Is there still Stigma around BMW (and Audi ) drivers?

[axel1990chp]

supacool1 said:

Fully agree with the stoutness of the indicator stalks. Even back in a 2000 era E39. As requested taken at SS at BMW HQ last year.

Glorious!

Cheers!

[AmyRichardson]

fflump said:

Advert from the 1990's apologies many have seen it before but it is a classic.

Basically Audi were saying that BMW drivers are tossers and Audis are for the more discerning. How times change. Moreover, the arrogant young man in the advert looked a bit too much like he was having a pretty fun life in any case.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIQ-283wKgg

The same one I referred to a few hours back!

Audi's 90s modus operandi was to drop their mature, alternative image and to complete directly with BMW for the same young, aspirational types by using the same sporty/dynamic image (if not actual dynamics...) One has to wonder how wry the agency was being - and whether Audi was aware of the irony.

[Lester H]

RustyMX5 said:

In my area drivers tend to fall into the following types:

Between 07:47 to 08:23 and then again at 14:42 to 16:08. The roads are the domain of the school run mum. She’s typically driving either a knackered old MPV or a bang up to date SUV. She’s in a hurry and having to deal with a kid decorating the inside of the cabin in puke, questions from her nest of little darlings, a WhatsApp conversation and Facebook posts from someone she ardently dislikes. Even threats of a nuclear apocalypse emanating from the radio will do nothing to deter her progress. Delivery drivers, builders, taxis all give way or incur her wrath; and it is a wrath which even Beelzebub would cower in front of.

Mode of transport (VW Sharon, Ford B-Max, VW Toerag / TigOne, Mitsubishi Outlandish, Range Rover (Sport), Nissan CashCow etc)

After 08:23 to approx 10:00 and again between 13:00 and 14:30. This is when the delivery drivers, van drivers, builders, taxis, bin lorries etc feel it is now safe for them to have complete command over the road. Many are trying to make up lost time for steering clear whilst school run mum was out and as a result are overly aggressive. Hard last minute breaking to park exactly outside the house they are looking for or trickling along the road hopelessly trying to see house numbers are the standard mode for the delivery drivers. The van drivers and builders are typically on an emergency run to pick up some forgotten grommet that was required for a job that they’re on. They’re fast, impatient, spatially unaware and will stop at nothing to get that precious grommet so they can finish the job and get paid. Milliseconds feel like hours to them. Taxis strangely seem to just mooch along but perhaps it’s just where I live.

Mode of transport (Transit, Sprinter, Caddy, Pious etc)

Between 10:00 to approx 12:00. The roads are the domain of the learner. They are usually driving in the middle of the road and only tuck in to prevent clipping the mirror of another learner coming the other way.

Mode of transport (Small family hatchbacks of various flavours with an L sticker)

Between 12:00 and 13:00. This is when the lunch brigade are all out and about. They can be driving anything and in a similar manner to the school run mums and van drivers they will not be held up in case the last all day breakfast sandwich has been sold and they have to get a BLT instead.

Mode of transport (Anything and everything)

Between 14:30 and 14:42. This is the time for a very specific gentleman and occasionally his wife. He’s in his 30’s, Asian and driving a RR SVR. Obviously he’s employed by JLR as a test driver because he certainly knows how to put the SVR through its paces on the public roads. I’m sure I’ve heard the Hi-Fi playing ‘Don’t stop me now’ by Queen but perhaps that’s my imagination. Occasionally his (presumed) wife follows closely in a black E something AMG. They’re obviously fans of big V8s. Even ants pause to cross the road at this time through fear of being annihilated.

Mode of transport (RR SVR / Mercedes E ? AMG)

Between 16:09 and 17:00. The apprentice is going home. The windows are wound down, an arm is hanging laconically out of the window, there’s a faaag on the go and he’s got his baseball cap on to impress the birdz and his mates. Typically he’s almost horizontal in the drivers seat and it’s only the peak of the cap which can be seen. The car is often fitted with a turbo and when the dump valve blows off there’s usually a whiff of fricassée turbo to go along with the burnt chip fat which has been liberally poured into the engine. Wheels are predominantly hand painted in black with a masonry brush, a new bangin zaust has been fitted and the suspension has been lowered to a point where the A-Pillar almost touches the ground. In a respectful nod to the days of The Fast and The Furious which coincidentally was popular in the local Odeon before he was born, the car is usually decorated with a small shopping list of after market accessories. Although he couldn’t really be called either Fast or Furious he has his own particular style. His bird on the other hand, is definitely both Fast and Furious.

