Cars, are they a hobby?
Discussion
What you say?
Let me put some detail around that. 25 years ago, when I had a Westfield and there was always something that needed doing to it, either improving or fixing and there was club meetings going on every month meeting up with like minded people, then yes I definitely say yes.
Likewise if you got a race car and are going to race meetings a few times a month, again, then yes definitely.
Nowadays when, if like me you have got two fairly moderns cars that don't need anything doing to them apart from chucking a bucket of water of them, are cars still a hobby?
I open the floor to the PH massive.
Let me put some detail around that. 25 years ago, when I had a Westfield and there was always something that needed doing to it, either improving or fixing and there was club meetings going on every month meeting up with like minded people, then yes I definitely say yes.
Likewise if you got a race car and are going to race meetings a few times a month, again, then yes definitely.
Nowadays when, if like me you have got two fairly moderns cars that don't need anything doing to them apart from chucking a bucket of water of them, are cars still a hobby?
I open the floor to the PH massive.
Megaflow said:
when I had a Westfield and there was always something that needed doing to it, either improving or fixing and there was club meetings going on every month meeting up with like minded people.
That's a yes.Megaflow said:
two fairly moderns cars that don't need anything doing to them apart from chucking a bucket of water of them.
That's a no.Unless you consider "detailing" to be a hobby? (shudders at the thought)
shtu said:
Megaflow said:
when I had a Westfield and there was always something that needed doing to it, either improving or fixing and there was club meetings going on every month meeting up with like minded people.
That's a yes.Megaflow said:
two fairly moderns cars that don't need anything doing to them apart from chucking a bucket of water of them.
That's a no.Unless you consider "detailing" to be a hobby? (shudders at the thought)
Certainly not...
Technically speaking, and for all the well off on here, those with multiple cars used not for function, they probably still are.
As much as I love cars and always have, for most of us I don't think they are anymore because it's not done for solely fun/pointless reasons.
It probably changed when the cost of doing things yourself stopped being a fraction of your salary and when everything else in the world didn't cost the earth. You could spend a Saturday fashioning some pretty good parts at home from things at your local ironmongery and not need £££s of electronics to vaguely diagnose a computer fault.
As much as I love cars and always have, for most of us I don't think they are anymore because it's not done for solely fun/pointless reasons.
It probably changed when the cost of doing things yourself stopped being a fraction of your salary and when everything else in the world didn't cost the earth. You could spend a Saturday fashioning some pretty good parts at home from things at your local ironmongery and not need £££s of electronics to vaguely diagnose a computer fault.
Good question. I really, really like driving - helped by having some superb roads on my doorstep. Even my commute is a brilliant drive. But I suppose it might be because I like driving so much that I really don't care what I do it in, which is why A) the answer is 'no' from me, and B) my current cars are pretty s
te by PH standards. I can well imagine that when I retire I will get properly into tinkering with cars, but I guess it's because modern cars - even of the performance variety - are so reliable that if all you want to do is drive the things then you really don't need to have them as a 'hobby' to do so.
te by PH standards. I can well imagine that when I retire I will get properly into tinkering with cars, but I guess it's because modern cars - even of the performance variety - are so reliable that if all you want to do is drive the things then you really don't need to have them as a 'hobby' to do so.If the definition of a hobby is ‘an activity done in one’s spare time for pleasure’ then absolutely cars can be that. Equally cars can be just boring and functional items to do a job.
It certainly fits the bill for me. I’ll happily get up at 6am on a Sunday morning in the summer to take my Caterham out and thrash the nuts off it for a couple of hours. Granted I have some amazing roads on my doorstep, but like the OP’s experience, there’s always something to fettle, improve or upgrade so always plenty to think about, research and tinker with.
It certainly fits the bill for me. I’ll happily get up at 6am on a Sunday morning in the summer to take my Caterham out and thrash the nuts off it for a couple of hours. Granted I have some amazing roads on my doorstep, but like the OP’s experience, there’s always something to fettle, improve or upgrade so always plenty to think about, research and tinker with.
Dingu said:
If for some weird reason you don’t drive them, or simply don’t drive them for enjoyment, then no.
Otherwise if you are driving them for enjoyment in spare time then they are clearly a hobby.
This is where I am.Otherwise if you are driving them for enjoyment in spare time then they are clearly a hobby.
I have no interest in fixing the things, nor do I derive any pleasure from doing so when I try (usually badly).
I also hate cleaning the f
king things. Would rather get someone else to do it. Then again, cleaning anything is pretty soul destroying in my book.I just want to drive the thing. Actually I find moderns are good for this. If I had to fix my car before I went out in it, I wouldn't bother.
I do also waste many any hour on here talking s
te about cars, watching loads of videos on them. I think that also makes it a hobby, as if it was just transport, I wouldn't bother.RazerSauber said:
No, cars are transport. Doing things with them can be a hobby. Racing, fixing, cleaning, even stealing them for the unscrupulous folk out there.
Exactly this.A car is a noun, a physical object. It isn't a hobby in the same way that Snowboards or snooker cues aren't a hobby.
A hobby is a verb, an activity that you do. In the same way that Snowboarding or playing snooker are hobbies.
What's slightly more complex is that there are a variety of activities you can do with and around cars, as stated, so not all 'car enthusiasts' enjoy the same activities, although there tends to be a fair amount of overlap. There's also a distinction between hobbies around car ownership, vs eg going to a car show to spectate or turning on the F1 on a Sunday afternoon.
Additionally, there are of course plenty of people who own and/or use cars without having the slightest interest in them, just as far more people travel by train than want to stand at the end of the platform with a notebook.
RazerSauber said:
No, cars are transport. Doing things with them can be a hobby. Racing, fixing, cleaning, even stealing them for the unscrupulous folk out there.
Cars can be used as transport, sure. If you only spend your time going from A to B to do other things. Or they can exist only for the pleasure of driving.
Court_S said:
I think it depends on how you use them…
As a transport device to go from A to B, then it’s not a hobby.
For those who do track days, road trips, tinker with them etc, then yes I’d say it’s a hobby.
Maybe it's just about a hobby for me then.As a transport device to go from A to B, then it’s not a hobby.
For those who do track days, road trips, tinker with them etc, then yes I’d say it’s a hobby.
While I haven't done track days in mine (yet), I love road trips but don't tinker much due to limited abilities and motivation!
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