Misconceptions about driving a Ferrari

I just bought an Italia. I'm still uncomfortable showing it to my *family*, who roll their eyes when they see it.

I'll be sensitive with clients, mostly because it would feel like mixing business with pleasure.

With everyone else, if they have a problem with the car that's their problem. In my few days of ownership the response has been mostly positive. It's hard to look at the car and not be blown away.

 

Because that has ever happened LOL.

Lots of successful and talented people are way overpaid.

 

I don't think twice about driving mine to the office, I work 50-60 hour a week and sometimes if it wasn't for those fun jaunts home I might not see it at all. I wouldn't take it to a first client meeting though. Most of my business is done over the phone, and I actually picked up a hell of a media buyer ( I am in digital advertising) at a car meet.

Sometimes, to like minded individuals, having the nice car just goes to prove your success over bragging (which is rampant in my field).

 

life is short! just drive the car as much as you can, but not to a client office

 

I'm in a similar boat, professionally: IT consultant/contractor, and own another business on the side.

None of my clients or staff have any idea I own a 458. Reason: perception is everything, especially in consulting. Clients subscribe to a consultant's services due to many factors, including relevant experience, track record, previous engagements and referrals, and so on. All play a part in client's perception, and roll into one very important aspect: trust. Clients need to fully trust their consultant(s). There is even an indirect link between trust and integrity: if there's even the slightest breach of trust, then integrity may also be questioned (a no-no in consulting).

Unfortunately, due to skewed perceptions from stereotyping and internet-fulled, image-is-everything world, an F-car can create feelings of resentment driven by pure jealousy, and this impacts that all-important trust factor.

As much as we all wish people would empathize and understand that our treasured cars are the result of long hours and hard work, many people immediately jump to other conclusions: "trust fund baby", "drug dealer", "show off", etc. To avoid all this noise with clients and staff, better to keep the F-card to yourself.

I take the bus (public transport) to work. I hire a basic car-share if I need to visit a client or staff. I live in a small 2-bedroom apartment. This way there is no potential point of contention or resentment because I own a a Ferrari - this is private to me, and has nothing to do with my professional side.

I bought the car for the pure joy and adrenaline rush of driving. There is no need to have any impact on future F-car purchases, because of people's perceptions and trust.

 

Speak for yourself.

There's way too much pc stuff today.

Adam Carolla has this story. He said when he was a kid one day he was mowing the lawn with his dad. A guy drove by in a new Rolls Royce. His dad said, "son, if you work smart and hard, someday you might be able to have a car like that!"

Today the dad would say to his son: "Look at that so and so! How can anyone have that much money and we don't?"

I mean... what's next. You can't bring the latest Iphone to the office or wear a fancy watch? You can't tell your client you just got back from a vacation in Europe? You accidentally have some receipts from Dollar Tree store fall out of your empty wallet? It's ridiculous.

If you're successful don't hide that you're successful. Look at Hollywood. They don't mind flaunting it. There's nothing to be ashamed of and if he thinks he's paying you too much then just show him others don't think so.

Or tell him you won the lottery.

 

I'm a dentist . When i first got my 15 458 spider, i drove it to work. Ending up having too many comments from patients and staff. Just not worth it whether its right or wrong. I drive my range rover most of the time to work and business. Also hide the F car when workers are coming to the house. Bad enough they see your house ( get an estimate before they come) , once they see the Fcar, they add at least 10%!

 

I remember when I was 17 years old, back in the early days of the Ferrari List and some guy said "I'd never drive my Ferrari to work!" and thought "why not man, what's your problem??"

Now after growing up I can totally see why, and now couldn't imagine making an exception to the rule. People can get jealous and hate on things that are far more trivial than an exotic car, that I couldn't imagine bringing one to work, lol.

The only time I think a Ferrari or other exotic could be a good thing or at least neutral, would be if you wanted to impress potential partners/investors. In that regard it would show some form of success, and could give you legitimacy.

 

Drive a porsche to work. Nobody will look twice at it

Ferrari...to be honest I had no idea how much attention it would bring when I drove mine to work. A few comments when I took the porsche...Ferrari people were taking videos etc. I won't likely drive the fcar to work much until I have F U money as someone said...that'll be awhile...

 

I have a good story that kinda says it all about this topic....

A few years ago my friend on fchat just picked up a Vanquish and eventually on a Friday afternoon he texts me if I want to go to lunch and see it. "Of course!" I said.

He asked if I wanted to meet up somewhere or if he should come pick me up at MY office. Knowing what I know about people all of these years, I definitely was leaning towards the former, but for some reason I thought "what the hell" and told him to come by. A part of me knew it probably would be strange, but I was in an inquisitive mood that day plus I knew a few of the guys there liked cars so maybe an upside....

Comes by, walks to my desk. We go outside directly to see the car. Now Fridays back then were usually half day for the office, so the parking lot was empty. The company and lot were pretty small.....maybe 20-25 people/spaces. His Vanquish is on the other side, pulled head in. We talk about the car for a few minutes.

I then decide to go back inside and get 1 or 2 of those car guys. Guys who would definitely be interested in talking about these cars. They come outside, stand around it and I don't know.....just a weird energy, hard to describe. The older guy who was technically my boss (but only a few years older) was ok, but a bit rigid. The young guy who was in his early 20s was quiet the entire time, did not say a word. Then he just walked back inside after a minute or two.

