haha have you step down while I am still trying to get the Moderator position on tech, racing, and classics. Auraraptor for Classics Moderator!
So the 80K a year middle manager with a dangerously financed S500 is above the rest of the population, and has every right to feel superior, but the multimillionaire real estate developer driving a 92 F150 should bow his head to him and accept his elite status? Get real. Cars have nothing to do with class or wealth, any idiot with a 50K a year job can finance a beautiful car if they think that it will make them happy, and a millionaire can be content with a 92 Jetta because it serves its purpose as transportation. It never pays to judge people. Only a shallow, immature person gives someone instant respect and admiration because they have a BMW or Mercedes, and by the same logic, looks down with disdain upon someone who drives an economy car. You are the one coming accross as materialistic- while reproaching materialism.
In Ryan's defense, he is of a culture that is still very caste sensitive. And after immigrating to the US he's come from the bottom and worked his way up the the success he is already.
Actually, the leveraged middle manager is MB's target customer. Why? Becuase they are getting an extra margin on the finance charges. I read somewhere recently in one of the trade rags that I get that more than 70% of new MB's are leased! In North America and the Middle East, MB is a luxury car. In Europe, its a taxi. Its all marketing. And actually, the real estate developer you described that is in our family drives a Chrysler minivan.
Cohiba Man, I was never talking about the rich developer driving a F150. Like other people who have misread my posts, I say it again. I am talking about younger kids/poorer people who are risking their financial future because of status. And the rich guy driving the F150 you are talking about, I know someone like that personally but I think his daily driver is a rust bucket of a honda wagon. Every body judges people every day. However, because I have painted some extreme examples and some comments I have made, it seems I have outraged quite a few people. I will refrain from saying any more on this thread, as it is apparent that I am too immature to continue the discussion. Ryan, Thanks for the defense, but using logic with some people is a dead end street. They like to put words in your mouth, and they hear/read only what they want to.
Ryan, I do get your point and I do agree with you to some degree. I think you are placing way to much emphasis on what people drive as an indicator of their wealth and social stature, as I said in my post, people have different motivations for purchasing a particular car. What I get a kick out of is this thread started out as a comment on the SL65 and turned into a class war!!! I would watch what I say about "entry level" cars, isn't the 308 considered an excellent "entry level" Ferrari.(you have to start somewhere) Come on out to St. Louis and we'll go see Pujols hit!!!!! Chuck
