Brand Snobbery and Boards

daveharnett

Something struck me while looking at this thread. The OP was referring to a 525d without referring to it as a 'BMW 525d'. That seems to happen very raraly on this board.
Looking back over the titles of the last few hundred threads, brand snobbery seems to unconsciously be at work in the titles.

If a thread is about a 320d, the thread title will refer to a 'BMW 320d'.
If a thread is about a focus, the thread title will just refer to a 'Focus'.

Manufacturers usually mentioned in the titles:
BMW (almost always)
Mercedes
VW
Skoda (a little surprising)
Mazda
Lexus
Volvo
Seat
Saab

Manufacturers usually not mentioned in the titles:
Audi
Nissan
Ford
Toyota
Anything French (including Bugatti)

It's not perfect (I would have expected and Skoda and Audi to be reversed for a start), but it looks like a trend to me. Have I found a new metric for marque prestige?

TheScribbler

Interesting observations. Either car owners see themselves as being at the centre of fashion or they are simply trying to convince themselves that the car they own is cool

Voodoomelon

I think the reason maybe because of the way BMW models are named. When you say Focus, Laguna, Civic or Almera, everyone knows that you mean instantly.

Because BMWs are numbered, it may cause confusion to start a thread with just a number in it, ie a 120i or 525. Same goes for Mercedes.

When you say A4, or A6, everyone knows what you mean instantly too. Just BMWs and Mercs need clarification, I see no snobbery in typing a few letters before the model.

BeardyGit

Are you bored Dave?

x in the city

get our minds off the football for a bit shur

daveharnett

Voodoomelon wrote: »

I think the reason maybe because of the way BMW models are named. When you say Focus, Laguna, Civic or Almera, everyone knows that you mean instantly.

Because BMWs are numbered, it may cause confusion to start a thread with just a number in it, ie a 120i or 525. Same goes for Mercedes.

When you say A4, or A6, everyone knows what you mean instantly too. Just BMWs and Mercs need clarification, I see no snobbery in typing a few letters before the model.

I don't know voodoo. Any regular poster here knows their 120i's from their e200s. Not to mention all of the 'let me tell you about my VW Golf' threads - not likely to be about the poster's short game, are they?

Gil_Dub wrote: »

Are you bored Dave?

The things we do to avoid study :rolleyes:

Owen

If I said 320, I could mean BMW 320i, BMW 320d, Merc E320 Cdi, Merc S320. I think where numbers are a factor, people always mention manufacturer. It happens in the bike world too, you don't say DTM600, you say Suzuki DTM600. Bikes that have names don't need the manufacturers name - fireblade, blackbird, hayabusa, etc.

robtri

PaintDoctor wrote: »

If I said 320, I could mean BMW 320i, BMW 320d, Merc E320 Cdi, Merc S320. I think where numbers are a factor, people always mention manufacturer.

I would isagree with that, as people wouldn't just say 320...it would be

320i
320D
E320CDI
S320

i am sure everyone here knows what brand I am talking about withouteven thinking twice....

personally I think a lot of it, is how the manufacturer themselves market their products in ads.....

JHMEG

PaintDoctor wrote: »

If I said 320, I could mean BMW 320i, BMW 320d, Merc E320 Cdi, Merc S320.

Or ML320 or Commodore Amiga 320... but if you didn't state make most people would assume you mean BMW, and in most if not all cases they'd be right.

Someone started a thread a while back, I think it caught a mod on a bad hair day and was locked, but it highlighted the interesting phenomenom whereby people mention the marque when it's clearly not required. I think two of the examples were "where's the best place to tax my BMW" and "what's the best flavour of magic tree for my BMW".

Matt Simis

I think OP is projecting their own issues.. I would say "BMW xxx" as mentioned the usage of model numbers alone could be confusing and making the assumption that everyone "just knows" what you are talking about is presumptuous and a little pretentious.

Generally its just better form to be descriptive on a general, non-marque specific forum, I fail to see how it could be brand snobbery by calling something what it is. There is brand snobbery here, but this isnt an example of it.

keefg

Voodoomelon wrote: »

I think the reason maybe because of the way BMW models are

driven by w@nkers :D





Runs away back to R&R

Marlow

I agree, that there might be brand snobbery, but this is not an example of it.

It's clear, that when model numbers are involved, people most likely state what brand it is to avoid confusion, nothing more, nothing less.

A few brands have unique naming for their cars, so there is no doubt.

/M

JHMEG

For me the decider is the difference between BMW and Peugeot. Both number their cars very similarly, i.e. no names. I'm of the impression Peugeot owners simply use "306" or whatever model number in their threads, whereas you'll see "BMW 316" from the BMW fraternity. Or maybe Peugeot owners just don't like to highlight they own one...?

VolvoMan

JHMEG wrote: »

For me the decider is the difference between BMW and Peugeot. Both number their cars very similarly, i.e. no names. I'm of the impression Peugeot owners simply use "306" or whatever model number in their threads, whereas you'll see "BMW 316" from the BMW fraternity. Or maybe Peugeot owners just don't like to highlight they own one...?

They don't really.

Whatever Peugeot name their cars, whether it be 308 or 407, it will be generic across the range and unlike BMW whose nomenclature changes with each model.

daveharnett

Matt Simis wrote: »

...the usage of model numbers alone could be confusing and making the assumption that everyone "just knows" what you are talking about is presumptuous and a little pretentious.

Marlow wrote: »

It's clear, that when model numbers are involved, people most likely state what brand it is to avoid confusion, nothing more, nothing less.

That is a factor, sure. But I don't think it explains it entirely. See the number of titles which remind people that golfs and pasaats are manufactured by Volkswagen.

