Zed's and how they are perceived either side of the Pond
- Thread starter Jesterman
- Start date
I live in a retirement community, about 600 home, average age late 60s early 70s. There are very few "sports" type cars. 1 boxster, a couple of SC430s, 1 911, 1 mini Cooper S, 1 corvette, 1 TT, and my Z4. Most people say nothing, others say nice car, nothing overtly negative.
mystik said: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.
I've gotten that while shopping for the car! It's like people are in disbelief that young people can do something productive with themselves and make some good money! Or maybe they're just jealous that someone so young could afford a nice bimmer? The first thing they asked me is if my parents were with me. Are you kidding?
In the North New Jersey / New York area, there's a whole lot of nice cars. There's just a lot of middle-upper class suburban families, and 3-series are as common up here as honda civics. I don't think I've ever EVER seen or experienced anyone diss anyone else's car, or even want to race them (some of my friends come from wealthy families and recieve nice new bimmers, infinitis, benzes, etc from their mommies and daddies). I think it's just because in my area nice cars are just part of the norm. I'd venture to say that in many areas/towns there are more luxury cars than non-luxury per capita. This is why I wouldn't even worry about anything bad happening to my Z4; compared to the 911, SL series, escalade, or whatever other nice car which is inevitably parked 3 cars over (in each direction!), the Z4 is hardly pompous and arrogant. Even in my area, pretty rural with quite a few rednecks, I've never seen any hick even give a kraut car owner so much as a dirty glare!
Most of the comments I had with my 2003 3.0 Z4 were good, and now with the M Roadster they are even better. However the day after I got the 3.0 I was driving through my small town with the top down, and the very first comment I heard from anyone on this car was some guy who yelled out "You should have bought a Ford!" Yeah.....okay..... 
Most people simply say nice car - I did have a guy with slogans hand painted all over his doors (complaining about some contractor who ripped him off) offer to trade once while we were both filling up with gas at the service station.....I declined. :wink:
Most people simply say nice car - I did have a guy with slogans hand painted all over his doors (complaining about some contractor who ripped him off) offer to trade once while we were both filling up with gas at the service station.....I declined. :wink:
everyone thinks i own a really expensive car, when it is only a 2003 and a 2.5liter(cheapest available in US) and Half leather(wtf is up with that btw) lol
I think they are perceived like this...
BMW- young-er snob/aggressive driver
Benz- older, well mannered, upper class driver
I think they are perceived like this...
BMW- young-er snob/aggressive driver
Benz- older, well mannered, upper class driver
OK, as far as global perception goes, this was a little strange.
This evening while eating dinner at Chilies, I looked out the window at where my car was parked (all by itself at the far end of the parking lot of course) and noticed a group of tourist types (East Indian dress) hovering around my car. After a minute or two it dawned on me what they were doing.
They were taking turns getting their picture taken next to my car!
After they were done they wandered off and my car was again all alone as it should be. Too weird... :?
This evening while eating dinner at Chilies, I looked out the window at where my car was parked (all by itself at the far end of the parking lot of course) and noticed a group of tourist types (East Indian dress) hovering around my car. After a minute or two it dawned on me what they were doing.
They were taking turns getting their picture taken next to my car!
After they were done they wandered off and my car was again all alone as it should be. Too weird... :?
While I was home in God's country (Louisiana for those not religious) I had a whole plethora of comments. The town/city I used to live in (Lake Charles) has very few BMWs, Mercs or any higher dollar European car. Every comment was positive. The only non positive comment I got was my friends telling me to park my car across the street from a local sports pit (read dive bar) to avoid any drunk rednecks messing up the car. During my stay I saw 3 other Z4's the whole month I was there, and maybe 5 or 6 BMW/Merc cars all together....at least if I didn't go near the hospital.
Kurts05Z4 said:OK, as far as global perception goes, this was a little strange...They were taking turns getting their picture taken next to my car!
After they were done they wandered off and my car was again all alone as it should be. Too weird... :?
Not strange at all. I park near the Sears Tower for work, so there's lots of tourist traffic, and co-workers are always telling me about tourist posing next to my car for pictures. I was less than thrilled to here one guy had his girl sitting on it! :x
The most frequent compliment/comment I get remains "Nice car - what is it?" Twice yesterday, once from a police car next to me at a light.
epbrown said:Kurts05Z4 said:OK, as far as global perception goes, this was a little strange...They were taking turns getting their picture taken next to my car!
After they were done they wandered off and my car was again all alone as it should be. Too weird... :?
Not strange at all. I park near the Sears Tower for work, so there's lots of tourist traffic, and co-workers are always telling me about tourist posing next to my car for pictures. I was less than thrilled to here one guy had his girl sitting on it! :x
The most frequent compliment/comment I get remains "Nice car - what is it?" Twice yesterday, once from a police car next to me at a light.
Was she a hot girl at least?
I've owned BMW cars on and off since the late 60's and overall the reaction from other drivers and the public in general has been negative occasionally rising to hostile.
Up to the mid 70's most people did not know what the car was but after the 3 and 5 series cars came to the U.S. the brand was purchased by more and more status seekers and, to use that quaint British phrase, wankers.
In 1980 people would call me a yuppie snob when I drove my 5 or 7. In 2008 I hear the snide comments about that grey haired geezer in the sports car. Go figure. In my opinion it boils down to envy.
