Luxury Cars

So, the LoLo Monster goes to a private school and while I was dropping him off the other day I looked around the parking lot and noticed that a few of the cars were what would qualify as luxury vehicles. I am not really a car person, but even I know that a Mercedes is fancier than a Honda. I do not drive either brand. As I walked to my car, I tried to discreetly check out which parents belonged to which car. (I say discreetly, but since I did not have my glasses on, I can only imagine how subtle I could have really been.)

The mom that I normally see in the scrubs drives the black BMW. The woman I keep hoping is that child's grandmother (and not some 40 something who just looks 60) drives what looks like a white Mercedes. Then saw one of the dads get into an mid-90's Lexus. I remember that car because there was a time when every guy on the Ave either had one or rode in is friend's. It was the dark green with the gold line. Some of you know the car I am talking about. I hear Mary J. singing "I Just Want to Be Happy" playing in my head as I type this because that car is so tied to my high school memories.

Seeing that car made me realize something about myself. I never want to own a luxury car. Considering the "Courtesy Balance Notification" I just got from BancoDeMi this is not a near future problem, but still worth discussing. I don't want a luxury car for a few reasons.

1. While it may seem strange that I can justify a $300 pair of shoes by saying that wearing them 3 times means they only cost $100, I cannot for the life of me understand why a car would cost more than $60,000. That is house money and I don't care how roomy it is I don't plan to live in it.

2. Maintenance. This is not true for all brands because from what I hear BMW is pretty good about covering their cars, but Mother drives a Jaguar and they told her at the dealership that her brakes were not covered under warranty. She took it better than I would have because if I pay that much money for a car and extend the warranty then you better fix my breaks, clean my seats, shine my shoes and kiss my butt while doing it.

3. Old models. Most of the people I remember with that Lexus bought it to show off to others as a way of saying, "I'm BALLIN'", but what do you do when that model gets old and you either haven't paid it off or can't afford a new one. Now you no longer look like a baller. Sure you could lease and pay for a "new every 2" like a cell phone, but who in there right mind wants to go to the grave with a car payment if they don't have to? I'll tell you who- ME! Old luxury cars are for the teenagers of actual rich people to practice on before they get their real car before college. Those are the only people who look cool in them.

I drive a Jetta. The older my car gets the more responsible I look. It is kind of like an investment piece that way. Like a black pencil skirt. It may not be flashy, but it wears well with time. Remember harem pants, crocs, platforms flip-flops, and hobo-chic? Yeah. So does everyone else and they remember when that style was no longer cool. That is what you are driving in until it becomes some type of vintage classic. You are basically driving an Ed Hardy t-shirt waiting for it to become ironically cool again.

I think I'll stick with the Jetta.