Dave Thornton

I've been thinking about changing my 2 cars for a while, and I'm getting more and more comments about various makes and models, such as "chav's car" - Subaru or Evo, "hairdresser's car" - many convertibles, "old man's car" - Mercedes, "school run car / gas guzzler/ not very good for the environment" - any 4x4.

Are there any cars which I could own which won't have some sort of (jealous?) comment, or label attached to them. Must have 4 doors, 4 seats and cost less than 30k. Oh, and I should say that I shall buy what I want anyway if I like it!

fast bloke

Adidas

Good spec'd Focus?

Brendan Hughes

If it hasn't got an image problem, it will be labelled "boring". Thus, a car without an image problem doesn't exist.

HTH

Andy Tang

iTrader: (3)

What about stuff, like Golfs, Octavias, A3, A4, Passat, etc?

stevem2k

Golfs are for fat old men desperately trying to hang onto their yoof

Gutmann pug

I think the M3 has a good image. Other beemers suffer from the pratt driver comment.

Seat Leon has a good image

Mini Cooper

sti-04!!

C32 AMG ??

Andy Tang

iTrader: (3)

I have to say that to someone who doesn't have an interest in cars, that a BMW driver is a BMW driver, whether there is an M3 badge on the back or not!

Yeap!! So what does that make a Forester owner?? .....

crush her

I would disagree with the mini (unless you are talking the original) a "wanabee car" trying too hard to be trendy.
Bit like an i-pod

Jonathan Davies

Indeed, I associate them with yuppies - or young London trendies at any rate.

I guess any car that isn't anonymous will elicit a variety of reactions. Plenty of the stereotypes are misplaced anyway.

But if you want anonymous, what about a Legacy?

Another option might be a classic car... what about a nice Jag Mk2 with modernised internals? A few places do them... modern XJ powertrain and gizmos but a different sort of image.

Dream Weaver

You have to ignore the image thing and just buy something that fits the bill.

Round these parts, Scoobs belong to chavs, M3's to drug dealers, and Golf's/Civics etc to the boy band haircut brigade, but i'd still buy any of them

We are looking for a TT roadster for the mrs, dont really care about the image, its what she wants, and fits the bill for our criteria.

Dave Thornton

So what's the view on a Forester STI then?

1. In WR blue
2. In Silver or Black

With or without a loud exhaust

Gutmann pug

Back to Subaru's routes ....farmers car, just not a pick up like days of old.

Brendan Hughes

Plumbers' car mate

Audi RS4?

Andy Tang

iTrader: (3)

Quiet exhaust and you join the "Mum Bus" brigade with other parents and their 4x4s.

Loud exhaust and you'll be a boy racer once they see it say Subaru on the back, or a chaepskate who is too tight to repair a broken exhaust!

DarkForce

The ultimate classless car has to be the Golf. It's driven by everyone from millionaires to workies and looks just as at home pulling up outside Harrods or Lidl!

DarkForce

The M3 has to be the ultimate to55er wagon - shame as it's a bloody good car.

The Mini Cooper S has seemed to become a magnet for M3 wannabes now too. Pity.

LG John

I've had a few people suggest my car is a hairdressers cars. I just dial up 9000rpm through the single exist T1-R exhaust and they usually shrivel up into a little ball

SimonD

So called "Image problems" are just an expression of the problems or hang ups of the person expressing the opinion.
How about standing out from the crowd......... select a car on merit and screw what anyone else has to say about it.

Unfortunately merit will have to include some consideration of resale value and there is some secondary effect of "Image" in residuals. Not as big as you might think, though, unless you change cars very frequently.

Oh...... and I agree with the Legacy. Much nicer to drive than the Forester because you are not saddled with the high ride height + the latest ones are a real step up in quality for Subaru.