Tell us about your "double-take" moments

[DanTheMan]

Ok even some of Santa's best elves get naughty some time...Decided to have a little fun at the expense of some holiday party friends when I asked if anyone wanted to see the new "Bentley" Santa put under the tree. So out goes the suspicious crowd to gander upon the winged badged black 4.6.. Bottom line each end every one of them went home that night believing it was the brand new Bentley "Genesis"model (some claimed they had read about it). They oogled over the tech package, fit and finish and could not believe the smell of the "premium leather"(Courtesy of Zaino Z10-Leather in a Bottle) and unbelievable paint that actually glistened in the moonlight.(Courtesy of Zaino Z8 Grand Finale Spray Seal). A quick test drive up some local steep hills did nothing but seal the deal as the robust torgue and smooth acceleration just blew everyone away. I didn't have the heart to break the news later that night but will correct with each individually this week. Just coal for me next year from this crowd...

And fresh hot donuts from the rest of us owners! That was hilarious!

Dan :>)

 

[Michael_S]

Or a parking garage....I remember "Ferris Bueller's Day Off"....

Dan :>)

Right.

But even on Car Talk (Click 'n' Clack) on NPR, they occasionally have shows where people call in and ask for advice after their mechanic returned the car with 1500 more miles on it, or get the car into an accident.

 

[JPatZ]

I've enjoyed a few quality 'double take' moments since picking up the Genesis 4.6 in October, but my best one to date was when I picked up a consultant visiting my firm from Texas for lunch. He got in and immediately asked 'what is this'. When I told him 'Hyundai Genesis' his eyes truly bulged out and he said, "I've got to look at this again from the outside". He got back out and gave the car the once-over again.

As we drove to lunch, we discussed that I'd just picked this up and had traded in a Lexus 430 GS for the Genesis....I also mentioned test driving an Audi A6 to which he replied 'that's the car I just purchased'. A few minutes more of discussion and he said 'This is a tacky question, but do you mind if I ask what you paid for this"? When he heard my number he muttered, "Man, I think I made a $10,000 mistake".

 

[DanTheMan]

As we drove to lunch, we discussed that I'd just picked this up and had traded in a Lexus 430 GS for the Genesis....I also mentioned test driving an Audi A6 to which he replied 'that's the car I just purchased'. A few minutes more of discussion and he said 'This is a tacky question, but do you mind if I ask what you paid for this"? When he heard my number he muttered, "Man, I think I made a $10,000 mistake".

In the word made famous by "MasterCard"......."Priceless"!!

Dan :>)

 

[Simonwpb]

Today I had a "reverse" double take!

Cruising down the turnpike I passed a brand new white Genesis complete with the pricing decal still in the window. My sapphire blue caught his attention too. This is only the 2nd Gen I have seen on the road in 6000 miles, I switched lanes a few times to check it out!

 

[Gwaneum]

Not-so-great double-take.

The day after I bought my car, my cousin visited me, saw the car on the driveway, and thought I was nuts! She did figure that I sold my BMW for a Hyundai, and to her, that was nuts enough. The real "nutty" thing - she mistakenly identified my new car as a SONATA! (Indeed, going from a low-mileage 3-series to a Sonata would've been a major downgrade, especially in Southern California, where you are what you drive and BMWs rule supreme.)

She did recall going to a recent auto show, where her boyfriend had shown her a new Hyundai with the nose of a Lexus and the tail of a BMW. She did know of the Genesis, and all the raves about it. I told her to take a look again.

She ended up driving my Genesis for a mile later on. She was extremely impressed. Her own ride is an Acura TL, and many of her friends drive obscenely expensive Japanese and German cars, ranging from the BMW 7 to various Lexus models. She liked my car better than any of them.

My cousin wants to sell her TL, and wants an Infiniti SUV, primarily because of multiple rear parking cameras. Yes, she is one of those clueless SoCal car buyers who buy based on the hood ornament and a few "hip" features. But my Genesis has her rethinking. She has always been too snobby to ever be seen in any Korean car, but she may end up in a Genesis of her own after all.

 

[Duaine]

I had a weird double double take encounter this weekend. I had saw three Genesis's on the road in my area. The third one is what I am commenting on now.

I was in town Sat. minding my own buisness sitting at a red light when I did realise a white car pulled up beside me on my left but really didn't look over at it. We were both the first cars at the light in each lane. All of a sudden I hear this engine revving up and then a horn honking.

