Is there an superiority/inferiority complex amongst car enthusiasts and their cars?

"K-Roll-PorscheTamer" (k-roll390)
11/25/2014 at 10:58 • Filed to: Debate

The question is simple. Do you ever feel like in the car world we live in, there's always a friendly bunch of people who you get to know and become good friends with, then there are always those people that will say, 'My EK Civic is better than your Mustang GT'? Or my Cobalt SS is better than your GTR? Why does this happen? Does anyone find this annoying or have had experience with this stupid scenario?

Or when people say, my WRX is the best car ever and nothing else compares to it, or my MS3 wil destroy anything and everything? Perhaps it's just misguided pride in ones car, but it can come off as an overly bloated ego.

There will never be a utopian car society where no one bashes on anyone's cars, because that'd be rather dull and uninteresting; fun competitiveness is fun and all, but at what point does saying your Focus ST can take on a C7 Vette just sound foolish?

Debate.

DISCUSSION (34)

claramag, Mustaco Master > K-Roll-PorscheTamer
11/25/2014 at 11:01

Kinja'd!!!

God look at all the beautiful American muscle. What a glorious time to be alive and almost wealthy enough to buy one

Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow > K-Roll-PorscheTamer
11/25/2014 at 11:02

This.

K-Roll-PorscheTamer > claramag, Mustaco Master
11/25/2014 at 11:03

For some, I'm starting at the bottom and working my way up to that, the yellow one on the right is my goal, but in Orange.

claramag, Mustaco Master > K-Roll-PorscheTamer
11/25/2014 at 11:07

I didn't want to put the tag on any particular model because none of them are the GT350

Saoul-Virage > K-Roll-PorscheTamer
11/25/2014 at 11:08

Whenever I hear this sort of bullshit : "I drive better than him", "My VW Golf TDI is better than his (insert name of any car)"... I immediately consider the speaker as a complete asshole, and in 95% of case I'm right.

TheJWT > K-Roll-PorscheTamer
11/25/2014 at 11:11

There will always be stupid people...

K-Roll-PorscheTamer > claramag, Mustaco Master
11/25/2014 at 11:12

Fair reason. :)

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > K-Roll-PorscheTamer
11/25/2014 at 11:14

At several points, in several different directions.

-My (insert fashion statement "eco" car here)is better than your (insert oppo car here), because gas mileage.

It happens because smug self-righteous ecofreak.

-Your car might beat mine, but my car is actually faster, because body kit/+50hp stickers/underbody neon make it look better (worse).

It happens because they think ricer=car guy.

-My Miata is better than your Mustang, because it handles well.

It happens because they can't figure out that all things were not designed towards the same purpose.

William Byrd > K-Roll-PorscheTamer
11/25/2014 at 11:14

Good discussion. I find those people are either 1) completely delusional and actually believe what they are saying, which is scary or 2) are just trying to make themselves feel better about their spot in the automotive hierarchy. Push comes to shove, the 2nd group usually will acquiesce and admit they are just talking trash.

It's sort of like the guy in the bar who is legitimately looking for a fight and believes he will win vs. the guy who is all talk and when literal push comes to literal shove, he'll buy you a beer and talk his way out of it.

Regardless, they are a persistent part of the car community and likely aren't going away. You're right, it does make things interesting. I have typically dealt with them by downshifting to 3rd. :)

djmt1 > K-Roll-PorscheTamer
11/25/2014 at 11:16

Nope. Car bashing is dumb.

BmanUltima's car still hasn't been fixed yet, he'll get on it tomorrow, honest. > K-Roll-PorscheTamer
11/25/2014 at 11:18

I think it's because for some people, they have only ever driven the car they defend so highly, and can't imagine that any car could possibly be better. They're very closed minded. If they defend a certain brand it's because it's what their parents drove. For me, my dad will always buy Chrysler, Dodge, etc. It's what he always had, because that's what his father drove. Now it has occurred to me that I sometimes think the same way, that of those three muscle cars up there, I would only consider the Challenger by default. I usually catch myself and think, "Wait, what makes it better or worse?", and compare the pros and cons subjectively.

Many fanboys are incapable of doing this, and disregard any proof that their chosen brand is worse because they are afraid to lose that feeling of self heightening. If they lose, they feel humiliated, so they can't lose, they never give up. Even when all the facts are against them, they still can't see both sides.

