How to deal with snobbery?

fivetide

albionrovers wrote: »

==

Are there several different categories of personal plate owners? The original statement was a bit too general methinks.

I'd agree with that. Very expensive plate on a not very expensive but still decent car? - someone fallen on hard times I always think. Remember seeing a mid range Mondeo, clearly not new with the reg 1 something or other so a plate about the same value as the car.

Old barge with a private plate? Possibly had it from new. I'd expect an older driver.

Newer but not new BMW or something - age hider. My car could look 8 years newer if the plate didn't give away its age because it was the first of that model made and it is mint.

Dodgy plate on a chav wagon? Bling

Dodgy plate on a non chav wagon but makign you wonder ???? vanity.

Sure there are more though and all of course IMHO

5t.

attila_

I used to drive a fiat panda 750 (the old shape). I used to feel very disheartened when chavs would look and laugh when they floored past in their motors. Looking back I think the problem was me, in my mind not them.

Don't feel bad.

Lum

I had an age hider plate once, car specific one (B4 xxx on a 1999 Subaru Legacy B4 Japanese import) and it actually saved me a lot of money.

Why? Because I was taking car allowance from work, it was a small firm, and by 2006 they wern't happy about me turning up to customer sides in a V reg car. Once I stuck the private plate on they accepted that the car still looked good and let me continue using it, thus avoiding the expense of purchasing a newer car at my own cost.

So not snobbery, just the cheapest way of dealing with the effects of snobbery. I got another 2 years out of that car before it got written off in an accident, then sold the plate for not much less than I paid for it.

Rolandtheroadie

I do sometimes get embarrased with my 1997 Astra, but with a £400 purchase price (paid the premium for the diesel version), £430 total for tax/insurance and an average of 50p a litre for fuel with a probable £200 weigh in value, I soon get over it.

I see some people say give it a wash/polish it. Snobs.

Matt1977

passatrider wrote: »

I've recently been given a car by my dad to help me get back to work. It's not the best looking car to be honest as it's a bit tatty with a few dents etc.
I live in social housing which forms part of a private cull-de-sac in a small village. The other houses have smart cars parked up and put my car to shame.
I feel really ashamed to have it parked on my drive but as it's been given to me I feel obliged and it's better than nothing. Do you think people will take much notice or am I just overeacting?

I wouldn't worry too much about the image thing. The other neighbours with flashier cars may have bought them on credit. All you have to worry about is keeping the car well maintained to ensure that it continues to get you to work and back.

:j I do have more respect for those who drive older cars, be they well looked after or battle scarred, than those who drive new cars.

Matt1977

grizzly1911 wrote: »

The one thing that does bug me is the amount of W/X reg blobby mondeos that truck around with Gaffer tape on the corners of their rear bumpers.

It only seems to affect these cars in such large numbers.

I've noticed this too. A former neighbour once had a blue P reg Mondeo which from the first time I noticed it, had grey gaffer tape on its bumper. Poor car. There is also a T reg Mondeo that sometimes park next to my car with equally skanky bumpers.

Kilty_2

I have both - an absolute heap that looks ridiculous but is road legal and a brand new econobox. The neigbours can !!!! off :rotfl:

Linus2864

OP, just pass the word around that you are a rich eccentric with a passion for old cars.

Or you could go the whole way and chuck a stained mattress and old washing machine on the lawn . . .

mikey72

Matt1977 wrote: »

.............. The other neighbours with flashier cars may have bought them on credit................

Or they could have just gone in and paid outright, and not even noticed the drop in the bank balance.

thescouselander

There's nothing wrong with buying a car on credit - I don't see what the problem is. There's no point in criticising people who spend their money on newer cars - its their choice if thats what they want to spend their money on. Also if no one bought new cars there would be no second hand cars either.