What kind of car do you Drive (or want to drive)?

Here is a game for adults who are in a position to pretty get the automobile they want or close to it, not those who were given a car or are forced to get a certain one (but you can imagine what you would own):

What kind of car do you have? Is it new? Is it waxed and shiny? Got cool rims? (or, what would you want to have?)




What does your car say about you?

Does it say you have a good job? Does it say you are sporty? Fast? Like to party and have fun? Does it say that you are a clean, organised parent? Does it say "Hey, look at me!"?

Cars often, on the surface, say something about the owner. A shiny, waxed $80,000 convertable has its jokes that we all know - and sometimes it is true. A broken down caravan might scream an overwealmed mother of 8.

For most, that shiny, waxed $80,000 convertable will get noticed. Others look and say "Wow, nice wheels.", while others might be jealous and say "Showoff!". Still others don't take note at all, but instead notice the F-150 with the mismatched doors and rust or the 85 Olds looking its age.

Which one are you?



We live in a society now where food is not our main concern. We live now with MANY more options - fashion, cars, houses, yards, electronics, gadgets. And more in those categories like turtle wax, PDA phones, lawn chemicals and additions. Many of us have more than we need - WAY more.

Why?

We are taught/conditioned to spend. No only that, but we are taught/conditioned to make more just so we can spend more. This in turn feeds the ego, which in turn makes us selfish, which in turn makes us secluded.

There is no more community, it is all for ourselves or family. So few contribute to their community or to others anymore.

Is this you?

If you understand what I am saying, then you might agree that it is time to do something. Teach your children against this lfestyle that we have come to accept from TV, books, and maybe social engineers. It is time to hear the words of the song 'Simple Man' by Lynard Skynard.

A simple life is the secret to happiness, but our systems are making most do what our ancestors warned us about.

Who am I though? I'll tell you, but not to show off, but to hope another can learn what I have. I have that 85 Oldsmobile Cutlass and it has a little rust. My dream car is a used Jeep Wrangler - early 90's, late 80's style The only shiny spot is the top of my radio antenna. I drive it with pride and I let those cut me off without honking or giving a finger - as long as it is not less than 6 inches away. My wife has a used caravan (but only 4 kids) and we rent. I make more than $1000 a week, but I don't buy flashy, shiny, show-off things. I'd rather see my daughter riding a horse, or my son enjoy going to a BMX track. I have the same skateboard I had for many years (and still ride it). I owe no one any money, no credit cards, nothing. I can up and go tomorrow without any financial ties. I voluteer as a firefighter in my town. We often help the elderly or disabled. I would rather show care, honesty and integrity to all. I talk with my next door neighbors (even though the first time I met one of them, we were an inch away from a fight). I eat at a resturant 3-5 times a year. My yard is in prep for vegetables.

Again, I am not trying to say my life is better than yours, but to show another perspective. Simplicity is great. If your life is complex and flashy, you might consider the fact that television, books, movies and schools seem to have been some sort of conspiracy to push the idea of 'spend, make more, spend more' into our minds. Many are rich from things we don't need or from things that are better than someone elses.

My pre-teen daughter is becomming VERY concerned with how she looks and fashion. Should I go out get her the name brand, expensive clothes she wants? No, I have to increase my communication with her and teach her out of what she is learning in school and from TV.

SO often I hear in conversations "I have this", "I have that". I was recently told "I just got a 2005 Lexus with leather seats, 55 grand". I said "Thats nothing, I got an 85 Olds for $200". He said "Wel I don't have to worry about breaking down.". My reply "If I gave you $7000 dollars right now to walk home, would you?" "yes" "I may break down once a year, maybe, and knowing I didn't pay $7000 dollars in that year for a car payment, makes the walk home worth it."

Say NO to the system - simplify life. This post may sound corny, but I think it is important. It is ok to NOT to have more or better things than others.

Has your dream car now changed?

