Stupid things non petrolheads say... Vol 2

[Janesy B]

br d said:

This isn't kids, this is a garden full of couples at a barbecue. What on earth is causing people to think like this?

Because the idea of obtaining something through hard work is a foreign concept to many people. They just assume anyone with money to spend on a nice car has been lucky.

[C70R]

Gad-Westy said:

People are weird about cars and their ability to project status, wealth, attitude etc. You see it on here quite a lot, let alone in the wider public.

I remember driving through the Lakes with an ex GF many years ago. We were overtaken by a TVR, roof down in the sunshine. My ex's reaction to this was to say; 'look at that tosser, showing off.' Then the usual crap about compensating for something. Had quite an argument about that at the time as I thought it was a horrible attitude to have about someone who is more than likely enjoying his car and couldn't give a st what others think. Still makes me angry thinking about it today actually. But people are weird like this.

And on the other side of the coin, an ex-colleague bought a brand spanking Z4. Nice car, 3.0 turbo. Was chatting to him about it and he told me how he couldn't make his mind up on whether to buy a private reg for it or not as if he went for it, nobody would know that it was brand new. I just cannot fathom how people can think like that!

Some people like to use purchases to project their wealth. Rather a lot of people, in fact. Always has been the case, and always will be.

Given that a car is likely to be the second-largest purchase anyone will make, it stands to reason that this would be a factor.

Being surprised that the two things occasionally intersect is plain odd, unless it's that faux-surprise thing that PH seems so good at?

[Gad-Westy]

C70R said:

Being surprised that the two things occasionally intersect is plain odd, unless it's that faux-surprise thing that PH seems so good at?

It's neither faux surprise or real surprise. In fact I didn't talk about being surprised at all. Plain odd indeed.

[Daston]

Talking of things like that, one of my wife's friends asked her why she let me have a sports car (my wife actually bought it for me as a gift). Apparently her friend would be worried that her other half would use it to "pick up women".

Why do some women think crap like this as they themselves have no interest in cars so why would they assume that their husbands/boyfriends would suddenly be presented with women throwing their knickers at them?

[MDUBZ]

Daston said:

Talking of things like that, one of my wife's friends asked her why she let me have a sports car (my wife actually bought it for me as a gift). Apparently her friend would be worried that her other half would use it to "pick up women".

Why do some women think crap like this as they themselves have no interest in cars so why would they assume that their husbands/boyfriends would suddenly be presented with women throwing their knickers at them?

says a lot about your wife's friend.. what's her number?

[StuTheGrouch]

Daston said:

Talking of things like that, one of my wife's friends asked her why she let me have a sports car (my wife actually bought it for me as a gift). Apparently her friend would be worried that her other half would use it to "pick up women".

Why do some women think crap like this as they themselves have no interest in cars so why would they assume that their husbands/boyfriends would suddenly be presented with women throwing their knickers at them?

This is a concept I fail to grasp. I wouldn't ask permission to get a car and I think my wife would think I'd hit my head if I even asked.

[blearyeyedboy]

Daston said:

Talking of things like that, one of my wife's friends asked her why she let me have a sports car (my wife actually bought it for me as a gift). Apparently her friend would be worried that her other half would use it to "pick up women".

Interesting. Nearly every woman I've spoken to rarely gives a monkeys what car I have at the time, including my wife.

The only people interested in cars when I talk about them are other blokes!

[Blown2CV]

MDUBZ said:

Daston said:

Talking of things like that, one of my wife's friends asked her why she let me have a sports car (my wife actually bought it for me as a gift). Apparently her friend would be worried that her other half would use it to "pick up women".

Why do some women think crap like this as they themselves have no interest in cars so why would they assume that their husbands/boyfriends would suddenly be presented with women throwing their knickers at them?

says a lot about your wife's friend.. what's her number?

You don't need her number, you just need to cruise very slowly past her house in a MX-5

[samj2014]

tedman said:

Some friends a few years back thought I was rolling in it because I had a 1999 Mk4 Golf TDI which was worth about £2-3k at the time... bizarre.

I don't think people understand that everyone has different priorities in life. Some people spend 30% of their income on knitting, but nobody says that you're "being paid too much" because you have fancy wool and gold knitting needles....

I think it's because cars are status symbols these days. I'm sure it's not just me thinking this, but there are a lot more brand new cars on the road than there used to be when I was a kid. People have to have the newest thing, for some reason. Keeping up appearances or some rubbish. It's always some white goods ste anyway - nissan qashqai or whatever and obviously costs a fortune because it's brand new.
You use a bit of man maths to buy something a few years old but importantly fast, pretty and fun to drive, and suddenly you're showing off! I can see why people think that, but then they only think it in the first place because they just buy ste cars for too much money.

[Ellsbells965]

Janesy B said:

br d said:

This isn't kids, this is a garden full of couples at a barbecue. What on earth is causing people to think like this?

Because the idea of obtaining something through hard work is a foreign concept to many people. They just assume anyone with money to spend on a nice car has been lucky.

A lot of people just make assumptions half the time. The decent thing to do is appreciate the nice car, not to judge on someone's lifestyle by the car they have.

[RockyLad]

Had some corkers at work recently.

1.
"I used to have a 4x4 but had to get rid of it because it had soo much grip it rolled over backwards when going up a steep hill"
(The hill was a street)

2.
"Someone thought it'd be funny to put a fire work in my exhaust. When I started the car it back fired and lit the firework. When it wen't off my bumper fell off"

3.
"I can drive 1" from the car in front on the motorway because I have better brakes. If they start to brake I'll brake as well and I'll slow down quicker."

