Vintage luxury is still luxury, dammit

I was contemplating my inevitable acquisition of a certain late '80s model Mercedes 560 SEL. Currently in the possession of my wife's grandparents, sooner or later it will go to me either by bequest when they pass on or deed of gift when they can no longer drive. It's been meticulously maintained, garage-kept, and is in nearly new condition. Its original MSRP was about $72,000, the equivalent of $119,000 in 2009. Think about that a moment—back in 1989 or 1990, to be seen driving one of those would have made quite the impression. It was probably purchased after endless nagging by Granny, the real-world equivalent of Hyacinth Bucket (pronounced BOO-KAY!).

Thanks to the sad reality of depreciation, today the car is probably worth around $6,000, fueling the public's perception of old luxury cars as a poor man's ride. The masses have no appreciation for historical context; in 1989, that car was top-of-the-line. It may not have an in-dash GPS system or a rear view camera, but damned if it ain't still a smooth, luxurious ride.

It upsets me that we have this widespread negative sentiment toward older luxury vehicles. Thanks to marketing firms' well-honed aptitude for manipulating the feeble mind of the average American, the general population has been brainwashed into believing that old=inferior. An old luxury car is still a luxury car! I shouldn't be too surprised, I suppose, given that we treat elderly people in this country the same way we treat old cars. Toss 'em on the heap when they're no longer new and exciting. It's time we start giving old luxury cars the same respect and admiration they got when they were being touted as the hot item of the year by those same marketing sleazebags.