Has the passion gone out of America’s fabled love affair with the automobile?

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Has the passion gone out of America’s fabled love affair with the automobile?

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Started 1 year ago by News
Latest reply from GCrites80s

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Walker
The KLD / Downtown / Gay Street
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drew said:
I wouldn't be surprised if there's less passion for the cars themselves, and suspect that they're increasingly thought of less as a significant element of one's identity and more as a simple appliance.

There's probably some element of both in there. Young people get to pick whether they want a white iPhone or black iPhone and customize it with a case of some sort that showcases their identity. Similarly, you can customize your Scion xB the same way.

And similarly, you might plan on ditching both appliances for an upgrade in 2-5 years when you're ready for the next model with new bells, whistles and an ever-sleeker design.

Posted 1 year ago #
alexs
Limestone bluffs of the Scioto
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Walker said:

And similarly, you might plan on ditching both appliances for an upgrade in 2-5 years when you're ready for the next model with new bells, whistles and an ever-sleeker design.

You're echoing the marketing-speak of the car makers who would change designs each year - get rid of the old models that still work, in favor of the newest thing.

Sorry, too much Vance Packard.

Posted 1 year ago #
Cole
Hilltop
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Walker said:
I like our Honda Fit.

I'm not sure I'd say there's "passion" for it though. ;)

I like my Chevy Sonic. I will say that I miss my Chevy Prizm a little bit but that's just because I had it since high school. Then again, maybe it was passion.

Posted 1 year ago #
JeepGirl

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It's all passion here. Bought this new 18 years ago and still enjoying it.

Posted 1 year ago #
mrpoppinzs
Arena District
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There may be more gadgets to choose from, but the car is still a pretty useful one that has a little bit of the owner's persona in it.

Posted 1 year ago #
Analogue Kid
Olentangy West
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Cole said:
I like my Chevy Sonic. I will say that I miss my Chevy Prizm a little bit but that's just because I had it since high school. Then again, maybe it was passion.

Love the Sonic, a really great value in a practical package.

Posted 1 year ago #
Walker
The KLD / Downtown / Gay Street
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alexs said:
You're echoing the marketing-speak of the car makers who would change designs each year - get rid of the old models that still work, in favor of the newest thing.

Well, I'd say that marketing speak worked then. Everything is disposable these days, and outdated all too quickly.

Posted 1 year ago #
Pablo
Crestview Addition
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I love taking my wife's Mini Cooper S out for a spin in "sport" mode!

Posted 1 year ago #
cheap
Westgate
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alexs said:

Those classics could never handle like today's cars, even on today's tires.

they weren't built to handle like today's cars.

Posted 1 year ago #
gramarye
In Exile
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It's hard to say for me personally because I never had much of a passionate love affair with any automobile, even when I was rolling in a Mustang. I like my practical '01 Altima; I got it in 2007, paid cash, and have only had one major repair necessary (struts at 120k, which was par for the course). As people have said above, it's an appliance for getting from point A to point B.

However, there are definitely people at work who think differently. It isn't necessarily about having the most powerful car--in keeping with the more tech-heavy preferences of my generation, a lot of people are focusing on just how tricked out the cockpit is, so to speak. Even I had a completely new sound system put in when I bought mine (the existing one was on death's doorstep already, so I haggled the purchase price downward on that basis and then got a new system). On newer cars, the kinds of things that I think people are paying attention to now are the music systems that sync with your music collection at home, parallel parking assistance that can actually steer for you if you let it, and lots of other new techy features rather than just more and more horsepower and torque.

Posted 1 year ago #
cheap
Westgate
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here is a customer's Pantera collection.the guy is insane about these cars.

this garage is in his backyard

Posted 1 year ago #
JonMyers
HCMC, Vietnam ✈
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I would guess that maybe the headline should be changed to

Has the passion gone out of America’s fabled love affair with automobile ownership?

While I can appreciate cars, there are some cars that make me turn my head, fun to ride in, but car ownership is a rolling prison cell. Even if your car is paid off, you're a sitting duck in your car, as cities and states desperate for a way to generate revenue continue to target drivers for the most minor of offenses.

