# People and their snide little comments.....



## mosschops (Dec 31, 2002)

What is it with some people and their snide little comments about the TT and other cars. I can handle car vs car banter no problem (all depends on a person's taste)

A co-worker (female) who saw me in the car for the 1st time today came out with "He must be trying to make up for something"....Oh please.

Other comments have included, flash git, hairdresser and poser. Granted I do grin when driving it ;D

I wish they would go get themselves a life, all this just because I have changed my car ???


----------



## vlastan (May 6, 2002)

> A co-worker (female) who saw me in the car for the 1st time today came out with "He must be trying to make up for something"....Oh please.


That's the challenge I need...I would get "it" out on the spot to prove her wrong!! ;D


----------



## mosschops (Dec 31, 2002)

It's an open plan office but maybe you are right, perhaps I should call her bluff


----------



## garyc (May 7, 2002)

> What is it with some people and their snide little comments about the TT and other cars. Â I can handle car vs car banter no problem (all depends on a person's taste)
> 
> A co-worker (female) who saw me in the car for the 1st time today came out with "He must be trying to make up for something"....Oh please.
> 
> ...


I'd hazzard a guess that she wants to shag you. Desperately. Get stuck in - all the 'buy' signals are there.


----------



## garyc (May 7, 2002)

PS When you drive a BMW you get very used to doing 'snide'. ;D


----------



## jampott (Sep 6, 2003)

Folks like that just make me smile. Its poorly hidden jealousy and they are actually pandering to my ego by making the comments in the first place....

Putting things in perspective, I was chatting about cars to one of the girls in the office yesterday during a quiet moment. Noone was bragging about anything, just talking "what you would buy if you had Â£40k" kind of conversation..... Then she tells me her Fiesta (Bruce) is worth about Â£500....... Thinking later, I realised I spent more than that on new tyres just recently - and silly things like the Bose "upgrade" cost roughly the same amount as her entire mode of transport...... *shrug* it does bring you back down to earth and make you realise that you are lucky (well, I think I am) to own a Â£30k+ list price sports car that so many people envy, covet and want to own.... its not surprising a few will be green enough to make it known to you..... how you handle it is entirely up to you......


----------



## Dotti (Mar 9, 2003)

Well unless any one on this forum owns their TT out rightly and without finance then they have something to brag about I think ;D. Theoretically you don't own it until it is paid for in my opinion! Sorry to put a downer on things guys


----------



## Love_iTT (Aug 18, 2002)

I think JampoTT said it perfectly "Its poorly hidden jealousy". Maybe say that to her, see what her reaction is or just ask her out straight what is her problem with you owning a TT - there of course should be no problem.

I must admit that there is one guy at work who is eaten up with jealously, its his problem - not mine, but because he reacts the way he does I wind him up even more, he ends up looking like a Bulldog chewing a wasp, you would think he would learn but he doesn't, gives me great ammusement.

Graham


----------



## R6B TT (Feb 25, 2003)

> Well unless any one on this forum owns their TT out rightly and without finance then they have something to brag about I think Â ;D. Â Theoretically you don't own it until it is paid for in my opinion! Â Sorry to put a downer on things guys Â


Fuck off mine's paid for and I don't need to prove anything to anybody - and if someone has finance it's their choice and they have to have the credit rating to get the finance - for the self employed leasing can be more tax efficient than buying.
Use your money or credit smartly - makes no odds to me!


----------



## Dotti (Mar 9, 2003)

But why would anybody be jealous of a TT or it's owner? Most people can afford them paid for or not if they really wanted one they would get one and not spend time getting jealous!


----------



## raven (May 7, 2002)

Agree with JampoTT but have to admit to being a bit hurt when someone said "There's Ed in his Barbie car". Jealousy or whatever, as I waited for the roof to close, I felt a bit of a tit.


----------



## vlastan (May 6, 2002)

I had 5 kids over a bridge doing the "wanking" motion to me...this is the worst that had ever happened to me. But I don't worry at all.

My colleagues have been very cool about it.


----------



## Dubcat (Jun 10, 2002)

> But why would anybody be jealous of a TT or it's owner? Â Most people can afford them paid for or not if they really wanted one they would get one and not spend time getting jealous! Â Â


you are having a LAUGH aren't you!


