Stupid things non petrolheads say....

[stain]

Baby Bentley when referring to the Chrysler 300C

[PanzerCommander]

stain said:

Baby Bentley when referring to the Chrysler 300C

I'm sure somebody on here mentioned that a Taxi company advertised their 300C as a "baby Bentley", probably had a Bentley badge on it too.

[TheLordJohn]

Bitzer said:

......and a petrol V8

I've got a v12, YAYYYYYYYY. haha.

[mavester]

PanzerCommander said:

I'm sure somebody on here mentioned that a Taxi company advertised their 300C as a "baby Bentley", probably had a Bentley badge on it too.

The taxi company that used to come to our offices had a 300C with a Bentley badge on it. I'm completely lost as to why!

[g3org3y]

The Spruce goose said:

They way people say m-sport after there car they buy, is anything better than a few badges and maybe alloys and suspension to mean a lot. It is just a marketing tool

Agreed. Plenty of people will quote to me that they drive a 1 Series or 3 Series 'M Sport'.

Mostly they are tts. They often omit to mention it is a 318d or 116i...wonder why

I'll only want to know if it's a (proper) Sport if it's an E30 325i Sport or E36 328i Sport.

[lowdrag]

g3org3y said:

I'll only want to know if it's a (proper) Sport if it's an E30 325i sport.

Ah, I remember it well! black metallic, all the spoilers and skirts (the paint came off when using a high pressure washer and the set were replaced by BMW) a jewel of an engine, great steering wheel, sports check seats, and a hoot to drive.

[Blown2CV]

mavester said:

PanzerCommander said:

I'm sure somebody on here mentioned that a Taxi company advertised their 300C as a "baby Bentley", probably had a Bentley badge on it too.

The taxi company that used to come to our offices had a 300C with a Bentley badge on it. I'm completely lost as to why!

Lots of non petrolheads think they look like a Bentley, and consequently it is a big thing in the world of the 300C owner because they love that passers by might think they drive a car which is worth £100k rather than £5k. There is even an option known colloquially as the "bentley grille". Every 300C I have seen is being driven by what would appear to be a complete with wraparound shades and reddened sunbedded face. Goes with the territory.

[vinnie83]

forzaminardi said:

vinnie83 said:

Thanks for telling me the truth

I really do NOT say it because some people see it as one step below the M cars - I really have nothing to prove to people.

Most of my friends are into cars, and when I discussed the car I purchased, it was relevant to say M-sport.

I did clarify that in general conversation, whether I'm driving my 911 or the BMW, I just say "the car/my car" unless the model of car is relevant to the conversation.

I think it's slightly presumptuous of you to say that "the truth is" that it's because of reasons you think some say it - the truth is that you're incorrect

Don't worry about it, on PH, you must have either the poverty-spec model or the all-singing, all-dancing model. Only with these can you show you're a serious driver. If you have a car somewhere in between, especially one whose spec implies some vague sporty look, then you're a either a patsy for marketing-talk, a wannabe t0sser or just plain stupid.

I know, this is from a thread about the 5 series:

hman said:

Wolands Advocate said:

hman said:

Kong said:

Love the 550i, I wonder why so many opted for the (much uglier) SE spec rather than M-Sport.

when I bought my e60 SE, there were a few things which turned me away from the M-sport version:-

a)M-Sport trim screams "I WANT AN M5 BUT CANT AFFORD ONE"

That's just such utter tripe. The MSport bodytrim is simply much better-looking. Which is a common theme to pretty much all recent BMW designs with the notable exception of the X-series SUVs.

M sports look like a lookalike..

[Dracoro]

I think (to many people's eyes) the issue is not with how M-Sports look (better or worse than an SE is simply personal preference) but the fact that they have the ///M logo involved.

If there were simply SE or Sport then I don't think they'd be any issue. It's the (mis) use of the ///M that is just pure marketing bordocks.

[blueg33]

Dracoro said:

I think (to many people's eyes) the issue is not with how M-Sports look (better or worse than an SE is simply personal preference) but the fact that they have the ///M logo involved.

If there were simply SE or Sport then I don't think they'd be any issue. It's the (mis) use of the ///M that is just pure marketing bordocks.

BMW present the M-sport mods as having been designed by BMW's M Section. Things like suspension, spoilers etc. Thats certainly what the brochure said about my E60 530d msport.

At the end of the day, the M logo is BMW's to use as they see fit, I don't undertsand why so many people get wound up about it.

