Car Brand Stereotypes

ARFlyer

ARFlyer

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The last two years of driving my Subaru Forester has shown me that some people have an interesting view on Subaru drivers, especially in the south!! I have actually been run out of a hardware store and a gas station because I pulled up in my car. :eek::rolleyes:

So I thought I hear you guys thoughts on the most typical stereotypes you think and/or have heard.



Here are my thoughts. Most of this is in good fun and I know these aren't 100% inclusive. Please keep this out of Spin Zone!!

Newer Pick-up Trucks: Either as a work vehicle or as a style symbol, especially in Texas! Typically want to run everyone off the road and/or tailgating ****oles.

Older Pick-Up Trucks: Work/Farm trucks or antique trucks. Typically not the sole means of transportation. Owners want something to beat around in without damaging their nicer vehicles.

Raised "Road Only" Trucks: Epic ****oles that think their the alpha male of their neighborhood. Avoid at all costs as they normally high beam, tailgate, and/or cut you off.

Raised Jeeps: Enjoy weekends off-road in the local National/State Park. Typically very mechanically inclined. Can be an ****ole, but also can be a great person to enjoy a pitcher over a campfire.

Four Door Honda/Toyota: Typical office worker that doesn't care much about their appearance. Want something that will last and is cheap.

SUV: Soccer mom and/or business woman. Has their child's team number as a window sticker. Doesn't much care about the cost of gas until its $4 gal, then complains to everyone about their gas bill.

Very High End: People who have way to much money then sense, especially around here. The horrible roads will tear their low riding cars a new one by spring.

Subaru/Hybrids "From my experience": Liberals, environmental nut cases, animal lovers, LGBT, and/or senior citizens.
 
We bought an Outback several years ago because it was AWD, got good mileage, and was roomy/had some ground clearance without being as bulky as an SUV.

My wife and I are both Libertarian leaning conservatives.... although the animal thing might apply. It's primarily her car but also is the family travel vehicle.

I drive an F-150 and a Mustang otherwise so go figure.
 
cowman said:
We bought an Outback several years ago because it was AWD, got good mileage, and was roomy/had some ground clearance without being as bulky as an SUV.

My wife and I are both Libertarian leaning conservatives.... although the animal thing might apply. It's primarily her car but also is the family travel vehicle.

I drive an F-150 and a Mustang otherwise so go figure.
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That is what I like about my Forester. I know it will get me home in most weather conditions or from a remote campsite.
 
I think up here in WI you don't get that image as much, they're very common. Some days it seems like every third car you see is a subaru of some sort. We get lots of snow, from Nov-Mar slick roads are the norm which is part of why we got one and I'm sure why so many other people here did too.

Now, my F-150 can get through more snow/mud/etc than the Subaru can and it's def a tougher vehicle but most parking lots are not really built for it and it gets about half the gas milage so for family visits/grocery runs/etc why take it? I've got full time AWD and 30mpg on the highway + room for a couple dogs & some cargo so it works! I only wish that, like my truck, you could have ordered it with no carpet and just vinyl flooring. Nothing marketed for off-road or severe weather use ought to have carpet IMHO.
 
Yes, the link to the Subaru forum thread discusses the ad.
 
I can see why they toss you out driving a Forester. Now an Outback is different.... :lol::lol::lol:

I have seen Subarus in villages in Alaska. No road system, no pavement, just paths to drive around on. Now these cars have not had any maintanence or service of any kind since arriving in the village, and may have various parts missing. (glass, door(s), seats, one wheel missing, maybe the roof missing,) but one thing they all have in common: They still run.!!!

I am looking at an Outback for my wife. I am just glad they stopped putting the spare tire on top of the engine.

My dad was of the age where he would never consider a german or japanese car, and really never trusted any American that bought one.
 
cowman said:
I think up here in WI you don't get that image as much, they're very common. Some days it seems like every third car you see is a subaru of some sort. We get lots of snow, from Nov-Mar slick roads are the norm which is part of why we got one and I'm sure why so many other people here did too.

Now, my F-150 can get through more snow/mud/etc than the Subaru can and it's def a tougher vehicle but most parking lots are not really built for it and it gets about half the gas milage so for family visits/grocery runs/etc why take it? I've got full time AWD and 30mpg on the highway + room for a couple dogs & some cargo so it works! I only wish that, like my truck, you could have ordered it with no carpet and just vinyl flooring. Nothing marketed for off-road or severe weather use ought to have carpet IMHO.
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My Outback is my truck. I have the OEM all season floor mats, but there are aftermarket versions from WeatherTech that have better coverage. A doubled up tarp in the back keeps that area from getting too messy from dirt, mulch, pavers,... If I need more capacity, a $15/day trailer from UHaul takes care of it.
 
