Cars That (Falsely) Portray Wealth
Discussion
I was speaking with a couple of friends, one the owner of a MY2000 BMW 5 series, a Subaru Impreza WRX STi Hatch and until recently a MY1999 Range Rover V8 (he thought it would be a good commuter car as it was LPG converted :-/). The other being the owner of a 2006 Range Rover Sport.
My personal fleet consists of a BMW 3-Series Cabrio (E93) and a 1-Series Coupe (E82), neither of which are brand new.
We came to the conclusion that no matter how old the car is, well perhaps if it's within the last 15yrs, people assume you're loaded if the badge on the car fits. For example, I've been called the driver of "Daddy's car" or "rich pr*ck" many times but it doesn't appear to cross anyone's mind that either car is worth only approx £15k now which is well in reach of most people's budgets; hence why I bought in.
Similarly, my friend with the old 5-Series gets the same but even though it looks dated, along with his old (ex) RR. The friend with the RR Sport is PE #1 in this respect even though the car cost him only £13k and seems to be the going rate.
As soon as we're in the old Scooby though, we're all labelled as peasant chav's on the JSA.
I wondered if anyone else was subject to the same treatment and in what car you received the negativity.
My personal fleet consists of a BMW 3-Series Cabrio (E93) and a 1-Series Coupe (E82), neither of which are brand new.
We came to the conclusion that no matter how old the car is, well perhaps if it's within the last 15yrs, people assume you're loaded if the badge on the car fits. For example, I've been called the driver of "Daddy's car" or "rich pr*ck" many times but it doesn't appear to cross anyone's mind that either car is worth only approx £15k now which is well in reach of most people's budgets; hence why I bought in.
Similarly, my friend with the old 5-Series gets the same but even though it looks dated, along with his old (ex) RR. The friend with the RR Sport is PE #1 in this respect even though the car cost him only £13k and seems to be the going rate.
As soon as we're in the old Scooby though, we're all labelled as peasant chav's on the JSA.
I wondered if anyone else was subject to the same treatment and in what car you received the negativity.
Not to me directly, but I remember going to work one day and a lad was showing off his new 57 plate 320d, financed up the yin yang of course. Someone commented on it saying "the flash b
d". I couldn't understand that, with it being 2013 and not 1988. £7,000 worth of diesel family car is flash, these days?
d". I couldn't understand that, with it being 2013 and not 1988. £7,000 worth of diesel family car is flash, these days?RRS is a tricky one. Yes, when it came out first, was the love of Premiership footy wives or persons of no fixed abode and a penchant for lead off church roofs and other people's property generally. Now, as the OP rightly says, they are a good value 4x4.
Personally, I still get the finger quite often when driving mine, the perception of being a coffee grinder is hard to dispel. Perhaps in 30 years time it will have the same kudos as a well looked after RR Classic.
Personally, I still get the finger quite often when driving mine, the perception of being a coffee grinder is hard to dispel. Perhaps in 30 years time it will have the same kudos as a well looked after RR Classic.
Same happens at my place one of the shop floor workers who is a team manager or something got called it for having a 2005 730d. Yet there are quite a few with brand spanker hatbacks and maybe 12 month old passats etc.
I think its just people who arent into cars or ones who arent into them plus are very careful with money and looked at running/maintenance/purchase prices of virtually all vehicles!
I think its just people who arent into cars or ones who arent into them plus are very careful with money and looked at running/maintenance/purchase prices of virtually all vehicles!
I got quite taken aback recently when a parcel driver said I "must be doing well" - I had a 2005 E46 330Ci and a 2005 E63 645 on the drive. Less than fifteen grand's worth between them - okay, over £100K new but they weren't new anymore!
I think a lot of people do not understand depreciation - I am sure many people with brand new clios think they cold never afford a Boxster.
I think a lot of people do not understand depreciation - I am sure many people with brand new clios think they cold never afford a Boxster.
The cars you mention have badges stereotypically associated with 'rich, arrogant pricks' and people that want to appear 'flash'.
Try driving a Volvo or Lexus if it bothers you.
Or just tell these idiots your life is much better than theirs and they have ugly children, before jumping into one of your fleet, mashing the acceleator pedal and leave them choking in a cloud of diesel soot.
