Why is it always an Audi

[Cyril Haearn]

A car reflects ones status and aspirations?

Not for many of us cyclists, we buy what we find secondhand at the time we need it, can't choose colours or whatever but I was lucky to get one with a glass sun-roof, +1

My car is the commonest make and I was proud when my neighbour accosted me one day when I parked it at home after a trip. *At last you went for a drive, I cleared the vegetation that had grown under your vehicle! * he said

[old_windbag]

Not for many of us cyclists, we buy what we find secondhand at the time we need it, can't choose colours or whatever but I was lucky to get one with a glass sun-roof, +1

But most car buyers tend not to be regular cyclists, they make up a small percentage of the total. It's the bigger percentage who may use the car to excess and also reflect their status/success( in their eyes ), boost their self esteem, thats how I see it.

I saw a woman a few days ago in a huge white Audi Q series, made to look jacked up by design. She had a private/select registration something like
L1 NZE or similar. So advertising her name. It's that attention seeking mentality that I think is sad, you can be brilliant at your work but it doesn't mean you need bigger, faster, more inefficient transport. You could have an elise for track days and a focus for anything else and cash in the bank. Or just drive a 3 pot ford fiesta/corsa if it does all you need of it( and for most they definitely do ), you're still the successful person good at their work. Its a shame that humans do judge people by what they drive...... even I've just done it . But you get the point I'm trying to make.

[meic]

I just remembered that three weeks ago I had an incident with a mother in a Jaguar in the primary school car park. I was walking my daughter across from one side to another of the car park across the exit.
She started her car and drove at the exit expecting us to yield as if she was on a road, I carried on walking as if I was in a school car park and mouthed something at her. I can say my reaction was prior to any recognition of what type of car it was.

[JohnW]

Lets talk about bikes everyone - bikes are more human than Audis , or any make of car , and beneath it all, we're human .

[mnichols]

If you read back throw the posts there is definitely a theme running through some people's comments that either other people shouldn't want to have a nice car, or they can't understand it, or why does it have to be so big/fast/expensive, etc. Why can't they drive a smaller/cheaper car like me?

My question is: What's it got to do with you? Your presumption that these newer/bigger/more expensive cars are inefficient is almost certainly incorrect, my jag does 70 to the gallon and I pay £25 tax a year because it has almost zero emissions. A friend has just bought a huge 7 seater 4x4 that is almost entirely electric.

If people can afford it why object? If they can't that's their problem not yours

[old_windbag]

If you read back throw the posts there is definitely a theme running through some people's comments that either other people shouldn't want to have a nice car, or they can't understand it, or why does it have to be so big/fast/expensive, etc. Why can't they drive a smaller/cheaper car like me?

So why bite? You can just ignore it as being opposed to your outlook. But it's good to see that you use the expression "want to have a nice car". So what is a nice car? How do you define a "nice car" and a "horrible car", what would your criteria be for distinguishing one from the other. Oh and yes I do drive a small'ish car, by my criteria it is a nice car and with driving dynamics that can put a few more expensive cars to shame.... so a good design considering it's price point, they didn't cut corners there, nor on the engine design( no burr walnut or leather seats though ). I don't pay VED but I don't get 70mpg( I'm petrol ), the gov figures are 66mpg combined. Real measured figures I get with driving say 70% a-roads, 30% urban and measured tank to tank fill, 54mpg summer, 51mpg winter. Still good for petrol considering the efficiency difference between that and diesel. I drive steadily but not full on hypermiling, hard to do in urban. So the reality of gov mpg figures is yes they are achievable under their testing methods but not in the real world.... the figures are for comparative use so useful in that respect. Previous car I would better the gov figures by about 10% but the testing method was different at that time, more realistic rather than optomistic as todays tests.

My question is: What's it got to do with you?

Well I guess it has nothing to do with me, just as all the issues in our world/environment/society have nothing to do with me.... it's other peoples issues. But it isn't because we are all part of the uk society and how we live our lives can have a positive or negative benefit on these issues so we all have a responsibility to act in a way to minimise our impact on resources etc. We can't have an attitude of "I'm alright jack pull up the ladder", or "I've got the money I can spend it any which way I like". You can live like that but it's not a great example to set. Putting that aside and considering the choices people do make when spending big money on cars, its sad to see so much money leaving the UK and being invested in Germany .