Overheard some chatter about "what kind of car was that?" , "whose was it?" when I walked back inside after returning from lunch. And the next thought I had was what they thought of ME.....my association with this guy......was I trying to be a show off on behalf of someone else?? Hmmmm.

Not a big deal and it wasn't talked about much, but it made me think. It definitely confirmed what I thought all along. Funny thing was that this was a grey Vanquish....somewhat low key. He also has a Diablo and two Ferraris in flashier colors. Imagine if he brought one of those over??

People are a funny bunch.....they'll talk s*** about your stuff if they feel it's not up to par, but when you come back with something great they'll envy you. This general "no win" with a great # of people has made me have an air of contempt for people when it comes to this thing.

Very, very few people in this world will be genuinely happy for your success. It's easy to lose track and think that # is big, but in my dark troubled life, I only report the harsh reality of life.

 

Read my comment that's what I was saying +1

 

Only a fool would drive a Ferrari to work. Unless you work at Ferrari, if course.

 

Whatever you do, don't invite them over here to this chat and see your username handle. You will be toast for sure!

 

This entire thing reminds me of Hollywood stars who drive a Prius and then fly around the world on Private Jets. They go on a talk show about their nice little Hybrid but forget to mention they have a Veyron in the garage.

If you have money and the other car cares, he's got the problem -- not you.

You're successful. If he would rather go to someone who is less successful or feels they need to lie about their fees, then they might not be the right client for you anyway.

Look at Jay Leno. It didn't seem to hurt him much.

 

I'll tell you a true story

I was driving my 458 spider on the Vegas Strip. At a stop light, a souped up Honda pulls next to me with three 20 year olds in the car.

One rolls down the window and yells at me "Hey man! How much you pay (sic) for that car?" (Spoken English today is not what it used to be...)

I hold up 3 fingers

The guys in the car start laughing and one guy says "300 grand?"

I say: "No. Three dollars. I won it on a slot machine".

Their eyes popped open and mouths dropped. The light turned green and I was gone...

Motto of the story -- in business always have a plan B.

 

Super .... slot machine ...

Mine: find a rich wife !

 

You're missing the point. You're comparing someone in a rather normal work environment with people who earn what are most likely to be reasonable salaries to people who are widely known to make millions of dollars.

The dentist example was a good one. Someone on here is a dentist, has a nice house, and owns a Ferrari. What happens when someone asks for a raise and you say no or try to tell them sales are down right now and money is tight?

"Oh, I can't get a small raise but you drive a $300K Ferrari?"
"You don't want to pay out another $100K/year in pay raises among your staff, because you'd rather earning $700K than $600K and want the latest Ferrari?"

It's very bad business sense to flaunt wealth in any normal work environment when you're surrounded by people with far lower salaries. Best case scenario is nothing changes, worst case scenario is you negatively affect a client or employees perception of you.

Ask yourself this: A plumber comes out to give you a quote on something on a normal rental property you own. Do you think your quote if going to be higher if you pull up in a Ferrari or a Focus?

I know people who do business with massive corporations and small businesses. If your name is Porsche AG (a client of theirs) you can be sure your quote is higher than The Mayors Used Cars. When you're dealing with things that don't have price tags, such as wages, salaries, and quotes, you can be sure the price you get is higher than anyone else if the person selling it to you knows you're loaded. Why do you think it costs so much more to buy a cheap, very generic component from Ferrari than it does from some aftermarket company? Because Ferrari knows they can charge you more.

 

There is a story about Steve Jobs and another executive running outside to move their Porsche 991s to the other side of the building because they didn't want Ross Perot to see them and think they had a lot of money when coming to a meeting about investing in their company, NeXT.

You can say your success is their problem, not yours, but that's only true if you have no connection to them. No one works in a vacuum. If your success is a problem for your employee/co-worker/client, then it has just became your problem as well. In fact, success can often lead to problems in big business as well. Look at Google getting hit with anti-trust issues in Europe recently and in recent years. They are mainly a product of their success and domination in their industries.

 

I guess there is a small difference between an employee of a consulting company and a hollywood star.

A rational self assessment makes always sense, it make sense first to think about who I am and who pays my bills before I drive with a Ferrari to a customer. If the party who pays my bills has a problem with me then is it just logical that this trouble will become my problem very quickly. To be as rich as Jay Leno might be a nice goal, but to act like Jay Leno without being Jay Leno could have a slightly negative impact on a career, especially outside the glossy Hollywood scene...

 

If a plumber is driving a Ferrari , then he's charging way too much and I'm not using his company.

 

Oh dear!
So it is ok for some people to earn enough to buy a Ferrari and not others.

 

So you guys.... Should you not invite your clients to your fancy offices or to an expensive dinner? "How can he afford THAT wine??? It's so expensive!"

Maybe you should take them to McDonalds and explain its too keep your prices low.

Hmmm... Look at this Rolex watch. I better take it off. He might think I charge too much!


Ridiculous. Be who you are and stop pretending to be what you aren't.

We've become a nation of wimps worried that we are "too rich" and might offend someone.

Screw it.