Ferrari Mailing List: Re: Ferrari Content - Please

[Rick Lindsay (rolindsay]

You guys are on to something.

Yes, we often ask questions that have been
through-the-mill many times before and Google or
FerrariChat archives might have a quicker answer BUT,
that's missing the point.  We don't just want a quick
answer, we want to talk about it.

As for the Bimmers and Benz, to use the euphemisms,
there area LOT of people in that group who see their
cars as badges of accomplishment.  In cultural
geography we studied eastern Kentucky - a region where
in the last century, many people went from dirt-poor
to moderately wealthy.  Almost without failure, the
first step one makes in this model is the acquisition
of 'obvious signs of wealth'.  I grew up in northern
Kentucky but traveled to eastern KY for business.  I
have seen trailers with Mercedes and Rolls in the mud
driveway with the old pickup pushed over into the
'holler'.  The old sofa was also out on the makeshift
front porch but that's another story.  The idea there
is that as people become affluent, they first tend to
buy obvious signs of wealth because they want others
to know they've "made it" and because that's what they
think they're supposed to do.

The Ferrari List is NOT that set.  In general, we are
an educated group with a strong appreciation of a
specific automobile marque.  We don't buy our cars to
show them off but rather, for personal satisfaction.

  I see Ferrari owners fitting into three broad
groups; 

(1) The folks who but the cars because they're
supposed to do so.  Those are the folks who have three
Enzos, a Lambo and a Bentley and none of them has over
70 miles on it!  

(2) The gold-chain gang.  Those are the closest to the
folks in eastern KY.  They're the ones who valet park
their 360 Modenas at strip clubs while they flash big
cash in search of STDs.

(3) The group that loves the cars for exactly what
they are and enjoy sharing that admiration with like
minded people.  That's us.  And it doesn't matter if
we're talking about a 365GTB/4 or a 308GT4.  The
mindset is the same.

So what's my point?  It is only that the Ferrari List
is about far more than a self-help group or a bragging
club.  Its a group of friends.  Friends sometimes
fight and they often bond.  Sometimes they leave,
sometimes they come back.

regards,

rick

--- LarryT <l02turner [at] comcast.net> wrote:

> Hi Ken,
>     re: your comment <<these people, who could not
> spell 'cat' if you spotted them the 'c' and the 'a',
> manage to earn enough money to buy a damn BMW in the
> first place. >>  IMO, it's the widespread use of
> Leases.  Relatively low down with reduced payments
> gets their butt in a car they couldn't normally
> afford.  Perhaps it gets repo'd after a few months
> or a year but for that short while they owned a
> Bimmer - or the worst shortened name IMO, a "Benz". 
>  
> 
>     Speaking of Mercedes, I participate on a MB list
> and there are always a huge number of posts - I
> believe that's because of the number of owners. 
> Also, I see questions from people who are looking
> for help on one specific problem then are never
> heard from before or since.  
> 
>     One thing about Dennis - I guess some of us must
> have irritated him before he decided to leave, but
> he used to send the "Google it before posting to
> this list!" note to some of us (me, that I know of)
> when a question was asked that possibly had an
> answer on the net somewhere.  I never argued with
> him about it, but IMO doing a Google is nothing like
> asking the community of people on this (and some
> other) lists.  You guys (and a few females) are
> someone I kinda know - I have see some of your posts
> for over 10 years so I have formed an opinion of who
> I take seriously and who are using bandwidth -
> thankfully there are few of the latter here.
> 
>     Perhaps that was part of Dennis' frustration? 
> Maybe he wanted specific Ferrari chat that couldnt
> be found elsewhere?
> 
>     Oh well, it's *his* loss.  ;-)
> 
> Larry T (67 MGB, 74 911, 78 240D, 91 300D)
> www.youroil.net for Oil Analysis and Weber Parts
> Test Results http://members.rennlist.com/oil
> PORSCHE POSTERS!  youroil.net
> Weber Carb Info
> http://members.rennlist.com/webercarbs
> .
> 
>   ----- Original Message ----- 
>   From: Ken Rentiers 
>   To: LarryT 
>   Cc: ken rentiers ; ferrari [at] ferrarilist.com 
>   Sent: Friday, January 18, 2008 8:37 AM
>   Subject: Re: [Ferrari] Ferrari Content - Please
> 
> 
> 
> 
>   On Jan 18, 2008, at 7:02 AM, LarryT wrote:
> 
> 
>         I think John has made a excellent point when
> he says <<the list seems 
>     to have exhausted itself in Ferrari content >>
>     and I believe it is happening in other specality
> lists also.  The Porsche 
>     list which has a very large membership somedays
> only has 1, 2 or 3 posts 
>     while other days there will be 20. 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>   Larry:  I agree completely, but this is where the
> FList shines imho. When a newbie logs on and asks
> something that has been chewed over many times
> before, at least on the FList he gets a polite
> answer. On some of the other lists he will get
> eviscerated by jaded regulars yelling "FAQ" or
> "Search the archives". I think that speaks to the
> character and compassion of the average list member.
> We have all been brought to our knees by the
> frustration of fixing Ferraris at one time or
> another. 
> 
> 
>   Second point: this list is blessedly free of the
> semi-literate morlocks that post such arcana as : "
> Pics of my new 22s" on places like bimmerfest. 
> 
> 
>   Whats the fastest you have gone?
>   What color should I buy?
>   How old are you?
>   Killed a Camry yesterday.
> 
> 
>   Kinda makes you weep for America doesn't it? The
> really scary thing is how these people, who could
> not spell 'cat' if you spotted them the 'c' and the
> 'a', manage to earn enough money to buy a damn BMW
> in the first place. 
> 
> 
>   Like a lot of other listers I often hit the delete
> button, but then I am also happy to have 200
> channels on my cable TV even if I only watch about 5
> of them. Just because I have no personal interest in
> sourcing a fuel pump gasket for a Colombo V-17
> doesn't mean others are not fascinated. I like the
> unmoderated aspect - I am capable of filtering out
> the stuff I personally find irrelevant, but one
> man's effluvia is another guy's passion. Or
> something. We get moderated way too much out there
> in life it's ownself as it is. 
> 
> 
>   Finally, this creaky old list is almost unique in
> being populated by and large with real people. I
> like talking to Larry or Steve J or the legendary
> cLyDe rather than some bozo labelled "laidback" or
> "Ninja333". My age may be showing: first punctuation
> and now proper names. 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>   Flower Belle Lee: Mmm, they call me Flower Belle. 
> 
>   Cuthbert J. Twillie: Flower Belle, what a
> euphonious appellation 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>
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