Matt Simis wrote: »

I think OP is projecting their own issues..

I can't rule it out to be honest. This could very well be one of those things where we tend to ignore data that doesn't support our theory, and I'm not bothered collecting hard data to check - it would be quite a bit of work.

On the other hand, any Psychology students out there looking for a research topic can have the idea for free if they post results here:D

Lord Nikon

Somewhat off-topic, but most BMW drivers in here are hated because people think they are wannabe snobs, and they drive too fast, and because they just drive a BMW.

TDi drivers are in a league of their own, but thats for another day.

copacetic

daveharnett wrote: »

Manufacturers usually mentioned in the titles:
BMW (almost always)

Manufacturers usually not mentioned in the titles:
Audi

it looks like a trend to me. Have I found a new metric for marque prestige?

Having a look at it, your whole premise appears to be wrong. Do a few searches to see.

randomly:

320d search, thread titles only, 97 results, at least a 1/3 of them don't mention BMW.

Audi search, thread titles only 500 results, ~ 150 of them include A4 in the title

Voodoomelon

neuromancer wrote: »

Somewhat off-topic, but most BMW drivers in here are hated because people think they are wannabe snobs, and they drive too fast, and because they just drive a BMW.

I didn't know I was hated.

The whole judging someone by the car they drive is rampant on here and in real life, sure I do it myself, but i think we can all agree that its the most ridiculous thing ever, judging someone before they even open their mouth.
If anything I find most 3 and 5 series are driven by women in my area and they don't drive fast at all.

Back on topic, I think some posters are right in saying there is some snobbery in threads titled like "my Mercedes failed the NCT" or the like, but mentioning the manufacturer before the model is more of a necessity than anything else.

JHMEG

Back when 3 letter searches worked on boards (almost 2 years ago) here's the frequency of marques mentioned in thread titles:

Audi - 223
Alfa - 128
BMW - 470
Fiat - 124
Ford - 289
Toyota - 206
Honda - 200
Nissan - 171
Renault - 115
Porsche - 28
Peugeot - 113
Merc/Mercedes - 159
Mazda - 105
Skoda - 62

Lex Luthor

daveharnett wrote: »

Looking back over the titles of the last few hundred threads, brand snobbery seems to unconsciously be at work in the titles.

you must have a very boring life

copacetic

JHMEG wrote: »

Back when 3 letter searches worked on boards (almost 2 years ago) here's the frequency of marques mentioned in thread titles:

Audi - 223
Alfa - 128
BMW - 470
Fiat - 124
Ford - 289
Toyota - 206
Honda - 200
Nissan - 171
Renault - 115
Porsche - 28
Peugeot - 113
Merc/Mercedes - 159
Mazda - 105
Skoda - 62

Doesn't that show more the car ownership and interest levels of the enthusiast?

Gary ITR

What are you blathering on about Dave?

daveharnett

Onkle wrote: »

What are you blathering on about Dave?

I know, I know. It's all gone wrong. This thread doesn't work without proper data, which would strengthen lex's argument more than i'd like

Lex Luthor wrote: »

you must have a very boring life

biko

From Motor forum front page while back

JHMEG

copacetic wrote: »

Doesn't that show more the car ownership and interest levels of the enthusiast?

It actually only shows marques mentioned in thread titles. To say it shows anything else is conjecture.

copacetic

JHMEG wrote: »

It actually only shows marques mentioned in thread titles. To say it shows anything else is conjecture.

Well thats what I meant, it only shows how often brands are discussed on boards (although the figures are very out of date), but doesn't say anything about how often specific cars are mentioned without the brand name.

Possbily the thread would be more useful when we get 3 letter search back and there is some evidence (or not) of the premise.

asdfgh86

Matt Simis wrote: »

I think OP is projecting their own issues.. I would say "BMW xxx" as mentioned the usage of model numbers alone could be confusing and making the assumption that everyone "just knows" what you are talking about is presumptuous and a little pretentious.

Generally its just better form to be descriptive on a general, non-marque specific forum, I fail to see how it could be brand snobbery by calling something what it is. There is brand snobbery here, but this isnt an example of it.

Agree with Matt Simis. Just giving a slightly longer description e.g MERC CLK rather than just CLK, makes threads on cars a bit more inclusive of less knowledgeable posters.

btkm8unsl0w5r4

Seeing as every second car in this country is a BMW why are you supprised that it gets mentioned more than others. Round my way every car is a 520d or a 320d, they outsell ford mondeo's in the UK. They are really popular car, I dont see that the issue is from the posters side at all here.

PS. Yes I have posted said offending threads.

johndaman66

Going off the topic but does anybody notice that a certain band of boards posters are extremly eager to recommend diesel cars to posters looking for advice on a potential car purchase. For example somebody may open a thread looking for advice on a car to buy without giving much in the way of specifics and the almost automatic reaction of other posters is quite often to recommend a diesel passat for example.

btkm8unsl0w5r4

johndaman66 wrote: »

Going off the topic but does anybody notice that a certain band of boards posters are extremly eager to recommend diesel cars to posters looking for advice on a potential car purchase. For example somebody may open a thread looking for advice on a car to buy without giving much in the way of specifics and the almost automatic reaction of other posters is quite often to recommend a diesel passat for example.

There are evil people everywhere . I think its natural to reccomend others make the decisions you already made.

Marlow

Richard Screeching Nosebleed wrote: »

There are evil people everywhere . I think its natural to reccomend others make the decisions you already made.

Well and often people are just asking for cheap to run. If that what people think is cheap to run, that's what they suggest.

It's hard to keep people on topic.

/M