Living in a lovely part of Surrey, and spending every Sun am with my 6 year old at rugby training I am normally surrounded by far richer parents than myself, and consequently surrounded by 5 and 7 series BMW's, Range Rovers by the score, and numerous Porches and top range Mercs, but today they were surpassed, a Masserati, a Ferrari and a Bentley - now I know its their money and choice but that's over doing it surely -
what is the most out of place car seen and where??.
A Bentley at a car boot sale, or outside Tesco's or a Robin Reliant or an Allegro outside St Georges hill golf course.
Edited by Pugugly {P} on 03/02/2008 at 17:25
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I don't give two hoots what anyone else drives as long as they drive it courteously and I certainly don't care what anyone thinks of my choice of car. I used to spend far too much of what I earn on cars until it came to me that motoring fun and satisfaction can be had at ( almost ) any price. If someone has a penchant for expensive cars then good luck to them and I am genuinely glad it gives them pleasure. Alternatively, if another person either chooses not to indulge themselves or is simply reflecting their budget by having an inexpensive model then what is the problem? It is a strange old world we live in which values someone's social validity by their choice of transport. We have a mantra in our household....."Those who mind don't matter, those who matter don't mind."
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"We have a mantra in our household..."
Is it white with big spoilers?
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No, but I really wanted one of those back along ! ;-)
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I buy what suits my needs, is within my overall household budget and care not what others think - if others buy bling, performance, macho, etc cars because it's what THEY want then that's fine by me.
However, I do feel sorry for those that buy cars for the projected image - don't they realise that most of us don't care - and the minority that do care are concerned with the car, not the person?
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I kid you not I have seen a RR Phantom pull up in Tescos car park in Newcastle and an oldish couple get out and do their shopping. They got back in with her driving and serenely disappeared.
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The local wholesale fruit/veg supplier recently switched from an oldish Bentley to a brand new Mondeo Ghia - quite a testiment to the Mondeo's quality? Or just signs of our times in the economy?
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The car to use when parking in a disabled parking space without a disabled badge is usually German (except VW) or Land/Range Rover with the occasional EVO. At our sports club, cars parked in the disabled spces with badges are small cheap family cars, caars paraked without badges are are expensive, flash and with silly registration numbers.
An honourable mention to the Lamboghine Gallardo driver, who parks some distance from the entrance, taking up two spaces to save his paintwork (but then the car park is never full) but not annoying anyone either.
A second honourable mention to the Zonda driver who only came once, but simply parked in a regular space as well. It must be Italian manners.
I had one guy kicked out of the club for giving me racial abuse after I politely asked him to move his car into a regular car space. Funnily enough he drove a clapped out Cavalier.
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Two guys at my workplace have vans, one a Transit and the other a Sprinter. After one of the reps moaned about them parking in the "regular" spaces (didn't leave him enough room to get his ego out ;-) ) the mill manager allocated both vans their own designated parking slots complete with name boards!
Even the boss don't get that luxury!
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I kid you not I have seen a RR Phantom pull up in Tescos car park in Newcastle and an oldish couple get out and do their shopping. They got back in with her driving and serenely disappeared. Many years back I accompanied a mate to the Labour Exchange (anybody remember them?) to draw his unemployment benefit: the guy in front of him in the queue left in a newish Bentley.
No doubt many backroomers will know the rural legend that farmers bought limousines because the partition stopped sheep breathing down their necks :-)
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Engage nerd mode:-
There is some truth to the farmers limousine story. This probably come from a 50s tax case when a farmer claimed 100% business use on an Alvis saloon, and claimed he used it to transport aninmals and (istr) pull a plough. The vehicle was deemed inappropriate for purpose.
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Sadly the most out of place car is normally mine. The first time my wife and I stayed at Cliveden we arrived at the same time as some people in a rather vulgar pink stretch limousine, so we just parked our car, got the case out of the boot and checked in, keeping the car key in my pocket until we checked out the next day.
The second time we went, the staff came running out to greet us, and hastily parked our dented Fiat round the back of the kitchens, so as not to spoil the display of Ferraris, Astons and Bentleys front of house.
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Yes a Cliveden house is a very upmarket place indeed, as well as the Chequers pub down the road from it.
Would an MG ZR stick out of place if were to be recently valeted with the X-power grey paintwork shining against a black Bentley with road grime all round?
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By coincidence I read this morning in a last year's Motor Sport an interview with Leo Sayer (a rock star about whom I know absolutely nothing), who said he suffered a financial eclipse in the 1990s and didn't mix with people much because he felt embarrassed to be in a room where everyone was wearing more expensive watches than his.
Sad, sad, sad...
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Bentley Continental GT in a disabled spot right in front of Tesco.
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Was invited to a corporate entertainment - a day's polo at Windsor. Went in the Morris Minor tourer. Still got lots of smiles, though, mostly from the Merc drivers. BMW drivers put on their 1000 yards stare, of course.
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