[fintstone]

Originally Posted by sugarwood

Complete nonsense.
Buy expensive shoes if you like them, but don't try to justify a Porsche by claiming a basic Honda only lasts 2 years.
I have sub-$100 shoes that have lasted a decade of regular use.

I guess it depends on the shoe and the use (if one can make a cheap one last as long). When I worked in D.C., I typically walked (sometimes ran) between meetings. It was outside (sidewalks) and it was often 2-3 miles between meetings. I had several in a typical day. I wore nice shoes that were not at the extreme far end of expense, but certainly not the cheapest (and I was able to get them on very good sales). I rotated a couple pairs and had to get them resoled every year (for about $30) as I would get holes in the bottoms. I switched to shoes that cost a little more than half as much (tried a couple different brands over time and they lasted about six months (rotating two pair similarly)...and could not be resoled. They never looked as nice as the more expensive ones and they stretched a lot...which tended to make them comfortable, but after a year or so of wearing them, my feet had spread out enough that the nicer shoes were too tight. I have several pairs of fairly expensive, almost unworn shoes of various vintage in my closet where the materials have decomposed (usually the manmade materials in the soles) to the point where I had to throw them away. That has never been the case for more expensive ones...which I have had for much, much longer.

I have found the same was true for a nice suit. Not only does it look a lot nice from day one, but a really nice one will last forever if you take good care of it (it is wise to buy extra trousers). The cheap ones look like a cheap suit their entre life...and generally do not last.

I also think you could make the case that a better quality car is indeed a good investment. It seems to me that most folks keep that nicer car a lot longer and amortize the cost over many more years. I am sure there are super high mileage KIAs and Chevy Citations out there...but I suspect fewer than their sales/popularity (in comparison to higher end cars) might make one expect.