QOTD: How Important Are Your Car's Looks?
A friend of mine wants to buy an Alfa Romeo Spider. "Do you know a good mechanic?" I asked her. Because I explained, if she didn't the car wouldn't move. And even if she found a talented wrench, the car would only run from her apartment to the shop. I told her to get a Miata instead. Bullet proof, plus the Mazda drives seven times better than the solid-axled Italian. Nope. Not interested. She wants the Alfa. Because it looks better. I ran into another friend last night, who against all my best advising swapped her ("ugly") Scion for a ("cute") Volvo 240 Wagon. "What are you doing for Valentine's Day?" I asked her and her boyfriend. "Picking up the Volvo from the shop." Today saw my take on the new Subaru STI. I'll let reader cretinx summarize what most of y'all have been saying, "Its just . . . . so . . . ugly . . . ." Big time. That said, that pig is most likely my next car. Apologies to Sheryll Alexander, but when it comes to driving, I really don't care about looks. You?
Cleanup driver for Team Black Metal V8olvo.
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judging by what I buy and drive, I'd have to conclude that reliability, economy, and utility are higher priorities than looks. That said, I think my Ranger is a pretty nice looking design -at least for a truck. I'd have to say I'm repelled by ugliness more than I'm attracted by beauty. Hondas are bland, but inoffensive, so I'll buy them. Subaru doesn't have a chance of selling me a car. I wouldn't drive a free Aztek - I'd take it, but I'd sell it asap and buy something less replusive. Chrysler doesn't have a chance of selling me anything either - just too replusive. But I have quirky tastes. I think the 2CV is a beautiful car (but not the Charleston get up). I'd love to have a DS for it's beuaty.
The only thing I care about as far as looks is that the car is not boring. Ugly, beautiful, goofy...anything but another boring sedan. I don't go for flashy cars either. Most of my sports car driving friends get their egos all wrapped up in their rides. Telling 'em you don't like their car is like insulting their mother...the result of a materialistic society, I guess.
For me, the thing that won me over on the 350Z was the sound. I would have bought a convertible just to hear the sound more, but I just absolutely cannot stand the looks of it. I'm not a huge fan of the 350Z looks either. From certain angles, it can look a bit fat, and the front end is just now starting to grow on me, and I think thats only because I have it in black, where it hides the "bluntness" of it more than with the other colors. Also, it has to have a nice feel in the gearbox. I would have loved to get a GTO, but the 6 speed they stuck in there must have mashed potato internals. It was absolutely horrible, and I don't think I could have ever talked myself into buying one, even with that tremendously lovely V8 sound.
I'd prefer my daily driver to be ugly... because its beauty would not last long in most cases. Soon it would get scratched, dented, shit on by birds, rock chips, hit, etc. Now for a weekend car, i'd want it to be drop dead sexy... it would live in the garage and only driven when there is no traffic, it would rarely be left unattended in public, its beauty cannot be tarnished... my 300ZX Twin Turbo is subject to daily driving right now because it sustained damage and needs repair. Its a dead sexy car, but its been scarred. of course, once i repair the car, it will be sheltered again.