All that over-policing of driving adds up to dollars for government, but taxes drivers.

I think many drivers are recognizing this addition to the money pit of owning a car, and it's one other thing making people have second thoughts about car ownership.

Posted 1 year ago #
gramarye
In Exile
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JM: Unfortunately, those "second thoughts" are just that--thoughts. I'd love to have enough public transit options to go carless, but it is completely not an option for anyone in a profession where you might need to get up and go somewhere quickly and unexpectedly.

I recognize the fact that car ownership is a money pit, even with it completely paid off. Fuel, maintenance (both routine and occasionally extraordinary), insurance, and the occasional ticket add up to a lot. Recognizing a pit and escaping it are different things.

Posted 1 year ago #
Timeone

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I think the young professionals care less about cars as status symbols and want to drive something more cost effective. My wife and I just purchased a Prius. We are a one car and 4 bike family. Neither of us have been particular passionate about cars.

For the boomers, it seemed the car was a way to identify themselves. And when gas prices were .99/gallon they could do it by buying a Hummer. It just seems impractical to drive something that gets 16 mpg.

Posted 1 year ago #
ricospaz

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We have a '09 Ford Fusion and an '05 Scion XB, which my wife won in a contest at CD101. So only one car payment is nice. I will never own a new car, they lose too much value. That being said, if I had the money (and garage space) I would own several more cars, a convertible and an old muscle car. I love driving and cars but I'm not willing to go into a huge debt just to be seen in something fancy.

Posted 1 year ago #
Snarf
Dystopia
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Pablo said:
I love taking my wife's Mini Cooper S out for a spin in "sport" mode!

ditto on my wife's bmw, turn off the digital traction control, slap that puppy in sport mode and 255hp rear wheel drive fun! i like how the sport mode also assists in downshifting for engine braking as well, sounds awesome.

my old toyota is for a different kind of fun though..

Posted 1 year ago #
alexs
Limestone bluffs of the Scioto
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96 Outback 5MT. Point and go.

Posted 1 year ago #
M.O.
Columbus
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The most boring new cars are competent at everything compared to the 70s-80s, when having power was rare, special, and made a useful difference in traffic. But even today there's nothing like being able to place yourself in traffic at will. Nothing like being able to check your blind spot with the blip of the throttle. And only one better way to lower your blood pressure than a 50 mph cloverleaf and insert-fib-or-plead-the-5th-here-mph blast into a wide-open merge with the only CPD guy for miles busy counseling some 80 mph minivan driver at the far side of the roadway.

But some people cringe at this stuff, never mind the wasteful nature of the automobile. We car slobs thank you, for without your high-mindedness there would be no such thing as the wide-open merge above.

Posted 1 year ago #
alexs
Limestone bluffs of the Scioto
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I do that sometimes. But OTOH sometimes I feel lazy and I'll putter on the back roads, shifting like I have a 2500 redline, like a tractor or big truck. I can go a little over a 35 speed limit with only 1750 in the crank. Some times you feel like a nut, some times you don't. Either way, the vehicle is fun to play with.

Especially a stickshift.

Posted 1 year ago #
Snarf
Dystopia
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M.O. said:
The most boring new cars are competent at everything compared to the 70s-80s, when having power was rare, special, and made a useful difference in traffic. But even today there's nothing like being able to place yourself in traffic at will. Nothing like being able to check your blind spot with the blip of the throttle. And only one better way to lower your blood pressure than a 50 mph cloverleaf and insert-fib-or-plead-the-5th-here-mph blast into a wide-open merge with the only CPD guy for miles busy counseling some 80 mph minivan driver at the far side of the roadway.

But some people cringe at this stuff, never mind the wasteful nature of the automobile. We car slobs thank you, for without your high-mindedness there would be no such thing as the wide-open merge above.

Was having a similar conversation recently about motorcycles, cruisers vs more sportier machines.

It's fun to have a machine where you can actually reach the limits of it and push those limits. And that is often, to me at least, more fun that having a machine where you couldn't dream of even brushing up to its limits.

Posted 1 year ago #