Where does this notion come from that wealthy people don't drive nice cars?

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I don’t know where the notion comes from. I think the moral of the story is don’t judge a book by its cover. There are people who would wrap every cyber truck on the lot and be just as sweet and kind. And the polar opposite who don’t appear to not have a dime to their name, can be some of the prickiest, arrogant people. The vehicle they drive doesn’t matter…it could tell a totally different story than what we stereotype it to be. Granted most of the time these stereotypes track, it still helps to see them for who they are.

You are implying people who drive beaters are better people. You really need to better understand your own bias and what that says about you. Why is this thought important to you? And what does it say about you that you hold this belief?

It’s not about beaters, it’s about buying a decent family car vs buying a $500k Lamborghini. I’ll judge the Lamborghini buyer as a narcissist show off but that’s only my opinion.

Why are you talking in such extremes? Literally no one is suggesting all HNW people are buying Lamborghinis and Ferraris.

Not the DP, but I believe that different car choices represent different values.

My father explained it to me this way. He said that if someone gifted him a Mercedes he would not accept because having that Mercedes represented valuing a name brand over other attributes. He didn't want to be a Mercedes owner. None of my friends own Mercedes because I wouldn't choose a friend who would value that name brand. If that hurts your feelings, I'm sorry to hear that, but what car you choose does indeed say something about you.

There are of course exceptions to everything but I don’t know anyone driving a Mercedes for the “brand name” or to show off. They drive them for the features, luxury interior (although I hear people hate the new Mercedes interior tech), performance, etc. Also, your story about your friends’ car choices is weird. Sounds like you have an axe to grind with Mercedes for some reason, lol.

This. I don't care what my friends spend their money on as long as it isn't drugs. I wouldn't wear a Rolex or carry a Chanel bag but if they want to, why not?

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:People value different things. The last thing I want is to be driving around in a car broadcasting my money to randos. Maybe that will change as I get older but it makes me uncomfortable in my 30s. If anything I feel like it makes you a target for scammers and weirdos when running errands. Also grew up in CT with the Petit murder that all started with those psychopaths seeing the mom and daughter in the nice Mercedes and fur so that probably conditioned me towards being low key too.

I think of them often too. We also just prefer to hide our wealth so we don’t get hit up for random donations, get judged for not giving more to athletic boosters, PTA, college, etc. My money, my business.

You can say No and have nice things.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Not everyone is interested in cars, for many people cars are a way to get from point a to point b.

Even multi-millionaires who don’t care about cars still drive nice new ones. A boring but nice crossover like a 2026 Lexus RX or Mercedes GLE - or maybe an E-Class wagon. Nobody rich is driving some decade old Honda or Chevy Malibu. Rich teenagers don’t even drive decade old economy cars.

We were worth $40M+ and I was driving a 6yo Honda for another 2 years.

My kids drives a 2015 Subaru and a 2018 Kia. They have trust funds from their grandparents and we are worth north of 10M

No matter what we say, the flashy money people will never understand. We have nothing to prove. They are also making it out like it’s a 15 year old civic, a new Mercedes or nothing. I drive a newer Honda Odyssey with all the available features. It’s quite comfortable and does everything I need it to while flying under the radar. It replaced another older minivan.

Just different personality types. Neither is bad or good, worse or better.
Maybe in the Meyer's Briggs world, the S types will like flashier material goods and the N types don't even notice the material goods.

Bottom line is that the car someone drives is not directly proportional to their income or their wealth, but simply more of an indication of their personality type.

And if you're into flashy cars, do know there is a significant portion of the population who won't even notice let alone care.

I've lived in Miami and also know a lot of those super cars are rented or people are in debt up to their eyeballs on them.

At a previous house, neighbors had 3 new very fancy vehicles they drove. Then there was a divorce. Tow trucks came at night for all the vehicles. Turns out they were all leased and when the payments stopped they were repossessed.

A fancy car speaks volumes about the person's spend rate, but says almost nothing about actual wealth.

Unfortunately, many people do this. I had to collect the money for our class activities from parents in our wealthy private elementary and it was always the ones with late model luxury cars and expensive homes that were delinquent in paying.

[Anonymous]

I enjoy looking up UMC people's property taxes and seeing who is late and paying penalties.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Did you even read the millionaire next door? Most drive honda's. The poorest people I know drive "nicer" cars, the multimillionaires myself included drive honda's, toyota's, nissan's. Poorer people tend to fake the funk and think that they're fooling people.

Oy vey. Nothing screams midwit prole Dave Ramsay listener like citing a conman’s book.

Midwit prole. Loving the parochial snobbishness. Dcurbanmom, where the moms and dads cosplay David Brooks in his desperate Bobos in Paradise years. FYI, statistically speaking most of the millionaires in this country over 50 drive F150s, new money tech millionaires drive hondas, new money tech billionaires have someone else drive them.

People who know anything about cars know that an F150 with all the trappings will run you $75k-$100k. The folks where these trucks are prevalent know this.

This is why the thread is strange. New money tech millionaires also aren’t driving Hondas…they are driving Rivians (Tesla has definitely fallen out of favor) or similar $75k+ electric cars…or if living and working in SF proper may not own a car at all.

