Automotive Rivalries

"RacecaR" (RacecaR) 12/02/2013 at 11:43 • Filed to: Automotive Rivalries

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On my way into work this morning, was passed by a Chevy Trailblazer. In the back window, there was a Calvin peeing on a Ford logo. I have seen these before, but they always struck me as odd.

Why is there such a rivalry? Is this something just like "my school sports team is better than yours!"?

Is rivalry ingrained into us humans? I find that hard to believe because I really do not feel that way about anything.

Or is it just something for people to latch on to, so they have "something".

With this being an automotive site, I'll keep it automotive. Why is there a rivalry between automotive fans? Mitsubishi vs Subaru (I understand this is tied to WRC, but it still seems to linger), Ford vs Chevy, Ford vs Holden?

As gear/petrols heads, shouldn't we have some sort of respect for all (most) cars? Or is the rivalry a basic form of respect, like sibling rivalry.

Just an open ended question. No right or wrong answer really.

Jagvar > RacecaR 12/02/2013 at 11:45

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Yeah, I never got them either. This was the only Calvin and Hobbes logo I ever supported.

CalzoneGolem > RacecaR 12/02/2013 at 11:48

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I was raised a Chevy man. I was believed that Ford's were shit, but I evolved beyond that and now I see the wonder in every car.

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > RacecaR 12/02/2013 at 11:54

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Is this something just like "my school sports team is better than yours!"?

Yeah, pretty much because racecar and clever marketing people.

Also, it is Holden and not Holder.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > RacecaR 12/02/2013 at 11:56

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Well, not only are the two brands (Ford, Chevy) the primary truck rivalry, but in addition to design/aesthetic differences they *do* have significantly different forms mechanically and in terms of functional philosophy. In my exposure, Chevy designs tend more often to be the *correct* level of complication to achieve good function overall (with the caveat that it may break down later, and can be dull), and Ford tends to perhaps oversimplify first and then weird things with quirky addition and development of the design. Now, that is in no way universally true, but there is a "feel" to each, and tastes differ. A former boss is a Chevy man through and through when it comes to compact trucks, mostly on the strength of ownership experience with an El Camino, an S-10, and a newer Sonoma. He concedes to Ford with his big trucks for the business because they've had consistently good experience with them.

As to why a rivalry between fans, blame a combination of NASCAR, the fact that with trucks it's a macho-ness competition, family traditions of one or the other, competing mechanic/hot rodder cults, and in some cases lemons or taste mismatches that resulted in fervent converts to the "other side".

Stephen Krogmeier > CalzoneGolem 12/02/2013 at 11:58

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Pretty much this. Its an auto-enthusiast maturity thing. A coming of age. Its also kinda fun to wear a MOPAR jacket or shirt or something into a Chevy or car show or anything like that. The Chevy guys that give you a high-five are usually the ones you want to get a beer with.

E30Joe drives a Subaru > RacecaR 12/02/2013 at 11:58

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BECAUSE BMW IS THE BEST. IF YOU DONT LIKE BMW THEN YOU CAN SUCK A FART. ONLY FAIRIES DONT LIKE BMW. AUDI AND VW ARE FOR PEASANTS. MERCEDES? DO YOU MEAN OLD MAN MOBILE?

oldirtybootz > RacecaR 12/02/2013 at 11:58

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I've always been mainly a Ford guy but both my parents have had Camaros so I always liked those. My preferance is still Ford but I lean towards American cars in general, though I'm not terribly biased against many companies. I don't like Hyundai, Kia, BMW, VW, and Mercedes, though they all have offered at least a few cars I do like.

On the Ford vs Chevy thing, one of my best friends is a Chevy guy and he HATES Ford, always has and probably always will. But now I have the Dart and he's buying a Ram, so go figure.

RacecaR > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire 12/02/2013 at 12:00

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I knew the Holden thing, just mistyped it. I had a few other things I had wrong as well, but had all ready corrected them (sight instead of site, suck instead of such). Fixed the Holden/Holder thing. Thanks for pointing it out.

Apparently I am not quite awake just yet. HAHA!

fhrblig > RacecaR 12/02/2013 at 12:00

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I've had trouble wrapping my mind around that sort of thing, and also when guys say they'll only drive cars from a certain country. I want to say to them, "You know that only hurts yourself, right?" I may prefer Fords, but almost half of the cars I've owned have been GM. I'm not going to limit myself when it comes to cars, and I'm willing to give nearly any vehicle a try.

