Women / men choosing cars
Discussion
My wife needs a new MPV and we’ve have been looking at various options over the last few weeks. Last night we spent an hour or so comparing the various vehicles and trying to narrow down our options. Now, what interests me includes:
Size and power of the engine.
Functionality – how the seats move and stuff.
Gadgets and gizmos.
Servicing intervals.
Performance and handling.
The badge (shallow I admit).
My wife, on the other hand, is mostly interested in the “visual appearance” (body colour options, the type of and colour of the upholstery, etc.. etc..) She’s rejected one car because the steering wheel is black (she wants grey)! And another has been rejected because she didn’t like the shape of the clock (it was oval)! We laughed about it, but it seems to me that men and women really are so different at times.
Size and power of the engine.
Functionality – how the seats move and stuff.
Gadgets and gizmos.
Servicing intervals.
Performance and handling.
The badge (shallow I admit).
My wife, on the other hand, is mostly interested in the “visual appearance” (body colour options, the type of and colour of the upholstery, etc.. etc..) She’s rejected one car because the steering wheel is black (she wants grey)! And another has been rejected because she didn’t like the shape of the clock (it was oval)! We laughed about it, but it seems to me that men and women really are so different at times.
Well, for me, I will list my criteria in order of importance.
Performance and handling.
Looks (external, i.e. body shape.)
Cost.
Colour.
Reliability.
Parking visability. Important - trust me.
Badge.
Servicing and fuel consumption are not particularly important to me.
How it works doesn't interest me. in the slightest.
>> Edited by titiany on Thursday 24th February 09:57
Performance and handling.
Looks (external, i.e. body shape.)
Cost.
Colour.
Reliability.
Parking visability. Important - trust me.
Badge.
Servicing and fuel consumption are not particularly important to me.
How it works doesn't interest me. in the slightest.
>> Edited by titiany on Thursday 24th February 09:57
titiany said:
Well, for me, I will list my criteria in order of importance.
Performance and handling.
Looks (external, i.e. body shape.)
Cost.
Colour.
Reliability.
Parking visability. Important - trust me.
Badge.
Servicing and fule consumption are not particularly important to me.
How it works doesn't interest me. in the slightest.
Sounds like your half male / half female!
>> Edited by srebbe64 on Thursday 24th February 09:48
srebbe64 said:
Sounds like your half male / half female!
err... that's not the first time someone has said that!
But I can assure you that I am all woman!
What's the point in picking a car that looks nice but doesn't go anywhere!?? A predominantly female trait that I will never understand!
Women are far more objective. Badge doesn't matter, the question is "Do I like this car" and if the answer is "No", it's no longer negotiable.
A bloke will possibly not like a car but will drive it and if it's a good car, he will generally dismiss the parts he doesn't like and elevate the positive aspects. A good example would be a Clio 182. A bloke will disregard the fact that it's fugly and looks like Daphne's 1.2 and concentrate on it's immense blatting ability. A woman, however, won't even test drive it because "it's not what I want".
Recent example last week when the wife and I went shopping for a brand new car:
Cars she liked:
Honda CTR - "I want it"
Focus ST170 - "I really like it"
Cars she refused to even get out of the car to look at:
Mini Cooper S - "I hate them"
Clio 182 - "Don't even try it"
Cars she tried and instantly dismissed:
Vauxhall Astra - "It's horrible"
Cars she glanced at and rejected instantly and rejected again after sitting in it:
Seat Leon Cupra - "This is it, is it?"
Mazda 3 2.0 Sport - Pulled a face
Renault Megane - "It's disgusting"
Cars she precluded instantly:
Renault Scenic or any MPV - "Hello Grandad" she said.
Cars she would have looked at but I wouldn't:
BMW 3 series - "It's no good for a dog - sheesh!"
Toyota Celica - not enough power (though I do like them)
A bloke will possibly not like a car but will drive it and if it's a good car, he will generally dismiss the parts he doesn't like and elevate the positive aspects. A good example would be a Clio 182. A bloke will disregard the fact that it's fugly and looks like Daphne's 1.2 and concentrate on it's immense blatting ability. A woman, however, won't even test drive it because "it's not what I want".
Recent example last week when the wife and I went shopping for a brand new car:
Cars she liked:
Honda CTR - "I want it"
Focus ST170 - "I really like it"
Cars she refused to even get out of the car to look at:
Mini Cooper S - "I hate them"
Clio 182 - "Don't even try it"
Cars she tried and instantly dismissed:
Vauxhall Astra - "It's horrible"
Cars she glanced at and rejected instantly and rejected again after sitting in it:
Seat Leon Cupra - "This is it, is it?"
Mazda 3 2.0 Sport - Pulled a face
Renault Megane - "It's disgusting"
Cars she precluded instantly:
Renault Scenic or any MPV - "Hello Grandad" she said.
Cars she would have looked at but I wouldn't:
BMW 3 series - "It's no good for a dog - sheesh!"
Toyota Celica - not enough power (though I do like them)
LuS1fer said:
Women are far more objective. Badge doesn't matter, the question is "Do I like this car" and if the answer is "No", it's no longer negotiable.
I think I disagree. Badge is definately important.
I was toying with the idea of a VX220, but at the end of the day, I would have to pick the Elise.