In the past when I was young and very image conscious, I have owned a Porsche, Mercedes, Saab, Jag, and a GTO.

Now that I don't feel the need to impress women, I drive a 90 Dodge hippy van that just barely gets me from point A to point B. I'm happier now than I have ever been in my life. Stuff never made me happy; but I was so weak willed, I bought into the American Dream of unbridled consumerism.

Working hard to get stuff isn't important anymore. What is important is having the TIME to enjoy what you have.

I think you are trying to relay a very important message.

When I was 17 I bought my very own car from my very own hard earned money that I had been working for since I was 14. It was a used 97 Honda Accord LX; Forest Green with automatic everything. I was so proud of that car. I made payments on it until I was 19, I paid it off a year early.

People would ask me, what kind of car are you going to get when you finish paying for the on you have. For a while I thought about what kind of car I wanted. Then Toyota came out with The Scions and I thought, what perfect little cars.

Fortunatetly for me I was given my reason back and still drive my wonderful Honda. Paymeny free, even. I will drive this car until it costs more to fix it than it is worth. The only thing I have ever added to my car was a CD PLayer, no rims, no expensive speakers, no color changes.

I am proud of the things I have done in my life, especially my first big buy. I can't say I never wore the expensive clothes, or don't anymore. But it is because of no car payment that I can afford the things I do. I never throw my clothes away or sell them, they always go to a better place and for a better purpose.

Originally posted by Inanna

People would ask me, what kind of car are you going to get when you finish paying for the on you have.

That reminded me of my parents when I was a child. When one car was paid off, they'd go get a new one when nothing was wrong with what they had? I used to ask why they were getting a new car?

Your keeping the Honda is a respectable move. It says much about you in a good way.

I drive a Mazda RX-7 Turbo 10th Anniversary and a 1987 BMW 528e. The Mazda currently is waiting for new wheels and tires and for me to get some electrical bugs sorted out. It's been modified heavily, with a street port (rotary engine equivalent of big valves), a T04E-60 turbo, big injectors, and a bunch of suspension mods. It puts out about 300hp at the rear wheels.

It's not for showing off, I just like fast cars
It also appeals to the tech geek in me, I love when people ask "is it a four cylinder?" and I get to say, "no, it's a no-cylinder". Most people don't know what a rotary engine is.

The BMW I inherited from my dad. It's a good, very solid four-door sedan that handles very well. It's not very fast in a straight line, but it gets great mileage for a big car. It's my daily driver.

Neither car is really very showy (the RX-7 is externally stock) but both serve their purposes well.

here is my car... 2002 acura RSX-S

img169.echo.cx...

I didn't do the things i did to it for attention... I did it more for the artistic value of it. I designed the body kit and wing that were put on the car... I also like "being different" and not having something that everyone else has.

I agree, the pursuit of material wealth is ultimately unfulfilling, I consider myself lucky to have realised this so early since I'm only 21. I find that love and good friends/family are what really makes me happy, as well as playing my trombone, trumpet and piano!

Society has become far too materialistic, but this is the way the people in charge want it to be, these days even religion is packaged and sold, its all about fundamentalism and not about spirituality anymore....

It's easy to say I'm not material, but I still have nice stuff so I'm in a bit of a paradox here, would I still say that I would be happy without all my junk? It's hard to know.

I'm moving house soon, but selling all my furniture, and taking all my random stuff I have collected over the years to my parents house to store in my old room, I have a large collection of Dragon Statues, but I don't need them, and now that I'm moving again, I find I don't even want to take them with me...

I'll really only take my instruments, (I have 7! plus I'm studying to be a jazz musician at uni) my PC, and some of my books, knowledge is far more precious to me then any stupid junk I have collected over the years!! I'll also take my photo albums of course.