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Very old observation but I noticed a lot of Subarus in Switzerland. Seemed logical. My main reason for ruling out a Subaru is that the nearest dealer service is ~80 miles away.
 
Graueradler said:
Very old observation but I noticed a lot of Subarus in Switzerland. Seemed logical. My main reason for ruling out a Subaru is that the nearest dealer service is ~80 miles away.
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Your almost split between Adventure Subaru in Faye and Riverside in Little Rock, so I see your point.
 
ARFlyer said:
Raised "Road Only" Trucks: Epic ****oles that think their the alpha male of their neighborhood. Avoid at all costs as they normally high beam, tailgate, and/or cut you off.
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:)

Regarding the above, I've always heard it phrased "big trucks, little dicks."

And then there's the 30 year-old joke:

"What's the difference between a porcupine and a Porsche?" (Or BMW or whatever car you want to pick on.)

"With a porcupine, the pricks are on the outside."
 
I can't quite explain it, but I love Volvos, but not the old boxy ones. It started with the curvy 2001 S60, and now I have a 2015 XC60, and I love it. I honestly don't know what that says about me.

Other car is a Scion tC, which I also love, since it's so reliable (it's basically a base-model Camry with a body kit).
 
I love me some Cadillacs, but a Chevy Suburban is my daily driver (I don't drive much). I still prefer American cars, but my wife likes her BMW and I admit it's fast and smooth and oh-so-fine. I may yet inherit it.

I reckon I match many ugly stereotypes, as I'm a fairly aggressive driver - but you will never, but never, find me hogging the left lane if someone else wants by.

I could never buy a Subaru - I know, they're reputed to be good cars (had one once, had the legendary Subaru head-gasket failure, but I hear they don't do that any more), because my sister has one.

If I was to buy a new car today... well, I just wouldn't... but if I was to, either a Chevrolet SS (last of the Australian cars, and simply heavenly) or a Caddy.

But. I drive an old car, so I can fly an old airplane.
 
darrell said:
I can't quite explain it, but I love Volvos, but not the old boxy ones.
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I drove one of these when I was a kid:

old_volvo_by_aila_art-d4wcnnu.jpg


It definitely was NOT a babe magnet.

Two Volvo sayings:

They don't write songs about Volvos.

And in the words of Click & Clack:

Everyone who owns a Volvo swears that they are reliable cars and that they get wonderful gas mileage. But privately wonders why their car is the only exception to both.
 
Depends on the model, an old brat sure, stretch the brat to a four door - puke, an outback sure, a forester - puke at least into my mouth
 
SCCutler said:
I could never buy a Subaru - I know, they're reputed to be good cars (had one once, had the legendary Subaru head-gasket failure, but I hear they don't do that any more), because my sister has one.
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We had a 1974 Subaru that had that head gasket problem. It was ready for its 3rd rebuild when I sold it. To a former Subaru mechanic who should have known better. I had no sympathy for him.

Other than that, it was a pretty good car.

Around here they are noted for hiding the rear end with all the left wing bumper stickers.
 
Just depends on the level of education of the crowd and how much they know about mechanics. If the people knew much about cars you'd see way more suabrus than Hondas and Toyotas.

Actually if you go to the north west or really anywhere in the north, the suabrus are more inline with the lifted jeep crowd, and no where near the "hybrid" types.

See below.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_Zw5oZahrys
 
I'm personally not a fan of AWD vehicles and would rather have the combination I have now. A cheap as dirt to drive and maintain FWD car and a 4x4 truck for when I need 4x4.
 
We have a Subaru Forester and love it. It is made for the Michigan winter - especially with the winter tyres... :yes:

We had a Volvo S80 back in Germany and it was an exception to low gas consumption and reliability as well... :rolleyes: We always loved Volvos but I don't think we'll own one again.

Well, we also said that we'll never own a car from the VW Group again as we made some real bad experience with VW Passat and Audi A4... They were in the garage for several reasons and service was quite an experience! :mad: Our second car is a VW Beetle Convertible Turbo... :redface::D No issues with car so far...
 
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Ghery said:
Around here they are noted for hiding the rear end with all the left wing bumper stickers.
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I put a Gadsden flag sticker on my 2000 Outback. I'm pretty sure it confuses the hell out of some.

Got rear ended in it two weeks ago. Hard. Estimate? $880. Insurance company paid $330 after pro-rating the muffler. I'm trying to decide if I even care enough to fix it or just cancel collision coverage on it. I'm not even sure I care if it has a muffler. Currently it sounds like one of those "fart cars" the kids build these days.

