What car phrase bothers you the most?

"StudyStudyStudy" (jesterjin) 01/28/2016 at 20:04 • Filed to: None

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I’ve been lacking motivation lately, only finished a quarter of my suspension install and decided I would go find something to be angry about on the internet.

I found it, car phrases that bother me immensely. Most because they are undeserving.

Heard someone calling a Toyota Supra a “timeless classic.”

Yea it is a cool car, but timeless classic? I’m not too sure.

“Handles like a go cart,” that gets thrown around ALOT, to a lot of undeserving cars, and a go cart handles pretty piss poor on anything other then a perfectly flat surface.

What phrases grinds your gears as related to cars?

Mercedes Streeter > StudyStudyStudy 01/28/2016 at 20:10

2

When people call smarts a “Smart Car”. It’s called a smart fortwo, or a smart roadster/crossblade/forfour. Or, if you don’t know the model name, just call it a smart.

If you don’t know the model name of a Ford, you don’t call it a “Ford Car”, you just call it a Ford.

Only reason I put “smart (car) Girl“ in my name is because I comment on more than just Oppo/Jalopnik, and people often thought I was just being pretentious with “smart Girl”.

BmanUltima's car still hasn't been fixed yet, he'll get on it tomorrow, honest. > StudyStudyStudy 01/28/2016 at 20:11

3

I think it’s a bit different from what you mean, but it annoys me when someone calls an inline 4 or 6 a v engine.

Needmoargarage > StudyStudyStudy 01/28/2016 at 20:11

2

Dampening.

SVTyler > StudyStudyStudy 01/28/2016 at 20:11

1

The word ‘sporty” because it’s such a vague term. Is the car fast? Does it handle well? Does it look cool? Dunno, but it’s sporty!

Roadster Man > StudyStudyStudy 01/28/2016 at 20:12

4

“This car is very unique ”

The number one definition of the word “unique” is “one of a kind.” THERE ARE NO DEGREES OF ONE OF A KIND. This pisses me off when people say anything is “_____ unique.” It’s the wrong word.

But really, it’s visceral . It’s like saying that an engine’s displacement is engorged . It just sounds off, and is also overused and trite.

Van Man, rocks the Man Van > StudyStudyStudy 01/28/2016 at 20:13

7

It drives me nuts when people call a car a “whip”. Gaaaahhhh ITS CALLED A CAR, PEOPLE

Gone > StudyStudyStudy 01/28/2016 at 20:13

9

Stage 1/2/3/4/5/whatever mods. No no no no!

Stage II turbos with Stage III boost and a Stage I exhaust with Stage IV clutch, and a Stage VI diff all through Stage V tires br0!

TheHondaBro > StudyStudyStudy 01/28/2016 at 20:13

1

The word engine pisses me off.

StudyStudyStudy > BmanUltima's car still hasn't been fixed yet, he'll get on it tomorrow, honest. 01/28/2016 at 20:13

0

A little different, but the number of times I have heard inline 8 cylinder, and a v-4 in my life and had an urge to smack them upside the head, yea I can relate.

B_dol > StudyStudyStudy 01/28/2016 at 20:14

1

Hate to break it to ya, but 90's cars are now classics almost 20 years later.

Also people calling a DCT or flappy paddle (F1 or other) a manual sans the words automated behind it. My fiancee ordered a BMW with a stickshift. It showed up with paddles and the dealer said “ohh I thought you meant sport manual”. DOH

StudyStudyStudy > Needmoargarage 01/28/2016 at 20:15

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-_-...

I feel a bit more educated all of a sudden.

Mercedes Streeter > Van Man, rocks the Man Van 01/28/2016 at 20:15

3

What about when people call a CUV a truck? lol

Mercedes Streeter > Gone 01/28/2016 at 20:15

0

Yes, but what stage is the driver? :)

StudyStudyStudy > Roadster Man 01/28/2016 at 20:16

0

“Pretty unique,” yea...I know what you mean.