At the end of the day we are most likely polar opposites in values, politics etc...... so just accept it, my view is equally as valid as yours.

[mnichols]

So why bite? You can just ignore it

I'm not, but I am surprised at the attitudes towards people that choose to spend more on the cars than others may do. As I said, in my previous post having bought a new car 6 weeks ago. It has already been vandalised twice, causing around £1,000 worth of damage, and a friend who bought a new BMW had both wing mirrors snapped off. So I do challenge these opinions

So what is a nice car? How do you define a "nice car" and a "horrible car", what would your criteria be for distinguishing one from the other.

I don't I try not to make judgements about other people, and certainly wouldn't make any based on their car

My question is: What's it got to do with you?

Well I guess it has nothing to do with me, just as all the issues in our world/environment/society have nothing to do with me.... it's other peoples issues. But it isn't because we are all part of the uk society and how we live our lives can have a positive or negative benefit on these issues so we all have a responsibility to act in a way to minimise our impact on resources etc.

More cars are more fuel efficient than those that have gone before. In another 20 years petrol and diesel cars may be a thing of the past. Many cars now only require fossil fuels for emergencies

We can't have an attitude of "I'm alright jack pull up the ladder"

, or "I've got the money I can spend it any which way I like". You can live like that but it's not a great example to set.

How am I pulling up the ladder? Please explain as I fail to follow your logic here
but I have got the money and I can spend it how I like.
How am I not setting a good example? I was born and raise on a council estate, went to comprehensive school, worked hard, saved, never lived beyond my means, have put enough away for a comfortable retirement, helped other along the way, and have enough left over to enjoy myself. Please explain how I'm not setting a good example, and maybe list the assumptions that you have made to reach that conclussion

Putting that aside and considering the choices people do make when spending big money on cars, its sad to see so much money leaving the UK and being invested in Germany .

I drive a Jag

At the end of the day we are most likely polar opposites in values, politics etc

You know nothing about me or my politics. Again, I would be interested to know what assumptions you have made to reach that conclusion

...... so just accept it, my view is equally as valid as yours.

Sorry, just because you hold an opinion doesn't make it valid. A person could hold and opinion that the world is flat, or the moon is made of cheese. Just because they hold it doesn't make it valid.

[mnichols]

So why bite? You can just ignore it

I'm not, but I am surprised at the attitudes towards people that choose to spend more on the cars than others may do. As I said, in my previous post having bought a new car 6 weeks ago. It has already been vandalised twice, causing around £1,000 worth of damage, and a friend who bought a new BMW had both wing mirrors snapped off. So I do challenge these opinions

So what is a nice car? How do you define a "nice car" and a "horrible car", what would your criteria be for distinguishing one from the other.

I don't I try not to make judgements about other people, and certainly wouldn't make any based on their car

My question is: What's it got to do with you?

Well I guess it has nothing to do with me, just as all the issues in our world/environment/society have nothing to do with me.... it's other peoples issues. But it isn't because we are all part of the uk society and how we live our lives can have a positive or negative benefit on these issues so we all have a responsibility to act in a way to minimise our impact on resources etc.

New cars are generally more fuel efficient than those that have gone before. In another 20 years petrol and diesel cars may be a thing of the past. Many cars now only require fossil fuels for emergencies

We can't have an attitude of "I'm alright jack pull up the ladder"

, or "I've got the money I can spend it any which way I like". You can live like that but it's not a great example to set.

How am I pulling up the ladder? Please explain as I fail to follow your logic here
but I have got the money and I can spend it how I like.
How am I not setting a good example? I was born and raise on a council estate, went to comprehensive school, worked hard, saved, never lived beyond my means, have put enough away for a comfortable retirement, helped other along the way, and have enough left over to enjoy myself. Please explain how I'm not setting a good example, and maybe list the assumptions that you have made to reach that conclussion

Putting that aside and considering the choices people do make when spending big money on cars, its sad to see so much money leaving the UK and being invested in Germany .

