Are You "The Joneses"?
 

So you've heard the expression "keeping up with the Joneses" right? (For those outside of the US, it's the tendency of people to admire, then try to copy, what other people do).

Hubs and I each have our own P-cars, purchased used, we both drive and enjoy them. Now our neighbors, who I can't actually stand (long story :rolleyes:), have gone out and bought a new Cayman. Interestingly, they don't seem to drive it. At all. They also didn't do the traditional "sit in the garage and stare at it's beauty", which I think we all did when our Porsches were new. It just sits there.

We mentioned this to our accountant who told us about a friend of his who bought some kind of fancy Audi (I dunno what kind). It was one of only two of this particular model in the entire state. Then his neighbor went out and bought the exact same car.

Has this happened to you? Did your neighbors and friends buy Porsches after seeing yours?

Not exactly; however, a friend of mine who sells new/used cars bought a black Scion FR-S very soon after I bought my black box. Coincidence? :confused:

Don't get me started on that FR-S! :matchup: I waited 2 years for that stupid car to come out and I was disappointed with the final result (power, handling, cheap feel). I was hoping it would be more like my old Celica (which I loved). Looks nice, but it's no Porsche. Then I spent 5 months looking for a car, and hubby kept pushing me towards the Boxster. I finally listened.

Actually, I take that back. Shortly after I bought my A8, one of my buddies from college called me up and asked me if I'd drive with him 428 miles to Fargo, ND to pick up an A8. Although it was a year older, it was the IDENTICAL exterior color.

Since then, he has become a bit of an Audi nut and currently has about five or six that he is either using for parts or is wrenching on. Although I don't think he copied me to keep up with the Jones, I'm sure that when I did let him drive my Audi, it did make a big enough impression that he wanted one for himself. Maybe I should let him take the box out for a spin?

Thankfully my neighbors have enough sense to buy cars that they like and not for what other people like. ;)

I wish mine did. :rolleyes:

Just forget that I mentioned those three letters:)

I'm still mad about it. :mad: Two years of watching it on the net; concept renderings, spec changes, waiting for pricing, learning way more about Subaru than I wanted to (they co-developed the FRS/BRZ), etc., etc.

Sigh . . .

It's okay. I just do a little meditation, and I calm right down . . .

:D

Not my neighbor, I had a 996TT, he bought a C6 Z-51 Corvette.
I bought a CLK Black Series, he bought a ZR1.
I bought a 986, and now we're both modding our "track" cars.
Slight HP advantage to him. (He's +400hp on me)

For me, the best meditation :matchup: usually starts with twisting the key that is found on the lefthand of the steering column :)

No, my neighbors pretty much do their own thing. Which is nice.

Naw, everybody is into their own thing here with little or no peer pressure. We have a pretty wide socio-economic range with everything from well-heeled retirees who are in the Country Club set, to young married couples with minivans. A few Porsches, a few Vettes, lots of Rat Rods and 50s-60s hotrods. To each their own. :cheers:

I bought an ambulance to tow my race car (not a porsche, subaru!) and a few months later, an electrician down the street from me bought a nicer ambulance!

Ugh.

:matchup:

We are "THOSE PEOPLE" on our block. We used to have a motocross track in our back (5 acre) yard. My MX buddies came from all over to ride. We used to have our neighbors standing at the fence watching. A few even brought their horses over…to get them used to loud noises. Doc said no more MX. I took up flying and the neighbors hated that, wife didn't like it either, so it was short-lived.

Now I play guitar and drums - and no one comes around….except when I fire up the Pcar! By then, I'm gone!

I have not kept up with them, I have LAPPED the Jonses! :D

Shortly after I bought my black Boxster, the neighbor across the street buys a black Z3. I was talking to him about it and he told me that he was actually shopping for a Boxster but changed his mind after he saw that I bought one first because he didn't want to look like he was copying me. I feel kinda bad for him getting stuck with that crapcan just because he was concerned about what someone else might think. I told him straight up that, had he bought a Boxster first, I would have still bought mine anyway as I was buying it for me, not the rest of the neighborhood.

My neighbors either tell me they think my Boxster is cute, or they give me s**t about buying it (I live in Subaru/pickup truck country).

I get a few "girl car" comments from the people at work, but whenever we go to lunch they prefer to ride with me.....:dance:

As for more showing up in the neighborhood, I don't see it. I actually wish a few more would show up, then maybe a good shop would open up closer. I hate the thought of driving into Tampa for service I know I can trust.

My sporty cars can cause divorces(not mine!) and aggravation from other neighbors.
Usually it is women that cause the problem. G has one so I want one one gal tells her husband. Husband says no as she spends too much already.

Another neighbor (female) came over to look at my car a few years ago and was so distressed that I bought it - I got the impression that I had to get her permission before I bought it...LOL I just kept on putzing on my car and ignored her. No I do not keep up with the Jonseses. I just make my own choices.....but usually run it by my wife first!

back in the day i had a boss who was a pompous snob that thought he was better than his employees (and other people in general). at the time he drove a turbo saab 900.

i was in the market for a new car, so i bought the exact same car as him, and parked beside him the next morning.

he never said a word, but within a week he was driving a new bmw.

Wow! That's appalling.