To my total disbelief when I looked over to my left here is a white Genesis. I just couldn't believe it! First off I thought the white ones were pretty rare. After looking at the wheels I found out he had the V-6. I also saw his tech pkg. screen.

The guy was grinning at me and we were both just looking at each other like wow what are the chances of this? The light turned green and we were still sitting there looking at one another when we got honked at to get moving.

This guy seemed like he was then on a mission. About 3 lights down he got even with me again and was just going nuts revving his car up and kept motioning me to race him.
I would say he was 30-35 years old. I think because I have a 4.6 Genesis he wanted to try and beat me or at least compare the two cars.

I didn't do it for quite awhile because for one thing traffic was heavy and the best that we could do is very short quick runs. Finally I did start to grow annoyed with him because he was making a scene to be honest.

I managed to hook up with him at 3 more lights in the front row. I beat him 3 for 3 but only up to a speed of about 40-45 mph because we came up on other traffic just to quickly and had to end it.

He did finally give me the thumbs up before making a left turn and I never saw him again.
I wasn't sure whether to put this under the double take moments or the V-6 V-8 comparsion.

I know I had saw other posts that the V-6 has the jump around town. Maybe it does until someone comes up with real numbers through the entire speed range between the two.

My opinion was after testing 4 different V-6's and then 2 V-8's I thought the V-6's were quicker off the line but I think it is very misleading. If you go by sound the V-6 has this awesome growel when it comes to life telling you that your going to go somewhere in a big hurry!

The V-8 in contrast seems quite in comparison but the way it throws you back and the way the speed builds I thought it seemed the quicker of the two. It's kind of like the V-6's bark is worse than it's bite where as the V8's bite is worse than it's bark. Some don't think its quicker but in my opinion it is even in town.

The relentless guy in his white Genesis kind of proved it to me as well. Either engine is an excellent choice however.

 

[sandy]

Visiting my daughter in Atlanta on our way down to Florida. Take her out to dinner at her favorite Sushi place. We are talking to the very friendly, adorable waitress who works at her Dad's restaurant nights and goes to college during the day. I ask her where she's from and she says Korea. Really, says I, I just bought a Korean car. Her eyes light up and she asks which model. I start explaining it's a brand new model, etc...and she cuts in, is it the Genesis? When I tell her it is, she runs and gets her sister and brother. They are so excited and, I think, so proud of what their country has produced. They want to see the key fob and then ask me to take them outside so they can see tghe car, which of course I did. They tell me how one of their dreams is to own this car. Not exactly a "double-take" moment but a moment I enjoyed sharing with some terrific young people.

 

[DJOrtiz]

You guys should do what this guy did with his Lotus! Would be curious to see the responses you get. I'll bet when the people add the wings logos they get even more stares.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ie0V0NVMNrA

look around the 2:30 mark hilarious!!!
ROFL!!!

[YOUTUBE]Ie0V0NVMNrA[/YOUTUBE]

 

[ConceptVBS]

Duaine, where the V8 really excels is in highway passing. Stomp on the pedal and it flies.

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[Poopsicle]

Visiting my daughter in Atlanta on our way down to Florida. Take her out to dinner at her favorite Sushi place. We are talking to the very friendly, adorable waitress who works at her Dad's restaurant nights and goes to college during the day. I ask her where she's from and she says Korea. Really, says I, I just bought a Korean car. Her eyes light up and she asks which model. I start explaining it's a brand new model, etc...and she cuts in, is it the Genesis? When I tell her it is, she runs and gets her sister and brother. They are so excited and, I think, so proud of what their country has produced. They want to see the key fob and then ask me to take them outside so they can see tghe car, which of course I did. They tell me how one of their dreams is to own this car. Not exactly a "double-take" moment but a moment I enjoyed sharing with some terrific young people.

My Korean friend told me that you have to be really rich to own a Hyundai Genesis. Majority of Korean families can only afford a Hyundai Sonata.

 

[Mark_888]

My Korean friend told me that you have to be really rich to own a Hyundai Genesis. Majority of Korean families can only afford a Hyundai Sonata.

The Genesis sells for the equivilent of $55,000 in Korea. So same is true here.

