Which car is your opinion is flashier/classier?

Sea_Shell

diystarter7 said:

Btw, I have an old Merc, C class diesel and I think one of the injectors may have gone or timing gone as every so often there is a cloud of smoke, 
light greyish smoke and this has happened several times over 12/18 months but passed its mot and cars done 50k miles a 2007 car.

What's the overall condition of your current car, other than these mechanical issues?

If it's only done 50k, it should be pretty good, unless it's been abused.

If so, spend some money on it getting it back up to scratch and then keep it.

A well looked after older car is more "attractive" than a newer one that looks neglected IMO.

Take pride in your car and it'll shine through, more than what it is or how much it cost.

Ibrahim5

It's very rare to find a car that isn't neglected nowadays. Neglected is the norm.

NBLondon

Grumpy_chap said:

Sea_Shell said:

Having given this more thought, what does impress me and turn my head are older "classics", that are in mint condition.  Usually 70/80s cars.

Capri

XR3i

Even early golf/fiesta/escort/astra etc.
Doubly so if they are a convertible!

They are rare now and so really stand out as unusual.  Not the ten a penny boxes everyone drives these days

Not bad for a 97 Fiesta.

Not sure that has really reached "classic" status yet though.

25 years old though.    When it appears many cars don't make it past 15 any more - some would call that a classic.   Maybe it depends on whether it was unusual or desirable when new.  I'd like a Range Rover CSK - most people would call that a classic but a Mondeo or Cavalier from the same year?

iwb100

NBLondon said:

iwb100 said:

Ditzy_Mitzy said:

You aren't really going to impress anybody driving one of those things.  Non-car people tend to view SUVs as the spawn of Satan and car people see them as boring; I'm in the latter category and wouldn't look twice at an SUV of description, they're just people carriers on stilts.  

Are you kidding? Non car people love SUVs it’s why 6 of this years top ten sellers so far are SUVs. The rest your standard hatch’s plus the mini. People just gobble the things up. Absolutely those into cars, and I mean cars performance hate them. But then the luxury car end of the market they have taken over too. 

But to suggest people not into cars don’t like them won’t explain the huge success that SUV body style has over just about any other family size car. It’s insane. 

I think it's a bit chicken and egg.   Do SUVs sell because people actively prefer them or do people buy SUVs because that's what's available.   I suspect there are some who would actually still prefer a large saloon, but practicality intervenes.  The best fit for their needs might actually be an MPV but they see it as "uncool" so an SUV or a crossover is a compromise.  (And the actual difference between an SUV and a crossover is a bit blurry).

Some people who "aren't into cars"  just see them as appliances.  They care about cost first or safety or space for children and junk.  Whether it impresses anyone else is way down the list.

I think Mitzy also refers to people who are somewhat anti-car (often eco warriors) who will consider an SUV as even worse than a small hatchback.

Estates and saloons are still available. People just prefer SUVs or let’s be correct here, SUV shaped cars, they aren’t really actual SUVs. It’s just a fact. I live near a school. I don’t see a single estate or saloon in the drop off. All hatch’s and SUVs. Every single one. And yet I walk into showrooms and the saloons and estates are there…families and people generally who need a car that size don’t buy them, at least in my experience. It makes sense though right? Family have a hatch. Probably from before the kids. Then they need a bigger car. Historically estates and saloons seemed a bit scarier. So crossover is just their hatch with more boot space and headroom. Great. More kids. Mid size SUVs is just their crossover with more boot space and headroom and a little more legroom. Then large suv is just their mid size suv with 7 seats. 

It’s a pretty obvious journey and much less a jump than a hatch or super mini to a full blown estate.

So it’s clear why they are popular. And yes anti car folk hate them. But vast majority of the car driving (but not caring about their cars) population like or love SUVs.

oldagetraveller1

How about a Toyota Yaris without rear brakes? Now, that's real class!

silverwhistle

Well, I think my car is classified as an SUV, but that's because it was the cheapest available EV into which I could easily get ageing parent and various other loads, and it's now getting to the time of year when I can get a proportion of mileage free from my solar panels. I also use other means of transport like my bicycle to training tonight, so don't feel too guilty about the car's lack of aerodynamics!

But I'd second the question asked of the OP: who are you trying to impress? Like many of us I'd make the polite noises, must be comfortable etc., but I'd be thinking no point inviting him on our skiing holiday/trip to Spain/whatever as all the money has gone on a status symbol. If you want a seven seater you might be popular with your local pub football team, but I'm still not clear of your motivation. As you can see, not many of us share your views on 'classy' or 'impressive'.

mgfvvc

NBLondon said:When it appears many cars don't make it past 15 any more - some would call that a classic.

Not that many cars ever made it past 15 years. I think a lot more do now than did in my yoof. I don't see a 52/53 reg car as that unusual these days although they are getting rarer.
My first car, a Triumph 1500TC, had galloping rust at 13 years old in spite of Zeibart rust proofing treatment having been applied when it was new.

NBLondon

iwb100 said:

Estates and saloons are still available. 

Not quite as many options as there were 10 years ago...  The Ford Mondeo has just gone out of production and will come back as a crossover.   The Vauxhall Insignia only exists in 2 models (and only as a diesel).  VW Passat no longer exists as a saloon and the estate appears to be electric only.

Thrugelmir

JGB1955 said:

I have always associated Mercedes with Eastern European taxis.  Not something I would want to be seen driving.

No shortage of Mercedes in Albania. Though that's because the roads in the interior of the country are in such a poor state. 

iwb100

NBLondon said:

iwb100 said:

Estates and saloons are still available. 

Not quite as many options as there were 10 years ago...  The Ford Mondeo has just gone out of production and will come back as a crossover.   The Vauxhall Insignia only exists in 2 models (and only as a diesel).  VW Passat no longer exists as a saloon and the estate appears to be electric only.

Yep. And these models are going because people aren’t buying them instead preferring an ‘SUV’. It’s entirely wrong to suggest the car buying market doesn’t love them. It does. Especially the family car and luxury car markets. SUV all the way for those. Like it or not they are popular.