What does your car say about you?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:question: can you give one rational reason why your minivan is superior to an SUV of the same size and model year? meaning, I bet their curb weights are identical, the turning radius, the blind spots, and possibly the gas mileage depending on whether the SUV is built on a car-based platform or truck-based platform.

sincere question.

I'm not the OP. I grappled with this question a LOT recently as we are having our third kid and needed a larger car. We researched both SUVs and minivans -- we really wanted to go with an SUV because of the minivan stigma. But honestly, most minivans do get better gas mileage (not compared to car-based SUVs but they really don't fit three car seats very comfortably or easily -- third row is very tough to reach). Also, there's significantly reduced rollover potential with a minivan-- again, this is compared to traditional SUVs, not the car-based, and they don't have the back-up blind spot (which truck-based SUVs do because they sit so high; reason it's important to have that back-up camera). The only reasons I can see getting a truck-based SUV is if you do a lot of off-roading or towing or haul around numerous large children and their gear (a Suburban, for ex, does have more interior storage than a minivan).

[Anonymous]

OP, I think you have a future writing Facebook quizzes. ("It's scarily accurate!")

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:question: can you give one rational reason why your minivan is superior to an SUV of the same size and model year? meaning, I bet their curb weights are identical, the turning radius, the blind spots, and possibly the gas mileage depending on whether the SUV is built on a car-based platform or truck-based platform.

sincere question.

I'm not the OP. I grappled with this question a LOT recently as we are having our third kid and needed a larger car. We researched both SUVs and minivans -- we really wanted to go with an SUV because of the minivan stigma. But honestly, most minivans do get better gas mileage (not compared to car-based SUVs but they really don't fit three car seats very comfortably or easily -- third row is very tough to reach). Also, there's significantly reduced rollover potential with a minivan-- again, this is compared to traditional SUVs, not the car-based, and they don't have the back-up blind spot (which truck-based SUVs do because they sit so high; reason it's important to have that back-up camera). The only reasons I can see getting a truck-based SUV is if you do a lot of off-roading or towing or haul around numerous large children and their gear (a Suburban, for ex, does have more interior storage than a minivan).

FWIW, statistically speaking minivans and large family sedans are the safest vehicles for kids. Minivans "are" similar to SUVs, but tend to roll less.

[Anonymous]

Love all the scathing posts calling OP any number of names while not realizing (or not caring is the more likely scenario) how vicious and vile your name-calling are. Just as bad as OP.

[Anonymous]

OP, I think your car says you are a pretty dirty and unorganized person. Your car sounds filthy, have some pride. Aside from your car, you really sound like a bigot.

I have a Hybrid, heat my house with recycled wood pelletts, converted my HW heater to solar, have a large garden to grow most of my veggies in the summer, compost, and only buy my meat from local farms that practice sustainable farming. My dream is to build a house one day that is almost completely off the grid, utilizing solar and geo-thermal HVAC. I'm a Republican. Given my lifestyle, I have many friends from ALL political views. There is no correlation between SUV drivers and political leaning.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Love all the scathing posts calling OP any number of names while not realizing (or not caring is the more likely scenario) how vicious and vile your name-calling are. Just as bad as OP.

No, not the same. OP deserves the scorn. She embodies is what is wrong with the world. There are people like her on both sides of the aisle and they are are hateful dividers, not UNITERS. People like her should be muzzled for the betterment of civilization.

[Anonymous]

Hmmmm...I secretly would love a pimped out white Escalade with spinning rims, the whole nine yards. I DRIVE a mini van b/c it is practical for my family and our needs. I REALLY want a convertible BMW roadster, stick, that goes FAST. I am going to get that car at some point.

I don't think ONE car can speak for a person. Maybe where they are in their lives, maybe some of their priorities, but not wholesale. Those who judge them are the ones who are insecure and silly.

