I go to a Japanese car. ES350 has the look and the ride but none of the comfort features in the rear. The RX has some of the comfort features, but only in the top trim for some reason. The IS' have the design I like but I cant fit in them and the reliability goes out the window along with some of those comfort features. The Century is the only thing that makes sense but the prices on the new ones is insane and the older ones well now you have to import and then deal with a wrong side drive car.
IDK maybe thats what I have to do...
AdhesivenessOld8939@reddit
Diesel 4-door pickups
HalliburtonErnie@reddit
Golf R is high quality/comfort/performance, while still looking like just another little hatch. It's not Mercedes fancy though. Most of the Audi RS3/5/6/7 just look like normal cars if you don't know much, and are pretty elite levels of quality/comfort/performance.
Chimera-puzzlebox@reddit
Ewww
Vimes-NW@reddit
R35 gt-r
doe-poe@reddit
My car salesman brother said a lot of wealthy people buy mazda
09Customx@reddit
Audi A8
At a glance it looks like any other regular Audi sedan made in the last 10-15 years, which is to say not particularly flashy or showy, but they’re a proper S-Class or 7-series competitor.
Averageinternetdoge@reddit
This is probably the best (maybe even the only?) pick of the current cars if you want to look "stealth wealth". Like, with modest wheels it's "just another sedan", even tho it's gonna cost a ton. Literally the look the government officials go for.
moba999@reddit
To me, stealth wealth is an older car that is stock, mint, and still daily driven -
what I see in Newport Beach being daily driven:
993 coupe/cabrio,
Lexus LS,
Toyota Land Cruisers,
Land rover defenders,
S65 or any "65" AMG
Volvo V70R
VW Phaeton etc etc etc...
GasManMatt123@reddit
Porsche (and most of what you've called out) is a luxury brand, it is about as far away from stealth wealth as it gets. There's nothing stealthy about an obviously luxury marque.
graytotoro@reddit
It's like all those people naming Rolex and Omegas as stealth wealth watches while actual billionaires wear Apple watches and Seikos.
Pinecone@reddit
Every day there's some horrendously bad takes on here. Saying a 993 Porsche is stealth wealth has to be one of the worst ones of the day.
GasManMatt123@reddit
I deadset laughed and half choked on a latte. It’s 12/10 for dumb af takes.
AlrightAlbatross@reddit
Those stealth wealth, $100k classic sports cars.
GasManMatt123@reddit
This sub is a magnet for low IQs
moba999@reddit
In the current state of things in 2025 with cars in bright colors, big wings, the latest and greatest - older clean cars carry a different level of $ behind them.
Don’t know how else to explain it. Maybe it’s just the way the owners carry themselves. Different league.
GasManMatt123@reddit
But it's only stealth wealth if no one can judge the owner's wealth based on the car, it can only be a vehicle with utilitarian value. That's why 200 series landcruisers are stealth wealth.
MentalMiilk@reddit (OP)
Older Porsches (pre-996) are a good one, though Porsche itself is definitely not a stealth wealth brand. It's an interesting situation where I'm sure people know that Porsches are expensive, but they're completely unaware of just *how* expensive old Porsches have become.
the_old_coday182@reddit
Mint condition Jaguar XJ’s
clear831@reddit
Any older Porsche for me (older than 10 years)
PurpleNutsGuy@reddit
GENESIS
JeepersOlllllllO@reddit
Grand Cherokee Summit Reserve.
PiffWiffler@reddit
Mercedes have disclosed their highest net-worth clientele have E-Class Wagons.
AcademicShoe9128@reddit
I think the Chevrolet Suburban High Country is still classy and stealth wealth. As long as you don't put DUB wheels on it at least.
Multifaceted-Simp@reddit
Honestly the LS is still stealth wealth.
Alone_Peace371@reddit
You don’t have to say “honestly”. You can just start talking and we’ll assume you expect us to assume you’re being honest
Workity@reddit
Don’t think it’s available outside Japan, but for Lexus I’d argue the true contender is the Lexus LM. It’s the most expensive car they sell (by a lot). But most people couldn’t tell it from an alphard.
Suitedbadge401@reddit
We have it in Hong Kong. Driveaway price is HKD 1,850,000 or for you yanks, about USD 235,000
Workity@reddit
You yanks lol. Not all of us are American, dickhead.
iller_mitch@reddit
Yep. Must also be pretty rare. I saw a ton of Alphard and Vellfires in japan. Can't recall seeing the lexus.
t_a_6847646847646476@reddit
The Lexus was export only until recently due to domestic demand
t_a_6847646847646476@reddit
The LM was originally made for export only before it came to Japan due to demand. Currently, its official markets reach as far as Australia and Europe where its lower-end Toyota siblings aren’t even officially sold
GGCRX@reddit
Real stealth wealth is not having an expensive car in the first place.
My wife and I do OK, but the most luxurious car we have is a 10-year-old Lexus that I bought used. Could'a bought new but I'm just as happy with the older one so why bother? Doesn't look like much next to the neighbor's new S-class, but it also is going to spend less time in the shop which, yeah I can afford to fix it but I don't want to be bothered having to deal with it.
