Do Vehicles reflect Personality?

[MadDog]

I read this article this morning: http://www.cbc.ca/consumer/story/2009/07/06/auto-design.html

Basically, it says that what car you choose to own essentially portrays your personality...

I dunno, I kinda agree. It makes sense. Hypothetical: Which car would you sooner p!$$ off...

this Voltswagen Beetle:

Or a Ford F-250 Super Duty:

Somehow, I wouldn't really mind angering the Beetle. What's he or she gonna do? Honk his or her weak horn? Meep. Meeeeeep. The pickup is likely to crush you...

So, does the vehicle of your choice reflect who you are?

[STM1993]

Every choice and action reflects one's personality, such as how you eat food. The car you drive is no exception, and even if it doesn't show personality, it will definitely show one's status/wealth.

Look at the Beetle and the Ford. Don't you get the feeling that the person who drives the Beetle is rather feminine, while the one driving the Ford seems like a tough guy?

[MadDog]

Every choice and action reflects one's personality, such as how you eat food. The car you drive is no exception, and even if it doesn't show personality, it will definitely show one's status/wealth.

Look at the Beetle and the Ford. Don't you get the feeling that the person who drives the Beetle is rather feminine, while the one driving the Ford seems like a tough guy?

Yeah, that would be my conclusion, but my next-door neighbor, who's male, drives a lime-green beetle. And every now and then, I see women driving large SUVs and pickups. My mother personally perfers our Ram to her Camry. Go figure...

[GSx_Major]

If I would buy a car, I would buy a car that fits me. I didn't realize this was breaking news.

Assuming things about the people who drive them based on what the car means to you is a handy way of getting things wrong.

[STM1993]

It's kinda like an inner-personality that may not be actively shown in the person, that's one.

Two, sometimes it is not fully accurate to say that the car driven always determines the personality, it's more of the preference. There are reasons why people may pick a car contrary to their personality, such as finance and peer pressure.

Let's say you need a car to drive to work, and you like the Lamborghini very much, but you can't afford it. So you might have to end up settling down for the cheaper but completely different car. It's more reliable to use the preference rather than the actual car itself as the guideline.

The same goes for tests like how you eat your food.

[MattH]

The 2 cars that fit my personality



Yeah I'm that cool 

[a-4-year-old]

The 2 cars that fit my personality



Yeah I'm that cool 

So you're a douchebag.

Cars don't really reveal a person's personality because cars have a personality of their own, it would be like judging someone based on their spouse's personality. A mustang or a Jeep is a cheap fun car while a Camry is dead inside. A Camry owner might just want a nice reliable car to get from work to home to engage in some other hobby while a jeep owner would want to drive up a mountain.

You're better off telling a personality by how they drive not what.

[MadDog]

@STM

Fair enough, but look at it like this:

Who in God's name would want to buy a H2 Hummer? They're big, difficult to drive, get horrible mpg, and barely fit on the road. They're generally hated by a lot of people, especially those who are ultra-pro-earth-green-tree-huggers.

The only two advantages I can see in this vehicle are 1. it's safe, and 2. it can tow a lot. But even then, a full size pickup is pretty safe (not as much, but close) and can tow a good amount (esp. diesel).

So why do people drive hummers? I think it's because they're a little arrogant, and just want to stick their middle finger out at the prius-lovers. They also probably like the idea of being very visible, as opposed to a humble sedan or beetle. I'd say a hummer driver is likely arrogant, challenging, maybe aggressive, possibly conservative, interested in walking outta a head on collision without a scratch, and doesn't care about other's opinions. The hummer driver likely isn't into the latest and greatest in the fashion world for this reason, because if they're not swayed by the move to turn green, they're not throwing a tantrum when the last Iphone is sold out before they can reach the counter. Lastly, I'd say the driver is likely middle-aged to old. Someone you would not really want to p!$$ off all that much, unless you were opposed to Hummers...

Contrast this to a Prius driver. The prius is a super-eco friendly little weak car made 65% outta balsa wood. It runs on a mixture of alcohol, gasoline, and bakedbeans, not to mention it's a hybrid. This thing couldn't tow a radio flyer kiddy wagon, let alone any boat+trailer. No power at all, no muscle. Get in a head-on collision crash in this thing, and you are so finished. I'd say the person driving this is a smug, possibly liberal person who's very alarmed at the possibility of harming the planet. Wants to fit into mainstream society, and is willing to sacrafice his safety in order to be liked by others. This person will throw a tantrum over the shortage of Iphones because he or she is likely into the whole fashion/tech thing. Lastly, I'd say the driver is likely young (but can be middle-aged), thinking their decision to drive a Prius will singlehandedly save Earth. Someone I wouldn't mind p!$$ing off, 'cause I dare them to do anything about it.