I think for the most part, People here on Oppositelock aren't as closed minded as the die hard fanboys, and are capable of judging vehicles based on facts, and can see arguments from any side that needs be. This makes the Oppo community one if the most open and welcoming places I've discovered on the internet, and I'm glad to be a part of it.

K-Roll-PorscheTamer > djmt1
11/25/2014 at 11:18

But without it, it's just not as fun. I'm not saying all of it is good, but having some brand rivalries is necessary to keep competition alive(i.e. Mustang v Camaro, 911 v R8, Rolls v Bentley).

There are just some people out there that make stupid claims they can't back up.(Civic vs. an actual sports car)

K-Roll-PorscheTamer > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer
11/25/2014 at 11:19

Exactly!!

K-Roll-PorscheTamer > William Byrd
11/25/2014 at 11:21

THIS

Like with my obsession with a Mustang, everyone says the ST is the better car, but it's like trying to make the ST feel better when the two cars can't even compare due to applications of use. One is a car that's practical and designed to be a brute force in straights and twisties, and the other is just a brute force of nature just about anywhere.

Maybe I'm looking at this the wrong way, but you definitely are spot on with what you said.

Hats off to you sir.

K-Roll-PorscheTamer > BmanUltima's car still hasn't been fixed yet, he'll get on it tomorrow, honest.
11/25/2014 at 11:27

Now I'm a diehard Porsche fanboy, nothings changing that, and I often boast about that brand and how it is absolutely the best automaker EVER, but that's because I grew up with them.

But I'm not close-minded, because I can respect what Audi, AMG, Aston Martin, Lamborghini and Ferrari(to a slightly lesser extent) have to offer against them and it's all good competition in good fun.

You're exactly right, I hate it when people judge cars based on paper and the internet alone(I'm guilty of this myself and I don't think it'll ever go away completely), without even experiencing the car itself.

And I love Oppo because it's so diverse, with some good and bad things here and there, but it's all good. :)

BoulderZ > K-Roll-PorscheTamer
11/25/2014 at 11:28

I see this a lot at car shows and meets, but oddly enough never at the track. Hmm. I just don't engage with the delusional braggarts. They're easy to spot a long ways away, and if you do end up talking to one they're fairly easy to dismiss. It's definitely not unique to car gatherings though. I used to see it in cycling a lot. Slow guys always talking up how awesome their latest gear is, how hardcore their training is, etc. The fast ones never talk about how fast they are.

William Byrd > K-Roll-PorscheTamer
11/25/2014 at 11:28

Thanks man.

I consider myself an expert on that topic actually. I own a FoST and have owned 5 Mustangs including a pretty recent GT California Special. I would have bought a new Stang when I got my 2014 ST, but I have 3 kids and it just didn't make sense. The STs are fun versions of practical cars and thus make some concessions.

The Mustang is built from the ground up to be fun, and it's damn good at it. So saying that the "ST is better" can really only make sense if concluded with "at X, Y, or Z" such as "hauling stuff/people" or "torque steer". lol, j/k, but seriously.

In the end, as good as the ST sounds, a nice V8 will always sound better. I'll own a 2015+ V8 Mustang at some point but I have a renewed appreciation for FWD turbo cars.

djmt1 > K-Roll-PorscheTamer
11/25/2014 at 11:32

Nope it is dumb. I not being paid by these companies. I will not be their fanboi, they have a marketing department for that. Plus bashing someone else's car is usually a desperate attempt at validating your own choice which is just tragic. I'm cool with talking up your own car, everyone should have pride in their car as far as I'm am concerned if you really are an enthusiast.

Also "actual sports car", what does that even mean?

Kinja'd!!!

This Civic would crush plenty of "actual sports cars" while carrying a bed back from Ikea.

K-Roll-PorscheTamer > William Byrd
11/25/2014 at 11:33

I would've bought a newer V6 when I got my 2014 ST, but they weren't out yet, and I needed a newer car with a warranty fast. They are fun cars, but after spending a summer with RWD cars, I now lust after cars like that, because they just seemed to suit me more.

FWD turbo cars are good fun, but I think RWD cars in any drive train would be more fun.

K-Roll-PorscheTamer > djmt1
11/25/2014 at 11:35

I'm saying talking shit about another's car is good at all. I'm simply saying talking up your car against someone else's can be good fun, but when overdone everything goes to shit.

And also:

This Civic would crush plenty of "actual sports cars" while carrying a bed back from Ikea.