RallyWrench > StudyStudyStudy 01/28/2016 at 20:16

1

“Ran when parked”

Van Man, rocks the Man Van > Mercedes Streeter 01/28/2016 at 20:17

0

Never heard that. I do call a CUV an SUV and sometimes I’ll call trucks cars. Sometimes people will call their BOF SUVs trucks which I wouldn't do but I'm not necessarily bothered by.

Needmoargarage > StudyStudyStudy 01/28/2016 at 20:17

1

We all have to learn sometime! When I was a newbie at my first track day I said ‘dampening’ to some guy I was talking to and he rolled his eyes at me.

66671 - 200 [METRIC] my dash > StudyStudyStudy 01/28/2016 at 20:18

2

Dynamic. But it makes me laugh more than anything.

Rico > StudyStudyStudy 01/28/2016 at 20:18

0

I feel that handles like a go-kart means more that it feels nimble and quick reacting.

BmanUltima's car still hasn't been fixed yet, he'll get on it tomorrow, honest. > TheHondaBro 01/28/2016 at 20:19

0

I don’t like the term “Windscreen Wiper”

StudyStudyStudy > B_dol 01/28/2016 at 20:19

0

I get that, I have a “classic” car, but still...the changing definition bothers me a bit, at some point in time a 350z will be a “classic” as will an audi q5, that just seems wrong.

I really hope the dealer let you give someone a dope slap for that one!

StudyStudyStudy > RallyWrench 01/28/2016 at 20:20

0

...20 years ago, sigh.

Urambo Tauro > TheHondaBro 01/28/2016 at 20:20

0

Would you prefer “motor”?

Gone > Mercedes Streeter 01/28/2016 at 20:20

1

Stage Too soon Junior!

RallyWrench > StudyStudyStudy 01/28/2016 at 20:21

0

This too, like “95% restored” for a car with no damn paint.

Demon-Xanth knows how to operate a street. > StudyStudyStudy 01/28/2016 at 20:21

2

Breaks

Fender flairs

StudyStudyStudy > Mercedes Streeter 01/28/2016 at 20:22

1

Hmm fair enough, there just wasn’t a differentiation, I rarely see the convertible or the coupe version, so smart car always was in reference to a smart fortwo, lesson learned.

Alfalfa > StudyStudyStudy 01/28/2016 at 20:22

1

“Alloy wheels”

As opposed to wheels made of steel. Which is also an alloy.

StudyStudyStudy > SVTyler 01/28/2016 at 20:23

0

My dad’s SUV has a sport mode, because it is a “SUV with the heart of a sports car...”

StudyStudyStudy > Gone 01/28/2016 at 20:23

0

Ack, guilty.

Urambo Tauro > Gone 01/28/2016 at 20:24

1

Stage numbers are actually a pretty good system for categorizing mods, as long as they’re consistent.

StudyStudyStudy > Demon-Xanth knows how to operate a street. 01/28/2016 at 20:24

2

Oh so it is broken?

Oh do your fenders have pizzaz?

K-Roll-PorscheTamer > StudyStudyStudy 01/28/2016 at 20:26

0

CAFE, emissions regulations, they're in my top 7.

Demon-Xanth knows how to operate a street. > StudyStudyStudy 01/28/2016 at 20:26

3

4 door coupe

4 door sports car

Sports car: sporty car with two seats

Sports coupe: sporty car with two doors

Sports sedan: sporty car with four doors

Quit trying to lump yourself with cars that you’re not! You just confused everyone and now nobody knows what the f the terms mean anymore!

StudyStudyStudy > Rico 01/28/2016 at 20:26

0

But, why can’t you just say that? Feels nimble and quick, perfectly sound and useful information.

Handles like a go cart, what like a professional racing go cart that feels crazy unstable and skittish on the road? Or the silly little go carts at chuckecheese? Why is go-cart our epitome of handling? /rant

dogisbadob > StudyStudyStudy 01/28/2016 at 20:27

2

easy fix

Urambo Tauro > StudyStudyStudy 01/28/2016 at 20:27

2

“Posi” when used to describe any car with LSD, even a non-GM product.

StudyStudyStudy > RallyWrench 01/28/2016 at 20:27

0

Rust free...except for the rust spot here, here, here, and there...on and under there...

