If you want to gauge the relative affluence of a suburban area, count the number of SUVs in the parking lot of any shopping center.
I call it the "Suburban Density".
If the Suburbans, Yukons, Expeditions, Explorers, etc. reach 1 out of 3, you are in the upper-middle-class neighborhood. Note that I do not advocate counting BMWs or Mercedes Benzes. Most of these are leased by newly-minted yuppies and people who are trying to project an image above their station. They are either living in a place that they can afford (an apartment or condo), or they are still living with their parents.
Your average millionaire drives a 6+-year old car that was paid for with cash...
Think about that the next time you are looking for a new car. Are you buying transportation, or image?
Pax,
Newbius
5 comments:
I have a 12 year old F-150. My goal is to never have to buy another car. Barring a bad wreck it's doable.
"Think about that the next time you are looking for a new ________. Are you buying [product], or image?"
Where ________ may be:
[ ] car
[ ] house
[ ] kitchen
[ ] camera
[ ] PC
[ ] mobile phone / device
[ ] pair of shoes
[ ] outfit
[ ] gun
People buy landfill-ready goods just so they can have a place in the pecking order. Don't ever read fashion, decorating or photography forums on the Internet, unless you want brain damage. The other categories? Not as bad.
I'll have to check it out, next time I'm around a lot of cars and I can examine social status.
Is Alan *really* betting *AGAINST* planned obsolescence? Wow. He really *is* an optimist...
Good luck finding parts, and I mean that, because you're going to start having problems.
A good friend of mine is a master mechanic for Ford. He drives a 2000 F-150 with the Harley-Davidson package (not because he's a Harley guy, but because it has a supercharger).
He can't find parts for it. This is a Ford mechanic who works at a Ford dealership, and he can't get parts (fortunately he can adapt existing stuff).
Just something to be aware of. It's actually the reason I got rid of my 20 year old Japanese motorcycle - parts kept getting harder and harder to find...
So... is that a comment about my Yukon??? Hell, I need it carry the guns!
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