dragoncar - I guess you and I have different preferences. I've always felt more comfortable driving smaller vehicles, including on the highway when surrounded by trucks/vans/etc. I've driven many vehicles, and I feel that small ones give me the most control and the most options in most situations. My motorcycle, for example, gives me lots of room to maneuver within my lane or on a narrow shoulder if need be to avoid things, and can accelerate and decelerate faster than almost anything which helps in many ways. The worst driving experiences for me were large army/transport trucks due to their size, crappy braking and accelerating ability, huge blind spots, etc. Things like tire sizes are a lot more complicated than wider=more traction as there are a lot of variables even on the same car. If you look at rally cars, their tires vary in width quite a bit for different surfaces with wide tires for pavement, and very narrow tires for high ground pressure on snow.
Right now I drive a 93 escort, which is a bit larger than a geo metro but a good compromise as I can fit a huge amount of stuff into it (after owning a hatchback, I'll never go back to a coupe/sedan except for a play vehicle). And the gas mileage is only very slightly worse than my motorcycle.
You drive that "thing"
My internal response to that kind of thing is: "You need a really nice car to distract you when your life totally sucks. I don't need a nice car. My life doesn't suck."
From 2006-2008 I drove an old nissan with the front bumper held on with duct tape. Okay, I drove the car from 1993-2008, but the duct tape was only present from 06 onward.
Just thinking about that old beater made me happy. I saved sooooo much money squeezing all of the use out of that thing. No one made fun of me, but it did get some looks in the doctors parking lot-- especially when the brakes went bad and it made a scraping noise while rolling.
Oh yeah, if you ever have the need-- you can get duct tape in many colors, so you can match it to the body color of the car, generally for about the same price. So it doesn't HAVE to look silvery....
From 2006-2008 I drove an old nissan with the front bumper held on with duct tape. Okay, I drove the car from 1993-2008, but the duct tape was only present from 06 onward.
Just thinking about that old beater made me happy. I saved sooooo much money squeezing all of the use out of that thing. No one made fun of me, but it did get some looks in the doctors parking lot-- especially when the brakes went bad and it made a scraping noise while rolling.
Oh yeah, if you ever have the need-- you can get duct tape in many colors, so you can match it to the body color of the car, generally for about the same price. So it doesn't HAVE to look silvery....
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Freedom_2018
- Posts: 482
- Joined: Sat Dec 18, 2010 12:10 am
Restore yellowed headlights for less than the price of a tube of toothpaste (you can brush your teeth with what is left over 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKAshYmrExc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKAshYmrExc
As a dominant male, I want and deserve the Pearl White 2012 GMC Denali CrewCab Truck, with 22 inch wheels and 6.2 Liter engine with 5 speed automatic and 4WD. It's only right that I personify my standing in life. This truck says a lot. Full rich leather seats in two tone, a CD changer and navigation screen. All options. In this truck I can wear my Air Jordan's and my matching windbreaker and cap. This truck says I have arrived. I am alive and well. This truck not only completes my life, it may even extend it.
I want my wife driving a Lexus RS, in a shade of frosted grey pearl, with rich leather heated seats and halogen lighted makeup mirrors. I want her driving the highest trim level RS they make. I want her to receive the fresh cut floral gift the Lexus dealer sends to the house the day the new car is delivered. This nice touch will reassure her she is in upper society standing, and that she is my treasured and well deserving wife. That evening, I will take her to a $$$$ bistro for an evening. We will drop the Lexus with the valet and just enter under the canopy. We would not think of parking somewhere and walking up to the door. That would be unthinkable. I want a basket at the house that is filled with classy remotes with auto start buttons and garage door (carriage style doors) openers on it. I want fancy leather monogram binders to hold my Owners Manuals. I want my friends and neighbors and especially my arrogant brother in law to SMELL the new leather of the GMC and Lexus seats, but without ever being invited to ride in one of them. I want the Lexus dealer to call me Sir. "Yes sir, right away sir", and jump when I call him. I want every extended warranty the dealer sells and the undercoating and window etching. I want my insurance company to thank me for buying such expensive to purchase and expensive to insure vehicles. I want a "sir" from him as well. I want Lloyd's monogram floor mats saying "GMC DENALI" and "LEXUS" immediately ordered for our new vehicles. I want them washed once a week and polished by the selling dealer. I want to trade them both for new 2014 models as soon as September 2013 rolls around.