I drive a Jag

At the end of the day we are most likely polar opposites in values, politics etc

You know nothing about me or my politics. Again, I would be interested to know what assumptions you have made to reach that conclusion

...... so just accept it, my view is equally as valid as yours.

Sorry, just because you hold an opinion doesn't make it valid. A person could hold and opinion that the world is flat, or the moon is made of cheese. Just because they hold it doesn't make it valid.

[mnichols]

So why bite? You can just ignore it

I'm not, but I am surprised at the attitudes towards people that choose to spend more on the cars than others may do. As I said, in my previous post having bought a new car 6 weeks ago. It has already been vandalised twice, causing around £1,000 worth of damage, and a friend who bought a new BMW had both wing mirrors snapped off. So I do challenge these opinions

So what is a nice car? How do you define a "nice car" and a "horrible car", what would your criteria be for distinguishing one from the other.

I don't I try not to make judgements about other people, and certainly wouldn't make any based on their car

Well I guess it has nothing to do with me, just as all the issues in our world/environment/society have nothing to do with me.... it's other peoples issues. But it isn't because we are all part of the uk society and how we live our lives can have a positive or negative benefit on these issues so we all have a responsibility to act in a way to minimise our impact on resources etc.

New cars are generally more fuel efficient than those that have gone before. In another 20 years petrol and diesel cars may be a thing of the past. Many cars now only require fossil fuels for emergencies

We can't have an attitude of "I'm alright jack pull up the ladder"

How am I pulling up the ladder? Please explain as I fail to follow your logic here

, or "I've got the money I can spend it any which way I like". You can live like that but it's not a great example to set.

but I have got the money and I can spend it how I like.
How am I not setting a good example? I was born and raise on a council estate, went to comprehensive school, worked hard, saved, never lived beyond my means, have put enough away for a comfortable retirement, helped other along the way, and have enough left over to enjoy myself. Please explain how I'm not setting a good example, and maybe list the assumptions that you have made to reach that conclussion

Putting that aside and considering the choices people do make when spending big money on cars, its sad to see so much money leaving the UK and being invested in Germany .

I drive a Jag

At the end of the day we are most likely polar opposites in values, politics etc

You know nothing about me or my politics. Again, I would be interested to know what assumptions you have made to reach that conclusion

...... so just accept it, my view is equally as valid as yours.

Sorry, just because you hold an opinion doesn't make it valid. A person could hold an opinion that the world is flat, or the moon is made of cheese. Just because they hold it doesn't make it valid.

[Audax67]

Sorry, just because you hold an opinion doesn't make it valid. A person could hold and opinion that the world is flat, or the moon is made of cheese. Just because they hold it doesn't make it valid.

[old_windbag]

I'm not, but I am surprised at the attitudes towards people that choose to spend more on the cars than others may do. As I said, in my previous post having bought a new car 6 weeks ago. It has already been vandalised twice, causing around £1,000 worth of damage, and a friend who bought a new BMW had both wing mirrors snapped off. So I do challenge these opinions

I wasn't referencing the vandalism issues you've had. I don't do that nor condone it, even when I have had an old car or a hire car if parked next to anyones car I'd not open a door to bump it, or put a shopping trolley against it etc. I respect peoples property, partly as I like cars and keeping them pristine if possible, though a banger allows a stress free life in that respect. When I was younger I had a few cars, one of which was bought just prior to the upswell in car theft and ram raiding etc, not planned that way. Cars of those days had to be fitted with alarms and immobilisers the factory security was poor compared to modern cars. I had seven attempted thefts on the said vehicle in just over 3 years, only 2 could I claim for as building up my no claims meant I took a bigger penalty than repair cost. The car was finally taken with me hanging off the back and jumping off, never seen again. I lost a lot of earned money on that car, shouldn't have, but society allowed it. I actually understand your point on when you drive the jag people build a different image of you, I too was perceived differently in the car above. I as a person was down to earth, normal?, but the stereotype created by the cars image made me one of "them". It would receive a different attitude from drivers around, I could have driven like a nun but that would not change. I was an odd man out driving it because on the whole the stereotype of those buying that car may have been true, but I'd bought it on tech spec's and design....

