eye of the beholder

[Pottree@domain.elided]

In a message dated 10/16/2001 2:12:01 PM Pacific Daylight Time, 
owner-alfa-digest@domain.elided writes:


> A funny story...  I went down to the emissions place for my smog check 
> today. 
> I pull up and overhear the two workers behind me talking.  The first guy 
> says,  "I thought that was a Porsche at first"
> The second guys replies, " No thats an Alfa Romeo, but it's still at least 
> a 
> $75,000 car!"

Once my BW and I were in the street washing her former '87 75.  This was 
about 3 years ago.

As usual, had some nice comments from passersby.  One pedestrian stopped to 
chat and complimented the "new" car -- and was amazed to learn it was already 
more than 10 years old.  "But it looks so new and modern!"  He then asked, 
"How much does a car like that cost, around $50k, right?"

Possibly this is just unfamiliarity.  Possibly the thought that something 
emotional and European -- especially Italian -- and rare, must be very 
expensive (or very overpriced) in the States.  Possibly that an Alfa really 
is an incredible find for the actual price.  

And then there's this thought: Joe-in-the-street really has no concept of how 
much something is worth in any real sense, only the shaky barometer of what 
things like it cost.  In a world in which even a cheap new car seems, well, 
very expensive, something nicer could be any price, whatever the traffic will 
bear, and most people will not be very surprised no matter what you tell them

But inflation being what it is, I'm sure my BW will be very happy to learn 
her 10-year-old Spider is now "worth" at least $75k!

Of course, she is worth it!

By February, the lira will be a memory with a lot of zeroes in it, I hear.  
So, a nice, new GTV6, for example, formerly selling, I believe, for around 66 
million lira, will seem cheaper at around 38k Euro.  There are a lot of ways 
you can call out the price: the total, the monthly lease payment, the 
supposed value at the end of the lease or what you project it will be worth 
as a collectible in X years.

When it comes to prices, there's more than one way to slice a pizza!

Charlie
LA, CA, USA

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