I once owned a Rolex and a GTO, at the same time. I paid about $650 for the Rolex in Singapore. Don't remember what the GTO cost. Whatever it was, I got my monies worth when a gent in a Mustang chose me off at a traffic light in Northridge, CA. I dusted him and laughed for hours.
Since this article was written, we went from $15000 Hublots to $150000 (or $1.5M) Richard Milles.
As far as the Boxster goes, I remember this article specifically steering me away from one. How do Champcar teams and such run these cars considering what a pain it is to perform even basic service?
I don’t know (or care) about resale on a RM. Ok maybe I am curious. That watch is definitely for someone who wants to say they have a lot of money. I have been associated with someone who wears one and if I had to guess he is the richest person I know. Otherwise they seem to be worn by celebrities and influencers. I love mechanical watches for the engineering involved but the story on RM seems to be more about the people who wear them, not about the watches.
I was 57 when I bought my first watch in adulthood, a Seiko ssc721 speedtimer, in an almost black coating, it has an in-house caliber, current versions are almost three times the price, I have too many nh35 powered watches, inexpensive and durable, so inexpensive that no one cries when it fails, they are known to go twenty years, not super accurate, but manageable, there is a whole subculture of micro brands that use this movement, although I don’t think one should pay more than 350 for a watch with this movement, which actually I did, but it said Seiko on it and the movement was an 4r36…
They are the total opposite of a Porsche or Land Rover, or any other overly expensive car, as a mechanic, I hate a culture that values price over quality, they see it as prestige, I see waste. I also see inexpensive cars with cvt transmissions as disposable, maintain them and use them carefully, but not durable. The value of money continues to decline, but the value of good engineering and quality will endure, choose carefully.
Was in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, outside its famous mall one evening in 2011. A Ferrari or Lamborghini was parked at the main entrance unoccupied. Many young men were taking pictures of it, like you would at the auto show. They did not look like gearheads to me.
What changed, in the interim, is that the psychic benefits of owning a Rolex, or a 993, have gone beyond one's immediate circle into Instagram, where it is traded for the fleeting envy of strangers. We are poorer for it.
Agreed, most high end cars have become deeply deeply uncool due to both their a) ubiquity online, and b) being used as advertising platforms for "influencers"
I had some kids, probably college aged, give me the zoom zoom wrist motion when i was on the bike the other day. For about 2 seconds i was cool. They didnt know the middle aged man under the helmet.
I'm hoping that tomorrow's article will bridge the gap between the 2012 definition of luxury (expensive, temporary) and the #CURRENT_BARUTH definition (austere and simple to the point that its inaccessible to the proles). I can sort of see the progression, but 13 years seems like a short timeline for such a marked change.
I read this upon initial publication (~13 years ago), and I broadly agreed at the time. Plus, I had just purchased a Porsche 993 with my first bonus.
What I failed to recognize at age 23 - but do now as I slide into middle age - is that the awful, terrible, evil, stupid, greedy, and, like, totally undeserving Lizard People with fake and gay “jobs” who can and do buy the new thing (so that the virtuous and admirable blue collar workers and sys admins and so on can one day appreciate the item post depreciation) have more money than time.
There is something new available. It could be fun. It could be titillating. It could lose all financial value the moment the wire leaves the buyer’s bank account. That’s fine, because they can afford it.
Exempli Gratia:
There’s a new Ferrari on the scene: The 849 Testarossa. I have no clue what the “849” moniker signifies.
One guy I know - who has 6-7 Ferraris, has a minority position in multiple Ferrari dealers, and has a GMA T.33 incoming - had a meltdown. He called the car an “abortion,” harangued the designer - Flavio Manzoni - on Instagram, and … threatened to sell his Ferraris and even his RACE shares. Even quit Ferrari Challenge! OMG!
He works for a living. He has done very well, but he’s cheap, and the primary appeal of a car to him is (0) how hard it is to get, (1) and how much it has appreciated.
The other guy is quiet, low-key and has 30 Ferraris. He could make a killing in data centers right now given his background, but he has enough and no heirs to worry about. He told me he thought the car was disappointing, but he plans to order a Tailor Made spec - which would be over $1MM in all likelihood - anyway, “just in case.” Just in case.
The latter’s net worth is probably 15x the net worth of the former. But the latter is nearly 70 years old, and the former is only 58. The latter has vastly more money but likely less time.
So he doesn’t need to care about the Protestant work ethic stuff.
i am fortunate (?) enough that i will never have to suffer with rare watch complications or german car mechanical maladies
still want one though
I once owned a Rolex and a GTO, at the same time. I paid about $650 for the Rolex in Singapore. Don't remember what the GTO cost. Whatever it was, I got my monies worth when a gent in a Mustang chose me off at a traffic light in Northridge, CA. I dusted him and laughed for hours.
Sic transit gloria!!
Since this article was written, we went from $15000 Hublots to $150000 (or $1.5M) Richard Milles.
As far as the Boxster goes, I remember this article specifically steering me away from one. How do Champcar teams and such run these cars considering what a pain it is to perform even basic service?
probably upgraded to the facelift model's EPS system
Is that a thing? How does that differ from swapping something like a Prius column or similar?
