Ones with blacked out windows are driven by drug dealers!
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Cars and owner stereotypes
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PsychoMouse
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I (early 30s, 6 foot 6, 20 stone) inherited my mom's Fiat 500 when she passed away.
Fantastic car, very narrow for me but wouldn't be for a normal person, plenty of headroom. It's 10 years old now and hasn't had any money spent on it apart from brakes and tyres to get through and MOT. Fun to drive too, feels a lot quicker than it is.
Typical Italian build quality on the interior but nothing too bad for a cheap car. Wouldn't hesitate to buy another one, and sneakily have my eye on an Abarth 500.
RailWonderer
Established Member
I don't know how Jaguars and Land Rovers have this unreliable reputation. JLR takes them on 6000 mile long excursions around the world accross all terrain without fault.Come on, would you want to take a vehicle that unreliable off roading
341o2
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The early Series Landrovers tend to owned by enthusiasts and used for their intended purpose, it is the modern versions aka Chelsea Tractors of which Private Eye did a spoof ad regarding fake mud splashes to make the neighbours think you have spent a weekend in the country
gg1
Established Member
Something to do with them consistently being placed towards the bottom of reliability surveys for years, especially so with Land Rover who in this example are rock bottom, not the first time I've seen them occupy last place.
RichJF
Member
Also completely confused why a rear wheel drive, low profile tyred car has poor grip on snow/ice.
Speaking from someone I know personally.
Lost property
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As a former BMW driver, oh mwah !..yah !, I have to say that, to an extent you are correct. However, some models, such as the Series 2 Gran Tourer did have functioning indicators, albeit way too sensitive, stopped at junctions, didn't cut other drivers up and, even more remarkably, stayed within the speed limit !....I have no idea as to how, and why, this model performed in the way it did.
To put matters into perspective however, the ownership came about by accident. My late lady and I were looking for a replacement for her Corsa and my Focus under the Motorbility scheme...we found a Citroen Berlingo, new model, not the shed on wheels version, which was very nice and, the key point, allowed her easy access. So we agreed to have one, but then, when we came to place the order " erm, sorry, the lead time is 5 months ! "...end of deal, but, we had to pass the BMW outlet on the way home...she suggested we take a look..I suggested otherwise...so in we went. Six weeks later, new build BMW arrives.
To be honest, yes, the power was nice for overtaking, before moving back into the correct lane, but, it was over engineered and had a nasty blind spot c/o the windscreen frame and drivers door frame. When I returned the vehicle when she passed away, the salesman happily informed me it was no longer available due to this blind spot.
Currently driving a 1.5 Focus.
This one goes for just about any old Toyota...I think every single Avensis/Corolla/Verso driver I've seen in the last fee years has been an older Asian gentleman, usually with an impressive beard and little hat.
Seat Ibiza - young males who make their car their whole personality.
GS250
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Correct!!!
Virtually every car you see pranged on the side of the road during snowfall is a large, prestige German badged model. Maybe they saw Lewis Hamilton throwing one around a on ice during a TV commercial and decided they are therefore invulnerable.
I'll add my own car stereotype though.
Lexus GS/LS models. Driven by absolutely nobody under 40. No, make that 50. Usually by sensible and stoic Asian professionals who are usually more savvy than most about total costs of ownership. They take their car to the dealer once a year. They drive it. Not a lot happens. It just works. No breakdowns, no dramas.
I am not Asian and bought one at 45. So I'm very much an honorary Dentist who lives in Pinner, married, with two kids studying a STEM subject at uni.
GS250
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What we can decipher from this is that Mr Singh and Mrs Patel know a reliable car when they see one.
LOL The Irony
On Moderation
Most Nissans are just Renaults with a different body nowadays. Partly why there was animosity between the Japanese on the board and Goshn.
Popular with taxi drivers.
cactustwirly
Established Member
Those are probably built properly...
Can you expand on that?
GS250
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Boring but comfy, well loaded and extremely reliable.
The Toyota Camry is another middle aged Asian drivers car. It's a bit more adventurous in design, if a little American. Again...very reliable though.
Can't believe I've just used the term 'well loaded'. That disappeared from motoring descriptions about 20 years ago!
33117
Member
A very good friend of mine used to drive a black BMW X5 with blacked out windows, made me laugh cos people expected some gangster to get out.
But actually it's my mate who's 76 & a grandad, he's the most mild mannered bloke you could ever meet.
Audi & BMW drivers have improved in their standard of driving it seems.
Also fiat 500 & the vauxhall adam are both mainly driven by young college or university age girls.
But actually it's my mate who's 76 & a grandad, he's the most mild mannered bloke you could ever meet.
Audi & BMW drivers have improved in their standard of driving it seems.