This is not because I want a Lotus badge. Far from it. I just can't cope with the fact that the VX is a Vauxhall, and so that, and that alone, would prevent me from parting with the cash.
But I do agree with the second part of your comment. If I don't want a car, I don't want it. Full stop. Even if someone kindly points out that it is everything I could want and more, and that it suits my criteria perfectly, they would not be able to change my mind.
One final thing:
I wouldn't buy a Mitsubishi Evo VIII, for instance. I know it goes like stink, I know it handles great. I know people cream over them. I know they are practical.
And yet, I could never contemplate one, PURELY on the basis that it is not pretty enough, and is a bit wide boy. I HAVE to love a cars looks, or it immediately gets left on the shelf, so to speak. And I suggest that this is a female attitude.
titiany said:
I HAVE to love a cars looks, or it immediately gets left on the shelf, so to speak. And I suggest that this is a female attitude.
I know exactly what you mean - and I'm the same. However, it's the "degree of fussiness" that gets me. You must admit that rejecting a car because the clock's the wrong shape is a bit too much.
srebbe64 said:
Another thing. My missus doesn't like to go in my Tiv because it's very loud and everybody looks at it. 
Me, I like going in the Tiv because it's very loud and everybody looks at it.
I love TVR's for their looks, their performance, their noise etc.
my missus loves TVR's (and wants me to buy her a Tamora - yeah right) for the look and noise. Ideally she'd like a slow one so she won't get scared (e.g. a Tamora 1.1)...
srebbe64 said:
You must admit that rejecting a car because the clock's the wrong shape is a bit too much.
Hmm. I guess. It depends - if the clock is difficult to read because of its shape, like if it's analogue, and small, then that would annoy me. But if its just 'aestetically displeasing', then I would suggest your O/H is being a little too fussy! Good luck in finding her a car! I don't envy you!
Edited to say - perhaps it's because she has to have an MPV. They are not exactly the most inspiring vehicles. I guess if you are limited to a practical few, then clocks and steering wheel colours become more important!
>> Edited by titiany on Thursday 24th February 10:39
titiany said:
Edited to say - perhaps it's because she has to have an MPV. They are not exactly the most inspiring vehicles. I guess if you are limited to a practical few, then clocks and steering wheel colours become more important!
>> Edited by titiany on Thursday 24th February 10:39
I've said as far as I'm concerned, she can have any car she likes - MPV or other, or both. In addition to the MPV, she'll probaly buy a new Golf GTI as her runaround - she likes them. However, I just know there are going to be "cosmetic things" she won't be happy about!
Quality!I guess I have a different attitude towards cars depending on what I want them for. If it's an everyday runaround I want to know that it's reliable, usefully-sized, comfortable for unwinding in after a hard day, well equipped, and capable of taking a motorway in. I also want decent fuel consumption. As a result, I'm not bothered about who made it or what it looks like. I also want it to be cheap (I'd buy a car like this second-hand).
On cars that matter to me, though, I have other standards in order to narrow down the sheer numbers of the cars out there. To be worth my hard-earned, it's got to be:
-Good-looking inside and out
-Purposely designed - not a warmed-up version of something else (Renault Clio V6 is probably the only exception)
-Usefully fast. I mean, I'd rather have something that revs like a maniac and grips like a limpet than a ballistic over-powered German luxobarge.
-Manual transmission
-No driver aids/driver aids I can turn off and leave off.
-RWD or 4WD (Lotus Elan SE is the exception)
-A reasonably-sized engine for fun, but not unnecessarily large. Beyond a certain capacity engines seem to get pointless. I consider 3.5 litres to be the biggest 'mid-sized' engine, and I'd probably only consider an engine up to, say, 4 litres. No point in a 6 litre V12 when you can do the same but with less consumption with a properly enineered 3.5 V8.
-End of it's depreciation curve. I don't want to lose money while I'm having fun.
On cars that matter to me, though, I have other standards in order to narrow down the sheer numbers of the cars out there. To be worth my hard-earned, it's got to be:
-Good-looking inside and out
-Purposely designed - not a warmed-up version of something else (Renault Clio V6 is probably the only exception)
-Usefully fast. I mean, I'd rather have something that revs like a maniac and grips like a limpet than a ballistic over-powered German luxobarge.
-Manual transmission
-No driver aids/driver aids I can turn off and leave off.
-RWD or 4WD (Lotus Elan SE is the exception)
-A reasonably-sized engine for fun, but not unnecessarily large. Beyond a certain capacity engines seem to get pointless. I consider 3.5 litres to be the biggest 'mid-sized' engine, and I'd probably only consider an engine up to, say, 4 litres. No point in a 6 litre V12 when you can do the same but with less consumption with a properly enineered 3.5 V8.
-End of it's depreciation curve. I don't want to lose money while I'm having fun.
Harry Flashman said:
I had £4500 to spend on a car.
Ex Mrs Flashman wanted an Audi A4. I wanted a TVR.
I bought the TVR; a week later we broke up.
Now I'm sure the two aren't related per se...
My Tiv cost me a cool £330,000. My missus was so peeved that I'd spent £30k on impulse, that I had to promise to move to a bigger house - which is gonna cost me £300k more than our current one! (Having said that we might well emigrate.)
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