Shite Attitudes - Or Are We Perverse?

[Futuramic]

I was thinking about modern cars the other day. Not something I do very often; the merest dwelling upon financial viability followed by a decision in the negative. But such musings left me with another, pervasive idea. That of a love for old rubbish is ingrained; is it almost an issue of birth and upbringing?

 

A quick peruse of the favoured machinery here will dredge up some, decidedly odd, crushes. If I were to fill my hypothetical car showroom with Lonsdale Satellites, Marina Coupes and Talbot Tagoras you would smash the plate glass windows in order to get in. Back then, of course, no-one would. Or very few. Perhaps those with "specialist interests". Like us.

 

The point is; when thinking about what modern cars I would consider, given unlimited funds, my choices were still abysmal. I like the BMW X6 and the 5 Series Gran Turismo. I would happily drive a Cayenne Turbo or a Vauxhall Insignia. A Citroen C6 would make my day; as would a Peugeot 607.

 

However I find myself inclined to dislike "good" modern cars; for the simple fact that the masses treat them so. I am sure that Caterhams and Westfields are great to drive; but I'd never dream of having one. Aston Martins are a case in point. The new ones all look the damn same and appear built purely to advertise the financial largesse (or credit rating) of their owners. The Civic Type R is a cold fish. The Jaguar XF is plain ridiculous - "Interior TRANSFORM!!" and the Alfa Mito.

 

The Alfa Mito; I'm sure there is nothing wrong with it. But I dislike them intensely because I am instructed to find them favourable. It is a small car, and Italian, and probably fun to drive etc etc. All good things in the eyes of the many.

 

Which brings us back to the shite issue. It now appears that the decision to drive a shite car is a decision to reject the opinions of the general public and their expert witnesses. As stated the age of a crappy car is irrelevant; so is the price. It is more the fact that it is not considered to be "good" - so is a small act of rebellion.

[warren t claim]

This is the latest modern I could fall for. I could probably afford on in a couple of years if the depreciation is as expected. I can see it slipping from modern to shite in about 2015 without any period of mediocrity in between.

[Des]

I think my motivation for shite is a kind of reluctance to follow the herd, I've just always worked on the assumption that anything the masses believe great will be over-hyped shit, it's how I view everything in life, and has probably meant I've missed out on occasions where something actually good has had the proles all over it like sheep, I won't give it a chance.

[revolting peasant]

[Lord Sterling]

I think we've all got a variety of different reasons as to why we like to drive miserable old cars. Some of us are fans of particular makes and models, some do it for financial reasons, some for pleasure and others for pure nostalgia.

 

I do agree on the rebellion bit, but I didnt really realise this until I joined this site. I started out purely liking the humble old mk1 Rover 800 but I've now grown to appreciate all kinds of miderable motoring rammle. Now it makes me smile when I see some miserable old dude in a ropey old Nissan Bluebird, its almost kind of strange aspiration for me. I have previously had modern (company) cars and whilst many are great in thier own rights, they just seem to lack any sort of real induvidual character. Dont get me wrong, I quite like newer cars, but I'm just not overly impressed by them.

 

Today's society has been 'conditioned' into thinking that life is all about looks and appearences, you've go to look good and look 'the part' these days even if it means getting yourself into some serious financial difficulty. I've always been reluctant to follow this path, I like handing over real cash for my cars, because I can buy some real luxury for lemonade money, not £££££'s for something that wont impress me.

[55bloke]

I don't even know what that one WTC posted up is.

 

Ditto. They really do all look the same to me, and they're all bloody ugly! I've no doubt they're all enormously capable and superb to drive, but I wouldn't be seen dead in any of them! Quite apart from the fact they're so far out of my financial reach they might just as well have a few extra naughts added to the price.

[Guest Leonard Hatred]

I think my car choices are pretty firm now, I like rugged cars with proven mechanicals, good ground clearance, comfortable seats, good handling and few things to go wrong.

I don't think I'll be able to abide many post-2000 cars as they fail on at least 4 of my criteria.

