Young people and sensible boring saloons
Discussion
AshBurrows said:
CraigyMc said:
It's depressing what we've done to this generation.
Yeah, it raises a far more profound and philosophical question. What made people become so obsessed with image and brands? I'm also driving a German Saloon at 26 (had since I was 24). E90 320D. Why you may ask? Well my needs is to get from A to B of quite a lot of miles a year. Insurance is pennies in comparison to hot hatches and slightly hot cars. The car was actually relatively cheap to buy when I bought it. Think one of the main things which drew me towards a large saloon was the fact that when someone went into the back of my Alfa, the insurance company organized a hire car of a Mercedes C class saloon. I immediately fell in love with the comfort and practicality. So for the time being, I am more than content with my current car until I can afford something tasty.
ayman82 said:
at 19 I had an E34 525i Saloon
at 21 I had a Renaultsport Clio 182
I sold the Clio and was looking for a Saab 9-5 Aero HOT. Ended up with an E39 530i Touring.
I now have a Golf R Estate. - I'm 24.
Not boring rep-mobile choices, but not the normal small car for my age.
It's great what you can lease these days :-)at 21 I had a Renaultsport Clio 182
I sold the Clio and was looking for a Saab 9-5 Aero HOT. Ended up with an E39 530i Touring.
I now have a Golf R Estate. - I'm 24.
Not boring rep-mobile choices, but not the normal small car for my age.
AshBurrows said:
CraigyMc said:
It's depressing what we've done to this generation.
Yeah, it raises a far more profound and philosophical question. What made people become so obsessed with image and brands? I'm not painting my daughter in a very positive light here, I just think it is the way of many kids today, she is lovely and has a very good job, as does her boyfriend and they are both not shy about working hard.
Nanook said:
rsbmw said:
Once you're over about 25 and in a professional type of job, you look a bit of a tool showing up in your chav'd up type-R!
Since I was 25 (7 years ago) I've turned up at work in a suit, at an office, as a senior engineer, in a bright yellow MINI, a blue and white MINI, a white Impreza with gold wheels, a black Impreza with grey wheels, an MR2 with numbers on the side, a blue Clio with stripes over the top, and these days if it's not raining I'm in a Nissan 350 with the roof down.The problem is that too many people care too much what other people thing about them. It's a bit sad.
38 here and an Account Manager in IT SaaS products. Did 18 months in a red typeR, have turned up to work in my sprint car covered in stickers on numerous occasions and yesterday parked my Jimny in the car park covered floor to roof in Salisbury Plain. The stuffy types were aghast "what happens if you are called out to see a customer today?", er.... I stop via a car wash? I pop home and pick the Yeti? I get the train?
Everyone who doesn't have the David Brent Book of Getting On In Business And Buying Your First Grey Audi* stuffed up their anus thought it was funny and wanted to find out what I'd been doing with it.
- I know it's easy to pick on them but really the management spaces in my place are all Grey or black A4s, A5s, 5 Series tourings etc.
Some people don't actually care. I'd wager your average 20 something would rather lease a car with a warranty and use it to ferry their hipster mates down to starbucks instead of buying a £300 shed that may have fetched 55k two decades ago and spending their weekends fixing it. Bear in mind on PH you are surrounded by car enthusiasts (...mostly) and therefore it is biased towards that mindset.
Different strokes 'n all that.
Different strokes 'n all that.
Myself and a few people I know choose cars that are less common with younger people, as you tend to get much more car for similar insurance money. For example, my current Subaru Outback 2.5 costs less to insure than my first car, a 1.4 Golf. Anything like a Clio 182 or an MX5 would cost about 5 times what I pay now.
Another example would be Forester XT vs Impreza WRX. Exactly the same car, but the Forester doesn't appeal to young people so it costs a fraction of the Impreza to insure.
But outside of my friends that don't really care about badges, yes it's entirely badge appeal. They'd rather have something with a BMW or VW badge than something fun, because snobbery.
Another example would be Forester XT vs Impreza WRX. Exactly the same car, but the Forester doesn't appeal to young people so it costs a fraction of the Impreza to insure.
But outside of my friends that don't really care about badges, yes it's entirely badge appeal. They'd rather have something with a BMW or VW badge than something fun, because snobbery.
Edited by fooby on Tuesday 5th July 11:44
Hudson said:
Some people don't actually care. I'd wager your average 20 something would rather lease a car with a warranty and use it to ferry their hipster mates down to starbucks instead of buying a £300 shed that may have fetched 55k two decades ago and spending their weekends fixing it. Bear in mind on PH you are surrounded by car enthusiasts (...mostly) and therefore it is biased towards that mindset.
Different strokes 'n all that.
