"Prestige and esteem among other rich folks"

solidol said:
This puts new light on the fact that many people carry mb/bmw keys in the hand no matter where they go. Alright alright I know you drive benz. Do I care? No. Poor souls.
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I call BS, hell, my key is never on display, as I don't need it. I keep it in my pocket, can unlock the doors, trunk and start the car, all without having to show my key to anyone. For all anyone knows, I could be driving a Kia. If you don't want to drive any of the so called "prestige" brands, don't. Don't label everyone with the same brush stroke, just because, for whatever reason, they drive one. We have enough troubles in this country today with "politicians" grouping people under certain "labels". Bigotry and prejudice don't belong here!
 
N Spec said:
This is a big tangent, but I've met some 02+ owners who believed or seem to find themselves to be better than 91 style or early NSX owners. Simply because they paid $20-$30K more for theirs? Hmm...
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I have seen this attitude once or twice, but it seems pretty rare among NSX owners. I don't think there's a lot of brand/wealth snobbery among Acura owners.

BTW, some of them may have actually paid $50K more than someone who bought early higher mileage cars.
N Spec said:
This is a big tangent, but I've met some 02+ owners who believed or seem to find themselves to be better than 91 style or early NSX owners. Simply because they paid $20-$30K more for theirs? Hmm...
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lol....humans are all about brand and prestige....a citizens watch keeps perfect time..........:rolleyes:
 
docjohn said:
lol....humans are all about brand and prestige....a citizens watch keeps perfect time..........:rolleyes:
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Yeah but WHAT model? MINE is an ECO-DRIVE, sniff sniff. I just wish it had some green or bluish lettering somewhere, or hybrid/Prius look-at-me styling so everyone knew. NOT! :)

Hopefully this thread doesn't break bad into any meanness. It's Friday, it's near Christmas, and my watch is better than yours.
 
RPM217 said:
I call BS, hell, my key is never on display, as I don't need it. I keep it in my pocket, can unlock the doors, trunk and start the car, all without having to show my key to anyone. For all anyone knows, I could be driving a Kia. If you don't want to drive any of the so called "prestige" brands, don't. Don't label everyone with the same brush stroke, just because, for whatever reason, they drive one. We have enough troubles in this country today with "politicians" grouping people under certain "labels". Bigotry and prejudice don't belong here!
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You missed the part where I said many not all. It's just an observation after all.
 
Sketch said:
I have seen this attitude once or twice, but it seems pretty rare among NSX owners. I don't think there's a lot of brand/wealth snobbery among Acura owners.

BTW, some of them may have actually paid $50K more than someone who bought early higher mileage cars.
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I suppose one can't deny the difference in moneys spent for various years, but the difference across 15 years of NSX is marginal at best as far as package and performance.

I definitely should have bought those 2002+ going for mid to high $40Ks back during the recession.
 
solidol said:
You missed the part where I said many not all. It's just an observation after all.
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I have owned several MBs over the past 25 years. I have never carried my keys in my hand "for display" wherever I go and have never seen anyone else do so either. My office buildings have always had a large amount of MBs, BMWs and other "luxury" cars and the only time I have ever seen anyone with a key in their hand is when then are about to open the door to drive away. Maybe this is a left coast phenomena............ :biggrin:
 
I read solidol's post to refer to some not all - they're definitely out there and as long as it results in a smile or raised eyebrow and not rage, then who cares. :) I have a good friend whose key fob always manages to land label-up on the table lol. We constantly kid him about it and it's all good if it brings him happiness, as he's not a jerk nor hilariously pretentious like the OP's salesman. He works hard and he enjoys the spoils, so, so be it. The world would be boring without some variety in personality.

NOW the OP's salesmen or Mercedes dealerships (or owners) who put chrome Mercedes-logo license plates on the front since the two logos on the hood & grille aren't enough, lol.... I don't know who deserves a little ribbing more - the license plate attacher or Mercedes for sticking with two huge redundant badges upfront, lol.
 
RSO 34 said:
I have owned several MBs over the past 25 years. I have never carried my keys in my hand "for display" wherever I go and have never seen anyone else do so either. My office buildings have always had a large amount of MBs, BMWs and other "luxury" cars and the only time I have ever seen anyone with a key in their hand is when then are about to open the door to drive away. Maybe this is a left coast phenomena............ [emoji3]
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You may be right. I typed that literally moments after some lady at Starbucks in LA kept 'poking' her mb key in my eyes. Turned out to be C series. I see it quite often actually.
 
