Do you feel inferior?

Roger Mellie Man on the Telly

When you see a much nicer car than yours? Especially when you think your car is quite nice?

A brand new 911 Carrera 4S pulled up beside me the other day. It was very striking. I couldn't help wondering how happy the bloke driving it must be. I also felt pathetic as I laboured home in my 8 year old Golf.

visual

You own your 8 year old car the new car is very likely financed with big repayments and devaluing by the day

OldMrBrennan83

This post has been deleted.

endacl

Not in the slightest bit. It's just a car. On the other hand, my guitars are more than likely better than the Carrera driver's guitars.

Depends what you're into, I suppose. My car is a comfy seat and a stereo that gets me from A to B. With a nice big boot for guitars.

Atlantic Dawn

I always feel superior when next to a 2008 plus cheap tax financed to the hilt car.

Only times now I feel inferior are those with 250 plus bhp petrols of any age, those are the men who are men, regardless of current value of car but as Robbie Williams says no regrets, they don't work...

pablo128

I have a 9 year old Avensis t4 spec. Yes, there are nicer cars that pull up beside me at the lights. But I own my car, I know it's in good condition, quality tyres, etc. And it will probably be going along just fine in another 10 years, unlike half the german sh1te out there.

There's also my 35 yr old Fiat to keep things interesting.;)

kay 9

Agree with the above. I don't care what anyone else has as it's useless to me. I like to have my own gear whether it's a jeep or a screwdriver it's mine. After all why make yourself feel inferior to a machine?? I doubt feel inferior to any man, woman, beast or machine. Enjoy your golf...I bet you have more respect for it than most driving Ferraris etc

Jesus.

Roger Mellie Man on the Telly wrote: »

I also felt pathetic as I laboured home in my 8 year old Golf.

No offence Roger but the only thing pathetic is your feelings of inferiority because another bloke drives a nicer car than you

TimeToShine

Jesus. wrote: »

No offence Roger but the only thing pathetic is your feelings of inferiority because another bloke drives a nicer car than you

No need for this, it is a motoring forum after all. Nothing wrong with appreciating a nice car.

bladespin

Tbh, I'd feel very paranoid driving around in a Porsche and be much more comfortable in a golf (with porsche performance )

Supergurrier

Im normally too deafened to have a clue what's going on around me

Grolschevik

endacl wrote: »

Not in the slightest bit. It's just a car. On the other hand, my guitars are more than likely better than the Carrera driver's guitars.

Depends what you're into, I suppose. My car is a comfy seat and a stereo that gets me from A to B. With a nice big boot for guitars.

Exactly this.

porsche959

Roger Mellie Man on the Telly wrote: »

When you see a much nicer car than yours? Especially when you think your car is quite nice?

A brand new 911 Carrera 4S pulled up beside me the other day. It was very striking. I couldn't help wondering how happy the bloke driving it must be. I also felt pathetic as I laboured home in my 8 year old Golf.

This might make you feel better:

ian87

I've had my bmw's, audi's etc that I've had to borrow from the credit union to buy. Got rid of them, paid off the debt and now have a deposit for house saved/recovered. I currently drive a diesel focus which I bought as a trade sale in a garage last May just before selling my 5 series. I taxed it, serviced it and put four new bridgestones on it and it is still costing me less than its market value. It's worth less than my shirt but I own it outright. And to be honest it has more character and sentimental value than my old gadget laden leather clad badge mobiles. Fair enough its a step down but it does the same job and as I do 20k miles a year minimum it serves me well without the worry of excruciating depreciation. Do I cringe driving it? Nope! Because at the end of the day who else cares?

Del2005

Roger Mellie Man on the Telly wrote: »

When you see a much nicer car than yours? Especially when you think your car is quite nice?

A brand new 911 Carrera 4S pulled up beside me the other day. It was very striking. I couldn't help wondering how happy the bloke driving it must be. I also felt pathetic as I laboured home in my 8 year old Golf.

If you believe in stereo types he's much more jealous of you.

toastedpickles

I bought my car for 800 euro, It was an absolute heap when i bought it some would say it still is, but with the amount of work I've put into it I utterly love the thing, all its quirks, and strange things it has, unlike the guy in his new 142 I'm not having to mortgage my house to afford it a car is what you make it in my opinion really

Dia1988

I would hate to bring everyone down, but I think it's not just the actual car be it a Porsche or Ferrari that might make one feel inferior, but the lifestyle that goes with it.

Indeed, the car may be on a lease plan or on hefty loan repayments, but when ever I see a flash car such as the above,I think to myself, How has he got it so right? Bet he has a nice house/mansion, nice clothes, goes on regular holidays and can afford to send his children to the best school!