StudyStudyStudy > dogisbadob 01/28/2016 at 20:28

1

Then go and fix it before putting this stupid ad up!

StudyStudyStudy > K-Roll-PorscheTamer 01/28/2016 at 20:29

0

What are your other 6?

Übel > B_dol 01/28/2016 at 20:29

0

And tomatoes are a fruit, but you wouldn’t put them in a fruit salad.

XJDano > Mercedes Streeter 01/28/2016 at 20:29

2

Stage left

Demon-Xanth knows how to operate a street. > Needmoargarage 01/28/2016 at 20:30

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I need context with this one... Dampening does have valid contexts...

StudyStudyStudy > Urambo Tauro 01/28/2016 at 20:30

0

I’ve seen this a lot when searching for differentials.

Posi in the rear on old japanese cars, I always wonder if they stuffed an american rear end back there.

SonorousSpeedJoe > StudyStudyStudy 01/28/2016 at 20:31

0

I get what auto journalists are trying to say when they use “defies the laws of physics” to describe the way a car handles - they’re trying to capture how phenomenal and unique said car’s handling is. Something about that bit of hyperbole rubs me the wrong way, though.

Gone > Urambo Tauro 01/28/2016 at 20:37

1

Perhaps it’s because I’m an engineer... But without data, its all bullshit to me.

“Oh I see you’re running twin GTX4294Rs at 25psi with bullhorns dumped at the nose through a Liberty trans to a spooled Currie 9" and 10.5" DRs. Nelson Racing built that motor? No sir, I will not run your 4.5sec 1/8 mi piece on my slow ass 10sec 1/4mi bike for money.”

Needmoargarage > Demon-Xanth knows how to operate a street. 01/28/2016 at 20:38

2

Shock absorbers are correctly defined as dampers because they attenuate the oscillation of the springs. So tuning the damping of a suspension would be the correct terminology, though it has become almost interchangeable with ‘dampening.’

To me ‘dampening’ sounds like you’ve made your car wet.

Alfalfa > Gone 01/28/2016 at 20:39

0

I hate this one. Look, I don’t know what all of the tiers are for whatever company you payed for your parts. If you don’t really know what’s been done either, just say “the turbo and exhaust were upgraded by so-and-so”.

Demon-Xanth knows how to operate a street. > Needmoargarage 01/28/2016 at 20:39

0

Ahh! Thanks.

Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras > Van Man, rocks the Man Van 01/28/2016 at 20:40

0

but ‘ghost ride the car’ doesn’t sound as cool

Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras > StudyStudyStudy 01/28/2016 at 20:41

0

ricer

because the difference between ‘tuner’ and ‘ricer’ does not exist anymore, especially on the internet.

Berang > StudyStudyStudy 01/28/2016 at 20:41

1

I would argue that the Supra is a timeless classic, or at least about as close to one as any car from that particular era.

I think one that is really confusing is “high gearing” and “low gearing”. Because people always confuse them, and then use them interchangeably. There’s nothing wrong with the terms, just their abuse. “Tall gearing” and “short gearing” are a little less confusingly used, even if they’re technically not technical.

4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 > StudyStudyStudy 01/28/2016 at 20:41

0

When my Land Rover gets called a ‘Jeep’.

Demon-Xanth knows how to operate a street. > Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras 01/28/2016 at 20:45

1

Tuner actually bugs the shit out of me. A tuner car used to be Callaway, Salleen, Dinan... Now it’s “Jim bolted a park bench to his trunk and it’s a tuner car now.”

Mercedes Streeter > StudyStudyStudy 01/28/2016 at 20:46

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I don’t get mad at it or anything...I just don’t understand where it came from. lol

Needmoargarage > Demon-Xanth knows how to operate a street. 01/28/2016 at 20:46

0

Np! It’s not a big enough deal that it really matters. More just like a car pet peeve I have haha.

