I've had the same car for 10 years now.
A Geo that gets 40+ mpg. The problem is in RE people judge you by the vehicle you drive. It's sad but true. You can't please everyone with every vehicle. The consensus is buy something late model...a mid-priced four door that is clean and confortable should do the trick. You shouldn't have to spend more than a few thousand $$, unless you want a new car and don't mind the payments or throwing all that hard earned cash away.

I drive a Mercedes CLS 55 AMG, 470 HP, 510 FT LBS of torque, supercharged and lots of fun to drive. My fourth Benz to date and by far the best one so far. I know my cars have made me more money. Some sellers have actually looked out the window to see what I drove during the interview process and given me the listing as a result of this.

I know that the quality of car that you drive is indicative of how you are thinking as a business person. Driving a clean, new, current model car makes you feel good and is very motivating if nothing else. It does not have to be as expensive or flashy as mine. I know that to grow your business you have to expand your thinking and think bigger than you currently thinking. The car we drive is reflection of whether we are complacent or growning.

JMHO!

I really think realtors judge other realtors by their cars more than clients do.

I know of realtors (don't we all) who had gorgeous Cadillac Escalades or similar flashy cars...and are not very successful at all. Here I am in my humble Honda van w/ over 100,000 miles on it, dirty half the time....selling circles around them.

It's not the car.

I drive a beat down 2005 White Ford Ranger with almost 200,000 miles but I do not work with buyers. I work for banks and asset companies. I logged 80,000 miles last year. Why would I put that kinda milage on a $65,000 Escalade when I can tear up a $3,000 beater instead and when its trash I can toss it aside and go buy another one. Gee 2 vehicles instead of 1 and $59,000 saved! You got to love the big headed agents.lol
When I do have to take a buyer out, I drive my wife's 2005 Kia that has 22,000 miles on it and is like new. I have never had a compaint on my car from a client.

I bet you get pretty good gas too, around 25 mpg? I used to drive a 97 ranger. Now I am in a 03 f150 with 150000 on it. I bought it used with 33k miles on it, still under factory warranty. Never have made a payemnt. Every month that goes by I am ahead. My truck has been very good to me. I am hoping to make it over 200k, 250 might be a stretch.

You drive 80,0000 in a year and you don't work buyers? What do you do?
I only drive about 15,000 miles a year....mostly personal on my kids and I made half a million last year. I sure am glad my BIG HEAD is working properly. It's obvious you have it wrong. It's a big bank account that allows me to drive a $135,000 car with 470 horsepower and over 500 ft lbss of torque. I wouldn't drive 80,0000 miles for even $1 million income especially when I can earn that on under 20,000 miles You guys need to think bigger and be more honest with youselves. Sorry for telling you like it is. I am not blind. We all live in a glass house. I know all the agents I see and I know their incomess. They are small thinkers with smaller incomes. I do not knock people driving beaters uunless they knock me. Try getting a bigger head. It's called expanding your thinking.es
y.

I can see you are exactly one of the Realtors I was talking about. A total SHOW OFF.. I do not care about your 470 HP and OVER 500 ft lbs of torque and I do not really think that anyone else does either. We are in the middle of a real estate meltdown and your going around flashing this and that and seem to be rather proud of it. I want to see your HALF MILLION tax form from R.E. sales and under 15,000 miles driven. I am just an average hard working guy that is not looking to impress anyone. My clients like me for who I am. Not because I drive around an expensive overkill car. I think it is a total joke that anyone would waste that kinda cash on a car. LMAO:)

Well, Lucky, when your market area covers a huge geographic area like mine (about 1,200 square miles to be exact) it's not unusual to rack up a huge amount of miles...I often drive 200 miles in one day...buyers from out of the area are not sure if they want this area here, or that area there until they see them. Not all markets are alike.