Adamantium said:
I think Europe has a different view on this, in Germany the vast majority of taxis are Mercedes. As a result they've hugely cheapened the reputation of the brand. Audi, BMW and Mercedes really are common here.
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Growing up in Detroit (1960's), seeing any foreign car was unusual so they had some sort of exotic appeal. Once I started to travel outside the US however, I found that all the trucks, taxis, etc. were Mercedes and they were treated like ordinary vehicles. From that time on, I think of them as the GM/Ford of Europe. It doesn't help that for many years it seemed like every Mercedes I saw was a diesel with a soot covered back end. The brand for well to do grandparents was their "cachet". The first interesting foreign cars I was exposed to were Japanese, like the Datsun 510, 2000 roadster, 240Z. OK, and the BMW 2002 also. So, Mercedes, BMW, Audi as brands hold no cachet for me. The only qualification for owning one is making the monthly payment. I don't see any prestige or esteem in that. Unfortunately, a lot of times when I see one of the nicer examples of the "prestige" brands on the road my thought is "nice car, too bad is is being wasted on someone who drives like that". I, like most people here, appreciate the technology involved and enjoy the driving experience. There is obviously a segment of the population who are like the douchey salesman and can all impress each other with how much they spend. Does Mercedes make some nice cars? Hell yeah. And how about that F1 season...now that impresses me.
 
Aren't Buicks considered to be exotic upscale cars in china, even in the 90's when GM exterior and interior styling was not too memorable?
 
solidol said:
You missed the part where I said many not all. It's just an observation after all.
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Great, you said many, not all. I don't buy/lease/drive a car to impress anyone, and could care less if people are impressed with what I drive. Whether it's my DD, or a "special car", it's special to me. If you see the keys for my Ford, it's the same as a Focus (from the same year), and if I tell people that I own a Ford GT, they think it's a Mustang. Not looking to change their mind or opinion. I also don't have a "garage queen", as I drive my cars, and enjoy them. Maybe you should change neighborhoods, and move to where people aren't so impressed by your address, or what you drive, rather what kind of person you are, and strive to be. Nobody has ever turned me away from a car show, because I drive a Honda/Acura, or a Ford. Life is short, treat people the way you'd like to be treated, and be the best person you can be....................the rest, is out of your control!!!
 
RPM217 said:
Great, you said many, not all. I don't buy/lease/drive a car to impress anyone, and could care less if people are impressed with what I drive. Whether it's my DD, or a "special car", it's special to me. If you see the keys for my Ford, it's the same as a Focus (from the same year), and if I tell people that I own a Ford GT, they think it's a Mustang. Not looking to change their mind or opinion. I also don't have a "garage queen", as I drive my cars, and enjoy them. Maybe you should change neighborhoods, and move to where people aren't so impressed by your address, or what you drive, rather what kind of person you are, and strive to be. Nobody has ever turned me away from a car show, because I drive a Honda/Acura, or a Ford. Life is short, treat people the way you'd like to be treated, and be the best person you can be....................the rest, is out of your control!!!
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Absolutely. Agree 100% with what you have said. I feel the same way.
 
pos ford!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
docjohn said:
pos ford!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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True dat!

"FORD" = Fix Or Repair Daily

50656945.jpg
 
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nsx711 said:
Growing up in Detroit (1960's), seeing any foreign car was unusual so they had some sort of exotic appeal. Once I started to travel outside the US however, I found that all the trucks, taxis, etc. were Mercedes and they were treated like ordinary vehicles. From that time on, I think of them as the GM/Ford of Europe. It doesn't help that for many years it seemed like every Mercedes I saw was a diesel with a soot covered back end. The brand for well to do grandparents was their "cachet". The first interesting foreign cars I was exposed to were Japanese, like the Datsun 510, 2000 roadster, 240Z. OK, and the BMW 2002 also. So, Mercedes, BMW, Audi as brands hold no cachet for me.
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This was a fun perspective to read, thanks for posting. A friend of mine who lives in Detroit and only buys used diesel Mercedes because they last forever for him goes to an old independent Mercedes mechanic from Germany who derogatorily calls C class Mercedes "taxis," similar to your sentiment. :) As much as your sentiment is 100% correct from the European perspective, Mercedes and BMWs are cemented in me as luxury cars here in America based on their 80s and 90s offerings when they were undoubtedly leaps and bounds classier in styling and generally better performance-wise than their American GM, Chrysler, and Ford counterparts. Those attributes helped them stand out amongst the competition and their generally higher prices were a perfect recipe for being upscale luxury targeted to the well-off, regardless of how common they may have started here or have always been in Europe. That rep has easily carried through to today even though American offerings have really closed the gap since then. There's a reason why Jeremy Clarkson makes fun of American cars-not because of ones made in the last 10 years IMHO but because of the burgundy-velour-interior cladding-laden Detroit offerings he tested as a young presenter on 1980/90s Top Gear, and there's a reason why Lexuses looked like Mercedes for their first few years. Sorry for any tangent, I just enjoy talking automotive industry/marketing sociology. Or psychology. I think it's a hard argument to win to call a Mercedes or BMW a non-luxury car in America, but that doesn't change that the behavior from the OP's salesman or a few (not all) douchy shallow owners is hilariously laughable. :)
 
EIFFEL said:
But Rolex Daytona looks better to me on my wrist....:biggrin:
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Looks good on my wrist too, BUT, when I need to set it to the CORRECT time, I look at my Seiko Quartz to do it :wink:

<a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1303.photobucket.com/albums/ag154/Zaki2004/ddof_zpsfb588877.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo ddof_zpsfb588877.jpg"/></a>
 

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