Do you judge a person by what they drive?

Sal - posted on 05/03/2011

yes i think we all do sadly i think that anyone who says other wise is probally not being totally honest with themselves, while it is wrong to do so and while every person has their own story we are judged everyday by the image we present to the world, and sometimes we like the stereotype associated without choices- sometimes we don;t but we must acknowlegde that there are there, and there are certain types of cars that i wouldn't like to find stop next to me as i'm walking along the street thats for sure...i personally would rather see a person driving a well maintained car they can afford than a brand new one thay can't, as long as they are safe i don;t care, i am so not a car person..
i used to drive an old carolla, my hubby (then new BF) drove a brand new bmw, it was amazing to see how differently people treated me in traffic depending what car i was driving, driving the same route each day to work the exact same people would either let me in front of them or rudely block my way depending what car i was in and it wasn't one way either some people let me in because i was in an old are like them, and not when i was in the new one, or vise versa...

Jane - posted on 05/03/2011

Well, my older brother has been riding Harley's since I was 12 (I'm 52 now) and I rode a motorcycle for years until I had kids so I don't judge bikers but I do have to say that if a vehicle is beat up, I might stereotype. Old does not cause me to judge but rather un-cared for.

Stifler's - posted on 05/03/2011

I judge people with Chev badges on their Holden. LOLOLOLOL.

Shannintipton - posted on 05/03/2011

I did when we could afford a nice car. Now everything is going to crap . . . so did our car. lol{:+)

Cassie - posted on 05/03/2011

I honestly only made it through the first 2 pages so I'm not sure if I'm just restating what someone else has said but..

I typically do not judge the cars people drive but I do judge when I see a car covered in bumper stickers of any kind. To me, a car is an expensive investment. To damage the paint and therefore, the value of the vehicle just to have some cheesy catch-phrase on your car says a lot about a person and how they take care of their investments... It's a major pet peeve of mine. I HATE bumper stickers of all kinds.

Lady Heather - posted on 05/03/2011

I do not. I might judge them by the music they are listening to though. Ha.

I'm sure people judge our giant SUV, particularly when we are down south in enviro-land, but the fact is it is rarely driven and when it is it's full of animals/people/road trip or camping stuff. For us it has been very useful for the few times we need it.

Amber - posted on 05/03/2011

I was guilty of judging today...and this just came back to the top of the front page and I remembered it :-( But it was kind of funny, so I'll share.

There was a car driving next to me that had to have been early 80's...rusted out and falling apart while leaving a cloud of black smoke behind as is thundered away. But they had 20 inch rims and huge box speakers in the back seat. Every time the base hit, some rust would fall to the ground.

I just thought, what an ass. They would rather pollute the air and liter the ground with rust than buy a different car, but can spend thousands on rims and stereo equipment? Oy.

Becky - posted on 05/03/2011

No, but I do judge people based on HOW they drive! Oh, except I'm with all of you on the Hummers. Most people I've met who drive Hummers have been arrogant a-holes. I think they're compensating for something.

Jeanette - posted on 05/02/2011

Lol..I do, but probably not the way most people do. If I see someone driving an average, lower cost or older car, I think "that person probably doesn't have a car payment, they're smart." In my opinion, if it gets you there, be happy to have it, and who cares what people think! :)

Jenn - posted on 05/02/2011

YES! haha..nooooo. I don't put much stock into vehicles. They are SO freaking expensive and lose their value ridiculously. My husband is so proud of himself for buying an old lady's 1997 low-mileage sweet Lincoln Towncar for $3000 because he knows he can flip it for $6000 (which he won't flip now cuz he LOVES that thing!). It makes him happy and that's all I care about. I'd much rather put money into my home or my family's clothing/appearance than our mode of transportation.

Jessica - posted on 05/01/2011

While logically I know you can't judge a book by its cover (or a person by what they drive), I'll admit I do pass judgments on cars i see sometimes. Like most people, when I see the Escalades/Hummers and other ridiculously and unnecessarily huge vehicles I think WTF, and laugh at them in my head for how much money they put in their gas tank (gas is close t $4/gallon here... and I know in some areas of the country its above that). I know a lot of people seem to have a thing against minivans, and I'm not sure why because if you HAVE to drive a big vehicle, they're damn useful. If we ever get another vehicle or have a 3rd child, we'll get a minivan.

I love love love our car though. We drive a 2009 Pontiac G6/GT and even with 2 carseats in the back, I feel damn cool driving that thing. I've always had a thing for fast sporty type cars though. They kind of turn me on. LOL.

Ink - posted on 05/01/2011

I don't judge others by what they drive...unless they have stupid crap bolted on their ride. There is absolutely NO sense in putting low profile racing tires on a pickup truck. Low profile racing tires are designed to disperse heat at high speeds. A pickup truck is NOT going to move fast enough to NEED those low-profile heat-dispersing tires.