I'll probably fix it, since a) That's just how I roll. b) If I take it to the insurance company's shop they won't argue over fixing anything else they find lurking under the bumper panel and they'll guarantee the fix for the lifetime of the vehicle which could be considerable. It's only got 110K on it or so in 15 years.
 
jesse said:
I'm personally not a fan of AWD vehicles and would rather have the combination I have now. A cheap as dirt to drive and maintain FWD car and a 4x4 truck for when I need 4x4.
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I hate how most AWD behaves. I want old fashioned 4WD and if I could get them, manually locking hubs.

But I love how the Subaru AWD system both operates and drives. You should try it out. Very different system than the crap Americans call AWD. It delivers power wonderfully and really helps maintain control compared to other systems.

If I'm "losing it" in the Subaru, a general point of the front tires in the direction desired and mashing the gas pedal always fixes it. And that's rare.

Two or three nights ago during our last little slushy snowstorm that rolled in around sunset/evening commute time, I drove right on past (well I slowed and waved and/or asked if they were all ok) four other vehicles in the ditch on the county road.

The Subaru headed that way once, and the above mentioned "goose", and it was right back where I wanted it.

If anything I wish it had more power. The four banger is weak up here. I regularly have it wrapped up to the 6K RPM redline accelerating wishing it would do something. Like go. LOL.

That said, the worst possible system ever devised is what's in the Yukon... GM's "Auto 4WD". That thing, the few times I've tried it, causes more loss of control with bad timing on 2W to 4W switch overs, than anything else I've ever driven in patchy snow. That bastardized stupid system will electrically lock the front hubs in the middle of a turn and send you sliding for the far ditch.
 
I had an Outback, now a Forester. Both were much better handling than the Explorer I had previously. I don't mind the stereotype either although I'm probably not as much a granola as I might fancy myself.
 
Interesting responses. From my observations:

Volvo- Helicopter parents

Older Honda with sensible mods- street racer

Older Honda/Toyota smoking 2+ cylinders - young office worker and/or immigrant

Any car with a wing bigger than a 172- wannabe street racer

Toyota- Mr. Vanilla officer worker

minivan/SUV without dents- desperate suburban types

SUV with dents, plow attachment, or well-used winch- work vehicle or offroad mud toy

Jacked pickup/SUV with low-hanging differential- wannabe offroader

Subaru (non-WRX)- soccer mom that is "denying" the minivan/SUV urge

Prius- homosexual, in the closet, and/or member of the Sierra club

Chevy Caprice with 24" or bigger wheels and low profile tires- pathetic manchild.
 
denverpilot said:
I hate how most AWD behaves. I want old fashioned 4WD and if I could get them, manually locking hubs.

But I love how the Subaru AWD system both operates and drives. You should try it out. Very different system than the crap Americans call AWD. It delivers power wonderfully and really helps maintain control compared to other systems.

If I'm "losing it" in the Subaru, a general point of the front tires in the direction desired and mashing the gas pedal always fixes it. And that's rare.

Two or three nights ago during our last little slushy snowstorm that rolled in around sunset/evening commute time, I drove right on past (well I slowed and waved and/or asked if they were all ok) four other vehicles in the ditch on the county road.

The Subaru headed that way once, and the above mentioned "goose", and it was right back where I wanted it.

If anything I wish it had more power. The four banger is weak up here. I regularly have it wrapped up to the 6K RPM redline accelerating wishing it would do something. Like go. LOL.

That said, the worst possible system ever devised is what's in the Yukon... GM's "Auto 4WD". That thing, the few times I've tried it, causes more loss of control with bad timing on 2W to 4W switch overs, than anything else I've ever driven in patchy snow. That bastardized stupid system will electrically lock the front hubs in the middle of a turn and send you sliding for the far ditch.
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I mostly don't like AWD because I always end up with a mismatch of tires on things it seems. Not a huge deal with my 4x4 truck really. If the tires are mis matched so what, if I'm in 4x4, it's because there's no traction and it won't matter much.

I like to drive cheap. Replacing tires because of my fancy AWD system conflicts with that.
 
jesse said:
I mostly don't like AWD because I always end up with a mismatch of tires on things it seems. Not a huge deal with my 4x4 truck really. If the tires are mis matched so what, if I'm in 4x4, it's because there's no traction and it won't matter much.