[warren t claim]

I don't even know what that one WTC posted up is.

 

Ditto. They really do all look the same to me, and they're all bloody ugly! I've no doubt they're all enormously capable and superb to drive, but I wouldn't be seen dead in any of them! Quite apart from the fact they're so far out of my financial reach they might just as well have a few extra naughts added to the price.

 

It's the new Peugeot 508 (I think).

[garethj]

However I find myself inclined to dislike "good" modern cars; for the simple fact that the masses treat them so.

 

The Alfa Mito; I'm sure there is nothing wrong with it. But I dislike them intensely because I am instructed to find them favourable.

I think "the path less travelled" is a common theme here, as is rooting for the underdog.

 

And if you spunked £300 a month on some financed 11 plate car, the realisation that you could buy the whole of one our ebay pages in a year and still save money.

 

It's about values I suppose; if you value a good warranty, a courtesy car from the dealers and shiny paint to impress other people, you'd be silly to get anything other than a new car. If you value a Renault 17, Cortina (1300, natch) or a Chrysler in metallic bark with brown velour you end up here

[worldofceri]

There are as many reasons why we enjoy shite as there are members on this site.

 

But there are common themes; not having much money to spend; a distaste for even moderate displays of wealth (irrespective of our own financial situation); an appreciation for the engineering and social history of old cars; a desire to stand out from the crowd; a self-deprecating sense of humour; the satisfaction from employing ingenuity and thrift in fixing and using something that others would have thrown away ages ago.

 

And a desire to punch every Range Rover Sport driver in the face.

[Conrad D. Conelrad]

I envy people who don't like cars (or people who only like new cars). Must be great to get excited over iPod docks in the armrests and stupid crap like that.

[Angrydicky]

I think my motivation for shite is a kind of reluctance to follow the herd, I've just always worked on the assumption that anything the masses believe great will be over-hyped shit, it's how I view everything in life, and has probably meant I've missed out on occasions where something actually good has had the proles all over it like sheep, I won't give it a chance.

 

Could have taken the words straight out of my mouth

[Mr Lobster]

The cars I own and would like to own are ones which I like and thats why I have them, not because I'm trying to be different or whatever. I like 1980s stuff, no secret in that. Its not about disliking what is popular, more just common sense (although I really do dislike the culture of 'oooh, shiny thing, must buy it' that we have here)

 

My daily is a 2004 Seat Toledo. This is a relatively new car as far as I'm concerned. Once or twice people have said that its getting on a bit (WTF!?) and what about getting something newer. I suppose if I wanted I could go out and finance myself a newer car but why? The Toledo does everything I want - fast, reliable, comfy, cold a/c and what have you so I can't see any sense in replacing it. I can think of many better things to do with money.

 

And anyway, surely borrowing money that you have to pay interest on to buy a rapidly depreciating asset is financially one of the worst investments you can possibly make?

 

I can't see the appeal in spending the thick end of twenty grand to buy a relatively average, mid range car that will suffer 50% depreciation over three years at all. Why DO people do that?

[revolting peasant]

[Pete-M]

The mindset of 'not following the herd' for the sake of it always confuses me. Reminds me of teenagers who only wear black, dye their hair strange colours and wear NuRock boots in an attempt to be 'different'. They just end up looking like clones of miserable, trying to be different, teenagers.

 

Ok, I don't like TTs or a lot of other cars driven by people with hairgel (with very few exceptions), but to not like something like the Focus simply because people say they're good (and they are bloody good) is a very strange way to behave and one I can't get my head around.

 

I make most judgments on cars on how they drive, if I've not driven a car I'll take a look at it and see if it interests me. If it interests me, I'll do my best to have a go. If it doesn't interest me, then I'll reserve judgment until I've actually tried one.

 

There have been cars people have raved incessantly about that I've thought weren't all that, the Audi Quattro 20v was one example, the Porsche 944 was another - although the 944 did handle very well indeed, it wasn't that quick and I didn't find it that enjoyable to drive.

