h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

A thread to list, discuss, debate all the irrational prejudices that cause you to avoid buying a certain make or model of car.

My current irrational prejudice are against those bastions of sensible driving, VOLVO. The reasons? Well, they all drive around with lights on, even when it's bright out there! They're also the Morris Minor of our times, often driven 20% below the speed limit by 'flat cappers'. Oh, and the name sounds vaguely anatomical!
I also resent SAAB for the 'lights' reason, although they're partly forgiven for having invented the family car with the most distinctive engine note, the SAAB 96 v4 of my youth.

Over to you, folks!

The reason for the cars having the lights on in bright daylight are, that they MUST drive with their lights on in Scandinavia (atleast they must in Denmark, so I guess the laws are the same elsewhere)so the cars are built in a way that the lights go on the moment you start the motor.

In Ireland, the government recommends that all drivers should drive with dipped headlights during the day. This is also recommended by the Institute of Engineers of Ireland.

I followed a Golf looking Lexus at lunchtime. How much cool does a sporty lexus NOT have.

Gnomon, that's Nanny Statism gone mad, HSE rule the world, did you do a risk assesment before you got out of bed this morning.

I knew when I posted my comment about lights that there was some Nanny-state law, but as other modifications are made for the British market [not least right hand drive], it shouldn't be beyond their wit to allow sensible people to light up only when necessary and permit a fuel-savingthat might be small but possibly significant over a ten year life-span.
I hate being dictated to in the alleged interests of safety. I assume personal responsibility for making sure I can see [I'm very fussy about this when driving, funnily enough] and being seen.

I just luuv seeing the teeny boy racers, with their dust bin exhausts running around with their fog ligbhts on. They think I think they're rally drivers but I think they look like Volvo drivers

Do they have to be irrational reasons.

I would never buy a Fiat because you have to buy a completely new tool kit just to change the oil.

B

"they're partly forgiven for having invented the family car with the most distinctive engine note, the SAAB 96 v4 of my youth."

Actually, Saab aren't really responsible for that, as the V4 used in some Saabs was a Ford unit that they company had bought in to replace the two-strokes they had used up until then.

I wouldn't buy a big Renault or Fiat. For some reason, this would just be intrinsically wrong, despite the fact that my Ma and Pa had a Fiat Croma when I was younger which was ace.

I heard an item on Drive on R5 one evening.

Someone's apparently done a survey on the most common first names of the drivers of certain makes of car.

I can't remember all the details but Ford Escorts tend to be driven by Lee and Darren - and Micras by Gladys and Norma.

Well - I drive a Micra and I ain't no Gladys.
I do concede that they tend to be driven by ladies of a certain age - and I am heading that way myself - but I bet they don't have Led Zep or Scissor Sisters on the CD player, singing along at the top of their voices - like wot I do .

Oh yes I'm filthy - and gorgeous

Re Skodas - I was disgusted to be given one as a hire car by my employer - but it was actually very good to drive. Aren't VW making them these days?

I'm a cyclist, so I hate all cars equally for clogging up the roads.

I'd forgotten the v4 in the Saab 96 was a Ford Unit. It must have been the Saab's acoustics, it just didn't sound the same in the Corsair!
I don't think I'd buy one of the new minis. They can't be described as MINI any more. I'm sure they're bigger than the old Austin Maxi rustbuckets.

Didn't there used to be a 2 stroke Saab?

Re the Automatic Headlights On (AHO) stuff, there's been an attempt to force it through the EU. Not sure what the current position is at the moment though.

"I'm a cyclist, so I hate all cars equally for clogging up the roads."

I'm a driver. We feel the same about you. Driving through Cambridge of an evening is like trying to negotiate an assault course 'cos there's so many drunk cyclists about.

Still, they're worth ten points each, so I'm not complaining.....

I cycle and drive, and doing both makes me more aware of the needs of others!

When I'm on cycle lanes and find car drivers encroaching, I considerately fold their mirrors back to avoid taking off layers of paint.

Back to the thread, I hate 4x4 Chelsea Tractors. Choke you with fumes, can't see round 'em. Driven by people who'd like to ride a horse but are scared of getting too closse to nature!

BMWs, any sort. I'm sure I'm not the only person to have formed the opinion that these are usually driven by utter tossers.

I remember being emailed a 'BMW Licence', a mocked-up driver's licence giving the holder permission to drive like they own the road.

Certain models do have the aura of a pimpmobile! [Especially when customised by the chavs that drive 'em]

Tinted windows in any car makes it look like a chav pimpmobile.