Young people and sensible boring saloons
Discussion
Audemars said:
Its because every model/brand you have listed is chavvy. Focus RS, Type Rs etc with their halfords look just scream lower class citizen. Most would rather get the bus.
They may be "chavvy", but its hilarious when an "M Sport" BMW, "AMG" Mercedes or "S Line" Audi cant overtake a "shopping trolley" 
I'd counter "desire to own something boring and slow" with "ease of getting insurance" which remains a big factor
14 years ago when I started driving, a 1 litre Polo which at the time was 15 years old, would have cost me £1300 to insure, all by myself as the named main driver (which my parents kindly gave me as a present and "stop calling us to pick you up" hint). When that died, and I changed cars, I nearly considered a nice Golf 1.6 but the insurance was close to £2,000 and that was more than I could afford. So I stayed "boring" for a while and got an old Cavalier that remained in budget for what I had to spend.
Nowadays, I don't think many 17 year olds can get insurance that cheap without some serious limitations on your aspirations. And then if you have to be a bit limited by what you can reasonably afford to insure as well as purchase, then many people might buy the neatest example, and hope it retains more value
Anyway, I also don't care. Now that I am older I can afford a Skoda Superb and put two fingers up to those early 20 somethings in their similarly-aged BMWs... oh.
14 years ago when I started driving, a 1 litre Polo which at the time was 15 years old, would have cost me £1300 to insure, all by myself as the named main driver (which my parents kindly gave me as a present and "stop calling us to pick you up" hint). When that died, and I changed cars, I nearly considered a nice Golf 1.6 but the insurance was close to £2,000 and that was more than I could afford. So I stayed "boring" for a while and got an old Cavalier that remained in budget for what I had to spend.
Nowadays, I don't think many 17 year olds can get insurance that cheap without some serious limitations on your aspirations. And then if you have to be a bit limited by what you can reasonably afford to insure as well as purchase, then many people might buy the neatest example, and hope it retains more value
Anyway, I also don't care. Now that I am older I can afford a Skoda Superb and put two fingers up to those early 20 somethings in their similarly-aged BMWs... oh.
Its odd, I am 35 and currently have what would be seen as a boring car by many 04 Avensis Estate 1.8vvti. Its a lovely comfy cruiser for long journeys has enough power but by no means a lot, and is boringly reliable. I bought it because I knew we had an impending house move and have held onto it for a couple of years now. I also have an MX5 for weekends etc...
However lately I find myself looking at Skoda Citygos, Toyota Aygos etc... because I'm feeling the desire for something small cheap and fun, that'll do 60 mpg if driven carefully and 50mpg if driven flat out everywhere. But that is still suited to being an every day car.
I seem to be going the opposite way to these youngsters although I am yet to bite the bullet. I do also find myself looking at Vrs estates though as they would retain much of the practicality I love in the Avensis but with a little injection of sportiness to boot.
As for BMWs and Audis, these days they don't register on my radar as they are just to dull and very expensive for what they are, though oddly they did appeal more in my youth
However lately I find myself looking at Skoda Citygos, Toyota Aygos etc... because I'm feeling the desire for something small cheap and fun, that'll do 60 mpg if driven carefully and 50mpg if driven flat out everywhere. But that is still suited to being an every day car.
I seem to be going the opposite way to these youngsters although I am yet to bite the bullet. I do also find myself looking at Vrs estates though as they would retain much of the practicality I love in the Avensis but with a little injection of sportiness to boot.
As for BMWs and Audis, these days they don't register on my radar as they are just to dull and very expensive for what they are, though oddly they did appeal more in my youth
Trabi601 said:
jonwm said:
s m said:
SD_1 said:
I have always liked boring saloons compared to hatchbacks - bought my first Mondeo at 18 and had my E46 for almost 5 years now. I am 24.
I had boring sensible 2 litre Escort saloons when I was in my teens too. Love a saloon me Mk2 Escorts were saloons.
We were all suspicious of those new fangled hot hatches back then .....
Many moons ago, I was lucky enough to get some nice company cars fairly young and not far into my career. I got a new puma at 23 and then a golf gti at 25 which I had for 4 years. I got the usual comments about being my dad's car(or mums for the puma - lol) / drug dealing etc. It was all good until the w@nkers that ran the company destroyed it, causing the banking crash... I've been in much older cars ever since, albeit some nice ones! Good on the young 'uns that get nice cars while they can!! You'll look back on some of them with fond memories if life throws some sh@t at you later on!
