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Why do you have to "defend" owning a Vette

Old 03-04-2014, 06:36 AM
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tprice
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Default Why do you have to "defend" owning a Vette

Not a full year into my C6 and love it however one thing I have become a little "agitated" with is so many comments from friends/clients etc about driving a Vette

Wife and I were at breakfast Sunday am and one of my clients comes up to me and the "I am paying you too much $$$". Seems he saw us pulling up in our Vette. Then when I see him leave he and his wife go out and get in a fairly late model Mercedes SUV(not the little one either).

Have had quite a few comments like this, even sit on a local school board and several of the members driving high end MB or BMW's and have heard same remarks from them

I seldom ever drive my Vette to my office, did that one day last week and heard plenty of comments, worst from a guy getting in his $60K TRUCK


I guess they do not realize I bought a 5 yr old Vette or do most just perceive Vette's as being more expensive than they are

Wife and I looked long and hard and kept our 2002 Trailblazer and 04 Dodge 1500 4x4 truck. (most of the time folks see me in one of my drivers ed cars which are all Taurus's ). We see lot of our friends on HD's, she has no desire for one and would never ride on one, and we decided a Vette would be a much better mode of transportation for the 2 of us on trips and weekends.

I just grin and bare it but still have to admit I get a little irritated about some of the comments some times

Like most we work hard and by no means are well off, just 2 working adults that have grown kids and any where we go just the 2 of us in what ever we drive.

Neither of us is flashy or "mouthy" about what we have either

Is this common

Last edited by tprice; 03-04-2014 at 09:36 AM.
Old 03-04-2014, 06:50 AM
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MikeERWNC
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I just look at them and say; " I paid 20K for it and get 30MPG. How about you?"
"The Prius was just too gay for me"

I use mine for a work car. .55 per mile, baby!
When I roll up and place four servers in the back, the customer must be thinking WTF!
Old 03-04-2014, 07:01 AM
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I don't defend my decision to own a Vette, nor do I care what other people do or say about my Vette. If they don't get the pure fun and joy that comes from owning a high performance vehicle, that's their loss and it doesn't impact me one bit. Just enjoy the ride!

Old 03-04-2014, 07:06 AM
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Willytrash
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Well most people think it's just a toy. An expensive toy at that. You can tell people that it's all you have and all you can afford, that it gets great gas mileage and that it's really economical. See if they buy that. In other words plead poverty, that's what I do.
Old 03-04-2014, 07:36 AM
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Gman in NC
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Told a guy I worked with that my Vette cost less than his bass boat. He never made a comment again.
Old 03-04-2014, 07:37 AM
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BWF07
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You did not say what you do for a living. Some people think that if they are paying you for a service and you are driving what many perceive as a high end sports car, then you are most likely charging them more then you should. Many don't realize that a 2015 Corvette looks just like a 2013. Sometimes they are just kidding. You can ignore the remarks or you can simply tell them that it is a 5 year car and it is well depreciated.
Old 03-04-2014, 07:46 AM
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dev1360
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I just say: "This car costs less than a Camry and HALF of your diesel truck." It puts it in perspective for them.

I paid $32k for my 2009.
Old 03-04-2014, 07:48 AM
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Default ole pharts retirement toy

I tell them it is the Harley I never wanted, the boat I never wanted nor the lake house I never wanted. Had to wait 40 hers to Afford a used one. lol.
Old 03-04-2014, 07:54 AM
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tprice
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Originally Posted by BWF07
You did not say what you do for a living. Some people think that if they are paying you for a service and you are driving what many perceive as a high end sports car, then you are most likely charging them more then you should. Many don't realize that a 2015 Corvette looks just like a 2013. Sometimes they are just kidding. You can ignore the remarks or you can simply tell them that it is a 5 year car and it is well depreciated.

I own two businesses, Bookkeeping/Income Tax business and a teenage driving school.

