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I dont understand the mentality either. If you drive through Maryvale here in Phoenix, a notoriously poor neighborhood, you will see chromed out Tahoes and Suburbans parked in the driveways of some really POS houses. Cant understand it.
If people want to waste their money that's fine with me.
Most people who are poor and drive large old SUVs/trucks/cars aren't financially savvy enough to figure out how much money they are wasting. It's a vicious cycle of bad financial decisions.
My brother-in law constantly b^t%$es about money. He always hits my wife up for money. He owns a derelict 90s Suburban that he uses for parts to fix his other 90s Suburban, that he "bought" with a $4000 on a loan at 12% interest for 60 months (I didn't even know it was possible) after the first one needed over 2k in repairs. He lives with his parents and commutes everyday for 45 minutes to an hour. Gas is $4/gal and fill-ups are $120 bucks/week. On top of this he dips and smokes and hangs out at bars on weekends playing video poker and won't come clean about how much he spends on that. So in my estimation he pisses away $700+ mo of a meager paycheck to drive that vehicle and smoke and dip and drink. I honestly could not give two slimy wet F*%&s about what he does with his money if it only affected him, but affects the whole family and especially his child.
The point to me telling you this is that it simply boils down to not being educated enough to make smart decisions about money. The thought process goes like this: "I want this, so I am going to buy it because I work hard and I deserve it and I'll think of the ramifications and consequences later when its already too late.... and if anyone tells me I make bad decisions I'll just make up some sort of counterproductive argument about freedom of choice and minding your business rather than actually fixing what is wrong with my finances or decision making processes." I understand the mentality because I was headed down that road in my teens and early 20s. Luckily, I never got too stupid before someone slapped me in the face and educated me.
If you are comfortable in your finances drive whatever you want. If you are poor and your relatives are giving you money shame on you and your bad decisions screwing over other people.
"I can probably get some money from my parents." -Should say no one over the age of 22, EVER!
The premise of the thread is generally sound but..
For the record, I generally see very nice cars out in front of Walmart here in Portland. Walmart does not equal poor here anymore than Starbucks or Prius means well to do. I know many people with 2007-2010 Prius that don't have a pot to **** in or a window to throw it out of and I and some of my cohorts make good money and a drive ragged A to B cars... So it's less painful when our wives demand new SUVs or BMWs. "I need to find the crappiest cheapest but mechanically sound A to B car to offset my wife's desire for a newer car. You can't judge whether someone is poor by the car they drive or the places they hang out.
Some of those people outside Walmart with 90's suburbans could be millionaires. I find most lower middle class people are the ones who try to appear like they are doing the best. The leased 3 series or prius or whatever, the $1800/mo town house in a up and coming neighborhood. It says to me "Look at how well we APPEAR to be doing!".......All thanks to Chase or Capital One.
The nearest Walmart to us is in Bellevue, WA and there are two there. On both cases, they share a parking lot with Starbucks, among other stores. This is a city with a median family income of over $100,000 and home price $600k. I see people grab a Starbucks and drink it while shopping at Walmart.
There are few Prius, mostly SUVs, Lexus/Mercedes/BMW and an occasional Tesla or even Ferrari.
You really can't generalize and stereotype income/cars/shopping preference, beyond your own area.
Even people with plenty of money will shop at Walmart to save and keep more of it.
^This.
I live in an area which has a Walmart, BJ's, Ethan Allen, and Starbucks in a row. We have a billionaire, millionaires, and a lot of very comfortable white collar professionals. You're as likely to see a pick up, SUV, BMW or other luxury car as you would an ecofriendly smug mobile.
I'll drive what I chose based upon what works best for me, much to the chagrin of some Prius driving, latte-sipping, judgemental type. If they can develop an ecofriendly smug mobile which can handle a road in mud season and will fit my family, dogs, gear, while towing a trailer, we'll talk.
I'll just restate what I've said here before, one of the more common questions a truck owner hears from those "smart" people who drive the latest little bitty socially conscious car is "Hey, doing anything Saturday? I need to pick up _______ at ________ and thought I could borrow your truck.".
I'll just restate what I've said here before, one of the more common questions a truck owner hears from those "smart" people who drive the latest little bitty socially conscious car is "Hey, doing anything Saturday? I need to pick up _______ at ________ and thought I could borrow your truck.".
