"Wobbles the Mind" (wobblesthemind)
07/10/2016 at 15:30 • Filed to: Questions
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"Wobbles the Mind" (wobblesthemind)
07/10/2016 at 15:30 • Filed to: Questions | 0
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What do you think? Is it the higher the beltline then the higher the pants of the average buyer, or perhaps the beltlines are opposing? I would love to see an example where a vehicle and its primary buyer group prove one side or the other.
Personally I think back when it was new, the CTS Coupe’s beltline matched its buyers. Now as a used vehicle, the trend is going the opposite direction as they go from buyer to buyer.
Slant6
> Wobbles the Mind
07/10/2016 at 15:35 |
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Well belt lines of cars are getting higher across the board, for side impact protection. More side of the car not glass, less side of the car to break on impact.
Also there are more old people than there ever has been, we’re living longer and the boomers are numerous.
Still think no correlation.
wiffleballtony
> Wobbles the Mind
07/10/2016 at 15:38 |
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In the case of the Cadillac, it has a number of factors contributing to it being more favored amongst the older people. Its a Cadillac, it costs more than what your younger audience can typically afford, and its a Cadillac.
Eric @ opposite-lock.com
> Wobbles the Mind
07/10/2016 at 15:42 |
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Historically, the opposite was true. My Lincoln has a stupid-low beltline and the original owner was a really old dude. The beltline is much higher on my brother’s cheap economy car that was built the same year.
As I think about modern cars, in most cases, this pattern is still true. With few exceptions (mostly GM, which is a crappy manufacturer), the more expensive the car, the lower the beltline. Generally, more expensive cars are bought by older and wealthier people. Therefore, beltlines are inversely proportional.
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Wobbles the Mind
> Slant6
07/10/2016 at 15:43 |
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All true but I was hoping people would have some fun with the thought and run with it. Wet blankets are fun too, so that’ll work.
dogisbadob
> Wobbles the Mind
07/10/2016 at 16:00 |
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All cars have higher belt lines these days.
If your hypothesis was the case, younger people and teens would be disproportionately driving minivans, particularly the first-gen Kia Rondo! And if the Rondo was that popular, they’d still be selling it here.
Minivans have lower belt lines than even sports cars and sedans.
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dogisbadob
> Slant6
07/10/2016 at 16:00 |
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This too
Forge Crown Victor!
> Wobbles the Mind
07/10/2016 at 16:28 |
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I own 7 cars (in various states of repair, see my posts) they are a 1987 Plymouth Gran Fury in Elderly Blue with a velour interior, 1987 Audi 5000 wagon, Gold, manual, 1991 Audi 5000 20v manual sedan light blue, 1992 Honda Prelude S manual, black, 1994 Chevy S10 SS black 2wd, 1998 Volvo V90 silver wagon (non turbo), 2002 Dodge Caravan (swb) blue. All varying degrees of luxury, utility and sportiness, as well as belt line height.
I wear my pants slightly below navel level and prefer the higher waist jeans and classic straight front Dickie’s for working.
Goddamn it I’m old.
ranwhenparked
> Wobbles the Mind
07/10/2016 at 22:46 |
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Nope, not at all. High beltlines are a fairly recent fad. The car design business is a relatively small, insular community, so trends quickly spread to other manufacturers. Partly, its due to a belief that cars with high beltlines look more aggressive somehow, and partly its due to psychological research that suggests that customers perceive cars with small glass area and poor outward visibility as safer.
If anything, elderly people are probably more comfortable driving something with a low beltline and lots of glass, since that would be more similar to what they grew up with and helps compensate for impaired vision/reduced faculties.