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Not everyone you see driving a nice car is pretenious ; I just wanted to make this post and caution some not to apply a stereotype to ALL people . Regards.
Also, not everyone you see drives a car, period. Some of us live in cities (like, oh, New York, for instance) where one doesn't actually need a car. I have an officially sanctioned drivers license from New York State but--zut alors! Such a terrible consumer!--no car.
Also, not everyone you see drives a car, period. Some of us live in cities (like, oh, New York, for instance) where one doesn't actually need a car. I have an officially sanctioned drivers license from New York State but--zut alors! Such a terrible consumer!--no car.
If you like City life, dont need a car to get around , then i guess its a benefit to you.
I was listening to he Yolanda Adams morning show today while i was running errands. I heard Yolanda say something that got me thinking. She said, "Toyota is a fine car. But what if you bought the Toyota yesterday and got a call from the Mercedes dealership saying your credit was straight and you could get the Mercedes?" That made me think; here was a christian speaker basically saying that you should get a Mercedes if you are blessed enough to afford it. I'm thinking so i'm sinning if i can afford to pay for a Mercedes but choose to stick with my 01 honda accord and use the money i would have to pay for the mercedes for other things such as charity or helping my family or friends out if they fall on hard times?
This aint the only instance where i feel pressure of getting a new car if i have success. My mother and I were having a conversation of what i would do after college. She suggests i buy a new car after graduation. I say i probably own so i can concentrate on paying off college debt. Mom says sometimes its good to reward yourself. I say cant I reward myself by paying off my college debts a couple of years early?
Whenever i see a nice new expensive car i think of a few of things, debt, upkeep, the condition of that person, and security.
- Debt. Whenever i see a Mercedes or BMW, i think how much are the payments running per month? How much is it to insure?
- Upkeep. How much does that car cost to maintain? I've heard of European cars like BMW and Mercedes costing thousands a year to maintain. Its hard enough for me as a college student keeping a 01 Honda accord matained. How is someone making $30k a year gonna maintain a Mercedes?
- Condition of the person. Why did that person buy a BMW or Mercedes? Is it to show off? Is it regional pressure? Is it to give an impression that you've done something great?
- Security. In my neighborhood, upscale cars are vandalized and broken into all the time. Just last week a Lexus SUV got its entire front body stolen off it inside my parking garage. Why would you buying an expensive car if you live in a questionable or bad neighborhood?
I guess it is the materialistic nature of the US. Success is measured in posessions instead of the impact you leave on other people's lives. I think its sad that people will think i'm broke and unsuccessful because i'll see no reason to part with my (hopefully running) 01 honda accord after my college graduation.
Good post.
I went car-free for years after graduating college and paid off all my debt, paid for my wedding and downpayment on first house as a result.
I was 27 when I bought my first new car and it was a Taurus station wagon and our sole vehicle.
At age 30, following a relocation I had to get a second car so I got a new bare bones Corrolla for 12k. (I have a very good job and could have squeezed into a low-end mercedes etc. but I didn't want to be tapped out.)
As luck would have it a couple years later my wife got cancer and co-pays, out of pocket costs etc. tapped a lot of our disposable income but thankfully we had that flexibility in our budget.
At age 38, as a treat to myself after the passing of my wife and with mechanical problems cropping up in my station wagon I purchased two new cars replacing the others that had a combined 20years on them.
I splurged getting a new highlander and a Z06 corvette (although getting incredible deals thats still close to 100k with taxes added in). I paid cash and have my house almost paid off and kids completely set for college so again, not doing anything stupid.
I will have those cars for 10+ years.
My sportscar I drive ALL the time and it has been a really enjoyable treat after a lot of tough years.
I didnt read through all the posts but I know for myself I don't measure success in that way. I know doctors out of med school that get high priced mercedes and BMWs yet they are up to there necks in debt. Then there's the executive driving an old Ford around just because its still running and doesnt see any reason for an upgrade because the Ford suits him just fine.
People that think this way are obviously materialistic in nature as is with the rest of America. Its just like some people look down on those that rent (there was a thread on this a month ago). Paying rent on time is better than being underwater and in forclosure on a mortgage. Again nothing wrong with owning a nice car or having a house but its those that think automatically this person must be rich is caught up in the materialistic world.
Eek, I wouldn't. Not only am I six feet tall, with a 6'4" husband and three tall children, meaning those cars are too dinky for us, but I would worry too much about being hit by a Navigator or Escalade. I agree that a car exists to get from A to B, but it should also help you get there in one piece.
The solution to this problem is to teach people how to drive and if they refuse to learn, get them off the road. About 99% of crashes I have seen are due to people driving like nuts. I don't see the logic in working up to driving a Sherman tank to be safe on the road. Why not get the nutty drivers off the road instead? There are very few 'accidents' on the highways. It's almost always due to driver stupidity.
For instance, someone says, "Oh, I wrecked on icy roads because of the conditions." No! You wrecked because you didn't do what you were supposed to do on icy roads... SLOW DOWN. Works every time. Black ice on the road? Slow down. A snowy day? Slow down. Heavy rain? Slow down.
It doesn't really matter to me what anybody drives, as long as they drive responsibly. As for small cars vs. big: I don't care. If you feel your money is better spent on a semi-truck-sized rig than on something else, whatever floats you boat. I just have different preferences for ways to spend money. That's the beauty of freedom.
Well, some of us drive a lot! 30K miles a year is not uncommon.
And, I love to drive. My vehicles are part of the fun of driving. They are not merely to get from A to B. They are to make the day more enjoyable.
And, they do.
One of the main reasons I drive a small car is because I drive a lot, frequent long distances. Several years back I had a bigger truck (not a behemoth, but mid-sized). The gas was chewing me up. I now have a small Ford ZX2 with 5 spd. It is way more fun to drive, goes up the inclines without even bogging down like my V6 truck did, and gets over twice the gas mileage. If I drive it to optimize gas mileage, I have gotten close to 40 mpg. Works for me.
If you like City life, dont need a car to get around , then i guess its a benefit to you.
I've been trying to figure a way to live in a rural area without the need for a car or truck--or at least hardly ever needing it. So far all I've come up with is becoming Amish...
One of the main reasons I drive a small car is because I drive a lot, frequent long distances. Several years back I had a bigger truck (not a behemoth, but mid-sized). The gas was chewing me up. I now have a small Ford ZX2 with 5 spd. It is way more fun to drive, goes up the inclines without even bogging down like my V6 truck did, and gets over twice the gas mileage. If I drive it to optimize gas mileage, I have gotten close to 40 mpg. Works for me.
We have Volvo XC90's and a new Ford F-150 P/U (plus other vehicles). We are trading off vehicles every year - For the most part, our vehicles are not more than 2 years old. There are a few exceptions including our Motorcycles, a beat up Dodge P/U we use for the property, and the motorhome.
Gas mileage is not high on my list of "needs" or "wants". First thing for us is comfort and styling. Next is the vehicles ability to fulfill our demands - and so on. I think the only way I knew what the MPG on the new Ford was - it was on the sticker.
It isnt a measure of success to anyone with half a brain, but as long as car companies can keep convincing people that it is, they will keep advertising that way.
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