Cars that attract: Respect / Attention / Knobs / Nobody
Discussion
A few of the cars I've had that spring to mind;
Lancia Delta HF Turbo: 'Has your granny died and left you her car?" Most thought it was some 45hp Yugo.
MR2 Turbo: Surprisingly positive. Probably had more 'nice car mate' comments from this than any other, except the Tiv.
Mk1 MX5: Completely anonymous. Not a single hairdresser jibe, nor anything positive. Possible to 'make progress' in it without any attention.
S2000: Complete opposite to MX5. Everyone and their dog thought I was being a flash b
d, god help you if you dared to put the roof down, and if I went anywhere remotely quickly in it I received a disproportionate amount of light flashes, wker signs and cans being chucked at it. Bizarre.
Corrado VR6: Nobody, but nobody, knew what it was. As with the Lancia, most thought I'd fallen on hard times and had bought some £100 runabout. Strange, as I always thought the Corrado looked quite punchy and dynamic, but most just saw the 'M' reg plate. Had 220 bhp, so was amusing when taking co-workers for a drive in that 'old Passat you've got'.
Golf VR6: Hero-worshipped by chavs. Endless thumbs-up from tracksuited pond-life in Corsas, all of whom didn't give the Corrado a second glance.
MR2 Mk3: No image either way so far!
Chimaera: Pretty much what you'd expect. The public think it's fantastic, people ask you to give it throttle blips at traffic lights, I've even seen it being photographed when it was parked (and not by a traffic-nazi). Mates give it the usual AA membership hope-it-doesn't-break-down crap. And of course all TVRs are die-in-a-fireball oversteering monsters to drive (despite mine actually being just a Chim 400 with not much over 200bhp if I'm lucky).
Lancia Delta HF Turbo: 'Has your granny died and left you her car?" Most thought it was some 45hp Yugo.
MR2 Turbo: Surprisingly positive. Probably had more 'nice car mate' comments from this than any other, except the Tiv.
Mk1 MX5: Completely anonymous. Not a single hairdresser jibe, nor anything positive. Possible to 'make progress' in it without any attention.
S2000: Complete opposite to MX5. Everyone and their dog thought I was being a flash b
d, god help you if you dared to put the roof down, and if I went anywhere remotely quickly in it I received a disproportionate amount of light flashes, wker signs and cans being chucked at it. Bizarre. Corrado VR6: Nobody, but nobody, knew what it was. As with the Lancia, most thought I'd fallen on hard times and had bought some £100 runabout. Strange, as I always thought the Corrado looked quite punchy and dynamic, but most just saw the 'M' reg plate. Had 220 bhp, so was amusing when taking co-workers for a drive in that 'old Passat you've got'.
Golf VR6: Hero-worshipped by chavs. Endless thumbs-up from tracksuited pond-life in Corsas, all of whom didn't give the Corrado a second glance.
MR2 Mk3: No image either way so far!
Chimaera: Pretty much what you'd expect. The public think it's fantastic, people ask you to give it throttle blips at traffic lights, I've even seen it being photographed when it was parked (and not by a traffic-nazi). Mates give it the usual AA membership hope-it-doesn't-break-down crap. And of course all TVRs are die-in-a-fireball oversteering monsters to drive (despite mine actually being just a Chim 400 with not much over 200bhp if I'm lucky).
OP: Nice Esprit! I still miss mine - had the same reaction as you experience, i think the british/ james bond thing is very deeply embedded in the british subconscious so it only gets positive comments and smiles.
My current Octavia vRS is a funny one - petrolheads notice it but to most its virtually invisible (they just see a generic white vag estate) which I like. The only exception seems to be young family guys doing blue collar jobs - van drivers etc - they see the skoda as aspirational but achievable performance car that can also do the kiddie duties.. pretty much the same reason it works for me.
My current Octavia vRS is a funny one - petrolheads notice it but to most its virtually invisible (they just see a generic white vag estate) which I like. The only exception seems to be young family guys doing blue collar jobs - van drivers etc - they see the skoda as aspirational but achievable performance car that can also do the kiddie duties.. pretty much the same reason it works for me.
Escort GTI, doesn't really attract any attention out at all, apart from when I overtake the typical sales rep type person, they must not like the idea of an old Escort getting past them or possibly that despite it only having 115bhp, it's actually quite brisk, not fast by any standards, but it's surprised a few folk.
Classic Mini, always gets a 2nd look, only ever hear positive things about it, people flash you out at junctions, had some kids taking pictures of it when at traffic lights once too.