I've known multi-millionaires who tool around in things like old 70s Ford pickups, and they're not even nicely restored or anything. They look like the rustbuckets any old Cleetus would drive.
It's actually kind of funny. Everyone assumes rich people dress to the nines and drive German cars. That's what newly-rich people do to make damn sure everyone knows they have money while ordering a bottle of wine at Olive Garden to "splurge" and then stiffing the waiter on the tip. And it's sometimes what insanely-wealthy people do (think east-coast mansion-estates types) when they want to play power games.
But a lot of times the truly wealthy are the ones who don't follow those "rules." Want to know who the richest guy in the 3-Michelin-star restaurant in Upper Manhattan is? He's the one wearing jeans, Vans and an old Beavis and Butthead t-shirt because he can't be bothered to give enough of a shit to "dress appropriately," but the restaurant lets him in anyway because they know he's gonna spend 4 figures on wine alone.
SweetTooth275@reddit
Is this another idiotic marketing term that americans made up to sell rebaged crap?
Hootie735@reddit
A new Ineos is not really stealthy, but I expected a "1" in front of the base price.
Mikeg216@reddit
The best stealth wealth vehicle is the original and its name is the Mercedes-Benz e series 4x4 wagon. None of that new money gauche SUV trash.
stoner_222@reddit
an older japanese car as their daily driver, then you'll see a Porsche GT car in the garage for special occasions.
boostedmike1@reddit
I know a millionaire that drives around in a shit box of a rover 25 🤷🏻♂️
KingKontinuum@reddit
Why are people saying Lexus, Lincoln, and Volvo? Or even Lucid? These are all well known luxury brands that look like luxury brands—I think everyone assumes their owners have money if they see one and nothing about Lucid screams “mass market”. It’s visibly a luxury brand.
Astramael@reddit
Yea the real answer here is GR Corolla because everybody assumes you just own a Corolla but you actually paid way too much for it!
My opinion has always been the stealth wealth car is the E-Class Wagon. Some of the wealthiest people I know own them. Same same for the last generation Land Cruisers in the U.S.
GasManMatt123@reddit
There are screams of old porsches, mercs and BMWs here... no one knows what the fuck stealth wealth is.
NotoriousCFR@reddit
If you mean "stealth wealth" as in "you'd never know the person driving this is rich", the answer is Subaru. Subaru buyers have the highest average net worth of any car brand IIRC. I'd also say late-model/well-kept Toyota - you'd be surprised how many people are rolling around in Camrys who could afford a Bentley instead if they wanted to.
If you mean "stealth wealth" as in "you'd never guess how expensive this car is", my vote goes to Volvo, the very definition of understated luxury. Also, high-trim trucks (Loaded F150 Platinum or Sierra Denali can be pretty close to $100k) and the previous-generation Land Cruiser (2021's were about $85k new and have barely depreciated)
boomerbill69@reddit
The wealthiest person I know (likely a 9 figure net worth) drives a few year old Crosstrek hybrid. Wealthy areas near me are absolutely littered with Outbacks for some reason.
Hopeful-Hotel-9793@reddit
Porsche buyers have a median household income of $400,000 USD. Learned it from a SavageGeese’s video. If you’re telling me that Subaru households are even higher, I’m flummoxed.
gluten_heimer@reddit
I would say a 992 911 Turbo S or GT3 Touring counts. Those things are easily 488/720s money and a lot more subtle.
04limited@reddit
No because everybody who wants to look flashy buys stealth wealth cars as some sort of reverse psychology trick
Atpeacebeats@reddit
Volvo scream lower middle class. Now Chinese tat.
narwhal_breeder@reddit
I mean it’s 50/50 someone bought it new or it’s the third owner and they picked it up for $30k. Volvos keep the same styling for a loooong time and depreciate pretty hard.
ASK_ABT_MY_USERNAME@reddit
The general population does not
Rock_Samurai@reddit
A late model Honda Accord or Toyota Camry. Haha
CuriousTravlr@reddit
Toyota 4 Runner and Land Cruiser or just any Toyota really.
That's about it.
nickrct@reddit
You're not kidding, you can easily spend 70K on a fully loaded Sienna Platinum... And that's not including the dealer markup.
dbcanuck@reddit
the high end neighbourhoods near me have a surprising mix of cars in their driveway.
there's almost always an executive/professional car -- a bmw, lexus, audi, mercedes. likely these are company cars on 4 year leases.
then there's a surprising number of subarus. foresters and outbacks are almost standard issue as their 'second' car.
if there's a third car is almost always a big SUV -- Tahoe, G-Wagon, Yukon, a kitted out F-150, or a Lexus GX / Landcruiser. Almost always used to hauling boats/waterskis or big ski vacations by car.
Rbxyy@reddit
As others have said, the new Volvos are pretty stealth wealth. The newer ones are definitely quite a bit nicer/more luxurious than the older ones like the P2/P80 cars
Openhigh4@reddit
I think the GX460 is an unpretentious vehicle. It just changed body style after almost 15 years. And they are a go anywhere do anything vehicle. Yes do all of it in comfort. Expensive to fuel.
