Biased 'bout beamers and benz

[Anonymous]

(First, I know this is a petty rant!) I do very well financially and have been doing so for many years. Yet I'm frugal and drive a Japanese sedan. I often see people in large BMW 7 series or S class Mercedes and really feel a strong dislike, even revulsion. This is not sour grapes: I could afford an S class if I choose to so allocate my money, but find the idea financially ridiculous in how wasteful it is. I suppose part of me thinks the drivers of those showy, quickly depreciating, gas-guzzling, expensive maintenance-loving behemoths are trying to compensate for something. Anyone else share this reaction?

[Anonymous]

you need to get to the next level of consciousness and not let other people's behavior get to you.

it's one thing if you want to argue like Peter Singer that everyone should live in a small house and give most of their money to the poor, but you can't get annoyed that no one else wants to do that. Plus, you just seem to be annoyed that they aren't deferring gratification in the same way you are.

[Anonymous]

Are you equally frugal in all areas of life? Do you have indulgences others might consider showy and wasteful?

[Anonymous]

I'm not a car person, but I do buy American. I know others who are car people, and they buy European, or Japanese, or American cars. If they want to spend their money on a fancy car, burning through the dead dinosaurs that much more quickly, fine by me.

I've also had friends stuck in too-small, pokey, economy cars for financial reasons, and they dislike their cars. Better to get pleasure out of it than be miserable.

[Anonymous]

I'm with you that I don't get the giant sedans. No pickup at that weight.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:(First, I know this is a petty rant!) I do very well financially and have been doing so for many years. Yet I'm frugal and drive a Japanese sedan. I often see people in large BMW 7 series or S class Mercedes and really feel a strong dislike, even revulsion. This is not sour grapes: I could afford an S class if I choose to so allocate my money, but find the idea financially ridiculous in how wasteful it is. I suppose part of me thinks the drivers of those showy, quickly depreciating, gas-guzzling, expensive maintenance-loving behemoths are trying to compensate for something. Anyone else share this reaction?

Sometimes, but only briefly...then I realize that everyone has different taste and different things are important to others than might be important to me.

I am sure that there are things I spend money on that others would find wasteful.

Its pretty much not you business OP. Just be happy with your own life and let others live their lives as they see fit.

[Anonymous]

It's Bimmer, OP.

[Anonymous]

My DH is a super nice guy, loves cars, likes nice things, we both drive luxury cars... and even he has a negative reaction to BMWs. He said the reputation is generally people who drive them are assholes. So you're not alone.

[Anonymous]

Get over it. And know that there are plenty of people around here who are so incredibly wealthy that they can buy several of these cars yearly based on interest income alone. To them, a luxury car is not an extravagance even though it may seem like one to you. And even those who can barely afford saving but manage to buy a nice car, it's their money so they can spend it however they want.

[Anonymous]

Op, I completely agree with you.

[Anonymous]

I'm with you, OP. Especially about BMWs. Their drivers are almost always jerks.

[Anonymous]

First, as a pp wrote, there are plenty of people around for whom luxury cars aren't an extravagance. Spending $75k on a car makes no difference in their life. If you're in those shoes, more power to you.

Second, I'm in your situation, OP - I could afford it, but I don't because I thin it's kind of frivolous. However, I LOVE to eat at nice restaurants and make interesting food, which is expensive. Many people find that frivolous, and for them they are right - they feel like a meal is over immediately, while you are in a car every day, multiple times. The right answer is different for each person.

The more important question is, why do you care?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:you need to get to the next level of consciousness and not let other people's behavior get to you.

it's one thing if you want to argue like Peter Singer that everyone should live in a small house and give most of their money to the poor, but you can't get annoyed that no one else wants to do that. Plus, you just seem to be annoyed that they aren't deferring gratification in the same way you are.

+1
I can't imagine feeling revulsion every time I saw someone driving a car I choose not to own.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op, I completely agree with you.

Same. But to be fair, I work with a guy about 60, who's never had kids, and nice cars are his thing. (He can afford them because he never had kids). And he's the nicest guy you'd ever meet. And he's a good driver. Not aggressive. I still dislike the environmental waste of it all, but this particular guy isn't an asshole or trying to compensate.

Now the 30ish year old guy with the Benz and the Vanity tag: God2You? Yeah. Asshole.

[Anonymous]

I just assume men who drive those cars are compensating for something. And in my own personal experience, I've found that to be true.