Can you back this up?

William Byrd > K-Roll-PorscheTamer
11/25/2014 at 11:36

The FoST will lift-off oversteer like a champ. You need to be going pretty quickly to do it which can be hairy on the road (my only experience doing it is autoX).

Whereas a nice RWD car can do it from a standstill. I can't remember how many times I would give one of my Mustangs a little too much gas pulling away from a stop sign while making a left or right (with no one coming or in sight obviously) and just let it slide for 10 feet or so and toss some oppo in to catch it. Good memories.

K-Roll-PorscheTamer > William Byrd
11/25/2014 at 11:39

To me, RWD cars(or the ones I drove) just felt more balanced on the road, while still being able to go crazy and have fun with them.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > K-Roll-PorscheTamer
11/25/2014 at 11:41

I the diehard fanboy of whom you speak. GM, specifically, and I will probably never own anything else. Except maybe Subaru.

However, I can accept the faults of GM and the strengths of other companies. e.g.-

I have driven the new fusion. AWD. Ecoboost. Awesome. Would recommend. Would not buy.

Have driven the Fiesta. Auto. NA. Utter crap. Build quality was terrible, tranny was worse. Handling, however, was awesome.

I have great respect for Mazda. Would recommend all (except the 5). Would buy none (except last-gen speed6).

Essentially I would prefer to buy something questionable from GM, having researched thoroughly, than to buy I acknowledge as excellent something from another manufacturer.

djmt1 > K-Roll-PorscheTamer
11/25/2014 at 11:42

Normally I would use lap times and countless reviews which says the EP3 Type R was the best performance car from the early 2000s but I think lap times are bollocks (too many variables) and reviews are just opinions so this may be difficult.

Plus, considering we live an ocean apart and the EP3 Type R is illegal on the other side I'm not sure what would be the best way to go about it proving. Also I'm not sure if a S2k or an MX5 would be able to carry a bed legally plus with me living in England it will no doubt rain and who wants a soggy bed.

Luc - The Acadian Oppo > K-Roll-PorscheTamer
11/25/2014 at 11:42

Kinja'd!!!

My 109hp of pure fury 4spd Auto Mazda 323 is the best car that was ever made. If you don't believe me come race me I'm the best driver on this side of the pacific.

/sarcasm over.

K-Roll-PorscheTamer > djmt1
11/25/2014 at 11:44

And I'm alright with this, because you're still backing it up in a way that I'd say is perfectly acceptable. :)

Good on you sir.

With-a-G is back to not having anything written after his username > K-Roll-PorscheTamer
11/25/2014 at 11:51

"The fights are so vicious because the stakes are so low."

Captain of the Enterprise > K-Roll-PorscheTamer
11/25/2014 at 12:20

It's because to a lot of people cars are status symbols so they believe that their car is a symbol of themselves and want to be seen as superior in some way and this is one way to express it.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > K-Roll-PorscheTamer
11/25/2014 at 13:20

I'm just over here losing to Prii and shit.

BmanUltima's car still hasn't been fixed yet, he'll get on it tomorrow, honest. > K-Roll-PorscheTamer
11/25/2014 at 13:23

You're the good type of fanboy, that you can appreciate the fact that other people like different things.

Also, I think that driving a variety of cars is important to make an informed decision on a vehicle, so you have others to compare it against. I'm out of luck on that front, having only driven a Dodge Ram 1500, a Honda CR-V, and a Nissan Sentra.

Bryan doesn't drive a 1M > K-Roll-PorscheTamer
11/25/2014 at 13:36

The trick is to ignore the idiots. Bragging and trash talk are their own separate hobby for a lot of people and if they didn't do it with cars, they'd be trash talking your choice of shoes, your brand of coffee, your smartphone, or whatever.

I've ended so many unpleasant conversations with "yeah, you're probably right."

RallyWrench > K-Roll-PorscheTamer
11/25/2014 at 15:04

This applies directly to most marque or model specific forums:

Kinja'd!!!

BmanUltima's car still hasn't been fixed yet, he'll get on it tomorrow, honest. > K-Roll-PorscheTamer
11/25/2014 at 17:54

should I share my original post to Oppo? I think some people need to read it.

K-Roll-PorscheTamer > BmanUltima's car still hasn't been fixed yet, he'll get on it tomorrow, honest.
11/25/2014 at 18:25

Maybe, I'll leave it up to you sir!