4.
"I'm trying to get the hang of pumping the clutch to get a boost of speed when accelerating"
(Cadence clutching anyone )

5.
Them: "My old Clio was rear wheel drive."
Me: "Nice, the V6?"
Them: "No 2 liter. It was a race car so had been modified to be rear wheel drive."
Me: "...."
(There is a chance this could have been true but this guy is a pathological liar)

All these from people who I would class as petrol heads.

And if I had a quid for every time I've had to listen to people say I should have got a new diesel car Because the tax is only £30 rather than the £295 I pay, I'd have enough to buy said new diesel.

[trails]

br d said:

The town I live in isn't that big and I've owned a few nice cars so I do get people commenting, which is usually fine.

My other half was away one weekend so I went to the pub for dinner and was sitting outside on my own when 2 couples - 30ish - sat at the table next to me. After a while one of the blokes came over and said "You own the white Lambo don't you? Lovely car." I said thanks and he asked me few things about it, so far so good. He asked if I'd like to join them at their table so I graciously accepted.

One of the women then said, entirely seriously "We had a big barbecue at my house last weekend and we were all talking about you in the garden, we decided it must be one of 3 things. You either won the Lottery, you got a big inheritance or you're a drug dealer" This was said with a completely straight face.

I said ""Er no, it was a fourth thing actually, I started a business and then worked really hard."

She looked surprised and confused, said "Oh!" And then changed the subject.

This isn't kids, this is a garden full of couples at a barbecue. What on earth is causing people to think like this?

Maldon by chance?!

[Shakermaker]

Here's one that got me the other day...

People who don't know much about cars, and then ask for advice on Facebook to their "friends" who then also make the most ridiculous suggestions.

Example from the facebook status of one of my wife's friends...

"AAARGH! Car is making a horrible noise - sounds like something is broken on it, at all speeds something it broken in the back wheels I think. what should I do?"
-- OMG Chick... don't drive it get the AA to come over and sort it out"
-- Yeah, better not drive it, my friends sister had that happen and the wheel came off. --- This then created mass panic to wife's friend.
-- Does anyone know a decent mechanic nearby? I haven't got home recovery on my breakdown!

At this point, luckily I stepped in

-- "Have you looked at the back where you think the noise is coming from?"
Reply - No, I wouldn't know what to look for!!"

Seriously - this is some people's attitude to car ownership. You think you can hear a noise, but don't bother even looking to investigate it, you just happily post up on facebook.

At this stage I then offered to help by talking her through it over the phone. I get a call back immediately. Turns out she is still IN the car at the supermarket where she had stopped, she hadn't even got out to look.

So she got out, I asked her to go and look at the back wheel, nothing there, other back wheel, nothing there. Bend down and have a look and see if anything is hanging down.

OMG there's a large stick/branch being dragged along by the underside of the car that's hooked itself onto something.

Seriously - these people walk amongst us.

[hairyben]

Gad-Westy said:

People are weird about cars and their ability to project status, wealth, attitude etc. You see it on here quite a lot, let alone in the wider public.

And on the other side of the coin, an ex-colleague bought a brand spanking Z4. Nice car, 3.0 turbo. Was chatting to him about it and he told me how he couldn't make his mind up on whether to buy a private reg for it or not as if he went for it, nobody would know that it was brand new. I just cannot fathom how people can think like that!

You answer yourself in the first sentence though - the plate isn't for "him" it's to evade the hostility of slow thinking small minded bigots. I might do the ed zachery same thing next time I buy a new van; I don't care that the van may be brand new it's a business decision regarding one of my tools but people don't see it that way.

[HappyMidget]

hairyben said:

Gad-Westy said:

People are weird about cars and their ability to project status, wealth, attitude etc. You see it on here quite a lot, let alone in the wider public.

And on the other side of the coin, an ex-colleague bought a brand spanking Z4. Nice car, 3.0 turbo. Was chatting to him about it and he told me how he couldn't make his mind up on whether to buy a private reg for it or not as if he went for it, nobody would know that it was brand new. I just cannot fathom how people can think like that!

You answer yourself in the first sentence though - the plate isn't for "him" it's to evade the hostility of slow thinking small minded bigots. I might do the ed zachery same thing next time I buy a new van; I don't care that the van may be brand new it's a business decision regarding one of my tools but people don't see it that way.

One of the reasons I got a private reg was precisely so that people wouldn't know how new it was

[walm]

One of the reasons I got a private reg was precisely so that people wouldn't know how old it was

[Coatesy351]

I can't believe (or maybe I can) that the UK would have number plates that indicate the age of the vehicle. I take it this was introduced to sell more cars?

[zeDuffMan]

Coatesy351 said:

I can't believe (or maybe I can) that the UK would have number plates that indicate the age of the vehicle. I take it this was introduced to sell more cars?

Don't think so originally, but it has certainly created a kind of snobbery which might explain why we buy so many brand new cars compared to most of the EU, and why lease deals are so popular. Everyone's trying to outdo each other, to the point where people will delay picking up their brand new car so they can be one of the first to get the new plate.

[SirSquidalot]

I want a car under 5 years old as it wont break down...

[hairyben]

zeDuffMan said:

Coatesy351 said:

I can't believe (or maybe I can) that the UK would have number plates that indicate the age of the vehicle. I take it this was introduced to sell more cars?

Don't think so originally, but it has certainly created a kind of snobbery which might explain why we buy so many brand new cars compared to most of the EU, and why lease deals are so popular. Everyone's trying to outdo each other, to the point where people will delay picking up their brand new car so they can be one of the first to get the new plate.

Interesting fact how many times when people need to identify a car they've seen briefly will remember it was (for example) a "red R-reg ford" or a "blue 04 reg estate"

We're very judgemental.