How do so many young families have $80k SUVs?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Who cares. It’s mostly about image. I’m quite certain I have more than most on these forums and one of my cars is a $25K Corolla.

I drove a 15 yo SUV (originally $40K) and we were UHNW for 3+ years before I replaced it. Why? Because it was a great vehicle. It served its purpose and we didn't see a need to buy a new car and have even higher insurance rates (15 yo versus new car---huge differences).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These cars are extraordinarily selfish - they’re dangerous to others and bad for the environment. But they’re a good representation of the people that drive them and their excesses and entitlement.

The problem is that you (and your family) are not likely to survive a crash with a large commercial vehicle in a small car. I would feel more comfortable driving a smaller car if there weren’t so many of these on the road on the highways near my house.

This is such a stupid rationalization and marketing ploy. By FAR the biggest factor in surviving a crash is the skill of the driver by not getting into one in the first place.

Definately driver skill is a factor. But hell yes, If I get into an accident with a Suburban/Large Lexus or BMW SUV/etc, I'd rather not be in a corolla or civic. I'd prefer to be in a Honda CRV or larger. Because you cannot avoid all accidents (the other drivers might be bad and often are) and you won't fair as well in a tiny vehicle. So if 50-75% of the cars are huge (plus trucks) in your area, you might not want a tiny vehicle

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These cars are extraordinarily selfish - they’re dangerous to others and bad for the environment. But they’re a good representation of the people that drive them and their excesses and entitlement.

The problem is that you (and your family) are not likely to survive a crash with a large commercial vehicle in a small car. I would feel more comfortable driving a smaller car if there weren’t so many of these on the road on the highways near my house.

This is such a stupid rationalization and marketing ploy. By FAR the biggest factor in surviving a crash is the skill of the driver by not getting into one in the first place.

Definately driver skill is a factor. But hell yes, If I get into an accident with a Suburban/Large Lexus or BMW SUV/etc, I'd rather not be in a corolla or civic. I'd prefer to be in a Honda CRV or larger. Because you cannot avoid all accidents (the other drivers might be bad and often are) and you won't fair as well in a tiny vehicle. So if 50-75% of the cars are huge (plus trucks) in your area, you might not want a tiny vehicle

By definition slightly more than half of the car accidents (with other vehicles), will be due to the fault of other drivers and there is very little that can be done to minimize the risk of not at fault accidents. The odds of death from a car crash by passenger vehicle are around 8-10x higher in the most dangerous passenger vehicles in comparison to the safest passenger vehicles. A perfect driver that in one of the most dangerous passenger vehicles will still have a higher risk of death from driving than a bad driver in one of the safest passenger vehicles.

[Anonymous]

Its the nanny. we let the nanny use ours. there are very few SAHM in our neighborhood.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't really see much of a correlation between wealth and driving nice cars/SUVs. Most high net worth people I know drive beaters or a used Corolla. They are millionaire next door types maybe worth a couple mill. I used to live in the hood and you would see lots of nice cars. Also worked many low paying jobs back in the day and coworkers had expensive cars as well. I know firefighters driving around in bad ass trucks and I know for a fact they don't make enough money to justify those purchases every few years. When I see someone with a really nice car, I just think that they are either showing off or bad with money.

Give me a break. Go drive around Spring Valley, Kenwood, Edgemoor, and similar neighborhoods. I can tell you how many Corolla's there are in those driveways - ZERO. What you will see is lots of very expensive cars.

Only a small percentage of people live in those striver neighborhoods. Millionaire next door types would be broke if they tried to live in those neighborhoods. A vast majority of people driving around in those 50k cars don't have a pot to piss in.

Yeah. I live next to spring valley (AU), but walking in spring valley there are plenty of corollas and rav4s. I don't know if it is the nanny or the homeowner, but there are plenty there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You can get any of those cars a couple years used for like $40k.

not true at all.

Very true. Especially if you go through an auction.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They have more money.

I have more money and would not buy or drive one of these monster sized trucks. Such an non essential was of fuel, oxegen, ozone layer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't really see much of a correlation between wealth and driving nice cars/SUVs. Most high net worth people I know drive beaters or a used Corolla. They are millionaire next door types maybe worth a couple mill. I used to live in the hood and you would see lots of nice cars. Also worked many low paying jobs back in the day and coworkers had expensive cars as well. I know firefighters driving around in bad ass trucks and I know for a fact they don't make enough money to justify those purchases every few years. When I see someone with a really nice car, I just think that they are either showing off or bad with money.