Sometimes I think that by owning things, the things end up owning you, if all my stuff got burnt tommorow, maybe I would actually feel free for once.....free to wander the Earth, Kung-Fu style... but I sure would miss my trombone lucky its insured

BTW - I have a 96 R33 Nissan Skyline, with chrome mag rims, lowered etc, but I did all that when I was younger and into cars.....however I have no plans to upgrade, think I'll just drive it until it dies.....

I used to have a 1965 Valiant and loved it.

Now I don't have a driver's licence and I take the bus or walk.

What I would like to have--a small environmentally friendly truck that has room for 4 or can be converted from truck to 4 seater. I would like it to be electrically powered and recharged by wind and solar energy collectors that work while the truck is in motion and is parked so it can be recharged everywhere. And it has to be cheap to buy and insure.

Guess I will be taking the bus for a while

I'll take one that dosen't run on gasoline, that doesn't polute the air we breath, that doesn't make the streets I have to walk unsafe.

Anybody make that?

Currently I drive a Mustang GT, metalic red, leather, killer tunes....

I don't feel bad about owning it either, i work very hard for my money and will spend it as I please, not what pleases others. This is also true of any mods to car.

I would, rewal world, like a Mustang GT 500 shelby (475 horses and footpounds of torque).

Non realworld, Ford GT.

Yes, i like fast cars,

I have always, except for my first car when I was 18, driven a Jeep product. I currently have a Grand Cherokee Limited that I let my daughter, who is in college, drive and with which I tow my boat with .

My primary car, which I bought last week, is a Jeep Wrangler Unlimited. Red with black hard top. Nothing fancy, but I can take it anywhere I want (i.e., off road when I travel down south). I had an almost identical CJ7 before I had kids and it is fun driving another CJ (TJ in this case) type vehicle. But, it is weird getting used to no electric locks or windows....but I assume I will live.

Of course my wife now hates me because I showed her the catalogues that are specifically Jeep related, and she now knows were all my $'s will be going in the future - new winch (or is that new wench?), bumpers, moon roof, bumpers, and so forth......

Peace, and Happy Easter.

1996 caddy sts ...... I want the new mustang!

The best car I ever owned was a 1970 Grand Prix! I was 17 in high school and knew EVERYTHING.

Originally posted by mrmonsoon
and will spend it as I please, not what pleases others.

See that's the problem, nobody has any consideration for anybody else anymore.

So what if thousands die a year in auto accidents? So what if people can't walk safely on the street without having to play dodge ball with traffic? So what if our air is being made unbreathable by carbon fuels? So what if thousands are dieing in war so you can drive that car? So what if the green is being replaced by the grey? So what? So what? Only I matter, everybody elses life is meaningless to me. This kind of thinking is what has made the world the mess it is...

I currently drive a silver 2001 gas-hogging Ford Mustang GT. It's nice, but what I really want is the Ford Reflex, assuming they ever actually start building them.

Finally a sporty eco-friendly car. 65mpg diesel-electric hybrid with about 150hp, and it looks great too.

I don't see how this fits into the Skunk Works forum, but here goes.

My first car was an 88 Daytona, white. It was a gift from my godfather, until he took it back to give to his brother. Who ended up wrapping it around a tree that same week.

My first car that I paid for, and that I still own is a 1979 Firebird. With 400 bored 30 over, dual exhaust that can drown out any Harley. The second vehicle I own and paid for myself is also a 1979 but a Cherokee Sport. With 360, it is all wheel exept when in quadradrive, then it will transfur the power from any wheel/s not getting traction to the ones that are.

I drive the Jeep, and am working on the Bird, it does run, and boy does it SCREAM! They are my favorite companies of any out there, and I don't prefur anything else, even out of the newer vehicles.

Within the next few years I intend to have both of my classics fully restored, and perhaps customized. Then they will be antique,

Originally posted by sacrifice
new winch (or is that new wench?)

He he he, both

[edit on 29-3-2006 by ADVISOR]

Well I have been driving for quite a while and have drove various cars, so far American names has been the best one.

