Young people and sensible boring saloons
Discussion
My thinking on this is that the younger generation just don't enjoy driving in the same way, I think most these days would be swayed by what technology a car has rather than how it handles at speed or whether it has a slick gearchange..
I'm 33 now, but when I was a kid, modified cars and driving quickly was what people wanted to do.. I mean people used to properly race down Southend seafront in bloody fast cars!! These days (and quite rightly in some respects) are long gone now, and for the most part I believe this behaviour is now considered pretty uncool. The majority of people (not just the young!) are much more interested in economy/efficiency, running costs and tech, outright performance and driver involvement are down the list, and again even as a car mad person I can understand this, the vast majority of roads are no longer the place to take liberties in a car, there are so many more road users now, not just more cars but cyclists, runners, horses and so on.. therefore a think it's quite natural that the younger generation are looking more towards a flash badge to make a statement rather than something fast or loud. I don't think this is necessarily a mark against the younger generation, just a sign of the times.
I'm 33 now, but when I was a kid, modified cars and driving quickly was what people wanted to do.. I mean people used to properly race down Southend seafront in bloody fast cars!! These days (and quite rightly in some respects) are long gone now, and for the most part I believe this behaviour is now considered pretty uncool. The majority of people (not just the young!) are much more interested in economy/efficiency, running costs and tech, outright performance and driver involvement are down the list, and again even as a car mad person I can understand this, the vast majority of roads are no longer the place to take liberties in a car, there are so many more road users now, not just more cars but cyclists, runners, horses and so on.. therefore a think it's quite natural that the younger generation are looking more towards a flash badge to make a statement rather than something fast or loud. I don't think this is necessarily a mark against the younger generation, just a sign of the times.
AshBurrows said:
Yeah, it raises a far more profound and philosophical question. What made people become so obsessed with image and brands?
That's a simple one to answer. Marketing has become better and more sophisticated. Whether it's your traditional TV and billboard ads, or through more recent channels such as social media or product placement with celebrities and on popular TV shows, it is so much more widespread and effective than it used to be. My eldest is 11 and knows or cares nothing about cars, but will happily tell me that Mercedes are the coolest cars ever. Why? Because one of the cool kids in some film she likes drives one. Placed there completely deliberately of course by Mercedes marketing department.This is the next generation of customers. It's a shrewd investment.
HTP99 said:
Image pure and simple; the badge.
My eldest daughter; 23, is a bit materialistic and loves a name, whether it is clothing, shoes, sunglasses, baby buggy etc, it has to have a name and the correct name, it is a bit shallow.
She doesn't drive but the friends that do and have a Mercedes or BMW; according to her, are going places, she aspires to have a 3 series in white, it doesn't matter the age or spec, it just has to be a 3 series in white. They all still live at home!!
Does she mean like this white 3-series saloon? I was nearly always going places too, except that time the fuel pump decided it had enough My eldest daughter; 23, is a bit materialistic and loves a name, whether it is clothing, shoes, sunglasses, baby buggy etc, it has to have a name and the correct name, it is a bit shallow.
She doesn't drive but the friends that do and have a Mercedes or BMW; according to her, are going places, she aspires to have a 3 series in white, it doesn't matter the age or spec, it just has to be a 3 series in white. They all still live at home!!
AH33 said:
You PH youths are giving me hope.
Keep the dream alive. Spread the word, or your peers will have us in google bubble cars before long
I went to visit somebody in Cardiff bay once and there happened to be championship water skiing on, the skiiers being pulled by V8 powerboats. The whole bay was a cacophony of delicious V8 noise. I voiced that it must be lovely to have the rumble in the bay. His response? "It's really quite annoying actually". I found him weird to start with, but this took the biscuit!Keep the dream alive. Spread the word, or your peers will have us in google bubble cars before long
There really is something wrong with my generation.
I'm 21 and a lot of friends/colleagues all seem to have shiny new German Hatches/Saloons, with the smallest possible engine size in the range.
