Quote:
Originally Posted by Viffermike
Pickups are status cars here for a variety of social groups, from blue-collar latinos and high-school jocks to ultraconservative, upwardly mobile farm-to-city college grads. And it's not pickups like the Raptor, or Lightning, or somesuch; it's the King Ranch edition-esque models loaded with every conceivable option, lift kits, exhaust, etc. They're what the conversion van was a generation ago. The culture's pretty amazing to observe ...
... yep: BMWs are all but ubiquitous north of the Trinity. IIRC, Classic BMW in Plano is one of the three largest-volume BMW dealers in the country, and BMW of Dallas used to be No. 1 back in the Clinton days. It's status, pure and simple. TONS are leased -- including higher-end models.
But it goes beyond that -- from Mercedes to Lexus, import luxury cars of all marques do well here. It's the culture: having a car is mandatory, Texas has no state income tax and is as economically stable a place as any in the country, and Dallas in particular is a primarily white-collar city in which appearances matter -- and since people drive so much here, that extends to the car. There's a reason the term "$30,000 millionaire" was coined here.
All that said, that's not why I own a BMW. But it's why a lot of others own one here. And therein lies the crux: I think the rate of North Texas BMW drivers who are interested in modifying their car is much lower than the U.S. average -- hence the relative dearth of tuner shops.
|
I concur 100% once again. And the "$30,000 millionaire" is a term I learned when I moved to Dallas. And it's so apparent and prevalent in my Uptown neighborhood. I chuckle almost every day. It's like "whyyyyyyyy????!"
Then there's the REAL millionaires. A lot of them in Big D. And unlike NY, I think there are more ostentatious rich folks in Dallas than on East Coast. Reminds me of LA, but rougher around the edges.
The pickup culture. Man! I love your analysis. First time I ever saw a "Texas Edition" truck. I was like, is this a novelty like the "DUB" emblems? Nope, it's a Real factory option.
Viffermike, when I get back, we should look each other up. I guess not all BMW guys are real car guys. Let's avoid cars and coffee with Mustangs though. Don't feel like going back to the hospital again. Lol!