Curb feelers annoy me. What a piece of JUNK!

I can't stand it when kids bolt those stupid clear taillights on their cars. God intended for taillights to be RED for a REASON.

I can't stand to hear a car go by with those stupid bumble-bee mufflers. They have seriously damaged their cars. Engines require back pressure to run...and once you have changed the amount of backpressure...the engine suffers. It grates my nutstring to hear poor compression behind those stupid bumblebee mufflers.



I was the office manager for a Jeep repair shop before I got pregnant. We didn't EVER judge a customer by WHAT they drive...they could possibly own two or three MUCH nicer rides..if you bothered to pull their file.

What we judged people by, unfairly...was HOW they kept their vehicle. Anybody who runs their car with no oil....no water..fouled out plugs...dirty filters...THOSE people we judged. Take care of your ride...pretty car or NOT...or you WILL be punished at the shop. No mechanic is going to put his heart into fixing your ride if YOU don't have your heart in it.

Maria - posted on 04/29/2011

I usually dont but now I have started to. I dont have the hottest car out there but i dont have a broken down hoopty either. I cant stand when people drive cars that are barely driveable. Dont bring that broken tin can around me.

Jennifer - posted on 04/29/2011

I would like to day I don't, BUT I do think that people that drive Cadillac SUVs are the worst drivers in the world. Hummers are pretty bad too. My reasoning? Personal observation.

Amanda - posted on 04/29/2011

No, that is silly!
Example in my life is my boyfriends grandma gave him a car that is over 15 years old and the car has low miles and is in better condition than my car that is a lot newer. Just because it older people judge him and say he has a old person car.

Mel - posted on 04/29/2011

No I dont generally unless its a real heap of shit :) My car is crap but not THAT crap. The paint job is shit so I cant wash it in the 5 years Ive had it and its all rusty, but apart from that it runs perfectly so Im quite happy to run it til it dies. I wouldnt want to upgrade Id miss my car so I dont like judging me, and I dont generally judge others by what they drive

Cyndel - posted on 04/29/2011

No...but in his situation It is better that he be prepared...because if she lives up to the majority of Harley Davidson Motorcycle owners then yeah he should be careful, because he could be putting himself in a dangerous situation, esp if they have been drinking. Being a repo man can be a dangerous job...people can get pissed and protective over what they believe is their property, even knowing they haven't paid for it in a while, and can get dangerous.
My husband looked into this job, but from what we learned we decided against it.

Tina - posted on 04/28/2011

I suppose you shouldn't but I can understand his concern he doesn't know what sort of person he is dealing with but that would be the case with anyone. It would be a scary situation.

Vegemite - posted on 04/28/2011

oh renault 21. Yes! oldsmobile

Nikkole - posted on 04/28/2011

My first car was a 95 honda civice 2 door it was nice but the insurance was $200 a month on my moms policy soo i waited till i got married to drive it so my insurance was way cheaper we had that car until 2yrs ago it was caught in a flash flood and it got destroyed

Jenn - posted on 04/28/2011

My first car was an '83 Oldsmobile Delta 88. That things was a boat, but it was smoooooooooth sailing, with it's red velvety interior and could seat 6 people comfortably.

~♥Little Miss - posted on 04/28/2011

Definately not that. It looked like this....but pink, and mirrors on the bottom.
http://images.search.yahoo.com/images/vi...

Vegemite - posted on 04/28/2011

They were 1980-92 so probably. They are great cars
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/co...

~♥Little Miss - posted on 04/28/2011

LOL....I don't know??? It was called a French Renault...is that close? It was an 87

Vegemite - posted on 04/28/2011

Marina you didn't have a fuego did you

September - posted on 04/28/2011

Cool thanks Christine :)

Joanna - posted on 04/28/2011

I used to get pulled over a lot for bogus reasons. I had an old junky 1990 Taurus, but the back was plastered in bumper stickers of my favorites bands and such (I loved stoner rock back in the day). Cops would pull me over and look through my car like they were looking for drugs or something, and give me a reason like "your back light isn't working" (when it was and we tested it out and they said "perhaps the sun made it look like it wasn't") or "your tags looked to be expired" or "we like to do random checks of out of state liscense plates to make sure they know our seat belt laws", etc etc. I never once got a ticket, but I sure got pulled over a lot!

Vegemite - posted on 04/28/2011

Wives and girl friend club....footballers mainly

September - posted on 04/28/2011

Christine what's a WAG?

Jenny - posted on 04/28/2011

I'm jealous Christine, I love Range Rovers.