 

On the flip side, there have been things I thought would be dire that were actually rather bloody good, the original Hyundai Coupé was more fun than I expected it to be, and that 318is E36 I had last year wasn't that unpleasant (I can't abide the E36 normally).

 

With older stuff, I was well impressed the first time I drove a Rover P4, but found the Triumph Stag to be bloody horrible - don't like the SPitfire much either.

 

The stuff some of you lot have always amuses me. Why anyone would want a Stanza is beyond me, but I'm glad someone does, because although the thought of ever going in one of those ever again depresses me, seeing some nutter on the M6 in one makes me giggle.

[Split_Pin]

I havent a clue why I love old, shite cars as opposed to modern ones. Sadly I dont have the money to buy any more cars for this to happen just yet.

 

Good example was today, I saw a 10 plate Focus RS when waiting for the OH whilst she was in Homebase buying some 'soft pebble' paint for the kitchen. I kept wondering if in 15 to 20 years' time it would be held in the same regard as an Escort or Sierra Cosworth. Either way, it did nothing for me.

 

On leaving the car park, a freshly restored MK3 Cortina rolled in, and I nearly broke my neck gawping at it!

 

Pops_L always had company cars when I was wee and he had no interest in anything automotive. I just remember I loved spotting old bangers rotting in driveways, especially European ones. I still remember the blue Simca 1100 and red Citroen DS I liked looking at when I was walking to the shops with the old lady.

[skattrd]

I like older/shite cars, as they're different, fun to drive and theoretically shouldn't cost as much, in the long run, as a newer, depreciating bland car .... but I do dream of cup holders.

[Guest]

If I had enough money to buy a new car I'd probably spend it all on heroin.

[Rhythm Thief]

I don't liek modern cars - efficient but really really dull - and I don't even like shiny immaculate "classics" (whatever a classic is). Give me a brush painted Series Land Rover or a shagged out 2CV with no doors or windscreen and I'm happy. Give me an immaculate Landy or a freshly restored and polished 2CV and I immediately fall asleep.

Why this is the case, I don't know.

[Des]

What about when not following the herd becomes fashionable? Not following the herd would be like following the herd.

[Richard]

That's kind of the way popular culture is gong now. Everything is ironic and detached.

[Guest]

Current culture revolves around being made to feel like individuals whilst operating within specific norms - being a free spirit by purchasing a specific type of mobile phone, wearing a specific outfit, going to a specific corporately-run music festival, etc. People like to feel like they're part of some sort of gang I guess. More of an observation than a criticism, but being a radical alternative type seems to be more about wearing bowling shoes and not getting a proper haircut. You're still trying to impress people, but just "your" sort of people. Nobody is impressed by me.

 

Anyway, I buy whatever cars I like and can afford.

[Guest]

That's kind of the way popular culture is gong now. Everything is ironic and detached.

 

LOL PORNSTARZ

[eddyramrod]

A lot of sense has been typed here so far. I agree, money is a factor (lack of money, more often); as is the not-following-the-herd instinct. To me, driving an old car is also the green answer. Someone has used it from new and got rid; but why waste all these resources when things can be fixed, and on 1960s-70s cars, fixed easily! Keep stuff running as long as possible, say I.

 

It's also possible that people of my age (early 50s) or thereabouts take comfort in the familiar. I had an Austin A40 in 1978 and a Mk1 Granada in 1985. It's now 2011 and I have, er... an Austin A40 and a Mk1 Granada!

 

Finally: when we moved to Cyprus two years ago, we moved away from everyone we knew and had to make a whole bunch of new friends (or else just be lonely). We are not the sort of people who can go and sit in a pub filled with strangers, arguing football all night. So we bought a 1971 Capri. Everywhere we went, someone wanted to talk about it. Instant friend-maker, brilliant. We could have spent the same amount of money on a brand new car, but it would have been a dull far-eastern shopping trolley. Nobody would have noticed us, nobody would have spoken to us, except maybe "Get out of the way!" I was out in the Granada in the countryside on Saturday, and in every village, someone waved. No doubt about it, driving an old car opens doors.

