The established car-building countries may be in virtual lockstep when it comes to stamping out family sedans, compacts, and crossovers, but ask them to produce a premium sports car, and you get the Porsche 911 Carrera S, the Nissan GT-R, the Chevrolet Corvette Z06, and, now, the Lotus Evora. Sure, these cars are delightful for the way they look, sound, and perform. But what makes them really appealing is that they’re so different from one another, as distinct and vibrant as the countries that produced them. With Lotus launching its decidedly British addition to the field, we decided it was time to celebrate automotive diversity with a good old-fashioned international shoot-out.
Hey all,Hope you all had a good weekend and are having a good week.I am kind of in a bad mood. My Gators are in the tourney but getting very close to the bubble.They have had a grind it out kind of season. We have won or lost about 10 games by 5 or less points. I know you hate me talking about the Gators, and I have tried to talk less, but I felt like I had to tell you. I mean if it reflects in my writing you need to know.Well last night they lost another tough one. We lost to an under .500 team this weekend, and we lost to a top 25 team last night by a total of 6 points.And oh yeah I forgot to tell you, we play Kentucky this weekend. If you haven’t been watching, Kentucky was ranked #1 last week and lost and now they are #4.I am thinking another loss.I watched a couple of movies last week.I watched Star Trek. I am not a Trekkie or anything, and I haven’t watched anything to do with Star Trek in a long time. But the movie was pretty good.I watched Rudy again, and it is still awesome.Okay I will get right to the subject.Oh before I forget….I don’t think we are done talking about Septocaine. We have had some good comments on the subject. I don’t want to beat a dead horse, but I don’t want to leave a stone unturned.We are going to have our dental student give us a post soon, so we can see how he/she is doing.And lastly, I have had some issues with Optibond FL. Everyone says it is great and my facial fillings that I did with Optibond FL are all coming out. I wrote to REALITY and this guy wrote me back. I think I might be talking to a big wig at Kerr. I didn’t say very nice things, and he is defending and not trying to chew me out at the same time.When I am done with this discussion I will post it.The other day I am doing my thing at work. And I see a long lost patient coming out of hygiene.I go over and give him a man hug, and we exchange pleasantries. He says, “you got a second.” I say, “Sure.”"You have to come outside and see my new car. I just got it yesterday.”Now I am not into cars, but I can appreciate the feeling someone gets when they get a new car.I often go out in the parking lot and see people’s cars. We have an office that the face of it looks out to our parking lot and this wall of the office is all glass.So I am looking at the types of cars that are out there. I often will ask people if that is their car.And I will say, “Wow, that is a really nice car.” And they might say, “Do you want to see it.”And I will always say yes.Sometimes I have gotten in the car with people and driven around the neighborhood.So nothing was different when I went out to see this guy’s new car. Well when I went out there, and his new car was a fresh, off the lot, 2010 Porsche 911 Carrera Turbo Convertible.Now I was not that impressed, but I asked him how much it costs. Just so you know I was $40,000 off.Now this is where I want you to guess. Go ahead and guess how much it costs and then click this link and it will tell you how much (bottom right hand corner and before I forget he paid $17,000 more than MSRP for extra’s and tax.)http://www.porsche.com/usa/models/911/911-turbo-cabriolet/Now, usually this stuff doesn’t bother me. But I think this one did.I recognize some of you might have nice cars. I don’t have a problem with nice cars (maybe I do and some of the reason is because I can’t or don’t have one. I don’t think for me and where I am at right now that having a nice car is a smart move for me).I don’t fault any of you for having nice cars. I think Infinities are very nice, I like Lexus’, Mercedes and the like.I don’t have a problem with spending money on luxury.I don’t know why I was so bothered.I think a bunch of reasons….I think first and foremost the price is what bothered me the most. $160,000. Oh my gosh.There are so many things wrong with this.I don’t know, I live in a world where I am struggling paying tuition for my kid’s education. I live in a world where my patients struggle to find money sometimes to pay for a filling.I live in a world that has people in it that will wait