Driving a better car than your boss

[pmanson]

Out CEO tends to get the train everywhere but I know he has a BMW of some description. Commercial Director has an A4 estate.

Until recently I had a 2003 MG ZT and a TVR chim, never any issues with turning up to the office in that. Just a few comments about how many cars do you have? ZT has just died so I've just purchased a Mazda 6 sport.

[crazy about cars]

A general opinion I seem to take in is that if a sub-ordinate (maybe not the best choice of word...) drives a better car than his boss he must be doing well and don't deserve better pay/career progression.

This to me is a worrying idealogy. I live in a mediocre part of town, small mediocre house, we shop mainly at ASDA, don't go on expensive holidays, kids take lessons at council run places not posh country clubs etc etc so I have some cash left every month. I choose to use that in funding my current fleet. Foolish maybe as I could've save extra dosh long term by running a shed but I'm a petrolhead at heart and don't have any other hobbies/vices so this is something I want to do.

I also work hard and always give my best and it would truly suck for myself if I'm judged over what car I drive at work...

[hadenough!]

Ozzie Osmond said:

Bitofbully said:

On the other hand, if he's driving a brand new Aston, you suspect that he's rather good at making money.

On the other hand, if he's driving a brand new Aston, you suspect that he's overcharging customers!

One thing that's really starting to piss me off.

Why do people object to others being or appearing to be successful?

[K50 DEL]

Currently my boss has a 458 Spider and an SLS.... I have a Corvette, I think he wins!

[9mm]

I suppose it all depends on what you mean by better. Cost is the obvious way but I wouldn't recognise a new Range Rover Sport as a better car than say, a nice E39 M5.

[crazy about cars]

9mm said:

I suppose it all depends on what you mean by better. Cost is the obvious way but I wouldn't recognise a new Range Rover Sport as a better car than say, a nice E39 M5.

Round my neck of woods that means what's more expensive...

[VinceFox]

crazy about cars said:

9mm said:

I suppose it all depends on what you mean by better. Cost is the obvious way but I wouldn't recognise a new Range Rover Sport as a better car than say, a nice E39 M5.

Round my neck of woods that means what's more expensive...

That's the thing, isnt it?

Colleague i work with just bought a 320 diesel coupe, about 3 years old. Lovely looking car, but all on tick. Went out in it and compared to my 1997 e36 it feels very plush and modern. Priorities being what they are though, i prefer mine at less than a third of the value, but with a significantly higher power output.

[GTIR]

My customer has just sold his business to a big US pharma, I'm guessing 100 million plus, and he's decided to buy a new car.
A golf.

I had to convince him to get leather because it's practical with kids.

[Rushmore]

FINALLY a potential member for the PH Institute of Directors.

Coolbanana said:

I'm the boss of my own company now (...) my wife earns a fantastic wage as a senior Director in a large international company and I was a Director of a company before I moved to the UK so had a bit invested.

[crazy about cars]

Rushmore said:

FINALLY a potential member for the PH Institute of Directors.

Coolbanana said:

I'm the boss of my own company now (...) my wife earns a fantastic wage as a senior Director in a large international company and I was a Director of a company before I moved to the UK so had a bit invested.

Is he powerfully built though?

[k-ink]

crazy about cars said:

9mm said:

I suppose it all depends on what you mean by better. Cost is the obvious way but I wouldn't recognise a new Range Rover Sport as a better car than say, a nice E39 M5.

Round my neck of woods that means what's more expensive...

Exactly. For some all that is important is the RRP and number plate digits. Sad, but hey ho.

[Bitofbully]

crazy about cars said:

Rushmore said:

FINALLY a potential member for the PH Institute of Directors.

Coolbanana said:

I'm the boss of my own company now (...) my wife earns a fantastic wage as a senior Director in a large international company and I was a Director of a company before I moved to the UK so had a bit invested.

Is he powerfully built though?

Perhaps not, but his 'wife' is powerfully built with a goatee, it seems.

[VinceFox]

Also, i've said it before but cars should be a coupe OR a diesel. Having both makes them the hermaphrodite of the car world, or transexual at the least.

[V8RX7]

Many years ago I worked for a House Building company.

They are notoriously tight and old fashioned even the Finance Director only had a BMW 320 as a Co. car.

In a meeting a few managers were taking the mickey about me having the oldest car on the car park.

I replied that it was also the fastest.

Within a week I was forced to have a Co. car.

So there are plenty of jealous / mean spirited / bosses out there.

I was later forced to have a Co car at another Co when other managers objected that I had a better car than them (TVR Griffith etc) to which I replied offer them my deal (fuel card ONLY). I was told it caused issues and I had to fit in.

Needless to say I became self employed - I can't stand office politics.

[Birdster]

^

Still happens in some places. My current contract involves working under a certain manager who hates contractors and how much they cost. So I play it down a bit..As do a few of the other more savvy free lance guys.

[Otispunkmeyer]

Bitofbully said:

On the other hand, if he's driving a brand new Aston, you suspect that he's rather good at making money.

Maybe Its the "but where are the customers' yachts?" Thing maybe... He's good at making money, for himself, but what about his customers?

[H_Kan]

In all honesty, if I felt that my car was affecting my career progression then I'd have to raise the matter and explain why it isn't that extravagant in light of my other circumstances and why it shouldn't matter one jot in determining my worth to the company for the role which I carry out.

[J4CKO]

Was away in Atlanta and rented a Mustang, one of the other guy arrives and sees it, from the seat of his rented Fiat 500, he is only little so got loads of stick about whether he pedalled it, they look tiny over there, he christened it "The fking clown car". My boss is over there and has a Jetta, he isnt interested in cars.

[Japveesix]

crazy about cars said:

Well I might just be a bit paranoid but since I've got my GTR I feel that my boss is getting a little distant from me. Promises of career progression seem to have vanished or at best ... forgotten... Doesn't help when his mate which is the md of another company also owns a GTR...

It may not be relevant at all but I've barely seen a post of yours on here that doesn't mention the fact that you drive a GTR. If you're also like that in real life ("Morning boss, bit rainy today isn't it but luckily my GTR is good in the wet") then perhaps it would get a bit annoying?

[9mm]

VinceFox said:

crazy about cars said:

9mm said:

I suppose it all depends on what you mean by better. Cost is the obvious way but I wouldn't recognise a new Range Rover Sport as a better car than say, a nice E39 M5.

Round my neck of woods that means what's more expensive...

That's the thing, isnt it?

Colleague i work with just bought a 320 diesel coupe, about 3 years old. Lovely looking car, but all on tick. Went out in it and compared to my 1997 e36 it feels very plush and modern. Priorities being what they are though, i prefer mine at less than a third of the value, but with a significantly higher power output.

I'm sure it's the only measure for most non-petrolheads. One of my neighbours is pleased as punch with her new 335 convertible but dismissive of another neighbour's "old car." It's a DB5.