 

[Gwaneum]

$55K? That's before the won did a nose-dive. Now, the Korean and US prices are pretty much at parity.

Prices are higher but wages are often lower in South Korea. Even a Sonata is more than most people can afford. However, a married man with children, driving a lowly Elantra, is still too embarrassing.

This whole Confucian "social status" thing by age/gender/marital status kicks in. Fresh college grad = Elantra. Married = Sonata. Making it up the ranks = Azera. High-ranking executive/CEO = Equus/Centennial, Genesis, or imports. Don't even bother with the Accent or anything even smaller (Hyundai Click, Kia Morning, or GM Daewoo Matiz) unless you're an entrepreneur and purchasing such microcars as employee service/delivery vehicles. The average car in South Korea is bigger than the average car in ANY other nation except the US, for this reason.

The rigid Confucian mentality is my least favorite thing about the Korean culture. It's also why the economy is stagnating, and the won is doing a nosedive; after all, you can't expect much innovation when your most important job qualification is NOT your ability, but rather your age, sex, marital status, and even your looks (especially if you're a young single woman). Fortunately, the young in South Korea today are far more open-minded and less Confucian/hierarchial, and utterly fed up with the system, so things WILL look much better in 20-30 years. I'm proud to fund this progress/change with the recent purchase of my Genesis.

 

[YEH]

The rigid Confucian mentality is my least favorite thing about the Korean culture. It's also why the economy is stagnating, and the won is doing a nosedive; after all, you can't expect much innovation when your most important job qualification is NOT your ability, but rather your age, sex, marital status, and even your looks (especially if you're a young single woman).

Considering that SKorea is in the top 4 in the no. of int'l patent filings (a few years ago, SKorea passed GB and France), I wouldn't say that Korea is hurting for innovation (tho too much of it is concentrated w/in the chaebol structure as it is much more difficult for start-ups to grow and succeed in SK).

As for the economy stagnating - it is merely following much of the rest of the world, albeit SK is increasingly getting squeezed btwn Japan and China.

The won took a nosedive b/c foreign investors pulled out to cover their losses elsewhere or just panicked due to the sub-prime mess and the resonant world-wide effect and "reinvested" in safer vehicles (much of it going into US govt. bonds). Also, the new regime in Seoul implemented policies to weaken the won.

As far as age, sex, marital status, looks, etc. - those factors come into play in SK (as well as Japan and now China) b/c there are just too many people w/ college degrees for too few jobs (an estimated 55% of adults in SK have college degrees) - so those other factors come into play to weed people out (the biggest factor tho is still which university one graduates from).

Btw, Samsung just purged its ranks of senior executives (so much for age) purportedly to foster younger talent. Included in the purge were the vice-chairmen of the mobile and chip divisions - both of whom were thought to be untouchable.

Basically, it was a cost cutting move (senior execs were too expensive) - too bad US stockholders don't have the same sway over corporate governance as the families running the chaebols).

 

[Mark_888]

Basically, it was a cost cutting move (senior execs were too expensive) - too bad US stockholders don't have the same sway over corporate governance as the families running the chaebols).

Actually they do that in the US quite often (fire older workers), except for the very top executives (whose pay is not really related to their age).

 

[YEH]

Actually they do that in the US quite often (fire older workers), except for the very top executives (whose pay is not really related to their age).

But that usually pertains to "greyhairs" in middle management and not senior execs (vice-chairman level) like what Samsung did recently.

Look how AIG and other big conglomerates in the US gave out bonuses in these tough economic times to upper management (while begging for $$ from the govt.) as retention incentives (yeah, like these people would be able to find a job that pays as well, much less a job period).

 

[Mark_888]

But that usually pertains to "greyhairs" in middle management and not senior execs (vice-chairman level) like what Samsung did recently.

I think it was mentioned that the reason Samsung replaced its senior executives was not because they made too much money, but because they wanted leadership with fresh ideas.

 

[Wordman]

I thought this thread was about double-take moments: it seems to have wandered off topic lately...

 

[musher51]

If it makes ya feel any better, Dick, I did a double-take at the reference to "gray-haired middle management"...(I resemble that remark!)

 

[YEH]

I think it was mentioned that the reason Samsung replaced its senior executives was not because they made too much money, but because they wanted leadership with fresh ideas.

I think that's called corporate spin (anyway, sorry for this going off on this tangent).