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Comments
Indeed, to some, you were! Probably a scary kind of person in that old Caddy! :surprise:
Lemko and I are a lot alike - we both wash our Rental Cars before we'll drive them if they're dirty! :confuse:
Still missing that AMC Concord 4WD, are ya Seminole??? I know, they don't make 'em anymore - best car you ever owned!! :P
I just suffered mild trauma reading this bit of sacrilege. I'm going to have take two aspirin, and call my doctor in the morning (but first, I'm running out to the garage to make sure that everything is OK...) :P
In regards to the thread topic, I will say how you care for what you drive is more telling than what you drive.
I completely agree!! A very well cared for anything bespeaks of order ( if not obsession ) in the owner. If it's an older non-descript car (Saturn or something), it must be VERY well cared for to make any impression though. Usually a Saturn gets you negative points unless you're a young female college student.
So, this morning, I looked for cars to profile. First one was a shiny black Altmia with a plane chrome license plate frame. That says younger female, probably in a lower end professional job, cares about what she drives quite a bit - likes how the Altima looks. This was the V-6, so she or her boyfriend cares about performance. The Chrome license plate frame says volumes - it means they "own" the car and care about how it looks.
Next was an 06 Camry, also shiny black, clean, but no license plate frame on it at all. Most likely a rental then. If not, it's another female who considers this to be a luxury car to her, nicest one she's ever driven, but would never consider herself worthy of a Lexus - this is all you need, but she wants value, resale and reliability. IF she had a plain license plate frame on it, it would say in addition - "my car is important to me".
Lastly was a Volvo XC-90 - kind of dirty, had a soldier ribbon on the back, dealer plate frame. This says middle age woman with dogs. Cares about comfort and safety, luxury and prestige. Needs SUV for the dogs, but doesn't want to be considered anti-environment. Volvos are accepted by all extremist groups......
You never see a vanity plate on a Mercury Grand Marquis....
Is it tradition there to remove the dealer frame when the car is paid for? Here, I think many people just leave them on. I have subtle 'AMG' frames on my car, and the 126 had plain chrome ones. The fintail has year of manufacture plates, so no frames, as they were uncommon back in the day.
I am fairly OCD about the cosmetic condition of my cars...they are never really dirty. Everyone has something they obsess about. I don't wipe em down with a cloth diaper or anything, but I have used q-tips to clean out little dusty areas inside.
And that's why I keep my cars clean...I never have to spend half a day detailing it, because I spend 10-20 minutes per week keeping it up.
I left the dealer frames on the Hyundai since I don't care enough to take them off. I did take them off of the Honda, though, and I removed the dealer decal from the trunklid the morning after I bought it. I was going to tell them not to put one on, but I forgot.
As for Miata being a car driven by girlie guys, that is plain [non-permissible content removed] stupid statement. The Miata is a true sports car and can hold its own with any car on the track with equal or slightly more HP. Well, perhaps not a Lotus, but you get the drift.
Yes, it may be that certain types tend to buy certain cars, but all too often I see very timid drivers with cars of massive HP. You know, the guy doing 60MPH on the freeway with his Mustang GT. And they start out around 2 MPH for the first 30 yards. There are plenty of miss-matches out there for cars. Cost is a limiting factor, or I would likely be driving a BMW right now instead of a PT. If I do get something pricer it would likely be the Cadillac CTS. But I have owned every sort of car imaginable from a German Taunus, then a Mustang, and an Opel, onward to Oldsmobiles from '76 Starfire :sick: and 98Regency, to a Stealth, Corolla and Miata. Throw in a Nissan/Datsun 510 and some others - oh yeah Honda motorcycles and ya got a split personality, no doubt. But I corner fast with all of them.
-Loren :shades:
-Loren
In the summer here, when it doesn't rain much, I wipe the car down weekly, and dust it every couple days. The worst part about MB is brake dust on the wheels...they get dirtier faster than any other car I know of. So every 2-3 days I'll wipe the wheels off.
