762gunner

After being an RX-8 owner for a couple of days now, I have begun telling people that I got the new car. My friends are thrilled for me, but from other people, particularly people I work with, I get a reaction that seems to be one of shock and hidden disapproval. You can just tell by their expressions and body language that they are a little bothered by my new purchase.

I don't know whether they're jealous, but it's starting to annoy me and make me almost not want to let it be known to anyone but my close friends that I have it.

It's not like I'm being boastful or flaunting my purchase, either. I just bring it up in ordinary conversation with whoever I'm speaking to at the time.

Life as an RX-8 owner can be so tough sometimes . . .

Meowloud

I never said a word after I bought mine. We have a small office of 27 people. Everyone thought it was this other guys, until people started noticing that his Z was still there.
My boss never said anything, he is a miserable person that wonders how he got stuck in his miserable life. Only (1) of the four other females said anything. She is retirement age and said it was sharp. The other women are typical 'Talbot's' women.
If I had to guess, I would say that some are jealous and may think it is an expensive car. They may wonder how much you make and what is so special about you?! Why do you deserve it.
Everyone else was exicted, so much, that the Chief Engineer drove it and was going to buy one as a present to himself for his new job (he left a month ago).

If you don't mind me asking, what business are you in?

Q121825

I had exactly the opposite reaction! Everyone at work wants a ride to lunch in my 8!

Some folks even read the name on the temp plates and then looked me up.

If they can't be happy for you, ignore them. It's your money and you spent it how you wished!

762gunner

I'm a software developer and we've got about 30 people on my project. The whole company has about 200 employees. You're right about that whole "wondering what the other guy makes" thing though. I've been in numerous conversations with guys that get to the point where someone says "How the heck can he afford that??"

Everyone makes different pay and we're not allowed to discuss it. Not that I would anyway.

Sometimes I get the "How could you buy something like that?? Don't you realize that you're supposed to either get an econobox or a sedan? Why aren't you just like everyone else??"

Nevermind the fact that most sedans with half the features cost more than my car!

Meowloud

Yep! I got an "Ohhh, Fancy Schmancy from a guy who drives a loaded Infiniti" :p
If they only knew! This car only LOOKS expensive! (Not to say it is cheap in ANY way! Quite the contrary. It has good materials but is cheaper than most SUVs here in our lot!)

You're probably getting the, "he makes more than me, therefore, I hate him" feeling.

DateAn8

Yeah I stay quiet about mine. And when they mention it, I just smile and let them ask the questions. The humble approach is my way. Though I'm so excited, I can hardly hold it in, the more I hold it in the less resentment I get.

Yanje

i'm a 19 yo student.... and when ppl in my class talk about what we drive... and when i bring it up.... everyone stares at me with disbelief

i get comments like "are u serious?" "u kidding me?" "no sh*t?!" "OMFG U ARE F***en JOKING" "NO WAY!" .... and then they all tell me how lucky i am.... after that, its 'omg what do your parents do' and etc. but generally, they say it in a nice way and are sorta jealus. coz most college/uni students dont drive nice cars. but after the initial shock reaction, they just ask if they can get a ride sometime or if they can test drive it or let them check out the car. not a bad feeling imo :p

Meowloud

Yanje, there are some jealous ***** out there. Next time, I would say I drove a Civic!! :D
Being proud in front of a group isn't worth that 'keying' some **** is going to do!

blue flash

i got the same reaction from some of my co-workers .i went out to buy a new truck and came back with the 8.alot of people who drive s a piece of sh/t get jealous and ask what are my car pyments i have too make up one since i paid cash .if they knew that they would be pissed.i tell most of them how i have felt all my life, a car payment is a fact of life .if you want too drive something nice .i normally trade my car &my wife car in every 3 years to keep something new.

Xystas

When a few people at work saw me in the car for the first time, they were like "Did you get a new car? What happened to your other car?" I'm like, "I got rid of it because I was bored"...

Most people give me props for my 8, although my girlfriend just say's "It's only a car"....

Winning_BlueRX8

I told everyone at work, and had an rx8 screen saver and everything. My boss was always asks me how fast I've gotten it up to =). Coworkers either have no idea what I'm talking about when I say "rx-8", or they're happy for me.

Hard 8

It cracks me up how many people drive $45,000 SUVs and no one notices, but if you drive a $28,000 sports car everyone thinks you're being absurdly extravagant and impractical. I just shrug my shoulders: As I saw written around here somewhere, life's too short for boring cars.

MTLbroker

This car is very polarizing. ie- love it or hate it (and whoever is driving it).

boothguy

One of the nice things about being the boss is that you don't get this kind of petty grief. I'm excited for my employees when they buy a new car because I'm providing them the means to do it. And they seemed genuinely excited about the 8 when I got it, especially since I offered a test drive to anyone who wanted one (small company, onlya few takers).

