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My wife who knows nothing about cars (your average person), thinks that Corvettes are what old men drive. She thinks the GTR is no different than an Eclipse/Integra/Celica etc and is totally shocked when I tell her the price. She thinks neither cars are expensive or prestigious looking. In her opinion, she considers Mercedes, BMW, Lexus, etc. as prestigious.
The only people that can appreciate a vette or GTR are car guys like us... regular people not so much.
The other day I was walking with my wife and pointed at a GTR, asking her if she'd like "one of those", she said the GTR looks like it's trying too hard and she would rather purchase a Ford Focus. I had to pause for a moment, both perplexed and proud.
The other day I was walking with my wife and pointed at a GTR, asking her if she'd like "one of those", she said the GTR looks like it's trying too hard and she would rather purchase a Ford Focus. I had to pause for a moment, both perplexed and proud.
Something tells me those folks buy Bugattis to impress a very specific niche of people, and we are not in that niche to the effort falls flat. Then again, the same could be said for the tail-chasing 30k millionaire.
Something tells me those folks buy Bugattis to impress a very specific niche of people, and we are not in that niche to the effort falls flat. Then again, the same could be said for the tail-chasing 30k millionaire.
Not talking about people who buy Bugatti, but the car itself and more specially the designers, etc. Of course I think it's a butt ugly car so I'm biased.
Here at the beach you'd be crazy to drive any of those as everyone else with a beater will beat it to death with door dings. If just a cruiser car I'd rather have something like a T-bucket hot rod. Back in the day the only way the Mrs. drove the Porsche to work was when she had a private parking spot in a garage and only if she knew who was parking next to her. So it was protected all day and had a car cover.
You're crazy to park a nice car in public parking. I see Ferraris and such in Delmar in the lot and just SMH.
But, this is the land of million dollar homes. Anyone can sell their house here, move about anywhere else and "afford" a car worth a few hundred thousand easy.
If you're in a stripped Hyundai Accent struggling to make the car payments, a $65,000 car that is usually a garage queen second car for summer use is certainly an expensive, prestigious car.
Quote:
Originally Posted by M3 Mitch
Well only an idiot drives his good car in the winter where you are. Part of why I only stayed a short time in Iowa, in the rust belt you have to drive a disposable junker at least 1/4 of the year. For a real car guy, that's like making a deal with the Devil in exchange for say 15 years of one's life. No thanks!
My garage queen is an 88 M3, bought for about $10K around 2002, and now worth about $40K, with me only doing normal maintenance. Not 100% original, just over 100K miles, but in decent shape, presentable. It will be worth $65K soon enough.
My point is that "prestige" is in the eye of the beholder. The median wage in the United States is only about $30K. A $65,000 2017 Corvette is ridiculously beyond the reach of that median person. I'm not talking about self-designated "car guys". That median person is going to look at that car as a reflection of wealth they don't have. They can barely handle the car payment and insurance on their Hyundai Accent.
The fact that a Corvette would be invisible in all of the top-100 wealthiest zip codes or that some group of self-appointed "car guys" sneer at it doesn't change the fact that any $65,000 car projects wealth and income that median $30,000/year Joe doesn't have. Is some physician or investment banker making $500K+ with $10 million net worth going to think a Corvette is prestigious? No.
Speed around the track is not necessarily a sign of handling and grace, the corvette accomplishes those numbers mostly on it's superior engine and so-so (for a sports car) handling.
Once again we can see that a smaller car with "bigger HP" rules the day. Even though these are different model years, I am pretty sure this is still true of the current editions. As I said, I think the Corvette is too big for it's own good.
Your mechanically connected driver's car dream has been on the ropes for awhile. Everything is throttle by wire, tiptronic, electric steering, and electronically controlled braking and handling with electronic limited slip differentials.
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Part of why I only stayed a short time in Iowa, in the rust belt you have to drive a disposable junker at least 1/4 of the year. For a real car guy, that's like making a deal with the Devil in exchange for say 15 years of one's life. 
No thanks! 
Not 100% original, just over 100K miles, but in decent shape, presentable. It will be worth $65K soon enough. 
