I identify as panbrandual.

"Jim Spanfeller" (awesomeaustinv)
01/01/2020 at 15:07 • Filed to: None

Rant time!

Alright, I googled “panbrandual” and nothing came up, so I think I can safely say that I’ve made up this word and therefore it means what I think it means. It means I don’t give a hot, steaming pile of cat dookie what brand a car comes from, and there fore I’m sick and tired of all the people mocking me because, shockingly, my 54 year-old, unrestored Ford Thunderbird broke down. I didn’t buy it because it’s a Ford. I bought it because I really, really like it. Th ere’s nothing more to it, I just really like my Thunderbird. If it was a Chevy Th underbird, I’d feel exactly the same way. So why do people feel the need to rub the fact that my car broke down in my face? I feel like I’ve been sucked into a battle that I never wanted to be a part of. I admire both sides of this battle equally, so why do I have to pick a side? Also, why is Dodge seemingly excused from this rivalry? They’re supposedly the other major American company people know about, but i t’s like they just sit back and watch the others fight while their fans quietly remain loyal. Maybe it’s just because Mopar people are kinda odd, but I digress. The point is, I think brand loyalty when it comes to cars is stupid, because all it does is limit how many great cars you can potentially enjoy; and I wish that buying cars from certain brands didn’t automatically enter me into a stupid debate that only causes headaches and rifts. Maybe I jus t need better car enthusiast friends... which is a great excuse to spend more time on Oppositelock :)

DISCUSSION (11)

HondoyotaE38: A Japanese and German Collab...wait a minute > Jim Spanfeller
01/01/2020 at 15:10

SBA Thanks You For All The Fish > Jim Spanfeller
01/01/2020 at 15:16

But which “service bay” do you use when you go in to “get serviced”?

-Asking for a completely non-judgmental and totally open-minded friend

Jim Spanfeller > SBA Thanks You For All The Fish
01/01/2020 at 15:26

Erm... The one on the left?

Noodles > Jim Spanfeller
01/01/2020 at 15:53

I don't get brand loyalty either. I'm guessing it started from NASCAR.

Ssfancyfresh > Jim Spanfeller
01/01/2020 at 17:02

Same. I like what I like because I like it.

That’s how it should be.

TOYOTA CAMRY IS THE BEST CAR E VER MADE!!!

mic drop

Jim Spanfeller > Noodles
01/01/2020 at 17:30

Brand loyalty debates are like the pineapple vs. pepperoni pizza debates of the car world. Neither can actually prove that the other side is worse becau s e it’s really all a matter of personal taste and opinion and the whole thing is stupid , but nevertheless both sides believe the other is the enemy, and those of us who like both are left to suffer.

WilliamsSW > Jim Spanfeller
01/01/2020 at 17:48

Same. I’m up to 14 cars owned now — from 13 brands. The repeat? A pair of mid 60s Oldsmobiles. For real.

And FFS , it’s a 50+ year old car. ANYTHING that goes wrong with it at this point is some combination of it being really old and/ or questionable decisions made be previous owners.

wafflesnfalafel > Jim Spanfeller
01/01/2020 at 18:59

Interesting - never heard that terminology but completely spot on. I figure whatever makes you happy. I work with a guy that only ever buys Fords. If they were good enough for his daddy, then they are good enough for him. There are some brands I avoid, (mostly because I just don’t like what they make or have reliability issues,) but otherwise I’m really pretty flexible. I happen to own two vehicles from the same brand currently - but hadn’t even owned that brand previously and have owned vehicles from six different brands historically. Does that make me a “waffler” or morally flexible? Uh oh!

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > Jim Spanfeller
01/01/2020 at 19:06

I feel similarly with a few exceptions. Like I avoid most GM products because I feel they make the shittiest cars in the 80s-00s and it takes a lot of good Will to overcome that.

But generally I that I care more about the car itself than the brand.

Jim Spanfeller > WilliamsSW
01/02/2020 at 10:09

Exactly! No matter how many times I try to explain to people that a 54 year-old Chevy would likely have the same problems as my car, though, they still insist that, noooo, these are Ford problems and hurr durr, shoulda bought a Chevy. Now I want to get a Chevy as my next car so I can tell people, “Shut up, I own both and like both”. (also because I just really want a Corvair)

Jim Spanfeller > wafflesnfalafel
01/02/2020 at 10:17

Yeah, certainly a brand’s reputation can have an influence on whether or not you decide to buy a certain car, but I don’t think it should ever be a restric ting factor. Especially since brands’ reputations can change over time, and some people are able to love cars in spite of their flaws, like B ritish car enthusiasts, for example.