It isn't this since most are just outside warranty. The sweet spot seems to be between 3 and 5 years old around my way. Different strokes 'n all that.
xjay1337 said:
I have no issues rocking up to customer sites in my half stripped out car with harnesses and a carbon bonnet.
If anything, most people like cars - so it's a good ice breaker. Infact my last meeting, my contact said "oh, you have a Scirocco, jack has a Scirocco" and instantly I had gotten a good conversational topic with Jack which being a key user of our system which is a good thing.
A couple of prospective companies I have interviewed for have been funny about cars - It has to be under 5 years old, blah blah blah - Where as the companies I actually work at, don't really care what you drive - Because your work does the talking, not the 64 plate Passat (that's obviously not yours) that you turned up in.
Thing is you only have to read the posts on here, a site supposedly for car enthusiasts to see where the worry about image/badge comes from. I'm not really surprised at all If anything, most people like cars - so it's a good ice breaker. Infact my last meeting, my contact said "oh, you have a Scirocco, jack has a Scirocco" and instantly I had gotten a good conversational topic with Jack which being a key user of our system which is a good thing.
A couple of prospective companies I have interviewed for have been funny about cars - It has to be under 5 years old, blah blah blah - Where as the companies I actually work at, don't really care what you drive - Because your work does the talking, not the 64 plate Passat (that's obviously not yours) that you turned up in.
HorneyMX5 said:
This. In Spades.
38 here and an Account Manager in IT SaaS products. Did 18 months in a red typeR, have turned up to work in my sprint car covered in stickers on numerous occasions and yesterday parked my Jimny in the car park covered floor to roof in Salisbury Plain. The stuffy types were aghast "what happens if you are called out to see a customer today?", er.... I stop via a car wash? I pop home and pick the Yeti? I get the train?
Everyone who doesn't have the David Brent Book of Getting On In Business And Buying Your First Grey Audi* stuffed up their anus thought it was funny and wanted to find out what I'd been doing with it.
Hahaha. Brill. 38 here and an Account Manager in IT SaaS products. Did 18 months in a red typeR, have turned up to work in my sprint car covered in stickers on numerous occasions and yesterday parked my Jimny in the car park covered floor to roof in Salisbury Plain. The stuffy types were aghast "what happens if you are called out to see a customer today?", er.... I stop via a car wash? I pop home and pick the Yeti? I get the train?
Everyone who doesn't have the David Brent Book of Getting On In Business And Buying Your First Grey Audi* stuffed up their anus thought it was funny and wanted to find out what I'd been doing with it.
- I know it's easy to pick on them but really the management spaces in my place are all Grey or black A4s, A5s, 5 Series tourings etc.
s m said:
Thing is you only have to read the posts on here, a site supposedly for car enthusiasts to see where the worry about image/badge comes from. I'm not really surprised at all
People are snobs mate.At my last company, I bought a motorcycle, I would occasionally turn up to the office on it. I was quietly told that the FD wasn't very happy with me turning up on it as it didn't give out the right "image".
Well tough f
king tits, mate. Get over it. 
Everyone knows sensible boring estates are far cooler
xjay1337 said:
People are snobs mate.
At my last company, I bought a motorcycle, I would occasionally turn up to the office on it. I was quietly told that the FD wasn't very happy with me turning up on it as it didn't give out the right "image".
Well tough fking tits, mate. Get over it.
Guy that quoted on our double glazing ( local company that got the deal ) turned up in a 10 year old Cavalier Turbo - he was very knowledgeable on his products and his car At my last company, I bought a motorcycle, I would occasionally turn up to the office on it. I was quietly told that the FD wasn't very happy with me turning up on it as it didn't give out the right "image".
Well tough f
king tits, mate. Get over it. 
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.
Had a couple of hatchbacks and driven plenty others but every time I get back into my car I like how comfy and refined it is and how smooth and torquey a nice 6 cylinder engine is compared to a small 4. Couldn't care less about what other people think of it, still don't know what I am going to replace the E46 with. Probably a 5 series or an A6.
In fairness I don't drive fast very often and very rarely turn the traction control off so I don't really care about how fast it goes round corners or if it understeers etc.
Used to get a bit of stick for my cars from my mates, but every time we go on a long trip somewhere surprise surprise it is always my car we take!
Had a couple of hatchbacks and driven plenty others but every time I get back into my car I like how comfy and refined it is and how smooth and torquey a nice 6 cylinder engine is compared to a small 4. Couldn't care less about what other people think of it, still don't know what I am going to replace the E46 with. Probably a 5 series or an A6.
In fairness I don't drive fast very often and very rarely turn the traction control off so I don't really care about how fast it goes round corners or if it understeers etc.
Used to get a bit of stick for my cars from my mates, but every time we go on a long trip somewhere surprise surprise it is always my car we take!
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