----------



## karloff (Feb 19, 2003)

> I had 5 kids over a bridge doing the "wanking" motion to me...


Probably would have happened whatever you were driving!! ;D


----------



## garyc (May 7, 2002)

> I'd hazzard a guess that she wants to shag you. Â Desperately. Â Get stuck in - all the 'buy' signals are there.


Did it work? 8)


----------



## vlastan (May 6, 2002)

> Probably would have happened whatever you were driving!! ;D


 [smiley=clown.gif] [smiley=jester.gif]


----------



## Silversea (Jun 18, 2002)

> Probably would have happened whatever you were driving!! ;D


LOL.. ;D


----------



## r1 (Oct 31, 2002)

> But why would anybody be jealous of a TT or it's owner? Â Most people can afford them paid for or not if they really wanted one they would get one and not spend time getting jealous! Â Â


Of course they can't you silly woman. Many people struggle with the mortgage let alone a TT repayment.
I think you need a bit of reality ^Abi^...not everyone has a disposable income comparable to the majority of the people on this forum. This is a good thing however, as it does mean I can find people to clean my home, do my ironing, wash the car etc etc...


----------



## vernan (May 27, 2002)

I think there's some sense being talked here.

I feel very lucky every time I drive the TT (or the Merc, or the HRG, or the Daimler). Although it's a truism, my wife and I have worked hard for 15 years to be able to afford what we've got - and I've never had a loan in my life other than the mortgage on the house.

I guess it's just a case of counting your blessings, making the most of the opportunities you get in life, and working hard to get what you want.


----------



## mosschops (Dec 31, 2002)

> Did it work? Â 8)


I have yet to confront her about it - the comment came via a 3rd Party so I am thinking of a suitable response. But yes, you are probably right......I can see it in the eye's ;D


----------



## coupe-sport (May 7, 2002)

> But why would anybody be jealous of a TT or it's owner? Most people can afford them paid for or not if they really wanted one they would get one and not spend time getting jealous!


*lol* - amazing statement.


----------



## Kell (May 28, 2002)

The way I normally get arounfd this sort of 'criticism' is simply to admit to it.

If someone thinks that you drive a TT because you have a small penis, go along with it. Self-depracating humour gets you out of a lot of bother.

And if you say it with enough of a glint in your eye, she'll begin to wonder.

"Is he only saying he's got a small penis because he's actually got a big one and is that confident about himself that he say to the world that he has a tiny cock. Actually, you know it's probably not just big, it'll be massive. I think I might ask him out, just so I can get a feel of it."

Maybe. ;D


----------



## vlastan (May 6, 2002)

> The way I normally get arounfd this sort of 'criticism' is simply to admit to it.
> 
> If someone thinks that you drive a TT because you have a small penis, go along with it. Â Self-depracating humour gets you out of a lot of bother.
> 
> ...


I guess all these wondering girls, follow you in the bedroom to find out then? 

Do you think since you had your TT, you had more girls in your bed that Stringfellow? ;D


----------



## jampott (Sep 6, 2003)

Abi,

Firstly, my car is financed. So I guess that means I can't really afford it. And have no right to be proud of something that isn't mine..... *sigh* oh well....

And as for "Most people being able to afford one" - surely you jest? Even to buy mine on finance, plus insurance, tax, servicing and tyres factored per month doing about 14k miles per year, you are probably looking at around Â£700+ before any petrol costs are taken into account. Accessible to the majority? I think not..... a lot of people in my social circle don't make *much* more than that (take home) in an average month - let alone have it "available" to spend on a car......

Take about Â£3k in credit costs, Â£9k in depreciation, Â£6k in petrol, Â£3.5k in insurance, Â£1.5k in servicing, Â£1.5k in tyres, this car is gonna cost me about Â£24.5k over the 3 years I'll have had it, or more than Â£8k per year..... if you can say this is "affordable", then I'd like to live in your world....


----------



## mosschops (Dec 31, 2002)

Agree - To say that anyone who wants one can have one - if they are prepared to put in the work for one yes, most folk just can't be arsed and some of them are of the opinion that if they can't have one then no-one should.


----------



## jampott (Sep 6, 2003)

Mosschops,

It ain't about hard work even...... some people just don't have "in demand" skills (or have no idea how to market what they already have) and thus will never be fortunate enough to land a role that will pay them "TT Money".