Vegemite - posted on 04/28/2011

No I don't because I get judged all the time I drive an 08 Range Rover Sport apparently I'm Rich show off WAG wanna be but we own a small classics car yard and can get cars cheap. We didn't even pay half of what the thing is worth. The other day I was getting out and accidently lent on the horn. Some random guy feels the need to say "Oh look at the girl in her rangey, it's probably Mummy and Daddy's car." I felt like saying Thanks for the compliment, I know I look younger but I'm 32 and am way past driving Mummy and Daddy's car and my parents are bus drivers they couldn't afford this car.

Then if I drive a dirty old early 1960's $3000 MkII Jag I'll get the same comments. The thing doesn't even have A/C, has wind up windows, doesn't even have a tape deck not to mentioned a CD player. Needs overdrive just to keep up with traffic and I have to drive on the right hand lane of the freeway just in case it breaks down. I love that thing and would drive it over the rangey any day.



Just some of my cars. I can't even say how many I've owned



http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1...



http://www.facebook.com/media/set/fbx/?s...



haha Jennifer my first car was a manuel '86 corolla what a car it was so much fun. If you pushed in the cigarette lighter it would pop out and go flying across the car burning someone or something. Lighter throwing was pretty much a sport in my car hahah so much fun. Oh oh and the hand breakies and 2nd gear chirpies were the best. haha can you tell I love all cars doesn't matter if they're cheap and nasty or expensive there's always something fun about them.

Bonnie - posted on 04/28/2011

Nope, I don't judge. It can be difficult to really tell at times. Some people run their vehicles down to the ground. Just because they drive a crappy looking vehicle doesn't mean they don't have money.

September - posted on 04/28/2011

No, but I would like to point out that sometimes I get dirty looks when I pull up to an oversized SUV in my Prius...don't hate cause I get 523 miles on a full tank of gas and you only get 300 or less :)

Ashley=) - posted on 04/28/2011

We were judged once by a lady in a fabulous, 2010 Audi.So my man thought at the end of all of this.



This lady she did not park right at all.

When she drove in beside us in a supermarket car park.

She gave us nasty looks and was saying something.She wanted us to move.I do not care what anyone drives.Manners is manners and i go on principle to.We did not move as the lady was in the wrong not us.She drove back so aggressively and back in.She looked at us with an evil look and i gave her the biggest smile.lol..now either she was just an nasty spirited lady or she expected us in our small clean 97 fiesta to move out of big mommas way.I do not know why she acted that way.All i know is the lady in her Big flash,beep beep was mean.lol:-P

Brandi - posted on 04/28/2011

@Kate about the AUDI. Hey, I drive an Audi, and I am not an asshole. :) Mine is a '99 and I bought it for $3000, so no, I am not rich either.

Veronique - posted on 04/28/2011

HAHA! No i don't, but i must admit that when i see a guy drive or a sports car or a huge truck i do say, " what are we compensating for a small penis lol " but that's mainly a joke!

Brandi - posted on 04/28/2011

I'm not sure he was stereotyping because it was a Harley. I think he was more or less just being protective. Being a repo person can be dangerous. People can get very aggressive about losing their belongings. So, I really don't think it was just about the bike.

No. I don't judge people by what they drive. However, I do take into consideration how clean they keep the car. I think that says more about a person than what year and what type of car they drive. It also gives me the impression that if you can't keep your car clean, I can only imagine what your house looks like. Yes, kids can help junk up your car, but it doesn't take much time to run through a car wash or wash it off and it doesn't take that much time to throw away trash. :)

Jenny - posted on 04/28/2011

I have to add my favourite quote here too: "Every dollar you spend is a vote for what you believe in."

Ashley=) - posted on 04/28/2011

No i never judge people by there material things.I go by there actions and words to determine what type of people the are.I know many people go by the car and i just do not get it.lol:-)

Jenni - posted on 04/28/2011

Oh. That sunfire wasn't my first car. My first car was a black '85 (15 yrs old at the time) K-car with a droopy ceiling and a rip on the driver's side seat that looked like it was clawed by a bear.

One time I pushed in the cigarette lighter and my radio went to static. Never worked after that.

It started leaking gas which I got fixed.

The final straw was on the way to class, I applied the break and my foot went straight to the floor.

She was rusted out and a ticking time bomb.



I was afraid to drive her after that. :(

Jenny - posted on 04/28/2011

I never drove until I was 24, my first car was a Pontiac Bonneville. Sweet.

Jenni - posted on 04/28/2011

My parents just paid the lot fees for it as a birthday present. I made the monthly payments and insurance payments.... (it was also a lease).

My parents already had new/newer truck/car.

Rosie - posted on 04/28/2011

a new car for my teen? screw that, i'd like a new car before my child gets one, lol!

Jenni - posted on 04/28/2011

@Marina when I had the bumble bee looking thing it was when "yellow" was the new "pink". So I use to get picked out all the time by people too. I seen you at so and so.

