Purpose of PvP?

I've been playing on and off for years and am around level 480. I used to do PvP occasionally and never got anything from it. Now I have people appear off radar and blow me up with oppressor MK2s, and borderline invulnerable cars. Do those people even gain anything? Or like, what? It doesn't make much sense to me since killing players and having a positive K/D didn't really do anything. Did they change it? Should I be researching the newest PvP meta and join in the toxicity? Or just stay in invite only sessions and keep grinding?