Is a choice of car a reflection of your personality?

Car, no. Bike, yes.

Sometimes vehicles are chosen for practically, other times as an extension of our personalities. And sometimes it's hard to decide which is which.

White Aurion Presara

White Nissan Tida

White Hyundai Sonata

No it's not. It is however a reflection of the ego.

Often

YES.

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FormulaNova said..

Imax1 said..
I have a reoccurring dream driving a car with a really long bonnet.

Do you ever have problems lifting the bonnet in that dream

The dream always ends crashing into the back of a pink Mini

My dream car right now is the Tesla Cybertruck. I'd like a farm ute. I'd like an electric car to get to and from the farm. I'd like the car to drive itself along a road that is safe to drive but is also boring to drive on.

The Cybertruck looks like it will fulfil all my wants and would be a handy vehicle on a farm. I'd go for the dual motor 4wd model.

Most probably we'd keep our little Japanese car as it's handy around town and the Cybertruck looks so huge.

All the idiots weaving thru the traffic in little red cars !!
Why do they always have little red cars?

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vosadrian said..
Doesn't that say something about your personality? People who are into cars put practicality lower on the priority list.

I think someone who drives a Camry (or most Toyotas) is likely to be quite a different personality to someone who drives an Alfa Romeo.

I've always liked driving an old bomb, (yes it's a Camry, 20 years old, 420,000km). People are always asking why I don't replace my car (if you saw it you'd understand why), and I always ask them why would I want to replace it? The answer is always "because it's old, and you can afford a new one". Ha, how is that a reason??? I could, but I simply have zero desire to do so. It works and does everything I need. I like not caring if the dog poops in the back, or if I have saltwater dripping all over it, or if I want to fill it with bricks or concrete or whatever.

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Harrow said..

I've always liked driving an old bomb, (yes it's a Camry, 20 years old, 420,000km). People are always asking why I don't replace my car (if you saw it you'd understand why), and I always ask them why would I want to replace it? The answer is always "because it's old, and you can afford a new one". Ha, how is that a reason??? I could, but I simply have zero desire to do so. It works and does everything I need. I like not caring if the dog poops in the back, or if I have saltwater dripping all over it, or if I want to fill it with bricks or concrete or whatever.

Years ago I went from driving a primer-grey ford escort. It was a 2L and went pretty well. When you parked next to people, they would look at the car and you could read their minds, thinking 'I hope this idiot doesn't hit my car'.

I changed to a VN commodore, which was only a few years old and in good condition at the time, and the thinking was reversed. I would be paranoid about all the other idiots that are parking too close to my car!

I think I prefer it with the older car as you are not worried about the other idiots that are dumb enough to mark your car.

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Harrow said..
Did they get a kindergarten kid to style the Cybertruck?

If you buy a cybertruck and you want people to know that you can afford an electric ute and hold the moral high gound, would you want styling that blended in with all the other utes or something that stood out and says 'yes, it's ugly, but I am better than you'?

Late 90's commodore with the window down and white rimmed sunnies.

And a wife passenger with track pants that say "Juicy" and a kid with a mullet with lightning bolt steps and a monster energy cap

On the way to the bottle-o for some codys

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Harrow said..

vosadrian said..
Doesn't that say something about your personality? People who are into cars put practicality lower on the priority list.

I think someone who drives a Camry (or most Toyotas) is likely to be quite a different personality to someone who drives an Alfa Romeo.

I've always liked driving an old bomb, (yes it's a Camry, 20 years old, 420,000km). People are always asking why I don't replace my car (if you saw it you'd understand why), and I always ask them why would I want to replace it? The answer is always "because it's old, and you can afford a new one". Ha, how is that a reason??? I could, but I simply have zero desire to do so. It works and does everything I need. I like not caring if the dog poops in the back, or if I have saltwater dripping all over it, or if I want to fill it with bricks or concrete or whatever.

Certainly there is a case where a group of drivers drive what they have access to or can afford. They have little choice because of financial or other limitations so they just have to drive what they have. In that case it says less about your personality and more about your wealth.

But assuming someone has enough wealth to have a choice of owning many different types of cars, I think what they choose says a lot about there personality. Harrow's choice to drive an old bomb Camry is seems to say he cares less about driving pleasure and more about not having to worry about an expensive car when the old bomb does everything he requires from a car.

Where I live there are lots of late model cars and I form opinions based on what type they are:
* Most Toyotas (not 86s and Supras though!!), are owned by people who value safety/security. Toyotas are reliable, safe, cheap to maintain and have good resale. Someone who buys them does not like risk and drives that way. I avoid pulling behind them at a set of lights as they take off slowly and drive under the speed limit.
* Certain European cars are similar to Toyota drivers but need to display status... Certain Volvo/Mercedes models. They drive similar to above, but need to portray a status of wealth to those around them.
* Sportier European models (M series BMWs, S/RS Audis, AMGs etc.) tend to be entitled. They seem to think they have more right to get where they are going than everyone else who is just in their way, and they don't hesitate to cut you off etc.

Just a few examples of my observations. Just generalisations of course. And of course most people are a bit Jekyll and Hyde as drivers... they turn into a different person behind the wheel.

I personally like a car that has lots of performance but has more subtle looks. I have owned a few WRXs, some M BMWs etc. I would love a nice Ferrari (which is way out of my wealth capability), but I would struggle with something that stood out so much. I want the Ferrari performance but in Stealth mode.

And that Cybertruck looks rediculous!! But then again, I am not a fan of Electric cars and will miss the engine sounds of a nice engine long after they are obsoleted.

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Ian K said..

Harrow said..

Did they get a kindergarten kid to style the Cybertruck?

Kindy kid or not it's still intelligent design vs. evolution.

intelligent design

vs
evolution

Agree. First impression is ... total surprise.Than comes some thought about functionality.Easier to manufacture, stealth from radar, easier to apply solar to flat surfaces and possibly many more.In few years this shape may be copied by other car manufacturer.Indeed you need brave and genius to come with something totally different and suddenly start era of completely new fashion, style.Public reception now is changing after few days people used to accept completely new design.The next move could be rid off of wheels and replacing with levitation devices . No more flat tires.

I kind of think the Cybertruck channels the styling of the Ford XD Falcon.

How much does it cost to fill up the tank of a vehicle like a Ford F-150? I guess it would be more than $200 from empty. If the Tesla alternative can be recharged for around a tenth of this cost, it won't be long before Ford starts selling a battery powered F-150.