MadRonin

Before I got my 8, I only ever had a wallpaper up showing the car. Occasionally someone would say something, but that was it.

When I went to buy the car, I didn't tell anyone. I just showed up one day driving something else. As soon as people realized that I had a new car everyone wanted to see it. I even took a car load out for a test drive. Everyone that saw the car said it was cool looking. The president of the company made the comment that he was paying me too much. To which I responded that that is joys of being a DINK (Dual Income, No Kids).

Everyone not in the know, including my family members, assume that it is a very expensive car. I don't tell them how much I paid, and they don't ask.

Fleck

When I bought mine 4/24/04, Red MT,GT, Appearance, Spoiler,
it REALLY got noticed. I have the windows dark tinted living in the Arizona Desert, so it looks like a very expensive sports car. I have a corner office near the office entrance and I would hear "Who's hot car is that out there in the parking lot" quite a bit the first couple of weeks. I was very humble about it with my co-workers and slowly began to show it to my closest work friends who would understand. I think a humble approach was the best defense against all the jeolous types. They will be there to make the snide comments. Just tell them you have been Blessed and act gracious. It shuts them up. If that does not convince them, tell them you invested in Starbucks when it was a cheap stock back in the 90's! Hah.

Enjoy your 8, have fun with it and keep it in perspective.

Senseny

My wife and I actually ran into these issues when we got a pretty clean 88 porsche 944 in 1998. The car was cool, but only a little more than a quarter of the 8's price. Because it was a clean Porsche, those people who didn't know cars thought it was relatively new and subsequently we got attitude from family and my wife's coworkers. "Oh look who must be getting paid a lot of money." seemed to be the normal quote--and interestingly enough almost all had cars that were two to three times as expensive. The comments came mostly from women, most men wanted to drive it and were congratulatory. With the 8, we haven't had these issues because my wife now works with mostly men who like cars and know our tastes run to the sort of sporty vehicles.
BTW, the lesson I learned from this is that it is okay to be jealous in a way that is benign (eg.--boy I wish I could have what that person has, I am going to work hard to do as well), but it isn't okay to be so jealous that you treat people shitty who get cool things. We should be happy for the people who do well.

TODreamer

People are playa haters..... Instead of worrying about their own game they gotta go and hate on others....

Pathetic

memrie

Where I work, we all have a standardized salary. I'm a sales rep and we make a base salary plus little incentives here and there, nothing to truly brag about. So when I tell them of my new purchase, they dont wonder how much I'm making, they realize I have more disposable income... I have a roomate (split bills) and no debt. Done deal.

Rotarian_SC

Yeah I found the best thing to do is never tell anybody you have it. Of course at work people wonder whose it is, and eventually someone sees you in the car arriving or leaving and then word spreads real quick. Don't deny that you have it, if someone asks you then tell them its yours.

Jeffjett

I just say screw those other *** holes that act that way. They are just jealous. I bought my beautiful black two days ago, and did not tell anyone at work. I direct about 140 people, and I am afraid someone will key it or damage it. Too bad.

It won't be long till someone sees me driving it.

Omicron

There's no question about what I drive... come into my office and you'll see a 1/18 AutoArt model of my 8 (Titanium, of course) an RX-8 screen saver, a pic of my car as my wallpaper, and both RX-8Club.com and Rocky Mountain RX-8 Club stickers on my door.

Obsessed? You betcha. :D

The reaction of my co-workers was cool too. I work with a bunch of engineers, and wound up giving about 12 rides each lunch hour for the first 3 days after I got it. Everyone was fascinated and complimentary.

WRX8Titan

No one knows (or cares) about my car because the parking lot is huge and filled with the big wigs' BMWs, Mercedes, Lexi, Porsches, etc.

picosrx8

I work at a marina and my co workers all thought it was cool. Luckily there are a lot of other guys there that drive vettes, XLRs, Escalades, Jags, Porsches, 500sl, ect. Most people in boating are into cars also. Even if its not sports cars, then luxury cars or trucks. There are always people that will be envious. I just try to avoid them.

Rotary Nut

I seem to get that impression also. But I have a license plate frame saying I'm "U. S. Army Retired" so most just chalk it up to a mid-life crisis or living off my kids inheritance!

I get the "Mo Money" and "Daddy Gotbucks" comments from co workers all the time but they know me as I used to get a new car just about every year.

The people that do ask me about the car and comment on how I can afford such a nice car are then taken aback when I tell them how much I paid for it ($24999). I think it's just that peoples' impression is that the car cost $40,000 to $60,000 and don't believe that such a nice car can be relatively inexpensive