Jenny - posted on 04/28/2011

I do and I don't. I've worked in the trades all of my life so I've seen the paycheques they get and what they drive. Most were leases or purchased through capital gains during our real estate boom a few years ago.

I judge pretty much all Hummers and Escalade drivers, they are wasteful and have no practical use even off road.

I also would never date a dude who drove a car but that is preference thing. I like trucks, motorbikes (cruisers only) and smaller SUV's.

I drive a '92 Toyota 4Runner. I bought it for $3000 and it only has 200K on it, these babies don't fall over until they hit like 600K+. It is 4 cylinder so it's good on gas and it will go anywhere. I've climb to the top of many a mountain with it. Plus it can haul a weekends worth of camping gear and the family, and the dogs. It's great in the snow too. I call it my billy goat. My next vehicle will likely be a Toyota Tacoma if I go newer.

Jenni - posted on 04/28/2011

Hahaha I use to drive around in my bright yellow sunfire when I was a teen and think I was the shiznit and the bees knees.

Now I don't care what I drive and can't afford to be picky anyways. So I care even less what someone else is driving.



Expect those rich broads in brand spanking new SUVs. ooohh you think you're so much better than me and my gold focus wagon! (before anyone takes that seriously that was meant to be a joke).

Johnny - posted on 04/28/2011

Around here, if I see a very expensive car I either assume over-stretched lease agreement, gang member, IT millionaire, or lumber baron. I used to think that people driving really high end cars were all just rich, then I started to know a lot of people with really high end cars. Some were rich, but some just decided it was a worthy thing to blow most of their pay cheque on lease payments for.

When I buy a car, I'm looking for good Consumer Reports ratings, good safety reviews and a reasonable price for what I am getting.

I always bought used cars until I was about 28. Then I bought a new car because I was able to get a 5 year lease at 0% with the first year of services free. It was totally worth it. I just sold that car and got a reasonable price for it even though it was over 100,000 kms. I feel like I got my money's worth.

We bought our most recent car new for the same reason. Awesome 0% financing, it had exactly what we wanted, and because my husband had never bought himself a new car.

My parents helped me buy my first car. I was working full-time and going to school full-time and trying to take public transit was starting to be a disaster. Not to mention that I'd just gotten a new job that stopped after bus service ended and I'd have to either take a cab home or ride my bike in the middle of the night. It wasn't as if they could pick me up either, I was living in another city. I will definitely do the same for my children if they show that they can work hard and save.

Firebird - posted on 04/28/2011

I'm with Jocelyn, I only judge the ones who drive hummers because they're horrible for the environment. But new and flashy, or old and beaten up... I don't care what people drive as long as the keep it between the lines!

The guy I'm currently sweet on likes trucks that need to be fixed up. He makes plenty of money through work and could easily afford a new truck, but he likes trucks from the 80s and early 90s that need a little work done.

There's really no point in buying a brand new car because as soon as you drive it off the lot it's value sinks.

Amber - posted on 04/28/2011

I never buy brand new, I always buy a one or two year old car. Cars depreciate rapidly in the first year, so it's cheaper and you can sometimes get a "used" car that's only 6 months old because it wasn't what the owner wanted, or they couldn't afford it.

We've already decided that we'll match whatever our kids save for a car. If they put a lot of effort into it and save up a decent amount of money, I'm willing to match their hard work because they don't have the education to get a high paying job yet. I'm also willing to cosign a loan, but if I'm making the payments, it will be parked in the garage until they can make the payment AND pay me back for the payments I made.
They can put their car on my insurance policy because it will be cheaper. I don't know if I'll make them pay that or not, I guess it depends on how much it is. They'll definitely pay some of it though.

Kelly - posted on 04/28/2011

That is an interesting perspective. We do buy new cars b/c we don't know cars and would probably get "taken" if we buy a used one. We do, however, always save up and pay cash. If you take out a 6 year loan for a $35k car, you could by the same car in 4 years if you deposit the same amount the car payment would be into a savings account, so I simply cannot understand why anyone would take a loan out to pay for a car....I never have, I doubt I ever will.



Anyway, back to the teen thing, I bought my cars (obviously) and I struggled in school b/c I didn't have time to study (I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed, but I wanted to go to college and needed scholarships to do it). My first 2 cars were older and little, and I ended up in ICU after wrecking, 1 my fault, 1 not. I'm terrified of that happening to my son, so I'll probably buy him an inexpensive new car and if he wants something more, he can pay the difference. He will be paying his own insurance.



If I gain more confidence in used cars, I might consider a newer used one, that is a very good option too. The used cars I owned in my youth always seemed to be needing some kind of repair, leaving me stranded on the side of the road, so I guess I just have a fear of them.