Thoughts about driving your F car in today's economic environment...

Some of us own both.

Art

 

I do feel bad for all of us in this environment. Nobody is not losing money on something. I am concerned that when my car is out of my sight that some guy who got laid off by someone who has a car like mine will key it or something worse. I don't mean that he thinks I am his boss but that he just groups all us car nuts into one category of people who ruined his life and who needs brought down a notch or two. I am trying to be more careful.

 

thats because you dress like the terminator and carry AK47.

 

hehe, i dare you to drive to the Bronx..

 

Come see me. I'll put you to sleep and wake you up after the 'crisis' is over

Oh, in the meantime, I'll take care of the F-car! Haha

 

It's a personal choice. I've decided to "hibernate" mine for a while. Given how tough business has become, it just doesn't feel right. Putting all my miles on my pick-up right now.

 

I don't see people going out of their way to screw with nice cars.

The thing I do see is people being STUPID. I parked my M3 today at Wal-Mart to pick up a few items. I watched the older lady, from the rear of my car, with the shopping cart that was parked diagonally from me. She put the cart right next to mine and got in her car. The cart was going to hit my car if I didn't move it. I walked up to the cart and moved it next to her car. I asked her if that is where the cart belongs? Or if you don't care if you hit other cars since you drive a POS older camry. She knew she was in the wrong. I made sure the cart was virtaully on her car as she backed out. *****!!!

I took the cart so it wouldn't hit anybody else's car.

 

I see a few of them downtown where I work. Miami Beach this ain't.

You on Siesta or LBK?

RMX

 

I have a 4 cyl. Toyota Pickup and I am tempted to do the same.

For about two seconds.

 

Enough with the political correctness already!
If you work hard, sacrificed, studied, etc..
you deserve it, period. Now this doesn't mean
you act like a jerk on the street,if anything
people who are positive will get inspiration to
forge ahead in these tough times. So smile
to folks who admire your ride, answer questions
when you can.

 

No problem in my town yet.

People usually want a ride or give me a thumbs up.

Life is good.

 

Quite the opposite, I live in a town soaked with Wall Streeters. The few times I have moved up I have always been bidding against Wall Street money. Sometimes winning, sometimes not. Seems that a huge ego is a prerequisite to being successful in that enviornment. They may not always see me driving by but I make sure they hear me.

 

dude, you live in Aspen Colorado. far from the real world..

ps. you have snow tires on your ferrari?

 

+1! Same same here everytime.

 

I think it depends on where you live and who you are around as far as if you get negative reactions. If I had one I'd sure as hell drive it though.

 

to me, I would think that people who see people driving exotics would simply assume that this person is loaded and it is what it is. So long as you don't act cocky, people would almost appreciate the fact they saw a Ferrari that day and tell their friends about it.

I feel bad about it probably more due to the fact thousands people in the auto industry in Michigan (where i'm originally from) lost their jobs, can't get loans and I go out and buy foreign vehicle- Ferrari. Doesnt mean I will stop driving it though. It def won't be the first words out of my mouth though either (hey guess what I got..to my friend with no job).

Regardless of wealth, so long as we operate as a capitalistic society, the divisions of wealth will always be there.

 

Probably 95 % of the USA is clueless about the magnitude of the economic Tsunami that is on its way to the USA

What we've seen so far is just the opening act

Its going to get much, much worse before it gets better

 

I'm enjoying my car and getting thumbs up all the time...

Besides William, it's really a meteor...
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I had a thought last night that it might become very fashionable to not look like you spend every dime on luxury items. Even if you are extremely wealthy and paid for your 599 with just cash in your wallet, the average guy probably assumes you are leveraged to your eyebrows because they themsleves are.

That doesn't mean we will all have vegetable gardens and sew our own clothes, but the buying public might decide to spend their money in less conspicuous areas. Have a nice home theater or premium kitchen rather than an exotic in the garage. When was the last time someone made a snide comment or keyed your 65" LCD?

 

++1 and don't be snobby -- polite, answer questions, give their kids a Matchbox car w/parental permission of course, (I keep a supply of Matchbox cars handy supply in the trunk), let them sit in the car, take pic w/their camera phone -- just be good ambassador. Never feel PC that you have to apologize for hard work, success and how you elect to enjoy the fruits of good old fashioned hard work.

Enough of the PC bullsh*t. Like 99% of us, I drive the the cars because of my passion for the marque, not to flaunt so called "wealth." I also don't want to live in a country of Camel jockeys.

 

You are absolutely right! Last week I stopped by a Walgreens as I was running around. When I got out of the store, a father and his 8 year son were looking over my F430 -- not wanting to get within 4 feet of it. I asked the boy if he wanted to sit in it. Both father and son were kind of shocked but of course they said yes. They had a great time, a great experience, and walked away smiling. I didn't do anything but some people in Maranello made a family very happy that day!

That's what it's all about no matter what the economy does or doesn't do.

 

+1

look at the bright side. Bring the brighter side to a rather gloomy world. People, and I too, want to smile again, and I plan to spread the cheer about by driving the car all the time.

People enjoy that.

Last two days, like above, a dad and, what probably was all of three years old, son were looking at my car in the lot. Getting close, but almost like an invisible shield was three inches from the window. I could make out the father talking to the son. You KNOW the son wasn't getting it, but there it starts. I went over and invited them in, which I've done time and again. Delight all around.

This morning a young guy and I were filling up at the Shell, he in an '89 8cyl, Rolls and me next to him in the Mondial T. We both smiled, talked and the people about us, since we presented a calm, nice image I suspect, all smiled with little exception and even stopped by because we exhibited an approachable atmosphere: Drive it, display it, but with the common decency and demeanor we used to experience in them olden days, like 40-60's.

One good thing I'm looking fwd to in this breakdown: back to common, simpler, better values....and I'm seeing it happen more and more.....

shinny side up.

 

Gentlemen,
A few months from now take a joy ride in that beautiful red Ferrari through Michigan. Make sure to get tourist photos of yourself with the protestors outside the locked gates of GM. Maybe some of them will want to sit in your car. It'll make them feel better. The Depression will last at least a decade in the Midwest so you have plenty of time to plan your trip.

Our economic situation requires prudence, as the big three CEOs discovered when they flew to Washington in their private jets.
When crime from the impoverished starts to knock on the gates of your gated community, you may not want to leave the Ferrari in the driveway.

But all is not bleak. The crashing car market is an opportunity for those with cash.
There are three Bugatti Veyrons on Ebay today... choices, choices.
Time to stock up the warehouse, break out the wine, and toast the collapse of the global economy.

 

I should do well driving on Knob hill, and not Berkley. But, those were the choices five years ago, too.