Mercedes Streeter > Van Man, rocks the Man Van 01/28/2016 at 20:47

0

I live in a sort of weird place. If it looks even remotely like a SUV, I know people who will call it a truck. I’ve even seen people call a Buick Encore a truck. Wat? lol

mazda616 > StudyStudyStudy 01/28/2016 at 20:47

1

“Only 90,000 miles!”

Yeah, on a 2013?

Or “Loaded!”

Power windows doesn’t equal “loaded” anymore.

B_dol > StudyStudyStudy 01/28/2016 at 20:53

0

I feel you, age is only one factor in the term “classic”. I am sure a new term will arise for 80-90's collector cars, similar to the pre and post-war early vintage cars.

Hah. After trying to convince us we really did want the DCT, they reordered the car with an added $1K discount for the extra 8 week wait.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > Übel 01/28/2016 at 20:56

1

I had a teacher who put an interesting way:

Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, wisdom is knowing a tomato has no place in a fruit salad.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > dogisbadob 01/28/2016 at 21:00

1

Don’t have time too many projects

Dusty Ventures > StudyStudyStudy 01/28/2016 at 21:02

0

“fresh”

Chariotoflove > StudyStudyStudy 01/28/2016 at 21:02

0

“One of the only...”

What does that even mean? “One of only a few...” or something like that means something, but this kills me.

Dusty Ventures > StudyStudyStudy 01/28/2016 at 21:06

0

Inline 8 you say?

B_dol > StudyStudyStudy 01/28/2016 at 21:06

0

Japanese “nostalgic” car is already using the term to describe desirable cars in the 80s/90s now that I think of it.

Dusty Ventures > 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 01/28/2016 at 21:07

2

“It’s not a Jeep. It’s the Jeep’s unreliable cousin.”

Übel > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer 01/28/2016 at 21:55

2

My personal favorite is “Knowledge is knowing Frankenstein is not the monster. Wisdom is knowing that Frankenstein is the monster”

wafflesnfalafel > Demon-Xanth knows how to operate a street. 01/28/2016 at 22:20

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yeah... the “4dr coupe” thing is just goofy. It’s like calling a giraffe an elephant with a long neck.

ranwhenparked > StudyStudyStudy 01/28/2016 at 22:22

1

Sewing machine smooth. Handles like its on rails. Any descriptive phrase that is cut and pasted word for word into at least half of all car reviews.

Oh, and “grounded to the ground”.

Matthew Keyser > StudyStudyStudy 01/28/2016 at 22:25

3

Not really a phrase but a misnomer when non-car people say their car has a “V4" engine. Unless it’s a specific model of Saab or Lanica, they sound stupid. My hatred of this is irrational but exists nonetheless.

Non-car related sayings that piss me off include, but are not limited to:

“irregardless” you mean “regardless”

And

“I could care less” saying that means that you care enough that you are able to care less than you do, what you actually mean to say is “I couldn’t care less.”

tromoly > StudyStudyStudy 01/28/2016 at 23:23

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Front Engine, Mid Engine, Rear Engine.

Basically how people define each arrangement can be really dumb, that’s all.

Svart Smart, traded in his Smart > Mercedes Streeter 01/29/2016 at 01:36

1

I’ve always felt that same way about the “Smart Car” phrase and it’s so nice to find someone else who thinks the way I do. You are literally the only other person I’ve seen/heard express this.

Svart Smart, traded in his Smart > StudyStudyStudy 01/29/2016 at 01:38

1

I used to hear callers on CarTalk say that their engine “turns over but won’t start”. Ack. When your engine turns over, THAT MEANS IT’S NOW RUNNING. What they should have said is that the engine cranks but won’t start.

Mercedes Streeter > Svart Smart, traded in his Smart 01/29/2016 at 01:46

1

Did you say CarTalk? Omg I’m so glad I’ve found that podcast. Comedic car advice is the best car advice :D

StudyStudyStudy > Svart Smart, traded in his Smart 01/29/2016 at 03:07

0

I’ve been listening to them more and more and it makes me cringe when I hear that, granted they are calling in since they don’t know I suppose.

StudyStudyStudy > Matthew Keyser 01/29/2016 at 03:08

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hear hear!

