The term "hairdressers car"...over-used, misunderstood?
Discussion
Hi,
Argh! This bloody term! I was at home the other day and loading a few things into the boot of my Z4M. A neighbour was outside his house and his friend turned up. I'd never met his friend before and hadn't spoken to the neighbour much previously. His friend shouts to me "you don't look like a hairdresser, why do you have a hairdresser's car?" He had got out of an old battered Alfa Romeo 156 so was hardly in a position to joke/poke fun about my car, but never mind!
I just replied, "340hp, it's hardly a hairdressers car". To which he sheepishly replied, "is it not a Z4 then?" To which I explained, fired her up (loud when cold!) and drove off.
But, a Z4M?! It's hardly feminine! I think it's a pretty butch looking car. Hunched up, wide arches, big wheels, dark colour etc.
Have you experienced this much before? Perhaps he thought his 10 year old battered diesel Alfa was more manly than my car. Who knows? I think the term is way over used now, on here too. What are your thoughts? Does the quick version of a roadster automatically negate it's gay/hairdresser image? SLK 55 AMG anyone? I'd certainly love to have one, but I'm not a fan of the standard SLK.
Discuss,
Dan
Argh! This bloody term! I was at home the other day and loading a few things into the boot of my Z4M. A neighbour was outside his house and his friend turned up. I'd never met his friend before and hadn't spoken to the neighbour much previously. His friend shouts to me "you don't look like a hairdresser, why do you have a hairdresser's car?" He had got out of an old battered Alfa Romeo 156 so was hardly in a position to joke/poke fun about my car, but never mind!
I just replied, "340hp, it's hardly a hairdressers car". To which he sheepishly replied, "is it not a Z4 then?" To which I explained, fired her up (loud when cold!) and drove off.
But, a Z4M?! It's hardly feminine! I think it's a pretty butch looking car. Hunched up, wide arches, big wheels, dark colour etc.
Have you experienced this much before? Perhaps he thought his 10 year old battered diesel Alfa was more manly than my car. Who knows? I think the term is way over used now, on here too. What are your thoughts? Does the quick version of a roadster automatically negate it's gay/hairdresser image? SLK 55 AMG anyone? I'd certainly love to have one, but I'm not a fan of the standard SLK.
Discuss,
Dan
king hairdressers car innit. danyeates said:
SLK 55 AMG anyone? I'd certainly love to have one, but I'm not a fan of the standard SLK.
Discuss,
Dan
I got let out of the junction near work by one of these recently, and when we both joined the M11, it came flying past me sounding like The Somme and instantly the little voice in my head said "That's not a normal hair-dresser spec SLK" Discuss,
Dan
vixen1700 said:
I got let out of the junction near work by one of these recently, and when we both joined the M11, it came flying past me sounding like The Somme and instantly the little voice in my head said "That's not a normal hair-dresser spec SLK"
Incredible noise. I was on the verge of handing over the cash for one, but bought a much cheaper Z4M instead. danyeates said:
But, a Z4M?!
If you had a Clio Cup you would be a boy racer.If you had an Impreza/Evo you would be a chav.
If you had a bike you would be dead.
I think you should take the advice these knowledgeable people are dispensing (for no cost to you as well!) and get a nice grey German diesel
ETA: A fellow PHer described it as this to me:
"If I said, I've just bought a new house, and showed someone around they would be polite and say "Ooh, it's really nice". Not "Oh dear, you should have bought a house slightly further out of town, with 3 bedrooms and a big garden". So why do they criticise my cars?!"
Edited by bicycleshorts on Monday 3rd October 14:32
All of these clichés are used by people with poor command of the English language who are unable to structure a witty sentence of their own. But what they are really doing is criticises your choice of car, usually due to jealousy but there are also those embarrassing people who feel the need to fill silence with noise and simply say the first thing that comes into their heads no matter how stupid. Of course they wouldn't criticise you car so blatantly because one would simply tell them not to be so rude. I am not a fan of Z4s or indeed BMWs but I agree it's insulting and uncalled for.
I think the whole Jealousy/Insult thing has hit the nail right on the head.
I think it's an 80s term.
I believe the stereotype is a bit like this;
Back then the hairdressers were all either very camp chaps in salons or Mobile Hairdressers called Jo! or Jools with incredibly long painted figernails who would come to a girls house before a night out to do their hair for them.
