It was a salutation unique to me, “Take good care of that car!”
The young man behind the register said it just as I turned to leave the gas station. With my back turned, a puzzled look emerged on my face, “Take good care of that car?”
What an odd thing to say I thought as I pushed open the door… I mean, I’d expect to hear “Have a nice evening” or even “Take care,” but not “Take good care of that car.”
Immediately, however, everything began to make sense as I walked outside and remembered the shiny, black, 2016 Chevrolet Camaro I had just driven to the gas station. He was complimenting me on it.
“This must be what it feels like…” was the thought racing through my mind as I stepped on the gas and sped away into the quiet night.
At this point, I should probably back up.
This past Saturday, my Southwest flight landed on the dark runway of an airport in the middle of a snowy, blizzardy Omaha, NE. Snow plows worked tirelessly removing the wet, heavy snow. The temperature was not cold, 33 degrees F to be exact, but the temps were dropping and snow was definitely sticking to the pavement.
I had arrived in Omaha that evening to speak at a church the next morning 45 minutes away in Lincoln, NE. Around 10pm, when I approached the weary airport employee at the car rental counter, I was the only customer in sight—probably his last one of the night.
I’m guessing because the man’s shift was almost over (or maybe because of the frequency with which I have rented cars from this particular company), upon arrival, the gentleman asked if I was interested in an upgrade on my reserved vehicle.
“Sure,” I responded. Why would any traveler turn down a free upgrade?
“Great. How ‘bout I give you the Camaro?” he asked.
“For free?” I clarified. I mean, knowing me, my original reservation was for the cheapest car in their database and a Camaro seemed like a pretty significant upgrade.
“Yes, for free. Nobody else seems interested in it today.”
I remembered the wet, December snow falling outside. “Sure, I’ll take it. I learned to drive in North Dakota—a little snow doesn’t worry me.”
Before I knew it, I was off the lot heading to my night’s lodging with plenty of time to make final preparations for my busy Sunday morning. On my way, I stopped at a small gas station to pick up some Chap Stick.
In that particular gas station, I was met with that unfamiliar greeting by the young cashier with the dark hair, “Take good care of that car.”
Why he thought wishing my car well was more important than wishing me well, I’ll never know…
But maybe that’s because I’ve never been much of a car-guy. I know there are some who find great enjoyment in the pursuit, but it’s always seemed like an expensive hobby to me. Not to mention, I’ve seen countless financial lives burdened (or even ruined) by too ambitious of a monthly car payment. So I almost consider it a blessing that I’ve never been particular drawn to expensive vehicles.
It’s probably because of that “noncar-guy status” that the gas station attendant’s salutation sounded so strange to me. When a middle-age man drives up in a white 2005 Honda Accord, nobody rushes to compliment him on his car. They must save those greetings for the folks in the Camaros and Mustangs.
For the first time in my life, somebody went out of their way to compliment me on the car they assumed I owned.
So you’ll have to excuse me for being surprised by it. And you’ll have to forgive me for my internal reaction to it as well.
You see, when I climbed back into that car—a car that I don’t even own—I experienced a rush of pride. It was brief. But nevertheless, there was a distinct feeling of arrogance that caused me to prop my head up a little bit higher and step on the gas a little bit harder… I was driving an expensive car—nicer, I assume, than the car driven by that man behind the counter.
I asked myself in that moment, “Is this what it feels like to drive a sports car? To know that people look at you and your car when you pull up next to them at a red light or into your parking spot at the gas station? This must be part of the appeal.” Is this what draws people to expensive cars? Is this why they buy them?
I know, of course, there are other reasons people are drawn to expensive vehicles. They enjoy the speed, the craftsmanship, the hobby, or the memories conjured up because of them.
But is it also the case, in many circumstances, that these feelings and this appearance of superiority are also part of the draw?
Because if that’s the case, what a shame. There are far more important things I’d like to be known for than the model of vehicle I park in my garage.
I’m so glad I’m not a car-guy…
And yet, I can’t help but believe this appeal extends beyond the cars that we drive. Maybe I am not a car-guy, per se… but that doesn’t mean I may not be trying to impress others with the things that I own in other ways.
Sometimes we seek these feelings of pride in the houses that we live in… the clothes that we wear… the technology that we carry… or the vacations that we take. Too often, we pursue these things not because of the value they offer to our lives, but because we crave the attention and acclamation of others.
Which makes me wonder, “Is that why we’re doing all this? Is this one of the reasons we keep buying all this stuff we don’t need?”
Just to impress our family, our friends, our neighbors, or the cashier at the gas station?
Because if so, what a shame.
Our lives hold far greater potential than that.
Beth says
Last spring I decided my ’08 Mercury didn’t reflect “me”. So I gave it to my nephew and leased a new Regal. Don’t really like it. It’s all shiny new, but most of the gadgets are annoying. My husband has an ’08 Accord that he loves and is so reliable. I’d rather have a smaller utilitarian car. But my dad is a Buick guy and elderly, so I got it mostly to make him happy. So not really sure it was the best move. Fortunately it’s only a three year lease.
Rashmirekha Sarma says
Amazing Joshua. This is so true. I am not American. Being from a developing country, I see these rapidly progressing notions of ‘impressing other’ among the peoples surrounded by me where my country has lots of other really important things to do which can proud us as being human.
