If you have nice clothes, do you need a nice car?

Originally Posted by TheGreek

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Here's another question thats related. How serious would you take your lawyer or doctor or stockbrocker if you saw them driving a small economical car? Or better yet, how serious would you take them if you saw them wearing JC Penny suits?
First off, it's nice to see another Greek here. But I totally disagree with what you are saying. When someone relies on their car (or clothes) in order to be taken seriously, there is something wrong. I agree with Fussell's view that that fancy cars are primarily used for social climbing. Those who have already 'made it' don't need to impress anyone.

Originally Posted by TheGreek

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In my opinion, when I see someone in a suit getting in or out of a non-luxury car, first thing that pops into mind is : cheap insurance salesman/or encyclopedia salesman. When you have an expensive car/truck you can basically wear whatever you want, and it dont look bad. But when you have a cheap American car, wearing an expensive suit, you might as well be wearing a clown suit, because thats how your being viewed. Now, if you dont care what people think, thats great, more power to you. This may sound shallow, but Im entitled to my opinion, as you are to yours.

Time to break out my copy of Thorstein Veblen's The Theory of the Leisure Class and re-read the passages on conspicuous consumption...

In my opinion, when I read a post on a literate message board that displays bad grammar and hasn't discovered the apostrophe, the first thing that pops into my mind is...oh, forget it.

Originally Posted by TheGreek

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Here's another question thats related. How serious would you take your lawyer or doctor or stockbrocker if you saw them driving a small economical car?
Or better yet, how serious would you take them if you saw them wearing JC Penny suits?

Please, please, pay me a visit here in Northeast Wisconsin. I can show you a thing or two about the real America, if you can take the shock to your system.

Recommended preparatory reading: The Millionaire Next Door.

Wisconsin??? The cheese state? In New York 200k gets you a house in the ghetto. In Wisconsin,Ohio and Michigan it gets a Villa

Originally Posted by TheGreek

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Here's another question thats related. How serious would you take your lawyer or doctor or stockbrocker if you saw them driving a small economical car?
Or better yet, how serious would you take them if you saw them wearing JC Penny suits?

Call me crazy but I take people seriously when it seems like they're smart and know their field well.

I have yet to meet a stockbroker I would take seriously - though I have met a few who are well dressed.

Originally Posted by Holstein Bilter

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If he's in the 100,000 car also might help but if he's in the 10K car..hmmm
You'd be surprised at what you can buy carwise for under $13k. With the quick depreciation that cars bring, you can get great deals . The following cars are used, but indeed very respectable, IMO. '01 A6 with low miles for an Audi http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2001-...em290197821427 '05 Saab 9'3 Linear http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2005-...em270203504642 '04 G35 http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2004-...em160199233225

Oy! This thread is like a 20 car pileup on the interstate.

Originally Posted by TheGreek

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In my opinion, when I see someone in a suit getting in or out of a non-luxury car, first thing that pops into mind is : cheap insurance salesman/or encyclopedia salesman.

Let me get this straight: you equate nice clothes with cheap suits and insurance salesmen?

Originally Posted by TheGreek

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Wisconsin??? The cheese state? In New York 200k gets you a house in the ghetto. In Wisconsin,Ohio and Michigan it gets a Villa

And this is a bad thing?

I lived in a refurbished 1920s era house in Little Chute, Wisconsin, between Appleton and Green Bay, that I bought for $134,500 (after the refurbishing), and that was featured on the HGTV program National Open House as one of the best houses in its price range in the entire country. Try that with $134,500 in Tribeca.

I've no desire to own a car that was produced in the airbag era. My former car was a '60s Mercedes sedan, a bit of a boat in modern traffic: Now my car is a vintage Mercedes SL, which while not a boat uses gasoline like one. These sorts of cars are relatively inexpensive to buy, but maintenance--and sometimes gas use--is anything but economical.

Originally Posted by whnay.

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Personally I've found it interesting that a man can be average in dress but drive a vintage Mercedes and look like a million bucks. Anyone else experience this phenomenon?

If I ever get in the poor house I'm going to buy a used Mercedes.

You can do it with most well kept older high end cars. For less than $8K you can buy an older Benz, BMW, or Lexus for weekends and evenings. For another $2-3K you can get a used honda or toyota for daily errands. I live in Indianapolis, a city with poor public transportation. You must have at least one car. Do a search for Benz, BMW, and Lexus on cars.com for cars less than $8K. There are some nice cars out there. Some guys pay more than that for a couple of suits and a pair of shoes.

I dress very well and, when salt is on the road, drive the rattiest car on SF (think pre-1980 boat, with rust).

Yes, it does look incongruous, but people who know me aren't surprised. The boat costs me nothing but gas (and gas is cheaper than any car payment). I put that money into the bank, half for savings and half for my new car. Works for me.

~ Huntsman

A nice car and a good chauffeur!

I believe there are two types of consumers here: People who are trying to impress others and people who have nothing to prove to anyone but themselves. I consider myself in the latter category and would like to not be group with those in the former. I do enjoy nice clothing and I do enjoy nice cars. I purchase and use them for my enjoyment and pleasure. I enjoy the fine construction of a quality suit like I enjoy the lines and curves and interior accoutrements of "luxury" and exotic automobiles. I enjoy the feeling of sea island cotton against the skin as I enjoy the experience of paddle shifting a 445 BHP V8 through all six gears to 8.5k rpm. I hope that the fact that this is for ME and not others is expressed through my personality, my honesty and kindness. At the risk of unfairly generalizing, I would have to say that people who are in it to prove something to others have a rather abrasive personality (complete with arrogance and cockiness and forced-snobbishness). During this discussion I think it important to make the distinction between these two poles of luxury consumers. TBS, No I don't think you need a "nice" car if you have "nice" clothes. There are too many types of people and lifestyles to make such a broad and sweeping statement such as that.

For me, a fine car is it's own reward, but I like cars a lot. I'm not sure I care about the balance of one's car and dress; juxtaposition can be far more interesting, even though I'm sure I'll likely end up one of those guys in nice suit in a German sports car. In any event, I'll pursue driving fine sports cars in my lifetime because of their own virtues regardless of what anyone else thinks of me for it. I was disappointed to see J mildly ashamed of his BMW, despite the fact that he likes the car otherwise. I myself drive an '02 3-Series (that I acquired used), perhaps a douchebag indicator in some circles, but to me the enjoyment of driving the car is worth whatever negative perception it may court. Were I to have sought after the car as a status symbol, I would be one of those guys, but I just love it because it's a fantastic machine. In any event, it still places me below the median of car value in my area, so it's not really doing a lot for my profile. I blend in much more in it than I would in a many a typically less prestigious make.

One of the cars I'd most like to get is a Lancia Flaminia.