You might say I travel a good bit internationally. Just returned from Malaysia. While Im on my travels I always check the forum, photobucket just to see my baby. The response/doubletake that the people have from other countries is just nothing short of absolute drool. Even down to the common laborers, they all know about the Corvettes. Thier vision of the corvette is of a tire smoking, sexy machine. It always comes up as to how many girls I get with it until I show them our family stable. You want to see someone absolutely flip overseas, show them 2 vettes in your garage. Most of them know they will never be able to own one, drive one. When talking about sports cars with everyone "but the french", the corvette is the car of dreams, not the lambos, etc. The corvette is an icon of power, sexiness, never mistaken for any other car, or car model. On the walls of thier rooms you will find two photos, posters. The Corvette and the Harley. Two great american icons that have the world drooling. They have thier cars that they take great pride in, but these are cars built for the location, cost per litre of fuel. We must never take for granted the open roads, fuel costs we have here. Very few countries have the
luxury of allowing you to really drive your car like we can here. So the next time you cuss traffic, speeding tickets, weather, etc., remember that at least you got out of that traffic and opened it up, and filled your car for $2/gal. This is the country we live in, many others are not as fortunate. Just a thought.

 

Good thougths. We are truly fortunate in this country to have all we have. And to have the opportunity to own something like the Corvette is just icing on the cake.

 

Even at $2 a gallon for fuel we are still well below what other countries pay for fuel by more than half. We should count ourselves blessed. Which I guess is why some folks want us dead.

Tom

 

Well said

Paul

 

Thanks for putting it all into perspective! Dan

 

well said

 

Very good thoughts!! We are blessed.

 

Boy, you said a mouthfull, We have it so good here in Americia. When I was in Guam some twenty years ago, there weren't any Corvettes, but lots of Datsuns, and for them a Datsun 2000 roadster was the hotest thing coming or going. I'd look at that little four banger and smile. I never said a word about how much power it had or anything like that, I'd never put down someone elses ride. But think of how lucky we're were back here in Penna. to have real muscle cars. And now at election time you have to wonder how long we're going to have it our way. Like the song says, "You never know what you got till it's gone"

 

Indeed!

 

 

Like the quote on my sig says, "I'm here for a good time, not a long time." And not one single day passes where I don't say thank you to God, those that served and those serving. Without all that, I wouldn't be typing this message right now! God Bless America and let our freedom ring!

 

What a great post and follow up threads. Hits home with me. Over the next 9 days I will be in Geneva, Shanghi, Seoul, Nagoya, and Anchorage. Between the 4 of us that will crew this trip there are 4 Corvettes, a Z4, a 926, and a Harley Soft Tail Classic. Guess what we talk about at happy hour. Visiting other countries makes us realize how good we have it at home. God Bless America, and those who have and those who are defending us.

 

Great post.

Reminds me of being in Venezuela years ago when after being there for about 2 weeks, I saw exactly 1 Firebird Trans Am. My friend told me that it was owned by one of the richest guys in town and everybody thought that was the hottest car they'd ever seen.

Imagine what they'd think of the Corvette...

 

never realized the vettes were so popular overseas... i'd have thought they'd dream of lambos, porsches, and ferraris... or other "exotics"... maybe even japanese cars.

speaking of which... after my go-kart league on monday, i saw an 88 (i think) slant-nose 911 porsche in the parking lot. don't see too many of these, so i walked around it and stared at it... talked to the owner for a while... anyway, beautiful car.

obviously, i love corvettes, but some of those other cars look SO wild and sexy sometimes it's easy to forget that the vettes still look that way to people who aren't surrounded by them all the time (even here in the states). when i first got into vettes, i couldn't believe how many looks and comments i got because of the cars... now, i've almost gotten to where i take my cars for granted, and i'm kinda surprised when people comment on them or stare/look twice.

thanks for the reminder of how lucky i am!

 

I'm reminded of some remarks made to me on another forum I frequent. It's a biker forum made up mostly of europeans. I think I am one of two "yanks" in the entire membership. I posted a picture of my Harley VROD next to my Vette. I got lots of impressed responses, but the one that hit home the most was from a gentleman that said "you are living the dream" and it's true. How fortunate am I to ride and drive the two most iconic works of art ever engineered and live under the freedom and protection of the greatest country in the world. I am truly "living the dream"

God Bless America

 

I've never traveled outside the borders of North America, so I can't comment about first hand observations comparing us vs. them.

I for one, know how good we have it. But let's keep in mind that it wasn't simply luck or chance that got us to where we are. It took a lot of blood, sweat and tears.

I am reminded by reading this thread that hard work yields results - whether the discussion is about freedom or owning a dream car.

I am truly grateful for what I have and living in the greatest country in the history of mankind! Thank you to all who've made this possible.

 

Nicely put,my thought exactly

 

As an American born and raised in Malaysia - I can assert that dadsturn's story rings true. I'm also in agreement that we have much to be thankful for here in the USA .

In Malaysia - cars are taxed 100% import tax, and then run a high yearly "road tax" depending on the volume of the engine. Honda Civics typically cost as about as much as a vette (compute lower cost of living, lower wages, and higher car prices). Many Malaysians have car loans on the magnitude of decades rather than years, or lease their vehicles. Oh - and finally, they drive on the opposite side of the road, and the steering wheel is on the right (read:incorrect ) side of the car.

Having driven there - I'll also swear that we have better roads and better drivers. Though bribing a police officer $20 to get out of a speeding ticket isn't an option here in the USA

 

Good Perspective! I travel coast to coast domestically 260 days a year. I see similar things, but I'm usually in a rental Taurus

 

To say that I am impressed with the returns from my thread is an understatement. I try to get people (wife,kids) to understand just how they really have it. Many people dont have the slightest idea just how good we have it here. One time in Nigeria I saw what was the "ultimate woman" as I have told many. She probably wieghed in at 220+, carrying a large platter with bowls on her head, nursing a baby, taking a leak, standing up against a wall all at the same time! Now folks "that was a woman". I have had criticism that we "women" dont have to live this way, well it has been our ancestors and great leaders, great military that have given us this honor. And maybe its just past time to realize this and what we have does not come cheap! I apologize to those that this has become a possible political overtone, but I believe that most of the responses that I have gotten by comparing the real life outside the U.S. to the life we know has been an eye opener to those that have forgotten.