When adding up what my car costs me, its actually more than my mortgage, which is a bit worrying....

Where I live, I would imagine 80% of cars within a few miles of me cost less than 50% of the "sticker price" for mine......

Its not enough to say "if you work hard enough, you too can have one" - for a lot of people you also have to add the caveat "and go without a LOT of other things....." (like food, clothes, beer money etc)


----------



## A3DFU (May 7, 2002)

> But why would anybody be jealous of a TT or it's owner? Â Most people can afford them paid for or not if they really wanted one they would get one and not spend time getting jealous! Â Â


  show me the place in this world where people can afford anything the want??? Even if they try very hard???
I know of many friends/family who strugle to make ends meet: there are people with university degrees out there who can't get jobs how ever much/hard they try and how ever well they are quallified.

Abi, I guess you must have won life's lottery to say what you did say: congratulations!!


----------



## head_ed (Dec 10, 2002)

> A co-worker (female) who saw me in the car for the 1st time today came out with "He must be trying to make up for something"....Oh please.


I think you're on there buddy!


----------



## chip (Dec 24, 2002)

> I had 5 kids over a bridge doing the "wanking" motion to me...this is the worst that had ever happened to me.


ONLY 5????!!!! I guess you couldn't see the other 200 doing this hand gesture to you behind your back  ;D ;D

Never encountered any snide remarks, or maybe it's cos TT's are common as muck around my neck of the wood. But then I regularly see these 2 silver 360 spyder parked outside my local bar all the times. Driven by right tossers, bet they got small penis too.....


----------



## Kell (May 28, 2002)

> I guess all these wondering girls, follow you in the bedroom to find out then? Â


Only in Newcastle. I've actually been in the pissers when girls have come in and looked down the row to see who was touching the porcelain and who was just pissing oin their fingers.

I, of course, was just pissing on my fingers because I have tiny cock.


----------



## Kell (May 28, 2002)

Ignore all of that last post - I thought it said bathroom, not bedroom. :


----------



## russell2002 (May 27, 2002)

Maybe ^Abi^ meant if someone really wants one generating an extra Â£700 a month isnt that bigger a deal if you are determined enough, compared to the money needed to run say a ferrari or lambo..........which would require more than hard work...


----------



## Dotti (Mar 9, 2003)

Of course that is what I meant..... silly me ;D as every man's first choice would be a ferrari or something expensive then I guess the TT comes a close 3rd...ish or 4th .... ish I guess . Besides they are beautiful cars if anybody seriously wanted one then they would find the money come what may to get one and work hard to maintain it aswell .


----------



## jampott (Sep 6, 2003)

Sorry, Abi and Russell, you just aren't living in the real world.....

As I already said, there are many many people in this country who simply don't have the necessary disposable income to afford the car on credit, nor the cash to buy it up front. AND THEY NEVER WILL.....

It isn't just about hard work and determination. Believe it or not, some people struggle to generate Â£700 per month, let alone Â£700 EXTRA..........

But I guess the fact that many people want one and aspire to one is great for residuals, and the glut of imported LHD models is testament to the fact that a LOT of people will accept a non-UK spec car in order to fulfil their "dream". Of course this takes the cost of ownership much lower....

But even so, its not always about "cost". Even the Coupe is not the most practical of family cars, let alone the TTR, so for some people to own either of these means they have to run it as a second car.....


----------



## tt500 (Nov 29, 2002)

Jampo


> It ain't about hard work even...... some people just don't have "in demand" skills (or have no idea how to market what they already have) and thus will never be fortunate enough to land a role that will pay them "TT Money


Completely agree Jampo, just about everyone in my street has said "MY DREAM CAR MATE", except my 65 yr old neighbour who has a Boxster and he has paid off his mortgage. 

My other neighbour works longer hours 6 days per week just so that he can have a decent holiday each year. He takes home Â£1500 per month, after everything has gone out he has Â£200 pm, and thinks I've won the lottery.

I work in IT, in an area that is growing 120% year on year (not telling). I play golf travel the World etc. My company pays for my car and its mine at the end of 3 years! If people want to give wanking signs and make flippant comments then let them, I have the last laugh, what are YOU driving mate. 

"Compensating for something, she said..."
My TTC compensates me for having too much money.

 ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D


----------



## r1 (Oct 31, 2002)

> I play golf travel the World etc. My company pays for my car and its mine at the end of 3 years! If people want to give wanking signs and make flippant comments then let them, I have the last laugh, what are YOU driving mate.


A lovely way of thinking.


----------



## jam (May 8, 2002)

> I play golf


wow, you must be rich!

can i have some money?


----------



## Dotti (Mar 9, 2003)

I sit infront of the computer ;D


----------



## jgoodman00 (May 6, 2002)

> Maybe ^Abi^ meant if someone really wants one generating an extra Â£700 a month isnt that bigger a deal if you are determined enough, compared to the money needed to run say a ferrari or lambo..........which would require more than hard work...


Hmm, Â£700 per month extra. After 22% tax, that adds up to Â£897 per month, or Â£10769 per year. AFAIK the average wage in Britain is approx 18k. Taking into account London wages, & the extremely high-earners skewing the data, I reckon the median income is nearer to 12-14k. So, this implies somebody can increase their income by approx 176% merely by working harder, & thus enable themselves to afford a TT.

From my reckoning this does not add up...


----------



## garyc (May 7, 2002)

> Hmm, Â£700 per month extra. After 22% tax, that adds up to Â£897 per month, or Â£10769 per year. AFAIK the average wage in Britain is approx 18k. Taking into account London wages, & the extremely high-earners skewing the data, I reckon the median income is nearer to 12-14k. So, this implies somebody can increase their income by approx 176% merely by working harder, & thus enable themselves to afford a TT.
> 
> From my reckoning this does not add up...


I thought the averages were weighted?


----------



## jonah (Aug 17, 2002)

I would say that most people who have bought a house in the last 3yrs would have enough equity to buy a TT, with morgage rates at there lowest would cost less than Â£150 amonth.
All depends where ur priorities are 
Jonah


----------



## vlastan (May 6, 2002)

You forgot to mention some other groups of people...the people that will buy a TT although they can't afford it. They put huge repayments and big debts are growing every month.

Also a lot of people don't own a property but share or rent a small flat. This means that they have a lot more spare money for a car. Just think how many members mentioned that they had to sell the TT to finance the purchase of a property...they are all around us.

Finally we have the group of people who still live at home...yes there are around and because of this they have more money for a TT.

There are really lots of categories of people that can afford a TT around us and in this forum. All they do is changing their priorities in their lives. Nothing wrong with this at all...as they really can enjoy the TT ownership and have fun.

Finally there are a lot of people that buy second hand TTs or LHDs ones that are a lot cheaper.

I believe that it is possible to own a TT with a salary of about 14k. This salary gives you about 950 net per month and provided you are in the list of people I mentioned above then you can afford a TT.

Tim, you took the extremes...you calculated a brand new TTR that costs Â£30k...but very few people have bought one of them in this forum.


----------



## Rhod_TT (May 7, 2002)

Vlastan,

I agree with you in principle. The fact that you don't need to spend Â£30k to own a TT is very true. But to say that someone earning Â£14k a year can have one I don't agree with. I earn more than that and I would not be able to afford one, even though I've always wanted one and would have done almost anything to get a TT.

PS I don't believe that the average wage in the UK is Â£18k per year. That's supposed to be the average university graduate wage UPON GRADUATION, and seeing as 45% of people in this country go to university the statistics don't make sense. One or the other must be wrong. Admitedly, I don't know the percentage of people that drop out of university, but it can't be that high.


----------



## NickP (May 6, 2002)

I completely agree with V :

Although I am only a Council Waste Disposal Operative, through sound and prudent financial management I am able to afford 2 TT's and live in a 7 Bed 'Footballers Wives' style house.

Let this be a lesson to you all.


----------



## Kell (May 28, 2002)

As you are all no doubt aware, no matter how much money you earn, if your outgoings are also high, you may have less disposable income than someone who earns less than half your salary.

I knew plenty of people when I was at college that lived with their parents, got a full grant, got lots of money from their parents on top and had more disposable income then than I do now. Â

It's taken me ten years since leaving college to own my first new car. Â And I went through a patch when I moved out of London and then back in and had to sell my car as I couldn't afford to run a car and eat - and that was only on a Â£3,500 loan.

