Do you personally know anyone around DC who drives a Cadillac Escalade?

[Anonymous]

Its amazing how the internet, through forums such as DCUM, have exposed class preferences, norms and prejudices to folks who were never privy to them before. (on a side note, I think its one of the reasons Trump won the Presidency - the lower and middle classes finally understand what else is out there, they finally "see" the upper classes, what they are missing out on, how they are themselves perceived, and they are angry about it.)

That's what all these "What do you think of" threads are - folks who don't know what the upper SE classes think and want to know. Many people get upset at the "judgmental factor" but the reality is that it exists, as do all class-based judgments, and always has. It just used to be completely hidden unless you knew people of a certain SE class. AND all SE classes have their own preferences, norms, and standards so they all have their "judgments" too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That doesn't make it not-stupid.

I don't leave anything on the table when it comes to running my business, and I try to instill those values in my managers and our staff. If I had an employee who was buying/trading a new car every year, I'd probably find a way to part company with them. It's a stupid financial decision, and reflects poor judgement overall.

Used cars, yes, change them as often as you want. Someone else already suffered the depreciation on them. But trading a new car after a year shows someone doesn't know the first thing about money. Either making it, or keeping it. I don't want them working for me.

LOL! Very naive. I think you'd have an aneurism if you knew how many private sector mid-level managers, execs and public-sector city-state-fed bureaucrats have $800-1000/month auto stipends! Many specify Big 3 "American Made," thus all the tarted up Tahoe-Yukon-Escalade sales. But even without the domestic requirement, many end up in GM lux barges because they lease really well; a Benz or Range Rover SUV will be $1200/month, a similarly priced Escalade could be $800-900/month.

And domestic dealers allow early lease turn in to churn sales; so a bureaucrat may sign a 24 month lease on an Escalade but after 15 he calls the dealer and wants the newest version, they make it happen. He gets new car smell, dealer got 2 sales.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The fact that the DCUM crowd hates this vehicle so much makes me want one that much more.

+1

Yas.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That doesn't make it not-stupid.

I don't leave anything on the table when it comes to running my business, and I try to instill those values in my managers and our staff. If I had an employee who was buying/trading a new car every year, I'd probably find a way to part company with them. It's a stupid financial decision, and reflects poor judgement overall.

Used cars, yes, change them as often as you want. Someone else already suffered the depreciation on them. But trading a new car after a year shows someone doesn't know the first thing about money. Either making it, or keeping it. I don't want them working for me.

LOL! Very naive. I think you'd have an aneurism if you knew how many private sector mid-level managers, execs and public-sector city-state-fed bureaucrats have $800-1000/month auto stipends! Many specify Big 3 "American Made," thus all the tarted up Tahoe-Yukon-Escalade sales. But even without the domestic requirement, many end up in GM lux barges because they lease really well; a Benz or Range Rover SUV will be $1200/month, a similarly priced Escalade could be $800-900/month.

And domestic dealers allow early lease turn in to churn sales; so a bureaucrat may sign a 24 month lease on an Escalade but after 15 he calls the dealer and wants the newest version, they make it happen. He gets new car smell, dealer got 2 sales.

Ahhhh. Beautiful. Let's raise taxes so we can pay for more of these 100k cars for the bureaucrats. ESPECIALLY on you, PP, private (small?) business owner.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Its amazing how the internet, through forums such as DCUM, have exposed class preferences, norms and prejudices to folks who were never privy to them before. (on a side note, I think its one of the reasons Trump won the Presidency - the lower and middle classes finally understand what else is out there, they finally "see" the upper classes, what they are missing out on, how they are themselves perceived, and they are angry about it.)

That's what all these "What do you think of" threads are - folks who don't know what the upper SE classes think and want to know. Many people get upset at the "judgmental factor" but the reality is that it exists, as do all class-based judgments, and always has. It just used to be completely hidden unless you knew people of a certain SE class. AND all SE classes have their own preferences, norms, and standards so they all have their "judgments" too.

Ehh, I don't get the feeling that OP is someone who doesn't know what the "upper SE classes think and want to know". I think OP is a DC rich yuppie who thinking of her/himself as "better than" and "more highly evolved" than a more materialistic version of herself. Haven't you been around DCUM for long? Large fancy cars are looked down by the "elite" on in favor of ugly Subarus, Priuses, and rusty Toyotas.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Uh yes. I live in Texas. Not out of the ordinary at all and there's no perceived stigma. What's the issue here?

I'm also in Texas and these are a very popular car for moms. If not the Escalade, another full size SUV like a suburban or Tahoe. Doesn't make as much sense in DC but everything is bigger in TX.

[Anonymous]

Yes. I don't care what they drive. They have 4 kids, I didn't have to buy it, why would I care?