What sort of car should a real estate agent drive?

If you are an agent in the eastern suburbs of Sydney and you are not driving a late model Porsche 911 then you are a dismal failure who is an embarrassment to the agency you represent.

Actually, a top-of-the-range Tesla would also be okay in those areas because that would signal to the millionaires in Double Bay that you are not only successful and wealthy but you also “care passionately” about the environment. Tick and Tick.

Mackay is a different story. Don’t even think about turning up to an appraisal in Walkerston or West Mackay in a Porsche 911 unless your number plate says WANKR (that would at least show you had a sense of humour).

From what I could tell, even before I went into the industry, there used to be an unwritten rule about the type of car that was acceptable for a Mackay real estate agent.

A Holden Commodore was good. A Ford Fairmont was also perfectly acceptable. Australian-made, yes. Mercedes or BMW, no.

Later, when the world transitioned from sedans to SUV’s and big utilities (do they call them utilities anymore?), Mackay agents started to get around in Hiluxes and Ford Rangers or Mazda BT-50’s. Some had smaller SUVs like Kia’s and Mazda 5’s.

Australia is currently focused on destroying its energy advantage and multi-billion-dollar resources sector but before that we turned our attention to wiping out our manufacturing industry.

We were very successful at that, and our car industry has now gone … which means you will no longer see a Mackay real estate agent in an Australian-made vehicle.

That change has opened the door to the Germans.

You will now see Mackay agents in late-model Mercedes and BMWs. This also reflects Mackay itself as you see a lot more German vehicles on the road than you did 15 years ago. Times change.

The other point to make is that one of those common Japanese utes like a Hilux costs around $65,000-$70,000 so why not buy a flash German sedan for around the same price?

The point about all this is that I am due for a new car. Not because I want one or need one or because I am having any problems with my car. I love my car and would happily keep it. But it’s old and is starting to show its age.

It is a Toyota Aurion; a big sedan with leather seats and it goes like the clappers with its big six-cylinder fuel injected engine. It’s as reliable as the day is long and I can throw in directional signs, Open House flags or anything else I want to without worrying about scratching or spoiling anything.

But we live in a world where perception is everything and my car looks old and unimpressive. Probably not what a “successful real estate agent” should be getting around in.

So I have begun my research. Will I join the Germans? Will I stick with the Japanese? I don’t think it will be a big beaut ute.

Then there’s the issue of agent branding on the car. That’s for another column.

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