New cars are generally more fuel efficient than those that have gone before. In another 20 years petrol and diesel cars may be a thing of the past. Many cars now only require fossil fuels for emergencies

Yes I agree that we are moving into a greener era. Thanks to engineering many of the problems of fossil fuel drivetrains are being replaced by hybrids temporarily then full electric with likely 3-500mile range. But what we had served us well and my point relates beyond simply emissions or mpg but the resources to create all of these vehicles. Can a 1 ton car offer the same functional, even luxury, experience as a 2 ton car. In efficiency terms the less mass we have to accelerate and decellerate the better. Most often car journeys are short, may only involve one person etc. I have said elsewhere my big fear of the green revolution is that all the issues of cars will not go away( congestion, short school runs ), the air will be fresher but the car use may be worsened by the view that we have unlimited energy to fuel them. All the energy needs to create a vehicle and the material resources. It's a big problem but not one of the car itself but the marketing and demand of the consumer. I personally feel cars are often bought on a view of "my neighbours will be impressed by this", "wait till my friends see this" and turned over every 2-3 years due to pcp etc. It's human nature but perhaps not the ideal for the worsening problems we have with increasing population and the same road space.

How am I not setting a good example? I was born and raise on a council estate, went to comprehensive school, worked hard, saved, never lived beyond my means, have put enough away for a comfortable retirement, helped other along the way, and have enough left over to enjoy myself. Please explain how I'm not setting a good example, and maybe list the assumptions that you have made to reach that conclussion

Ditto in the most part. But from past experience etc my view of the car and how we use it and what it should represent maybe has changed.

I drive a Jag

Yes I know I wasn't referring to your purchase, rather the popularity of VAG, BMW, porsche when money is spent. It's good to retain some of the purchase in the form of manufacturing plants in the UK, multinationals with UK sites as we don't have many/any mass market uk owned firms in this field. This does rather leave us in a tenuous position post brexit.... could cost us a bit if tariffs are imposed as per the nissan dealings

I don't I try not to make judgements about other people, and certainly wouldn't make any based on their car

.

You may not but humans on the whole do. Also it's two sided in that people do buy cars in order to cast an impression to others. The ad agencies and marketing companies play this aspect well, if it didn't work then the not do it. In the past people were badge driven L, XL, GXL, Ghia, normally matching job position if a company car..... The car is used as an outward sign of success even today.

Oh my world is definitely not a flat one and I do raise valid arguments that have real world basis. I also have first hand experience of where our system fails some but works for those who it shouldn't. I'll not go into that but in the UK the playing field we are on is far from level. Perhaps some people vent those feelings in the wrong way as you have experienced.

[Cyril Haearn]

I do hate and despise those pumped up cars where the bonnet is almost at shoulder level and the front lights (not the back lights though, why not?) are on all the time, there is nothing *nice* about these monsters. The lights are so threatening I get scared when one is behind my vehicle even it is keeping a safe distance, which is seldom the case. Even when waiting in a queue the lights stay on

Maybe they are driven by people who just have too much money

[mnichols]

The thing that has really surprised me about buying a car that is perceived as expensive, prestige or a status symbol is the vitriol that it has brought

For me, it had no more emotional resonance than buying a washing machine or a fridge. I'm not really a car person. The garage that serviced my previous car advised me that as I'd had it for 7 years and it had 100,000 miles on the clock it was time to get another one, so I went to a garage and bought one.....end of. Nothing more to it than that. Jag we're doing good deals. I liked the car so I bought it. I wasn't trying to impress anyone, make a statement or look flash. It was like buying a kettle. But from of the responses I've had you would think I was walking round with a big gold medallion around my neck and diamond encrusted rings

[Cyril Haearn]

Just saw a photo of a vehicle that was firebombed by the protesters in Hamburg

Inevitably, it was an audi

[pete75]

Putting that aside and considering the choices people do make when spending big money on cars, its sad to see so much money leaving the UK and being invested in Germany .

I drive a Jag

So it's being invested in India then.