SRQmoviemaker@reddit
Well the owner of my job (and 12 other dealerships) dailies a grand Cherokee.. not my idea of stealth wealth but nobody sees that and thinks "yeah he has a private jet"
Big_Game_Huntr@reddit
Ineos grenadier
SoterPie@reddit
Any Denali
Hutch4588@reddit
Believe it or not the Ford F-150 emerges as the top vehicle choice among America’s wealthy, outpacing luxury brands. Research by MaritzCX indicates that despite the allure of high-end cars, those earning above $200,000+ annually prefer the rugged practicality of the F-150. It actually makes sense when you consider that wealthy people normally have a lot of land and also have toys that need to be towed. Plus a Limited F150 is pretty loaded with features. I have a platinum and it even has massaging seats.
SirLoremIpsum@reddit
In the US it's the top trim Yukon Denali, the F-150 King Ranch types.
If you choose the specs without layers of chrome it's just a truck. A working man that had some good fortune that deserves a bit of luxury. F-150 dual cab starts 61,000 in Canada. Platinum trim starts 110,000k. Need a keen eye to tell the difference.
The top trim yank trucks and SUVs have exploded in popularity. Not the Raptor-esque look at me. Just the Denali type trims.
Buy a new one every 2-3 years and you're looking like an average joe while spending big
dmh123@reddit
Stealth would be a loaded Lariat or LT....nothing stealth about Denali or King Ranch plastered all over the vehicle.
macfail@reddit
It's the opposite where I am. It's all kids driving top trim level diesel trucks with massive lifts and wheels, probably financed from their first oil patch paycheck.
Dazzling-Rooster2103@reddit
I mean... pretty much any GMC, especially with the Denali Ultimate trim level.
They do not look like $100k vehicles IMO.
dmh123@reddit
Denali is not stealth
iller_mitch@reddit
Savana G2500, represent.
skidsareforkids@reddit
My wife has had BMW and Mercedes SUVs and gotten shit about them, but whenever she’s had nice GMCs nobody bats an eye. People in the U.S. just assume all imports are pompous
skidsareforkids@reddit
Also, I get shit about my Supra despite it being worth about half what my truck is
benny-who@reddit
A lot of small business owners around me have the fully loaded Tahoe, you wouldn’t think they are $90k and they don’t want there employees seeing them in a GMC.
2ndprize@reddit
You can't even get that thing for 100k now
Sinakers@reddit
The Skoda Superb and the BMW M340i.
thekingsteve@reddit
Weirdly enough lots of well off rich folks have a Mazda cx 70 hybrid. I see them all over the rich neighborhoods while I'm out delivering for door dash.
I also see the hard top mx-5 being driven by golf club guys.
Idk if Mazda counts because I always consider them a luxury brand for the middle class but their higher end top trim level cars can cross 70k
TrafficOnTheTwos@reddit
Volvo probs
CWoodfordJackson@reddit
All of them if you don’t make a big deal out of it and use it as a tool not a status symbol
blackGsus-is-king@reddit
Aston Martin , jaguar , Lexus , and rivian
WeekendConfident3415@reddit
Rivian are new stealth wealth, rare still as they only sell about 50k/yr. Even used Rivian are holding value. Although volumes will increase and accessibility will improve next year when they launch R2 at about the average new car price (half of current R1 pricing).
drthomk@reddit
I have a Santa Fe calligraphy
Snazzy21@reddit
GMC truck can be highly optioned
yourfriendlygerman@reddit
Stealth wealth is a 1995 Nissan. Otherwise, there is no way to spend 100k on a car without looking like it.
You might get off with an expensive Minivan like V-Class or so.
BannytheBoss@reddit
F150... F350 4x4
kikirikipop@reddit
Here in EU I guess every wealthy individual drives a black porche cayenne. Don't know how stealthy that is, but you see them everywhere.
L-Malvo@reddit
For some reason, I was thinking about Genesis.
Captain_Pink_Pants@reddit
BMW is the ultimate "stealth wealth" brand... People will look at your BMW and think, "that dude can afford a $75k car", never realizing how much it costs to fix it.
😉
littlechinoyish@reddit
Volvo seems to be the obvious answer. Even then, Volvo is arguably a luxury car brand, and therefore, not stealth wealth. I also don't think Lexus counts since it's the Luxury arm of Toyota.
My answer then would be the Toyota Prius. It’s the vehicle of someone who can afford anything but doesn’t feel the need to prove it.
Electronic_Algae5426@reddit
In Korea right now and my mother in law has a brand new Genesis GV80 fully loaded.
Thing is pretty spectacular.
newcarthrowaway0099@reddit
Stuff like King Ranch F150s are luxury and most people don’t know how much they really cost
ahorrribledrummer@reddit
In the US, it's the high-end option packages on pickups.
PlanZSmiles@reddit
They may be expensive vehicles but the people owning them absolutely aren’t wealthy, most the time it’s people overextending themselves.
Hougie@reddit
Right? Haha. Thats not stealth wealth. Thats just a lot of people making poor financial decisions on lifestyle cars.
I have family members who had no business qualifying for the loans on their cars. It’s absurd what finance departments will do to get the keys in your hands.
MajesticBread9147@reddit
Is that really stealth though? Pickup trucks still stand out compared to sedans and SUVs unless they're work trucks.
