Ostentatious displays of wealth

[hadassahchana[$]]

Last week while at the beach, a couple drove up in this car:



My children all stared at it, and the owner leaned out of his window and yelled," What are you kids staring at?"

Well, duh. What would anyone driving around in $350,000 U.S. expect? That he would slip in and out of the park unnoticed?

Later, we saw the same car at the Visitor's Centre, where the same (charming) man was yelling at yet another child, this time because said child had apparently brushed against the car whilst walking past.

Why would someone spend this kind of $$$ on a car? Am I wrong in assuming that this guy was driving something worth more than my house in order to get attention? If you had that kind of money, would you buy one of these? (A Bentley Azure). Would you enjoy getting lots of attention, or would you feel awkward?

Cindy

[rich2003dm]

I can't believe Nirav actually yelled at kids!

(No wonder we haven't seen income share yet.)

Rich

[pageclot[$]]

If I was to buy such a car, not only would I expect attention, I would be very unhappy if I didn't get it. I would search out people who were looking at the car, and smile at them encouragingly.

I'd hang around outside Tim Hortons, leaning up against the door casually, seemingly engrossed in my coffee, but perfectly willing to pop the hood for anyone even remotely interested ("Hey you! You wanna see what this baby has under the hood? Hey! C'mon back!").

The only reason I'd react the way this gentleman did, is if I suddenly found out that my car was nothing more than a glorified Lincoln Continental, with about 2000 pounds more metal, and one-half the gas mileage.

The only proper answer to "What are you staring at?" is a quick rejoinder of "Nothing special".

What a jerk.

I fully expect him to get keyed in the parking lot. Repeatedly.

p

[wivabef]

That is one ugly car.

To quote alanis morrissette "isn't it ironic"?

[Mrsfitts]

I do not buy new cars... mostly because I'm in debt up to my ears just buying a tiny tract house on almost no land in the San Francisco Bay Area. But if I were to ever replace my '91 Camry (bought when we had a house 1/4 of the price with only 180 mile/day commute to here) I would buy a Boxter. Once the prozac kicked in, I'd go for the comfort of the Cadillac. There is a reason that all the old people buy Cadillacs. Their joints hurt and this ride don't. I can't imagine that this particular Bently was made for comfort as much as "See what I got" :p

[jenninca]

I would never buy that car, for two reasons.

One, I'd be way too terrified that something would happen to it to ever drive it.

Two, I hate calling attention to myself in any way. Really.

Besides, to get a car that cost that much would be about 12 years' salary. I might need some of that money during that 12 years!

Cindy

[mrisch[$]]

Here is the stupid part - to spend that much money, couldn't he afford a full convertible? Holy cow - this is nothing more than a trumped up Honda Civic Del Sol...

[frazzledspice]

Cars to me are transportation, period.

I like them to be reliable. I do have a preference for minivans, because I feel safe riding up high and having a big car. I don't like SUV's as much, even though I know they are technically more prestigious....they're just more truck-y to me.

If my income were to increase to the point where I could afford one of those babies, there are aspects of my life I'd upgrade.

The first thing I'd do is relocate, choosing the area of the country I like best (the western suburbs of St. Louis, near my two young adult sons.)

I know it just seems so sad sack. I try to make the best of everywhere I'm living, but considering that I've lived in South Dakota recently and Arkansas currently, I've been producing quite a bit of lemonade.

The most important thing money could buy me would be the ability to live where I want to. I wouldn't drive there in a Lamborghini. I wouldn't fill my house with priceless antiques.

I'd just be me, driving a comfortable car, living in a big old comfortable house......

but it would be so wonderful to be the one in the driver's seat instead of being taken on a wild goose chase filled with long detours to places I really don't want to be.

(Yes, it's been 100 degrees here for more than a week, and it's expected to top 100 all next week as well, and if this August is like next August, it will be 100 degrees without rain till the second week of September. Thank goodness I'll be near the East Coast beaches for part of that time.)

[Joubert[$]]

So just what were your kids looking at?

(scamper)

Your choices were to ask for some mustard or merrily goodbye and forget him. If all of your fingers weren't raised, well, there's that arthritic condition that sometimes occurs.