Enjoy and don't worry about what anyone else thinks, drive what you want!
Enjoy and don't worry about what anyone else thinks, drive what you want!
Nanook said:
TurboHatchback said:
I'm 27 and I own an Audi A6 (bought when I was 25). 'Image' and 'brand' had nothing to do with the purchase, it was simply a magnificent car that offered an unmatched array of capabilities for the price. I've also owned knobbly 4x4s, old man coupes, hot hatches etc and I couldn't care less what other people think of them or their appropriateness for my age.
What is 'magnificent' about an A6?I've never owned one, only driven one once, and it was an older one.
I'm not disputing it, in case you get the wrong idea. I'm just asking.
22 almost 23,
In the process of selling my 2006 Subaru Forester STI.
Previous to that I had a 96 Legacy GTB.
Before that a Mazda RX7 FC3S
Before that a Nissan Silvia S15 Spec R
Truth be told I'm quite sick of driving coilovered, slammed and noisy cars. It just gets old every day, I currently have an E46 M3 track car and a 1973 Datsun 240z, both of which satisfy my need to hoon, with the Subaru being sold tomorrow I'm honestly on the hunt for a saloon or estate, simply because it's economical, comfortable, quiet and respectable.
Driving a hoon-machine everyday is fun, and I will miss my Forester but having driven my friends A6 and then test driven a Q5, I was amazed at how comfortable and relaxing it was. Sure it will be boring in a couple of years (months) but it'll be economical and not cost me an arm and a leg rebuilding a modified engine!
A lot of my friends drive modified Audi saloons etc, it just seems the norm. I'm not complaining because it means getting a lift places isn't always brutally uncomfortable haha.
In the process of selling my 2006 Subaru Forester STI.
Previous to that I had a 96 Legacy GTB.
Before that a Mazda RX7 FC3S
Before that a Nissan Silvia S15 Spec R
Truth be told I'm quite sick of driving coilovered, slammed and noisy cars. It just gets old every day, I currently have an E46 M3 track car and a 1973 Datsun 240z, both of which satisfy my need to hoon, with the Subaru being sold tomorrow I'm honestly on the hunt for a saloon or estate, simply because it's economical, comfortable, quiet and respectable.
Driving a hoon-machine everyday is fun, and I will miss my Forester but having driven my friends A6 and then test driven a Q5, I was amazed at how comfortable and relaxing it was. Sure it will be boring in a couple of years (months) but it'll be economical and not cost me an arm and a leg rebuilding a modified engine!
A lot of my friends drive modified Audi saloons etc, it just seems the norm. I'm not complaining because it means getting a lift places isn't always brutally uncomfortable haha.
I'm 27 and have a new C220d on a PCP.
Reasons:
- Have driven Renaults, Nissans and SEATs previously. Then PCP'd an SLK for two years and fell in love with the perceived quality. Driving anything else feels too plasticky and low-rent inside so for the 25k miles/year that I drive I wanted something nice to sit in! I test-drove a Mini but couldn't get on with the driving position and we felt the rear was too small (ditto Audi A1).
- Other half insisted on 4 doors and at least 4 seats so that ruled out another SLK. I also think the A-class is f'ugly from the rear.
- I like a certain level of tech (parking sensors/camera, Bluetooth audio, steering that can be made heavier with a 'sport' mode, electric and dimming mirrors, LED headlights, heated seats etc) - That all comes standard on the C class, so no added cost on the option list. My model is boggo standard with just metallic paint added.
- It was cheaper to PCP than the equivalent BMW 3'er or Audi A3/A4 once they'd been specc'd up to to match it. Even with a 'staff' discount from BMW it was cheaper!
... So yeah, I'm a young person with a boring saloon and everyone thinks I'm nearer to 40 than 30.
Reasons:
- Have driven Renaults, Nissans and SEATs previously. Then PCP'd an SLK for two years and fell in love with the perceived quality. Driving anything else feels too plasticky and low-rent inside so for the 25k miles/year that I drive I wanted something nice to sit in! I test-drove a Mini but couldn't get on with the driving position and we felt the rear was too small (ditto Audi A1).
- Other half insisted on 4 doors and at least 4 seats so that ruled out another SLK. I also think the A-class is f'ugly from the rear.