TowElectric@reddit
Yes, but they come with 2.4 acres of chrome and nine badges when you get one of those.
**The new SuperDuty Lariat X10 MegaCrew Denali DoubleChrome RaptorHawk**
TeamJim@reddit
They've started to go the other way more now on the high trim pickups. A new F150 Platinum, Silverado High Country or Sierra Denali can all be had with minimal or no chrome and about the same amount of badging as the other models. Same with the SUV counterparts.
SloCalLocal@reddit
Stealth wealth people don't do lift kits — it defeats the purpose.
TowElectric@reddit
Heh right yeah.
crunchynibbas@reddit
People in here really saying Porsches or Lucids or Mercs are stealth wealth.
I feel like one of the best answers used to be the Toyota Avalon, but now that's gone, a lot of super rich people I see drive the Crown now. Higher end Subarus also tend to be owned by pretty comfortably rich people.
People know what a Mercedes represents. Or a Denali. But nobody expects the owner of a gleaming Outback XT to be head to toe in Patagonia or in a million dollar home. Just what I've observed in my area.
Nant wealthy, but not filthy rich people don't want an expensive car. That's just bad financial decisions.
qb4ever@reddit
Stealth wealth brands don't exist. They were just luxury brands but with low enough volume so that most people didn't really know what they're about.
humdizzle@reddit
Volvo Polestar... especially the Polestar 1.
Classic cars are still wealth. You have 911s and mkiv supras costing six figures and to a random person its just another old clunker that a guy fixed up in the their garage.
But yes alot of people just dont care about cars. They just see them as depreciating assets draining their bank account instead of reaching a new high score.
NotoriousCFR@reddit
There's an asterisk next to some of these classic cars that exploded in value relatively recently. The guy with an '80s 911 Carrera could be a hedge fund bro who just dropped $100k on it and parks it next to a brand new GT3 and Panamera turbo....or it could be an older blue collar guy who bought if off Craigslist in 2012 for $12k.
srsbsnssss@reddit
obvs miata
stealth wealth of big balls
Elf-kingko95@reddit
The last gen Land Cruiser. You’re paying for quality for sure but the car is practically s class money for something that looks like a sequoia. I’d take one in a heartbeat tho.
hmhoek@reddit
It's opposite-land out there. You try to get loud wealth and it's always a VAG under the skin.
Stealth wealth is maintaining a paid off car or three and checking your stocks periodically.
Though when I was browsing carmax I hopped in a Volvo S90 and was stunned at how nice it was. It made the Mercs and Bimmers seem cheap and gaudy.
twentiesforever@reddit
Ford F150 Lightning in Lariat or Platinum Trim. Looks like any other F150, not cheap, endless power, absolutely silent inside, no drivetrain slash like a normal pickup, and Rolls-Royce-like suspension.
durrtyurr@reddit
No, the last cars standing were the VW Touareg and the Kia K900.
Plus-Commission6881@reddit
Toyota sienna
Which_Initiative_882@reddit
F-250 King Ranch.
ottrocity@reddit
I drive past some million-dollar homes that have fuckin' Chevy Traxes and 2008-era Rav4s in the driveways. I don't even know anymore.
MentalMiilk@reddit (OP)
Not everyone is into cars, though I can't imagine driving a Trax if I have enough spending money to buy most anything.
Shishamylov@reddit
Fully loaded trucks are what rich ppl buy to look like the working class
SeeYouOn16@reddit
A fully loaded Chevy Suburban is well over $100k and is so optioned out it's not even funny. But to the average person I feel like it just looks like another big SUV.
benny-who@reddit
Insane that they start at $63k for 4wd. I thought you would get a basic LT for under $50k
TraditionPast4295@reddit
I priced out a Tahoe LT, not even a suburban and after dealer fees and all that shit it was going to be almost $90k. For a Tahoe LT, I did not buy it. I bought a 3 year old one used.
handymanshandle@reddit
I honestly thought you were exaggerating, but no, you can equip a Suburban Premier to around $106k ignoring bullshit options like different colored lug nuts and stuff like that. Granted, that buys you a big SUV with a big V8 that’s loaded out with just about everything you could ask for, but yeah. Quite the big ask for a car with halogen turn signals.
3d_extra@reddit
I feel a KIA K9 would be stealth wealth. Styling looks like a basic KIA or maybe worse. Still about 70k. Not sure if this is just KDM though.
Beneficial-Focus3702@reddit
Mercedes The G55.
Looks like a slightly fancier jeep type vehicle. But they’re dumb expensive.
MentalMiilk@reddit (OP)
I've witnessed someone calling a G63 a Jeep before. Hard to keep a straight face through that one.
SingleDigitVoter@reddit
I just want someone to remake the Lancia Delta and sell the damn thing in the US.
MentalMiilk@reddit (OP)
How much money have you got?
NotFastEnoughYet@reddit
I find I'm increasingly growing to hate the word "classy" in most contexts. I'm noticing people just use the word "classy" to describe rather boring things that are to their tastes. "I would never buy a pink or green car -- only the classy whites, greys, and blacks for me". (Legit saw that earlier)
Large grills and [maybe excessive] badging are subjective aesthetic choices. There's no rule about what class of people are allowed to enjoy them. Also, I don't think it was ever remotely difficult to spot an Aston Martin, even if sometimes it was hard to distinguish them from some Jags.