[Futuramic]

What about when not following the herd becomes fashionable? Not following the herd would be like following the herd.

 

You could be on to something there. In fact, buying a brand new Ford Focus in silver would be incredibly radical.

[dollywobbler]

I think I just like value. Why spend thousands on a car when one bought for peanuts can supply just as much fun - or be just as bland, boring and capable? (in the case of the Saab).

 

I don't want a car that's utterly fault-free. Sure, I don't want one that breaks down on every journey, but one that requires a little fettling feels like an actual machine rather than pure white goods.

[Rhythm Thief]

The nostalgia thing is important too, as others have said. I started to get old and put on wieght, I bought a 2CV. Partly because it reminded me of the days when I was 22 and built like a racing whippet and going off to 2CV club camps most weekends.

[dieselnutjob]

I think there are different kinds of shite.

 

Everybody wants a BMW, Audi or Mercedes, so I don't. So that puts me in the rebellious or wanting to be different camp. But then there are fans of the older ones on here which is cool so they must be a different kinds of shiteist.

 

There are loads of Peugeot 406s around. They seem to be on every street corner so not problem with popularity but the 406 is definitely shite.

 

There are also a lot of Citroen enthusiasts around but old Citroens are probably shite (well maybe not the DS) so it might not be anything to do with enthusiasm either.

 

I notice that some people are utterly neurotic about cars. They must have a new car every three years because they just cannot stand the thought of breaking down, or not having Euroncap 5 stars. So once every three or four years I'm going to have to call out the AA and be stuck for a few hours. Big deal.

 

I do like the look of the 508 as well. Might look for one in about six years.

[Skizzer]

I have a year old Skoda Yeti as my daily driver because I travel long distances, often for work. I don't see that driving a modern VAG appliance means I R MINDLESS WNKR. If I broke down and turned up at a client's office on an AA truck in the middle of the afternoon with any kind of regularity (i.e. more than once) I would lose not only a day's money but probably the whole project contract, and quite soon my business; living the autoshite life proper isn't realistic at the moment. I bought the Skoda because it does what I need and isn't what the aspirational herd buys - Qashqais, Kugas, Q5s and X3s in that segment, all of which I dislike. I couldn't give a toss about aspirational. This is all you're getting.

 

But that doesn't mean I don't 'get' Autoshite. Personally I like 80s German stuff (which puts me in an oppressed minority on here ) and my idea of not following the herd is to keep my two knackered VWs in standard spec and lived-in tatty. I do not do lowering/RIMZ/RATLUK/fake chrome or any of that shit, nor concours shininess for that matter. I'd like to rotate more old tat through my little fleet, and at some point I will - I nearly bought a Daf 44 last week until I realised how poor I am at the moment, and quite fancy a Rover 800 coupe or a CX. That's why I'm on here.

 

I love unloved old cars and believe that our saving and enjoying them is important. That doesn't mean I can't like my new one too.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

I drive shite because I'm not interested in cars enough to spunk loads of money on one again. I've already done that - biggest waste of money ever was a 2001 320d Estate I bought at 6 months old for 18 large and sold a year later for 4 grand less - utter madness. Yes, it was a nice car but nicer than the perfectly okay higher mileage 406 HDi Estate I could have bought for 10 grand less? Probably not.

 

I'm probably going to buy another daily later this year because the one I have now has done 30'000 hard miles over the last 2 years, and its 16 years are showing now. The shortlist is a 98 ish 316i or 318i Touring or a 1.6 / 1.8 A4 Avant of similar vintage. If it cruises along at 80 quietly, does 35 on a run and doesn't drop to bits with rust, that'll do me. Must have anthracite trim and a big-ish loading area for scrapyard jaunts. £800 should buy a tidy one to last 4-5 years.

 

Buying new cars is daft if you don't get your money's worth and run it into the ground - buying it on finance (so paying interest on a depreciating asset) and doing 12'000 miles a year is just crazy. At least I paid cash for mine so I only got raped the once!