What makes a true petrol head?

[gr1340]

Forgot all the 'must own an Alfa' tosh (or in the PH way, an MX5), what actually makes you a petrol head?

There are those that have a lot of money and buy the newest most expensive model all the time and probably consider themselves to be one.

There are those that like buying cars all the time but never tinker with them.

Then you have the have those that buy cars, tinker with them all the time and are usually up to their armpits in grease/oil.

Is just liking cars enough to be one? Are you more of a petrol head if you do your own servicing/repairs? Or do you need to do all that and more?

[theironduke]

Surely the single thing which all petrol heads have in common, regardless of what car they have, is that they will happily just go for a drive; not to anywhere or for anything, just for the enjoyment of driving.

[Pints]

theironduke said:

Surely the single thing which all petrol heads have in common, regardless of what car they have, is that they will happily just go for a drive; not to anywhere or for anything, just for the enjoyment of driving.

Or put another way, it's not what you drive but how you drive it. (And no, that doesn't necessarily mean you have to cane it everywhere either.)

[911p]

theironduke said:

Surely the single thing which all petrol heads have in common, regardless of what car they have, is that they will happily just go for a drive; not to anywhere or for anything, just for the enjoyment of driving.

Nail. Head.

[DanDC5]

Someone who enjoys going for a drive, spends far too much time thinking about cars and will at times but them as a priority above pretty much everything else.

[heebeegeetee]

A genuine interest in cars as opposed to worrying what you think your car says about you.

A decent understanding of how roads and the traffic thereon works.

An ability to get about without a song and dance.

A genuine love of motorsport as opposed to fanboism.

[Captain Muppet]

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/petrolhead

petrolhead [ˈpɛtrəlˌhɛd]
n
Informal a person who is excessively interested in or is devoted to travelling by car
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003

[Sam1990]

DanDC5 said:

Someone who enjoys going for a drive, spends far too much time thinking about cars and will at times but them as a priority above pretty much everything else.

Exactly the kind of words I hear from the other half when browsing the PH Classifieds in bed.

[Sexual Chocolate]

Hating cyclists.

[monthefish]

911p said:

theironduke said:

Surely the single thing which all petrol heads have in common, regardless of what car they have, is that they will happily just go for a drive; not to anywhere or for anything, just for the enjoyment of driving.

Nail. Head.

I disagree. And you are a prime example as to why; On that basis, would you only class yourself as a petrolhead after you passed your test?

[monthefish]

I think it's as simple as just caring about cars, as opposed to them simply being functional objects that just get you from A to B.

[Nedzilla]

theironduke said:

Surely the single thing which all petrol heads have in common, regardless of what car they have, is that they will happily just go for a drive; not to anywhere or for anything, just for the enjoyment of driving.

This.To just enjoy driving for what it is regardless of what you drive.

[bakerstreet]

theironduke said:

Surely the single thing which all petrol heads have in common, regardless of what car they have, is that they will happily just go for a drive; not to anywhere or for anything, just for the enjoyment of driving.

I don't agree with that. I used to enjoy riding my motorcycles, but generally I don't really enjoy my 50 mile commute.

I think a petrol head can just be summarised as being someone who has a passion for cars or bikes

[TheHeretic]

I would say it is the desire to use a car, bike, truck, etc, for more than just going from A to B.

[pti]

I would've said I was a petrolhead long before I had a driving licence.

[J4CKO]

Sexual Chocolate said:

Hating cyclists.

You can like both driving and cycling, I am in my 944 today, was on my MTB yesterday and might use my road bike tomorrow.

"Hating" cyclists is the preserve of hard done by, die hard individuals, usually fat, lazy and agressive, usually driving a st car and wondering why life has treated them so badly and looking for someone they can take it out on, preferably someone that cant catch them that will listen to their tale of woe about "Road Tax", how their £210 a year buys them the moral highground

Most drivers just find cyclists as other traffic or a minor, occasional annoyance.

[aka_kerrly]

monthefish said:

I think it's as simple as just caring about cars, as opposed to them simply being functional objects that just get you from A to B.

I'm inclined to agree and disagree as I know people who are incredibly protective of their car but don't actually know anything about it, don't drive it enthusiastically they just keep it dam clean and worry about residuals more than driving which I find quite sad.

I consider myself a petrolhead, I'm interested in a variety of aspects of motoring like motorsport, mechanics/engineering/design even the advertising/promotion of cars just as much as I enjoy driving and working on my own cars.

Another way I have heard it described is the difference between those those who think driving is a skill which can be constantly improved upon and those who pass their test and think that's enough.

[911p]

monthefish said:

911p said:

theironduke said:

Surely the single thing which all petrol heads have in common, regardless of what car they have, is that they will happily just go for a drive; not to anywhere or for anything, just for the enjoyment of driving.

Nail. Head.

I disagree. And you are a prime example as to why; On that basis, would you only class yourself as a petrolhead after you passed your test?

Good point.

Not at all. BUT it is one attribute - not the only attribute, which all petrol heads (with a license) share. Of course there are other factors.

[HustleRussell]

I get attached to my cars, I'm especially happy when I know all of their nuts & bolts, quirks etc. For instance I know that a diff change will take 2 hours and I know what tools to have to hand, I know that it's 100 minutes to have the engine out, I know the trick to quickly bleed the coolant etc etc.
I acquire knowledge about my cars all the time and commit it to memory, I know their common faults and ailments.

[Nedzilla]

911p said:

monthefish said:

911p said:

theironduke said:

Surely the single thing which all petrol heads have in common, regardless of what car they have, is that they will happily just go for a drive; not to anywhere or for anything, just for the enjoyment of driving.

Nail. Head.

I disagree. And you are a prime example as to why; On that basis, would you only class yourself as a petrolhead after you passed your test?

Good point.

Not at all. BUT it is one attribute - not the only attribute, which all petrol heads (with a license) share. Of course there are other factors.

It is a good point but surely you have to graduate to the point where you can actually drive to be a 'true petrolhead'.You might find out that you actually hate driving once passed your test.
A lad I grew up with was well into cars but when the time came it took him six attempts to pass and he was a nervous wreck when out in his car and tried to avoid driving as much as possible.

A car fan but surely not a true petrolhead.