Read the whole thing before you Judge me.
Wow. I was shocked to read some of the stuff on here. I know how both sides feel on this issue. My parents got a divorce when I was about 11 and the man that married my mom is a car fanatic. He is like a father to me, so I try to look up to him. He taught me to love cars, to appreciate them. I wash my car when it gets dirty no matter what the temp (live in Texas though lol). The interior stays clean. Avoid pot holes. Stay away from Semi's, etc. He taught me how to take care of a car.
My dad (step-father) was trading in another car when I was 14 and they offered him a great deal on a Firebird. So when I was 14 I had a brand new Firebird. Now I know that many of you are shaking your head in disgust and I understand that. In fact buying that car was dumb and stupid. We all know that now. It just sat there. Their plan was to keep it until I turned 15 and got my permit. I got so much shit for having it. People started calling me "rich boy" and pretty much hating me for my parents getting it. It was not fun to be receiving all of this anger and having to deal with being in High School for the first time. It was very stressful.
My fellow students all felt the same was as yall. So we sold it. Then they bought me a used Eclipse when I was about to get my permit. I thought that people would look at me as more along the lines as them. You know a "used" car. No! I was met with more anger. They were mad that I had another car. I was so anger at these people. What was I going to have to do to get them to like me? Was I going to have to ride the bus just so seniors wouldn't pick on me? Was I going to have to tell my parents that I did not want it because "people did not like it"? What the hell. Why should a great gift from a parent be met like this by the general population. Why should people be angry? If it were me, I would be congratulating the person as we do on here when we get a new member.
My parents I think knew that something was wrong. So they told me that they were offered a great deal on a Ford. Now my father negotiates for a living so we get cars for cost, nothing more. I was so fed up with people giving me shit, that I said to hell with it. I went out with my dad to Ford and we drove home in a Brand New 2002 Ford Mustang GT convertible. It was just about the nicest car in town. I felt that if people were going to harass me, at least I was going to enjoy the ride.
I was immediately met with a different feeling by people. They no longer wanted to harass me. They wanted rides. I was amazed. But my mother told me that I could not give anyone rides, and I listen to my parents. I know that they do a lot for me so the least I could do is do what they say. Once people found out that I would not give rides, they thought that I was an arrogant prick. They thought that I felt like I was too good for them. I was met again with hatred. It was a battle that I could not win.
This story can go on because after this car I had 2 pickups, and another car, before my GTI. Yeah I am a spoiled prick. I know that that is how people feel and I understand. I want you all to know that I completely understand. I have had to deal with this for a very long time, and I have come to understand something. People hate it when someone gets something. They hate it when someone is given something without them having to work for it.
I look up to my friends. I have two friends right now that have been working their butts off so that they can buy new cars. I hate myself every single time that I drive up to see them. I hate it when the complement me on the car. If I could, I would go out and buy them any car they want right now, because they deserve it. They deserve it far more than someone like me.
I guess what I am trying to say is that I know why you hate kids who drive BMW's and Merc's. I was offered 2 BMW’s in fact. I turned them down. Not because I did not want them, but because I knew that if I went up into the category, some jerk would try to damage it. Do you know what that feels like to be afraid every single time you walk out to the parking lot, because you don't know whether someone has hurt your car? Whether someone keyed it, slammed their door into you, or slashed your tires. I respect cars more than anyone I know. I would rather someone run into me or cut me with a knife, then for them to lay a finger on my car. You all must feel something like this. I live and breathe cars. It pains me that my hobby and my love for something can be turned into this.
All I want to leave you with is remember that not all kids that drive nice cars are spoiled jerks. They all aren't arrogant pricks. Some of them understand the value of a dollar. They understand that someone worked hard for this. Some parents show their love by taking you on vacations, or throwing you huge birthday parties, or by letting you have friends over. My parents show their love by buying me stuff. That is the only way they know how. I am sorry that we are like this. I wish we weren't. We are just a screwed up family, which just can't seem to fit in.