That said, I think the general concept of stealth wealth is mostly the same. I don't think most people not in the know are looking twice at a Mercedes or Lexus SUV/sedan or even RS Audi SUV, even if they have one or two more badges than they used to.
MentalMiilk@reddit (OP)
I should have phrased it better—I was trying to siumplify the idea of the sort of car where you admire the kind of person who drives it rather than deride them for being an image-obsessed twat. Many cars blur that line, few fall cleanly on one side or the other.
I love cars in actual colors instead of just greyscale—come to think of it, that's a decent tell as well. Most higher-end cars in actual colors were probably custom ordered rather than just bought off the lot.
HankSteakfist@reddit
Ineos
MentalMiilk@reddit (OP)
Ineos is a fantastic answer. Most people have no idea what it is (assuming it's an old Jeep or Land Rover), let alone how much they are. Excellent choice.
SkiMWV@reddit
This. I'm surprised more people haven't picked up on. That's what makes it so stealth.
blipsman@reddit
I’d say Volvo, high trims of Tahoes/Suburbans/Expeditions
The_Safe_For_Work@reddit
Toyota Landcruiser or Lexus LS430.
High quality cars, not much "flash".
MentalMiilk@reddit (OP)
The new Land Cruiser isn't nearly as upper-shelf as it was (being a Prado instead of the full-fat LC), but that's true enough for older ones.
GasManMatt123@reddit
Lexus is a known luxury marque which immediately excludes them, but early LX's can be rebadged and just look like a 1/200 series.
Ok-Carpenter-8455@reddit
Any fully loaded full size SUV. You're not going to any brand new ones for under $90k.
MentalMiilk@reddit (OP)
Those full size SUV's are just so...in your face though. They're *massive*. I agree they're more expensive than most think, but I have a hard time calling them "stealthy".
Camshaft115@reddit
200 series land cruiser
MentalMiilk@reddit (OP)
Ol' faithful. I was thinking more along the lines of new cars when I posted this, but I suppose a Land Cruiser in immaculate condition is as big a tell as it ever was.
GasManMatt123@reddit
It seems no one else here knows what stealth wealth is, but the 200 series is and probably always will be, the stealth wealth vehicle of choice.
Namaste1994@reddit
Looked way to far down to see this
Rebellious_Rabbit@reddit
I don’t know if this is really the answer you’re looking for but Lincoln’s tend to be waaaay more expensive than I think most people think they are. The 2025 Navigator starts at $99,995.
I wouldn’t care one bit about seeing drive down the road but there’s a good chance the person driving has some coin.
MentalMiilk@reddit (OP)
It'd be a lot stealthier if it wasn't the size of a small apartment building, but a good example regardless.
HeftyAd6216@reddit
If only the navigator wasn't still a 1997 expedition with different trim on it
WetChickenLips@reddit
Is it? What parts does it share with a 1997 expedition?
Mojave_Idiot@reddit
It’s an insubstantial drive by shit take.
Armored_Guardian@reddit
The r/cars classic
2ndprize@reddit
Every part you can't see?
jpw33831@reddit
Ehhhh they’ve come a long way from simple up-badging. While yes, they’re both built on the same underpinnings, they become fairly distinct vehicles once you spend some time with them. Interior layout/features, NVH levels, and driving characteristics were pretty different between the two in my experience.
Rebellious_Rabbit@reddit
Hey never said it was a smart buy 😂
HeftyAd6216@reddit
Haha, they're hella comfy though. But fucked if I buy a car in my 30s so I can make my drive as boring as possible so I hate having to drive even more.
Lord_Ka1n@reddit
Stealth wealth is a regular car that you paid cash for.
Complaint_Manager@reddit
Maybe not the car for the modern market, but there are rigs that cost more than you'd think running around.
LexKing89@reddit
Usually the big Toyota SUV's like the 4Runner, Sequoia, FJ Cruiser, and Land Cruiser.
I've known a lot of wealthy people that drove those along with older Lexus LX's and GX's. If it's in really good shape they usually have money and genuinely love the car from my experience.
xqk13@reddit
Toyota Avalon and the new Crown signia are pretty low profile, but they may not be “wealth” depending on how you define wealth since they are “only” 40-50k
MrIncredible222@reddit
/cars has this thread every three days, I swear. It’s two parts people jacking themselves off thinking “some rich guy also drives an old Camry/Accord, so I’m smart/people think I’m wealthy”, and one part “I met one rich person once so what he drives is the same as what every rich guy drives.”
I live in a very nice part of Chicago, and I grew up in old money New England and then Philly (Main Line). Know what every single rich person had? A medium to XXL SUV. Grand Cherokee, Tahoe, X5, Suburban, Escalade, Sequoia, whatever. Every single wealthy person I’ve ever known has had one. The second car varies widely. Maybe they commute by train and their train station car is a Toyota or Honda. Maybe they had a nice 5-series or E-class. Maybe they were more frugal and went Lexus or Acura. Maybe even a sports car like a 911. Or a pickup (not common in my parts of the world, but certainly in others). All over the map.
