Funny comment on Turtle Ridge Dreamers post

great post bk!





i was over at a family friends house in turtle ridge when their neighbor came over to ask if they could have a portapotty and other equipment removed from their front yard. at the time my friends were doing their front landscaping.





the neighbor had their house up for sale and claimed the portapotty especially was lowering his property value. he had dropped the price more than $200k already. i can understand if you dont want to see functional toilet sitting there on your neighbors lawn. maybe its against hoa rules. all those are fine reasons to ask for the removal but claiming it somehow was the reason you couldnt sell your house is just makes you a jerk and finger-pointer.





as if people house hunting have never seen landscaping work being done and assume portapotties are a permanent fixture in the community. its always someone elses fault that property values are going down. hoa isnt watering the grass enough. neighbor has the wrong paint color on his front door or parks too big of a van on the street. of course when the whole area was still being developed and property values were going up 5% a month, i'm sure no one complained that their house was surrounded by empty 6 ft weed-filled lots.
 
<p>IR --- With regard to stated incomes on a blog, I actually disagree --- and think (hope) people might tend to be more honest about their income on this anon blog than in real life. Case in point: Recently someone out here asked for a salary survey of us in OC. I replied with with the exact base number for both my wife and myself (both under $100K I might add) to help the person out. Why not give somebody some honest information to help them out --- what the heck --- nobody knows me, right? Just a couple days after that, we were out on a play-date with with the family of one of our daughters friends, and after the husband asked me what my wife and I do, he replied that "boy you two must be up over $200K" (when our real number is $40K less than that) --- but did I disagree with him? No, I just smiled. So from my personal experience, it's easier to be honest out here than when faced with that uncomfortable question in the real world.</p>

<p>With regard to the TR post in question, however ---- I am quite certain that this A-Hole likely lives in the Turtle Ridge apartments, and drives around in a leased 325 or C230 wearing fake gucci sunglasses. Nothing gives me more pleasure than when I get a chance to pull up to a stop light next to one of those smug fools (who always seem to be in a big hurry) in my Accord V6 --- and proceed to embarrass them away from stoplight. How it must sting for them to watch that "H" badge on the trunk pulling away from them --- knowing that when I am done with my 36 payments, I'll get a title in the mail --- while they will get a bill for the miles they went over on their lease....</p>
 
<p>CK, I followed you right up until the point you said you embarrass people away from the stoplight in your Accord V6. Did you get it fitted with nitrous tanks or something?</p>
 
I'd expect talk like that from a Newport Beach/Beverly Hills resident. But, Irvine?? That's big time new-money compensating. People like that are just flash-in-the-pan, and contribute to a lot of turn over in more expensive neighborhoods. Notice the talk about big income and how he knew people who X and Y-- he doesn't have those extra houses/businesses himself.





As far as enjoying himself before going to the grave, I'd just point out that researchers did find that there is indeed a positive relationship between money and happiness. This positive correlation, however, becomes buckshot or unrelated after you get above an income of $50,000/year! (1998 dollars). But it sounds like Agent X is impervious to this cut-off, because all of the talk about cars and gucci, etc. If only the rest of us had that "vision."
 
<p>....Yes, Irvine is a sea of stoplights....But those engineers of the Camrycords and minivans sure nailed their market when they realized that us family guys LOVE to get from one stoplight to the next really quick....That 250 horsepower is key when you have to make sure you are not the last guy to be picking through the new batch of Kirkland dress shirts at Costco....</p>
 
I like Mercedes/BMW, and I drive a nice, very very old Mercedes. I think people presume too much about people driving BMW/Mercedes on this board. For me, I refuse to buy any Japanese product since Japanese killed 90% of my hometown in WW2, and to this day, is still pretending it has never happened. When just about every friend you have lost one or both of their grandparents to Japanese war crime, it certainly changes your world view quite a bit. I realize this is not a political forum, so I will stop here.