Give me a break. Go drive around Spring Valley, Kenwood, Edgemoor, and similar neighborhoods. I can tell you how many Corolla's there are in those driveways - ZERO. What you will see is lots of very expensive cars.

Only a small percentage of people live in those striver neighborhoods. Millionaire next door types would be broke if they tried to live in those neighborhoods. A vast majority of people driving around in those 50k cars don't have a pot to piss in.

Yeah. I live next to spring valley (AU), but walking in spring valley there are plenty of corollas and rav4s. I don't know if it is the nanny or the homeowner, but there are plenty there.

I live in spring valley and don’t know one person who drives a Corolla or rav4. Those belong to the nannies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The cars are leased.
The husbands ear good money.
They bought houses at low interest with downpayment provided by grandparents.
They have family money so do not worry about saving for retirement.

Yup. Not having to save for retirement must be a game changer. Saving for retirement AND college is a massive drain. PLUS getting financial help to buy a home?

Not if you make enough money. We have zero family help and have saved aggressively from day 1. College is paid for (3 kids) and we have close to $9m saved outside of real estate. Everyone always yells family help but it’s not always the case.

Good for you for working hard and saving. A bit of humility wouldn’t hurt though. Plenty of people work hard and save aggressively.

Clearly they’re not saving or making enough.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't really see much of a correlation between wealth and driving nice cars/SUVs. Most high net worth people I know drive beaters or a used Corolla. They are millionaire next door types maybe worth a couple mill. I used to live in the hood and you would see lots of nice cars. Also worked many low paying jobs back in the day and coworkers had expensive cars as well. I know firefighters driving around in bad ass trucks and I know for a fact they don't make enough money to justify those purchases every few years. When I see someone with a really nice car, I just think that they are either showing off or bad with money.

Give me a break. Go drive around Spring Valley, Kenwood, Edgemoor, and similar neighborhoods. I can tell you how many Corolla's there are in those driveways - ZERO. What you will see is lots of very expensive cars.

Only a small percentage of people live in those striver neighborhoods. Millionaire next door types would be broke if they tried to live in those neighborhoods. A vast majority of people driving around in those 50k cars don't have a pot to piss in.

Yeah. I live next to spring valley (AU), but walking in spring valley there are plenty of corollas and rav4s. I don't know if it is the nanny or the homeowner, but there are plenty there.

It's the help.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She doesn’t need an suv to drive two kids around.

We don’t “need” lots of things in our lives.

He said she needs it to drive the two kids around.

It's all about image, of course. She needs it to look good.

No one thinks that Lexus looks good.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These cars are extraordinarily selfish - they’re dangerous to others and bad for the environment. But they’re a good representation of the people that drive them and their excesses and entitlement.

The problem is that you (and your family) are not likely to survive a crash with a large commercial vehicle in a small car. I would feel more comfortable driving a smaller car if there weren’t so many of these on the road on the highways near my house.

This is such a stupid rationalization and marketing ploy. By FAR the biggest factor in surviving a crash is the skill of the driver by not getting into one in the first place.

Definately driver skill is a factor. But hell yes, If I get into an accident with a Suburban/Large Lexus or BMW SUV/etc, I'd rather not be in a corolla or civic. I'd prefer to be in a Honda CRV or larger. Because you cannot avoid all accidents (the other drivers might be bad and often are) and you won't fair as well in a tiny vehicle. So if 50-75% of the cars are huge (plus trucks) in your area, you might not want a tiny vehicle

By definition slightly more than half of the car accidents (with other vehicles), will be due to the fault of other drivers and there is very little that can be done to minimize the risk of not at fault accidents. The odds of death from a car crash by passenger vehicle are around 8-10x higher in the most dangerous passenger vehicles in comparison to the safest passenger vehicles. A perfect driver that in one of the most dangerous passenger vehicles will still have a higher risk of death from driving than a bad driver in one of the safest passenger vehicles.

But what is that baseline risk? Pretty low, right?