PH'ers and expensive cars : a new Godwin's law?
Discussion
Is there a PH version of Godwin's law?
It seems that any thread that runs over 3 pages will have someone putting down someone else for having a cheap car.
It is usually implied that the one being put down is
a) Jealous of those with more expensive machinery
b) Unqualified to comment on "prestige" motors
This attitude shows up even on a cruise control thread FFS!
Do we all have to show unqualified desire and admiration for every new Porsche / Aston / BMW / whatever unless we can prove that we own something "better"?
It leads me to think that some people drive around smugly assuming (or hoping) that everyone is looking at them thinking "gosh I wish I owned that guy's car", and getting a little semi from it
For those off to check my profile, I do not presently own an expensive car, but have spent many hours (and a bit of money) building my toy, and have both toured and tracked in it.
The two cars I desire most are both about top of the line models, and seriously costly, but 40 years old (Maserati Bora and BMW M1). I doubt I will ever own either; this does not make me bitter and envious of thse who do own them, just glad that someone else appreciates them and is enjoying the ownership.
It seems that any thread that runs over 3 pages will have someone putting down someone else for having a cheap car.
It is usually implied that the one being put down is
a) Jealous of those with more expensive machinery
b) Unqualified to comment on "prestige" motors
This attitude shows up even on a cruise control thread FFS!
Do we all have to show unqualified desire and admiration for every new Porsche / Aston / BMW / whatever unless we can prove that we own something "better"?
It leads me to think that some people drive around smugly assuming (or hoping) that everyone is looking at them thinking "gosh I wish I owned that guy's car", and getting a little semi from it
For those off to check my profile, I do not presently own an expensive car, but have spent many hours (and a bit of money) building my toy, and have both toured and tracked in it.
The two cars I desire most are both about top of the line models, and seriously costly, but 40 years old (Maserati Bora and BMW M1). I doubt I will ever own either; this does not make me bitter and envious of thse who do own them, just glad that someone else appreciates them and is enjoying the ownership.
Compared to some of the lovely cars out there mine are really nothing special in the grand scheme of things, but they are special to me.
It's reverse snobbery that seems to grate on me more on Pistonheads if I'm honest. I've had loads of low value cars. I still have several low value cars. At first it was because it was all I could afford. Now it's just because I like them. Having a bit more income these days means I have more options. I believe that is fairly common amongst people buying cars.
I think the sort of put-downs you describe, OP, are almost always in response to a reverse-snobbery remark from the PH community whereby someone who isn't or has never had the option to buy a more expensive car makes a suggestion that those who do must be idiots to waste so much money - or whatever.
There are countless reverse put-downs from people who frankly aren't in a position to decide between how much to spend on a car. They only have one option - cheap - and therefore they genuinely aren't in a good place to lecture the driver of an expensive car on the wisdom of their choice.
I don't think it's outright jealousy. I think it's a subconcious effort to self-assure by justifying the financial position they are in.
There's a PHer in the Scotland forums who's also a car club member. He's about my age and has a collection of very desireable cars that must be worth well north of half a million quid. I do alright for myself but my car buying powers pale next to his apparently. Am I envious? Yes - I'd love to have a Ford GT in my garage. I'm not about to tell him he's a fool with his money and make up reasons why my life choices are wiser than his just to make myself feel better though.
It's reverse snobbery that seems to grate on me more on Pistonheads if I'm honest. I've had loads of low value cars. I still have several low value cars. At first it was because it was all I could afford. Now it's just because I like them. Having a bit more income these days means I have more options. I believe that is fairly common amongst people buying cars.
I think the sort of put-downs you describe, OP, are almost always in response to a reverse-snobbery remark from the PH community whereby someone who isn't or has never had the option to buy a more expensive car makes a suggestion that those who do must be idiots to waste so much money - or whatever.
There are countless reverse put-downs from people who frankly aren't in a position to decide between how much to spend on a car. They only have one option - cheap - and therefore they genuinely aren't in a good place to lecture the driver of an expensive car on the wisdom of their choice.
I don't think it's outright jealousy. I think it's a subconcious effort to self-assure by justifying the financial position they are in.
There's a PHer in the Scotland forums who's also a car club member. He's about my age and has a collection of very desireable cars that must be worth well north of half a million quid. I do alright for myself but my car buying powers pale next to his apparently. Am I envious? Yes - I'd love to have a Ford GT in my garage. I'm not about to tell him he's a fool with his money and make up reasons why my life choices are wiser than his just to make myself feel better though.