StudyStudyStudy > ranwhenparked 01/29/2016 at 03:10

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I despise that, I mean I understand you can run out of analogies and such, but when you start applying said sporty phrase to every car it looses meaning.

StudyStudyStudy > B_dol 01/29/2016 at 03:13

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Ah as a frequent visitor to JNC I really should have known, I suppose it will be up to the individual and how they interpret the word, but classic still brings up a very specific era to my mind. I know someone else could argue classic should only apply to pre xxxx year as well.

StudyStudyStudy > Dusty Ventures 01/29/2016 at 03:18

0

...that can’t be real can it? That would probably be horridly unbalanced, and now that I think about it I think 3jz is saved for use for the v6 that will be coming to the new supra.

Burn-Spaz1966-Burn > StudyStudyStudy 01/29/2016 at 03:35

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Dude, V-8's and V-6's didn’t really go mainstream until the Mid 1950's.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buick_Roa…

DPD > Dusty Ventures 01/29/2016 at 09:33

2

The Jeep's unreliable "British" Cousin

You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much > StudyStudyStudy 01/29/2016 at 09:34

0

Straight-8's do exist. They were relatively common engines for luxury and performance cars in the 1930's and 40's.

“1933 Bugatti Type 59 Grand Prix engine” by No machine-readable author provided. Sfoskett~commonswiki assumed (based on copyright claims). - No machine-readable source provided. Own work assumed (based on copyright claims).. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Commons -

Chrysler also put a straight 8 in their Atlantic concept car in the mid 90's.

StudyStudyStudy > You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much 01/29/2016 at 13:03

1

I’m talking your run of the mill guy talking about his SUV or truck, I understand that V-4's also do exist, but unless it is an old lancia or fiat, probably not what is in someone’s toyota or honda.

That chrysler is quite pretty.

StudyStudyStudy > Burn-Spaz1966-Burn 01/29/2016 at 13:05

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Context in reference to modern cars and trucks or small cars. My guess is the guy didn’t shoehorn an inline 8 into his land cruiser, and the other guy didn’t swap a v-4 into his civic,

You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much > StudyStudyStudy 01/29/2016 at 18:00

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I got to see it at the NAIAS the year it was revealed there. It was indeed a pretty car and the engine was a work of art. Which is no small feat for what was essentially two Neon engines welded together.

His Stigness > Van Man, rocks the Man Van 02/01/2016 at 01:40

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Holy shit I want to slap little kids (because it’s always kids) when they say that.

Okay you go to your “whip,” I'll go to my CAR.

ateamfan42 > Needmoargarage 02/26/2016 at 12:20

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Only interchangeable by people that don’t realize that “dampening” means EXACTLY that you’ve made your car wet.

ateamfan42 > Svart Smart, traded in his Smart 02/26/2016 at 12:23

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All my life I’ve only heard people use the phrase “turns over” to mean the engine cranks. Why does it have to mean the engine is running?

ateamfan42 > Roadster Man 02/26/2016 at 12:27

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This one was drilled into my by my high school English teacher. Sadly, learning the language we speak seems to be a lost art.

However I would arge the phrase “almost unique” could be valid. But that’s just a different degree of “not unique”.

ateamfan42 > StudyStudyStudy 02/26/2016 at 12:30

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“Too many mods to list.”

If I have time to read the ad, I have time to read through your ‘extensive’ list of modifications. If you can’t list them, then you are either lazy (which makes me wonder if you are also lazy about maintenance), or not knowledgeable (which then scares me that you are modifying the car).

ateamfan42 > Urambo Tauro 02/26/2016 at 12:31

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Particularly bad when referring to any LSD that isn’t a clutch-pack type.

ateamfan42 > wafflesnfalafel 02/26/2016 at 12:34

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It’s worse than that, because it is a self-contradiction. A coupe is a car with 2 doors. So a “4dr coupe” is literally a 4 door car with 2 doors.

It is as bad as a “roadster coupe”. Either it is a roadster, or it is a coupe.

ateamfan42 > mazda616 02/26/2016 at 12:36

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“Options list” that includes nothing but standard equipment on the base model.