Why are people judged by their cars/value of cars?

PunkRoquefort

I have always bought new Hondas/Toyotas and although they have served me very well and never let me down, considering buying an entry level/maybe next model up Audi or BMW? 

Someone has just mentioned that Series 1 BMWs are for BMW drivers who can't really afford one.

jackieblack

Are people judged by their cars/values of cars? Is that really a thing? 
Why does anyone care what car someone else drives? 

tifo

jackieblack said:

Are people judged by their cars/values of cars? Is that really a thing? 
Why does anyone care what car someone else drives? 

That's what people do and why some people buy the cars they do, my kids included .

jackieblack

tifo said:

jackieblack said:

Are people judged by their cars/values of cars? Is that really a thing? 
Why does anyone care what car someone else drives? 

That's what people do and why some people buy the cars they do, my kids included .

That's depressing

TadleyBaggie

PunkRoquefort said:

Someone has just mentioned that Series 1 BMWs are for BMW drivers who can't really afford one.

I think it says more about the "someone" then others.

DullGreyGuy

PunkRoquefort said:

I have always bought new Hondas/Toyotas and although they have served me very well and never let me down, considering buying an entry level/maybe next model up Audi or BMW? 

Someone has just mentioned that Series 1 BMWs are for BMW drivers who can't really afford one.

And others will say all BMW drivers are arrogant 

As with most things, brands have different target markets and people naturally gravitate to (or away from) certain brands. Cars are stronger because its very easy to tell if a car is a BMW or a Citroen and they are out in public whereas unless your wearing logoed trainers or such its much harder for people to know what brand your clothes or footwear is (though a general guess on where they are on the price spectrum doesnt tend to be too hard once the items been used for a bit)

Herzlos

PunkRoquefort said:
Someone has just mentioned that Series 1 BMWs are for BMW drivers who can't really afford one.

It used to be claimed that anyone buying a BMW with a 1 in the name was just buying the badge. The reason behind that is that that BMW's are great driving machines, but if you took the base model (316/318) you were buying one without any power.
The same kind of applies to the 1 series, the hatchback was pretty poor all round but cost far more than the equivalent Golf.

Of course, the M1 and stuff like the 135 are much better but you'd still expect most enthusiasts to be buying an M3 or M5 instead.

On the judging; people love to judge and it's generally a pretty clear indication of how much someone has spent. It's completely confused by stuff like company cars, PCP, mot-ability, etc. where people aren't necessarily paying full market rate for them.

Of course, a lot of 'old money' people don't go into the flashy image thing and will drive cheap cars because they work just the same.

Personally, whilst some of the premium branded stuff is nice, I just couldn't justify the money to buy the fancy badged one over the uncool one. For instance, an Audi A3 is basically a VW Golf, which is basically a Skoda Octavia. I'd rather drive the Skoda and put the rest of the money into a holiday or something. 

tifo

Herzlos said:

Personally, whilst some of the premium branded stuff is nice, I just couldn't justify the money to buy the fancy badged one over the uncool one.

They are nice but expensive to repair when things go wrong and they regularly do, esp electronics on german cars. Mechanically they're very good, solid cars and very driveable but need to get them over 2.0 litres otherwise they're underpowered. I'm talking from experience.

Grumpy_chap

jackieblack said:

Are people judged by their cars/values of cars? Is that really a thing? 
Why does anyone care what car someone else drives? 

I think they definitely are, especially in the business world.
Companies don't want you turning up in a Bentley (customers might comment negatively "we are being ripped off") or a banger (customers might comment negatively "is the supplier financially sound?").
That then results in the company car culture.
Company cars are different trim depending upon the grade of the individual in the organisation.

tifo

Because you drive a nice car people think you're successful. Same with a house.

Even if inside it's all on debt.

Brie

Isn't the point of most advertising to convince individuals that they are better/richer/more popular if they buy brand X?  And so we do judge people in relationship to that.  And then there's those other popular ideas that certain cars must be sold without turn signals (the alternative being that the drivers are too ignorant/stupid/arrogant to use them).  

A lot of it is in negative of course.  An expensive car?  Must have no idea on how to control his finances!  Fast sporty car?  Boy racer or man having a middle aged crisis?  8 year old compact?  Little old lady.  (well that last is true in my case....)