Of course, the above is a very materialistic view point and the old adage of "money can't buy you happiness" but I disagree.
Like it or not,money can make life in certain terms happier, albeit an empty happiness! There's nothing stopping you from being sad and poor either.

Well, I hope I cheered everyone up!

Happy 2015! :-P

toastedpickles

Noccy_Mondy

I feel inferior when someone in the same car as me pulls up one side of me, but in a higher spec.

Basically this boils down to me not getting a titanium or titanium x spec. Have and always will regret it

Never again, top spec or nothing!!

Don't give a hoot about anyone else in their 151 corolla with hub caps, or the likes...

JohnCleary

On the flip side, I drive a modern c class "amg sport" ... Merc equiv of bmw mtec.

Nothing too special but certainly looks nice. Even in mid twenties, I sometimes get the "well someone has a rich daddy" ... I don't even bother stooping to their level with a response anymore

barney 20v

My daily car is a €500 1998 corolla - the most boring but reliable car on the roadA/B driving
.
I've a 295 BHP Impreza for the weekend/ summer and I bought my Gf our ST mondeo- rare enough and comfy.
Safe and economical

I only envy people who have good condition Mk 2 Ford escorts - !

Atlantic Dawn

I think in general Ireland is no country for good cars.

Bpmull

Funnily enough it's never something I thought about. I drive a nearly 8 year old golf. Sure loads of way more expensive newer faster cars have pulled up beside me. But it never made me feel somehow lesser or made me like my car less. Sure my car isn't anything special but I still enjoy it.

Dia1988

Dia1988 wrote: »

I would hate to bring everyone down, but I think it's not just the actual car be it a Porsche or Ferrari that might make one feel inferior, but the lifestyle that goes with it.

Indeed, the car may be on a lease plan or on hefty loan repayments, but when ever I see a flash car such as the above,I think to myself, How has he got it so right? Bet he has a nice house/mansion, nice clothes, goes on regular holidays and can afford to send his children to the best school!

Of course, the above is a very materialistic view point and the old adage of "money can't buy you happiness" but I disagree.
Like it or not,money can make life in certain terms happier, albeit an empty happiness! There's nothing stopping you from being sad and poor either.

Well, I hope I cheered everyone up!

Happy 2015! :-P

I agree.
Many posts in here are along the lines of the chap is indebted to the hilt and we're all better off owning what we have. The usual sh1te about 2008 on cars on low tax also come along, only morons would buy one of them.

Each to their own etc.... I am fairly sure the chap in the Porsche is by in large happy out with his lot.... So too the OP in his Golf. Of course both aspire to greener fields & better things.

I remember doing a bit of Security work in the past. It was a horse racing event and Volkswagen dealer had taken up space to put 3-4 cars on display (to promote themselves).


When the lads were working on the site, wiring up TVs, speakers, bringing kegs, sorting out catering, etc. VW started arriving in their cars. One of them was an orange Amarok. It came in the gate and I think literally everyone stopped what they were doing and stared the wheels off it. It was amazing.

It was lifted, and the back was lifted higher than the front (so it was 'looking down'). It had a big A-bar on the back, with spotlights on the roof, side bars, etc. it was just absolutely amazing looking. Colour really set it off, too.


I think it was pretty much the same as this:

http://www.ausmotive.com/pics/2012/VW-Amarok-Canyon-Concept-01.jpg



Checked the window when I was having a look at it. €67,500 I believe it was. Can't imagine anyone without at least half a million in their ass pocked would even consider it. If I won the lotto tomorrow I'd track it down.



Other than that I'd rather just have a car that I personally like. If that Amarok pulled up beside me in traffic, I'd think "jammy bastard", but there are few other cars I pass any remarks to. Porsches and Ferraris, etc. have drove past me before and I don't really pass any remarks. I'm happy enough in my 407.


You're very anonymous on the roads, anyway. No one knows who you are. Once you take 10 steps away from your million Euro sports car, no one knows who owns it. When you're in it, people aren't looking at you, they're looking at the car itself.


I certainly wouldn't go out of my way to buy a nice car to impress other people.

dgt

I drive a taxi spec 95 Merc non turbo diesel. What do you think...?


I couldn't give one metric f*ck what anyone thinks, I love driving my roaring bear of a car :cool:

corktina

i never feel inferior. My car is 10 years old but is better than most cars I see. I rarely see a car that is more desirable to me than my own, mostly blandmobiles. (My car also pretty quick and I have a huge penis

spurious

Maybe it's a girl thing, but I can't see what anyone sees in Porsche cars. I would see a driver of one as someone with more money than sense.

christy02

I like when someone pulls up at lights beside me a 142 paddy spec golf (or similar). Leaving dunkettle roundabout heading for Middleton there is 2 lanes leaving roundabout which then merge into one on exit ramp.

