nupe1911

I feel the same way you do ron_IS350. I'm 21, fresh out of college, and I'm in the market to buy. My fiancé and I will almost have a 6 figure income living in the Dallas metro area. I'm a car fanatic and I love the IS350 and all the cars in its class. I will purchase one is 6 months or less. BUT, I'm curious on how people at the office will perceive me. I'll be a young black male who barely has a mustache in a Lexus. Personally, I could care less about the perceived judgments against me. I've worked hard to get to where I'm at and I've had a rough 21 yrs. Nothing was given too me. Be proud of yourself and your family's accomplishments. Forget what people think.

Bichon

- Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for teenagers
- Teenagers are more likely to be involved in a fatal motor vehicle crash than any other age group -- even more likely than 80-something grandmas that can't see over their steering wheels and grandpas with their slow reaction times and cataracts.
- The above statistics are all the more alarming given the fact that teenager's healthy young bodies are able to withstand far more trauma than those of older drivers.

(Inexperience + Immaturity + Raging hormones + A hot car) = a recipe for a potential tragedy.

If you need more convincing that teens do some really stupid things with hot cars, start perusing car related videos on YouTube.

Excuse me if I'm starting to sound like an old fogey as I enter middle age, but over the years I've attended the funerals of no fewer than six teenagers, both personal aquaintences and family friends, that have died in motor vehicle crashes, including a high school classmate that lost her life in an alcohol related crash the night of her graduation. I now believe a "nice" car for a teenager is one that is safe, boring, and has a lot of airbags.

revhi

And Ron, it is people like Kensteele that will always tell you what you want to hear.
Kensteele... "run over them,"? You're real mature.

revhi

Difference is, you've worked hard for what you got. This kid is still in HS

If it really doesnt matter what people think, then why did this kid post this? Go figure

Evitzee

Unfortunately, we don't live in a bubble. Although you may not care what other's think, you have to be aware of your surroundings. You are starting a new job with a new company, and you will be partially judged (rightly or wrongly) about the kind of clothes you wear, your acquaintences, how you act in the office, and what kind of car you drive. That's just the way life is once you get out of the insular world of education and start your way in the world. Don't underestimate how your lifestyle will affect how you are perceived. If you are working in the entertainment business you can probably get away with anything, but if you are working in a professional business (medical, law, engineering, etc) you have to take your cue from how conservative the business is. If you roll up in a Lexus the first day and the boss is driving a ten year old Chevy there will be an effect on you. Maybe not immediately, but simple things like what kind of car aren't a secret. Just be aware of what's going on around you. You might like to have a Lexus fresh out of college, and can afford it, but sometimes discretion is the better part of valor. In other words, 'Less is sometimes more'.

nupe1911

thanks for the advice "Evitzee". I appreciate it. Also, which Lexus dealership in TX cuts the best deals. Sewell comes to mind first.

Bichon

I wouldn't worry about it. You're buying an entry level Lexus with a base price not much higher than the average cost for new vehicles, not a frivolous megabucks supercar like a Maybach or Lamborghini. Lexus is a top selling nameplate these days; I doubt you'll have the only one in the lot.

Dabigman

All of you guys think people care a lot more than they do.

Nupe- People will judge you not because you are black but because if you are making 50k a year and buy a 40k car, that's conspicuous comsumption. You said you had a "rough" 21 years, if so, I would presume you have student loans and would be better served paying those down or maxing your 401(k) while you are young and able.

erickchen

i dont care how people perceive me. living in san marino, i've been judged all my life. so have a lot of my friends.

i agree with dabigman. a lot of you guys think people care more than they do. it just sounds like you guys want them to care.

kensteele

so when i was in a similar situation as you, i sold my acura and bought a pontiac grand am for the first day of work at the office. it took me about a year to assess the situation before i replaced the grand am with an acura cl.

worked in kansas city and i lived in rural kansas, being from the city (minneapolis) and starting work at a small office, i didn't know what to expect so i didn't take any chances; i blended into the crowd. i was younger then so that might have had something to do with it. and the fact that my previous acura was a "heap."

like i mentioned earlier, when you encounter these hurdles, you can get around them eventually but some of them, you're going to have to "go thru" them and end up with a few scars. people will judge you, that's just the way it is. dallas is all about image and glam...at least the parts i went to.

nehal51086

i felt the same way when my parents got my 250...however i was 19...it was my 20 bday pres..i know exactly how u feel...

IS_NIICE

iTrader: (1)

well i do worry about what people think, that's the whole problem.

revhi, i have a question...what was your first car? or how old are you? maybe if you were bombarded with the experiences i have encountered, being a 17 year old with a pretty pricey car, you would understand why i posted it in the first place. people are always giving me bad looks, and my relatives are constantly saying "damn...do you work" or "damn, my first car was ______", it would obviously evoke me to question if i should have this car. i would like to know the reasoning behind your belligerent attitude. and calling me mother theresa? are you out of your mind? i apologize for believing that geniality and respect go hand in hand with proper etiquette.

EDIT: kensteele, thanks for standing up for me, you are the truth. thanks everyone else for the support. no doubt, i'm gonna try my hardest to make my parents proud.

Cornellian

Dude, don't think about what everyone else thinks! I myself am 21 years old and about to turn 22. I have a great job right after college and I'll be paying for my own Is350! Ofcourse I had to work hard, even in school I started a business when I was 19. So, I know how to make and manage money.

Bottom line is, if you're lucky enough to get the car without paying by yourself than just enjoy it and concentrate on more important things like having fun with your friends and doing good in school.

Remember one thing though! I had friends in college that were multi-millionares but, if you saw them, you would not believe that they were that rich!! Just be humble to those that are nice to you, otherwise, teach them a lesson. Trust me on the latter one, I know it from being an entrepenuer at a young age and dealing with all sorts of people worldwide!

Belmont

I initially came to your defense, but now you're just irritating.

Maybe your parents should have instilled a backbone in you.

Toughen up. The world is a rough place. You're going to have a very difficult time making your parents proud if you're getting this worked up over alleged dirty looks in your nice new car.

Get over it.

Evitzee

True, a base level Lexus isn't much more expensive than a lot other vehicles. But Lexus has marketed this brand almost perfectly since its introduction. It is considered a top level luxury auto product in the same league as MB and BMW. It is perception which is important, not its actual cost.

I work in a company that does a lot of very large projects and we always have changes being made as we engineer these jobs. A lot of these changes are in the $50k to $100k range ..... when we are sitting around the table discussing them they are frequently referred to as a 'one Lexus' or 'two Lexus' value change. To most people I work with $50k is a lot of money to spend on a vehicle, and these people are making good coin, well over $100k per year. It is just they have families and other priorities. The IS forum has a lot of young Turks, especially from CA, who seem to have a lot of money and aren't afraid to spend it. That is NOT how most of the rest of the country operates when it comes to vehicles. The top brands represent a pretty thin veneer of the market.