I don't have that problem.

How do you know if it's tonight???

TBH, no-one cares what other people drive, they just want you to know
what /they/ drive.

That much is clear!! ;-)

Yet on the other hand you claim to be laughing at other people's cars
(the TT), and seem to have a massive inferiority complex about it. If
you truly didn't care, you wouldn't be making these posts, which seem
to me to be complaining about the situation.

Sadly, whether you care what people think about your car, has no
bearing whatsoever on what they actually think about your car, and how
they view you as a result. This has been shown on numerous times in
this very group, when the usual derision for Nova boys is shown.

andyt

Reminds me of a friend of mine who had just bought himself a bright
yellow Boxster. We visited a pub in the country and parked our cars up
(him & his wife in the Boxster, me and some mates in my F-reg 205).
Just as we were about to leave a fella in a bright yellow Ferrari 355 spider
pulled into the car park and parked right next to my friend's Boxster.
You should have seen his face turn a bright shade of tetchy red. He then
ancounced to his wife that it was her turn to drive! He spent the rest
of the afternoon chuntering on about how this Ferrari driver must have
been up to all sorts of no good to afford such a car. We did laugh.

It does indeed happen but then to some, a car is another measure of success
and to be able to drive around in a car with a prestige badge is often
perceived as just that.

What I am curious about however, is 'model' perception.  For example, if
some fairly wealthy chaps is cruising along in his new S-Class (not the AMG
model) and someone pulls up alongside him in an Evo VIII (or whatever the
latest number is), then I wonder who would feel the most superior.. the
driver who has the quickest car or the one who has the most luxurious car
(and would be able to buy 2 Evos for the price of his S-Class)?  I guess
it's all relative and in a perfect world, everyone would be happy with what
they have but sadly penis-envy is all too real.

--
Sparky

With all due respect, it rather sounds like you do...!

There was an interesting article in I think "Car" about this. Apparently the
"maintstream" or "volume" manufacturers (Ford, Vauxhall etc.) are lossing
sales to "prestige" makes.

It was saying the "volume" cars may soon have to be renamed "ex-volume".

Note that Ford and Toyota are both trying to move upmarket.

I must admit that after a recent experence in a 2.5 Ghia X Mondeo I was
geniunely impressed. Clearly a good alternative to a BMW or Merc (well, if
it weren't for the horrendous depreciation).

But you are right, I have talked to people (on a budget) who would never
consider buying a Ford Mondeo, but are looking at older BMW 316s.

So I think we are going to see a lot of re-branding soon.

I think now more than ever people aren't really buying cars, they are buying
fashion statements, status symbols, and above all else, beliefs.

I just laugh at them and tell them at least I actually OWN my car. It
belongs to me, not the company or a finance company.

You could always try my stepfather's method, he rejected the offer of a
company car and instead drove around in an 18 year old Escort 1.3 with none
of the body panels quite the same colour. After a few months of that a
rumour started going round that he was an 'eccentric millionaire'
- they were half right :)

Nick