Maybe it’s different in your social circle. I work with engineers and technicians and keeping an old car going is respected not derided.
I wouldn’t want to hang around with people that look down their noses at me because I drive a car with 100,000 miles on the clock.
It’s not so much our social circles; rather our respective companies’ Department Heads and C-Suites. Appearances and office politics play a hand in perception, unfortunately.
While I can somewhat understand their viewpoints, as both my wife and I are paid well - neither of us have client-facing roles, and we have a nice enough family car for carting around the bub and in-laws.
There is honestly something liberating about not worrying about dings, scratches, or expensive replacement parts.