Mode of transport (Male) (Ford Fiesta / Ford Focus (Occasionally a Seat / VW / Vauxhall))
Mode of transport (Female) (Something a bit ropey and Japanese, MINI or occasionally a rubbish convertible)

Between 17:00 and 18:30. Commuter territory. They’re all eager to get home to see the latest episode of Pointless on the Beeb. In the morning, they either went before school run mum or attempted to take routes to avoid her.

Mode of transport (Anything and everything)

Between 18:30 and approx 21:00. Sadly this time falls under the heading of racial profiling. Young Asian males are out and about. The windows are down, there’s a distinct whiff of a herbal, home made cigarette, the seatbelts are off, the music is playing and a phone is always attached to the hand not holding the cigarette. Their level of aggression somehow contradicts their predilection for herbal, relaxing cigarette. Something in that cigarette must be working as they clearly think they’re driving at 10mph even though to an outside observer there’s something a little wrong in driving at 80 in a 30 limit. They’re obviously doing something right because at 25 there’s no way I could have afforded a Audi RS6.

Mode of transport (Small VAG cars with turbos. Large Audi / Mercedes V8)

Between 21:00 and 01:00. The same racial profiling as above but clearly the drugs business is going very well because the cars are significantly more expensive and are usually driven with the same scant disregard for the road and anyone living within about 3 miles.

Mode of transport (Big German V8s with no silencers, shiny rims, skinny tyres, blacked out windows)

Between 01:00 and about 06:00…. Usually quiet.

Edited by RustyMX5 on Tuesday 14th May 14:56

Extremely well crafted post, clearly the result of much observation. For me, the most pertinent has to be the dreaded School Run scenario, with the White Van Man a close second though, clearly he daren’t compete, tattoos notwithstanding, with the Yummie Mummies. (Though they may have a small butterfly at the base of the spine.)

[swisstoni]

I had thought that the reputation had died out, because they are basically like Fords and Vauxhalls used to be in terms of ubiquity.

But it turns out that I was wrong. Both brand’s drivers are taking an absolute beasting in the current ‘Massive Rise in P Plates’ thread.

[aturnick54]

Rusty Old-Banger said:

I am like that in my 911. Nothing to prove, no need to race around at 9/10ths, just take time and enjoy the (cringe alert) art of driving.

Exactly. I have the power, but I don't feel any need to use it. It's just nice to have in some situations

[Mr Tidy]

dvs_dave said:

tttiest of ttty drivers these days definitely has to go to the Ford Ranger, Mitsubishi Warrior pickup truck types. For some bizarre reason they’re ridiculously aggressive, and think they’re driving super cars. It’s literally insane the amount of dheads in pickup trucks having a go when I’m out and about in my TVR.

I've noticed the same, closely followed by SUV drivers and angry dads in Zafiras, etc.

If Audis or BMWs are being driven tttishly it's usually newish ones near the bottom of the range, or SUVs!

But maybe I'm biased as my BMWs are both well into their teens and still have working indicators.

I love the E39 M5 BTW.

[Gordon Hill]

Mr Tidy said:

dvs_dave said:

tttiest of ttty drivers these days definitely has to go to the Ford Ranger, Mitsubishi Warrior pickup truck types. For some bizarre reason they’re ridiculously aggressive, and think they’re driving super cars. It’s literally insane the amount of dheads in pickup trucks having a go when I’m out and about in my TVR.

I've noticed the same, closely followed by SUV drivers and angry dads in Zafiras, etc.

If Audis or BMWs are being driven tttishly it's usually newish ones near the bottom of the range, or SUVs!

But maybe I'm biased as my BMWs are both well into their teens and still have working indicators.

I love the E39 M5 BTW.

Yep and almost all of the ones that I have seen have a neck twice as wide as their head.

[car user]

Surprised at Tesla drivers getting a rep for aggressive driving. The bulk of them I see are sitting in the middle lane, I assume the self driving feature is based on the US driving style. But then I don't drive in rush hour so maybe I'm not seeing the reps in action.

Pops n bangs gangsters in VAG products and innits in leased BMWs are still the kings of aggressive driving in my experience.

[Mr Tidy]

Gordon Hill said:

Mr Tidy said:

dvs_dave said:

tttiest of ttty drivers these days definitely has to go to the Ford Ranger, Mitsubishi Warrior pickup truck types. For some bizarre reason they’re ridiculously aggressive, and think they’re driving super cars. It’s literally insane the amount of dheads in pickup trucks having a go when I’m out and about in my TVR.

I've noticed the same, closely followed by SUV drivers and angry dads in Zafiras, etc.

