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Luxury cars on Chinese students flock to the MSU campus in BMW, Maseratis, other high-end cars.
EAST LANSING people who haven t visited the Michigan State University campus may be surprised to find these days Maseratis, Bentleys and Lamborghinis driving around.
What is most striking is behind the wheel 19 and 20 Chinese students.
The campuses have long been accustomed to cheap cars hand-me-down belonging to students short on cash but sports cars in the range of 150 000 to 200 000, used to be unheard of until recently .
The phenomenon has played on several university campuses in the country that schools welcome China's richest students The trend has led to negative stereotypes of Asians increasingly MSU, characterizations that people familiar with the students say unfair.
Chinese student MSU exploded for several years, it is now home to about 4,400 students from China, up from fewer than 500 in 2003.
Chinese students represent 10 to 20 percent of cases of Steve Shaheen in Okemos Auto Collection, which sells German luxury brands BMW, Porsche and Mercedes-Benz.
The trend began there about four or five years and has grown every year since, said Shaheen, General Manager of the dealership.
Not everyone buys 100,000 cars; we can sell 20,000 a used BMW and a Porsche 100 000, he said it is a good variety.
Keyan Li, a junior association of supply chain management studies and chairman of China's first cycle MSU students, believes that most of his Chinese classmates undergrad drive vehicles that are considered luxury brands, including Lexus and Infiniti.
Of course, all Chinese students drive luxury cars, and not all those who have high-end vehicles are paying six figures for their turn.
Li, 21, drives a Lexus ES 350 that cost about 35,000, he said most of his classmates cars going from 30 000 to 50 000, but he said there are about 20 sports cars top class on campus that can cost up to a quarter of a million dollars or more.
Many Chinese students come from wealthy families who can afford to spend some 50,000 on tuition, room, board and other school fees each year spend another 50,000 for a car is not a big deal for them said Li.
We have very strong family values, so Chinese families give their children money to support their lives until they find a good job and enough money to survive, he said.
And it is relatively cheap compared to back home a BMW 328 which costs about 40,000 here would cost 80,000 to 100,000 in China, largely due to high taxes, Li said that the difference in prices for cars premium sports is even greater.
When they come here, they say, Wow, BMW is so much cheaper, so I can buy one, because he said he's just worth the price for Ford Focus in China, I can buy it here.
With higher price tags, drivers in major cities like Shanghai and Beijing pay license plate fees that can cost 15,000 The price is intended to discourage the addition of vehicles on heavily congested roads.
People can say, Oh, I can live a better life in the US, why not after I graduated, I sell my car just on the market, Li said.
Students usually pay with cashier's checks, Shaheen said before graduation, many students sell their cars at the dealership.
Someone who buys a BMW 5 Series for 50,000 interest free can sell it for 30,000 equivalent to approximately 550 per month for three years they own.
Given the average American could rent a Chevrolet to 300 per month, Shaheen said pay in advance for the car and selling it is a smart move on their part.
It is also a boon to the local economy restaurants, retail stores and upscale apartments all benefit from greater disposable income of many international students.
Shaheen said he's hired three new employees because of increased trade.
They have done a lot not only for my business, but the local economy, he said.
The trend of Chinese students in the luxury car steering wheel brings several negative stereotypes, those people familiar with the students were quick to contradict.
I think there are a lot of stereotypes, many negative stereotypes about luxury cars and how it's related to wealth and how it's linked to difficulties in adapting to the local community, said Desiree Qin, Professor MSU China who teaches globalization and immigration.
Chinese students are already facing unfavorable views related to larger social and historical context of Asian Americans, Qin said expensive cars Adding to the mix creates the stereotype that all Chinese students are rich, students privileged who are more concerned about the party than studying.
But that is not the case, said Ryan Sucharski, office director Michael Church State Farm Insurance agency The East Lansing gets about 5 to 10 percent of its business Chinese students.
He said it's been difficult to get in touch with its customers a few weeks because they have been to the finals Most study of Chinese customers to get discounts for high GPAs.
They're wired, they're disciplined, work hard, said Sucharski They also tend to be modest.
It is very different from that of an American driving a Ferrari or a Lamborghini, he said they're not to be showy.
They're not cocky or arrogant, they're just beautiful children, he said.
Li doesn t as the American students about conversations he declined to be photographed for this article, as many of his friends.
They are not stars; they do not want to show, he said.
Li admits he thinks it is ridiculous to buy 200,000 cars to get to and from class.
But in China, you can not have a chance to drive it, he said that if I return to China, I buy a Ford or Toyota or something.
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