some people have a wack interpretation of reality. My recent fave was Circuit City GYOB....people buying stuff thinking they're getting the deal of a lifetime, even if they can't afford it. When the prices were marked up to begin with, so even at 50% off it's priced roughly the same online in many a spot....
you can't judge a person's wealth if they're driving a sub-$150k car. anyone with a mcdonalds job living at home can buy a $50k car with a 12 year loan. even with cars the $150-250k range, there's a percentage of drivers who are posers (ie, those who are straining their budget to look rich). my estimate: cars from $35k to $50k: 50% of drivers are posers cars from $51k to $90k: 20% of drivers are posers cars from $91k to $150k: 15% of drivers are posers cars from $151k to $250k: 10% of drivers are posers cars from $250k and up: 5% posers
why you losers care so much about what other people drive or have. Maybe they like cars, maybe it makes them happy. Nothing wrong with that. i drive a toyota because cars are just a tool to me, but i spend 10k a year on my reef tank, because fishtank makes me happy. And if one cannot afford it, soon or later he either sells it or go bankrupt. Then they would eventually learned their lessons. The real questions is why do you care so much about what other people drive or have to the point of making those pitiful jabs at them.
Uhh... yeah, the best selling book "The Millionaire Next Door" was the outgrowth of some research by a brokerage and it explains the difference between the two basic styles of life. You have people that are leveraged to the hilt to maintain an upper middle class lifestyle and next door you have the ones in a paid-for house. Of course, since reading that years ago I've had a chance to observe the paid-up types, many have no class at all. The book says that overwhelmingly they shop at Penny's and they tend to look like it too. It sort of makes me appreciate the poorer people that can flash a little style actually....
Already happening on the northside of Chicago. Lots of 20-something guys who bought a 3-series thinking they were hot shit because they had a bimmer. The cars are suddenly going missing. I can only speculate end of leases, job loss, repo, etc. Too bad, I laughed at every douche I saw driving one of these for his poor taste. If you are going to get a BMW, at least drive one worth a damn!