Many people will go through this life dreaming of simply owning a car that's less than three years old - never mind brand new and costing anywhere from Â£22,000 to over Â£30,000. Â Where I'm from originally, you could buy a house for that.

I'm not singling out any one person in this post, but it is unrealistic to assume that anyone can own a TT if only they tried hard enough. Â


----------



## vlastan (May 6, 2002)

> Vlastan,
> 
> I agree with you in principle. The fact that you don't need to spend Â£30k to own a TT is very true. But to say that someone earning Â£14k a year can have one I don't agree with. I earn more than that and I would not be able to afford one, even though I've always wanted one and would have done almost anything to get a TT.
> 
> PS I don't believe that the average wage in the UK is Â£18k per year. That's supposed to be the average university graduate wage UPON GRADUATION, and seeing as 45% of people in this country go to university the statistics don't make sense. One or the other must be wrong. Admitedly, I don't know the percentage of people that drop out of university, but it can't be that high.


I am only talking about second hand cars and LHD. You can buy a 180 bhp LHD for around 15k these days.

Also according to the government, the average UK salary is around Â£21k.  I know it sounds a lot...but listen more about the distribution. People earning 40k or more belong to 10% of the working population and people earning 50k or more belong to 5% of the working population. 1% is paid 70k or more. And the working population in the UK is around 28 million people at the moment. So you can understand that the highly paid directors inflate the average salary so high.

All these statistics were published last year by the Sunday Times and they may have changed them now...so just use them as indicators.

Finally the graduate salary for a BT graduate is currently around 23k.


----------



## Dotti (Mar 9, 2003)

Knowing my love of TT's and he is sick to death of me going on about them, my hubby keeps saying to me if he ever wins the lottery he will get me 7 for every day of the week in different colours to shut me up 8) :-X :-X :-X :-X :-X


----------



## coupe-sport (May 7, 2002)

Do you not have one then Abi ??


----------



## jgoodman00 (May 6, 2002)

> he will get me 7 for every day of the week


Cor, willl your garage hold 49 TT's?


----------



## jonah (Aug 17, 2002)

Â£13.5k per yr basic  own appartment with a 30k mortgage which payed for my TT ;D and a brand new TT payed for Via mortgage ;D.
I'm not a saver or a drug dealer either ;D just Lucky


----------



## vlastan (May 6, 2002)

> Â£13.5k Â per yr basic  own appartment with a 30k mortgage which payed for my TT ;D and a brand new TT payed for Via mortgage Â ;D.
> I'm not a saver or a drug dealer either ;D just Lucky


Thanks Jonah!! Thats it now...this is what I was saying before...a person with such a salary can afford a TT!!

You are the best mate...and I congratulate you for your honesty and for not be afraid to speak up.


----------



## karloff (Feb 19, 2003)

The TT is the first new car I've owned since a 1988 vintage Renault 5 GT Turbo.

I'd been looking about for a new car for some time & only test drove the TT when I was at the dealers trying out an S3.... Love at first sight!!

I then wrestled with trying to reconcile spunking the thick end of Â£30k on a car (as it currently stands, with mods, it's crept up to over Â£33k!), but managed to justify it to myself on the basis that I could afford it (just) and I am worth it!!!

A few colleagues have said that I must be paid a lot (compared to them, presumably!) to be able to afford a Â£30k+ car! I agreed, but told them that I get les than I'm worth !!

Some people will always be jealous of others, but I've got to say that the car itself has only generated positive feedback, and the ladies seem really keen on it!!


----------



## Rhod_TT (May 7, 2002)

Vlastan,

You think Â£21K per year sounds a lot!? That's not a lot at all! I graduated from university last year and all my friend who graduated at the same time (or a year earlier) earn about that.

One of my friends droped out of university two and half years ago and he now earns Â£24k. He lives at home with his dad, pays no rent or bills (only telephone) and has absolutely no money. The last time he bought a car he could only afford one that cost Â£500. The previous car he owned (which he crashed and therefore had to buy another one) cost him 1500. He can not afford a TT or any other similar car.

Jonah,



> Â£13.5k per yr basic own appartment with a 30k mortgage which payed for my TT and a brand new TT payed for Via mortgage .
> I'm not a saver or a drug dealer either just Lucky


You say you are not a saver, but say you took out a Â£30k mortgage to buy the TT. Therefore you already owned more than Â£30k of property and you in effect "traded" a chunk of your property for the car.

