Does English have any proverbs or other sayings meaning "One should not use expensive items to do an everyday thing" ?
For instance :
Don't buy a Ferrari to run on a dirt road or park in a multistory.
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3There are fewer Google hits than I expected for '[You] don't use a racehorse to pull a [coal / farm] cart.' – Edwin Ashworth Nov 17 '16 at 13:16
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2Billions are spent on trying to convince us we should. I suspect any such idiom has been drug off and buried in a shallow grave in the desert. – Phil Sweet Nov 17 '16 at 13:16
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I've actually seen an $80 spork in a store. – The Nate Nov 17 '16 at 19:08
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@EdwinAshworth I thought the same thing--"using a racehorse to (do some mundane horsey task)" came to mind immediately, but I also found few references. – Katherine Lockwood Nov 21 '16 at 22:26
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There are correspondingly few for "There's no need to get out your best china". – Edwin Ashworth Nov 21 '16 at 22:45
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It's less to do with "use", and more to do with something of quality for an unappreciative recipient, but: "Pearls before swine".
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Not exactly in the league of a Ferrari or a race horse, but (depending on the way we look at it,) a sledgehammer may be a relatively expensive tool to crack a nut.
Wiktionary:
Verb
use a sledgehammer to crack a nut(idiomatic) To use significantly excessive force to carry out an action; to do something overzealously
Today, Mr Worthington, an engineer, said: 'Sending three officers over simply to give a warning about kids playing football in the street is like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut.
answered Nov 17 '16 at 13:34
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"Smash it with a golden hammer." seems a good fit.
I can't think of all that many common idioms for this specific idea, but this is description: you can assemble things to fit.
References to things like "the good china" can work. e.g. "Like taking the good china to a picnic"
You just need to make sure that the listener is clear that the thing in question it's fancy and expensive and that the task is normally done with basic tools. Idiom doesn't need to be common to be understandable.
(References to silver bullets can make this point, but carries references to superstition or destroying evil.
"Gold/Platinum bullets" would scrape off the extra meanings fairly well.
"Gold-plated" as an adjective usually denotes 'expensive but not better'. Outside jewelry and electronics, that's generally understood.
"Spinning rims" denote pure decoration, if that's you point.)
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Is 'smash it with a golden hammer' actually used? ELU is about English usage, not DIY. – Edwin Ashworth Nov 17 '16 at 19:15
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Yes, in fact, it is used, but I've no clue how widely. That said, the English language absolutely is DIY. You assemble metaphors and similes to convey your point. Idiom is simply the set that is popular in the culture at the time in question. Anyone shifting cultures needs to develop strategies for recognizing and interpreting these things, even native English to native English. – The Nate Nov 17 '16 at 19:26
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'Idiom is simply the set that is popular in the culture at the time in question.' / 'Does English have any proverbs or other sayings?' and ' "Smash it with a golden hammer." seems a good fit.' do not match up. I've found 3 distinct examples of the string on Google. – Edwin Ashworth Nov 17 '16 at 19:42
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I've seen it used in a TV ad and have heard it from time to time. Can't tell you where to look online. – The Nate Nov 17 '16 at 22:04