I do just grin and tell them it is my Wife and I's Harley
Old 03-04-2014, 07:57 AM
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veloz
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hey,,i dont defend here at all... i just go right along with them,,,most of the time i say back to them.."yep, i just cant hide my money" or" "if you gonna go down, go down in style baby",,"some ppl buy expensive boats, expensive harleys other expensive lake houses, i buy expensive cars",,"dont judge me, i know you want one",," i cant help that you dont know about fast cars",,,,have fun with them,,its all good humor...
Old 03-04-2014, 07:58 AM
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tprice
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Originally Posted by whiteboy
Had to wait 40 hers to Afford a used one. lol.



Use that one too, which is true. We waited several years to we could justify the extra car and both of us decided to keep our "old vehicles" so we could enjoy a Vette

I realize most folks are just kidding but just kind of catches me off guard.
Old 03-04-2014, 08:17 AM
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tennblkc6
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it's mostly jealousy...
Old 03-04-2014, 08:18 AM
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dvilin
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Most people are just kidding when they make those statements and it is a way to say nice car. If you were driving a BMW, Mercedes, Lexus you would get the same comments.
I take it as a bit of a compliment and humor, no big deal.
Old 03-04-2014, 08:24 AM
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BSE1956
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Yep, kind of annoying.
I'm not counting what YOU spent on your car.....jealousy for sure.
I really don't like to even talk about it, but when asked, I say it will go 190 on the track, go 0-60 in 4 seconds and get 30mpg when I drive it conservatively on the highway.
That usually shuts them up.
Old 03-04-2014, 08:25 AM
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MikeERWNC
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It works the other way, too.

My dentist drives a ten year old Lexus.
I always bust on him...
"As much as I pay you, and you are still driving that POS Camry."
Then he tries to justify, " It's a Lexus."
Old 03-04-2014, 08:32 AM
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Pretty sure the word " jealousy comes to mind "... The are sweeeet looking cars ...
Old 03-04-2014, 08:36 AM
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jimmie jam
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Originally Posted by MikeERWNC
It works the other way, too.

My dentist drives a ten year old Lexus.
I always bust on him...
"As much as I pay you, and you are still driving that POS Camry."
Then he tries to justify, " It's a Lexus."
That's not funny. About 30 years ago I said a similar thing to my dentist (yes, dentist), six months later when I went back he had raised his fees 35%. I asked him why - he said (not jokingly) "someone has to pay for my new sport fish and plane. I found another dentist.....that's a true story.

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To Why do you have to "defend" owning a Vette

Old 03-04-2014, 08:43 AM
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NY3quartrs5-oh
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In reality, a new vette cost a hair more than 75% of the cars you see on the road, but because it's a 2 seater most people don't think it's a practical car and see it as a "toy". like others have mentioned. My other 2 cars cost us 55k and 46k but no one says anything about them but say stuff about the 28k vette I bought used...
Old 03-04-2014, 08:54 AM
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Boxcar
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Well I don't defend my Corvette either, the people who know me are the only people I care what they think, they're called family and close friends. Who all know I have done my job, raised four kids, none on drugs, all High School Grads, two college grads, and work hard. Everytime I bring a new one home, its "Congradulations, you deserve it". My GS is number four. All my life cars have been apart of it, so its no surprise I own the Ultimiate Amercan Sports Car. Look out Watkins Glen....here I come.

Of course I take a ribbing from family and friends, but that's just fun humor.

Defend owning a Corvette, never have, and never will.
Old 03-04-2014, 09:14 AM
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Huskerman
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I tell my kids...never apologise for being successful......You will have earned everything you have. I am also surprised at how many folks think Corvettes cost a ton of money. Out of ten Corvettes I think I only bought a new one once. A weird blue 77 L48 auto they were trying to give away.......very affordable cars. 2 years ago my 2010 GS with all the bells and whistles was 44K. I do not consider that a lot of money for what cars cost in this day and age.

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