Is this a reason to sell your car?

[ufcrusher]

Here is the hypothetical situation. While you are living in an area which has a "western/rural" mentality, even in the city. This means that no one bats an eye at professional people owning/driving pickups. You bought the truck because it was the only thing that you fit into that was cost effective at the time.

You are in the process of moving cross country and know that in the area where you are moving, the only people who own pickups are either workers, cowboys, or weekend warriors who would never drive it out and about. Suddenly, you realize that your main transportation would be quite out of place in general. (Figure that where you are living now, everyone and their aunt are seen driving trucks...its common place. Where you are moving to, they are literally rarer than Ferraris, Bentleys, Rolls, Maseratis, Lamborgini, etc.) To make matters even more "interesting", in your line of work appearances matter a lot and the truck would stick out even more.

Would you plan on selling your truck before you moved and buy a new car out there..even though the truck is not even 2 years old? Would you just keep driving it until someone makes a stink about it? Would you drive it until it was a choice of getting rid of it or losing your job? Would the cost of moving the truck cross country be part of your equation whether to keep it or sell it?

To make this hypothetical scenario even more fun, you know for a fact that one of your friends was told by his company that he could either chose to buy a new vehicle OR keep his current truck, but park it away from the firm so long as no clients ever saw him driving it. He was mad about his truck being an issue and tried to keep it, but finally had to buy a new car.

[ShawnLee]

I'd move out there with a truck, since they're oh so helpful for that. Then (principally, but not practically) I'd tell the firm to shove it. In reality (practically but not what I'd like to do) I'd acquiesce and buy a new car out there. But just to silently stick it to the man in ways that no one knows, I'd keep the truck and say that I was sticking to my roots no matter what the world thought of me, even if I did only drive it once every two weeks.

[kgsilvas]

Keep the truck for the move then sell it on E-Bay from the new location. Obviously at the new firm, appearances matter.

[mcs328]

Keep the truck. If they make a stink ask for a raise or bonus to buy a new one or for a company car.

[ufcrusher]

I should probably say that I dont view the truck as part of my roots or anything. It was 100% a matter of fitting into a vehicle and the comparable cost being much lower than my other choices.

As for those people suggesting keeping it for the move, we have enough stuff that we would need to hire a moving company with a full semi. When I moved out here in 1998 I had a full semi then and we have gotten more stuff since then. A lot more stuff. So the truck would just end up being shipped cross country to the tune of a grand or more.

[Grimm]

Sounds like someone should hypotheticaly be franticly clicking the button to get the SUV from American Express for 5K this Tuesday.

[Cubsfan]

If you're going to sell it, sell it BEFORE the move. If they are rare where you are going, you probably aren't going to get the greatest resale value.

Anyway, did your friend actually have a nice car, or was it some 15 year old crappy pickup? Sounds like yours is fairly new, and probably looks decent.

[ufcrusher]

He had a Ranger Edge from the mid 90's. It was in fairly good shape with a tonneau. Not nearly the level of my truck, but it wasnt a beater by any means.

[DarkFury]

He had a Ranger Edge from the mid 90's. It was in fairly good shape with a tonneau. Not nearly the level of my truck, but it wasnt a beater by any means.

Awwww... so now it's no longer "hypothetical".... it's really about you isn't it?



Besides... the only reason I'd sell the truck would be to burn less gas if the new job required more driving. Other than that... they can SUCK IT!

Besides, had it been me... my truck is probably nicer than many of their cars. Who cares if they don't choose to drive trucks. You can ride a motorcycle... and sure enough more folks drive cars than ride bikes... but that shouldn't mean that you can't ride yours when it is nice out.

If the job wants me to get rid of the truck, then they better front up some cash to help buy a decent car.

[ufcrusher]

No its still hypothetical because the issue hasnt presented itself yet and I am think pre-emptively. As for the truck being nicer.....its a nice truck, there is no question, but compared to the "luxury" automobiles that most people in my profession will be seen in, its a different breed. Clients dont want to see their attys looking like they are fresh off the farm.

[attgig]

that image thing is retarded imo, but it's reality. if u have the money to buy a new car, and have something in mind, then go for it. I wouldn't rush into buying a new car, but keep your eyes open for something that you do like, and jump when the opportunity comes.

[sizemic1]

Tell them you still have a 100k in student loans to pay back and if they want you to have a better car, then they need subsidize you.

[mechmike0034]

Lots of attorneys drive trucks - particularly down here. This was also prevalent in the Virginia community (horse country) where I grew up.

[DarkFury]

No its still hypothetical because the issue hasnt presented itself yet and I am think pre-emptively. As for the truck being nicer.....its a nice truck, there is no question, but compared to the "luxury" automobiles that most people in my profession will be seen in, its a different breed. Clients dont want to see their attys looking like they are fresh off the farm.

So if your truck was a Lincoln Blackwood or a Cadillac Escalade EXT... would that make a difference?

Those are not "hick" trucks...

Sounds like a bunch of roody poo snobs to me.

[ufcrusher]

So if your truck was a Lincoln Blackwood or a Cadillac Escalade EXT... would that make a difference?

Those are not "hick" trucks...

Sounds like a bunch of roody poo snobs to me.

My guess is that the Cadillac as it is a SUV/Pick up cross like the Avalanche would be ok. I think its the notion of a pick up more than what an actual pick up is in reality anymore. I dont think most people think of the "posh" comfortable, SUV like interiors that many pick ups possess in todays market.
They view it as the old bench seat work trucks of old.

[Winston]

well you know the saying I want my lawyer and doctor driving a cadillac and my banker driving a furd.

[DarkFury]

My guess is that the Cadillac as it is a SUV/Pick up cross like the Avalanche would be ok. I think its the notion of a pick up more than what an actual pick up is in reality anymore. I dont think most people think of the "posh" comfortable, SUV like interiors that many pick ups possess in todays market.
They view it as the old bench seat work trucks of old.

The EXT and Avalanche are still TRUCKS (albeit ugly in the case of the Avalanche with all the plastic mouldings)... that little piece of plastic fold down wall in the back don't make it an SUV.

Lots of trucks nowadays don't come with "bench seats"... hell, my Hemi doesn't have a true bench either... as the center console can be flipped up to provide a 3rd seat in the middle, yet the driver's side and passenger side move independently of one another (ala bucket seats). Also, with 4 doors my truck has more room inside the cabin than a Furd Explorer... yet I still have a bed on the back.

Either way, I still think they are being a bunch of snobs.... and by the same note would they not accept you if you drove a "riced out" 2Fast 2Furious car with shiny wheels and spinners? Those aren't trucks... (and you know I'm jokin' right... )