[ajmat]

Originally Posted by v1p3r

Well, if I were to buy a car for around 10 lakhs, .......................... For 15 lakhs or so, IT guy would buy a CRV or an Accord. I would buy a Forester, or a used Skyline/Supra. I don't like the word flashy. I prefer driver's car.

But I guess it's true, not everyone lives eats breathes dreams cars.

I think you need to actually start earning /working and understand the value of hard earned money. I probably could buy a lot more than what i have but when one has responsibilities and realise the effort that goes into buying a depreciating asset, you think twice about spending.

I eat, drink cars but you got to be real. Start working and you will see things from a different angle

[zenx]

yeah, gotta nod my head in agreement with Ajmat. IT ain't this homogenous money spinning entity through and through. There sure are those who can spend the 15L you mention cause they like the car, but the likes of us can only ogle, and get our 6 year old OHCs restored (No salary for almost the past two years years now - startup mode - yeah thats IT too!)
And then there real estate and insurance and what have you to worry about.

[RJK]

Originally Posted by ajmat

I think you need to actually start earning /working and understand the value of hard earned money. I probably could buy a lot more than what i have but when one has responsibilities and realise the effort that goes into buying a depreciating asset, you think twice about spending.

I eat, drink cars but you got to be real. Start working and you will see things from a different angle

Absolutely agree with Ajmat. Unless you actually work and earn money, it's difficult to understand...i've come to realize that for a fact since I'm experiencing it right now. Even I used to crib that my father doesn't buy a 'good' car but now that I'm working and studying, I see the point.

[v1p3r]

Originally Posted by ajmat

I think you need to actually start earning /working and understand the value of hard earned money. I probably could buy a lot more than what i have but when one has responsibilities and realise the effort that goes into buying a depreciating asset, you think twice about spending.

I eat, drink cars but you got to be real. Start working and you will see things from a different angle

Worked my arse off to buy/build my own car, which is still being built. True, I don't need to worry about depreciation and a roof over my own head, but what little money I have gets spent on track days and mods. Which is why I'm an irregular on track and at the national meets. I don't think I need to be taught the value of hard earned money.

[gkrishn]

Originally Posted by v1p3r

Worked my arse off to buy/build my own car, which is still being built. True, I don't need to worry about depreciation and a roof over my own head, but what little money I have gets spent on track days and mods. Which is why I'm an irregular on track and at the national meets. I don't think I need to be taught the value of hard earned money.

If you don't mind, how much this car buying/building project cost you?? This is not OT btw.

[akroy]

Originally Posted by moralfibre

I thought otherwise. Pehle Gaadi phir ghar dekha jayega . I know it is stupid to do so but I know many others who did!

coz easy availability of loans and lucrative offers tempt us to go to that direction... general middle class / IT pro thinks of ghar first they they dont have one in any metro or big city....

Tell u what I am also one such stupid to buy my Alto first and then a flat in bangalore...only that I didnt have any plans to buy a flat here till it happened accidentally, but car was planned well 6 months before I bought it...

Abhi

[akroy]

Originally Posted by Jaggu

WRT hierarchy, again depends on the culture of the company also and i truly dont believe any supre senior guy (in his right frame of mind) will question a person who buys a better car than him if they can afford the same, though its the stupid indian mentality of "maska chaska" "nazar na lage" very unprofessional approach i say, which created this guilt scenario for some falling in my original category of mamu's 2

My ex company boss used to come to office in his old M800 (although he had a Sonata for highway use which we came to know only after 6 months) whereas the others (PMs and VPs) used to come in Accents, Corollas, OHCs/NHCs etc....He used to look funny in the parking lot in his khatara type 800 (ill maintained)...
That was my first company and we were the junior most lot till we realized that he doesnot use his Sonata in Bangalore traffic...

Abhi

[akroy]

Originally Posted by sbasak

Anyway, back to the topic, if Indian IT pros are not buying flashy cars, they are probably investing the money in better places - which is a good sign

, IT pros getting better finance managers with the increasing salaries....

Abhi

[benbsb29]

Let me explain my case here. I belong to the IT industry, and so does my better half. After much deliberation, and some research, we decided to get ourselves a car. We got ourselves an Ikon, knowing very well that we could afford it if we stretch a bit, but it wasnt really easy on us, so early into our careers. We could have very well gone for a smaller segment car, but we chose to otherwise.

Now, post buying the car, we have our landlord demanding an increase in rent, the washerwoman also putting forward her demands, the building watchman also started becoming too close for comfort, and it goes on....
All this while so long we owned only a 2 wheeler, we were part of common junta... now, we are seen as some cash-laden parties, while only we know how we manage our finances.

This is probably only a small example to highlight why most people.. IT or non-IT do not go in for flashy cars and so on.

[Jaggu]

this is like parking 100 mts away from veg vendor for good price, if commuting by car phenomenon lol.. but hey knowing local lingo really helps

[akroy]

Originally Posted by benbsb29

All this while so long we owned only a 2 wheeler, we were part of common junta...

Thats one of the reason we prefer to travel by bike inside city apart from the parking hassle...

Abhi

[w 12]

Originally Posted by ggkg

1. Other professionals are joining the party, recently. Lawyers, CA and others even ordinary civil/mech engineering grads are getting huge pay packets/increases.

2. If I were a senior exec at Mercedes or BMW I would be sad to see my company's car on our streets. .

1. On what basis is a civil / mech. engineer graded "ordinary" where as others are extraordinary ? I dont think such an apartheid exists.

2. On the contrary, I would be happy to see as many of my cars as possible on streets..More cars sold is more revenue at the end of the day for any company ..

[msdivy]

Originally Posted by Jaggu

....
so i cant really agree to this, then again these are all case to case and if someone wants to make a case, then they can.
did they conduct a proper survey while arriving at this conclusion and article? or did they just interview few?
loads of questions but a very entertaining thread, so i shall wait and watch

This happens subtly. Let me give an instance. My company strength is 100. It falls somewhere between small to medium sized. My colleague (in a different group) had 800 and his manager zen. I know them quite well. My colleague sold his 800 and bought Aveo. His manager didn't have any plans to upgrade. But in few months, he bought Optra - in full cash. Though he may not admit in public, his engineer's Aveo had big role in upgrading to Optra. Since their relationship was good this incident has fair ending.

I remember reading in one of the 90s management self-help books:
'Always buy a car one level below your superior. In case if you own one, don't get it to office.'
Times may be changing but there are other dynamics at work in office. Unless you know your manager very well, better be safe.

[sajo]

My Dad isnt an IT guy, but many of his colleagues and subordinates in the company (a big diesel engine manf.) drive around in "flashy" cars like Optras and Civics. He drives a base model Indigo, because he believes in owning a vehicle outright.
I might perhaps do the same, when (and if) some IT company hires me. Some people may call it "old school", but I would rather drive some smaller used vehicle I can buy with cash, than finance a bigger new and "flashy" car.

[deep_bang]

Does hierarchy has something to do with what one buys ??? I think t is very very dependent on the cultures. For instance, people who work with americans might not really bother much about whether their managers or subordinates car sizes. However, may be the people working with Japanese might be far more conscious of hierarchy and the need to make that felt. Well, i have a few friends (who are managers) who dont even own a car but their subordinates do. All this is because we work in a social envirnoment and working with different cultures, would expose us to their behaviors - we tend to imbibe some part of their cultures/practices.

Well, chances are, if your company is an American MNC in India, then there may be many ppl who have travelled and lived there. And typically Americans own larger cars and SUV's. So, ppl may buy bigger cars NOT because they want to have bigger cars than their subordinates, but just that they like them.