But every single one had a medium/large SUV in the family. Is that “stealth”? I dunno. Who cares. But in my experience it’s near universal.
LilKatMariko@reddit
Lexus LC is the ultimate stealth wealth car IMO
The1eternal1@reddit
You could always rent a warehouse and store 100 NA miatas in it if you wanna have stealth wealth
Dark-matterz@reddit
Landrover is pretty low key with their badges.
Shrikecorp@reddit
Audi A8, even S8, garner about zero notice on the roads.
3d_photon@reddit
Explorer st. Amazingly well built and it's American. 400 hp AWD.
OtterCreek_Andrew@reddit
That’s how I look at most new Toyota and Lexus stuff. Shits crazy expensive
DookieMcDookface@reddit
Landcruiser/LX. Overbuilt but it has an unassuming presence stock. Not flashy but also not cheap. OEM parts are expensive but should last for decades. Joe Blow can’t tell the difference between a LC or a Sequoia but those who know… know.
skooma_consuma@reddit
Subaru Outback
K1net3k@reddit
Bro, if you measure wealth by car you need to get back to work.
executingsalesdaily@reddit
Lexus is sort of stealth wealth.
Honda definitely is and Jeep wranglers as well.
easyice_@reddit
Tons of Hondas in lower income areas.
executingsalesdaily@reddit
I do not dispute that. However, I know tons of well off people who drive Hondas.
easyice_@reddit
Perhaps but that’s not really what stealth wealth means. No one is looking at your friends driving Honda’s and thinking “wow that guy/gal must be super rich”
executingsalesdaily@reddit
The point of stealth wealth to not be noticed? It is for you not them. For example, you would have zero clue if I was wearing a Loro Piana sweater or a banana republic sweater.
withsexyresults@reddit
Pretty sure you have it right
executingsalesdaily@reddit
I am in my understanding of it. However, I like to learn other people’s perspectives
easyice_@reddit
Ah I stand corrected. I think I had it backwards. Learned something new!
FELiPES101@reddit
M5 in silver/white/black is still under the radar
MarkVII88@reddit
Volvo, Polestar, Audi, Acura.
ikilledtupac@reddit
Semi truck.
moonRekt@reddit
I’m going to also echo Volvo. “For the consumer who is wealthy and ashamed of it”. They’ve always been meant for the understated customer, they’ve historically focused their brand around safety and features than performance or prestige, but yes they’ll happily take the $$ from those who would otherwise be in a Benz or so but think they are too gaudy.
As far as modern, I’m going to say Lucid. It’s a small brand assuming it survives but it similarly is going to be an alternative to somebody who would rather not be in a Tesla or high $$ Cadillac, the new Gravity people say looks like a minivan (good I say)—except similar to Volvo it serves a consumer ready to drop $100k, 3 some second 0-60 is plenty fast but not something people are going to be shouting about like a Tesla (again, personally I’d never buy a Tesla due to all the insufferable people affiliated with the brand) and people will happily pay for something that has space of an Escalade convenience of a Tesla but stigma of neither brand
Much_Literature1435@reddit
Mazda
Much_Literature1435@reddit
Or genesis
Makeitquick666@reddit
basically everyone knows an expensive car when they see one, even my mom, who promptly declares that she felt no difference sitting in my pop’s LC, my 408, or the taxis that she took to work.
I think you meant discreet, as it, not shouting about how rich the drivers are. In that case Volvo?
Some miot builds can also be deceptively expensive :)
Far_Journalist8110@reddit
Chevy Tahoe
mgobla@reddit
Lucid
Toyota Crown
Hyundai Ioniq9 / Kia EV9
NorCalAthlete@reddit
Anything Volvo
Kia telluride
Equivalent-Oil9824@reddit
Genesis
OhJeezer@reddit
Jeep Grand Wagoneer
SergeantBacon101@reddit
Stealth wealth cars are 5-10 year old cars that are perfectly maintained and kept clean. But if you are talking new, a nicely optioned Subaru, Toyota, Ford, etc fits the bill. Probably not a flashy high end trim, but something just shy of that with all the tech and features.
InfiniteInevitable75@reddit
The wealthiest people I know drive 10+ year old Outbacks.
RogerBond100@reddit
Audi S8
HeadHot4286@reddit
omg that sounds terrible. what year was it??
chipper124@reddit
NB Miata
granolaraisin@reddit
Toyota fucking Avalon.
Mantis_Toboggan_M_D_@reddit
Red_sparow@reddit
Any immaculate old car.
1980s car that looks factory fresh? That's someone with both time and money available to them.
Steroid_Cyborg@reddit
Stealth wealth is probably not blowing your money on unreliable cars. So something Japanese that's nice?
daveinthe6@reddit
Any car not on payments.
Mr_TheMagpie@reddit
Id argue Mazda as one of the newer stealth wealth cars. I am a fairly biased, but good example. I just sold my 2009 Acura RL for a 2025 Mazda 3HB with the stick. It has every feature the acura had except ac seats, awd (its optional on the auto), and rear automatic shade. I paid 33k for my car before trade in.
Oo__II__oO@reddit
Any 4-door passenger vehicle that leverages the engine/drivetrain of a full-blooded sports car or prestige touring car.
For example, the Audi RS6. Ridiculous performance in an unassuming wagon package. It's the same V8 engine family as used in Porsche and Bentley, but sold and serviced at the same place that provides entry-level A3 sedans.
China_bot42069@reddit
Trucks lol
brazucadomundo@reddit
In the Silicon Valley it is a Camry or a RAV4.
star_trek_lover@reddit
The VW arteon is stealth wealth. Looks like a passat but has the interior, chassis, tech, and price of an Audi. Which is also why it was discontinued.
FitzwilliamTDarcy@reddit
Lucid
kon---@reddit
Morgan
gt500rr@reddit
Depends on the version, but yes to most non car people it's just an "old car" without context.
MACFRYYY@reddit
New Land Cruiser 70's
Still-a-VWfan@reddit
It’s called any new car. They’re all so expensive only the wealthy can afford to even get one.
2ndprize@reddit
No shit. I just went from a 2019 expedition to a new one. The only real difference is the devastating increase in price.
Corvus717@reddit
Definitely Volvo . My wife has a new fully loaded XC60 and I was driving a very used 2016 Audi Q5 base model and I was getting comments like money bags and ohh look at the fancy car , wife’s car they know it is good but nobody really bats an eye .
saints21@reddit
Actual stealth is going to be something like a custom built Range Rover. Most people don't even realize the Defenders go for as much as they do. Those things can get north of $200k. Meanwhile everyone is well aware new Volvos, Sierras, and Yukons are expensive.
p3dal@reddit
Honestly the F150 feels like stealth wealth to me these days. Most people don’t realize how many of them have a 6-figure price tag.
Shmokesshweed@reddit
In Canadian Monopoly dollars? 99% of them are not 100k or over.
2ndprize@reddit
Plenty over 100. But an absolute ton of them over 80
p3dal@reddit
I was looking at some 2 year old used raptors just yesterday that were still over 120k.
Shmokesshweed@reddit
Yeah, there's some insane pricing on certain units for sure. The MSRP is quite a bit higher than sales price, outside of the Raptor and Raptor R. The Lariat you can probably get 5-12k off pretty easy.
topTopqualitea@reddit
I always see these big trucks and assume it's someone spending beyond their means because they just had to have the biggest truck available.
timbotheny26@reddit
Mazdas are really nice for their price point. I'd consider them stealth wealth models, especially if you're going for a higher trim.
JSKindaGuy@reddit
Toyota Sequoia , dealer maintained that you can see shitty wash jobs but with new tires shinier than the paint
MCMLIXXIX@reddit
Anything 10+ years old that's immaculately maintained
easyice_@reddit
I think any of the newer Lexus’ with the V8 motor could be included here. Sure Lexus is already known as an upmarket brand. But only those with deeper pockets can afford the gas required for those V8 models (LC, RCF, IS500)
jayffc1220@reddit
don’t see many of them anymore(for obvious reasons), but the vw phaeton was/is the ultimate stealth wealth car.
obbob@reddit
Lexus is still a stealth wealth brand. Others would be Volvo. Stealth wealth doesn’t mean that you’re driving in a beat up cheap car while your net worth is massive, that’s pretending to be poor, which is another level of discretion. Stealth wealth is more along the lines of presenting your self as not flashy, but still dignified, and attention to quality that is felt but not seen. Ie, it’s buying Loro piana plain shirts, not wearing only goodwill.
Ro1Rex@reddit
The real answer would be something like a Ruf. To 99% it’s just another 911, a car that’s premium but not obnoxious. To the real connoisseurs it’s a masterpiece.
krabbypat@reddit
If you think about it, any econo Toyota can be considered as such. You blend in with every one around you and you're rich enough to not care about the car since you can basically buy a new one on a whim.
scottyf_ct@reddit
Genesis G90 Audi S8 Toyota Landcruiser
Senior_Ad282@reddit
Used to be almost every Land Cruiser. But after owning and restoring a 100 series over the last few years I am anything but wealthy.
STERFRY333@reddit
Older model Volvo
ocapmycapp@reddit
The Volvo with a Cervelo S5 on the rack.
jellyrolls@reddit
The answer is always a Toyota Corolla.
srcorvettez06@reddit
If we’re talking new cars, Volvo. Classy reserved exterior, incredibly comfortable and luxurious, Scandinavian minimalism. We as automotive enthusiasts know about Volvo but it wouldn’t catch the average person’s eye.
SufficientTill3399@reddit
While we don't have any entire brands primarily targeted at stealth wealth, we do have specific model ranges and/or configs from mainstream manufacturers that the stealth wealth crowd could find appealing. Some examples (USA/Canada-specific):
SunnySTX@reddit
I love my Cadillac!
M3Core@reddit
I think Cadillac is a good answer.
Like a CT5-V Blackwing. The vast majority of people couldn't pick out that 3.4sec 0-60 700hp monster out of a lineup of new sedans.
SunnySTX@reddit
That's what I drive hahaha!
M3Core@reddit
Nailed it!