[Anonymous]

I hate SUV's too, partly for environmental reasons and partly because I can't see around them on the road. I hate minivans for the same reason. That said, I can see why people drive them - some people need more room for passengers and carseats than I do. I'm a single mom with one kid, and I rarely have non-kid passengers, otherwise my car would probably be uncomfortably small.

What my car says about me: I drive a 2004 dark gray Acura compact sedan. It's nice looking, has leather seats and I keep it pretty clean inside, though I occasionally go too long without a car wash. I'm guessing people judging me by my car would guess I like nice things and reliability without wanting to spend a ton of money for a car with more status, like a BMW. (i love BMWs, but I can't rationalize paying for a 5-series and the 3-series is really tight inside.) I think the dark gray color is understated and a bit elegant, non-flashy. I feel guilty about having leather, but it's a lot easier to keep clean and I plan on keeping this car for 10 years.

[Anonymous]

Back to the original question, my car says, "The new owners and mechanics of the Connecticut Ave Shell are incompetent, because they failed to find anything wrong with a car which was clearly making outragiously loud noises yesterday, and instead told me it sounded 'normal'." As a result, today, on Garfield Street, my car said, "Look! smoke is coming out of my hood! I am going to break down!"

Aaargh.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Back to the original question, my car says, "The new owners and mechanics of the Connecticut Ave Shell are incompetent, because they failed to find anything wrong with a car which was clearly making outragiously loud noises yesterday, and instead told me it sounded 'normal'." As a result, today, on Garfield Street, my car said, "Look! smoke is coming out of my hood! I am going to break down!"

Aaargh.

Thanks for the chuckle.

Sorry for what happened to your car and that you had to deal with the incompetent a$$holes at the Connecticut Ave Shell.

[Anonymous]

I'm not sure what my vehicle says about me. I've never asked it or anyone else what they thought. To be completely honest, I don't really give a fiddler's fuck what someone else thinks about what I drive. My car is functional and not any kind of political statement.

I own a minivan. Considering gas and insurance costs, it is the most economical vehicle I could get that seats a passel of children.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, I think your car says you are a pretty dirty and unorganized person. Your car sounds filthy, have some pride. Aside from your car, you really sound like a bigot.

I have a Hybrid, heat my house with recycled wood pelletts, converted my HW heater to solar, have a large garden to grow most of my veggies in the summer, compost, and only buy my meat from local farms that practice sustainable farming. My dream is to build a house one day that is almost completely off the grid, utilizing solar and geo-thermal HVAC. I'm a Republican. Given my lifestyle, I have many friends from ALL political views. There is no correlation between SUV drivers and political leaning.

Want a cookie?

[Anonymous]

I do judge people with massive SUV's. Sorry, but it's the truth. My kid goes to a private school where the majority of parents drive these massive Escalades and Suburbans, and I think they're vapid, irresponsible nitwits. It's not what these cars cost (we're not exactly poor ourselves), but the attitude they embody.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I think your car says you are a pretty dirty and unorganized person. Your car sounds filthy, have some pride. Aside from your car, you really sound like a bigot.

I have a Hybrid, heat my house with recycled wood pelletts, converted my HW heater to solar, have a large garden to grow most of my veggies in the summer, compost, and only buy my meat from local farms that practice sustainable farming. My dream is to build a house one day that is almost completely off the grid, utilizing solar and geo-thermal HVAC. I'm a Republican. Given my lifestyle, I have many friends from ALL political views. There is no correlation between SUV drivers and political leaning.

Want a cookie?

That's my comeback-no fair!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I do judge people with massive SUV's. Sorry, but it's the truth. My kid goes to a private school where the majority of parents drive these massive Escalades and Suburbans, and I think they're vapid, irresponsible nitwits. It's not what these cars cost (we're not exactly poor ourselves), but the attitude they embody.

Agree. BUt then why do you send your child to school with the children of vapid, irresponsible nitwits. The apple typically doesn't fall far from the tree.