Either way – both types were generally considered as overly excitable little fashionistas who liked shiny things over substance.
So they'd have purple mini convertibles with 'Curl up And Die' written on the side or bright pink Vitaras with shagging rhinos on the backwheel.
There are cars that could perhaps be considered Hairdressers cars in this context.
But, some people just use it to insult anyone in a convertible.
It's just a petty little insult.
I think it's an 80s term.
I believe the stereotype is a bit like this;
Back then the hairdressers were all either very camp chaps in salons or Mobile Hairdressers called Jo! or Jools with incredibly long painted figernails who would come to a girls house before a night out to do their hair for them.
Either way – both types were generally considered as overly excitable little fashionistas who liked shiny things over substance.
So they'd have purple mini convertibles with 'Curl up And Die' written on the side or bright pink Vitaras with shagging rhinos on the backwheel.
There are cars that could perhaps be considered Hairdressers cars in this context.
But, some people just use it to insult anyone in a convertible.
It's just a petty little insult.
Edited by Snowboy on Monday 3rd October 14:39
I think people on here are far too quick to blame jealousy for every negative reaction to cars. By the sounds of the OP's account, the person in question wasn't even sure that it was a Z4 and certainly didn't know that it was a Z4M? Why would he have any reason to be jealous of a rather odd looking cabriolet? Plus it's equally often (and IMO equally idiotically) used for things like MGFs and I doubt many people are jealous of them, are they?
I think there's just a modern trend for people to think it's "cool" to insult people they don't know. No idea why.
I think there's just a modern trend for people to think it's "cool" to insult people they don't know. No idea why.
Snowboy said:
I think the whole Jealousy/Insult thing has hit the nail right on the head.
I think it's an 80s term.
I believe the stereotype is a bit like this;
Back then the hairdressers were all either very camp chaps in salons or Mobile Hairdressers called Jo! or Jools with incredibly long painted figernails who would come to a girls house before a night out to do their hair for them.
Either way – both tyres were generally considered as overly excitable little fashionistas who liked shiny things over substance.
So they'd have purple mini convertibles with 'Curl up And Die' written on the side or bright pink Vitaras with shagging rhinos on the backwheel.
There are cars that could perhaps be considered Hairdressers cars in this context.
But, some people just use it to insult anyone in a convertible.
It's just a petty little insult.
Does seem to be convertible = hairdresser. I think it's an 80s term.
I believe the stereotype is a bit like this;
Back then the hairdressers were all either very camp chaps in salons or Mobile Hairdressers called Jo! or Jools with incredibly long painted figernails who would come to a girls house before a night out to do their hair for them.
Either way – both tyres were generally considered as overly excitable little fashionistas who liked shiny things over substance.
So they'd have purple mini convertibles with 'Curl up And Die' written on the side or bright pink Vitaras with shagging rhinos on the backwheel.
There are cars that could perhaps be considered Hairdressers cars in this context.
But, some people just use it to insult anyone in a convertible.
It's just a petty little insult.
Seems silly, my hair gets all messed up with the roof down anyway.
Definitely mis-understood and mis-used 
Like the OP with his Z4M, I had these comments with my Z4 Coupé all the time. It was a two seater coupé with a 3 litre straight six, 265bhp and rear drive. Effectively a modern Healey 3000 and definitely not a "hairdresser's car". The guy that said it most owns a Fiat 500 Abarth, which I found distinctly odd.
My girlfriend loves Porsches and would like a Boxster S, but all her male friends take the piss out of the idea because it's a "hairdresser's car". I've occasionally tried to convince her that a 3.6 litre flat six mid engined Porsche is not a hairdresser's car!
I'm outnumbered on that one though...
All the term does is show up most people's ignorance of cars to be quite honest.
Like the OP with his Z4M, I had these comments with my Z4 Coupé all the time. It was a two seater coupé with a 3 litre straight six, 265bhp and rear drive. Effectively a modern Healey 3000 and definitely not a "hairdresser's car". The guy that said it most owns a Fiat 500 Abarth, which I found distinctly odd.My girlfriend loves Porsches and would like a Boxster S, but all her male friends take the piss out of the idea because it's a "hairdresser's car". I've occasionally tried to convince her that a 3.6 litre flat six mid engined Porsche is not a hairdresser's car!
I'm outnumbered on that one though...All the term does is show up most people's ignorance of cars to be quite honest.
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