The question is how did you come to own that Â£30k chunk of property.

The answer: either someone boought it for you (in which case they have in effect bought you the TT),

OR

You have payed the mortgage over a period of tens of years (in effect you've saved your money over a period of years and invested it in a property) and then taken a mortgage out for Â£30k (in effect releasing some of the savings you have made).

The original point made by Vlastan was that someone earning Â£14k per year could afford a TT. The answer, is well, yes, provided that they have already worked for tens of years, bought a property, payed off some or all of the mortgage and then release some of their equity and trade it for a TT. Unfortunately very few of the people earnming Â£14k per year are in a position to do that.

The fact is even graduates erning Â£21K per year (which acoding to Vlastan's statistics is the average wage in Britain) can not afford to buy a TT. They have to pay graduate loans, rent or mortgages, bills, commuting costs, eat, breathe, and then think about being able to buy a car.

None of my friends owns a car as nice as mine (and I only own it cuz my dad bought it for me). Out of my friends (Lets say I have about 100 friends from high school and university I am still in touch with) I own the nicest car. The next best car belongs to a guy who bought a brand new Puma last year. BUT he works for Ford, and therefore gets a H U G E discount.

And trust me, they all love cars, and would love to have something like a TT or a Porshe, or a BMW M3. Even second hand. Even not the current model. The reality is that most of them can't even afford to ensure and run a Â£500 car. Let alone a TT.

I'll stop blabbing now, I promise.


----------



## garyc (May 7, 2002)

> One of my friends droped out of university two and half years ago and he now earns Â£24k. He lives at home with his dad, pays no rent or bills (only telephone) and has absolutely no money. The last time he bought a car he could only afford one that cost Â£500. The previous car he owned (which he crashed and therefore had to buy another one) cost him 1500. He can not afford a TT or any other similar car.


*pedant*

I'd say he is pretty well off. 24K and no out goings? Lucky fucker in fact. ;D

Most of his income will be taxed at 25%, with NI he will lose maybe 30% of his gross giving him a 16K net income. That's over 300 quid a week to spend on himself with no fixed outgoings. Diddums it must be so hard. :-/

What can't he afford? Enough branded sports wear? The right trainers? Perhaps he spends it all going out? His choice. Either way he could run a decent car if he chose.

That was a very poor example Jonah and gets no sympathy from me.

Many people earning 4 times as much are relatively poorer than your friend when it comes to having that level of disposable income after they have paid fixed comittments of mortgages, or kept a wife and kids, looked after elderly relatives, and hey, paid the finance on a nice Audi.

Youth. Young etc. Oscar Wilde.


----------



## jonah (Aug 17, 2002)

It all depends on priorities, i dont have any ;D If i had kids or a wife then i dought very much whether would of bought a TT or any 27k car for that matter more like a rover 45 .
I used to earn upto 25k till a few yrs ago when i had to change my job due to illness 
so you are right in saying my quote was poor.
Like i said b4 i've been lucky with property! 
Jonah


----------



## Rhod_TT (May 7, 2002)

Jonah,

I agree with you. It all depends on priorities. My point was that most graduates have to pay off student loans and rent and bills and buy food. That HAS to come before buying a car. Those priorities in effect are decided not by them, but by the society we live in. What is left over is hardly enough to buy a TT. Otherwise, let's face it, everyone and their mother would have one.

For people who have families it's even worse, I would imagine.

garyc,



> I'd say he is pretty well off. 24K and no out goings? Lucky fucker in fact.


I know it seems like that. That's what I first thought when he told me what he earns and what he pays.



> What can't he afford? Enough branded sports wear? The right trainers? Perhaps he spends it all going out? His choice. Either way he could run a decent car if he chose.


The truth is he does not wear any branded clothes (with the exception of a pair of running shoes maybe, but even then he won't buy a brand for the sake of the brand). He doesn't go out a lot. And if he goes out he doesn't drink a lot, or spend a lot of money.

His money goes in three places.

One, his work. He works for a construction company who supply heating and plumbing for big projects like hospitals, schools, office buildings. He goes on site visits and customer visits. He has to cover the fuel expenses of driving to the customers. To give you an example, the latest contract they won is in Ireland. So that tells you where a lot of his cash goes. And before you say the company should be paying for that it's not that simple. The reason they pay him so much is because of the understanding that he doesn't get a company car and fuel payments.