RacecaR > E30Joe drives a Subaru 12/02/2013 at 12:01

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I think you meant Miata is the best. It's the best. It's #1. It's the best. It is #1. IT'S THE BEST!! ARRRGGGHHH!!

CalzoneGolem > Stephen Krogmeier 12/02/2013 at 12:02

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My dad (The one who raised me a Chevy Man) ended up building a Dodge and owning a Mustang.

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > RacecaR 12/02/2013 at 12:03

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I'm dyslexic, so holder was the only thing I noticed.

RacecaR > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 12/02/2013 at 12:05

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I understand the whole "My dad, and his dad, and his dad owned a whatevermobile, so that is what I will cling to. But still, why? There are so many options now.

And with the mass globalization of the automotive industry, you can't even claim a country favor over another just to like a car. My Toyota Sienna was built about 30 minutes north of where it is now parked in my garage...in southern Indiana.

But I was not aware of the intricate mechanical differences, so thanks for sharing that.

E30Joe drives a Subaru > RacecaR 12/02/2013 at 12:06

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If you drive a Miata you root for the Yankees, for the boys, it's the best, #1! You get Sam Adams because that's the BEST.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > RacecaR 12/02/2013 at 12:22

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As just one example of the sort of thing, some GM engines have a fuel pump down low on the engine and actuated by a pushrod. Now, the location of the fuel pump is good in a number of respects, but the reinstallation of a pump with the pushrod properly located can be the devil (GMC 6.2 diesel, some small-blocks). A Ford might be more likely to have the fuel pump somewhere less convenient, with a much longer actuating arm and no pushrod (351W).

Another, the GM 6.2 diesel vs. the Ford 7.3: both have the injector pump less than ideally located for service, but the GM has the pump further occluded by the intake manifold. The GM, probably for a good reason combustion-chamber wise, has injectors down near the exhaust manifold and plumbed with steel lines + cloth-braided rubber bleedback lines. These latter crack from exhaust exposure over time. The Ford has the injectors on the top of the head where the plumbing is simpler, so avoiding the exhaust issue but inducing a number of others from the cheapness of the plastic injector bleedback collars and their o-rings. Both are flawed, but in different ways speaking to different design philosophy.

Interestingly, the same kinds of character show up to an extent from country of design origin, regardless of manufacture location - though location can make a good design for one set of manufacturing expectations go totally to hell with another.

therotaryisdeadlonglivetherotary > RacecaR 12/02/2013 at 12:24

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Also, Calvin pissing on anything is copyright infringement. Bill Watterson didn't give anyone the rights to his comic. It's annoying people with the intellectual age of 4 take such a cool icon and reduce it to that.

JR1 > RacecaR 12/02/2013 at 12:38

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Most people who hate one car company over another are not true Oppnation members. (Not to offend anyone) But the more you know about cars the more you like all cars. So the rivalries are based on semi-closeminded people who do not under any circumstances want to see the joys other cars have to offer.

RacecaR > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 12/02/2013 at 12:48

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Interestingly, the same kinds of character show up to an extent from country of design origin, regardless of manufacture location - though location can make a good design for one set of manufacturing expectations go totally to hell with another.

But I feel like that is a lot of the "I won't buy such-and-such car, because it is not 'MERICAN!! Dey tuk er jobs!"

I think people are unaware, or chose not to remember, that foreign designs are being built in their back yards.

Stef Schrader > E30Joe drives a Subaru 12/02/2013 at 16:10

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Isettas > all your base, FWIW.

Cebu > RacecaR 12/02/2013 at 19:32

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Warning! Warning! Theology follows! Read at your own risk!

"Better" or "worse" is actually judging something, a biblical sin.

That being said, I really don't have the effort to try to stop making value judgements- it's like having a speech impediment in today's society because you gots to have opinions, and they gots to be different than the next guys because that's what's entertaining.

*Theology ends.*

Sex was the first impulse, the impulse to bash the ape having sex with the lady ape you just had sex with was the second- rivalry, in a sense. Long-lasting ape blood feuds didn't come until much later.

TL;DR: Yes.