Good Cars and Bad Cars --- According to Kindergarteners

[MichaelB]

What's this about getting driven to school? When I was young we used to walk to school.

[Sarah in SC]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MichaelB What's this about getting driven to school? When I was young we used to walk to school.

Uphill both ways through the snow?

[jdmorton]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sarah in SC Uphill both ways through the snow?

Why yes; yes I did. Lived in a small "city" about a mile from the high school (grades 7 - 12). Anyone living in the "city" limits was not eligible to be bussed to and from school and there was a rather large hill in the middle of our route. Also, this was in the snow belt of Pennsylvania and the average snowfall was in excess of 150 inches per year. When we took our kids to visit Grandma and Grandpa I used to say "See, I did have to walk uphill both ways through snow to and from school".

[Nemo2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MichaelB What's this about getting driven to school? When I was young we used to walk to school.

School? You people went to school? Luxury!

[candrew]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nemo2 School? You people went to school? Luxury!

For an education our father lashed us then we were sent to work all day breaking rocks in a quarry!

[Totoro]

Lucky you, you had a job!

[Car-Guy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Danmar To each their own of course, but I would have the opposite view. I enjoy driving and new cars are just so much better at driving than the old 60's muscle cars were. Way faster, better brakes, handle much better, much faster throttle response, etc. Not to even mention the better reliability and longevity of modern cars.

Even my new Jeep is quicker, faster and handles better than most any older muscle car I have ever had, including several Vette's. I'll probably drive at least 50k miles this year and 98% of that will be in 2015 model years or later BUT, there is still nothing like the shake, rattle and rumble of a 45+ year old naturally aspirated 426 hemi or 427 big block chevy to make me smile.

[unclemick]

Cars are old hat. Upscale swellness - be a loftee, have a cloth shopping bag with your 'green' logo(pick your cause), maybe a bike and loudly and proudly only rent a car when you absolutely have to.

As a 73 year old remembering my carburetor sucking, gear shifting, rubber burning rides of yore - with the Beach Boys on the 8 track blasting I've been put out to pasture.

Like a horse stable owner at the dawn of the auto age.

heh heh heh - so when they grow up driving auto's will be but a memory.

[Danmar]

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Originally Posted by Mulligan My thoughts were similar as I read the posts...I know these were young kids. But I remember in HS, nobody worried about what vehicles the parents had but what we wanted...and in the early 80s when I was in school, "you were the man" if you one of those late 60s vehicles. And they didnt even have to be restored except with a paint job.

Yes, we learn that cars are status symbols pretty early. In high school the rewards of a "status" car were probably a little more tangible than in middle age.

[MichaelB]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sarah in SC Uphill both ways through the snow?

5 miles, each way, and without shoes! And that was only when we got time off from work.

[MasterBlaster]

These kids are just getting started being socialized with the effects of wealth, class envy, and materialism.

Quote:

Conspicuous consumption is the spending of money on and the acquiring of luxurygoods and services to publicly display economic power—of the income or of the accumulated wealth of the buyer. To the conspicuous consumer, such a public display of discretionary economic power is a means either of attaining or of maintaining a given social status

To those that post here about your adequate but crappy car. You may be suffering from a severe case of status anxiety as defined by de' Botton and others. Keep trying to convince yourself that you are still relevant and not deeply inferior to those with a modern European marquis.


Now go ramble back to your hovel !

[Sunset]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Danmar Yes, we learn that cars are status symbols pretty early. In high school the rewards of a "status" car were probably a little more tangible than in middle age.

I was so proud to get my first car, a $200 AMC Hornet, I patched the holes with metal and rivets and then painted it brown with a roller

Had a steady girlfriend, so didn't need any extra rewards

I still walked to/from school since it was only a mile and we rarely got more than 10 feet of snow in the winter, plus I had to pay for my own gas (mean parents )

[karen1972]

I drive a Honda because it keeps its value and it extremely dependable and low cost...this after driving an Audi that after the 5 year warranty cost $2-3k/yr in repairs and when I went to trade it in, they said no one wants this, we'll give you $500 because it costs too much to maintain there is no resale market for them.

Though this reminds me I saw some study posted the other day about american debt and the average household had $27K in auto loans.. never could find the source of that study because it just seemed crazy high, but then again I look at the parking lots and think. hmm.. sadly maybe thats true.

[MasterBlaster]

Quote:

Originally Posted by karen1972 I saw some study posted the other day about american debt and the average household had $27K in auto loans.. never could find the source of that study because it just seemed crazy high.