in a cold parking lot over night to get a $100 filling for free.I live in a world that my wife hit the garage with the side of her minivan and that dent is still there.I work with 9 good people that work hard and live pay check to pay check like most of the rest of us. I know their stories, and it is not champagne and caviar.This guy is not living in my world. This guy and I don’t even live on the same stratosphere.I am thinking he doesn’t live in the same world as many people.I started to think to myself, “why did he want me to see this car?”I can’t even relate.I am driving a 9 -year-old Ford F150 truck for crying out loud.Could I afford a nice car? I guess I could. I think it is choice my wife and I make.Every time I write my tithe check I am making a decision.When I talk to people that are jealous like me, “I don’t even like that car. I mean it only fits two people. It is not even a practical car. You can’t even put a set of golf clubs in that car.”When I am running with my running group, who I think have money, we talk about cars. But I think it is a healthy talk. I think most of them can drive nice cars, but keep it into perspective.As much as we appreciate the look of a nice car we also talk about the money. The depreciation of the money.When I talked to my church group it is easy to sit back and talk about how we could build a couple of churches with that money. Or say something like, “I feel sorry for that guy he is worshiping the wrong god. He has a god and it is his car.”I don’t know where I really stand. I think it is all of them.I think I am a bit jealous (but not that much). I think I am a bit too money conscience and a bit to practical to by something like that. And I think I do feel a bit sorry for him because I do think it does become people’s god.I mean how much money do you have to have in your bank account to afford a $160,000 car.How does the negotiations sound like, “I know the sticker says $168,000 but I am not going a penny over $160,000.”"Well then I am going to have to go talk to my manager.”"Let him know that if you don’t match my price I am walking.”I don’t know, I am I alone in this?Do we all aspire to have a nice car?Go ahead and tell me…it is anonymous.I would like to know what you drive and your thought process behind your decision.Do you like fast cars? Were you going through a mid-life crisis (which is okay because I am almost there)?Do you love your car and can’t wait to get another one?Did you buy an expensive car and hate it?I have to be honest, I don’t ever think I am going to have a nice car. I think even when I am free from all my house debt and my office debt I will then move to other obligations.Maybe I will work less. Maybe I will pay for my grandkid’s tuition. Maybe I will start a college fund for them.Maybe I will start a dental clinic. But I sure won’t spend it on a car regardless of how awesome it is, at least I don’t think.See I told you I was in a mood. Those stupid Gators.Have a great rest of the week.John
You think the Porsche guy’s crazy for spending $160k on a car. He thinks his neighbor is crazy for spending $800k on a fishing boat. I’m sure there’s a person out there that thinks you’re crazy for spending $500 on a watch, and someone else that thinks that person is crazy for spending $100 on a pair of shoes. It’s all relative when it comes to rationalizing our wants. In every case, the money spent on wants could always be better spent on a need, but that’s what separates the two. We’re not going to stop spending money on things that we want just to avoid judgment (and we’re also not going to stop judging people who drive around in something that could buy food for a large African village for five years), so it’s just an issue of calibrating your own moral compass whenever something new and shinny crosses your path.
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Since time immemorial-or was it the Sixties? Who can remember?-the Porsche 911 has been the outline for sports cars with its iconic teardrop shape and its iconoclastic handling. Never better than it is now, the 2010 Porsche 911 once again raises its own bar by dropping in a new Turbo model with faultless handling and urgent, propulsive boxer power. In coupe, Cabriolet, and Targa body styles, the 911 dazzles on many fronts. Porsche tempts with a choice of turbo and nonturbo flat-six engines; dual-clutch and manual transmissions; and rear- or all-wheel drive. Priced from $79,000 for a coupe to $145,000 for a Turbo Cabriolet-that’s before options-the Porsche 911 occupies the same rare air as the Aston Martin V8 Vantage, the Jaguar XKR, the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1, and in a stretch, the Ferrari California.