Also fiat 500 & the vauxhall adam are both mainly driven by young college or university age girls.
Mcr Warrior
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Not in my or most folks' experience!
I know if someone who had an X5 who was running early so we driving just below the speed limit who was stopped by the police as they were driving suspiciously.
When they had run their checks the person asked what was suspicious about their driving, the reply came back "all normal drivers of X5's drive too fast, typically those going below the speed limit are stuff dealers not trying to draw attention to themselves".
Yes, noticed that. Shows they are quite reliable.
When I notice an older X3 or X5 in great condition and shiny, always looks a bit suspicious to me. Not sure why.
Older VW Passat's from early 2000s, often driven by Polish and other eastern Europeans.
Focus ST/RS , Older Honda Civic boy racer type and new VW Sirocco seem to attract same kind of person.
Yes, I guess reliablity for them older Toyotas. For young Asian males I would say Audi/BMW are popular for them.
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33117
Member
Volvos seek to be driven by teachers or grandads. Although recently I have spotted an old volvo 240 being driven by a younger fella who looked to be in his late 20s.
Also what is it with women driving an audi Q7??? Those buggers are simply enormous!
Also what is it with women driving an audi Q7??? Those buggers are simply enormous!
SUV drivers are likely to be:
Insecure and vein
Frequently insecure in their marriages and uncomfortable about parenthood
Lack confidence in their driving skills
Above all self-cantered and self-absorbed with little interest in their neighbours or communities
That's not my view but rather the outcome of Chrysle's market research in the 1990’s
It's also worth noting that SUV’s are no safer than normal cars, people are as likely to die in SUV’s as any other cars they just die in different ways. In part as they are more likely to roll and take longer to stop.
Insecure and vein
Frequently insecure in their marriages and uncomfortable about parenthood
Lack confidence in their driving skills
Above all self-cantered and self-absorbed with little interest in their neighbours or communities
That's not my view but rather the outcome of Chrysle's market research in the 1990’s
It's also worth noting that SUV’s are no safer than normal cars, people are as likely to die in SUV’s as any other cars they just die in different ways. In part as they are more likely to roll and take longer to stop.
bramling
Veteran Member
Sadly I do think there’s some truth to this, in my experience. There’s a Range Rover owner in my road who is *so* self-oriented it’s in mental health problems territory.
I remember getting stopped in a roadblock in my BMW E39 some years ago in Wolverhampton of all places. After pulling in I was asked “are you English?”, having replied yes I got a friendly smile and “apologies for holding you up sir, please carry on your way”.
GS250
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I've seen some accurate stereotyping in my time but this is fantastic and deserves a medal!!! I'd have claimed this as my own work!!!
When I drove back from Portree in tricky conditions, virtually every vehicle that had become a cropper on the icy corners was a SUV or 4x4. I could be wrong but I doubt they had given the icy conditions a single second thought. No doubt they overate themselves in general and have not quite grasped the concept of decisions equal consequences.
Yet there was me in a moderately powerful rwd car putting everything into my driving, proceeding with extreme caution where necessary and showing a huge amount of interest in what I was looking to achieve. I rate my driving ability as 5/10 maximum.
Vespa
Established Member
I notice the arrogant ones tended to be in the following cars that I've developed my own acronism for them.
AUDI = Another Useless Dipstick Inside
BMW = Big Massive W******
Range Rovers = Rough Riders, Recked Rovers due to the fact they're frequently seen broken down by the side of the road.
Chelsea Tractors enough said usually driven by women with rich husbands and an automatic right to park anywhere they want.
There are a few examples but these are the main one
AUDI = Another Useless Dipstick Inside
BMW = Big Massive W******
Range Rovers = Rough Riders, Recked Rovers due to the fact they're frequently seen broken down by the side of the road.
Chelsea Tractors enough said usually driven by women with rich husbands and an automatic right to park anywhere they want.
There are a few examples but these are the main one
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D365
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Very, very saddened by this. Although I am struggling to think whether the Fiesta and Focus (00s onward) have/had any particular reputation.
Came across an Audi Q7 blocking several parking spaces at my workplace car park one morning - a colleague told me that it was a woman with her nose up in the air!
And I understand the Renault connection shows in the reliability of new Nissans, electrical issues being a big one.
As for SUV's, my sister got the use of a Qashqai for half a day as a loan car, it was quite a downer for her having to get back in her micra!
She also breaks the micra stereotype having a 14 plate yet she is only in her 20's, admittedly the car was not her choice as it came from a relative that had become to ill to drive.
matacaster
On Moderation
Hopefully French nuclear deterrent doesn't depend on electronics from Renault's supplier else the whole world is at risk.
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