For some reason it is always the golf drivers that skip past traffic in outside and then sit beside me at the lights. They then try and get ahead on to off ramp so they can cut in ahead of you.

Often wonder as I leave them for dead if they are thinking they could have bought something so much better for less cash a few years older.

And not be financed to the hilt!

Always did and always will own my cars outright. If that means I pay a bit extra road tax then so be it.

Brian?

Rarely feel inferior in my 14 year old Golf GTi. Bought it for the princely sum of €2800 in 2010. Car owes me nothing. I added up my repair bills in the last four years: €250. If anything I feel smug.

Herself has a 04 BMW X3 3.0i. I sometimes feel like a bit of a goon in that, most money we ever spent on a car at 5 grand. The tax is nasty too. But the noise and acceleration make up for it.

Tail Docker

Roger Mellie Man on the Telly wrote: »

When you see a much nicer car than yours? Especially when you think your car is quite nice?

A brand new 911 Carrera 4S pulled up beside me the other day. It was very striking. I couldn't help wondering how happy the bloke driving it must be. I also felt pathetic as I laboured home in my 8 year old Golf.

No one will agree, but deep down, almost every man will quietly understand.

bladespin

Fireblades eat sportscars (it's their natural prey), if a Porsche pulls up beside me when I'm on the bike I just smile.

Rubberchikken

never begrudge/feel inferior to anyone.
it's great if someone else wants a fancy/expensive/whatever car.
i have a nearly 4 yto ibiza. owned by me, in great condition, just serviced and due it's nct in two weeks and i'm happy out.

landmarkjohn

re Porsche, I would bet that when he looks at the first full service bill he will still have a slight involuntary wince........ and if he doesn't good luck to him.

Reminds me of a guy I was chatting to on holiday, he was apoplectic about the cost of replacement windscreen wiper on his Porsche Cayenne.. very funny at the time.

JJJJNR

apoplectic - that's my word of the day, thanks.

kerry4sam

Roger Mellie Man on the Telly wrote: »

When you see a much nicer car than yours? Especially when you think your car is quite nice?

A brand new 911 Carrera 4S pulled up beside me the other day. It was very striking. I couldn't help wondering how happy the bloke driving it must be. I also felt pathetic as I laboured home in my 8 year old Golf.

I don't feel inferior, but at times I do feel like a fraud! I earned my monies; saved them and went out in May this year and bought my 2011. That was a new-ish car for me, but it's far far from this type of car that I was raised.

Truth be known, if my Late Loving Dad were alive, I wouldn't have spent the monies on this but would have spent some money on my auld 2001; but I saw someone drive one, one day and fell in love with it so when looking for a car in May last I only set my sights on this & bought one.

Often I'd see older cars out there being driven by people of my Late Dads' era and actually feel bad as it is far far from this that I was raised.

Don't feel inferior, just feel like a fraud at times. People have tried to make me feel better (worked hard; saved ; bought something that I loved...) when I tell them this, but I can't help how I feel when I see the above.

Does that make sense?
kerry4sam

Chippy01

bladespin wrote: »

Fireblades eat sportscars (it's their natural prey), if a Porsche pulls up beside me when I'm on the bike I just smile.

Same with the Valk. Don't be fooled by it's size .... :eek:

Roger Mellie Man on the Telly

spurious wrote: »

I can't see what anyone sees in Porsche cars.

It's likely a man thing...I just think they're a great piece if engineering. The long history and racing pedigree is fairly impressive too. Apparently they handle beautifully as well.

It was from this perspective that I felt a little lost...I don't really mind how much money the chap has, I just hope he bought the car for some of the reasons I mention and not purely to show off.

A girl I know had the means to buy a new 911 and test drove one (after the dealer tried to sell her a Boxster:)). She said it was utterly stunning to drive. However she bought a Mini JCW instead. Why? She said she couldn't face the 'wanker' image associated with the 911.
I suppose most folks assume you buy a 911 to flaunt wealth, whereas oftentimes they're bought by enthusiasts.

Special Circumstances

corktina wrote: »

i never feel inferior. My car is 10 years old but is better than most cars I see. I rarely see a car that is more desirable to me than my own, mostly blandmobiles. (My car also pretty quick and I have a huge penis

A true cork man never feels inferior!



Limerick owners of VAG/merc/range rovers would need tough skin - you will never have one as new and as high specced as certain subsets of the natives.

