I was watching the local news out of Cleveland, Ohio where the police were investigating a shooting in the "projects". As the camera man panned around the low income housing area, he stopped only for a moment to get a shot of a red Crossfire parked up close to one of the buildings. (at least they had it parked in an end spot).
I suppose with the bargain basement prices some dealers are willing to sell there cars for, that they're going to start turning up everywhere.

 

But did you see a Viper and a AMX there also? I didn't think so!

 

well that's a pretty degrading thing to say --

 

Oh, come on. We all know some people in low income housing drive around in 40 to 50 thousand dollar Cadillacs and Lincolns. This one was probably thinking, "if I buy this one, I might be able to outrun the cops".

 

I own the car you talking about. I am not in a low income job and don't care for your comments. I work for a living and pay my bills. All I can say is, if this is the attitude of your forum and the people on it, goodbye. Take your attitudes and shove it. I'll take the people in this neighborhood over people like you with your attitude any day.

 

LOL... race war.

 

It's not a race war. I happen to be white, so don't start that BS. There are good and bad in every race. What has me pissed off is the bigoted comments that started this whole thread. I am tired of people who pass judgment because of one news story, they are the problem.

 

CrzyKat, before I posted this, I thought about it for a couple of days hoping that my observation wouldn't be misconstrued.
All I was pointing out is that seeing a car with a 35k window sticker, especially a Crossfire, parked in a low income allotment is a site seldom seen. But with the plummeting prices being what they are, it's not going to be unusual to see them anywhere.
Most people who live in such neighborhoods do so for one of two reasons. Either they want to, or they are forced to because of economic circumstances. Usually, most people who live in Government controlled housing spend their hard earned money on something a little more practical than a high end sports car, wouldn't you agree? That's why seeing your car parked there looked so out of place.
My observation was neither a political comment, or a razz in any way, shape, or form. And I really don't remember making any judgment calls on the news story either. If referring to your neighborhood as the "hood" sounded like a bigoted remark to you, then I don't know what else I can say. Obviously, to you, I was being politically incorrect, and for me I was simply calling it what I hear it being called by 100's of others on TV all the time. If you have to actually live there to be the only one allowed to call it the "hood" then I must have broken some unknown law. (but thanks for straightening me out).
Where I live, I'm practically the only one in a 1 mile radius that doesn't own a 4-wheel drive truck or suv. But so far, nobody has made a comment about it or heaven forbid, called me a "farmer"! Now that would really **** me off.

 

Yea, a farmer that drives a Crossfire, Viper and a AMX. One cool farmer!

 

Wow fireamx, good thing you did not mention that cleveland, ohio is the #1 poorest city in the country. That would have probably put crzy kat over the edge.

 

You'll find tons of cars with a "35K sticker" in hoods all over the place.

First of all, the only people that paid $35K for a crossfire coupe are people that bought them the first few months they were out. Which history should show people doing this isn't the brightest method for buying a new car. Even the New Beetles were selling over sticker for a short while.

Second, they've depreciated like Kias. I bought mine a year old with 6K on it for $19.9. If they become more popular as used cars, they'll definitely pop up a lot more. I don't know why this bothers anyone. If you want a "special" car, go make more money and get an exotic.

I use to sell used cars, and the typical people from low income housing eat up high mileage BMW's, Mercedes, Land Rovers, anything with a luxury badge on it. They don't care if the car has 150K on it, as long as it looks cool.

 

This one got me out from under my rock... Fireamx; Don't be so quick to get all 'pc' on us yet. I think we need to hear more of the story. The 'Kat from the hood' got some 'splainin' to do if he's gonna call us out. Does he live there, or does he work in the area? Is this really limited-income housing or is it just a cheap part of town? If it is really is limited-income housing (hud or section eight) then how can someone afford a 35k car when they're supposed to be so poor that my tax dollars supplement their living expenses. Sorry to an *sshole about this but the abuses of these kind of programs are what give fuel to the conservative fundamentalists. (I'm mostly liberal in my views). By the way, I have owned limited income apartments in the past, and if you take into account all the costs associated with the building and the tenants, we would have made more money if we had scraped off the building and put pay parking in it's place charging 50 cents per day per car.

 

I was going to stay out of this one but I've seen a few comments from posters that rub me the wrong way. I try and keep my trap shut on comments that get "close" to racism and elitism. Some who make them probably don't know they are making such statements. In you everyday conversation, you say stuff to your friends and co-workers that flies by without a comment. Well, you are on a public web board. You don't know who is reading what you are saying. I've read stuff on here that makes me just shake my head! One posted talked about a Crossfire being on some "ghetto or rap" video. Now this about the Crossfire being in the "hood." Guess what, the Crossfire isn't some exotic car that can only be afforded by a few. We love our car, true, but we ain't special by no means because we could buy one. We all know they can be bought on the cheap. Some even write around here that THEIR car has been devalued because it has become affordable to the many. That tells me it was OVERPRICED from the beginning.
If the original poster had to think a few days about posting what he said, that should have been enough reason not to post. Nothing said in a public forum should require that much thought...

Everybody just enjoy your car and keep the other non-car topics to a minimum.

 

Wow is thread getting brutal. I am far from PC and even I have noticed quite a bit of stereotyping. I created the following score card just to keep track,

1. Crossfires are bargain basement cars, equivalent to a KIA.
2. Poor people will spend $40K- $50K on cars.
3. Low income people by fast cars to outrun the law.
4. If you are lower middle class you live in a hood a talk smack.
5. People that bought their Crossfire in the early months in production paid $35K and are not bright.
6. Nice cars in the lower income housing have over 150K miles on them.
7. HUD homes are only available to low income families.
8. Landlords of low income housing are in it to loose money.