And lastly lastly, if you see an old 1994 Ford F-150 standard cab with a double-barrel shotgun mounted on the back window, the odds are this person is a male, cacausian, likely from a rural town either in middle America or the South. Someone who's literally saying "do not [mess] with me, or I will vaporize you." Probably not the person you'd want to p!$$ off...at all.

EDIT:

@a-4-year-old

You'd be surprised what a car can say...

The beetle with flowers... is saying what? "Peace. Please be nice to me, look, I have flowers. I'm a voltswagen, I'm hip. You can't be mean to a beetle. That's like stepping on a cat."

MattH's cars are saying what? "Please look at me! I'm having a mid-life crisis, and I need to be in the center of everyone's mind! Right now!! Don't stop thinking about me! You must envy me, right now! Wish you had this car, don't you? Don't you?!?! Sure my hair is literally falling outta my head, and I'm overweight, but I'm still cool, right?! I have a cool car don't I?"

[MetsuriTossavainen]

What does my dream car reflects of my personality?

[MadDog]

What does my dream car reflects of my personality?

You don't care about how you look compared to other people... you're comfortable with who you are. People who pick $600,000 cars as their dream cars want to look totally awesome. But your convinced about who you are, which is a good thing.

You also probably aren't an eco-nut. If you were, you wouldn't drive a van like that (unless it's modified into a hybrid of some sort). You also probably aren't a lead-foot speed-demon, 'cause trying to drag race with that thing would be beyond pathetic. 

You also probably like to travel, thus a mobile mini hotel room of a car. One you can store a lot of things in, live in, and easily roam around. Not to mention the no windows on the sides give privacy.

Lastly, voltswagen buses are the icon of peace. So you're probably not the most aggressive driver on the face of the earth. In fact, the odds are, if you saw a vehicle desperately trying to get into traffic ahead of you, you'd let them.

[MetsuriTossavainen]

That is quite true. :p
I bet I would kick everyone else's ass on drag race when I change the motor into 300bhp über ultimate pwnz0r engine.

[MadDog]

That is quite true. :p
I bet I would kick everyone else's ass on drag race when I change the motor into 300bhp über ultimate pwnz0r engine.

Ahh, now that's different. Modifications to vehicles aren't always easy to notice, and if you upgraded the engine, yet the van didn't show it, that part of my analysis would be false.

That's why this whole personality thing is general, and fully of "possibly" "likely" and "perhaps."

[STM1993]

Mmm, makes sense.

(Quite frankly I have no knowledge on cars and don't really like cars, but I do understand about the personality part and this topic interests me.)

Hmm, I know I can be a very devoted, passionate, loyal and tough person. I don't want conflict and aggression, but I always want my way, or at least have my point taken across. When I want it, I'll get it. Perhaps something that is powerful but doesn't attract attention unless I want the attention, and gives the message "out of my way".

What kind of car would that be?

[a-4-year-old]

That is quite true. :p
I bet I would kick everyone else's ass on drag race when I change the motor into 300bhp über ultimate pwnz0r engine.

Ahh, now that's different. Modifications to vehicles aren't always easy to notice, and if you upgraded the engine, yet the van didn't show it, that part of my analysis would be false.

That's why this whole personality thing is general, and fully of "possibly" "likely" and "perhaps."

Thats why its meaningless.

People don't drive their dream cars, I'm stuck with a Blazer that I hate. My dad drives a van because he got stuck with it. Most of my friends are stuck with cars they dislike. Do you honestly think anyone likes driving a minivan?

The only car thats even remotely like its owner is a buick because, like its owner, its American and its going to die soon.

[MadDog]

Mmm, makes sense.

(Quite frankly I have no knowledge on cars and don't really like cars, but I do understand about the personality part and this topic interests me.)

Hmm, I know I can be a very devoted, passionate, loyal and tough person. I don't want conflict and aggression, but I always want my way, or at least have my point taken across. When I want it, I'll get it. Perhaps something that is powerful but doesn't attract attention unless I want the attention, and gives the message "out of my way".

What kind of car would that be?

Oooh, that isn't easy. Lemme think...

I'd have to say a light-duty pickup, but probably a full size light duty pickup (i.e. not the little crappy ones). Like the F-150, GMC Sierra, Dodge Ram (3rd or 4th generation- oorah!), Chevy Avalanche. These cars are, not dripping with pure rage/aggression, yet are tough, formidible. Loyal in the form of durable. Light Duty full size trucks are not written off by other drivers, yet at the same time, people aren't gonna curse you for driving a tank that's hurting the planet, 'cause these get a little less than 20 mpgs. "Get out of my way" applies to the newer Light-dutys because recently, the latest generations of Ford, Chevy, GMC, and Dodge have increased the overall size, especially the hood, which is said, by that article, to be the equivalant of the driver's facial expression.

