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Wait...so you're chastising people for owning a nice vehicle because of conspicuous consumption but then go on to say you simply put car payments toward your retirement? The pot is calling the kettle black...
How does saving 30% of your income for YOUR retirement show concern and empathy for the less fortunate? Likewise how is that NOT living in your own bubble because you're just as "guilty" for being concerned only with your financial well being.
Don't you understand the rules? Anything I choose to do with my money is perfectly fine and everyone should do the same thing. Anything someone else chooses that isn't the same is evil.
I see these behemoth gas guzzlers on the road and often wonder if those people driving them ever thought for a second about reducing their consumption , but then I realized I live in America, the land of consumption and concern only for oneself. I think someone feeling guilty about having a nice car shows you have concern and empathy for the less fortunate, and that is an admirable trait, one that is not shared by many low information, selfish and oblivious Americans who live in their own bubble.
That said, drive what you want. If you join the ranks of those only concerned with themselves, you join the majority. I find it is nice to be different for a multitude of reasons. My car is a super clean 1986 Oldsmobile Delta 88 with 135K on it, and a 1994 Chevy pickup with 206K on it, also super clean. I could afford brand new but skip car payments and put 30% of my income into my 401K.
I enjoy older cars... my daily driver is an immaculate 91 Silverado Pickup.
Living in California, I have heard more than a few times why I shouldn't be driving a truck to work... just goes to show everyone has an opinion.
The list of Hybrids at work continues to grow with a couple of all electric Leafs thrown in...
Now... if I were of the opinionated type... I could lecture them on the environmental problems of batteries and the rare earth resources needed for their production...
Lots of people treat cars like they're some type of commodity
This is why you shouldn't feel guilty. Most people don't give a rat's butt what you're driving. Many don't really care what they're driving - its a transportation appliance. They have too many other things on their mind as they head down the road to work/school/shopping/whatever.
I'm not saying I'm being rational. But I do harbor a prejudice against people who have to own an expensive foreign car.
What's foreign? My last Chevy was built in Mexico and the Chevy before that was built in Canada. The "German" car I just bought was built in Alabama. So which is the American car and which is the foreign car?
Location: Huntersville/Charlotte, NC and Washington, DC
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I drive a 2008 Honda Accord EX-L V6 in outstanding condition. I'm 24 and a recent grad with a solid FT job when many of my peers are not so lucky.
I feel zero guilt driving around in my car. I worked very hard to get into position to get the car. There is always going to be someone less "blessed" than you. Even the bible says enjoy the fruits of your labor (please do not start a religion discussion here off of that.)
I drive a 2010 BMW 760 LI V-12 sedan. I bled to own that car.
If people don't like the fact that I own it they can go F&#* themselves.
I know what you're saying. I have a Bimmer also, not as new as yours, but still newish and nice looking and it took me a lot of BST to get that car, i know about hard work and what it took to be able to afford something like that.
The list of Hybrids at work continues to grow with a couple of all electric Leafs thrown in...
Now... if I were of the opinionated type... I could lecture them on the environmental problems of batteries and the rare earth resources needed for their production...
One can find justification for their own excesses in a variety of ways, of course, but the reduced/lack of emissions from hybrids are one huge improvement in helping the earth's environment over conventional gasoline and diesel engines. You sound like you work around some pretty smart people.
One can find justification for their own excesses in a variety of ways, of course, but the reduced/lack of emissions from hybrids are one huge improvement in helping the earth's environment over conventional gasoline and diesel engines. You sound like you work around some pretty smart people.
But I digress....
Situational at best...
I choose to live/work where I don't have to commute...
Many of my co-workers left the inner city for the suburbs and didn't take into account an hour or more each way drive time.
If they had stayed in the old neighborhood, like I did, they could almost walk to work or take the bus...
Environmentally and on many accounts, the person driving an old gas guzzler 20 miles a week to and from work could be leaps ahead of someone driving 1200 miles or more a week in the latest hybrid.
Don't forget, a new car has to be built and the old car is already existing... remember, re-purpose/reuse is a cornerstone of the green movement that is often overlooked.
I'm a car person... own about 50 vehicles... many I have lovingly restored over decades... oldest is a 1905 Oldsmobile... I have never felt guilty for owning them.
As a automotive enthusiast is it normal to feel guilty of having a nice car?..
Lots of people treat cars like they're some type of commodity. But being an enthusiast a car for me is like a love story..
Sometimes I get a feeling like I don't deserve all this..
--Weird, any other automobile enthusiast experiences this?
IMHO, you should only feel guilty if you harmed someone by owning the car. You can include yourself in that category of "someone", too. Is there a reason you don't deserve to own the car you do? You didn't have to steal it did you? A nice car should be a thing of joy, not guilt. No matter what sort of car you derive joy from.
The interpretation of "nice" is variable, too. In my area folks are much more likely to drool over a truck than anything with low ground clearance. If you show up in a new F150 folks will be interested. If you show up in a Lotus they will just be confused. They are intrigued by electric cars but what with our electric rates, there is some horror involved as well.
We have a '52 MGTD replica (tupperware) car and it's just sheer fun and for some reason little kids just gravitate towards it and want to stand on the running boards. Since it isn't a "real" car, it's all good and we don't mind. Had it been a "real" MGTD, then we'd have to shoo them off of it and they'd not enjoy it as much. No guilt with them, either, it's all about touching it and if they can get a ride in it they are thrilled and happy. That's what some cars should all be about, don't you think? Other cars are about speed. Other cars are about luxury. It all depends on the car.
But there are other cars here which are just basic transportation. A "commodity" car, if you will. I couldn't even tell you the make or model, they're just basic get in and go to the grocery store cars. They serve a purpose too, unless you wanna pack a bunch of stuff around in your nice car.
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So which is the American car and which is the foreign car?