Alongside 2 motorbikes, my first car was a ex drug dealers Astra which exploded, a Diesel Citroen C4 which I sold after 2 weeks, a Smart Roadster, and I now have a Black Edition Fiesta.
The Citroen, Smart Roadster & Fiesta were bought because my commute at the time needed meant fuel costs were lengthy in something otherwise interesting.
A new job means a 5 mile commute, so I'm looking for something a little stupid to replace the Fiesta with.
Driving otherwise dull cars due to the commute have left me hampering for something to put a smile on my face, and seeing as flights to Bangkok are pretty expensive, a car which has a 95% chance of killing me seems the 2nd best way to do that.
Alongside 2 motorbikes, my first car was a ex drug dealers Astra which exploded, a Diesel Citroen C4 which I sold after 2 weeks, a Smart Roadster, and I now have a Black Edition Fiesta.
The Citroen, Smart Roadster & Fiesta were bought because my commute at the time needed meant fuel costs were lengthy in something otherwise interesting.
A new job means a 5 mile commute, so I'm looking for something a little stupid to replace the Fiesta with.
Driving otherwise dull cars due to the commute have left me hampering for something to put a smile on my face, and seeing as flights to Bangkok are pretty expensive, a car which has a 95% chance of killing me seems the 2nd best way to do that.
iphonedyou said:
Another thread for PHers to judge others?
These are like Brexit threads, but more numerous.
No it isn't though. It was a genuine question about younger people and their introduction to cars. I think it's quite interesting. These are like Brexit threads, but more numerous.
But as always a few people get a bee in their bonnet.
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.
Haha ok23 and currently driving (and outright own) a 996 911...
18 - Toyota Yaris 2000
18-19 - Seat Ibiza 1.4 2003
19-20 - BMW 318 Convertible 2002
20-23 - 986 Boxster 2002
23 - 996 911 Carrera 2002
Always owned my cars outright, and i'd much rather drive a 996 C2 for £22,000 then spend the same money or lease something brand new... No thanks.
I'm hopeful that 996 prices will maintain, if not rise a tad more and then the next car will be the 30-40K bracket - R8 - Aston... Thinking 25?
18 - Toyota Yaris 2000
18-19 - Seat Ibiza 1.4 2003
19-20 - BMW 318 Convertible 2002
20-23 - 986 Boxster 2002
23 - 996 911 Carrera 2002
Always owned my cars outright, and i'd much rather drive a 996 C2 for £22,000 then spend the same money or lease something brand new... No thanks.
I'm hopeful that 996 prices will maintain, if not rise a tad more and then the next car will be the 30-40K bracket - R8 - Aston... Thinking 25?
It is image, of course. I posted here before about someone at work leasing an M4 for £650 p/m because 'it looks good on the drive' and I know for a fact she earns the same as me (a smidgen under £30k) - that's more than I pay on my mortgage!
No Max Power, no Pimp my Ride, no decent Gran Tourismo, no Fast & Furious actually focusing on the cars any more... I think all these things helped a certain generation (i.e. me!) get into fast, exciting cars (even if they do mostly seem stupid now)
I've got my first baby on the way in October... and have just ordered a new exhaust/induction system for my MCS
No Max Power, no Pimp my Ride, no decent Gran Tourismo, no Fast & Furious actually focusing on the cars any more... I think all these things helped a certain generation (i.e. me!) get into fast, exciting cars (even if they do mostly seem stupid now)
I've got my first baby on the way in October... and have just ordered a new exhaust/induction system for my MCS
Yes yes yes yes, it's so frustrating!
I'm 22 and so far have had:
Mini Cooper S - Twin 1 crashed it
Renaultsport Twingo - Sold
Mazda Eunos VR Ltd - Twin 1 has this now
BMW 325Ti
It kills me when my friends are talking about their next cars. Having been on a bunch of trips and you hear endless comments about old cars, poor fuel economy etc... because 35 in my £2500 car is waaay worse than 50mpg in a 15k diesel VAG mobile!