I have a littler Chevy cavalier that is actually the best car I ever had.

I bought a Focus and gave it to my daughter but since it was new it has been a pain in the butt.

My husband drives now a Mitsubishi.

Now I have an order on a 2007 Saturn sky and will be ready in three weeks Mid night blue with black leather.

That is going to be my baby at least for a while after having fun with it I will trade it for something more traditional.

Perhaps a BMW or so.

I am having mid life crisis.

Originally posted by ADVISOR
I don't see how this fits into the Skunk Works forum, but here goes.

Because, I believe, that we have been taught to spend. We work harder and harder to make more to spend more.

You cannot live on minimum wage, in fact, you cannot legally live with out money. You cannot own land, grow your own food, raise livestock and be 100% self sufficient. You have to pay taxes.

Not that I'd want to live THAT simple.

Even if you wanted to live a simple life, it is hard. The point is, I think we are like slaves - made to work harder and harder, so we can have that new thing that the Jones have or better and generate more tax revenue and making others rich.

Why aren't we trying to work less and have less?

Here's a clue - I have an old friend, who doesn't watch TV. He delivers flowers, has for over 20 years. His favorite past-time is spending the weekends on the porch singing to old rock and roll and a beer or 2. Drives a $500 dodge van.

He is the happiest person I know.

No shows like Little House on the Prarie. Instead we see nice cars, flashy outfits, power this and auto that. Glimmer and glitter, sparkle and shine.

Get the people to work their lives away for power and money.

With the increase of stuff, more work, more money, less free time, less time to care about politics, spirituality, community.

Everyone is complaining about the government doing this or that, but they get away it. Why not, we have a lot of stuff and must work a lot to have it all. No time left to care, no dime left to give.

I hope I am explaining this right.

Well Godservant yes many American tried to spend on things that they can not afford.

But when people do have money to afford the things they want, is that a bad thing?

My husband and I had a great time in the 90s but then started in a bad time during the first 4 years of this decade, now we back in track, better jobs more money and now we can afford more things.

It's that bad?

This doesn't come because the economy is good, but rather better pay jobs opportunities in my husband line of work.



[edit on 29-3-2006 by marg6043]

Originally posted by ANOK
I'll take one that dosen't run on gasoline, that doesn't polute the air we breath, that doesn't make the streets I have to walk unsafe.

Anybody make that?

Yup, that's why I'll never own one. I'm in my 30s, I don't live in a city and I don't need a car.

Everyday as I walk to work I'm poisened by those fumes. Every night when I walk home I have to pay close attention so I don't get hit. But I'm not destoying the atmosphere or wasting money on the worst "investment" I've ever heard of.

I don't like cars.

Vas

Oldest to latest (And their Fates):

'67 Rover TC- Blew engine drag racing a Porsche 911, I won!

'65 Plymouth Baracuda V8 - Sold when gas hit $1.10 a gallon..If only!

'65 A-H Sprite - Out grew it...Literaly! Thing fit tighter than a condom!

'81 Dodge Colt (New!) - 6 yrs after I bought it, it developed a fuel leak and burned up as I drove down the freeway...Auto flambe!

'71 Volvo 142- Purchased for $250 at auction, drove for 2yrs. Engine blew at 300K miles. The Swedes know how to build a tank (at least they used to...Thanks Ford)

'85 Plymouth Horizon - P.O.S.! Ate 2 tranmissions within 6 months of each other!

'79 BMW 320i - $800, So that's what they mean by "Rides as if on rails"! Engine failure at 250K miles....I cried for almost a week!

'94 BMW 525i - Black Beauty! I feel like James Bond (Yeah, I know, 007 drove a 750iL) every time I get behind the wheel. I could get the Surface-to-Surface missles; now if I could just figure out how to mount them in the sunroof without scorching the paint.


[edit on 30-3-2006 by Bhadhidar]

[edit on 30-3-2006 by Bhadhidar]