Friends lack of car knowledge

Friends lack of car knowledge

Author
Discussion

Shominy

Original Poster:

134 posts

87 months

Tuesday 16th January 2018
quotequote all
Now, I'm no car expert. I have never done any of my own spannering or anything like that but it really shocks me just how little all of my friends know about cars. I know my EP3 from my FN2 and my 197 from my 182 which isn't really saying much when compared to most people here I'm sure but it really does seem like your average Joe knows next to nothing at all about cars.

Allow me to furnish you with some quotes from the last week or two from various different people I know:

Whilst browsing the internet for the exact details on how much horsepower her BMW 118i has. Bear in mind this person knows they drive a petrol car.
"what's the model? it's a 'd' isn't it"

When comparing different cars with my friend.
"yours is a 1.2, mine's a 1.3 so mine is probably as quick as yours even though it's older."
Me: "what model/trim level is yours exactly?"
"I dunno, it's just the 1.3"

When discussing with a friend what car he may get next.
"I think I'd probably go for a Golf, they're roomy, I love the look of them and they're fast"

Is this the level of comprehension amongst everyone else's friends group?


JCollins

1,156 posts

100 months

Tuesday 16th January 2018
quotequote all
Yes.


One knows that he is sort of out of his element amongst car enthusiasts, the other once referred to himself as a "motorhead".

I thought they were a band, but whatever.

I don't see it as a problem, they're my friends. It is quite amusing though. Also bear in mind that both you and I likely known fkall about various other hobbies.


Different strokes for different folkes.


ensignia

919 posts

234 months

Tuesday 16th January 2018
quotequote all
Car enthusiasts are, on the whole, tedious bores.

Luckily I know very few people who call themselves petrol heads *shudders*

ST Ford

291 posts

81 months

Tuesday 16th January 2018
quotequote all
Yes it’s highly annoying. I get that some people just aren’t into cars but when people who don’t know anything about cars but act like they do or argue about it with you it gets annoying. I’ve had a whole range of things in work from a girl who banged on about her 116d being the best thing ever and how fast it was etc. And after dissing my car she would not believe me when I told her my ST was faster. She and others simply think anything Premium badged must be faster and better in every way than say my Ford.
It also annoys me when u get guys in work who claim to be “into cars” and have good car banter then they buy a run of the mill diesel with a sporty bodykit on and tell everyone how rapid it is to the point everyone believes them. One guy was telling people he was looking at Gti’s, ST’s Vxr’s etc then turned up in a diesel Astra Gtc with about 130bhp and talks about it like it’s a hot hatch

MorganP104

2,605 posts

129 months

Tuesday 16th January 2018
quotequote all
My late father was a very practical sort of a chap, and always spannered his own cars. Despite therefore knowing lots about cars, he would only ever have two litre petrol cars, because he needed to tow a caravan.

When the time came for chopping his old (2.0 petrol) Mondeo in for something a bit newer, he knocked back my suggestion of an Octavia TDi, because it was "only a 1.9", and would therefore be unsuitable for towing.

He went out and bought a 2.0 petrol Octavia instead. The 8v one.

JCollins

1,156 posts

100 months

Tuesday 16th January 2018
quotequote all
ensignia said:
Car enthusiasts are, on the whole, tedious bores.

Luckily I know very few people who call themselves petrol heads *shudders*
Being a Professional bummer Can't be much better.

C70R

17,596 posts

103 months

Tuesday 16th January 2018
quotequote all
ensignia said:
Car enthusiasts are, on the whole, tedious bores.

Luckily I know very few people who call themselves petrol heads *shudders*
Couldn't agree more.
I have a few close friends who love cars and motorsport, but I couldn't imagine how dull my life would be if we spent our time together trading stats and testing each other's 'knowledge'.

HTP99

22,443 posts

139 months

Tuesday 16th January 2018
quotequote all
I know fk all about computers, I haven't a clue if my Samsung tv is better or worse than my wifes bosses Samsung tv; I know that theirs is bigger but apart from that I haven't a clue, all I know is, mines ok and I'm fine with the picture and size.

Not everyone has the same interests as you or me, or the guy down the road.

S54Love

155 posts

83 months

Tuesday 16th January 2018
quotequote all
I know someone who went to look at a diesel 5 series and didn't buy it cause they thought that the engine was f*cked from the diesel clatter it made.