I could see if one is working in a rather tight geographic location with a more concentrated population, like a suburban area of just a couple neighborhoods - but that's not possible around here in a rural location. The school district I live in covers over 300 square miles alone. Other districts cover even larger and more spread out areas.

bsareo's blurb states he works "somewhere in the desert" and that could be a gigantic area...if he limits his market to say 200 square miles that may leave him with 20 people. lol

Let's play nice and no name calling everyone.

Well, I drive a 2001 Grand Prix with more than 170,000 miles. I quite often put on 100-200 miles a day. It ain't a bit flashy, and it has kitty footprints all over it some days.

A year ago, I was meeting with my Escalade driving customer. Unfortunately for him, someone slashed his tires, and there he was with a flat in a not so wonderful neighborhood. Thinking he would change his tire to the spare, he checked...and there wasn't one. Not only that, but as it was about 3 p.m. on a Saturday, there was no place in town that could help him...his tires were a special size...and everyplace was closing within an hour. I felt really bad for him...he drove his vehicle home on the wheel rim.

Of course, you can't say Escalade was junk when Grand Prix was not in a situation like that.

But my GP has driven me very dependably for 150K miles...and it has no payment. I like having no payment. I'm hoping I get 200K before it won't go anymore.

Please excuse lucky....he's from Toronto....he can't help it. :/

LOL MHT. That made me chuckle.

Interesting topic and I thought I'd throw my two cents in. How do you balance showing up in a flagship mercedes and having clients think that you are obviously charging too much vs. showing your clients that you are successful at what you do and can bring them the results they need? Well, the way I would look at it from a client's perspective: would you take financial advice from a stock broker who didnt appear successful? would you take medical advice from a doctor who was morbidly obese? would you take legal advice from an attorney with questionable legal practices? Anyway, this thread has been an interesting read and I look forward to perusing more of this forum. :-)

I have heard both sides of the argument and have taken the stance that in my rural area, having a nice clean car or truck without going over the top is the best option. We have had clients say that they refused to work with another brokerage because they don't want to be helping make their caddy payments (not even mercedes, Cadillacs! lol). Different areas will be different but around here, if I am driving a $60,000+ car people cry about it....if I drive a $60,000 truck, not a peep. I drive a Nissan Rogue. Nothing too expensive but it's new and clean and does what I need. Also there is a difference in coming across as successful and coming across as arrogant.

With all due respect....I don't know you but you should think before you type. This is the problem with many agents. How do you equate a fat slob Doctor. (An obvious HUGE failure). And a real estate agent driving an expensive car (an obvious sign of success.). I am successful and good at what I do and I earn all my commissions. I deserve what I get paid and I provide phenomenal service 2nd to none. I am not like you where I get paid too much for what I do, since this is what you think of our profession. I earn every cent I make and I am not afraid to show I am good at what I do! Why would I want to drive an average person's car when I am above average. Why should I pretend I am something I am not! I am successfull, I am proud of it and I have paid my dues to get where I am. I am not afraid to show it. I would not drive a SLUMMY broken down car any more than I would LIVE in a SLUMMY broken down house. A buyer who viewed one of my listings complimented my car...he commented I am obviosly good at what I do. I know for a fact my car has more than paid for itself and if you think your looking like the average. Joe because you are so humble I am here to tell you you are misinformed. Yes the few clients yiu have will like you and love you but many are talking behind your back too. Success leaves clues and so does mediocrity and small mindedness.

Lucky, you could have made 26 SOI calls in the time it took you to write that post.

Hey, I'm a truck driver, but give me a Mercedes and I'd drive it. I wouldn't pay for one though; Germans, ich bin nien berliner. Wouldn't buy a Japanese car either. My father taught me that. I know, I know, cars are made everywhere with parts from Mars, assembled on Pluto. It's the Spirit that counts. Gotta buy American, non-Obama American. So it's Ford, or used Chevy for me. I have a Jeep too, used of course.

Sounds slummy, but this yank don't mind being a bit Slummy...even as Reelter. Heck, you just get 'r dun. We's just tryin' to make our way. That's the motto down yonder way. Up in Canook country you must see things a little different.

I would buy a Porsche though. Because they are sooooo cool.