- I like a certain level of tech (parking sensors/camera, Bluetooth audio, steering that can be made heavier with a 'sport' mode, electric and dimming mirrors, LED headlights, heated seats etc) - That all comes standard on the C class, so no added cost on the option list. My model is boggo standard with just metallic paint added.
- It was cheaper to PCP than the equivalent BMW 3'er or Audi A3/A4 once they'd been specc'd up to to match it. Even with a 'staff' discount from BMW it was cheaper!
... So yeah, I'm a young person with a boring saloon and everyone thinks I'm nearer to 40 than 30.
Love how this thread is full of people saying its all about image. And yet in the finance thread many on here swear blind nobody would finance a car to impress people 
Much of it is probably that as people get a bit older cars become a little less important, for me its a white good now, mainly as I live in SE and driving is a nightmare anyway. But cars just are not that important to most people beyond how they look, appear to others, and do the job required, despite what many on here will think.
Much of it is probably that as people get a bit older cars become a little less important, for me its a white good now, mainly as I live in SE and driving is a nightmare anyway. But cars just are not that important to most people beyond how they look, appear to others, and do the job required, despite what many on here will think.
I'm 24 and have had a mixture of cars since passing my test. A lot of them have been Saabs, not because it's a boring saloon and obviously not badge snobbery or wanting to impress, but when I was a bit younger, it was the most power I could afford to insure... reliable enough to get me there. My colleagues thought it was hilarious when at 19 I turned up to work in my 9-3 convertible, but I thought it was a cracking buy for £950!
I currently have a Suzuki Swift Sport and a 275bhp Saab 9000. Cause I like them.
I was being told only last night I should get myself a 'decent' car like an Audi, and why on earth don't I have a diesel for commuting in. Quite A stupid thing to say, although that was from someone much older. Most of the young lads at work have fairly acceptable cars, Fiesta ST, Civic type R, 350z... there are a few with more 'aspirational' diesels like CLK's and 3 series.
If I needed a diesel for the fuel economy and a saloon for comfort, I'd like to think I wouldn't be judged like the people in this thread are judging, sometimes the repmobiles are just the best tool for the job. They're plenty quick enough these days too so it's no hardship, perhaps that's why they're so popular.
I currently have a Suzuki Swift Sport and a 275bhp Saab 9000. Cause I like them.
I was being told only last night I should get myself a 'decent' car like an Audi, and why on earth don't I have a diesel for commuting in. Quite A stupid thing to say, although that was from someone much older. Most of the young lads at work have fairly acceptable cars, Fiesta ST, Civic type R, 350z... there are a few with more 'aspirational' diesels like CLK's and 3 series.
If I needed a diesel for the fuel economy and a saloon for comfort, I'd like to think I wouldn't be judged like the people in this thread are judging, sometimes the repmobiles are just the best tool for the job. They're plenty quick enough these days too so it's no hardship, perhaps that's why they're so popular.
I'm 24 and the only saloons I've owned have been a 400bhp Evo 5 and a Subaru Legacy RS twin turbo, neither of which were boring. I also don't know anyone my age who has one, most of my friends still drive polos as they have no interest but some of my best mates have Golf GTi's and a Scirocco R.
I am actually considering getting something like a 530D Touring to replace my MX5, as if I want to go out for fun I'll go out on my motorbike and I can get all my boating gear in an estate easier.
I am actually considering getting something like a 530D Touring to replace my MX5, as if I want to go out for fun I'll go out on my motorbike and I can get all my boating gear in an estate easier.
Hoofy said:
When I asked what that was (expecting it to be something like a C63), he said, a Range Rover. I looked at him blankly.
What's wrong with that? It'd be a dream car for me too. I've always wanted one since the l322 came out.I couldn't afford one either, but I settled for a bright orange Fiesta.
The image obsession is quite amusing really.
Just changed my Audi A6 2.0TDI Black Edition for a Skoda Superb L&K TSI 280, and despite the Skoda being objectively by far the better car in just about every way I can think, my 20 year old stepbrother refuses to travel in it, and was aghast when I told him I'd changed it.
Not my problem. He can walk, and I'll enjoy the anonymous Q car.
Just changed my Audi A6 2.0TDI Black Edition for a Skoda Superb L&K TSI 280, and despite the Skoda being objectively by far the better car in just about every way I can think, my 20 year old stepbrother refuses to travel in it, and was aghast when I told him I'd changed it.
Not my problem. He can walk, and I'll enjoy the anonymous Q car.
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff