Mr. Loverman's "Cars of Beijing" thread

Mr. Loverman · 25-05-2013 9:14am #1

I live in Beijing where around 70% of people earn roughly EUR 400 per month, around 29% earn roughly EUR 1,200 per month, and the remaining 1% have an unbelievably large amount of money, so every day I get to see some nice cars on the road. I'll start posting pictures of them in this thread.

In case you're wondering, I was travelling around the world but stopped in Beijing around two years ago. I work in an English speaking office doing IT stuff. I have basic Chinese.

The below picture was taken outside one of the many "member's clubs" in Beijing. These are private clubs for very rich people. The government clamped down on government spending recently - no more lavish parties! But what they really meant was "no more public lavish parties" so the private member's club are booming. In these clubs you can have drinks, dinner and bang prostitutes.

Mr. Loverman · 25-05-2013 9:16am

This Maserati looked as bland in real life. The owner had paid some Chinese guy to sit next to it minding it. He didn't realise I can sort of understand Chinese so he was telling his friend I am really white.

Mr. Loverman · 25-05-2013 9:19am

In Ireland everyone starts driving a crappy car and upgrades as they get older. For example, if you see a large black Mercedes you can be pretty sure it's a middle aged (or older) guy driving it. China doesn't work this way. The new rich immediately start with expensive powerful cars. The driving exam is a joke here so the roads are lethal. It's quite normal to see people driving with their lights off at night. No one uses indicators. Nearly no one uses their mirrors.

Mr. Loverman · 25-05-2013 9:21am

This is how I travel around Beijing. I plan on doing the driving test this year (for a laugh) but I don't think I'll ever risk driving here.

BMJD · 25-05-2013 9:43am

Mr. Loverman wrote: »

In these clubs you can have drinks, dinner and bang prostitutes.

BigEejit · 26-05-2013 10:27am

I worked in China in 1994 - 96. Even back then there were super wealthy people, I saw super-cars like Lambo Diablo's, Ferrari 348's and an awful lot of Rolls Royce's on a weekly basis. Also saw a few nice american cars like Mustangs and Corvettes, no Aston Martins, Maserati's or Porsche's though. No BMW's but the place was packed with Chinese knockoff's of the Audi 100.

The last time I was in Beijing was in 2003 or 2004 and I could not believe the amount of cars on the road, and not one of them knows how to drive. One one of the ring roads had a crash where 14 people were killed and people just went, "oh well, too many cars", the road was reopened after 20 minutes or something..... (think they are up to 6 ring road motorways now). If one lane looks like it is moving 1cm/hour faster than the others then half the people in the other lanes barge into it.

Ahh... the good ol' days

MetzgerMeister · 26-05-2013 12:15pm

Mr. Loverman wrote: »

This is how I travel around Beijing. I plan on doing the driving test this year (for a laugh) but I don't think I'll ever risk driving here.

That's the Lamborghini Aventnodoor!

racso1975 · 26-05-2013 12:19pm

Any pic's of the aforementioned prostitutes??

If you want you can give details on ride quality, airbags or better still if you have a "dashcam" post it up

dmc17 · 26-05-2013 1:21pm

Mr. Loverman wrote: »

The driving exam is a joke here so the roads are lethal. It's quite normal to see people driving with their lights off at night. No one uses indicators. Nearly no one uses their mirrors.

Mr. Loverman wrote: »

This is how I travel around Beijing.

Doesn't look the safest!

Ardennes1944 · 26-05-2013 1:39pm

A no brake fixie!

Mr. Loverman · 28-05-2013 1:41pm

Beside my apartment tonight:

bbam · 28-05-2013 3:57pm

It is a strange mix of cars on the roads in China..
The Jetta Taxis made me smile as I had a jetta back in the days..

Mr. Loverman · 29-05-2013 11:46am

Couple of interesting cars on the way home tonight...

Trippy Ferrari:

Trippy Maserati:

And something a bit more normal...

Mr. Loverman · 29-05-2013 11:49am

By the way I see about 50 Porsches every day so I amn't bothering to take pictures of them...

ba_barabus · 29-05-2013 11:57am

Mr. Loverman wrote: »

By the way I see about 50 Porsches every day so I amn't bothering to take pictures of them...

Could you get snaps of some of the Chinese shyte we don't get?

MetzgerMeister · 29-05-2013 12:01pm

ba_barabus wrote: »

Could you get snaps of some of the Chinese shyte we don't get? will be getting soon

Tá sé fixed

pcardin · 29-05-2013 12:07pm

ba_barabus wrote: »

Could you get snaps of some of the Chinese shyte we don't get?

Exactlly! Lambos and other metal posted can be seen here too. Better post some chinese brands.

ba_barabus · 29-05-2013 12:40pm

MetzgerMeister wrote: »

Tá sé fixed

Not for a while yet though. They've all rowed back on their EU launches.

Mr. Loverman · 29-05-2013 1:16pm

No worries! I'll post some snaps of Chinese cars.

pa990 · 29-05-2013 3:08pm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exISm5-aefQ

pa990 · 29-05-2013 3:12pm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZf5rbicYzQ

Mr. Loverman · 30-05-2013 3:08pm

Beside my apartment tonight. This one had a real GTA feel to it:

I know it's just a Porsche, but it looked awsome. Notice the fantastic parking. That's normal in China.

And something Chinese:

ba_barabus · 30-05-2013 3:17pm

That last thing looks like a motorised pram

Hal1 · 30-05-2013 8:47pm

Just needs a maclaren badge

.

