Does the car you drive reveal too much about you? And is it good or bad?

Naw. I have 1% tinited windows and only drive at night. :)

Well, is wanting to have an 'understated' car a 'bad' thing? Of course not. I'd pick an Aston Martin over a Ferrari, a Lexus over a BMW, a Toyota over a Nissan all for the exact same reason.

Sounds like bargain shopping to me. Id take the Ferrari thank you.

Aston is hardly a bargain... the DB9 is still $180K. They're also much sexier- not what I'd really call "understated," but I see Will's point. AM cars still drive beautifully, and I, too, would take a DB9 or V8 Vantage over a Ferrari.

you can drive an understated car that doesn't say 'retired' like the LS.

S4CABRIO

The Ferrari Brand is the epitome of high performace, exclusivity, and prestige. Are you even aware of how much they cost when you compare them to an $180K AM? Thought u were smarter than that.

You know what they say about..."obvious effects." Ferrari does manufacture one car which I would consider more...proper; that being the Scaglietti.

As to my car, I didn't pick it out, but it is my baby and I love it; my parents could not have done better.

"The Ferrari Brand is the epitome of high performace, exclusivity, and prestige."

Yes, I know that. Everyone knows that. But some people like something different- Ferrari is the default choice. I'd say that I am the kind of person who deviates from the norm. Why do you think I didn't just buy an M3?

Hmmm....older, single parents....I see where 001 was going with this you dog you! :)

You want bold?? Opt for the extra neon green peal metallic paint scheme for your next car. Now that's bold.

And yes they do have it, it's just do damn bright and radioactive it takes a while to get it loaded into the machines. Ha ha ha ......why is no one laughing.....

i believe it reveals part of you, like the colour that u chose for your car reveals what you are, like if its red then probably your single, agressive, looking for love - this is all my opinion, but i dont think it reveals everything, the part having the windows tinted makes a part of you hidden from the pedestrians meaning u hide a little secret

Why does every article go back to lexus?

Because Lexus rules. :-)

Yes,and if everyone on the internet were telling the truth, we'd all earn an average of $400,000/year with a typical net worth over $10 million wouldn't we?

I'll take my family's:

We have a 2000 9-5 Est/Wgn and a 2003 9-3.
My parents have a 2006 Volvo V70 and a 1990 Buick Reatta.
My brother still drives our dad's old 1991 740GLE. The odometer stopped working 4 years ago at 340,000 miles.

My sister drives a Dodge pickup. But she's a bull-dyke (I say that affectionately with no malice or offense intended.) with the fashion sense worse than Charo--only in the other direction.

Can you get more sensible or middle class than two Saabs, two Volvos, a Buick and a rebel in a Dodge?

"One day she came in to my store to buy some crack"

So we finally know what Ricemaster does...he's a drug dealer!

RAV4, CRV and Camry say that most likely you are a rude person and a HORRIBLE driver because you drive too slow in the #1 lane with little or no regard for people that have to get someplace...that comes from countless hours of personal experience every day on the 405.

What the heck are you doing riding your Huffy on the 405?? Man you're weird.

I bet you ride the Schwinn on Sundays right? Get outta here.

Cars are like clothes. They say a lot about you, regardless of the price range.

Who cares? I'm gonna drive what I want to drive. I'm retired and have no image projection requirements. I generally look for the most comfort and luxury at the cheapest price. I hate leaving money on the table.

"Who cares? I'm gonna drive what I want to drive. I'm retired and have no image projection requirements."

Then the car you chose will likely send this message:

"Hey look everyone, I don't care what I look like and I have no image projection requirements".

choice in cars I think does say a lot about your personality, but it might not be what other people think. For example, I always find it funny seeing people drive the 9 passenger oober sized luxury SUV's, when there is only ONE person other than themselves in the car AT THE MOST (typically it's just the driver). When I see a guy, I'm always thinking he's overcompensating for something or simply thinks that "driving big cars is manly". To the opposite extent, when I see men driving Miata's I'm immediately thinking: HOMOSEXUAL. When I see women driving automatic tranny luxury sport cars (slk's, etc.) i'm thinking she's either making a statement about independence (she earned that vehicle herself) and is probably a bachelorette... or she got the car in a divorce.

But, I think it's hard to determine the reason someone else bought the car, even when a more "obvious" reason might be apparent.

For example, I'm a short male of about 5'6" and am very athletic. My car of choice has always been coupes, but my second favorite vehicle are trucks, and I've owned trucks as long as I've owned coupes (my entire driving history). Most people simply say it's "little man syndrome" that I have to drive a big ass truck because I'm small.