I think it's a design issue with MB brakes.
I do the waxing the wheels trick, and it works great...nothing sticks, you just wipe off. But I'd like to not even have to do that!
Never heard of that ceremony. Around here, some people take the dealer frames off immediately and toss them. Some people let them stay forever, and everything in between. What they do adds color to the profile we assume for them sometimes.
I agree with that. No matter what U drive, keep it clean & decent. Personally, I like keeping my cars clean. I play a game with myself & pretend I'll have people riding with me, so I have to make sure they have room & don't have to move stuff out the way...
It's harder for some than others (parents with small kids), but fast food bags & just "clutter" just doesn't look right.
I never told yu, but I had the same Park Ave a couple years ago. Mine was dark blue. I really loved that car. Got rid of it at 170k miles. What I really miss were those cloth seats! They were VERY comfortable. Every time people got in it, they were surprised at the seats & how smooth it drove. Kept it clean too. No as detailed as you, but clean!
I shake mine out also. I figure those small dust particles on your floor mats can't be good 4 U, seeing how you're in such an enclosed place with little circulation (if U don't open your windows.)
One of my cars is black but I rarely have to wash it as often as people may think. The reason being is because I wipe it down with a chamois cloth on a regular basis. Those things are GREAT. No streaks on the glass or anything. If anyone reading this doesn't use one, I STRONGLY recommend getting one.
I'll never use a towel to dry my cars ever again.
In regards to the thread topic, I will say how you care for what you drive is more telling than what you drive.
That pretty much is the bottom line. I may not like a person's taste in cars, but they did. If a person chooses to spend their hard earned money buying (or leasing) a car, at least take the time to keep it clean. And somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but can't all that caked on dirt & grime damage your paint long term??
I like my mom's car...front dealer frame is broken in half, because she got it caught up on a parking barrier and backed away. She maintains her vehicles mechanically, but doesn't sweat the details.
I usually dry my cars with a soft old cotton bath towel. I've never used a chamois...around here, when cars are wet, they tend to be really wet...and those don't seem like they'd be able to handle it. I know synthetic fabric towels can leave swirl marks more easily.
I once heard someone try to explain that caked on crud actually protects the paint :sick:
As I passed it on the right, since it was in the left lane, going half the speed limit, I see to my wondering eyes' amazement - a 1990 Cadillac Sedan DeVille pulling the trailer. The Car was in pretty good shape, and from California. Now, I change my profile instantly, to an older couple who have done this for years, and either can't or won't move into a Motor Home for their RV. Turns out I'm exactly right it seems, and the blue haired wife is driving....
Because my main frame isn't plugged in, let me throw out a couple of ideas:
1) Well dressed late middle aged guy in S Class/7 Series/Lexus. "I've done well and I hope that everyone I encounter, especially those who were in my high school class, can see it."
2) Blue collar male commuting on the Interstate in a 45K one ton (empty) pickup "Look, I ain't going to be driving to the job in a japanese sedan. This truck is as rugged as I am."
3) Middle income soccer Dad in a mid-size SUV: "I'm doing OK down at the office, but my real focus is getting my kids through high school"
4) Grad student (male or female) in a Honda Element. Self Explanatory
5) Balding elderly guy in a Mercury Grand Marquis. "Yeh, I grew up in South Boston with Whitey Bulger. He was a good guy, too. Kept Southie for the Irish.".
20 something girl in yellow Saturn coupe: Hey everyone, look at me and my Saturn! It's cool, so am I, and this was my dream car when I was in college. Is there anything better than this Saturn?
30 something male attorney in a BMW 535i: I'm a lawyer - get it?
40 something female in an Expedition: All the other Moms at the school have them-so I need one too, right?
50 something male in S, 7 or LS430: Yeah, I'm a hard driving [non-permissible content removed], and it's paid off. My family will appreciate my money someday.
60 something female in a Town Car: Yes, my husband did well in the market, so I can play bridge at the club every day.