Second place money goes is student loans. Even though he did not graduate he went to university for about 2.5 yrs. He still has to pay those sudent loans back.

Third place, his girlfriend. She lives in Canada. He goes over there at least twice a year and they speak on the phone a lot.

Like Jonah said it all depends on priorities. The first two places his money goes he has no choice about. Those have been decided for him. The third place (his girlfriend) he does have a choice about.

However, I would hope that everyone here would put their human relationships above owning any car. I for one would choose my wife or my friends over a car every time. And you can't choose who you fall in love with. If they have to go back to Canada you just have to deal with that.

What I'm trying to say here (and in the previous post) is that the society we live in sets our priorities most of the time. Most of us can't decide not to pay off our loans, or our rent/mortgage, bills, or pay for our food.

Keep in mind I have about Â£10 000 in student loans I have to pay back ( I did a five year course). That's like buying a Â£10 000 car on finance I have to pay off. Admitedly the interest rates are low, but still. That's what most graduates have to deal with. For people with children it must be even worse.


----------



## scoTTy (May 6, 2002)

I earn more than Â£24k a year but if I spent it all on a load of other things I wouldn't be able to afford a TT either!

Maybe I'm actually agreeing with you that priorities affect your disposable cash but it was your friends choice to get the student debt, his choice to travel to Canada, his choice to spend it on the phone, etc, etc. We could all say we couldn't afford something if we spend it all on other things! :

I too studied for a degree but I worked full time in every holiday and about 18 hours a week during term time. I only had a Â£2k debt at the end which I paid off within three months. Not sure if this is relevant but it just shows we all have a choice to do as much or as little as we please. The same is true of how we spend our money.


----------



## Rhod_TT (May 7, 2002)

Scotty,

I understand what you are saying. What I was trying to say is that for most people (including the ones on this forum) life is about much more than a car. Education, family, friends and life in general must come first.

When people are jealous of someone with a TT it's not because they perceive them as someone who sits in a dingy dark room without any human contact because they can't afford it. They perceive them as someone who has (or rents) a nice house or a flat, has a family they value, has friends they see, and on top of that they can afford a TT.

And the reason they think that is because they know that for almost 100% of the people that will be the truth. An expensive car is not a necessity and if you can afford it, it almost always means you have taken care of your other needs first.

This whole debate is about why people are jealous of people driving TT's. And I believe (I might be wrong ofcourse) that this is why. Not everyone can afford a TT because for most people a nice car is way down on the list of priorities, after eating, buying baby food, going to see your parents, etc...


----------



## garyc (May 7, 2002)

> Jonah,
> 
> I agree with you. It all depends on priorities. My point was that most graduates have to pay off student loans and rent and bills and buy food. That HAS to come before buying a car. Those priorities in effect are decided not by them, but by the society we live in. What is left over is hardly enough to buy a TT. Otherwise, let's face it, everyone and their mother would have one.
> 
> ...


I'd still say that 300 quid a week is still vastly more than most people twice your pals age earning 80-100K a year have, in liquid "My Cash" terms , to spend on travel to work, cheap loans, and phoning loved ones etc.

He probably has more real choices now than he will in 20 years time, once mortgages, cost of family, and all the dull but unavoidable expenses of real living kick in.

Thing is he probably won't realise how fortunate he is until he looks back from Deep Financial Commitment Street. Thats where most people with choices live.

Best of luck to him and you. Mark my words, you will look back on these 'poor' days with fondness.


----------



## Rhod_TT (May 7, 2002)

> I'd still say that 300 quid a week is still vastly more than most people twice your pals age earning 80-100K a year have, in liquid "My Cash" terms , to spend on travel to work, cheap loans, and phoning loved ones etc.
> 
> He probably has more real choices now than he will in 20 years time, once mortgages, cost of family, and all the dull but unavoidable expenses of real living kick in.
> 
> ...


garyc,

I COMPLETELY agree with you. That's what I am saying every time I say stuff like "It must be even harder for people with families", etc... That's exactly my point.


----------



## Rhod_TT (May 7, 2002)

PS I do not consider myself (or anyone else earning about Â£20K) poor. What I've been trying to say all along is that the majority of us can't afford TT's.


----------