I experience much the same when I pull up next to a Caddy or Lincoln SUV. I mean, ours is bad enough, but who spends $50,000 on a glorified minivan? And why? Besides the folks who don't know how to spell depreciation, that is.

Well, rich men in heaven and all that. Hope he enjoys the ride.

[mtbat]

All I can say is if this guy isn't already steril, then maybe the next big spending spree should be on a nice, friendly vasectemy-this is one dude that should NEVER reproduce

F/mtbat

I didn't spend $350,000 on my car, but from the reactions I get from people you'd think I'd have spent more than I actually did.

I've got a convertible, but it is a Mercedes SLK230. It has one of those retractible hardtops (like these new Lexus cybercars) and I get a lot of stares and looks when I put that thing in motion. A lot of people don't realize it's a convertible unless the top is down or they see it in action.

You'd think I'd put hydraulics in the shocks and stomped my way across Kirby and Buffalo Speedway the way they look. Maybe it's my too-long, greasy hair flowing in the breeze.

I get a lot of people asking me questions about it in parking lots, at stop lights, and other places. If I am not in a rush, I try to take the time to let folks know how much it was and what hassles it has with service, etc. If I am a little too busy to take the time, I toss people my phone number or e-mail address and I have a pre-set template message to let folks know about how I feel about the car, etc. (It's a revised and updated version of my old Epinions SLK230 post)

Every now and then, I see smudges and fingerprints along the glass from people probably having leaned against it and looked inside. That bothers me, and I keep a bottle of Windex and a rag ready for those occasions.

Did I buy it to get attention? Not sure... to some extent, yes, but that wasn't the main reason why I got it. Then, I really wanted a convertible so I could enjoy the drive to work or play or wherever, wanted the security of a hardtop, thought that Mercedes meant quality and service (ha ha ha ha ha ha ha), and the price was reasonable at the time for my projected growth of income and career path (ha ha ha ha ha ha ha). Sure, before I dated my now-wife, more than one pair of panties were put over the rear-view mirror by a date letting me know... um... well, I'm not sure what they were trying to tell me besides "I dig this car, do me" or "I don't respect modern safety measures in automobiles" or "Yes, after three days I ought to change my underwear" or something like that.

Let's look at the other side of the coin. I mean, let's play this game with a boob job. Unless I'm mistaken, the number one reason for getting the knockers super-sized is so that people will notice them. Maybe you got them to make up for post-nursing shrinkage and you'd hate to waste a whole wardrobe of D-cup necklines with your now A-cup physique, and perhaps you required them for work. But for the most part(s), they are there primarily for looks and to draw attention. And yet, if I stare, it's considered rude. (I won't get into getting your paws all over them in the parking lot... I don't keep a bottle of Windex around for that purpose)

I know someone who got both the Boxter and herself new rack. Both handled quite nicely. What can I say... some people can afford to be indecisive. She wrecked the Boxster most heinously. Totalled. Never saw her after that, but I assume she needed a little body work done on herself afterwards, too.

What my point is, if I can still read with all the tequila in me by now, is that there's a certain level of attention that's considered socially acceptible and then there's a level of attention which is considered rude. It's nice to notice, but please don't stare. Yes, kids don't truly appreciate the subtleties of these kind of games we play as adults, but I guess it's a perfect opportunity to teach them.

"Spend your money on something other than a car, Johnny," you could say. "Don't get a big fancy car like him. Instead, why don't you get your mommy an appointment with Dr. Reingold so she can get back what you sucked out of her when you were a tot?..."

And so it goes.

[erik_kosberg]

It could be worse.

[poseidon]

it could be my brother... not this exact guy, but that exact kind of guy.

I wouldn't waste my money on that kind of car -- I don't care how much money I had. It's ugly and even worse, it's English. Gimme a Dodge Durango any day and I'll be thrilled beyond words.

I could go into detail about my brother, but it's late, I'm tired, and I'm heading to bed now.

[bupkiss]

$350,000?????? Is it plated in platinum?

[cristina1]

First off, if you want to drive a car like this, expect to get attention. People are going to stare at it. I bet this guy would hve no problems if it was a 20 year old model type staring rather than a child.

Second, if ANYONE ever yelled at my kid for brushing up against his car or looking at his car, OMG I would go ballistic.