My grandpa had a mid 80's Lincoln Continental with the softest cloth seats ever. Boy they were nice
Lemko, The seats were a tan cloth with some sort of button in them made with the same material. If I found a car like one of these in mint condition I'd buy it.
Rocky
Of course not. People before 1900 drove nothing. Were they nothing then? Great men, such Albert Einstein, never used luxury items to prove their worth.
"You Are What You Drive" is simply a marketing tool to make people spent more than they should on a car.
1980 Chrysler Cordoba.
1997 Dodge Dakota, Club cab, V-6, 2WD.
2000 Dodge Dakota, Club cab, V-8, 4WD.
2002 Dodge Dakota, Club cab, V-8, 2WD.
2007 Saturn Ion 3, Quad coupe, 2.4, FWD.
The Cordoba was a hodgepodge of crazy modifications, and a trashed out rust bucket at that.
The first and last Dakota's were almost the same, except for the engine & color.
The '00 Dakota was a stupid buying decision.
The Saturn is the smartest decision I have ever made, automotively speaking.
I love cars. When I bought the Cordoba in '93, I did the best I could with the money available. It was a combination of two cars with an over-built 360. Lotsa fun, but also a POS!
The '97 Dakota was my first new car purchace, and I would have kept it longer, if not for the stupid high residual value. (a lease, of course.}
The '00 Dakota was a knee-jerk reaction to a replacement for the '97. It was a moronic move, and in hindsight, shoulda kept the '97 and paid the buyout for it.
The '02 Dakota was a wash, ended up paying about about the same to get a 2 year newer truck, and I paid it off early.
Fast forward to August, 2006. I'm tired of the truck. I don't use it as a truck enough to make up for the fact that it is, in fact, a truck.
I am not rich, but I could have spent money on a much more expensive car than the Saturn Ion I bought. My Saturn is for sure not in the same leauge as say a BMW, but in real life, it's performance & handling potential is boatloads above what is available to me on a daily basis.
I bought the Saturn because I felt I got a decent deal on a relatively inexpensive car that can do 100% of what I need, versus a real sports car that is under-utilized 99% of the time.
I think I'd be a little miffed if I lost a job due to my current choice of an automobile. If you would deny me employment based on my automotive choice, without a rebuttal, then I probably don't want to work for you anyway.
I hope I have made my point in a semi-coherent way. Thanks.
P.S. I do my very best to keep whatever car I am driving clean. I have indeed washed rental cars & cleaned the windows. Right now, there is major construction work on the street I live on, and it is very hard to keep the car clean. Not my fault.
Well, I'd say having once owned a 1980 Cordoba shows that you're a person of impeccable taste. I've always liked the style of the 1980-83 Cordoba/Mirada. Came close to buying a 1980 Cordoba LS (the cheaper model with the crosshair grille) back in 2004. It had a built-up 318 4-bbl that came from a Dart and a 3.23 suregrip rear that came from a 1969 or so Charger. It was a great sounding car, but unfortunately the body and interior were getting pretty ratty, and the brakes were shot.
As for my cars, I dunno what, exactly, they say about me. I have a 2000 Intrepid that, when it was newer, one of my younger friends said that it just screamed "Family". I have a 1985 Chevy pickup that's getting rough around the edges that I would've thought would scream "redneck", but most people end up thinking it's pretty cool for some reason.
I have a 1979 5th Avenue with copcar wheels and no muffler. Kinda makes it look like a police cruiser in drag. It'll make old men do a double-take, I guess because they're not used to seeing someone so young driving a car like that, and the little tuner boys hate it because a 360 with no muffler will tend to drown out their little fart cans. Maybe that one would fall under "multiple personality disorder"? :P
My budget allowed me to buy a much more respected car, but I decided to move down the automotive food chain and bank the difference.
That's how I feel, too. I really don't care about having a new, flashy, status-symbol car. My Intrepid's been paid off for 2 years and one month now, and not having a car payment is a nice feeling. Now, if I ever got a job where my car was part of the business suit, so to speak, such as a real estate agent or other position where it's important to portray a successful image, I'd probably get something more appropriate.
