Anonymous wrote:My DH is a car guy, always has been...it's his curse. He reads car forums, tinkers in the garage, watches racing on tv and goes to events, all of it. He's always purchased what he could afford, which usually meant a used car (he's had Audi S4s in the past). A few years ago he finally bought his dream car - a 4-door BMW M3. I actually agree with the asshole BMW driver stereotype but there are exceptions and those who are true car enthusiasts. DH is a very frugal and practical guy, this just happens to be the splurge he plans and budgets for.

I've felt the judgement from people like OP when we're out and about in our cars, even though we both drive courteously. I truly don't care what I drive as long as it gets me safely from place to place; not sure why OP cares!

Why does everyone think their husband / self is the asahole exception?

I have a Mercedes and, I have to say, I've never noticed any judgement. Never even realized that there was judgement to be noticed. This thread is very bizarre to me.

Teslas suck the worst for the environment. Don't buy those things.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DH is a car guy, always has been...it's his curse. He reads car forums, tinkers in the garage, watches racing on tv and goes to events, all of it. He's always purchased what he could afford, which usually meant a used car (he's had Audi S4s in the past). A few years ago he finally bought his dream car - a 4-door BMW M3. I actually agree with the asshole BMW driver stereotype but there are exceptions and those who are true car enthusiasts. DH is a very frugal and practical guy, this just happens to be the splurge he plans and budgets for.

I've felt the judgement from people like OP when we're out and about in our cars, even though we both drive courteously. I truly don't care what I drive as long as it gets me safely from place to place; not sure why OP cares!

+1 We have a regular, no frills (bought used) Korean sedan and a 3 series BMW, and I can feel the judgment while driving it, although I know that we can afford it and it makes little difference in our finances. My husband thinks I'm just being paranoid, but I swear people drive differently when I'm in the BMW! It seems like drivers are more aggressive and cutting me off just to prove a point, so I don't know.
It's so bad that I'm thinking of trading it in for a used Audi, which seems to have an overall lower profile than BMW and Mercedes, and less cause for resentment from judgmental drivers.

Maybe. Or maybe they are aggressively getting in front of you because they doubt you'd ever let them in otherwise. I've rarely seen someone driving a high-end European car who follows that "rule" of each person letting one car merge so it goes smoothly and quickly.

So? Just because they have a reason doesn't mean that people are more aggressive to BMW drivers than the other way around, and it doesn't make it okay. A jerk driver in a Honda is still a jerk, even if they're aggressive against BMW drivers.

PP who drives the Tesla, what are the kinds of reactions you get when you drive it?

They have to get in the lane somehow. If you'd slow down, problem solved.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DH is a car guy, always has been...it's his curse. He reads car forums, tinkers in the garage, watches racing on tv and goes to events, all of it. He's always purchased what he could afford, which usually meant a used car (he's had Audi S4s in the past). A few years ago he finally bought his dream car - a 4-door BMW M3. I actually agree with the asshole BMW driver stereotype but there are exceptions and those who are true car enthusiasts. DH is a very frugal and practical guy, this just happens to be the splurge he plans and budgets for.

I've felt the judgement from people like OP when we're out and about in our cars, even though we both drive courteously. I truly don't care what I drive as long as it gets me safely from place to place; not sure why OP cares!

+1 We have a regular, no frills (bought used) Korean sedan and a 3 series BMW, and I can feel the judgment while driving it, although I know that we can afford it and it makes little difference in our finances. My husband thinks I'm just being paranoid, but I swear people drive differently when I'm in the BMW! It seems like drivers are more aggressive and cutting me off just to prove a point, so I don't know.
It's so bad that I'm thinking of trading it in for a used Audi, which seems to have an overall lower profile than BMW and Mercedes, and less cause for resentment from judgmental drivers.

Maybe. Or maybe they are aggressively getting in front of you because they doubt you'd ever let them in otherwise. I've rarely seen someone driving a high-end European car who follows that "rule" of each person letting one car merge so it goes smoothly and quickly.

So? Just because they have a reason doesn't mean that people are more aggressive to BMW drivers than the other way around, and it doesn't make it okay. A jerk driver in a Honda is still a jerk, even if they're aggressive against BMW drivers.

