# Does doctor always = fancy car? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 8, 2010, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-doctor-always-fancy-car/542394 "2010-06-08T04:49:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-doctor-always-fancy-car/542394/1 "2010-06-08T04:49:55Z")
I know there’s a stereotype that doctors are always rich, always have snazzy cars and whatnot, but how true is that? Do more doctors drive, say, a Maserati than lawyers? ---
**Author:** ![Todderbob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47774/32.png) [@Todderbob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Todderbob)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-doctor-always-fancy-car/542394/2 "2010-06-08T04:56:26Z")
I’ve had more doctors drive Toyotas and Hondas then anything else. I’ve never had a doctor, including one of the leading hand surgeons in the country, drive or own anything fancy. And it would have come up. ---
**Author:** ![ToeJam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dfb087/32.png) [@ToeJam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ToeJam)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-doctor-always-fancy-car/542394/3 "2010-06-08T05:09:08Z")
> [@Todderbob](#): > > I’ve had more doctors drive Toyotas and Hondas then anything else. My Dad’s a Doctor- he likes driving Toyotas and Hondas. :smack: Currently he drives a Nissan minivan. My Grandfather used to be a Doctor- he loves Cadillacs but finds them too expensive, so he bought Toyotas and Hondas, and currently he doesn’t drive anymore, but he used to have a Honda Mini-van. I never really realized the Toyota/Honda thing with both of them liking those cars… Oh, and I have an uncle who’s a doctor- he drives an SUV (Toyota I believe) :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Covered\_In\_Bees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ab992/32.png) [@Covered\_In\_Bees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Covered_In_Bees)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-doctor-always-fancy-car/542394/4 "2010-06-08T05:40:55Z")
There is always the possibility that they buy a multitude of middle of the road vehicles. A family wagon, something more for themselves, a jet ski or other such recreational vehicle and so on. ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-doctor-always-fancy-car/542394/5 "2010-06-08T05:48:28Z")
Off the top of my head 2 prius’s 1 lexus 1 vanagon 1 acura 1 porshe ---
**Author:** ![opmike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9d8465/32.png) [@opmike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/opmike)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 7:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-doctor-always-fancy-car/542394/6 "2010-06-08T07:21:05Z")
My ex’s father was a pediatric neurologist. He drove a Nissan Xterra :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![tumbleddown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@tumbleddown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tumbleddown)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-doctor-always-fancy-car/542394/7 "2010-06-08T08:08:33Z")
My new doctor drives a Subaru Outback. Her officemate (not partner) drives a Hyundai Sonata. Both are young women in their late 30s who are probably still in repayment mode on educational loans, which may have something to do with their vehicle choices. The man who was our family physician until he blew off the first signs of my mother’s brain tumor as nothing more than her ongoing sinus problems has driven a mid-level Mercedes since the early 80s. He’s been in practice since 1952, I guess there are benefits to a long career. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 9:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-doctor-always-fancy-car/542394/8 "2010-06-08T09:39:51Z")
There is a distinct pay scale for physicians, based on location and specialty, which would impact what they drive. Also, physicians who travel a lot (seeing patients in distant clinics, for example) would need relatively rugged cars: I haven’t seen a Jaguar yet that could handle the back roads of Montana in the middle of winter. Finally, there’s simple personal choice. Spending a million dollars on a tin can just isn’t everyone’s style. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 11:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-doctor-always-fancy-car/542394/9 "2010-06-08T11:00:43Z")
I worked for a doc who (in the late '90s) had a mid-'80s Honda Civic. He was so disappointed when it was stolen by joyriding teens and crashed. He took the insurance settlement and looked around - and bought another Honda Civic, same year as his old one! The doctors I work for now tend to have rather more expensive cars (Lexus, etc.), though one sold her Mercedes and bought a Prius. ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-doctor-always-fancy-car/542394/10 "2010-06-08T12:13:58Z")
A friend of mine is a world-renowned cardiologist. He and his wife both drive late-model Toyotas. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-doctor-always-fancy-car/542394/11 "2010-06-08T12:46:19Z")
My brother drives a Suburu. He’s not on call as much as he used to be now that he’s in a private practice, but he still needs to make the ocassional late night drive to the hospital. He wants something reliable. (He also has 5 kids, so practicality plays into it as well.) ---
