Does a car reflect how much you earn / lifestyle?

[dan jackson 56]

Hi. I would like to ask a question do you think a car reflects what income / lifestyle you have?

For example do you know any wealthy people who own Fords, Vauxhall's etc?

[Rick101]

Not at all.

Some of the richest folk I know run round in battered old cars.

It's usually the folk that want to seem rich, that are in the Mercs/BMW's. Usually diesel, usually on lease.

[Codswallop]

dan jackson 56 said:

Does a car reflect how much you earn / lifestyle?

Not in the slightest. Just going on myself, my family and friends, income has no bearing to vechicle choice.

dan jackson 56 said:

For example do you know any wealthy people who own Fords, Vauxhall's etc?

I know plenty of wealthy people with old clunkers, and less well off people with shiny new leased "premium" cars.

[thinfourth2]

I should be in a mid range audi/bmw if you look at similar folk to my wage

I drive a clapped out micra as public roads bore the st out of me

[Tonberry]

No it doesn't.

Though if you want people to believe you are wealthy then a 'nice' car is the way to go about it.

[pidsy]

I know lots of wealthy people who drive "normal" cars. They just dont feel the need to show off their wealth.

Equally i know people with some very expensive machinery - all on finance who still live at home with mum and dad - they want to give the illusion of wealth.

[Slobberchops]

Don't know. Probably. My income is pretty good, wife's less so. I have a company 318d and a 996 for the weekend, she has an old Astra. Car choice dictated mainly by what we want rather than finances, could have better but not really bothered, would rather have cash in the bank.

[POORCARDEALER]

I know a chap who earns 500k a year and has a H. Reg Volvo estate as his only car

[GarryA]

I'm not rich by any means but have had and still could have M3s, 911s etc. I'm just at at point where I can't be arsed and don't believe in buying a car for the sake of it, something will come along and I'll go for it but for me at the minute its a battered V40 estate.

[AREA]

At either end of the scale it probably does: I'd suspect that owners of Ghosts or 458s have reasonably healthy finances and the seriously beaten up old Nova isn't driving it out of choice.

Beyond that there will be a level of relationship between the ability to buy outright or service a debt but people will make decisions based on their personal desires rather than the income that appears on their tax return.

What it does reflect is your values, interests or the image you wish to portray. These are very varied parameters.

[m444ttb]

For those that have grown up 'in money' buying a new Range Rover etc may be the norm, but in my experience they won't be chopping it in because it's 2yrs old / a new model has come out etc.

[TheTurbonator]

POORCARDEALER said:

I know a chap who earns 500k a year and has a H. Reg Volvo estate as his only car

Legend.

[ninjacost]

i have a modest house and average payed job but im a car enthusiast so i buy nice cars my current car is a 996 turbo but im by no means rich :-)

[kavanagh]

More of a car nut,more of a importance put on the car and more a sacrafice they take to get the car they want so i don't see money being the most important factor.

[Rawwr]

Yes, it does. When you see a 62-plate white Audi, you know the owner hasn't got a pot to piss in.

[Chrisw666]

Rawwr said:

Yes, it does. When you see a 62-plate white Audi, you know the owner hasn't got a pot to piss in.

Funny you mention Audi. A mate of mine bought a 57plate 1.9 diesel A3 last month, he is pissed off due to number of people who've assumed he has spent a fortune on it.

[JimmyTheHand]

dan jackson 56 said:

Hi. I would like to ask a question do you think a car reflects what income / lifestyle you have?

No, sometimes car choice is dictated/limited by income/lifestyle but even then there will be others who will chose similar vehicles because they want one/don't care and just buy something.

[tyrewrecker]

POORCARDEALER said:

I know a chap who earns 500k a year and has a H. Reg Volvo estate as his only car

Did he show you his payslip?

[Jw Vw]

TheTurbonator said:

POORCARDEALER said:

I know a chap who earns 500k a year and has a H. Reg Volvo estate as his only car

Legend.

As said, people who earn a fortune sometimes drive cheap cars, maybe they don't see the need to drive something more exotic/prestige when there happy with what they already have.

[Rawwr]

I drive an 06 Ford Ka, which I inherited. At the same time, I inherited a lot of other stuff and this, without wishing to sound too much like a dick, have an 'above healthy' bank balance. I've considered all types of cars from a GT86 to a GT2 but I just can't bring myself to do it. I recently splashed out on a new motorbike as my fun toy but, as far as cars are concerned, I'm just happy just appreciating them without owning one. There's also a quietly smug kind of satisfaction in knowing you could without actually having to or needing to do it.