_Kaiser_

I have a just about 10 year old Audi A6 Quattro with a 3.0 TDI motor under the bonnet and a far higher spec than most - amazing really considering it's an Irish car, not an import.

Sure the tax is a killer and I wouldn't mind a refresh model but even browsing on Done Deal, anything 08+ is almost certainly a 2.0 TDI and for the few bigger engines there are, the spec is poor (basic red screen MMI, no parking sensors, no xenons etc)

I'll probably have to move up to an A8 to get an equivalent spec and that's only because it comes with far more as standard. Good ole Irish punters - go buy a premium car (and pay for it!) and then spec it worse than an average family saloon! :rolleyes:

corktina

what do you want parking sensors for? Can't you drive?

pablo128

_Kaiser_ wrote: »

I have a just about 10 year old Audi A6 Quattro with a 3.0 TDI motor under the bonnet and a far higher spec than most - amazing really considering it's an Irish car, not an import.

Sure the tax is a killer and I wouldn't mind a refresh model but even browsing on Done Deal, anything 08+ is almost certainly a 2.0 TDI and for the few bigger engines there are, the spec is poor (basic red screen MMI, no parking sensors, no xenons etc)

I'll probably have to move up to an A8 to get an equivalent spec and that's only because it comes with far more as standard. Good ole Irish punters - go buy a premium car (and pay for it!) and then spec it worse than an average family saloon! :rolleyes:

I know someone who bought a '10 A6 allroad 2.7 tdi quattro. The tax on it is 1200 yoyos. Not all newer diesels are cheap to tax.

_Kaiser_

corktina wrote: »

what do you want parking sensors for? Can't you drive?

:rolleyes: There's always one isn't there!

_Kaiser_

pablo128 wrote: »

I know someone who bought a '10 A6 allroad 2.7 tdi quattro. The tax on it is 1200 yoyos. Not all newer diesels are cheap to tax.

I know that .. wouldn't be driving what I have if tax was a show-stopper but that said, a few quid more in my pocket is always welcome too!

Cienciano

I drive a car worth €3k, if a nicer car puls up beside me i just admire it and drive off. Though everyone was the same

Skylinehead

No point in comparing my car to anything else really, so no. Minor tinge of jealousy every time I see a higher spec one, but I can live with that, seeing as mine is almost certainly better maintained than most.

It is hard when I see the rare 8th gen Type R though, those things are beautiful.

listermint

I saw a Ferrari 599 being washed in a sponge wash the other day in a side of the road hand wash.


I didnt ponder what that chap feels like driving it. I was thinking to myself that guy doesnt know how to look after his car. Pleb. Then i felt smug.

OldMrBrennan83

This post has been deleted.

Cienciano

Roger Mellie Man on the Telly wrote: »

It's likely a man thing...I just think they're a great piece if engineering. The long history and racing pedigree is fairly impressive too. Apparently they handle beautifully as well.

It was from this perspective that I felt a little lost...I don't really mind how much money the chap has, I just hope he bought the car for some of the reasons I mention and not purely to show off.

A girl I know had the means to buy a new 911 and test drove one (after the dealer tried to sell her a Boxster:)). She said it was utterly stunning to drive. However she bought a Mini JCW instead. Why? She said she couldn't face the 'wanker' image associated with the 911.
I suppose most folks assume you buy a 911 to flaunt wealth, whereas oftentimes they're bought by enthusiasts.

I just find it amazing that what strangers might think about you could influence your decision on what car to buy. Are people really that shallow and insecure?

_Kaiser_

Cienciano wrote: »

I just find it amazing that what strangers might think about you could influence your decision on what car to buy. Are people really that shallow and insecure?

Of course they are - that's why the obsession with reg year/plates above all else in this country

ironclaw

I don't feel inferior to sports cars. Not in Ireland. Few people, and we're talking a handful, have 'real money' in Ireland. I mean the money to buy a car outright, grab a private plane to Europe etc. Proper wealth and no object. Plenty of people here can afford the illusion of wealth and build up an image. Its 95% credit living. But put them against the likes of the UK, or better, America and they are mere commoners. Even the spec alone of 'sports cars' here is astounding compared to the other markets. Sit in a Porsche here, and then sit in the top spec in the UK or America, world of difference in trim, finish and extras. We don't even get the complete lines here, its all the lower to mid line stuff.

If anything, I feel inferior to the lads who go out and buy the exotic sleepers or the true bonkermobiles (GT-R etc) and there is no better feeling than pulling up at the next set of lights and the lad in the Merc / Porsche / Ferrari wondering how your A4 / A6 'saloon' beat them