What does your car say about you?

[Anonymous]

Okay, my car just called to say it will cost $695 to replace his alternator and alternator belt, when you include the labor and the towing fee from Garfield Street.

Tomorrow when I pick her up, my car will say, "Mommy is so good to me. I will not break down again for the rest of the year to thank her."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP - How pathetic & insecure you must be that you only judge people by the car they drive. Is this any better than a Republican who is only friends with people who drive BMWs or SUVs? You are so judgmental and full of hate that it is people like you who make this world a worse place to live.

Well, she does live in a beautiful Victorian house that is always clean! Maybe she feels insecure about her car. Or maybe in this economy she can't afford a nicer car but really wants some so she was looking for some reassurance she car was ok...

[Anonymous]

It says that I should avoid tight parking garages. And also that I don't know how a carwash works.

[Anonymous]

I'm worried about some of you. I hate SUVs, but I don't hate you. I said it's an irrational hatred. It's based upon non-fact-based assumptions about the people who drive them. It's also interesting to me that not a single one of my close friends drives an SUV.

But car choices say something about us. It's odd. My best friend drives this nice, expensive car. And she keeps it really clean. But she doesn't live in a nice house. She can't afford one. But she can afford this car. Why doesn't her car match her house? Why doesn't my car match my house? I have a nice house, and a crappy car. I can afford a new one, but I'm sticking with this dented can I drive.

Is there such a thing as a car psychologist? This thread was prompted by my super-liberal, bf'd until the kid was FOUR, local schmocal food, grow your own organic veggies, composting toilet (yetch!) who is in the process of buying an SUV. This disturbs my view of the universe.

BTW, I also think BMWs are tacky, p.u. smell of new money and insecurity. My charming, handsome, old-money relative drives one. This really challenged me.

Should I buy a new car? I'd like an Audi wagon. Anyone have one? Can three kids fit into the back seat? Where do you put the dog? And the groceries?

[Anonymous]

Okay, all this talk is making me think about the subject of prejudices and cars.

I don't like this phenomena of people having both 1 ridiculously expensive car (like a Mercedes) and 1 beat up old Volvo station wagon, and whenever you're in a group talking about cars and they need to "go poor" they talk about the old Volvo. Seems like everyone has a beat up Volvo they use exclusively for their trips to Nantucket.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I drive a 10-year-old Japanese minivan. It's dented and scratched and really dirty inside. I could afford a new car, but I don't want one.

My best friend drives a shiny new Volvo sedan. Hers has leather. Mine has stained fabric seats.

My friend lives in an apartment she rents. I live in an old Victorian I own. It's clean and neat and looks very nice. I never clean my car. I don't even wash it. When it gets dirty, I let it sit out in the rain.

What does my car say about me?

And I hate SUVs. I hate them with a passion. I think they are gas-guzzling, Republican, nouveau riche cars. Not a single one of my true-blue friends drives an SUV. I even scratch people off my list when I find out they drive an SUV. A friend (not a close one, but someone I like) is considering buying a Volvo SUV, and my pencil is out. Her current car is a 10-year-old Lexus sedan, which I consider acceptable. She never washes it, and it's dirtier than mine.

Is my friend changing because she's looking at an SUV? I would never consider buying an SUV. If someone gave me one, I'd sell it and buy a minivan or a sedan, or maybe a wagon.

But not now. I like my old minivan. It probably gets worse mileage than a new SUV. Do cars mean say as much as I think they do? Can I get over this SUV hatred? Are there others out there like me?

What does your car say about you?

Really? I see more "Obama 08" bumper stickers on SUVs than I do on good old sedans.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Should I buy a new car? I'd like an Audi wagon. Anyone have one? Can three kids fit into the back seat?

We have 3 carseats in the back of our A4. I think many more cars can fit three across than people realize.

[Anonymous]

We are a family of 3 (me, DH and an only child). WE HAVE THREE SUVs ! mine, DH's, and a paid-off extra one.

I think this says that we like SUVs. we certainly never go off-roading.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I drive a 10-year-old Japanese minivan. It's dented and scratched and really dirty inside. I could afford a new car, but I don't want one.

Hey this sounds like my shoes.

