Referring to a car as a toy

[Pixelpeep]

I keep hearing people refer to their cars as 'my toy' and for some reason it irritates me. Are they trying to downplay the item? are they some kind of powerfully built director wannabe who thinks this is how rich people talk about their transport?

TrackSlag is another that makes me cringe but we'll leave that for another day.

What is the general view?

[OllieC]

I've got a car that is a toy

[vixen1700]

Nope, not a fan of the word 'toy' when referring to cars either. Kinda makes me cringe a little to be honest.

[counterofbeans]

Not as bad as "she" or "her", for some reason beloved of the Aston brigade...

CofB

[LordGrover]

"Track Weapon" is equally endearing.

[grumbledoak]

:shrugs: My last three have been toys by any sensible definition of the word.

[roboxm3]

I generally think it's fine to refer to a car or bike as a toy if it genuinely is i.e. it's only used for fun (not a daily driver) but it does sound a bit cringey if it's something relatively "ordinary".
Far be it from me to judge but it sounds more apt when the car in question is a Caterfield, GT3 RS etc.

[Piersman2]

I've a car and a motorbike as 'toys'. To be used , or not, as the fancy takes me.

[P-Jay]

I don't care for the term myself, it's a bit cringey.

Depends on the car too, something a bit special or unusual kept in the garage for or holidays / weekends is a 'toy' I suppose, it severs no purpose than for enjoyment, but you can't call it a toy if you spend most of the time sitting in it going to work, taking the kids to school or going to the supermarket - it's your fking car, for Peat's sake.

[Vladimir]

My RC car is a toy.
My car is a car.
My camper is a camper/van.

I think calling a car a "toy" is pretentious twaddle made to sound like the owner run several others.

I'd call it a "fun" car or similar.

[shirt]

ok so i have 2 cars that are none road legal - a caterham replica and a factory clio cup race car.

i don't race either and so they only get rolled out at trackdays and auto-x events. these are hobbies, for fun. i also like tinkering with them during the week.

how are these not just big boys toys? the old adage that we don't really grow up, our toys just get bigger, is 100% true.

[Impasse]

counterofbeans said:

Not as bad as "she" or "her", for some reason beloved of the Aston brigade...

CofB

Not all of them. However, my contributions to that area of this forum tend to get shunned as I'm not a fawning sop.

[otolith]

We've got three cars, one of which is sensible transport. Calling the other two "toys" is just a recognition of the reality of the situation.

[Snowboy]

My Land Rover is a sensible car.
My Jeep is a toy.

It's a toy because it's something I play with.
It's not practical or sensible.
It fits pretty much all definitions of toy I can think of.

[Fantuzzi]

No you have to have proper name for the car.

Like Red Dragon...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9I9MDswUeYc

Whitesnake is optional. Actually no it isn't. They're awesome.

I don't mind toy, as toy is something you play with for fun, so a car that is only meant for pleasure seems a fairly good fit.

Never heard 'trackslag' before...and rather glad.

[toon10]

I can't afford to run a toy alongside the old workhorse

[cianha]

Depends on the context. Any car that isn't essential, can't be used as a daily, and exists as a second car only, is to some degree, a toy.

I've used the term, and had other people refer to it as such.

[shirt]

Snowboy said:

My Jeep is a toy.
It's not practical or sensible.

had to chuckle. this is my daily driver

[kambites]

In some circumstances it serves to indicate a useful distinction between a car used primarily for transport and a car driven mostly for pleasure. Which word would people who don't like "toy" prefer for that distinction; "toy" describes the situation fairly well, as far as I can see?

[Snowboy]

shirt said:

Snowboy said:

My Jeep is a toy.
It's not practical or sensible.

had to chuckle. this is my daily driver

Mine is my daily drive too most of the time too.
But it's still a toy.