PP who drives the Tesla, what are the kinds of reactions you get when you drive it?

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

Cannot speak for the others, but the large Audis have pickup. And are nice. To each his own.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DH is a car guy, always has been...it's his curse. He reads car forums, tinkers in the garage, watches racing on tv and goes to events, all of it. He's always purchased what he could afford, which usually meant a used car (he's had Audi S4s in the past). A few years ago he finally bought his dream car - a 4-door BMW M3. I actually agree with the asshole BMW driver stereotype but there are exceptions and those who are true car enthusiasts. DH is a very frugal and practical guy, this just happens to be the splurge he plans and budgets for.

I've felt the judgement from people like OP when we're out and about in our cars, even though we both drive courteously. I truly don't care what I drive as long as it gets me safely from place to place; not sure why OP cares!

+1 We have a regular, no frills (bought used) Korean sedan and a 3 series BMW, and I can feel the judgment while driving it, although I know that we can afford it and it makes little difference in our finances. My husband thinks I'm just being paranoid, but I swear people drive differently when I'm in the BMW! It seems like drivers are more aggressive and cutting me off just to prove a point, so I don't know.
It's so bad that I'm thinking of trading it in for a used Audi, which seems to have an overall lower profile than BMW and Mercedes, and less cause for resentment from judgmental drivers.

I have a BMW (2nd one, so have had one for at least 12 years now) and another higher end car and agree with this although it's actually worse in the BMW than in the other fancier car. We also have an oldish Honda and definitely get no attitude when we drive that. My driving is the same in each car.

We drive a lot (have done five 1000 mile RTs in the last year for vacation and college drop offs as a starter) and the luxury cars are in fact more comfortable for long rides. They were not financial stretches at all. People economize in different ways, cars is not one for me.

Our family has owned many cars from a 7-seater Chevy Volkswagen Camper and Rabbit, Buicks, Chevy station wagon and base model Toyota Tercel, Mercury minivan, Subarus, Acuras, Infinitis, Mercedes and a Tesla. They all accomplished the task of moving us from Point A to B well enough. However, once you have driven in a luxury car like a Mercedes or Tesla, the comfort, fit and finish, and performance is such that you don't want to go back. We pay cash for our vehicles and keep them an average of seven years.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DH is a car guy, always has been...it's his curse. He reads car forums, tinkers in the garage, watches racing on tv and goes to events, all of it. He's always purchased what he could afford, which usually meant a used car (he's had Audi S4s in the past). A few years ago he finally bought his dream car - a 4-door BMW M3. I actually agree with the asshole BMW driver stereotype but there are exceptions and those who are true car enthusiasts. DH is a very frugal and practical guy, this just happens to be the splurge he plans and budgets for.

I've felt the judgement from people like OP when we're out and about in our cars, even though we both drive courteously. I truly don't care what I drive as long as it gets me safely from place to place; not sure why OP cares!

+1 We have a regular, no frills (bought used) Korean sedan and a 3 series BMW, and I can feel the judgment while driving it, although I know that we can afford it and it makes little difference in our finances. My husband thinks I'm just being paranoid, but I swear people drive differently when I'm in the BMW! It seems like drivers are more aggressive and cutting me off just to prove a point, so I don't know.
It's so bad that I'm thinking of trading it in for a used Audi, which seems to have an overall lower profile than BMW and Mercedes, and less cause for resentment from judgmental drivers.

Maybe. Or maybe they are aggressively getting in front of you because they doubt you'd ever let them in otherwise. I've rarely seen someone driving a high-end European car who follows that "rule" of each person letting one car merge so it goes smoothly and quickly.

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

You've obviously never driven an S class.

Anonymous wrote:My DH is a car guy, always has been...it's his curse. He reads car forums, tinkers in the garage, watches racing on tv and goes to events, all of it. He's always purchased what he could afford, which usually meant a used car (he's had Audi S4s in the past). A few years ago he finally bought his dream car - a 4-door BMW M3. I actually agree with the asshole BMW driver stereotype but there are exceptions and those who are true car enthusiasts. DH is a very frugal and practical guy, this just happens to be the splurge he plans and budgets for.