30-05-2013 9:36pm

Hal1 wrote: »

Just needs a maclaren badge .

A Maclaren pram would probably cost twice that and better built

_Kaiser_ · 30-05-2013 9:47pm

bbam wrote: »

It is a strange mix of cars on the roads in China..
The Jetta Taxis made me smile as I had a jetta back in the days..

Jaysus and I thought Irish tailgating was bad! :eek:

cena · 30-05-2013 9:51pm

wrong place

_Kaiser_ · 30-05-2013 9:53pm

pa990 wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exISm5-aefQ

It's a pity most of them are made of butter as some of them look pretty good vs the real thing.

It's like that knock-off of the F10 5 series that was posted here a while back. Who wouldn't like a car like that at half the price?

galwaytt · 30-05-2013 9:59pm

Kaiser2000 wrote: »

It's a pity most of them are made of butter as some of them look pretty good vs the real thing.

It's like that knock-off of the F10 5 series that was posted here a while back. Who wouldn't like a car like that at half the price?

Tgat Huo Yun at 01:30 and the Matiz later. I know where there's 2 of each if those. Pure sh!te

johndaman66 · 30-05-2013 10:47pm

Mr. Loverman wrote: »

The driving exam is a joke here so the roads are lethal. It's quite normal to see people driving with their lights off at night. No one uses indicators. Nearly no one uses their mirrors.

That is very much in line with how I would describe our driving standards here in Ireland if talking to a chap in a foreign country:)

Chris_Heilong · 30-05-2013 11:41pm

johndaman66 wrote: »

That is very much in line with how I would describe our driving standards here in Ireland if talking to a chap in a foreign country:)

no, its a totally different kind of world there, cars are also a status symbol, So I have a car, I am better than those without one is the attitude, for example I seen a guy mount the footpath and blear his horn so all the people would get out of his way just because he got bored waiting in traffic, Its a free for all with no lane discipline and 6 lane roads were cars weave i and out at speed, no need for seat-belts in China, if you ever get a Taxi you will notice they are cut out. Lots of people bride the driving examiner to get a license and far too many people are squashed every day in Beijing because no one pays attention.

I love the audi, BMW, fake BMW 'Zhong' brand Black cars that get police lights and siren installed so they can get cars to move out of their way.

flanzer · 31-05-2013 8:37am

Didn't know that China actually clones other manufacturers cars. Then I thought, sure they copy everything else, why not cars??!!

Then I came across this Youtube video. I guess there no such thing as copyright in China

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqKtS_QmmsM

pcardin · 31-05-2013 11:23am

In China they are not only cloning foreign brands they even clone themselves. One Chinese company clones iPhone and sells for $100 the next on clones the the first one and sells for $40. :pac:

Black_Knight · 31-05-2013 3:39pm

flanzer wrote: »

Didn't know that China actually clones other manufacturers cars. Then I thought, sure they copy everything else, why not cars??!!

Then I came across this Youtube video. I guess there no such thing as copyright in China

mqKtS_QmmsM

They seem to be pretty good at cloning ugly cars, but are way off the mark with the nice ones (merc clone aside).

johndaman66 · 31-05-2013 11:38pm

Chris_Heilong wrote: »

no, its a totally different kind of world there, cars are also a status symbol, So I have a car, I am better than those without one is the attitude, for example I seen a guy mount the footpath and blear his horn so all the people would get out of his way just because he got bored waiting in traffic, Its a free for all with no lane discipline and 6 lane roads were cars weave i and out at speed, no need for seat-belts in China, if you ever get a Taxi you will notice they are cut out. Lots of people bride the driving examiner to get a license and far too many people are squashed every day in Beijing because no one pays attention.

Fair points. I was never in China but I would have fore-guessed many scenarios similar to how you describe.

I was more specifically drawing similarities between no one using mirrors, indicators and driving at night with no lights on though...

Mr. Loverman · 01-06-2013 2:34am

johndaman66 wrote: »

I was more specifically drawing similarities between no one using mirrors, indicators and driving at night with no lights on though...

Irish drivers are brilliant compared to Chinese drivers. For example, quite a lot of Chinese drivers don't even stop at red lights. I still haven't figured out if this is because they don't understand the concept of a red light or because they don't care.

Chinese culture (in particular the one child policy) has caused a generation of people to be utterly selfish so they don't care about you unless you are in their family or a friend with benefits. So why should they bother stopping at a red light? It isn't in their interest to do so.

Also the Chinese education system is dire (memorize, don't understand) so there is a few generations of people who have learned everything by rote but don't understand anything.

It's a really weird but fascinating culture.

johndaman66 · 01-06-2013 10:41am

Mr. Loverman wrote: »

It's a really weird but fascinating culture.

Oppressive is the first word I might have chosen but no doubt there are weird and fascinating aspects to their culture. Still, more backward than I would have imagined. I would have imagined there would have being more law and order on their roads for example if they are as you describe.

There was an element of sarcasm intended in my original post but seemingly I must not have executed it so well. I have no doubt our driving standards are much better overall here. Its just when you see people (typically toyota drivers for some reason) driving with no lights on and its well dark. Or people not using or worse still using indicators incorrectly at roundabouts. As I say there was an element of sarcasm in there on my part too.

Some weird and wonderful cars being posted. Keep them coming Mr. Loverman

Mr. Loverman's "Cars of Beijing" thread

Comments