I'm still kinda new, so I can say that I really look foreward to the day when I can afford a battleship.
All my hump-busting across the server is the root of my RP, & since I plan on sticking around for quite some time, & have some big plans for my story. (plz bear w/ my metaphor:) I would hate players to become accustomed to having large sums of $$$ like a bunch of 'rich kids' with the big SUV's & a dilluted sense of entitlement.
I know trading is tedious, & mission-fighting at a low level is even more tedious...but, I honestly believe that character development suffers if (another metaphor:) players born on 3rd base strut around thinking they hit a home run. I think a character built w/ a 'trust fund' is a weaker character, & makes for shallow RP.