If Audis or BMWs are being driven tttishly it's usually newish ones near the bottom of the range, or SUVs!

But maybe I'm biased as my BMWs are both well into their teens and still have working indicators.

I love the E39 M5 BTW.

Yep and almost all of the ones that I have seen have a neck twice as wide as their head.

Well now we're onto stereotypes, usually multiple tats and a tooth or two missing as well!

[dvs_dave]

Mr Tidy said:

Gordon Hill said:

Mr Tidy said:

dvs_dave said:

tttiest of ttty drivers these days definitely has to go to the Ford Ranger, Mitsubishi Warrior pickup truck types. For some bizarre reason they’re ridiculously aggressive, and think they’re driving super cars. It’s literally insane the amount of dheads in pickup trucks having a go when I’m out and about in my TVR.

I've noticed the same, closely followed by SUV drivers and angry dads in Zafiras, etc.

If Audis or BMWs are being driven tttishly it's usually newish ones near the bottom of the range, or SUVs!

But maybe I'm biased as my BMWs are both well into their teens and still have working indicators.

I love the E39 M5 BTW.

Yep and almost all of the ones that I have seen have a neck twice as wide as their head.

Well now we're onto stereotypes, usually multiple tats and a tooth or two missing as well!

Yep, fat Vin Diesel wannabes covered in st tats wearing “Gold’s Gym” or “Tapout” hoodies cos they’re “wellard”.

[LunarOne]

supacool1 said:

Fully agree with the stoutness of the indicator stalks. Even back in a 2000 era E39. As requested taken at SS at BMW HQ last year.

Love the car and the plate! E39 M5 has always been a dream car for me. I've been perhaps too focussed on collecting the perfect E31 840 or 850 to join my other two BMWs (E46 and E32) but perhaps I should scratch that itch!

As for the stigma I don't care. As long as I know I'm driving considerately then that's all that matters. You can't really hustle an old 730i anyway but it sure is comfy...

[biggbn]

Who gives a st what others think? Drive whatever you want, drive it well and enjoy it. Seems simple.

[MYOB]

Wills2 said:

I thought it was common knowledge that most of the cocks had moved into Volvos these days, seems that way to me.

I had a BMW some years back and noticed that I started driving like a cock so I bought Volvos afterwards!

Calmed me down somewhat.

[Rusty Old-Banger]

biggbn said:

Who gives a st what others think? Drive whatever you want, drive it well and enjoy it. Seems simple.

It's the "drive it well" bit that is pertinent here

[Roger Irrelevant]

BricktopST205 said:

sturge7878 said:

Surprised at the Tesla comments, I only really ever see them hypermiling to preserve range.

This is normally the case they are by far the most type of cars I overtake in my lorry and I am limited to 56mph. Then when you go past they get annoyed and speed up.

Quite a few times recently I've got stuck in a glut of traffic on the A1 even though I tend to use it at relatively quiet times. I've presumed it's just the usual elephant racing, which is fine (and tbh I don't understand why it upsets some people so much). However when I've got to the front to the front of the glut it's transpired that no, it's not one of those massive cranes or a JCB doing 45mph and requiring the trucks to overtake, it's a Tesla, or an I-Pace, or something like that. 0-60 in 3 seconds, then straight back down to 50 to bother trucks for a few hours. Other than that I don't think I've ever seen one being driven particularly badly.

[Lester H]

AmyRichardson said:

Yes, but since they're not the exclusive brands they were 25 years ago, the associations are weaker.

And the "thrusting young w@n£er with some money" stereotype, epitomised by the Frank Budgen "yeah not my style" Audi ad (a barb aimed at BMW, but parodying exactly the sort of people Audi was absolutely gagging to have a slice of) is still represented by a lot of real people, but it's not the ubiquitous British trope it was through the late-80s and 90s.

Very accurate. I can recall a time when an Audi really was ‘a cut above’ , barely known to non PH folk , and driven by professional types who may have considered a Saab ( I know that this was turned into a cliche by Clarkson saying they were architects’ or dentists’ cars) as an alternative or even a VW 411. Perhaps a Volvo could have entered the list, too; an Amazon or early 240. Buyers were becoming disillusioned with the reliability of British cars , and wanted to move on from the ( hand-me-down) Humber Sceptre or Vauxhall VX 4/90. Incidentally, my former local independent garage chap - revered and referred to as Mr Hargreaves had a lovely Audi 100 coupe.

Edited by Lester H on Wednesday 15th May 17:23

Edited by Lester H on Wednesday 15th May 17:26