Ravenprose said:Hey, I own an SUV. Are you calling me a "poser" Supreme?!
No, you're fighting the good cause simply by virtue of living in North America and not owning a Dodge pickup or a Hummer. 
gamingeek said:I always get the impression that hatchbacks aren't viewed as desirable in America? Is that a misconception?
It depends on the person. I prefer hatchbacks because you can store more stuff in them. Though a lot of people don't like hatchbacks because when they think hatchback they think Pacer or Gremlin cars from the 70s that were considered ugly (I like them because I used to watch Wayne's World all the time and I wanted a Mirthmobile ('76 AMC Pacer) growing up.)
SUPER MARIO MAKER LEVELS:
- SMB Mix-Up! (1AB2-0000-0047-5A7D)
- Storm the Castle (77BD-0000-00E0-A9C0)
SupremeAC said:So what types of cars are most popular where you live?
Here it's all SUV's and crossovers. People like how they're easier to get in and out of, as well as the false sense of higher safety that comes with a more upright and slightly higher position.
Personally I'm not fond of them. I believe that a car should be no larger than what you actually need it for. SUV's and crossovers are cars for posers, created to look tough, but never actually leave the asfalt. They'er also more expensive to buy (hello free market economy based on demand!), use more materials (as they're bigger) and use more gas than a sedan or a break that's just as big. This last point is being offset more and more by manufacturors by adding in a mild or plug-in hybrid motor, so that they can get as much mileage per gallon as a sedan, all the while sucking electricty from the net all night and using up even more limited natural resources to power the batteries.
In my immediate area there's everything from econoboxes to supercars, including vintage cars as far back as the 1930s. It's weird.
Foolz said:SupremeAC said:So what types of cars are most popular where you live?
Here it's all SUV's and crossovers. People like how they're easier to get in and out of, as well as the false sense of higher safety that comes with a more upright and slightly higher position.
Personally I'm not fond of them. I believe that a car should be no larger than what you actually need it for. SUV's and crossovers are cars for posers, created to look tough, but never actually leave the asfalt. They'er also more expensive to buy (hello free market economy based on demand!), use more materials (as they're bigger) and use more gas than a sedan or a break that's just as big. This last point is being offset more and more by manufacturors by adding in a mild or plug-in hybrid motor, so that they can get as much mileage per gallon as a sedan, all the while sucking electricty from the net all night and using up even more limited natural resources to power the batteries.
In my immediate area there's everything from econoboxes to supercars, including vintage cars as far back as the 1930s. It's weird.
I live in a rural area, so there are a lot more "pick up trucks" -- called "utes" here. But when I go to the city it's all SUV/crossovers. It's a shame.
My wife traded in the van for a 2016 Honda HRV today. It feels pretty spiffy.
On the topic of cars, what's your local culture on company cars?
Over here they're a rather hot topic, as the practice of companies leasing cars for their employee's is being seen as a big problem in terms of moboility and environement & climate. They're also an integral part of how the car market works. People will get a new car every 2 to 4 years, the old ones being sold as second hands, making more luxury brands affordable for Joe Average.
There are arguments to make both for and against company cars.
- Some people proclaim that the practice actually helps to make mobilty more environmentally friendly, as it speeds up the rate at which cars are being replaced by newer, more 'green' models. Of course this statement is only half true, as with the rise in popularity of SUV's, the newer car often draws more gas per kilometer than the last model.
- government would like to get rid of them as they're basically just a way to dodge taxes as these cars get taxed less than the average pay. But they don't dare touch it too much as they're very popular.
- A lot of people who get a car from their employer actually don't need it for their job, it's just a nice extra.
- their impact on traffic and the environment isn't very large. Last year 6 out of every 10 cars sold was as a 'company car', but they only make up for about 11% of all cars currently creating all those traffic jams.
- It has become such an integral part of our work mindset, that for many a company car can make or break a job application for them.
Personally I'm no fan of them. I'm not such a hypocrit that I don't realize that this is mainly because I don't have one, being an independent entrepeneur. It kind of stings when someone who's fresh from school gets to drive around in an audi or a mercedes without having to have worked a single day to earn it, while I need to save up big time for a car every so many years.
Furthermore I think that the bigger problem is the fuel cards many also receive, making driving around completely free to them. Recently there was a piece about this on the radio, where someone bluntly admitted that he wouldn't take a job without a fuel card, as his parents live an hours drive away and if it weren't for his fuel card he wouldn't drive there twice a week as it woudl cost him too much. Take away the fuel cards, and you'll see people using their cars more responsably.
So what's the situation like where you live?
Anyway, at the last 2 companies I worked for (that's about 12 years) anyone who traveled could get their mileage,gas, and insurance reimbursed but no one ever got a car.
Though I don't know if my cousin's is a company truck. I think he might've won his truck since the company they work for used to give away a brand new truck. They would enter the name of every employee that went a whole year without an on the job accident. One year they picked his name. They stopped doing that during the recession. Now if you go 1400 hours without an accident you get to pick a piece of free apparel.
SUPER MARIO MAKER LEVELS:
- SMB Mix-Up! (1AB2-0000-0047-5A7D)
- Storm the Castle (77BD-0000-00E0-A9C0)
Company cars in Australia are a pretty standard perk if your job is in anyway related to travel (like sales, or management of different sites, or tradesmen). I know a fair few people who have them, I can;t wrangle one in my job as I don't do much land travel.
aspro said:Company cars in Australia are a pretty standard perk if your job is in anyway related to travel (like sales, or management of different sites, or tradesmen). I know a fair few people who have them, I can;t wrangle one in my job as I don't do much land travel.
What about a company jet?
Foolz said:aspro said:Company cars in Australia are a pretty standard perk if your job is in anyway related to travel (like sales, or management of different sites, or tradesmen). I know a fair few people who have them, I can;t wrangle one in my job as I don't do much land travel.
What about a company jet?
Like the good old days. At least you could get a chartered plane, but not these days.
Update:
I traded in my Matrix for a 2014 GMC Terrain, definitely a step up. I was uncertain about getting a car that old, but it had fairly low miles and a good price.
This is just what we needed for our trip to Florida this summer.
travo said:Update:
I traded in my Matrix for a 2014 GMC Terrain, definitely a step up. I was uncertain about getting a car that old, but it had fairly low miles and a good price.
This is just what we needed for our trip to Florida this summer.
Still going well for you?
2020 Update:
2016 Honda Civic Turbo
2019 Honda CRV
1998 Toyota Landcruiser
95 Milspec Landcruiser
gamingeek said:As someone regularly on the roads I intensely dislike BMW drivers and work vans who can't drive for shit and cut you up, overtake or try to bully you.
Beamer drivers (as we call them in socal) are notorisouly hopeless.
So the joke was, "BMW is finally treating BMW customers like BMW customers treat everyone else."
robio said:I heard a joke on NPR of all places, regarding BMW. Apparently, for their next series of cars they are going to include all the options, bells and whistles and special upgrades as standard. The things like heated seats, satellite radio, anywhere digital roadside assistance, etc. However, they are all going to be tied to a subscription service, like Netflix and they're going to start charging customers to use them on a monthly basis.
So the joke was, "BMW is finally treating BMW customers like BMW customers treat everyone else."
Doesn't BMW already do that with how poorly engineered their cars are? (Or how well engineered they are to be broken by the next model release.)