**Author:** ![Gus\_Gusterson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/85f322/32.png) [@Gus\_Gusterson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gus_Gusterson)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-doctor-always-fancy-car/542394/12 "2010-06-08T14:05:51Z")
My brother-in-law is a pediatrician in private practice. He makes a good bit of money (over $200,000 per year). He drives a Camry that his mother handed down to him. I’ve noticed a common trait among the people I know who make a lot of money - they like the money (and the security it brings) more than they like spending it. You don’t get to be rich by spending your money. ---
**Author:** ![Al\_Bundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@Al\_Bundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al_Bundy)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-doctor-always-fancy-car/542394/13 "2010-06-08T14:13:20Z")
Doctors drive what average folks drive based on family needs. I can say from experience that you don’t want to buy a used vehicle from a doctor. Doctors abuse their vehicles especially in the area of poor maintenance. They have too many other responsibilities. The opposite stereotype applies to fireman. They are into heavy maintenance on their rides, but they also may ask too much for them. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-doctor-always-fancy-car/542394/14 "2010-06-08T14:18:34Z")
The old cliche was that doctors and bankers drove Buicks. For bankers, it was because no one would trust them if they drove a Cadillac or Lincoln. For doctors it was because back in the day Buicks were large, comfortable and well made – just the thing for someone who might have to make a house call in the middle of the night in bad weather. If Toyota had been around back when the cliche was born, we’d all be saying doctors drive mid-size Japanese imports. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-doctor-always-fancy-car/542394/15 "2010-06-08T14:23:21Z")
I was watching a rerun of “Maude” the other day and Maude was telling Arthur (who’s a surgeon) how bad it is for him to be driving a Lincoln Continental during the energy crisis. Arthur says “I have to drive a fancy car. Who’s gonna trust a surgeon who doesn’t dry a fancy car?” ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-doctor-always-fancy-car/542394/16 "2010-06-08T14:33:38Z")
> [@Markxxx](#): > > I was watching a rerun of “Maude” the other day and Maude was telling Arthur (who’s a surgeon) how bad it is for him to be driving a Lincoln Continental during the energy crisis. Arthur says “I have to drive a fancy car. Who’s gonna trust a surgeon who doesn’t dry a fancy car?” Heh. In my adult life, I’ve had _five_ doctors perform surgery on me. I couldn’t tell you what kind of car _any_ of them drove! ---
**Author:** ![DoctorJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctorj/32/2904_2.png) [@DoctorJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DoctorJ)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-doctor-always-fancy-car/542394/17 "2010-06-08T14:42:05Z")
I drive a 2002 VW Cabrio. I’m probably trading it in the next couple of years for a Mini Cooper S. My wife drives a 2005 Honda Fit. Most of my immediate colleagues are thirtysomething primary care docs with young kids, so there are a lot of minivans, midrange SUVs, and practical sedans. This being eastern KY, there are also a lot of pickup trucks. There are several BMWs, Benzes, and the like in the doctors’ lot, but they’re mostly driven by the older docs and the specialists. There aren’t enough of them to justify the stereotype. (I do have one young internist colleague who just bought at Maserati, but he’s an idiot.) ---
**Author:** ![Turble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Turble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turble)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-doctor-always-fancy-car/542394/18 "2010-06-08T16:23:59Z")
Seems to me the doctors who get the Maserati or Ferrari are the ones who, shortly thereafter, also get a faster sportier model wife. ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2010, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-doctor-always-fancy-car/542394/19 "2010-06-09T00:04:05Z")
> [@DoctorJ](#): > > (I do have one young internist colleague who just bought at Maserati, but he’s an idiot.) Could you at least _hint_ at his name, so the KY area Dopers don’t go to a doc who is an idiot. 😉 Seriously, where I live, many hospitals _require_ their doctors to drive _something_ with all-wheel or 4-wheel drive. This is because I live in a mountainous area that gets a lot of snow, and they don’t want the hospitals and clinics short-staffed because the docs got stuck in the snow! ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2010, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-doctor-always-fancy-car/542394/20 "2010-06-09T00:08:31Z")
> [@Turble](#): > > Seems to me the doctors who get the Maserati or Ferrari are the ones who, shortly thereafter, also get a faster sportier model wife. I’ve heard she’s only faster _before_ the wedding! 😃 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-doctor-always-fancy-car/542394.md?page=2)