We should start the topic: What do your shoes say about you?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I drive a 10-year-old Japanese minivan. It's dented and scratched and really dirty inside. I could afford a new car, but I don't want one.

My best friend drives a shiny new Volvo sedan. Hers has leather. Mine has stained fabric seats.

My friend lives in an apartment she rents. I live in an old Victorian I own. It's clean and neat and looks very nice. I never clean my car. I don't even wash it. When it gets dirty, I let it sit out in the rain.

What does my car say about me?

And I hate SUVs. I hate them with a passion. I think they are gas-guzzling, Republican, nouveau riche cars. Not a single one of my true-blue friends drives an SUV. I even scratch people off my list when I find out they drive an SUV. A friend (not a close one, but someone I like) is considering buying a Volvo SUV, and my pencil is out. Her current car is a 10-year-old Lexus sedan, which I consider acceptable. She never washes it, and it's dirtier than mine.

Is my friend changing because she's looking at an SUV? I would never consider buying an SUV. If someone gave me one, I'd sell it and buy a minivan or a sedan, or maybe a wagon.

But not now. I like my old minivan. It probably gets worse mileage than a new SUV. Do cars mean say as much as I think they do? Can I get over this SUV hatred? Are there others out there like me?

What does your car say about you?

Wow. You have really got problems. I think you should be more worried about: What do the things that consume your mind say about you?

Perhaps she a shrink? get some help? Be more productive? Who cares about what others think about your house or your cars? Just do what right for you and don't worry about others!

[Anonymous]

I'm sorry, but there is no correlation between the vehicle types, being sustainable and political affiliation.

One my work colleagues has a big Denali, a BMW SUV, has a house that has gas bills of over $1500 per month, but was a big Obama supporter, and a Democrat. WTF?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Should I buy a new car? I'd like an Audi wagon. Anyone have one? Can three kids fit into the back seat?

We have 3 carseats in the back of our A4. I think many more cars can fit three across than people realize.

This is really great to know!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I drive a 10-year-old Japanese minivan. It's dented and scratched and really dirty inside. I could afford a new car, but I don't want one.

My best friend drives a shiny new Volvo sedan. Hers has leather. Mine has stained fabric seats.

My friend lives in an apartment she rents. I live in an old Victorian I own. It's clean and neat and looks very nice. I never clean my car. I don't even wash it. When it gets dirty, I let it sit out in the rain.

What does my car say about me?

And I hate SUVs. I hate them with a passion. I think they are gas-guzzling, Republican, nouveau riche cars. Not a single one of my true-blue friends drives an SUV. I even scratch people off my list when I find out they drive an SUV. A friend (not a close one, but someone I like) is considering buying a Volvo SUV, and my pencil is out. Her current car is a 10-year-old Lexus sedan, which I consider acceptable. She never washes it, and it's dirtier than mine.

Is my friend changing because she's looking at an SUV? I would never consider buying an SUV. If someone gave me one, I'd sell it and buy a minivan or a sedan, or maybe a wagon.

But not now. I like my old minivan. It probably gets worse mileage than a new SUV. Do cars mean say as much as I think they do? Can I get over this SUV hatred? Are there others out there like me?

What does your car say about you?

Can I come to your house for dinner? Ummm, I don't need a ride home, though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just for kicks, here's what U Penn sociologist Fussell and some others have said. Old money folks drive really old cars because they don't need to project wealth/status through their car, they have enough other ways of doing it. By contrast, lower income folks use expensive cars to project wealth, at least as long as they're driving around.

Go ahead and flame me now.... (Although I'm just quoting these guys, and I would be interested in positive or negative reactions to what after all is just a theory!)

Anyway I realize many of you are more focused on the practicalities of fitting three car seats across.

Interesting. That's what my father (who grew up wealthy) always said.

[Anonymous]

My car says, "This layer of filth combined with my manual transmission means my lady can park me anywhere without fear of me being stolen." She also says,"My lady likes bumper stickers, and if you look closely through the window, you can see she drinks a lot of coffee and vitamin water. Also, she's clearly a single mom and an organizer. Ew. I may not be pretty, but I get 35 miles to the gallon, sucka!"

So there.