Zed's and how they are perceived either side of the Pond

[Jesterman]

I'm kind of curious about how the Brit view of having a Z'd differs (if at all) from the States. In repmobile land ( oh yes, sunny UK) the Z'd is a bit of a niche motor - you're not usually considered to be a typical UK BMW Owner - indicators appear to work - even let traffic out - and know how to drive, usually very well ( your view may well be different - so respect ) in the Land of the Free - how goes it?

 

[Mattt]

I still get called a w***er though.

 

[Wondermike]

In the UK BMWs are perceived to be cars for aggressive idiots with no imagination to choose anything else. Sad but true.

 

[2dogs]

Not sure in the Good Old US of A.
But I go to china a lot
and over there the bigger and more expensive the more
respect you have “I will work hard and one day I will have one”.
Over here you get some lazy tit signing his name down the side
with a rusty nail :x

 

[JamesF]

In the UK BMWs are perceived to be cars for aggressive idiots with no imagination to choose anything else. Sad but true.

Yep, pretty much the case. Or hairdressers, or gays. Mostly that's the perception I see because I still hang out on the Lotus forums a lot where no car is considered worthy if it doesn't have a Lotus badge on it. :roll:

 

[sp3ctre]

I still get called a w***er though.

Me too... alas I was born like this though, so I may as well have the car to match!

 

[Mattt]

I was most proud, I was called a w***er within 3 hours of picking the car up when driving through a pub car park

 

[sp3ctre]

I was most proud, I was called a w***er within 3 hours of picking the car up when driving through a pub car park

I got the same thing the other day when parked in a mother and child space in ASDA...

 

[Z4INHTOWN]

hmmmm, i think in the U.S. some people might perceive you as being a snob,or somewhat of one if you drive a bmw or mercedes ,but even more so if you drive a sportscar that's european,versus an american brand. oh,and just about every guy with an import tuner car will want to race you,just so he can say he smoked a Z4, i had an a**hole one time try to race me in his nissan 350z ,at the time i was driving my 1971 ford thunderbird with a 429 cid motor, the only mod i had was a K&N filter. i smoked him,at the next light he was so ashamed ,he wouldn't even look at me. HA HA

 

[Kurts05Z4]

Where I live, the Zed is a bit of a rarity. There are only a few Z3's and Z4's in town but they are garage queens/weekend toys for the folks driving them. Since mine is literally my daily driver, it gets a lot of looks since folks aren't used to seeing the Z4 on a regular basis.
I think the general (local and uninformed) consensus is that you must be well off (which I'm certainly not) if you drive one. I'll admit that there are quite a few people here that drive BMWs and Porsches simply as status symbols.
I make it a point to wave at other Zed drivers and in the last six months have only had one person wave back.
I haven't figured that one out yet.

I own it and drive it because I love to drive and the handling of this car is superb! The 30+ mpg on the road doesn't hurt a thing either!

 

[2dogs]

I was most proud, I was called a w***er within 3 hours of picking the car up when driving through a pub car park

Big car small dick
small car......yeah baby

 

[Z4INHTOWN]

I was most proud, I was called a w***er within 3 hours of picking the car up when driving through a pub car park

Big car small dick
small car......yeah baby

that's good ! it's almost like these short guys you see driving these jacked up pickup trucks, they almost need a ladder to get in and out of it,i guess driving them makes them feel tall.

 

[Wondermike]

I was most proud, I was called a w***er within 3 hours of picking the car up when driving through a pub car park

I got the same thing the other day when parked in a mother and child space in ASDA...

You w@nker

 

[mystik]

nice car + young age = parents bought it
nice car + older age = good job

i bought my car on my own. no parental assistance! people still stereotype me as either a drug dealer or a spoiled brat.

it's a win-win situation though! so.... no complaints.

 

[Z4INHTOWN]

nice car + young age = parents bought it
nice car + older age = good job

i bought my car on my own. no parental assistance! people still stereotype me as either a drug dealer or a spoiled brat.

it's a win-win situation though! so.... no complaints.

same here , i bought all my toys with my own money, you never truly appreciate what you have until you have to work for it, i always take good care of my things ,because i know what they cost me. ie... stress at work,....the list goes on.

 

[ovrkll]

over here, BMW = Inconsiderate Snob.

 

[sp3ctre]

over here, BMW = Inconsiderate Snob.

or Bad Mannered :wkr:

 

[eurgain]

Watch this sequence (it starts in 1994, and ends today):

Porsche 944, BMW E28 M535i, Porsche 944, Lotus Excel SE, Porsche 911 Targa, Porsche 911/964, Mazda MX5, BMW Z4 3.0si

The only time that I have ever had any negative response from other motorists was in the Mazda, when other drivers just seemed to get in its way, and I heard some "hairdresser" comments. Otherwise, these cars just seem to clear the way ahead of them, with the E28 being the best*. The best roadside comments by far were for the 964, but the Z4 is not far behind. Maybe one time out of four, when I park the car in my local town, someone makes a comment about it, and all these comments are favourable.

I live in North Wales, in a place that is quite well-off, but people do not seem to buy "flashy" cars, so there are <i>very</i> few cars here that are not just run-of-the-mill boxes, so something like a Zed, a Lotus or a Porsche is a surprise, that lots of people seem to like.

So, here, the perception of my Z4 is entirely positive, and it has started many conversations with passers-by, all of which have been pleasant.

A

* My partner has a blue E46 325ti Compact; it is quite a mean-looking car, and has Xenon headlamps. Like me, she always drives with dipped-beam lamps on. Her car can clear slow traffic from the outside lane like a snowplough! I can only think that people see the blue car and the blue tinge to the dip-beams and think the polis is coming.

 

[takedown8]

I think in Canada (In Ontario at least), it isn't much of an issue. People are very polite and mind their own business. If anyone makes a comment, it's usually positive. The people who seem to love the Zed most are actually kids! I get alot of thumbs ups and the like from kids on the street!

 

[mikedav]

Had 'nice car mate' many times and 'look at that w***er in his BMW' once. From some guy at a bus stop. So overall...pretty good! The Z4 Coupe is a pretty rare sight though I guess.

I've lived on both sides and although I won't speak for a whole country / continent, I would say people pretty much perceive the same thing of BMW owners on both sides. There are a lot fewer of them over there though (6 cylinder and up only too) so you don't get the detailed breakdown of Stereotypes - i.e., the difference between a 318i owner vs M3 owner. You just got BMW owners....as I recall anyway.

But there is nowt you can do about stereotypes!