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

EssexHebridean

There have always - and will always - been status symbols though, and some people are more bothered by the impression of status that they give than others are. I know folk who drive all manner of cars and without ever feeling the need to mention the make at all in general conversation, perhaps except when needing to differentiate between their car and a partner's - I might refer to mine as "the Renault" to our friend who is also our mechanic for example to differentiate it from the husband's "the Peugeot" but if just discussing with friends picking them up to go somewhere it'd just be "we'll be in my car so look out for that pulling up"  or "the red one" or similar. Generally speaking neither of us are label orientated so big-ticket brands are unlikely to be of particular interest to us. 

On the flip side you get people who will throw their car make and model into every conversation presumably because they think it defines them as a "better person" in some way - perhaps it does to full-on car geeks, but to the general population it probably just marks them as someone who is perhaps a little insecure in their own skin, or just someone who is rather boastful - not generally an attribute that is seen to win too many friends in the UK. At least it gives you a clear indication of the sort of people you'd rather avoid in the pub, I guess! 

MattMattMattUK

I drive a 16 year old VW Golf, the same car I drove when I earned 30k pa, the same car I drove when I when I earned £100k+, the same car I drove during Covid when my income fell to £12k pa and the same car I drive now I earn ok money again. I will drive it until it dies and then buy something that lasts and keep going until it becomes unreliable. Generally the people I know who have flash cars or who think cars give them status are people who have their car on finance, or lease etc. and cannot really afford the car, but think it makes them more important because they drive a £50k+ car. 

Sea_Shell

EssexHebridean said:

There have always - and will always - been status symbols though, and some people are more bothered by the impression of status that they give than others are. I know folk who drive all manner of cars and without ever feeling the need to mention the make at all in general conversation, perhaps except when needing to differentiate between their car and a partner's - I might refer to mine as "the Renault" to our friend who is also our mechanic for example to differentiate it from the husband's "the Peugeot" but if just discussing with friends picking them up to go somewhere it'd just be "we'll be in my car so look out for that pulling up"  or "the red one" or similar. Generally speaking neither of us are label orientated so big-ticket brands are unlikely to be of particular interest to us. 

On the flip side you get people who will throw their car make and model into every conversation presumably because they think it defines them as a "better person" in some way - perhaps it does to full-on car geeks, but to the general population it probably just marks them as someone who is perhaps a little insecure in their own skin, or just someone who is rather boastful - not generally an attribute that is seen to win too many friends in the UK. At least it gives you a clear indication of the sort of people you'd rather avoid in the pub, I guess! 

Like mentioning "The Jag" in a Jeremy Clarkson voice🤣🤣

EssexHebridean

Sea_Shell said:

EssexHebridean said:

There have always - and will always - been status symbols though, and some people are more bothered by the impression of status that they give than others are. I know folk who drive all manner of cars and without ever feeling the need to mention the make at all in general conversation, perhaps except when needing to differentiate between their car and a partner's - I might refer to mine as "the Renault" to our friend who is also our mechanic for example to differentiate it from the husband's "the Peugeot" but if just discussing with friends picking them up to go somewhere it'd just be "we'll be in my car so look out for that pulling up"  or "the red one" or similar. Generally speaking neither of us are label orientated so big-ticket brands are unlikely to be of particular interest to us. 

On the flip side you get people who will throw their car make and model into every conversation presumably because they think it defines them as a "better person" in some way - perhaps it does to full-on car geeks, but to the general population it probably just marks them as someone who is perhaps a little insecure in their own skin, or just someone who is rather boastful - not generally an attribute that is seen to win too many friends in the UK. At least it gives you a clear indication of the sort of people you'd rather avoid in the pub, I guess! 

Like mentioning "The Jag" in a Jeremy Clarkson voice🤣🤣

I now have that running through my head but with a slightly different make/model of car in the frame...  

Herzlos

Sea_Shell said:

Like mentioning "The Jag" in a Jeremy Clarkson voice🤣🤣

That's what I did when we had a Jag. I'd like to think was doing it ironically because whilst it was a nice car, it was probably the cheapest car on the street at the time, since it was much older.

Sea_Shell

EssexHebridean said:

Sea_Shell said:

EssexHebridean said:

There have always - and will always - been status symbols though, and some people are more bothered by the impression of status that they give than others are. I know folk who drive all manner of cars and without ever feeling the need to mention the make at all in general conversation, perhaps except when needing to differentiate between their car and a partner's - I might refer to mine as "the Renault" to our friend who is also our mechanic for example to differentiate it from the husband's "the Peugeot" but if just discussing with friends picking them up to go somewhere it'd just be "we'll be in my car so look out for that pulling up"  or "the red one" or similar. Generally speaking neither of us are label orientated so big-ticket brands are unlikely to be of particular interest to us. 

On the flip side you get people who will throw their car make and model into every conversation presumably because they think it defines them as a "better person" in some way - perhaps it does to full-on car geeks, but to the general population it probably just marks them as someone who is perhaps a little insecure in their own skin, or just someone who is rather boastful - not generally an attribute that is seen to win too many friends in the UK. At least it gives you a clear indication of the sort of people you'd rather avoid in the pub, I guess! 

Like mentioning "The Jag" in a Jeremy Clarkson voice🤣🤣

I now have that running through my head but with a slightly different make/model of car in the frame...  

Hmmm, let me guess....😉🤣


Do they also have "room for a pony" ? 😉

Grumpy_chap

EssexHebridean said:

On the flip side you get people who will throw their car make and model into every conversation presumably because they think it defines them as a "better person" in some way 

Aww - you are getting me all sentimental for our lost friend with the Golf VR6, the Porsche 911, the S-Class and the Range Rover (proper one, not the cheapy Evoque).
Them were the days

Sea_Shell

Grumpy_chap said:

EssexHebridean said:

On the flip side you get people who will throw their car make and model into every conversation presumably because they think it defines them as a "better person" in some way 

Aww - you are getting me all sentimental for our lost friend with the Golf VR6, the Porsche 911, the S-Class and the Range Rover (proper one, not the cheapy Evoque).
Them were the days

Lost??   😉

caprikid1

MattMattMattUK said:

I drive a 16 year old VW Golf, the same car I drove when I earned 30k pa, the same car I drove when I when I earned £100k+, the same car I drove during Covid when my income fell to £12k pa and the same car I drive now I earn ok money again. I will drive it until it dies and then buy something that lasts and keep going until it becomes unreliable. Generally the people I know who have flash cars or who think cars give them status are people who have their car on finance, or lease etc. and cannot really afford the car, but think it makes them more important because they drive a £50k+ car. 

Some people like to use inverse snobbery by how old their car is in relation to their earnings, that's almost as relevant to some people as how flash and new a car is to others.

My Golf is 20 years old and I earn...... (-;

I recently employed a new senior engineer, I was devastated he had an older car than me !

sevenhills

NBLondon said:

sevenhills said:

, but I would say someone with a people carrier is not a selfish person, because they have bought a car with others in mind.

How come?  If you have a people carrier that is mostly occupied by one person you are taking up more road space than you need and consuming more resources.  2 doors and 2 seats is all we need because we haven't polluted the planet with children or dogs   

If you buy a car because that is what you want, it's a selfish act. Nothing wrong with being selfish occasionally.
Do you think about grandad getting in the back seat, or helping your family out?
That sports car could be 0.1% of your free cash or it could be 10%

I have had estate cars too, I am a practical person