Why "Luxury" Car Buyers are now buying Muscle Cars

[wayne watson]

Originally Posted by Comrando

So why do they creep forward, forward, forward at the stop signal and you can hear them floor it when it changes green?

I am not an aggressive driver. I start in 2nd 90% of the time. But when that moment comes it's down to first. It IS fun.

Some are dicks and some just want to see me go. Either way I'll hammer it and set them back. Make some heat.

I couldn't care less about leather heated seats, I know how to put my pants on. Stereo, last time I looked I changed it to CST. Nicer dash? for 20K, you have another think coming.

careful buddy, i have been told here that i just cant afford leather heated seats, sunroof etc.. once when i gave the same answer for why i got a 1 ss

[SixSpeeder]

Honestly, I bought this car for the engine plain and simple. I had to get over the looks (interior and exterior) and now it's growing on me, but the appearance had nothing to do with me purchasing this vehicle. I wanted something that was RWD with a stick for under $40K new, and the performance just blew me away after test driving a bunch of cars.

Despite my friends, family, and GF all saying that buying a Camaro would be super redneck, I really couldn't care less what they think. I bought this car for me and the driving experience. And to piss off Prius's (oh wait, that was just an added bonus)

[lawdog]

My daily Driver is a Caddy and always has been. ! I got the Camaro for the big ass V8 engine and the looks.
But that will change unless caddy gets back to basics and makes a COMFORTABLE V8 Engine Sedan reasonably priced luxury car again ! Enough with the go cart engines, or the v6 turbos that are going to wear out after a few miles, and hey buddy, can we get some padding in the seat so my A$$ doesnt hurt on the daily commute. they are going in the wrong direction. I may wander over to the Audi dealer.

[Evergreen6]

I think luxury is defined by the owner. It's getting tougher to sort the real luxury cars from lesser cars with a lot of features, but the difference is there and if you've driven enough cars, you know it's there.

The only way I find it probable that luxury car owners are supposedly "switching" to muscle cars is that everyone who leased a C-class or 3-series in their early 30's is now having a midlife crisis and opting for things like a Charger R/T or a Camaro SS.

FWIW, I don't think a C-class or 3-series classifies as a luxury car. They're just nice German family sedans.

[cadyshac]

Originally Posted by SixSpeeder

Honestly, I bought this car for the engine plain and simple. I had to get over the looks (interior and exterior) and now it's growing on me, but the appearance had nothing to do with me purchasing this vehicle. I wanted something that was RWD with a stick for under $40K new, and the performance just blew me away after test driving a bunch of cars.

Despite my friends, family, and GF all saying that buying a Camaro would be super redneck, I really couldn't care less what they think. I bought this car for me and the driving experience. And to piss off Prius's (oh wait, that was just an added bonus)

Driving a Camaro is redneck? Our country is truly F'd up!

[Norm Peterson]

Originally Posted by Libertypilot

I read an article recently about the thread title. It basically said that even people that have driven luxury cars for most of their lives are now starting to buy more and more muscle cars. Basically these more well-to-do guys who usually drive Lincolns or Beamers are attracted to the look of the new muscle cars. When in for a new set of wheels, they hit the Chevy and Dodge dealerships first. After driving the Camaros, Chargers, and Challengers, they realize most are just as powerful as their "luxury" cars. Most don't have all the extra bells and whistles - but these buyers are cool with that because the muscle cars, basically, are more butch - and they like that. Then when these successful guys learn that these good looking muscle cars are 10 thousand, sometimes 20 thousand less their beamers and caddies, they're sold. When former luxury car enthusiasts turned muscle car guys were asked what muscle car looked the best to them, the answer was Camaro. I thought that was pretty cool.

How old were these " luxury car enthusiasts turned muscle car guys"? Did the article say?


Norm

[Evergreen6]

Originally Posted by cadyshac

Driving a Camaro is redneck? Our country is truly F'd up!

Were you not alive in the 80's and 90's?

Until the Camaro got "expensive", (enter discussions about the 4th gen SS Anniversary cars back in the day, T/A WS6, etc, and now the Z/28 at nearly $80k), the Camaro was always a working man's sports car (read: blue collar).

[lawdog]

Originally Posted by Evergreen6

I think luxury is defined by the owner. It's getting tougher to sort the real luxury cars from lesser cars with a lot of features, but the difference is there and if you've driven enough cars, you know it's there.

The only way I find it probable that luxury car owners are supposedly "switching" to muscle cars is that everyone who leased a C-class or 3-series in their early 30's is now having a midlife crisis and opting for things like a Charger R/T or a Camaro SS.

FWIW, I don't think a C-class or 3-series classifies as a luxury car. They're just nice German family sedans.

I agree, a luxury car needs to be QUIET, and COMFORTBLE with seats like your couch at home and carpeting thats thicker then a paper bag and LEG ROOM in the Back seat for all your girls, hehe, with a V-8 engine that's going to last a little while so your not afraid of spending a little more and so you still have something extra to pass that truck doing 60 mph., after the car is 3 years old.

[Evergreen6]

Originally Posted by lawdog

I agree, a luxury car needs to be QUIET, and COMFORTBLE with seats like your couch at home and carpeting thats thicker then a paper bag and LEG ROOM in the Back seat for all your girls, hehe, with a V-8 engine that's going to last a little while so your not afraid of spending a little more and so you still have something extra to pass that truck doing 60 mph., after the car is 3 years old.

Cars like this don't exist anymore. That's a $4k car that's probably more comfortable than a $60k Audi.

[cadyshac]

Originally Posted by Evergreen6

Were you not alive in the 80's and 90's?

Until the Camaro got "expensive", (enter discussions about the 4th gen SS Anniversary cars back in the day, T/A WS6, etc, and now the Z/28 at nearly $80k), the Camaro was always a working man's sports car (read: blue collar).

I don't consider blue collar and redneck the same thing.

[Evergreen6]

Originally Posted by cadyshac

I don't consider blue collar and redneck the same thing.

I should clarify...I don't think being blue collar and redneck are the same thing, either. Those cars were affordable to the average worker. A lot of those cars fell into the hands of people who abused them and couldn't afford to put them back together. Blue collar, white collar, redneck- it was probably more about class than it was income. A lot of those cars fell into hands of people who didn't take very good care of them!!

[SixSpeeder]

Originally Posted by cadyshac

Driving a Camaro is redneck? Our country is truly F'd up!

Yes, a lot of people consider driving a muscle car extremely "redneck", the same as driving a jacked up truck. I couldn't care less what those type of people think about my car, I bought it for me, not to impress anyone. So far, everyone who has been inside it has been very impressed, especially with the NPP exhaust.

Or were you being sarcastic?

[aquaholic]

I sill love my 02 Infiniti Q45...sticker on that car was $80k. I drove many different variants of Camaros, Challengers, and Rustangs...and I had fun in all of them, but got back in the Q and didn't feel any of those were true "upgrades" ...(except maybe the ZL1) so my only option was a convertible! Since trade in value for a 12 year old Infiniti is essentially a negative number I kept it as my DD and drive the 2SS/RS vert on perfect days like we've had here in Austin lately. Yes, I'm a luxury car guy...no, I don't have anything negative to say about the Camaro...I just wish it had cooled seats.

[CamaroCracka]

Originally Posted by cadyshac

Driving a Camaro is redneck? Our country is truly F'd up!

I'll take personal responsibility for perpetuating that stereotype, but honestly, the folks who call others redneck with a negative connotation generally can't change their own oil. Fishing, hunting and home construction; fahgettaboudit.