Well, I drive trucks because frankly, I like sitting higher because I can see the road. I live in busy Los Angeles where street corners and parking are a bitch. Small cars are most often involved in wrecks when coming around a corner because they can't see over all the cars that are parked inch by inch on the curb. Bigger vehicles actually come in pretty handy over here because you can see everything. Plus, I like the sitting position (more like a big ass chair) that you get with trucks. They are just much more comfortable to be in as far as I'm concerned. And then I like my coupes because it's "private" and "personal" feeling to me. Only one more seat that someone would actually like to sit in (the backseat usually is deserted for obvious reasons of it usually being uncomfortable).

So, I think your car says a lot about you, but it may not be what most people think.

Short male, driving a big truck so he can sit high.

Sounds about right.

I'm 6'4" and I drive an M3 and enjoy being glued to the ground. Go figure.

indoctrin8ed, how's your lower back?? I'm 6'3 and have a 330 and can't wait to sell it. I never realized how much damage it did to my back until I got a new car and drove that around for 6 months...and I'm only 30.

I dont understand why theres so much hatred towards automakers(bmw vs merc vs lexus)I thought this was a car lovers website. I will say when I was younger I was a huge bmw fanatic, until I grew up. The thought of toyota/lexus was a joke.Well Im all grown up now and my time is money, and money is no joke. Im not saying bmw/merc cars are not brilliant machines(they are) but yes I was turned around by the guality of lexus,I depend way too much on my automobile to commute me around town. The driving experience is way cool in bmw, but dont knock the lexus. Theyre very popular for a reason. I do enjoy the smoothe ride it offers,Now lately Im tired and I just want sereneity at the end of my fast paced day.(but i am not knocking bmw or merc, i love those autos too) all in all these vehicles are machines that work for us, and they should offer us luxury , performance and plushness.(how much performance,thats were you choose) I think that cars do say alot about a person, such as an old beat up car or a nicely waxed well taken care of late model car. BTW my father once told me,"son dont ever fall in love with a car, it will only break your heart."

So just pick a car that you will enjoy, not because it will get you respect,,you earn respect.And by all means dont choose a car because a bunch of stupid blogs with endless nonsense bashing against brilliant automakers. Be an individual and choose an automobile that will serve you, not you serve the automoblie.

Drawing an inference by looking at a vehicle and it's driver would reveal more about the observer. That judgement would reveal his perception of someone else .

There are too many unknowns to even make such a correlation. Some people have no car , others have multiple cars, and many have one car in one portion of his life and change into another . There are those who drive someone else's car . To suggest that some sort of personality conclusion can be linked to any of this reveals that the individual asking the question hasn't considered the flaw in this type of reasoning.

Just my 2 cents .

"indoctrin8ed" appears to suggest that one needs to drive a fancy car so as not to project a negative image. How far does he want to go with this? Will he spend the price of a house by ordering a Bentley Blooklands coupe or will he be content to drive his truck so he can sit up high while driving. I drive leased vehicles so as to always have a new reliable car. This allows me to enjoy something different with each lease. I'm reasonably frugal and find that the Audi A6 Quattro gives me all the luxury and technology that I need. It's not a negative image car but I am not above driving an old beater if that suits me better.

people who overspend on transportation needs apparently feel a need to compensate for low self-esteem.

the most common vehicle among millionaires, is the ford f-150! these people obviously can afford FAR FANCIER rides. they have NO psychological needs to IMPRESS ANYONE.

Right, because compensation of low self-esteem and psychological needs to impress people are the only reasons people buy fancy rides right?

yup. exactly. for the type known as POSEURS.

as opposed to enthusiasts who can APPRECIATE fine machinery.

and many REAL enthusiasts can also appreciate ANYTHING with wheels and a motor. they KNOW it is far more fun driving a slow car fast, than have to hold back and keep a fast car reined in!

such SMART ENTHUSIASTS are more likely to become millionaires too, spending their money far more wisely than the poseurs!

...

the fact about the F-150 being the most popular vehicle of millionaires, came from the social scientists who authored "The Millionaire Next Door."

they also discovered a HUGE proportion of poseurs who buy beemers. (and to a lesser extent, other german lux models.)

more of them rent, rather than own homes. and more are making payments on their cars. (which most people do, but many of the very rich just pay cash to save on interest.)

as mite be expected, poseurs not only are not the brightest of consumers. they're likely to be less wealthy as well. spending disproportionate amounts of their income JUST to impress the neighbors.

They missed one minority group on the 350Z picture: Asians and Filipinos. ^_^ Who are they to judge people by the car that they drive? What a waste of time.