I honestly don’t know anyone who thinks BMW or Audi or Mercedes is an overall luxury brand since they sell many models cheaper than the cars above…though they do have certain models well over $100k.

And there are people driving those loaded F150s who don’t even make that much in a year. It tells you nothing.

Correct, but my point is that my kid at an academic southern private college has a bunch of wealthy friends who drive souped-up pickups (F150s et al). It’s what the kids wanted and they still probably cost nearly $100k…but their parents would have bought them any car /truck they wanted at the same price.

Nobody was making any statement with the purchase.

I love that you are clarifying that your child’s college in the south is “academic.” As opposed to the rest?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:People value different things. The last thing I want is to be driving around in a car broadcasting my money to randos. Maybe that will change as I get older but it makes me uncomfortable in my 30s. If anything I feel like it makes you a target for scammers and weirdos when running errands. Also grew up in CT with the Petit murder that all started with those psychopaths seeing the mom and daughter in the nice Mercedes and fur so that probably conditioned me towards being low key too.

I think of them often too. We also just prefer to hide our wealth so we don’t get hit up for random donations, get judged for not giving more to athletic boosters, PTA, college, etc. My money, my business.

You can say No and have nice things.

DP - it's easier the former way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I enjoy looking up UMC people's property taxes and seeing who is late and paying penalties.

Interesting way to spend your time

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I enjoy looking up UMC people's property taxes and seeing who is late and paying penalties.

Interesting way to spend your time

I don't understand why this is public info but, since it is, why not?

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Did you even read the millionaire next door? Most drive honda's. The poorest people I know drive "nicer" cars, the multimillionaires myself included drive honda's, toyota's, nissan's. Poorer people tend to fake the funk and think that they're fooling people.

This is definitely not my experience. The multimillionaires I know don’t drive Ferraris, but they do drive a lot of BMW, Mercedes, Audi and nice three row SUVs.

We live in an expensive zip code in the DMV. I see a lot of Acuras and Volvos. Some BMWs but not that many. A lot of Hondas and Toyotas.

As for me, I drive an Acura but it's 15 years old.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Did you even read the millionaire next door? Most drive honda's. The poorest people I know drive "nicer" cars, the multimillionaires myself included drive honda's, toyota's, nissan's. Poorer people tend to fake the funk and think that they're fooling people.

This is definitely not my experience. The multimillionaires I know don’t drive Ferraris, but they do drive a lot of BMW, Mercedes, Audi and nice three row SUVs.

We live in an expensive zip code in the DMV. I see a lot of Acuras and Volvos. Some BMWs but not that many. A lot of Hondas and Toyotas.

As for me, I drive an Acura but it's 15 years old.

Again…plenty of Acuras and Volvos cost more than a BMW, Audi or Mercedes.

It’s bizarre to think someone spent $75k on their Acura would care about spending that on an Audi or BMW…they probably test drove those models and just liked the Acura better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I enjoy looking up UMC people's property taxes and seeing who is late and paying penalties.

Interesting way to spend your time

+1. Chronically online loner vibes.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I only see old people in old cars. They know they will die soon and don't see the point in getting a new one. Same for upgrading or updating their house. They just do nothing the couple decades and their house becomes a time capsule.

lol yes!

It's not so much that as not wanting to spend your time dealing with new purchases or luxury cars that require more repairs with their updated features. Time becomes more precious the older you get. You'll see.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I enjoy looking up UMC people's property taxes and seeing who is late and paying penalties.

Interesting way to spend your time

+1. Chronically online loner vibes.

DP. You also can find out how how much is left on someone's mortgage or if they refinanced. Homes.com

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I guess I don't exist then. I am sure I am not the only person to drive a 20 year old entry-point Japanese sedan while my stock portfolio has ballooned to 20M. I think it depends on what sort of wealth you're talking about: if it comes from salary, and people are surrounded by others with the same salary, that's going to lead to visible signs of wealth. But if they made their money in a more discreet way and do not socialize with others who have that level of wealth (or who like them chose not to display it)... then it leads to driving a dinged up Corolla.

Why can't someone appreciate luxury cars for what they truly are, well-designed machines, and spend money to enjoy them? Some people are passionate about cars.
You might be mistaken in thinking that people don't actually like cars and only drive luxury vehicles to show off their wealth.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I guess I don't exist then. I am sure I am not the only person to drive a 20 year old entry-point Japanese sedan while my stock portfolio has ballooned to 20M. I think it depends on what sort of wealth you're talking about: if it comes from salary, and people are surrounded by others with the same salary, that's going to lead to visible signs of wealth. But if they made their money in a more discreet way and do not socialize with others who have that level of wealth (or who like them chose not to display it)... then it leads to driving a dinged up Corolla.

Why can't someone appreciate luxury cars for what they truly are, well-designed machines, and spend money to enjoy them? Some people are passionate about cars.
You might be mistaken in thinking that people don't actually like cars and only drive luxury vehicles to show off their wealth.

+1. My previous ride, a stunning Mercedes suv had the most comfortable seats and I received many compliments on it over the years. The endless recalls combined with a crappy dealer service department turned me off of buying another. I still miss those seats, though.