Merc. CLS, People look at it as it goes past, sometimes people give it a 2nd look, I think mainly because it's an odd colour, (grey/brown sort of shade, hard to explain) Haven't really noticed anyone going out of their way to be a knob, for example, block you from pulling out on a motorway or generally being a knob towards you, unlike the A4 Avant I had a few years ago, nobody seemed to like it.
Classic Mini, always gets a 2nd look, only ever hear positive things about it, people flash you out at junctions, had some kids taking pictures of it when at traffic lights once too.
Merc. CLS, People look at it as it goes past, sometimes people give it a 2nd look, I think mainly because it's an odd colour, (grey/brown sort of shade, hard to explain) Haven't really noticed anyone going out of their way to be a knob, for example, block you from pulling out on a motorway or generally being a knob towards you, unlike the A4 Avant I had a few years ago, nobody seemed to like it.
I find the MG encourages others to let me out of side roads, but on motorways they just have to overtake even though I am usually doing the "limit" may be for a look but could be just that they have to be in front of the old codger in the classic, cos it will probably break down!
The TVR certainly gets respect, let out of junctions and gets a lot of attention in car parks or in town cruising especially in narrow built up areas when the rumble of the exhausts is echoed. Kids point and wave others smile and nod.
The Bora is obviously invisible! It's a b*******r to find in a car park!
Just as you would expect really!
The TVR certainly gets respect, let out of junctions and gets a lot of attention in car parks or in town cruising especially in narrow built up areas when the rumble of the exhausts is echoed. Kids point and wave others smile and nod.
The Bora is obviously invisible! It's a b*******r to find in a car park!
Just as you would expect really!
Had the "flash" comment with the Z4 but also had a lot of positive comments. A minute into ownership and I was at the pumps behind a 350z and a random bloke came up to me and commented how those must have been the nice car pumps, made me smile!
The E30 gets a few people staring at it. Not a too common site these days being 23 years old. So far had nothing but positive comments and people asking if I want to sell it. It does however attract the "must over take" crew for some reason.
The E30 gets a few people staring at it. Not a too common site these days being 23 years old. So far had nothing but positive comments and people asking if I want to sell it. It does however attract the "must over take" crew for some reason.
darkcat said:
4Lmike said:
OP - off topic but just out of interest how does the esprit compare to the TVR?
performance - no comparison, the esprit is gutless and quietbuild quality - lotus is far better
RX8- stupid comments like 'engine blown up yet'? Otherwise, most people liked it and those that were allowed in it enjoyed the ride- a girl at work would scream as it approached the red line.
BMW- very occassional stupid comments like 'you get paid too much' (I paid sod all for it) and 'BMW wker'. Otherwise people say that it's a nice/posh/flash car.
Strange thing with both was that a couple of people thought that both were worth £20k+.
BMW- very occassional stupid comments like 'you get paid too much' (I paid sod all for it) and 'BMW w
ker'. Otherwise people say that it's a nice/posh/flash car.Strange thing with both was that a couple of people thought that both were worth £20k+.
A lot of positive comments on my old Golf GTI.
Someone asked if it was for sale while I was at the lights, a few thumbs up and flash of the lights, people pointing. Love it, even had a 205 GTI driver give me a friendly toot and a thumbs up.
Girls on the other hand. " You spent far too much, its and old banger ". Can't wait till i get it back on the road!
Someone asked if it was for sale while I was at the lights, a few thumbs up and flash of the lights, people pointing. Love it, even had a 205 GTI driver give me a friendly toot and a thumbs up.
Girls on the other hand. " You spent far too much, its and old banger ". Can't wait till i get it back on the road!
My MR2 Turbo has people looking at it in the street, they will turn their heads and look back over their shoulder as they walk past, probably unsure what it is! Other jap car owners, especially those in mk2 MR2's are usually friendly, with a wave or a flash of the headlights.
It does attract attention from kids in Corsas etc etc, though not as much as I thought it would. I thought they'd be wanting to race every day (my commute to work takes me through a student-y area and every nightshift commute in particular is filled with student types driving 107's and C1's like knobs round the area and trying to race anything that gets in their way). My S60 was the worst for attracting that sort of attention though, as everyone wanted to blow that grandad-mobile away at the lights. With 180bhp, it was usefully swift away from the lights, too, though it really took stride when you shifted into second gear and sailed away.
It does attract attention from kids in Corsas etc etc, though not as much as I thought it would. I thought they'd be wanting to race every day (my commute to work takes me through a student-y area and every nightshift commute in particular is filled with student types driving 107's and C1's like knobs round the area and trying to race anything that gets in their way). My S60 was the worst for attracting that sort of attention though, as everyone wanted to blow that grandad-mobile away at the lights. With 180bhp, it was usefully swift away from the lights, too, though it really took stride when you shifted into second gear and sailed away.
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