# What kind of car would a ghetto street dealer drive? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 9, 2011, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-car-would-a-ghetto-street-dealer-drive/584833 "2011-06-09T05:26:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2011, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-car-would-a-ghetto-street-dealer-drive/584833/1 "2011-06-09T05:26:09Z")
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… ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2011, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-car-would-a-ghetto-street-dealer-drive/584833/2 "2011-06-09T06:13:41Z")
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’? ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2011, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-car-would-a-ghetto-street-dealer-drive/584833/3 "2011-06-09T06:30:30Z")
A stolen one. ---
**Author:** ![11811](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/9d8465/32.png) [@11811](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/11811)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2011, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-car-would-a-ghetto-street-dealer-drive/584833/4 "2011-06-09T06:56:45Z")
> [@OpalCat](#): > > 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… The hero in Clockers drove a Honda Accord, IIRC. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2011, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-car-would-a-ghetto-street-dealer-drive/584833/5 "2011-06-09T07:04:12Z")
Oh and by the way, regarding this: > [@OpalCat](#): > > It has to suggest he has more money than the average guy in the area 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](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ihPOTDxMfE) as postulated by the philosopher-poet Biggie Smalls. > [@Biggie Smalls](#): > > Rule numero uno, > Never let no one know > How much dough you hold > Cuz you know, > The cheddar breed jealousy, especially > If that man fucked up > Get your ass stuck up ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2011, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-car-would-a-ghetto-street-dealer-drive/584833/6 "2011-06-09T07:33:47Z")
[A 1976 Cadillac Eldorado.](http://www.imcdb.org/i010686.jpg) What else? ---
**Author:** ![EvilTOJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee59a6/32.png) [@EvilTOJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EvilTOJ)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2011, 8:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-car-would-a-ghetto-street-dealer-drive/584833/7 "2011-06-09T08:00:40Z")
I drive a minivan. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2011, 10:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-car-would-a-ghetto-street-dealer-drive/584833/8 "2011-06-09T10:03:27Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![stretch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a6a055/32.png) [@stretch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stretch)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2011, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-car-would-a-ghetto-street-dealer-drive/584833/9 "2011-06-09T17:19:52Z")
In our “ghetto” they tend to drive the late 70s or early 90s Monte Carlos, 80s and 90s Hondas, and 90s Chevy Tahoes. ---
**Author:** ![Blackhawk441](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/76d3ee/32.png) [@Blackhawk441](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blackhawk441)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2011, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-car-would-a-ghetto-street-dealer-drive/584833/10 "2011-06-09T17:32:14Z")
Of course, a [pimped-out '64 impala](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Ico8nylr_y4/TS8dOYEvXtI/AAAAAAAAAAY/6-rT9O8wo1c/s1600-R/64impala.jpg) lowrider with hydraulics and spinners. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2011, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-car-would-a-ghetto-street-dealer-drive/584833/11 "2011-06-09T17:37:04Z")
The guys right on the street would have no money and would be young. Their ride of choice would be a bike - probably stolen. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2011, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-car-would-a-ghetto-street-dealer-drive/584833/12 "2011-06-09T17:43:19Z")
One with dealer tags of course. ---
**Author:** ![Yarster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/7c8e57/32.png) [@Yarster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yarster)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2011, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-car-would-a-ghetto-street-dealer-drive/584833/13 "2011-06-09T17:52:09Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2011, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-car-would-a-ghetto-street-dealer-drive/584833/14 "2011-06-10T01:53:39Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2011, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-car-would-a-ghetto-street-dealer-drive/584833/15 "2011-06-10T03:48:48Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2011, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-car-would-a-ghetto-street-dealer-drive/584833/16 "2011-06-10T04:43:24Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![tr0psn4j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@tr0psn4j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tr0psn4j)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2011, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-car-would-a-ghetto-street-dealer-drive/584833/17 "2011-06-10T04:48:21Z")
I second the Six Fo’ Impala ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2011, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-car-would-a-ghetto-street-dealer-drive/584833/18 "2011-06-10T05:01:59Z")
> [@Yarster](#): > > 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. 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. ---
**Author:** ![stretch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a6a055/32.png) [@stretch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stretch)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2011, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-car-would-a-ghetto-street-dealer-drive/584833/19 "2011-06-10T13:52:48Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Agent\_Foxtrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc29f/32.png) [@Agent\_Foxtrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agent_Foxtrot)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2011, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-car-would-a-ghetto-street-dealer-drive/584833/20 "2011-06-10T14:55:04Z")
I see an awful lot of cream-colored Cadillac 300’s in the rough neighborhoods of Baltimore. Just sayin’. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-car-would-a-ghetto-street-dealer-drive/584833.md?page=2)