[xRIEx]

Dracoro said:

I think (to many people's eyes) the issue is not with how M-Sports look (better or worse than an SE is simply personal preference) but the fact that they have the ///M logo involved.

If there were simply SE or Sport then I don't think they'd be any issue. It's the (mis) use of the ///M that is just pure marketing bordocks.

Exactly this - the ///M brand has significance to PHers and enthusiasts, in its history and what it represents. The marketing bks weakens the ///M brand as far as fans are concerned, and strengthens the 'lower' brands as far as the manufacturer is concerned.

They're for people who don't want (or can't afford/can't justify spending on) a proper sporty model, but want it to look and (maybe) sound like one; so they're manufacturer-sanctioned boy racer cars.

[xRIEx]

blueg33 said:

At the end of the day, the M logo is BMW's to use as they see fit, I don't undertsand why so many people get wound up about it.

That is true, but people still get narked when a brand is diluted, or not staying true to its history - a brand is a very powerful thing. I bet many people would complain if Ford produced an Aston Martin Ka, Focus or Mondeo*. The TVR name is probably going to be used on wind turbines, rather than cars; good or bad, everyone has their own opinion and feelings about it.



 *Hang on a sec...

[Benbay001]

I have a "friend", who, fairly regularly when telling people he is with about cars they happened across, gets the model wrong and ends up considerably embarrassed.
Just the other day he stumbled across an X type and said "thats an XJ, next model up from my car"

What a bell end.

[Blown2CV]

Benbay001 said:

I have a "friend", who, fairly regularly when telling people he is with about cars they happened across, gets the model wrong and ends up considerably embarrassed.
Just the other day he stumbled across an X type and said "thats an XJ, next model up from my car"

What a bell end.

what was his car?

[blueg33]

xRIEx said:

blueg33 said:

At the end of the day, the M logo is BMW's to use as they see fit, I don't undertsand why so many people get wound up about it.

That is true, but people still get narked when a brand is diluted, or not staying true to its history - a brand is a very powerful thing. I bet many people would complain if Ford produced an Aston Martin Ka, Focus or Mondeo*. The TVR name is probably going to be used on wind turbines, rather than cars; good or bad, everyone has their own opinion and feelings about it.

Thats the point, it is a brand and a brand is a marketing tool. Even if you are buying a M5 you are not buying a race car, you are just buying the top sporty model of the brand.

Aston Martin produce an AM Aygo The Ford name has as much if not more motorsport history than AM so that could be a poor example

I am not sure that M-sport cars dilute the brand, the nomenclature for m-sport cars and M cars is different.

I am not fussed where the TVR name is used tbh.

I am afraid, I still don't get the fuss, if you are a petrolhead, choose your car because its a good car that does what you want regardless of whether its called a Ford or a Ferrari. If you are not a petrolhead then it really doesnt matter

[Motorrad]

Hugo a Gogo said:

busta said:

havoc said:

Strictly speaking it should be 'dreier', 'funfer', etc...as that's the German shorthand for the cars.

I'll type it (3er) to petrolhead mates, but don't think I've ever said it...

Only if you are an German. We are all speaking English.

not very well though

even an German wouldn't make that mistake

While we're being pedants then it seems only fair to point out we aren't 'speaking' any language.

[DanielJames]

Not sure if this belongs in here but:

"Lewis Hamilton is the best F1 driver of all time"

[RizzoTheRat]

g3org3y said:

Agreed. Plenty of people will quote to me that they drive a 1 Series or 3 Series 'M Sport'.

Mostly they are tts. They often omit to mention it is a 318d or 116i...wonder why

They're probably the same people who make calls on thier iPhone rather than on thier phone. Some people are obsessed with what brand things are (including a scary amount of PHers), some of us couldn't give a monkeys. To me the logo is the least important thing on any product (hence I drive a diesel Skoda )

[Blown2CV]

RizzoTheRat said:

g3org3y said:

Agreed. Plenty of people will quote to me that they drive a 1 Series or 3 Series 'M Sport'.

Mostly they are tts. They often omit to mention it is a 318d or 116i...wonder why

They're probably the same people who make calls on thier iPhone rather than on thier phone. Some people are obsessed with what brand things are (including a scary amount of PHers), some of us couldn't give a monkeys. To me the logo is the least important thing on any product (hence I drive a diesel Skoda )

IMHO the ideal lies somewhere between... it is possible to have an appreciation of the value of things that might be more expensive, but not have to tell everyone you meet.

[Liquid Knight]

non-petrolhead said:

I like the Classic Car Rescue show on Five.