How will I pay for all this? HA. I will finance every cent of it!! I will pay the minimum down payment. Why? Because I deserve it!!! I need status, I need to be me.
I want my wife driving a Lexus RS, in a shade of frosted grey pearl, with rich leather heated seats and halogen lighted makeup mirrors. I want her driving the highest trim level RS they make. I want her to receive the fresh cut floral gift the Lexus dealer sends to the house the day the new car is delivered. This nice touch will reassure her she is in upper society standing, and that she is my treasured and well deserving wife. That evening, I will take her to a $$$$ bistro for an evening. We will drop the Lexus with the valet and just enter under the canopy. We would not think of parking somewhere and walking up to the door. That would be unthinkable. I want a basket at the house that is filled with classy remotes with auto start buttons and garage door (carriage style doors) openers on it. I want fancy leather monogram binders to hold my Owners Manuals. I want my friends and neighbors and especially my arrogant brother in law to SMELL the new leather of the GMC and Lexus seats, but without ever being invited to ride in one of them. I want the Lexus dealer to call me Sir. "Yes sir, right away sir", and jump when I call him. I want every extended warranty the dealer sells and the undercoating and window etching. I want my insurance company to thank me for buying such expensive to purchase and expensive to insure vehicles. I want a "sir" from him as well. I want Lloyd's monogram floor mats saying "GMC DENALI" and "LEXUS" immediately ordered for our new vehicles. I want them washed once a week and polished by the selling dealer. I want to trade them both for new 2014 models as soon as September 2013 rolls around.
How will I pay for all this? HA. I will finance every cent of it!! I will pay the minimum down payment. Why? Because I deserve it!!! I need status, I need to be me.
So, What will it be, "Duke" or "Sir"? Make up your mind 
!
Dear Duke/Sir,
Having gone through your 'oh-so-simple' list that you are "so richly worthy of" as well as entitled to, may I humbly suggest that you left out the following: Greco-Roman pillars as you drive into the granite paved parkway, stucco pillars and decorations for the garage, and other such piffles that your Dukeship so richly deserves....
Thanks for the laughs, eh, Spencer? Your rant just added more fuel to my "First World Problems" thought...
!Dear Duke/Sir,
Having gone through your 'oh-so-simple' list that you are "so richly worthy of" as well as entitled to, may I humbly suggest that you left out the following: Greco-Roman pillars as you drive into the granite paved parkway, stucco pillars and decorations for the garage, and other such piffles that your Dukeship so richly deserves....
Thanks for the laughs, eh, Spencer? Your rant just added more fuel to my "First World Problems" thought...
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jennypenny
- Posts: 6862
- Joined: Sun Jul 03, 2011 2:20 pm
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paxprobellum
- Posts: 81
- Joined: Mon May 23, 2011 8:22 pm
I thought of this thread today. I work at a hospital. This morning, I was walking from the train to my office and saw a doctor getting into his car. It was an old beater, with a clearly replaced door. Probably a hold out from his residency days -- maybe even med school. Either way, I wanted to tell him "Nice car!" but I knew that would get interpreted as "You're a moron!". Is there any nice way to compliment a stranger on their frugal choice of vehicle without coming off like a jerk?
"Is there any nice way to compliment a stranger on their frugal choice of vehicle without coming off like a jerk? "
@paxprobellum - it has been easy for me
If I see an old car running reliably it is probably a Honda or a Toyota. My typical comment would be "I love [Hondas/Toyotas]! I've had one for x years and it is still running [or was when I sold it]!" But seriously, you can simply mention the reliability of the car.
@paxprobellum - it has been easy for me
If I see an old car running reliably it is probably a Honda or a Toyota. My typical comment would be "I love [Hondas/Toyotas]! I've had one for x years and it is still running [or was when I sold it]!" But seriously, you can simply mention the reliability of the car.