Tami says
I experience the opposite. I chose my Ford Fiesta because it goes forward, backward, and right and left. It uses very little gas. It is reliable. I did splurge on heated seats because I live in Buffalo, NY. It is big enough for me, my husband, one small dog, and a load of groceries. The backseat folds down and I can fit hockey sticks and skis when needed. My payment is so low that I will pay it off quickly.
I get mocked. Especially by car guys. I don’t understand why I’d want the expense and maintenance of something bigger than I need?
Amy Deugan says
Enjoyed your article and perspective, as always, there is just one thing… I am a “car-girl”. I was raised in a home where all the men were mechanics and all the women worked at the shop too.
I love the mechanical precision and captivating designs of high end, well made cars. Companies like Morgan, Aston Martin, Rolls-Royce, and McLaren make automobiles art. When I see one, I am drawn to it. I will almost always strike up a conversion with the driver, and hand out a gushing compliment. I am not drawn in by the hefty price tag or fancy hood ornament. I marvel at the genius who created such an engineering feat.
In the minimalism lifestyle, we often say that quality is more important than quantity, and actually list the ability to buy nicer, better quality items among the benefits of this way of life. We must allow this to be true across the board, even if it is in a category that isn’t personally important to us.
What you said about motivations is most likely true for some people. Spending money they don’t have to buy a feeling they haven’t learned to conjure on their own without expensive possessions is a real problem in our society. But motivations of the heart can only be judged from the inside, and definitely not from the next parking spot over.
Chris says
Thank you for this perspective, Amy. Very enlightening for me.
Nellie says
I do wish I needed a car, but, alas, I live and work in a city with great public transportation and it only takes me 8 mins by bike to get to work. I _love_ to drive though, fast and furious, and I really would like to own a cool ride like a Tesla or a Ferrari or a red Hummer or….
My environmental conscience gets in the way and the times I need a car are few and far between and then I just check one out from the carpool I belong to. But a girl can dream!
Amy@MoreTimeThanMoney says
Great observation. It’s a bit like when shop assistants make a fuss over you when you enter the store with lots of shopping bags! Not that this has happened to me often, but to many people that is normal.
There is no doubt that there is still a lot of status associated with material possessions.
Dan Erickson says
I’m not really a “car guy” either, unless you consider seeking cars with the best economy that are still built well and have some power a “car guy.” Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, my current car is a 2012 VW Golf TDI. I’ll likely be giving it up and selling it back to VW in the next year due to their cheating on emissions. I wish all-electric cars were more of an option and could travel greater distances between a charge.
Anyway, to your point. When I was younger, I owned a Mustang. And yes, people would treat me different than when I drove a Datsun pickup. It is a shame. I don’t care about status with cars. I just want something dependable to get me from point A to point B economically. Environmentally friendly is good, too. Heck, I spent most of my 20s using only a bicycle for transportation. I wouldn’t mind doing that again in the future if I could.
Tony W says
I beleieve if you look at the massive Adverising Campains we are bombarded with you can find some of the answers to that question. Is that why we’re doing all this?
I have been doing maintenance on Point-Of-Sale (POS) equipment partime lately and have been exposed to a new world. THE MALL! The amount of money spent on adverising and decor is STAGGERING.
The ads make you beieve theese products are the ansewr to all of your problems and will change your life for the better. The interior design of some store are fabulous.
The sofeware that runs on their computers and registers keep second by second analysis of sales is disturbing. Managers monitor these stats and bark instructions on increasing sales in the sales associated ear peice, giving a time limits to meet a sales mark on products.
Stores in New York City are like icebergs. The customes are just exposed to the tip. The is a small army below. Unpaking and placing products. They rifle through the shipments to rush it upstairs to the waiting customers. This is what it has come to. I am with you and have to ask, Is that why we’re doing all this?
Annie says
I think most people do it because it easier to dress themselves up on the outside instead of doing the harder work of fixing themselves from the inside. When I was a teenager I foolishly thought wearing the jeans with the right designer label would make me a better person and allow me to sit with the “cool kids.” Eventually I worked up the nerve to go sit with them, (no, I still didn’t have designer jeans, never could afford them), I got to know some of them and realized the cool kids were just like me with the same insecurities.
Chris says
I love this! It’s definitely easier to work on the outside instead of the inside. However, we all learn at some point or another (hopefully not on our death beds), that what’s inside is the only thing that matters.
Karen T. says
So true, Annie. Doing the inner work, earning self-respect — that can be daunting. And nothing in our culture — NOTHING — supports that. Everything is geared toward spiffing up the outside. We always go for the veneer rather than the substance. I agree with Chris — hopefully we can all learn this long before we’re on our death beds.
Anthony Ongaro says
This has me reflecting on my own experience in a rented, fully-loaded, 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee this past summer, I felt the exact same way. I didn’t realize it fully at the time, but it makes more sense with this context. I’ve never owned a new car, and pulling up to the places we were visiting in it always gave me a rush of pride. All this, for a car that similarly, we didn’t own and we were upgraded to at almost no cost because they didn’t have the car we requested. Kind of silly.
Great post, as always.
Bree says
Keep in mind the only people you’re impressing are those who are easily impressed by material wealth. Not usually the sharpest folks, sorry to say. People with higher priorties and broader world experience spot the shallow arrogance of a conspicuous consumer and think LESS of them for it. When I see that middle-aged guy in an expensive sports car looking to me (a younger woman) for a reaction, I see a fool.