Whenever I briefly contemplate purchasing a compact car, I always figure the number of truck rentals I'd have to make a month into the price computation.
However, I do think a luxury SUV like an Escalade is not the best choice for any purpose. It's not the best choice for people moving, cargo hauling, safety, off-roading, individual comfort, or even ostentatiousness. But each to his own.
Have you ever considered that those "poor people" as you call them who you claim are driving large SUV's and trucks are paying more in road fuel taxes so that you elitist types can drive your little econo-box hybrid on a nice, smooth road?
You elitist liberals are the ones not paying your fair share!
Apparently, you don't know much about simple physics. The heavier the vehicle, the harder it is on roadways, not to mention pollution. Obviously less educated people are going to drive giant SUVs and empty pickups, because they are not advanced vehicles. These large vehicles are in 70's mode.
I stick by my original statement. It isn't about poor, it is more about education. The example given was Trader Joe's, which is actually a reasonably priced place to shop with great quality in comparison to Walmart and McDonalds. You will see the overweight poorer people at the Walmarts and McDonalds. Of course these are general observations and like most statistics, they don't mean ALL poor, or ALL educated, or ALL anything. Just MORE, not ALL.
Oh and when you call someone a name like, "elitist liberal", do you think that strengthens your argument and makes you sound intelligent?
Apparently, you don't know much about simple physics. The heavier the vehicle, the harder it is on roadways, not to mention pollution. Obviously less educated people are going to drive giant SUVs and empty pickups, because they are not advanced vehicles. These large vehicles are in 70's mode.
I stick by my original statement. It isn't about poor, it is more about education. The example given was Trader Joe's, which is actually a reasonably priced place to shop with great quality in comparison to Walmart and McDonalds. You will see the overweight poorer people at the Walmarts and McDonalds. Of course these are general observations and like most statistics, they don't mean ALL poor, or ALL educated, or ALL anything. Just MORE, not ALL.
Oh and when you call someone a name like, "elitist liberal", do you think that strengthens your argument and makes you sound intelligent?
Have you ever personally owned a 2000 and up Mid-full size PU tuck or Mid-full size SUV since most people that buy them tend to miss their capability and utility when they trade them in.
alot of people after a few years tens to trade in their new(er) Compact & Mid-size cars in for a new or late model PU/SUV one or end up buying a second-hand one to have as a second/third vehicle.
Since they are very nice to have when you do need a vehicle with their capabilities to tow & haul as well as the large amount of cargo room the SUV and PU provide they are an indispensable vehicle in that role.
Apparently, you don't know much about simple physics. The heavier the vehicle, the harder it is on roadways, not to mention pollution. Obviously less educated people are going to drive giant SUVs and empty pickups, because they are not advanced vehicles. These large vehicles are in 70's mode.
I suspect most new "giant SUV" purchases--the purchases that influence manufacturers and put these vehicles first on the roads--are by people who are making a pretty penny and have high levels of education and training. Poor people or uneducated people don't make up the majority of people walking into new car showrooms and walking out with Escalade keys.
Quote:
I stick by my original statement. It isn't about poor, it is more about education. The example given was Trader Joe's, which is actually a reasonably priced place to shop with great quality in comparison to Walmart and McDonalds. You will see the overweight poorer people at the Walmarts and McDonalds. Of course these are general observations and like most statistics, they don't mean ALL poor, or ALL educated, or ALL anything. Just MORE, not ALL.
Trader Joes does not, however, carry motor oil or sell disposable diapers at one in the morning.
Nor are there many Trader Joe's in poor neighborhoods. I'm in a middle class neighborhood, and there are four Wal-Marts closer to me than the nearest Trader Joe or Whole Foods. It's been noted earlier that a really smart poor person would depend on public transportation rather than a personal vehicle--but that makes going to a Trader Joe prohibitively difficult.
When I drove down to Walmart or swing by McDonalds all I see is big SUVs, trucks, and more big cars.
LOL I was at WalMart this morning in East Stroudsburg, PA and I saw a Rolls-Royce or Bentley (I saw the grille but not the nameplate) parked in a handicapped space there.
Maybe the OP's theory is correct and the guy was poor, since Rolls-Royce are notorious gas guzzlers.
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