Here in San Diego people are pretty jaded about cars. I'd say 80% of them don't even notice (they're too busy texting), 15% sneer, and the last 5% will take any opportunity to hassle me. Tailgaiting, cutting me off, challenging to race, and many other forms of mouth-breather idiocy occur with depressing regularity.
I love my Z4 but I have to say at times I feel self conscious, or perhaps just conspicuous in it. I'm usually not the least bit concerned about what anyone thinks of me or mine but sometimes I wish my car did not have any BMW roundels on it
as they seem a little like bullseyes.
Up to the mid 70's most people did not know what the car was but after the 3 and 5 series cars came to the U.S. the brand was purchased by more and more status seekers and, to use that quaint British phrase, wankers.
In 1980 people would call me a yuppie snob when I drove my 5 or 7. In 2008 I hear the snide comments about that grey haired geezer in the sports car. Go figure. In my opinion it boils down to envy.
Here in San Diego people are pretty jaded about cars. I'd say 80% of them don't even notice (they're too busy texting), 15% sneer, and the last 5% will take any opportunity to hassle me. Tailgaiting, cutting me off, challenging to race, and many other forms of mouth-breather idiocy occur with depressing regularity.
I love my Z4 but I have to say at times I feel self conscious, or perhaps just conspicuous in it. I'm usually not the least bit concerned about what anyone thinks of me or mine but sometimes I wish my car did not have any BMW roundels on it
as they seem a little like bullseyes.
I stopped at some lights the other day in Chelsea with the roof down when a Ferrari 360 spider went past me... shortly followed by a a group of guys walking by who checked out my Zed and shouted "nice car mate". Since the Fezza had disappeared into the distance (well into the congestion anyway), I am taking that as my car's first compliment from a stranger 
I don't think i've ever heard a bad comment about my car. Lots of meetings in gas stations where guys an even a couple girls wanted to know all about it because they wanted one too. My off lease car cost much less than an SUV, so I tell people to go check out the cpo'd cars at the nearby dealers. One guy with a worked over firebird asked me if I thought i could beat him in a race. He smiled when I told him "only in the corners".
I'm not sure if I had just had a bad experience that was due to the car or not.... (cue long story with multiple run on sentences and grammatical errors)
So I pull up to the gate to my community to see an SUV at the gate, a motorcycle, and car (fairly sure a camaro). Anyways, lady pulls through the gate going very slow and kinda moving back and forth like she doesn't know where to go, motorcycle and camaro decided to not wait to find out and pass her. Since my community has a ton o speedbumps I elect not to pass her as I'll end up just holding her up most likely......so I thought. I thought wrong...Either she was really drunk or didn't know where she was going, or both. I stayed a relative 10 or so feet from here rear end. She is going slow, real slow. I could go faster over the speedbumps without even trying. After a bit she goes slow over one then decides to floor it and spin her tires.....go SUV go! Anyways after the next speed bump she decides to stop and put on her flashers, so I figure since she is stopped with flashers that she doesn't intend to find a parking spot and just a quick run inside. I maneuver around her. About the time I pull even with her, the blond lady (whom I shall refer to a CDB-Crazy Drunk Blond) decides to stick her head out of the window and call me some harsh names. My virgin ears complained so I simply asked her (in a semi-loud voice so she could hear me) "What did I do?" But noo, this lady was not to be deterred by calm tones and hashing a problem out like adults, she proceeded to call me more names. So I say to hell with CDB and continue driving (at a nice slow/steady pace) to my condo. As I'm halfway out the car I see the same gray SUV passing in front of me so I smiled and waved. I don't think she saw me though
At any rate she seemed angry enough to do something so I'm staying up and keeping an eye on my car just in case she decides to give it racing stripes.
So I pull up to the gate to my community to see an SUV at the gate, a motorcycle, and car (fairly sure a camaro). Anyways, lady pulls through the gate going very slow and kinda moving back and forth like she doesn't know where to go, motorcycle and camaro decided to not wait to find out and pass her. Since my community has a ton o speedbumps I elect not to pass her as I'll end up just holding her up most likely......so I thought. I thought wrong...Either she was really drunk or didn't know where she was going, or both. I stayed a relative 10 or so feet from here rear end. She is going slow, real slow. I could go faster over the speedbumps without even trying. After a bit she goes slow over one then decides to floor it and spin her tires.....go SUV go! Anyways after the next speed bump she decides to stop and put on her flashers, so I figure since she is stopped with flashers that she doesn't intend to find a parking spot and just a quick run inside. I maneuver around her. About the time I pull even with her, the blond lady (whom I shall refer to a CDB-Crazy Drunk Blond) decides to stick her head out of the window and call me some harsh names. My virgin ears complained so I simply asked her (in a semi-loud voice so she could hear me) "What did I do?" But noo, this lady was not to be deterred by calm tones and hashing a problem out like adults, she proceeded to call me more names. So I say to hell with CDB and continue driving (at a nice slow/steady pace) to my condo. As I'm halfway out the car I see the same gray SUV passing in front of me so I smiled and waved. I don't think she saw me though
At any rate she seemed angry enough to do something so I'm staying up and keeping an eye on my car just in case she decides to give it racing stripes.