Regarding income, I think average salary for engineers has increased quite a bit over the past 4 to 5 years. 5 years again, when I first started at USC PhD program, the average salary for fresh PhD in EE is around 80 to 90k. Today, it is around 120k to 140k. So a two income family with two PhDs (as many new Chinese/Indian immigrant families are), should have a family income between 240 to 300k. This does not mean average income in TR is that high of course (I have no idea the average TR income is, anyone know) or the price in TR is justified
 
I have a mini van, but it doesn't haul ass. But, it has been paid for since the day I bought it. My wife drives a 7 year old Volvo station wagon, also paid for with cash, and she will drive it for another 7 years. I lust for a Fiat Jolly. And I think my neighbors cringe when I opt to bring home my work truck and park it in the driveway. Where I grew up, you only drove an expensive car if you couldn't surf. The status cars were old Ford Falcons and VW buses.
 
CK,





I remember the thread where some posted their incomes as a way to help out that particular poster. That thread was probably the exception to the rule. I imagine the people who did post there were honest because they were not trying to impress anyone just providing helpful information. It is when that information is offered in an unsolicited manner like the poster that started this whole thread that I have serious doubts about its truthfulness.
 
<p>I just found strange that someone who proclaims to have such "wealth" sounds off being extremely insecure. I don't understand why he/she feels the need to defend his "wealth" with such vigor. My gut feeling tells me Agent X either owns one of the TR properties IR has posted on his blog, or is the realtor that is move those homes. </p>

<p>By the way, I drove through TR yesterday and saw plenty of Accords and Camrys. I must not have driven through the "rich" part of TR.</p>
 
awgee,





Ford Falcon Fairlane 300... I loved those babies. I currently have 62 bug and a 2005 Prius. I do admit that I judge the neighborhood by the cars in the driveway. A quick sampling of 20+ cars gives a very good idea of the neighborhood. If I saw an area with out of production BMW 635 csi and Mercedes 250s/280s, I'd much prefer it over a sprawl of 3 series. Ownership in something that requires upkeep and appreciation to purchase says more to me than money does. Someone who has a VW 17 or 21 window bus with custom curtains tells me more than someone who leased their Beemer from the closest con artist.
 
Darin - Ooh-h-h-h, a 21 window bus; da kine bra. I don't know much about the different models of BMWs and Mercedes, but I do know they are some of Consumer Reports worst cars for reliability. I assume most of them are leased, which seems like a financial faux pas to me.
 
awgee, I had a '61 Ford Falcon, complete with a green METAL dashboard and white plastic steering wheel. LOVED IT !!!
 
<p>While it is boastful, the newly rich seem to want to flaunt their newly found wealth. That is fine for them, but really, i'll spend my money and keep the values that will make me wealthy and not just well to do. Even some of the richest people in the world look for good deals (Warren Buffet). </p>

<p>Besides those pesky BMW's devalue like a rock, are about as reliable as a drunken crack addict and are ubiquitious. Me, I'll keep my old mustangs (600whp sleeper) and commuter cars (300whp sleeper). But then again, i've always liked sleepers. </p>

<p>Good luck</p>

<p>-bix</p>
 
Um... where is he getting his Gucci bags for $400?





The real Gucci hobo handbags are $1k+ retail. There's maybe 1 or 2 $800 ones, but I don't know where he's getting them for $400.





If you're shopping for a handbag for a GF on $400 budget, you'd probably go to the Coach store. I recommend Brea mall, the Coach store and Swarvoski store are next to each other, so you can buy a handbag and stuff couple of bling blings in it for ~$500.





I still drive my 1996 Honda Accord LX with almost 240k miles on it, original engine & transmission. Very reliable and well-built car, but expect to spend some $$ on good quality break pads. Choose this car because I saw my HS Spanish teacher had one with over 200k miles on it, and she drove it to Mexico all the time.





Unfortunately the Accord Hybrid didn't fare too well, so my next replacement car will probably not be an Accord. Maybe a next-gen Prius or 2009 Honda Fit Hybrid?
 
the same way he got his bmw 5 for $400 monthly - bought a car sold by a new orleans native with "slight interior water stains"...
 
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