There are still $15k Hublots, and like an Aston Martin they lose 60% of their value once your CC payment clears the register.
I was more referring to those watches being the current hot watch brands for retards.
I don’t know (or care) about resale on a RM. Ok maybe I am curious. That watch is definitely for someone who wants to say they have a lot of money. I have been associated with someone who wears one and if I had to guess he is the richest person I know. Otherwise they seem to be worn by celebrities and influencers. I love mechanical watches for the engineering involved but the story on RM seems to be more about the people who wear them, not about the watches.
Wouldn't they permanently remove half this stuff? The soft top, subwoofer, carpet. All gone in a race car.
* My name is Tom, not Sam. You can also thank Bill Paxton for ever popularizing the saying in ‘True Lies’.
R.I.P.
This post always makes me happy about my inexpensive, 20+ y/o Japanese car, and my expected long relationship with an inexpensive Japanese watch.
felt that
love my miata and its $7 brake rotors that last forever
Miata is always the answer!
*weaponized* Miata
I was 57 when I bought my first watch in adulthood, a Seiko ssc721 speedtimer, in an almost black coating, it has an in-house caliber, current versions are almost three times the price, I have too many nh35 powered watches, inexpensive and durable, so inexpensive that no one cries when it fails, they are known to go twenty years, not super accurate, but manageable, there is a whole subculture of micro brands that use this movement, although I don’t think one should pay more than 350 for a watch with this movement, which actually I did, but it said Seiko on it and the movement was an 4r36…
They are the total opposite of a Porsche or Land Rover, or any other overly expensive car, as a mechanic, I hate a culture that values price over quality, they see it as prestige, I see waste. I also see inexpensive cars with cvt transmissions as disposable, maintain them and use them carefully, but not durable. The value of money continues to decline, but the value of good engineering and quality will endure, choose carefully.
Was in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, outside its famous mall one evening in 2011. A Ferrari or Lamborghini was parked at the main entrance unoccupied. Many young men were taking pictures of it, like you would at the auto show. They did not look like gearheads to me.
And swatch group, sistem 51, that is the equivalent to the cvt transmission, not repairable when it quits.
What changed, in the interim, is that the psychic benefits of owning a Rolex, or a 993, have gone beyond one's immediate circle into Instagram, where it is traded for the fleeting envy of strangers. We are poorer for it.
Saw a lamborghini the other day and the white trash looking guy driving it. When did these become so uncool? It wasnt even a urus.
Agreed, most high end cars have become deeply deeply uncool due to both their a) ubiquity online, and b) being used as advertising platforms for "influencers"
I had some kids, probably college aged, give me the zoom zoom wrist motion when i was on the bike the other day. For about 2 seconds i was cool. They didnt know the middle aged man under the helmet.
Critical insight here. Social media has changed the attention economy.
And the 991 is creeping up as the most desirable wasserboxer
I'm hoping that tomorrow's article will bridge the gap between the 2012 definition of luxury (expensive, temporary) and the #CURRENT_BARUTH definition (austere and simple to the point that its inaccessible to the proles). I can sort of see the progression, but 13 years seems like a short timeline for such a marked change.
I read this upon initial publication (~13 years ago), and I broadly agreed at the time. Plus, I had just purchased a Porsche 993 with my first bonus.
What I failed to recognize at age 23 - but do now as I slide into middle age - is that the awful, terrible, evil, stupid, greedy, and, like, totally undeserving Lizard People with fake and gay “jobs” who can and do buy the new thing (so that the virtuous and admirable blue collar workers and sys admins and so on can one day appreciate the item post depreciation) have more money than time.
There is something new available. It could be fun. It could be titillating. It could lose all financial value the moment the wire leaves the buyer’s bank account. That’s fine, because they can afford it.
Exempli Gratia:
There’s a new Ferrari on the scene: The 849 Testarossa. I have no clue what the “849” moniker signifies.
One guy I know - who has 6-7 Ferraris, has a minority position in multiple Ferrari dealers, and has a GMA T.33 incoming - had a meltdown. He called the car an “abortion,” harangued the designer - Flavio Manzoni - on Instagram, and … threatened to sell his Ferraris and even his RACE shares. Even quit Ferrari Challenge! OMG!
He works for a living. He has done very well, but he’s cheap, and the primary appeal of a car to him is (0) how hard it is to get, (1) and how much it has appreciated.
The other guy is quiet, low-key and has 30 Ferraris. He could make a killing in data centers right now given his background, but he has enough and no heirs to worry about. He told me he thought the car was disappointing, but he plans to order a Tailor Made spec - which would be over $1MM in all likelihood - anyway, “just in case.” Just in case.
The latter’s net worth is probably 15x the net worth of the former. But the latter is nearly 70 years old, and the former is only 58. The latter has vastly more money but likely less time.
So he doesn’t need to care about the Protestant work ethic stuff.
Zoomers have gone back to gold chains.
I blame Instagram for that.
The steps to fill the power steering reservoir described in this article are a primary reason I own a new Miata as opposed to a used Boxster.