Talk > Automotive Social > Cars As a Status Symbol

Cars As a Status Symbol

I am impressed with cars I would love to drive\own but will never be able to afford. Many, many people would not be able to afford my well used daily driver - but I did buy it for myself and not what others think.
--
Brian

"It drops into your stomach like a Abrams's tank.... driven by Rosanne Barr..." A. Bourdain

reply to Waterbug
If you have money for a middle or the road car, truck suv it may say something about you.

My mom likes the old style huge cars with a sofa for a front seat. Always has. Even when younger she would pick either old people cars or non descript cars from the lot nobody wanted.
Others pick sports cars. My dad always wanted a truck and finally got one in his old age before he passed away.

Some drive minivans. We picked an SUV with a truck chassis not a wimpy unibody.

If you have a choice of color that says something. Do you get it fully loaded or with the basics.

This assumes enough money to purchase a decent vehicle and not fully shopping on price alone or cheapest.

So ours SUV larger. We have a child. He has friends and relatives we can fit in.
Third row gets folded down we have room for camping thus a solid frame not unibody we like off road. No money for four wheel ddrive so poor.

My mom was always sofa for a front seat no bucket seating. Her sofa as she drives down the road. Bigger non descript cars or station wagons.

I guess i am saying no one may be jealous but they see you differently. Even your 10 year old plus daily driver to work. What is it? Mine a fugal corrolla. Just runs and gets mileage.

But cars do say something about their owners.

reply to Waterbug
I still do I guess it all depends on who you are but I do know employers and people alike judge you by the car you have and by how maintained it is.

If I see the owner of a maserati I always want to ask, what job do you have to afford something like that, but then I know I will be given that ackward look. In some ways it's still a symbol of economic power.

reply to Waterbug
My wife drives our SUV to work. It is nothing special just a base version.
yet the men at her work like it. make comments like we wish our wife allowed us to have an SUV but our wifes want minivans.

reply to Waterbug
I've had a bunch of really great cars, but usually, as you say, they only made ME happy. Everyone else thinks I'm weird.

reply to CylonRed

I'd love a mazeratti!

reply to michieru

reply to Waterbug
I drive an old but trusty Civic coupe. I really don't care what it says about me. I only care that it drives and that my wallet smiles for it.

In 1980. I leased a Honda Civic CVC 1500 5 speed for $0 down and $69 a month. I drove 50 miles one way to work and the fuel savings over my Ford Pinto paid for the Honda. That was ALL the status I needed. The Pinto wasn't really a bad car for the price, but the Honda blew it away on economy.

reply to Waterbug
If you are driving a Lotus people are impressed. Kids look over, ask dad "What kind of car is that?!!!!!" Another impressive car would be the Tesla. BMW, Mercedes, Porsche, not so much. Not Land Rovers or Hummers either. But Lotus yes. It is an impressive car.

But, since I will likely never have enough money to spend on a Lotus, I stick to my crappy GM products that are decent on gas, don't rust too fast, and start 99.99% of the time. Less insurance, less maintenance, etc. Only option is A/C....
--
If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough. - Albert Einstein

Land Rover on the street = douche bag.

Land Rover on a trail or Land Rover on street covered in dirt and mud = awesome.

Any SUV built on a car platform = fail, regardless of price.

Sounds like a minivan owner to me.

Fuck no. 2010 Fusion, 2008 Dakota Quad Cab, and 2008 Sequoia (for hauling 5 kids around). I have taken the Sequoia off road a few times but it's certainly not in the category of a Land Rover for off road capabilities.

reply to No_Strings
Minivans are awesome. There, I said it.

minivan megafun

Swagger wagon!

reply to bobrk