EVen now, I'm going to be doing 15-20k a year in my job, there's no way I'm swapping for something boring, if it costs me an extra 8p per expensed mile!
I'm 22 and so far have had:
Mini Cooper S - Twin 1 crashed it
Renaultsport Twingo - Sold
Mazda Eunos VR Ltd - Twin 1 has this now
BMW 325Ti
It kills me when my friends are talking about their next cars. Having been on a bunch of trips and you hear endless comments about old cars, poor fuel economy etc... because 35 in my £2500 car is waaay worse than 50mpg in a 15k diesel VAG mobile!
EVen now, I'm going to be doing 15-20k a year in my job, there's no way I'm swapping for something boring, if it costs me an extra 8p per expensed mile!
AshBurrows said:
What's the deal?
I'm not old really, but all of my friends about a decade ago wanted civic type Rs/Golf GTIs/Astra VXRs/etc and then Evos/Skylines/etc. Now it seems as though a huger percentage of youngish people aspire to own something insanely dull and slow?
Is it because of insurance on anything remotely fun/quick?
Is it to give the illusion of success? (Being a rep is aspirational if so?!)
Perceived reliability?
My wife's little brother is spending a fortune to finance a 4 year old base spec C220D and I just cannot see the appeal. This is what got me thinking.
I could understand it if it was a brutal, showy C63 or something, but not this.
It's quite funny to see something my dad would have bought getting ragged through a town and sounding like it's running on ballbearings.
I'm sure there's a fair few people on here who have kids that age or are that age themselves that can shed some light on it.
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. I'm not old really, but all of my friends about a decade ago wanted civic type Rs/Golf GTIs/Astra VXRs/etc and then Evos/Skylines/etc. Now it seems as though a huger percentage of youngish people aspire to own something insanely dull and slow?
Is it because of insurance on anything remotely fun/quick?
Is it to give the illusion of success? (Being a rep is aspirational if so?!)
Perceived reliability?
My wife's little brother is spending a fortune to finance a 4 year old base spec C220D and I just cannot see the appeal. This is what got me thinking.
I could understand it if it was a brutal, showy C63 or something, but not this.
It's quite funny to see something my dad would have bought getting ragged through a town and sounding like it's running on ballbearings.
I'm sure there's a fair few people on here who have kids that age or are that age themselves that can shed some light on it.
I'd agree mostly with the badge comments, especially for the non petrol heads youngsters. I'm close to 30 and in an RS Clio, wouldn't consider getting an 320d or A4 in a million years!
A couple of 20 years olds at work, one has a 116d and another has the same engined A Class, I think the rise in leasing had made BMWs/Audis/MBs more accessible to younger drivers too.
A couple of 20 years olds at work, one has a 116d and another has the same engined A Class, I think the rise in leasing had made BMWs/Audis/MBs more accessible to younger drivers too.
I've never really been into hot hatches or the like, i've owned Pumas, Zetec S Fiestas etc in the past and always just wanted something with a little more comfort seeing as I don't tear about the streets like an angry yob like most people my age.
I'm 21 and i drive a 26 year old Audi 80, its as boring as they come but i love it.
I'm 21 and i drive a 26 year old Audi 80, its as boring as they come but i love it.
Whilst he's clearly a troll, and spouting opinion rather than fact, there are probably elements of truth in that people that aren't into cars, those types of cars in particular, will often look down on the people who do own/drive them.
Personally, I'm not into the chav'd up look at all, and am glad that there are now hot hatch options that don't look like you've raided the shelves at the ripspeed (does that still exist?) warehouse. Even the new Focus RS is quite understated and grown up.
Personally, I'm not into the chav'd up look at all, and am glad that there are now hot hatch options that don't look like you've raided the shelves at the ripspeed (does that still exist?) warehouse. Even the new Focus RS is quite understated and grown up.
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