SunnySTX@reddit
I don't have any CF packages so I'm stealth except for the tires and the sound!
losteye_enthusiast@reddit
A newer Mazda Miata. Sure, it could be someone who’s single and that’s their only car, that they may or may not be financed deep on.
More often than not it’s a person who’s 35+, with the Miata being their weekend car. And once you can realistically afford an extra car, you’re likely wealthier than 90% of the people you’ll meet.
orangutanDOTorg@reddit
People here with real money drive pickups. Tacomas or F series Fords. People who just have high income drive the flashy stuff.
jdubs952@reddit
The answer is always Mercedes Benz e class
eric_gm@reddit
Because nothing says stealth like a Mercedes Benz. WTF
jdubs952@reddit
Mercedes highest net worth clients buy e class wagons
Fit_Equivalent3610@reddit
An E Class sedan or wagon says "I am a pharmacist or middle management or some shit", not "I am a hedge fund manager". It's all relative.
I don't agree with them because the average person probably thinks anyone in an A Class is rich, but in some circles an E Class is absolutely a stealthy option.
eric_gm@reddit
You’re confusing stealth wealth with understated wealth.
Mercedes is basically the car synonym of wealth
Technical-Low-3051@reddit
I second the comments about many wealthy people driving older cars. Partly it's because most of these people pay cash and are attuned to the silliness of outlaying a lot of cash to replace something they already have. By contrast, there are plenty of people leasing / financing $150k cars who would desperately struggle to come up with $150k in cash on short notice.
Sir_Sir_ExcuseMe_Sir@reddit
On Cape Cod right now: 4Runner, Benz wagon, Volvo, classic Land Rovers, and maybe the new Toyota Crown Signia
The WEALTHIEST I see here drive Audi Q5, maybe BMW X5
MattTheMechan1c@reddit
Volvo is a huge one. Always see them parked in the driveways of multi million dollar houses or by lakeside cabins. And it’s usually an XC90 in white, or an XC70 in maroon.
hkhunterkiller1984@reddit
A brand new 7 series BMW just looks like any old BMW to most people, but they are super expensive.
guy_incognito784@reddit
I’d argue the current gen 7 Series looks very unique for better or for worse and looks massive.
Itsallaboutsatellies@reddit
Genesis. Better vehicles than most of the "wealth" status vehicles and relatively inexpensive.
andrewia@reddit
They're very nicely appointed and the brand doesn't have prestige, but the giant grilles aren't particularly stealthy. The only exception might be a new G90, which people wouldn't expect to be directly comparable to an S-Class.
daxelkurtz@reddit
A friend's dad is very wealthy. He tracks a 458 Italia, weekends an M505 Slantnose, and occasionally rolls up to the country club in a DB4 GT.
He dailies a Flex.
Motohvayshun@reddit
Live in Potomac Maryland.
GM full bodies rule the roost, then BMW/Merc, thenRange Rovers and Porsche SUVs.
The biggest houses always have Suburbans or Denalis.
guy_incognito784@reddit
Student Driver Be Patient stickers on all of them.
ieatredcrayons_@reddit
Volvo s90 inscription
Salsalito_Turkey@reddit
The Tahoe/Yukon is your answer. The top-level trims are ridiculously expensive and luxurious, but they're just a plain old full-size SUV on the outside.
Sweet-Gushin-Gilfs@reddit
Acura. If you get the integra, only architects will know what you have.
HippocratesII_of_Kos@reddit
An older Range Rover Defender, especially if it’s diesel. To me, that’s stealth wealth. Most people would just think they’re just random old cars. However, ones in decent condition go for $100k+ around me. Plus, if someone drives that, you can assume it’s because they have options.
rather_be_redditing@reddit
Toyota crown and crown signia. They’re all over in the old money suburbs.
phxbimmer@reddit
Loaded Ford/GMC/Ram trucks, rich people love buying those and pretending like they work for their money.
CarobAffectionate582@reddit
Pre- “Predator Grille” Lexus. E.g., 2015 and earlier models.
Great cars, well built (better than new ones in fact), not hideously screaming for attention.
norcalnatv@reddit
r/GMAT33
Old-Significance4921@reddit
Toyota Highlander
ThrowthisawayPA@reddit
200 series LC
ThrowthisawayPA@reddit
E class estate! I have one and msrp was 77 and it’s not even fully optioned.
cloudofevil@reddit
I've noticed in local wealthy neighborhoods there's a lot of Toyota and Lexus SUV's. Also tend to see a bunch of BMW and GM SUV's. There's a lot of other expensive cars but it's surprising how many Toyota/Lexus body on frame SUV's (often older) I see in driveways.
Kavani18@reddit
GMC Yukons and GMC in general
deleted_by_reddit@reddit
[removed]
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duqx@reddit
huh???
Koraboros@reddit
stealth wealth is a 20 year old Corolla
Wealth is also relative. Any car over 200k is going to look gaudy. Sub 100k you have brands like Audi and Volvo which are still fairly understated.
StrangeSmellz@reddit
Till I was rich when I was 16
Slowhands12@reddit
Model S plaid? Looks like any other Tesla sedan from more than 10 feet away.