Try driving a Volvo or Lexus if it bothers you.
Or just tell these idiots your life is much better than theirs and they have ugly children, before jumping into one of your fleet, mashing the acceleator pedal and leave them choking in a cloud of diesel soot.
My mum had this with her new MX5 a year or so ago - hairdresser (no jokes please!) said that she loved the car but couldn't afford it whilst driving a brand new Focus that was worth the same.....
My old MX5 people seem to think is worth more than it is, again not sure why. Perhaps it's because it's a "sports car" so therefore that equals expensive?
My old MX5 people seem to think is worth more than it is, again not sure why. Perhaps it's because it's a "sports car" so therefore that equals expensive?
Baryonyx said:
On the other hand, I did have people telling me I was paid too much when I bought my A8. The tables were turned when I told them I owned it outright and it probably cost me less each month than their diesel finance machine.
I do enjoy those conversations. I had one recently, friend of mine has just bought a brand new poverty spec 1.2 polo 3-pot.His deposit was nearly half what I paid for my whole six series, and he nows owes VW £200 a month for the next three years, at the end of which he still won't own the car unless he gives them even more money!
I find people are very polite and complimentary about our cars. They generally just say that they think they look wonderful and that it is good to see them on the road. Yes, they are naturally curious about how much they are worth and I do find that they generally think that they are worth much more than they are. I think this is because I look after the cars well so they always look good (always cleaned and polished).
I have never heard anyone being disparaging about me, my supposed wealth or the cars.
I have never heard anyone being disparaging about me, my supposed wealth or the cars.
Dodsy said:
Overheard in Tesco car park - woman getting her youngster out of the car parked next to mine 'Be careful with that door that cars worth more than our house'
Its a 1997 TVR Chimaera ......
Good on her for being so considerate though, the rest of the UK would have said 'That's worth more than our house, flash prick let's key it. You don't need a piss do you? Let's take the badges too, and the valve caps. That'll teach the posh bIts a 1997 TVR Chimaera ......
d' jayemm89 said:
I do enjoy those conversations. I had one recently, friend of mine has just bought a brand new poverty spec 1.2 polo 3-pot.
His deposit was nearly half what I paid for my whole six series, and he nows owes VW £200 a month for the next three years, at the end of which he still won't own the car unless he gives them even more money!
Oh my god! All that dosh for a polo, wtf? I just bought a very straight tidy A4 petrol Quattro, low miles, history, one owner etc for 2k outright. Puts the polo into perspective.His deposit was nearly half what I paid for my whole six series, and he nows owes VW £200 a month for the next three years, at the end of which he still won't own the car unless he gives them even more money!
BFG TERRANO said:
Dodsy said:
Overheard in Tesco car park - woman getting her youngster out of the car parked next to mine 'Be careful with that door that cars worth more than our house'
Its a 1997 TVR Chimaera ......
Good to hear. Normally people don't give a toss.Its a 1997 TVR Chimaera ......
I think what this shows is that a lot of people have no understanding of the economics of owning a car. I've never bought a new car (my 'newest' car was over 4 years old when I bought it) but I've always bought sportier cars which have cost me more to run from a fuel/tyres/insurance/servicing perspective.
Friends have on numerous occasions asked me why I spend so much on my cars - "you only get 28 mpg from your car?! We get 60 mpg from ours and only pay £30 a year road tax, etc, etc...."
The difference is, I've lost about £15k in depreciation over the last 10 years on my previous 3 cars whilst my friends have lost probably twice that in the same period having bought much newer cars and changed much more frequently. £15k buys you an awful lot of petrol and tyres and I'd much rather have been driving my cars than their (admittedly newer) ones.
Friends have on numerous occasions asked me why I spend so much on my cars - "you only get 28 mpg from your car?! We get 60 mpg from ours and only pay £30 a year road tax, etc, etc...."
The difference is, I've lost about £15k in depreciation over the last 10 years on my previous 3 cars whilst my friends have lost probably twice that in the same period having bought much newer cars and changed much more frequently. £15k buys you an awful lot of petrol and tyres and I'd much rather have been driving my cars than their (admittedly newer) ones.
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