Someone feared and respected, making more money than the rest in the ghetto, but still ghetto. What kind of car would he drive? It has to suggest he has more money than the average guy in the area but not stand out as out of place…
I don’t think real life usually works that way. Street dealers make less money than average, aren’t respected, and are only feared if they have a gun. You might be talking about gang-leaders connected outside of this ‘ghetto’ (which is how far from where you live?), who would be young, and driving something the youth idealize in the particular culture.
Do you have any more specifics about this ‘ghetto’?
A stolen one.
The hero in Clockers drove a Honda Accord, IIRC.
Oh and by the way, regarding this:
Even if this were the case (as has already been pointed out, in real life it wouldn’t be), you clearly aren’t familiar with the 10 Crack Commandments as postulated by the philosopher-poet Biggie Smalls.
A 1976 Cadillac Eldorado. What else?
I drive a minivan.
There is a chapter in Freakonomics about how little money street leve drug dealers earn (close to minimum wage). For someone in management, probably an SUV, that’s what the guy in my neighborhood drove before the swat team came and took him away.
In our “ghetto” they tend to drive the late 70s or early 90s Monte Carlos, 80s and 90s Hondas, and 90s Chevy Tahoes.
Of course, a pimped-out '64 impala lowrider with hydraulics and spinners.
The guys right on the street would have no money and would be young.
Their ride of choice would be a bike - probably stolen.
One with dealer tags of course.
Depending on the level of the dealer, I think an older (but not restored) Impala of the 60s. Another alternative would be a used Cadillac (like possibly 1980s or 1990s), and possibly a used Chrylser 300M. If we are talking a drug dealer who is a little higher up in the food chain, then possibly a used Cadillac Escalade, but that’s about it. Nothing would be new, even if it was an Escalade. It would be a few years out of date as this individuals would be driving it having bought it at a used car lot where most of the depreciation from the new vehicle would be gone.
The alternative is ANY normal car but with stupid amounts of money spent on things like oversized tires and rims that make the car look ridiculous. Think Honda Accord with 22"+ rims.
I’m actually not talking about a street dealer of the level of selling to the actual users, more like the guy the dealers get their stuff from. The guy in charge of a whole area. Probably doesn’t live in the actual ghetto.
You’d probably be looking at a guy who made enough money to get out and is trying to live an upper middle class life. Might drive any late model low-end luxury car. He got the success by being smart with money, buying value instead of flash. You might have someone who runs a small business and does his deals out of the back room. He won’t be trying to stand out at all. He’ll be driving an old beat up car. He may live somewhere else and have something much better that he keeps there. These guys will succeed by not drawing attention to themselves at all. They don’t want to be feared and respected, they want to be unknown.
Just go ahead and write it as you’re picturing it. Pimp it out, and be sure to give the dealer sideburns, gold teeth and a jheri curl. Reality isn’t always entertaining.
I second the Six Fo’ Impala
You’re last line is more what I was thinking. I’ve seen plenty of guys that have an older Mercury Cougar but spend $2000-$5000 on rims and a stereo/subwoofer system.
Also, the alternative to the Escalade or Chrysler 300 is a Chevy Tahoe in very good condition, less then 10 years old. Black with tinted windows. Leather interior. Those were nice trucks. Even with no modifications.
In my area, that dude will still be driving a Monte Carlo, Honda, or Tahoe. The cluckers drive POS Ford Escorts or they walk, the people that deal to them drive something that looks better–a beat up Honda, Monte or low end SUV. The dude that they get shit from drives the nicer Hondas, the pimped out Monte, or a nice Tahoe.
If you loves you some Monte Carlo action, you aren’t giving that up just cuz you make more bank. You just get a nicer one.
I see an awful lot of cream-colored Cadillac 300’s in the rough neighborhoods of Baltimore. Just sayin’.