I told him that the majority of 4cyl (BMW) diesels sounded like that. rolleyes

He decided to go out and buy a 3cyl, which makes total sense.

generationx

6,645 posts

104 months

Tuesday 16th January 2018
quotequote all
I love cars. I’ve been brought up surrounded by them, I have owned loads, I’ve played with them, I read about them, and now I’m fortunate enough to work with them.

I couldn’t give a fk about BMW/Honda/Polo/whatever model codes and I never will. This does not mean that my non-car friends think I know nothing about them. And I couldn’t care less.

MorganP104

2,605 posts

129 months

Tuesday 16th January 2018
quotequote all
HTP99 said:
I know fk all about computers, I haven't a clue if my Samsung tv is better or worse than my wifes bosses Samsung tv; I know that theirs is bigger but apart from that I haven't a clue, all I know is, mines ok and I'm fine with the picture and size.

Not everyone has the same interests as you or me, or the guy down the road.
I'm alright with other people's hobbies I know nothing about.

I wouldn't know where to start with winemaking, or knitting, for example. However, if I were in a situation where knowledge of these subjects might be useful, I'd happily defer to my "expert" friend.

Often, I'll be asked my advice about cars, by friends and family who don't know one end of a car from the other. Fair enough. Having said that, I could count on the fingers of one hand the times my advice has been taken! biglaugh



RushDom

230 posts

93 months

Tuesday 16th January 2018
quotequote all
It's amazing the number of people who still think the petrol cap to a Ford Focus is on the offside rear! When will they learn?

Jayho

2,005 posts

169 months

Tuesday 16th January 2018
quotequote all
I'd imagine you're friends with them as you have some common interests and their lack of car knowledge should just become null and void as that's not your shared interest. I also find it a lot easier when someone claiming stuff I know to be false but I realise it's not their forte of knowledge I would just bite my tongue and smile.

I have many interests and friends with different interests. In each one of my friend groups I probably have lack of knowledge in our shared interest as I like to surround myself with people better than me to learn from.

Example, I have many really musical friends who are incredibly musically talented. I however suck at the guitar in comparison, but we share love for music and I really hope the think any less of me for my lack of ability.

And in all honesty I really doubt there's many of my friends who have complete car knowledge. The car industry has so many variations that unless you're rain man I doubt you can spout heaps of trivia about every car / type of car. Again, I have friends who are completely into fast fords and probably know far too much trivia about zetec engines etc. On the other hand they probably know very limited amount of information on Rovers and the k series engine.

I find it a lot more tranquil and relaxing to find out the shared or common interests and encourage conversation on that. Eff it, I even have some friends where the only reason we hang out is because we're both barking mad and find the same silly stuff hilarious.

C70R

17,596 posts

103 months

Tuesday 16th January 2018
quotequote all
Absolutely. In fact, I'd probably say that my 'non-car' friends outnumber those interested in cars by about 10-1.
If cars were my only interest in life, I'd get bored pretty quickly.

FWIW

3,042 posts

96 months

Tuesday 16th January 2018
quotequote all
Chap proudly announces that he was getting a ‘sports car’...imagine my disappointment when I find out it’s a Hyundai Coupé.

finlo

3,731 posts

202 months

Tuesday 16th January 2018
quotequote all
FWIW said:
Chap proudly announces that he was getting a ‘sports car’...imagine my disappointment when I find out it’s a Hyundai Coupé.
And if it had been a Genesis coupe?

J4CKO

41,287 posts

199 months

Tuesday 16th January 2018
quotequote all
JCollins said:
ensignia said:
Car enthusiasts are, on the whole, tedious bores.

Luckily I know very few people who call themselves petrol heads *shudders*
Being a Professional bummer Can't be much better.
That comment was rubbish, so puerile and infantile.


I am however sat here laughing like a right goon for some reason biggrin

Valgar

850 posts

134 months

Tuesday 16th January 2018
quotequote all
For many the car is firstly a mode of transport and secondly a status symbol.

The same way as a computer is something to watch Youtube on for many, yet I know intricate details about my GPU, from it's speed to it's milivolt use and how many compute units it has.

5er

4,432 posts

174 months

Tuesday 16th January 2018
quotequote all
RushDom said:
It's amazing the number of people who still think the petrol cap to a Ford Focus is on the offside rear! When will they learn?
Abso-bloody-exactly.