Car and career question

When I got my current job (engineering firm), the owner of the company drove a rusted out K car with broken springs. Parking lot status is generally not an issue among engineers.

I wouldn't want to work at a place where what I drove made a bit of difference to anyone in any way that affected my career.

93EXCivic wrote: So does the quality of the car you drive daily effect the improvement of your career?

No it reflects your disposable income and interest in autos. I've dealt with gazillioners who drove ancient POS, and people barely making it struggling to make the Lexus payment. Also depends on the area of the country you're dealing with, and if the person wants to be known they got bucks.

It really depends on the job. If you're going to be picking up customers from the airport or taking them to dinner, it doesn't reflect well to drive a total POS. I'm an Engineer - in my position, as long as the car gets me to work on time reliably, no-one cares. Most of my customers are other engineers who enjoy quirky cars: E30's, Turbo Subies etc). If I thought I needed to have a cleaner more presentable car to further my career, I wouldn't hesitate. (I drive a tired but reliable TDI Golf).

I'll tell you this much: where I am, one of the first things people notice about visiting sales reps is what car they are driving. Too nice, and too beat up both get commented on at one level or another. Shallow? Yup, but people are...
I have co-worker who insists on growing long hair because "it shouldn't matter how I look". Generally, he hasn't been given opportunities to move up due to a lack of professional appearance.

Among the CPA population, it is interesting to note that the accountants in their 20s usually drive newer more expensive cars than the partners that are typically in their 50s.

That doesn't typically hold true with doctors and lawyers. They usually have the most expensive car they can wrap their little mitts around.

I did get told by an old boss that me having a bright red 350z made me appear successful and he pulled me out of the warehouse to be a salesman.

I also got a job one time because my wallet had the money in order from lowest to highest. It showed "organization." Whatever that is...

In general, I think you can drive whatever you want. People drive cars for certain reasons. You might have a beater now and are saving up for your dream car. If I was in that situation, I wouldnt cut off my saving short because someone said that I had a POS.

93EXCivic wrote:

MitchellC wrote: I just know that prospective engineers (read: students) really have a thing for sport bikes. Through extrapolation they must get superbikes once they land the job.

An old two stroke is close to a superbike right?

They can be superbike slayers, if you have the right one. RZ 500, TZR250 etc

People have noticed the car I drive (oh, you drove the xxx today?), but I don't think it mattered. What does matter is when they find out I understand cars and subsequently keep asking me about them. I suppose I'm not helping things because I really do try to help them out.

93EXCivic wrote: The reason I ask is I don't really want to sell my Civic especially because it is the only reliable car I really want.

Then don't. It's what you want, It does what you need, and you already have it. If you get crap for what you drive at that place, odds are you won't want to be around there long term anyway. You can always find another gig down the road (in your Civic!).

If you're going to invest in your career, I'd put it towards the clothes that they're going to see you in day in and day out before I'd put anything into getting a newer car. Unless you were going to get said car anyways...

Good point, but, I agree with prior posters, after thinking about it a while, that there are occupations where a clean, up to date--doesn't have to be NEW--car can/does make a big difference is success. Real Estate comes to mind. I'd feel more confident listing a house with an agent driving a clean, nice car, than a POS. Quirky is OK, but, rusting, falling apart is a reflection of the agent's ability to get the job done. Shallow, yup. But...

for my jobs it hasn't mattered much, the one day I drive my track car to my old job they started asking if I was trafficking into the prisoners, my reply "Heck no, I bought this for $500" They just stood there dumbfounded. They apparently thought it was worth more than the redline......btw, it was the bimmer

In reply to triumph5:

I want a real estate agent with a clean minivan. I think I deserve total comfort considering the money they can make off the sale of one nice house.

My boss is madly in love with my Corvette, but he used to have an LS1 Corvair. So it all makes sense.

The plant manager has a big stiffy for my daily driver Dodge Cummins Diesel with a lift, MBRP exhaust, and big mud tires. Of course, he is a farm boy at heart.

If you're a real estate agent (sorry, Realtor TM), your car is your office. So it matters.

I used to work at a software company populated mostly by Java programmers. They all drove invisible beige and silver Camrycords. All of them.

Except for the CEO, an IT guy, me and my two compatriots in my area. Yellow A4, purple Cuda 440 6-pack, Miata with stripes or my Jazz Blue Golf, red Legacy GT and a ratty old FWD Dodge Charger. We had our own section of the parking lot. The first one of the "fun cars" to arrive would park randomly, and the rest would make a pattern around it depending on how it was sitting. Much fun.

There's no judgment about what you drive at FM. Too many car guys for that to be a problem. And no, we don't all drive Miatas!

T.J. wrote: I wouldn't want to work at a place where what I drove made a bit of difference to anyone in any way that affected my career.

It depends on why. Having a MegaSquirt equipped project car was largely what got me my current job. I suspect places like FM are similar - having experience wrenching on project cars is a definite plus if you're looking for a technical job with a company that makes performance parts.

The list of daily drivers in the company parking lot often seems to fit the sort of answers you'd get in "what car" threads around here. Except there's no P71 here yet. Not too much in the way of status symbols. I think the trailer at the MegaMeet with the graphics ended up costing more than anyone's daily driver except the brand new Caliber our office manager drives.

Putting my Lemons stuff on my resume got me the interview that lead to my job. Does that count?

Back in 2004 when I was at Road America; I used my tripod and film camera and took a picture of myself next to somebodies ??? car. I then used the picture for my work Christmas card that I sent to customers.

Last summer at a golf outing (yeah, 6 years later) some guy asked me if I still had my Ferrari and went on to explain how stupid I was to send a picture flaunting my wealth to customers. He stated it was idiotic and he totally thought I was a tool. (yes, he already had a healthy round of bloody mary's). Perception and sales is big.

I'd say use the appearance of your car to judge whether or not you should hang out with people. I've noticed the people who love my old, brown, rusty van as soon as they see it are awesome people to hang out with and talk to. The people who take a step back and look skeptical/look down on it are too uptight. They may be people who are 'too good' to be seen in it.

pete240z wrote: Last summer at a golf outing (yeah, 6 years later) some guy asked me if I still had my Ferrari and went on to explain how stupid I was to send a picture flaunting my wealth to customers. He stated it was idiotic and he totally thought I was a tool. (yes, he already had a healthy round of bloody mary's). Perception and sales is big.

Perception in sales is stupid and at least here has no bearing on the deal. in my words "a contract, is a contract". I buy huge amounts of stuff for my company like in the 8-9 digits a year and never once cared what the sales guy is driving. Do what you say you are going to do and I could care less if you roll up on a bicycle.

What we care about is the price on the paper and the history of them delivering to the contract, Period. Now I am a buyer not a seller so maybe I am a little out of the norm.

HappyAndy wrote:

93EXCivic wrote: My career will be in mechanical engineering.

so a maserati Bi-Turbo is out then

false. the biturbo will get you instant cred with engineers, because if you can keep that berkeleyer running they'll know you're a problem-solver.

In reply to MadScientistMatt:

Yeah, I see your point. I wrote my post from the point of view of not working in/for/around the auto industry. It makes sense in my case, but not yours.