I love seeing an older car that's well maintained, but shows signs of use (I hate garage queens). Doesn't matter if it's a Cavalier or a Ferrari...seeing that someone cares enough about his/her possessions to take care of them makes me happy. In fact, maybe more so with modest cars, as with them, it's pretty likely that the owner did it himself...
To me, that says "enthusiast" more than simply having enough money to buy a high-end performance car... :shades:
That's how I feel, too.
Seems to me like I decided to move down the automotive food chain and bank the difference is useful information about you for someone making a hiring decision.
I once worked with a headhunter who would never recommend anyone for a management position until he'd met that person's spouse.
On the other hand, if I were married, chances are that no new car would be in the budget.
To alot of people, owning a car is just a necessary evil and about the only thing you can say about their choice is what was handy when they went car shopping.
I think that if I had the kind of money that allows me to buy whatever I want, then my car would say quite a bit about me. Otherwise, I think it says more about how I choose to spend my money.
Just my opinion.
No, back then, it was "you are what you ride". Your Horse, buggy and/or carriage defined you status, values and priorities to some degree back then. Same principle and about as reliable. They had carriage houses instead of garages.
Heck, I remember an episode of "Little House on the Prairie" where Mr. Ingalls traded his oxen for a team of horses, and stated that they could hold their heads high when they went to church, not having to be seen with oxen pulling the buckboard anymore! :P
And that little 2-seater thingie that Doc Baker rode around in was definitely sportier and more upscale than the Ingalls's buckboard...probably like comparing a flatbed truck to a Miata.
I don't think you even have to go back into history. We have a large Amish community around us, and even though they are plain people, they notice what everyone else is driving. I don't think anybody wants to have the shabbiest wheels in town.
As far as stereo typing what someone drives. Has anyone else noticed Volvo drivers tend to be some of the worst. They tend to tailgate, not use turn signals, and will never get out of the left lane on the highway. It's almost if they know they are bad drivers , so they got the safest car they could.
I like Volvo cars too, I would just be afraid if I got one people would think I don't know how to drive.
Heck, even Half Pint is looking good for her age these days.
yeah, but my image of Half Pint is shattered these days, after seeing her in a recent episode of "Nip/Tuck". Let's just say it was a bit less than wholesome. :surprise:
For some reason, I'm thinking there was an episode of Leave it to Beaver where Mr. Rutherford was ragging on Ward for not driving a nicer car! IIRC, in the earlier years, he drove a cheap '57 Ford 300. Not even a nicer model like a Fairlane or Fairlane 500. And he didn't get a new Ford for '58. Must've been the recession. But once they changed studios (got the new house), Ward suddenly got a new Plymouth every year. 1959, 1960, and 1961 models, as I recall. The 1961 was a magic Plymouth, because sometimes it would change back to a 1960 between shots.
I remember him getting one of those prematurely downsized 1962 Plymouths as well, but for the final year, didn't he get a Dodge Polara? Must've gotten a promotion, to upgrade from a Plymouth to a Dodge!
Mr. Brady was certainly a lot more hip and swinging than Mr. Cleaver, as evidenced by the cars he drove. Mr. Cleaver drove mainly workaday sedans, although I think the '62-63 models were 4-door hardtops. But Mr. Brady was always parading around in a convertible. And I doubt if Mr. Cleaver would have ever gotten a perm! :P Could you have imagined Mrs. Cleaver with a mullet? :surprise:
Oh well, if ya drive a fire truck, I bet you are a fireman! What does a driver of an xB have to say about the driver. Must be that they have a sense of humor. Hard to think of many other cars which people smile at when they see one. Use to be the PT. And I know that people keep calling the Miata, that cute little car. How is it different than a Datsun Z, an MG or other small sports cars? Rounded shape and while being a convertible? Is the Solstice a cute car? And why would a Lotus Elan be a guy car, and the Miata a girl car if they are nearly identical.