i always get that "discrimination". I work at a small bank where only the owner drives a nice Jag. Everyone else has the run of the mill camry, sentra, hyundai...watever. They always tease me that I am the president of the bank expecially when I just bought my LS430 and then 3 months later started bringing my daily driver GS after it had been "dressed up and fixed up".
When I worked at this lab, I got the feeling that they thought I wasnt working hard enough... that i was some spoiled rich kid because I had these two cars. My boss would always jokingly mention it... that I should not be using my "lexus" while gathering samples for the job... that management might get the wrong idea. He has a beat up old Grand cherokee.... I told him... ya know that your car is much more expensive than what I got mine for? eh oh well. Now I got a teaching job where my raise is incremental every year and also depending on the level of education I get...not depending on the whims of some administrative butthead.

 

now a days , no one can and should judge another by their personal material possessions. anyone with good to excellent credit today can finace just about anything.. remember this be america and debt is part of the program..

you could lease a fer or lambo or porche and pay 1-1500 per month and work your *** off to do it but many do to put up that front or you could be living in the dumps but push a 100k ride just to get the attention or like some others buy a 500k house and forever be 1 check away from finanicial ruin....


i say drive what you like , dont worry what others think just know you are being true and rational to yourself

 

This is why, in Germany, debadging is so popular. Especially on Merc "S"classes where prices can vary drastically within the same series.

Cultural difference really. America is so caught up with keeping up with the Jones's that everyone is trying so hard to stay ahead of the next person. Hence the ooohhs and ahhhhs and chitter, chatter.

Debadging is a very eloquent way of stating that you don't give a hoot what other people think or don't think about you. Moreover you're not trying to show anyone how "wonderful" you by the car you drive. Takes a wee-bit of confidence to truly feel this way.

Finally, some people believe "new" cars are the only way to go. Typically, that new car smell fades really fast when they pull up their new Accord to your used GS. FWIW, I'll trade new car aroma for returns in the stock market or my kid's college plan. It's always about priorities...

Good Luck,
Eric

 

I say do the Aristo V300 emblem change, hehe,

My badging is v300 aristo, So I get that a lot as well, people saying is that a 300?
Let them think what they want, I don't care, U should see their faces when they get smoked, hehe

 

I get the same kind of reaction to my GS3. Now I just tell people that I drive a toyota and watch their mouths drop when I roll up in the lex. I luv it!

 

Keep it the same. Let people know that its a gs400 tell them there was only a 3 thousand dollar difference and it gets almost the same mileage.