Wait ... The government isn't going to take of me when I retire? Oh wait I live in America, not Sweden or Greece. Darn.

 

Maybe you can look at it this way and make the comment:

Those sure are nice cars you guys got, but I don't see it likely many of them being driven (or bought) 20 years from now... These XKs have a lasting style.

 

They all drive Mercedes, BMW, Maserati, and Lexus..Lol.
They felt I was better off getting a used BMW / Lexus for 10K with 80K miles, than take a chance on a car with a history of mystery illnesses.

Lexus yes, very reliable ride. BMW, Mercedes, Maserati, Porsche not so much.

BMW Engines Are Gigantic Pieces Of ****

 

I got the same load of Jealousy in the lunchroom at the G-Wave Observatory when I bought my '94 Mercedes years ago. I got a hell of a deal, but there were a few things that it needed to have sorted.

Fast forward less than a week, and a more Senior Scientist trades his Miata up for a Z-3 out of the blue. The complimentary e-mails flew around site, but no one mentioned my new car. My boss and good friend finally told me what was up; as I had asked what is going on? He stated jealousy, plain and simple; you now drive the nicest car here, and most of these people have been working their entire career to hit the mark that you scaled without sweating and you are half their age.

It was true; the more I interacted with the majority of staff, the elder in-particular, the more negative comments I received, and the predictions of catastrophic failure began flying around, as something gotten for that good a price, has to have problems.....it did not, they did. The parking lot was the same scenario, all brand new, high end cars; but they all looked the same, no personality and cookie cutter appearance. This went on when there were people around, but one by one, when I would bump into an individual in the parking lot, they would compliment the hell out of my car, want to sit in it, etc. Mass Jealousy from a group of Scientists that had probably wanted the same thing, but due to their own life's personal choices had ended up with a BMW mini van, or the sorts, and they quickly turned to aggression. Pretty sad if you ask me.

Oh yeah, the Mercedes still runs, it needs a new air injection pump or idler pulley that is screaming, but it will still start right up and drive all these years later. It is now my project car, and I am having it re-built from the bottom up, suspension has been thoroughly replaced, and I am working from the bottom up on the rest of the car to restore it to showroom condition.

 

I can't have kids. I don't think I'd want some anyway. I have had the double whammy, decent cars young; and I've gotten plastic surgery a few times when I've wanted it. I get old and young, male and female shade thrown at me.

I do not want a crossover SUV. I will go kicking and screaming before buying one. While I might want a Range Rover, Lexus LX, G-Wagen or other real SUV, I have none of the mediocrity of a CUV. I don't spend my money on hockey/soccer/whatever on children. I don't take 5 people on a trip to the carribean. I drive cars I like because that is something I like to do. I do what I want to do.

If they're jealous, oh well.

 

I would like to share my day:

9am: Pull out of garage and there's a construction crew working the front of my home. Guy stops me to compliment my car. Thought it was amazing.

11am: Meet with client. As I get out of car to walk over and shake his hand, he compliments the car, and had to walk over to get a closer look.

12 noon: Leaving client, 2 teen kids on bikes ride by and tell me the car is "hot"

2pm: Stopped at a light and a guy beeps and opens his window. He asked my how many miles I have on the car. He compliments the car.

Drum roll please... 5pm office webinar meeting with a west coast vendor. I pull into front lot amongst the "hot shots"..
Had a few nice words from the mortals .
Hot shots went unnoticed

The earth is back in balance.

 

My wife and I were going out to dinner a few weeks ago in my 99XK8 convertible with the top down. Pull to a stop light and a car full of college girls pulled alongside on me. They were jumping up and down and pointing at me.

I thought what the hell they can't be excited about me. So I looked at their car and they had a new F type convertible. They were excited about my car.( DAMN). I said to them that mine was a little older than theirs. They agreed with me and the light turn green. I hope we were talking about the cars and not me.

Later after dinner I put the top down for the ride home. A Passer by look at my car and said " I want that car".


The only other car I have ever had that gets compliments all the time is my '66 Mustang fastback.

Before I told my wife that when I die that I wanted to be buried in my F-350 with the remote for the TV. Now I want to be buried in my xk8.