Cars that will hurt your career or social life

[Pheidippides]

some of gaudy italian cars (lambo, ferrari, alfa, etc.) and even impractical cars like an nsx probably can't help one's career/social life. the good news is by the time you can afford a murcielago you can also afford to not give a crap what you look like in it.

I have to agree. I'm happy with my truck - practical, useful, respectable. If some guy comes interviewing for a position and is driving a Lamborghini, I'm likely to think less of him as a coworker. It's unfair but true.

[Shaka]

some of gaudy italian cars (lambo, ferrari, alfa, etc.) and even impractical cars like an nsx probably can't help one's career/social life. the good news is by the time you can afford a murcielago you can also afford to not give a crap what you look like in it.

Depends what kind of social life you want to have.

[Drunk Tank]

Not acceptable (esp for a guy):




Acceptable:

[Drunk Tank]

My brother drives this.




If I didnt know he isnt gay, I would have to wonder.

[old_gregg]

My brother drives this.




If I didnt know he isnt gay, I would have to wonder.

is that a daewoo....?

[Drunk Tank]

is that a daewoo....?

Hyundai Accent 3 door.... That is not his car, just a random pic I found, his is just like it though... He could have at least gotten a different color.

[TripletDaddy]

I can't think of a single realistic scenario in which driving a ferrari or lambo will hurt you. Nobody is going to come "interview" driving a Lambo. Someone with that cash already has a job and they are not an associate. And socially speaking, those sports cars always draw a crowd. Nobody says, "I don't want to hang out with you and your ferrari." they say, "you might be a jerk, but I want to ride in your ferrari."

I'm the opposite. I don't want my professional services providers to be driving crappy cars. I want them to look the part. Im not concerned about getting ripped off because getting ripped off is part of the process...doctors, lawyers, etc....their fees are what they are and nothing is going to change it. That a lawyer at a big firm drives an inexpensive car simply tells me that he saves his money, it doesnt mean that the big firm is charging me less in fees. That same associate driving the Accord is still making good dough and billing a ton to get it.

[old_gregg]

I can't think of a single realistic scenario in which driving a ferrari or lambo will hurt you. Nobody is going to come "interview" driving a Lambo. Someone with that cash already has a job and they are not an associate. And socially speaking, those sports cars always draw a crowd. Nobody says, "I don't want to hang out with you and your ferrari." they say, "you might be a jerk, but I want to ride in your ferrari."

the interview situation is probably unrealistic, but i would personally be very put off if i hired somebody to engage in any activity where discretion was at all important and they rolled up in a lime green lambo. i would expect them to step out with prada sunglasses, pointy alligator skin loafers, and a jersey shore tan. as niku said, it's unfair but probably a reality. something as ostentatious as a supercar requires someone who can afford to not care what the people they work with think.

[kccougar]

Working in St. Louis and rolling up to a union job site in a BMW always earned me some looks and comments.

[CardiacCoug]

Working in St. Louis and rolling up to a union job site in a BMW always earned me some looks and comments.

Yeah, I think the way your car will be perceived is highly dependent on the community.

I think most people in major coastal cities (or in places like Houston or Chicago) think like DDD -- they want their lawyer or doctor to look the part and drive a nice car. I drove a Plymouth Neon during my fellowship and had a few of the docs I worked with tell me in complete seriousness that I definitely needed to upgrade that car as soon as possible after finishing training before too many patients saw me driving that POS.

When you get to rural America and the center of the country, I think driving a really expensive car might be less accepted in the community and is definitely not seen as something that is necessary or admirable.

[TripletDaddy]

Not acceptable (esp for a guy):

lol.

I didnt know cowboy drives a rabbit?

[Commando]

lol.

I didnt know cowboy drives a rabbit?

I believe the convertible version's a cabriolet.

[RobinFinderson]

Not acceptable (esp for a guy):

Hmmm... I kind of like it. I think it holds up pretty well in a decent retro way (like an 80's style Bronco). It is a sporty little inexpensive compact, but it has some decent lines. I like the flat hood. The thing is short, which is what I think makes it look a little womanish, but just accept for a moment the inherit limitations of a short car, and that thing looks pretty good.

[RobinFinderson]

On Friday night, we doubled with a couple that are our very close friends. The husband and I were chatting about work and the topic turned to cars.

The question: what standard issue cars (currently in production and not modded...sorry, no Miatas or Pontiac Fieros) out there would cause you to lose credibility with clients, co-workers, or even friends if you were to roll up in them? You are picking up a client for a meal, you are meeting some co-workers for drinks, you are pumped to show your roommates your surprise new car. What cars out there would not be helpful to your image?

I came up with 3 cars that I think would transcend most careers and really put the driver in an awkward position.

1. PT Cruiser



This car has been the butt of too many jokes to be taken seriously by anyone....they come in bizarre colors, they come with faux wood paneling.

3. VW Beetle re-boot



Sorry. Seemed like a cool idea and an homage to retro chic but in practicum, this car reboot was a bad idea. It was a populist car in the first place, so to bring it back and price it in the hipster/yuppie range doomed it to failure.

I think the part in bold nails why both of these cars fail/failed. From a design point of view, I think there is a real disconnect between the two old classics, which clearly show their machine-of-many-parts-ness, and the free-flowing blobs that are 99% of what we see on the road. You can't bondo and smooth out the machine-of-many-parts without losing the essence of what it was. Blobs have to work out their own aesthetic problems and find forms that take best advantage of their blobbiness. I haven't fallen in love with a blob yet, and where are we now, like ten years into the blob thing? There might be a good reason to hate boxy scions, but it is good to see some folks fighting the blob.

[UtahDan]

is that a daewoo....?

There used to be a radio commercial for Daewoo with a guy singing about them in a Scottish accent and the song ended with "it's right sexy." Anyone else recall that? Maybe it was just a local dealer.