I do have to say that I m a little disappointed in our community quickly condemn a person's home without knowing the facts first. I too once lived in low income housing while I was putting myself through college and none of my neighbors were running a crack house or dealing dope. Many were college kids like myself, single moms, and retired couples. Oh by the way those retired couples really like their Cadillacs. My first home was a HUD home that was repossessed and had been trashed. I remodeled it and when I sold it doubled my money. In fact many HUD homes (also use to be Golden Feather properties) are sold to investors who flip them once they meet the residential criteria. I no longer live in low income housing, I now have the luxury of pay Uncle Sam large support checks at the end of the year. I bought my Crossfire in February of 2004 with the extended warranty for $29K out the door. Today's KBB for my car shows retail at : Condition Value Excellent $24,700.

So here I am two and a half years later I still feel I made a smart decision to buy a Crossfire.

crzy kat I don't know you but I feel you do deserve an apology. There nothing wrong with living in a low income, but there is an issue with having low tolerance.

 

LOL my comments were #2 and #3, but I must say I can't apologize, Although the third was stated in humor the 2nd was not. At anytime of the day here in Nashville I can ride through the Hood/Ghetto/Projects/whatever you want to call them and see a couple H2's, Caddy's, Lincolns, MB's and BMW's all of which seem to be pimped out. I believe you have a choice about where you live, the people who I work with tell me they can't move out, it's just not feasible and I have to bite my tounge to stay out of an argument.

 

Hey Crzy Kat I'm sure you have a job and are paying for your car. If that's the case end of story. If you choose to spend your hard earned money on a car or a house or anything else that is your choice. If you are receiving public assistance, which I doubt, but if you were then that is a different story and then that becomes all who pay taxes there business. Sorry the tax payer's have a right to know there money is going to help those in need not those that abuse. As I said I'm sure you are not one of the individuals that commit fraud or steal tax dollars but are a hard working tax payer. If that is the case its his business what car he drives. This reminds me of the people who comment on me driving this car saying wow you most be getting paid too much!, come on a $20,000 car? When I use to buy Cadillac DeVilles that were 3-5 years old for 18-23K I got the same comments. Do I really need to explain to everyone that I don't golf, drink and go to bars or I don't blow my money foolishly so I can drive the car of my choice? Or that I have worked two jobs most of my life? Give me a break many cars are 19-23k as a matter of fact that is the mid range of cars. Some people just show there ignorance when they open there mouths. Unfortunately it happens.

 

Boy did this thread get out of hand. If you go back and re-read my original statement, you will see there was nothing raciest, malicious, or elitist about any of it.
I simply pointed out that even people living in low income housing can afford a Crossfire because the prices have dropped that much.
Silly me for assuming that people who live in what is commonly referred to as "low income housing", are in fact, actually earning a lower income. What was I thinking?!! Anyway, I did not imply that was a bad thing, or that we should all feel upset about it. I just reported a Crossfire sighting, and its location, just like many other people do on this web site on a regular basis.
I didn't refer to the area as the ghetto, a slum, a dump, the wrong side of the tracks, or the poor side of town. Instead I chose to use the word "Hood" which is a slang term or an abbreviation of the word neighborhood, and a term that is commonly used by many who live there. If the term congers up a bad image in your mind, then that's your problem. I'm not a mind reader.
I'm on record as saying I couldn't care less if "our" cars start turning up as pizza delivery vehicles, it wouldn't change the way I feel about mine.
As for accusations of me coming off sounding like an elitist, well, all I can tell ya is that I probably paid less for my brand new XF than 90% of you, and I never hesitate to tell anybody who asks me about the car how little I paid for it.
The fact that I gave my thread a couple of days thought before posting it, simply says that I'm a thoughtful person, and I try not to offend anybody with my posts. So on the contrary Jag80, I happen to think EVERYTHING you say in a public forum demands that much thought!
It doesn't matter what you say, or how much you sugar coat it before you post anything here, someone, somewhere will find fault with it. (unless of course you're a beautiful girl) then you may get away with it.
Personally I think alot of people need to lighten up, and not take things so seriously, but that's just my opinion.
Finally to Idaho, if I thought I said anything to anybody that should have offended them, I would be the first to offer an apology. But I don't think I did, so I stand by my original post. For crying out loud, it's not like I'm the "POPE" or something.

 

I usually tend to avoid posting on controversial threads. In this case, I'm going to make an exception.

I have no problem with the original post. I saw nothing inflammatory about it, though I also realized that a door was left open just enough for someone to push their way in and cause a stir.

I also think +fireamx's explanation of his thought processes that went into what he wrote was dead-on and exactly the way I read into his first post. Though VERY well written, I am dismayed that he had to write an explanation at all.

I guess some people just want to read more between the lines than there really is. Or they just have exceptionally thin skin.

As a Jew, I'm no stranger to dealing with ethnic bias on a regular basis. But I don't go off the deep end at the most minimal provocation. Nor do I look for malicious intent where there is none. And I forgive naiveté.

Sometimes, no matter what, it can be best to turn the other cheek. Which is what CK should have done in the first place.

My 2 cents.

 

Midnightman, like you I avoid these type of public discussions, but I have to say "you could have not said it any better".
Ok all, lets just forget this, and use this forum for what it is intended.

 

+fireamx I personally didn't think your original post was bigoted either, it was the feeding frenzy that ensued afterwards that was on the verge of getting out of hand. Hey I am from Idaho where everyone thinks we are naturally bigots, but the fact of the matter is we don't like everyone equally. Like FPMartinez said lets forget this, and use this forum for what it is intended, our cars.