I've felt the judgement from people like OP when we're out and about in our cars, even though we both drive courteously. I truly don't care what I drive as long as it gets me safely from place to place; not sure why OP cares!

+1 We have a regular, no frills (bought used) Korean sedan and a 3 series BMW, and I can feel the judgment while driving it, although I know that we can afford it and it makes little difference in our finances. My husband thinks I'm just being paranoid, but I swear people drive differently when I'm in the BMW! It seems like drivers are more aggressive and cutting me off just to prove a point, so I don't know.
It's so bad that I'm thinking of trading it in for a used Audi, which seems to have an overall lower profile than BMW and Mercedes, and less cause for resentment from judgmental drivers.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My neighbor just got a BMW. I can't figure out why considering how they live.

I think they're fronting. Like living in the ghetto carrying a Gucci purse.

How do they live?

They push mow their huge 1/2 acre yard, have no privacy fence or any fence, have their dog chained to a tree living in a pet taxi for a dog house, the other dog mysteriously died. In 5 years they have had 5 cars, all were wrecked. Wife had a broken arm, broken leg, money belt I mean whiplash. Grandma owns the home and they have 8 people living there. Million dollar home so I guess they needed the dream car to go with it. BTW, it's a 2 door and no way they can fit 5 kids.

The first two years they lived in the house they had no blinds or curtains so at night you could see inside. They had no furniture but had satellite and a big screen tv. The kids were sleeping on the floor. They finally got a washer and dryer. Dad was taking the laundry to the base at night and bringing it back in the morning. He told that to my husband when he needed help putting the pair in the laundry room.

I don't get the car thing at all. If they lived better I could understand but they don't.

Say NO more. Telltale way of people living beyond their means, no window treatments and no furniture. I knew a lot of people like that during the housing bubble, they had massive $4000 sq ft homes and all of the rooms were bare with builder grade paint, or had a card table with folding in the back patio.

Also, go onto any military base and it's like a car show, so the guy probably feels a bit pressured to drive a nice car.

My DH is a car guy, always has been...it's his curse. He reads car forums, tinkers in the garage, watches racing on tv and goes to events, all of it. He's always purchased what he could afford, which usually meant a used car (he's had Audi S4s in the past). A few years ago he finally bought his dream car - a 4-door BMW M3. I actually agree with the asshole BMW driver stereotype but there are exceptions and those who are true car enthusiasts. DH is a very frugal and practical guy, this just happens to be the splurge he plans and budgets for.

I've felt the judgement from people like OP when we're out and about in our cars, even though we both drive courteously. I truly don't care what I drive as long as it gets me safely from place to place; not sure why OP cares!

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?

It really depends on how much you like to drive, how much time you spend in the car, how significant the expenditure is given your overall finances, and what your motivation is. If you hate driving, it's a pointless expense. If you are doing it to show off, I think that is a bit silly unless it is important for you to maintain a certain image, as is needed in some professions. On the other hand, they are beautiful objects, marvels of engineering, and a joy to drive. If that speaks to you, it can make a lot of sense.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My neighbor just got a BMW. I can't figure out why considering how they live.

I think they're fronting. Like living in the ghetto carrying a Gucci purse.

How do they live?

They push mow their huge 1/2 acre yard, have no privacy fence or any fence, have their dog chained to a tree living in a pet taxi for a dog house, the other dog mysteriously died. In 5 years they have had 5 cars, all were wrecked. Wife had a broken arm, broken leg, money belt I mean whiplash. Grandma owns the home and they have 8 people living there. Million dollar home so I guess they needed the dream car to go with it. BTW, it's a 2 door and no way they can fit 5 kids.

The first two years they lived in the house they had no blinds or curtains so at night you could see inside. They had no furniture but had satellite and a big screen tv. The kids were sleeping on the floor. They finally got a washer and dryer. Dad was taking the laundry to the base at night and bringing it back in the morning. He told that to my husband when he needed help putting the pair in the laundry room.

I don't get the car thing at all. If they lived better I could understand but they don't.