Jamie, that to me is 100% spot on.
I wish I could afford more expensive cars, but at the moment I can't. Is that the fault of someone who can afford a Ferrari or a Lamborghi? No of course not, so why should I have the right to lambast them for their choice of car?
Am I envious of people who can afford them? Yes a little, but I am not envious of their lease or finance payments lol. Now I am not much of a super car fan. I prefer normal cars, though the 3 laps I got each driving a 360 and a Gallardo have certainly swayed me a bit.
If people can afford x y or z car, good on them. It is their money, their life and they've put themselves in that position to be able to afford them. Why should anyone criticise that?
And if anyone wants to give me their 308 or 355, I'll glady take it off your hands to save you the hassle of being given grief by the financial justice league
I wish I could afford more expensive cars, but at the moment I can't. Is that the fault of someone who can afford a Ferrari or a Lamborghi? No of course not, so why should I have the right to lambast them for their choice of car?
Am I envious of people who can afford them? Yes a little, but I am not envious of their lease or finance payments lol. Now I am not much of a super car fan. I prefer normal cars, though the 3 laps I got each driving a 360 and a Gallardo have certainly swayed me a bit.
If people can afford x y or z car, good on them. It is their money, their life and they've put themselves in that position to be able to afford them. Why should anyone criticise that?
And if anyone wants to give me their 308 or 355, I'll glady take it off your hands to save you the hassle of being given grief by the financial justice league
jamieduff1981 said:
Compared to some of the lovely cars out there mine are really nothing special in the grand scheme of things, but they are special to me.
It's reverse snobbery that seems to grate on me more on Pistonheads if I'm honest. I've had loads of low value cars. I still have several low value cars. At first it was because it was all I could afford. Now it's just because I like them. Having a bit more income these days means I have more options. I believe that is fairly common amongst people buying cars.
I think the sort of put-downs you describe, OP, are almost always in response to a reverse-snobbery remark from the PH community whereby someone who isn't or has never had the option to buy a more expensive car makes a suggestion that those who do must be idiots to waste so much money - or whatever.
There are countless reverse put-downs from people who frankly aren't in a position to decide between how much to spend on a car. They only have one option - cheap - and therefore they genuinely aren't in a good place to lecture the driver of an expensive car on the wisdom of their choice.
I don't think it's outright jealousy. I think it's a subconcious effort to self-assure by justifying the financial position they are in.
There's a PHer in the Scotland forums who's also a car club member. He's about my age and has a collection of very desireable cars that must be worth well north of half a million quid. I do alright for myself but my car buying powers pale next to his apparently. Am I envious? Yes - I'd love to have a Ford GT in my garage. I'm not about to tell him he's a fool with his money and make up reasons why my life choices are wiser than his just to make myself feel better though.
[/thread]It's reverse snobbery that seems to grate on me more on Pistonheads if I'm honest. I've had loads of low value cars. I still have several low value cars. At first it was because it was all I could afford. Now it's just because I like them. Having a bit more income these days means I have more options. I believe that is fairly common amongst people buying cars.
I think the sort of put-downs you describe, OP, are almost always in response to a reverse-snobbery remark from the PH community whereby someone who isn't or has never had the option to buy a more expensive car makes a suggestion that those who do must be idiots to waste so much money - or whatever.
There are countless reverse put-downs from people who frankly aren't in a position to decide between how much to spend on a car. They only have one option - cheap - and therefore they genuinely aren't in a good place to lecture the driver of an expensive car on the wisdom of their choice.
I don't think it's outright jealousy. I think it's a subconcious effort to self-assure by justifying the financial position they are in.
There's a PHer in the Scotland forums who's also a car club member. He's about my age and has a collection of very desireable cars that must be worth well north of half a million quid. I do alright for myself but my car buying powers pale next to his apparently. Am I envious? Yes - I'd love to have a Ford GT in my garage. I'm not about to tell him he's a fool with his money and make up reasons why my life choices are wiser than his just to make myself feel better though.
I like my cheap car. I don't have a current ambition to buy a flash expensive car. If you gave me 30k now it'd probably get added to the mortgage deposit I'm saving up for. People in different circumstances might be well off enough to spend it all on a car. I dispise those people and must tell them they're wasting their money. Actually not.
Edited by BritishRacinGrin on Thursday 4th December 09:39
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