How much it's costing you

[Glizdka]

This comes from a YouTube video.

---

Man: Don't you just love that new car smell? Smells like power and freedom.
Woman: Actually, it smells more like petroleum based solvents evaporating off vinyl and plastic.
Man: Wow, buzzkill.
Woman: Let's see if you still like that smell when you find out what it's really costing you!
Man: I'm locking the windows.

---

Is the sentence in bold an example of how the present continuous can be used to convey negative, emotional message? Is this when you can use the continuous aspect even when the action is repetitive/habitual/non-temporary/stative because it's not about continuity but emotion?

 

[probus]

Possibly, but I don't think so. First of all, I've not previously heard of that use of the present continuous. Secondly it is quite unnecessary to postulate a special use of a tense. Cars cost us money continuously on an ongoing basis, in the form of monthly lease or purchase payments, fuel, running repairs and maintenance and especially depreciation in value, which is continuous. The only possible exception is if the car is used to earn money, for example as a taxi or an uber.

 

[tedmc]

I think the continuous tense is used to emphasise the immediate reality of a situation where the listener is made to feel the pinch of a certain action (buying the car).