Another car is a muscle car, likely the Mustang because it isn't a putz mobile, can last for a long time, and isn't completely made outta plastic or balsa wood.

One thing a lot of people don't know: Which vehicle would you say is most practical for military use? The coupe? sedan? SUV? pickup? van? Hummer/Humvee?

Well, if you said Hummer/Humvee, you were wrong. (What?!) Yep, the answer is pickup. Why? The pickup truck is essentially an all terrain transport. It can carry soldiers, gear, weapons, supplies, etc. Pickups are rugged, especially 4x4s, and can withstand rough travel. They're light, inexpensive, and lethal when a LMG is bolted to the roof.



The point is, do you ever notice how a lot of veterans and current military own pickups? Why do you think that is?

EDIT:

I didn't say an abolute like "everyone's car absolutely says their personality" now did I? If you actually had options as to which car to buy, then it does somewhat state your personality.

Now, you use a blazer. What year? Is it an old model? If so, one can conclude that perhaps you can't afford a more preferable car.

As to the minivan, I can conclude about that person that he or she isn't all too concerned about their overall appearance, and isn't above driving around in the most pathetic type of car on the road. If these vehicles have dents, scratches, marks on them, I can tell you likely don't care too much about the vehicle.

[homerofgods]

My personality:
http://i28.tinypic.com/k03caq.jpg

[MadDog]

My personality:
http://i28.tinypic.com/k03caq.jpg

Bold, without a doubt. Extrovert. Flashy, but in the tough way, as opposed to a Porsche Putz car. You probably wouldn't give a damn what other people think about you or your vehicle, because in your mind, they can go [expletive] themselves. 

You also don't care about going green if you're driving that thing. Because it looks like a Brinks truck, you'd probably not get cut off in traffic. You would also possibly be wealthy in order to afford that monster, 'cause just turning it on sucks down a gallon of gas.

Technically speaking, it does have that bad@$$ look, but perhaps you're trying vainly to prove something by driving the civilian variant of an MRAP.

And it does have aggression written all over it. Smack into a tractor trailer, you'll kill the other guy. So, my first reaction to seeing this would be to yield, thinking it's a government/military vehicle.

[MattH]

Lol some people have no taste...but the fact is that those cars more state power (with the bugatti being the fastest street legal car) and agility (the lotus is a very nimble car) over all both are Extremely Expensive but when you think about it with cars doesn't expensive mean good good quality?

MattH's cars are saying what? "Please look at me! I'm having a mid-life crisis, and I need to be in the center of everyone's mind! Right now!! Don't stop thinking about me! You must envy me, right now! Wish you had this car, don't you? Don't you?!?! Sure my hair is literally falling outta my head, and I'm overweight, but I'm still cool, right?! I have a cool car don't I?"

In the end I'm just being goofy...and you were being over critical.

[MadDog]

Lol some people have no taste...but the fact is that those cars more state power (with the bugatti being the fastest street legal car) and agility (the lotus is a very nimble car) over all both are Extremely Expensive but when you think about it with cars doesn't expensive mean good good quality?

MattH's cars are saying what? "Please look at me! I'm having a mid-life crisis, and I need to be in the center of everyone's mind! Right now!! Don't stop thinking about me! You must envy me, right now! Wish you had this car, don't you? Don't you?!?! Sure my hair is literally falling outta my head, and I'm overweight, but I'm still cool, right?! I have a cool car don't I?"

In the end I'm just being goofy...and you were being over critical.

Naw, I was just messing with you. If you drive one of those cars, you're likely the daredevil type, 'cause you don't shell out $400,000 on a car, and then only drive it 20 mph to the grocery store. You probably find a deserted street, and lead-foot it.

These cars are also arrogant. Saying "I am better than you." They're powerful, damn straight, but not aggressive. Aggression is "I can crush you under my truck." These are "I can outrace you."

Another thing about your personality with these, is that you're likely a lonewolf, or at least definently not a family. Try seating 5-7 in that, it ain't a clown car. SUVs, vans, trucks are family cars. Sports cars are bachelor, thus one of the tip offs to women to pay attention to them (driver being rich and single).

[MattH]

Hmm? no I'm a family guy...Its just when I take the family out to the mall or the stores I use this 



That the other side of my personality over protective of the people I do care about