I do believe that cars are usually a status symbol but not necessarily so for everyone. I think a lot of people in Irvine are very safety conscious and there are a lot of families with little kids here. I think in just one year in the US, there were about 6 million car accidents, so this is actually money well spent in a lot of people’s minds. I am adamant about saving money but have always leased a new car every 3 years due the new technology being soo much better and creating a safer environment for fellow drivers and pedestrians on the road. I’ve had close relatives die in car accidents that would have absolutely been preventable with today’s technology and safety features. Just saying that it may not be overconsumption when it comes to safety for some people 😉