I like to drive cheap. Replacing tires because of my fancy AWD system conflicts with that.
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Heh. The Subaru system is a bit tolerant but here's the fun part. If you have the cheap $7 "road hazard" coverage on the tires from any larger tire place, they have to change out whatever tires necessary to make the system safe again before they can let you leave. The better places have the tire size difference specs in their system and it'll just make them measure them to even do the road hazard replacement and tell them if you need multiple tires.

I got two brand new tires for the Subaru last year from a single nail in a sidewall for the cost of the recycling fee for the old ones. Another friend got a place to make him a deal on four new ones for the price of the insurance deductible - $150. (I don't want to know the specifics of that deal, and don't. Ha.)

A hidden perk of AWD and tire hazard insurance, I guess. Of course fine print changes so YMMV, literally. :)

By the way... The Goodyear Assurance Triple-Tread All-Seasons on a Subaru makes the silly thing stay glued to the road, whether paved or not. Amazing little tires for this guy who's more used to buying pickup truck tires than small car tires.

I suspect the market will or has fixed the safety loophole by raising the price of the hazard insurance for AWD system vehicles, but don't know. It looks like we hit the year or so in the cycle where none of the vehicles will need new tires this year, amazingly enough. All have plenty of tread. The ugly one will be the dually in a year or two. :)
 
I know this is an I heart Subaru thread, but these stereotypes can be regional in nature. A Subaru in the northeast or Colorado is a good little car for the snow. A Subaru in Atlanta is much less common and more likely to be driven by people like my geology professor neighbor.;) The Prius is a favorite of the tree huggers and the LGTB crowd. The Mini line is looking for a stereotype, but yuppies seem to like them here.:D
And of course the people that buy Fords from me are wonderful, loving, well adjusted, caring individuals who love their mothers! :yes::D
 
N747JB said:
I know this is an I heart Subaru thread, but these stereotypes can be regional in nature. A Subaru in the northeast or Colorado is a good little car for the snow. A Subaru in Atlanta is much less common and more likely to be driven by people like my geology professor neighbor.;) The Prius is a favorite of the tree huggers and the LGTB crowd. The Mini line is looking for a stereotype, but yuppies seem to like them here.:D
And of course the people that buy Fords from me are wonderful, loving, well adjusted, caring individuals who love their mothers! :yes::D
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:rofl:

:rofl:

:rofl:

:thumbsup:
 
N747JB said:
I know this is an I heart Subaru thread, but these stereotypes can be regional in nature. A Subaru in the northeast or Colorado is a good little car for the snow. A Subaru in Atlanta is much less common and more likely to be driven by people like my geology professor neighbor.;) The Prius is a favorite of the tree huggers and the LGTB crowd. The Mini line is looking for a stereotype, but yuppies seem to like them here.:D
And of course the people that buy Fords from me are wonderful, loving, well adjusted, caring individuals who love their mothers! :yes::D
Click to expand...

Go to Boulder, Colorado if you want to see the prototypical Subaru lib/progressive stereoptype in action. It's not just for snow.
 
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Everskyward said:
I had an Outback, now a Forester. Both were much better handling than the Explorer I had previously. I don't mind the stereotype either although I'm probably not as much a granola as I might fancy myself.
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Color me shocked - SHOCKED - that you drive a
Subaru. ;)

In Vermont I think 3 out of 4 vehicles is a Subaru, most with either Bernie Sanders bumper stickers or New York plates.

Here in Wisconsin most Subarus seem incapable of going faster than the speed limit in the left lane. Is there a governor on them or something?

My ride is an F-150.
 
I was behind one of those drIfter-style things a couple days ago. The center-mounted brake light had a stencil over it that would get backlit. It said "AZN BOI".
 
I agree there are some strong car stereotypes and it's a little sad.

Are we so desperate for socially acceptable ways to discriminate?

Seems like we agree the answer is an obvious yes, although I believe people also want to say who they are, or better yet… wish they are, as much as they judge other people by what they drive. I can't count the number of 1 ton diesels with 6 inch lift kits, 37" mudders, metallic balls hanging from the trailer hitch, and an 8 inch exhaust system sitting in office worker parking lots all over DFW. I know a guy that refused a really, really, good job offer because his truck was to big to fit in the parking garage.
 
Looking at buying a Forester before the year is out. Once I saw it on YouTube going against other small SUVs I was sold. Can't beat that AWD on a Subaru.

I'll be going from a hybrid to a Subaru so I suppose I'll still get made fun of at work.
 
N747JB said:
And of course the people that buy Fords from me are wonderful, loving, well adjusted, caring individuals who love their mothers! :yes::D
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Thank you.

oops... missed the "from me"

oh well.
 
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