- Google is your Friend...

<2015 American Household Credit Card Debt Study: >

https://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/cred...ebt-household/

In the 4th quarter 2015 the average household automobile debt is $27141.

As an aside I notice that student loans average $48172 per household. That is a bigger surprise to me.

[Walt34]

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Originally Posted by Sunset I still walked to/from school since it was only a mile and we rarely got more than 10 feet of snow in the winter, plus I had to pay for my own gas (mean parents )

Your (and my) parents could be arrested for that now. Seriously! 'Free Range' Parents Found Responsible for Child Neglect After Allowing Kids to Walk Home Alone - ABC News

I had to walk to school (sometimes I rode a bicycle if the snow wasn't too deep) but my teachers hated me and locked me in a closet. In the basement. In solitary. In the dark. I received regular beatings until my morale improved.

[LARS]

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Originally Posted by Sarah in SC Pfffft, kids these days! When I was that age, my father finally replaced the VW Beetle he drove us around in (I was third kid, mind you) with that ultimate status symbol, a brand new Chevrolet Vega! The wagon, no less. WORST CAR EVER! We also had a Vista Cruiser wagon for a short time, which was awesome, especially with those rear seats at the back so you could suck up some exhaust on the way.

Vista Cruisers ruled. My parents had a gold wagon and the "moon roof glass" for lack of a better description was the coolest thing. Very space age looking for the time. Thanks for reminding me. Good memories.


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[jjquantz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sunset I was so proud to get my first car, a $200 AMC Hornet, I patched the holes with metal and rivets and then painted it brown with a roller Had a steady girlfriend, so didn't need any extra rewards I still walked to/from school since it was only a mile and we rarely got more than 10 feet of snow in the winter, plus I had to pay for my own gas (mean parents )

My first "car" also cost $200. Dad bought me a sway-backed 1964 Ford pickup truck to drive around. Three on the tree with a 250 cubic inch engine. The old man knew what he was doing- It couldn't go very fast or carry very many people. The thing constantly needed work - fortunately, Dad's cousin ran a pick-it-yourself junkyard. Ah, fond memories.

[Dawg52]

I guess the most 'snobbish' car I've had was a Volvo. Easily the worst one I have owned. I currently drive a Hyundai Santa Fe and it's probably the nicest riding and most reliable one I have owned.

[ScottS]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MichaelB 5 miles, each way, and without shoes! And that was only when we got time off from work.

You got time off from work! I am sooo jealous!
Keeping to the original topic we did the status car once, a C class back in '97. Next car was an '08 Accord. Benz given to child who drove it till it became too costly to repair. Replaced by a 2015 accord.

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[38Chevy454]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Car-Guy I would much rather have some restored late model 60's Chevy's, Dodge's (or even Ford's) than a brand new BMW, Lexus or Mercedes.

I have to relate a funny story. At my old job I used to drive a 1960 Chevy El Camino as my daily driver. This was around 2003. It was not the most aesthetic with about 5 shades of primer grey for paint. But it was a cool car and ran and drove nice. One of the female engineers I worked with said one day "Why do you drive that old car? You can drive a new car if you want". Her car was by no means a new luxury car, it was a typical 5 year old Japanese sedan of some type. I did not have the heart to tell her my El Camino was worth far more than her econobox. So I just said I like old cars and that is my choice. BTW sold that El Camino and it went to a buyer in New Zealand. I don't think any 5-10 year old econobox has ever had that kind of desire.

Some of my other daily drivers besides the 1960 El Camino over the years have been: 1964 Buick Riviera, 1960 Ford F-100, 1937 Chevy Pickup, 1959 El Camino, 1949 Ford COE (avatar pic is this). I always have comments and get attention whenever I stop somewhere. It is my choice, and in fact I make money on my old cars as opposed to losing money on some newer car, even the 5 year old sedan as comparison.

On the Vega comment, they were not actually as bad as the reputation. Yes the engine would burn oil after 50K miles or so. Yes they did have a rust issue, it was related to the shipping technique, they were loaded on rail cars and flipped vertical. This caused some entrapped moisture and subsequent rusting issues. The cars actually for the time were OK as a cheap car. I built one as a senior in high school with a 350 V8 and drove it all through 5 years of college and 1 year after, 6 years total as my main transportation. Being in CA helped as there was not the bad rust issues. All cars of the 70's had rust issues, even moreso the Japanese cars than American cars.