Cars Vs Status

[Duncan]

One of my friends living in SL and working at a reputed company at a very senior position recently wanted to buy a b/new car.

So he did some shopping around and decided on a mid sized SUV as he has always liked SUVs. Besides he is one of those outdoor guys who likes to get out once in a while.

As he was about to close the deal, his bosses had heavily discouraged him from buying the SUV and pressured him to buy a luxury saloon "as a saloon would be more appropriate for his status".

Is this for real??? Is this a common thing in SL to have social and peer pressure even when deciding on what type of car to buy?

My friend eventually bought a saloon from the same dealer who was going to sell him the SUV. But my friend is not all that happy.

Cheers

[streetKIA]

Actually the car you drive does represent what sort of job you have. Depends on what SUV he was considering. I dont think firms would have liked him to have a sort of rugged offroader. But i guess nowadays SUVs can be very executive. All depends on the company espcially if theyre gonna buy it. I discouraged my dad from getting a mpv and to get a saloon. Thought it would be more executive and project a higher image. anyways those are my thoughts on it. Whats the saloon he ended up getting?

[Pericles]

Yeah. My director drives a Sorento. Very Fast! nearly crushed me in my little hot hatch

Then the CTO has an X-trail, and Consulting team lead has an X-Trail, one of the consultants have a prado, The Chief Software Architect has what looks like a Grand Vitara (moved on from his ViRS ) And there is the consultant with a BJ40 he built up himself after getting the frame.

We good for SUVs @ MIT

[Hola]

Yes Duncan,

The car realy matters for the status. Why do you think the prestigous, eficent ministers of Sri Lanka goes in Monteros and Audis...Just for the prestige..

To tell you the truth, i cant picture myself in a maruti anyday...:-)

[fuzzo]

i have honestly have never heard the company deciding on what car you should get.. unless they are paying for it. it'syour money, how you spend it is your issue.

when my friend went for ajob interview, they asked himwhat car he drives. At the time he had lancer wagon and he was interviewing for the post of sales manager. they told him that it wasnt good for the company image and to change the car. he told that this was what he could afford, if they weren't happy with it, to give him a car. he got a company fb15.

[milinda]

One of my friends living in SL and working at a reputed company at a very senior position recently wanted to buy a b/new car.

So he did some shopping around and decided on a mid sized SUV as he has always liked SUVs. Besides he is one of those outdoor guys who likes to get out once in a while.

As he was about to close the deal, his bosses had heavily discouraged him from buying the SUV and pressured him to buy a luxury saloon "as a saloon would be more appropriate for his status".

Is this for real??? Is this a common thing in SL to have social and peer pressure even when deciding on what type of car to buy?

My friend eventually bought a saloon from the same dealer who was going to sell him the SUV. But my friend is not all that happy.

Cheers

Duncan,

I think since the company buys the vehicle it has the right to think abt company's image and status.Especially since your friend is a big shot of the company (which company wants to see its CEO comming to work in a Maruti or in worst case senario in a Bajaj 3 wheeler) I definitely dont want 2 work for such a company.Especially considering the type of friends I have who will definetely take the mickey out of me.

[Pericles]

Duncan,

I think since the company buys the vehicle it has the right to think abt company's image and status.Especially since your friend is a big shot of the company (which company wants to see its CEO comming to work in a Maruti or in worst case senario in a Bajaj 3 wheeler) I definitely dont want 2 work for such a company.Especially considering the type of friends I have who will definetely take the mickey out of me.

One of our director's wife has a Maruti We had a joke going where the buggers Camera (A Canon SLR) costs more than his wife's car I think it was 750k cam vs 700k car. HE had an Alfa Romeo Spider. Sadly, I've never seen it. But recently got rid of that for a 250GT Skyline

As u can guess, I'm a big fan of the guy. Nissan Skyline and Canon EOS? I mean....

And then there is the support team head who comes in a Alto and a certain support Engineer who haunts these forums who comes in a 320d

Edited May 18, 2006 by Pericles

[Watchman]

Duncan,

I think since the company buys the vehicle it has the right to think abt company's image and status.Especially since your friend is a big shot of the company (which company wants to see its CEO comming to work in a Maruti or in worst case senario in a Bajaj 3 wheeler) I definitely dont want 2 work for such a company.Especially considering the type of friends I have who will definetely take the mickey out of me.

I dont think Duncun's freind's company was buying the vehicle.. it was out of the freind's pocket.

I agree with fuzzo, if the company has a problem with the car an employee drives, give him a better one.

I have heard of some companies, peers mainly (dont wanna give company names) that have issues with employees using public transport...

[nadskit]

In my company different types of vehicles are allocated for different types of management levels, eg: Chairman official vehicle is a Benz, and all other Directors are given Pegeouts, Grand Vitara'd for all GM's, Rav 4 for senior Managers, Corolla's for line managers, Townace for technical staff and the executives are given March's. And every year they sell these and gets new vehicle .. ( this is excluding the samll executives who r stuck wz the march's for good i think.