The Most Depressing Automotive Conversation Ever

[NicFromLA]

So I pull into the car wash in the building where my gym is this morning and up next to me pulls a brand new MB SLS. I tell him it's a beautiful car (styling wise I have mixed feelings about the car, but that's for another discussion), and he thanks me, so I ask him, "How do you like driving it?"

He mumbles back something I couldn't understand, but to me it sounds like 'I like driving my SL 300 better.' Now I think to myself, 'If this man just said what I think he said, he might be the coolest man ever!' So I ask him to repeat himself. "I like it, but I like driving my Prius better."

I'm in the Twilight Zone. "You're Prius?" I say.

"Yeah. This is sort of a piece of art. But I like driving my Prius better."

I spout something about how in a hundred years the SLS will still be on the road and the Prius will be in landfill. I'm not sure if he was confused or offended, "Maybe you're right" he says as he walks away.

I'll tell you who was confused and offended: me.

[Ferrer]

If you like driving around in appliance, why would you buy a 6.2 litre-engined gloriously-sounding sportscar?

[Clivey]

Strange man.

It's bewildering when you do actually sit down and think about how many utter windowlickers there are in society. I followed one on the way to work today: She took a fast corner too tight and gave the rear wheel a hard knock as it hit the kerb (the rear corner of the car actually left the tarmac), then she kept driving as if nothing had happened. So when she has a blowout on the motorway because of the damaged tyre and ends-up killing someone, she'll be the one standing at the side of the road shrugging her shoulders.

Surely common sense would dictate that if you've just crashed your car hard enough for there to be potential safety ramifications, you'd at least stop to ensure it's safe to continue? I'm rapidly reaching the point where I'm going to give-up trying to educate the terminally stupid. I think it's time to just beat them into submission.

[LeonOfTheDead]

Makes sort of sense to me.
Driving a Prius is what it was designed for.
The SLS was made for touring/racing and occasionally bragging.

That said, I like that there is someone still capable of enjoying simple and blindingly hated """cheap""" cars even if he can own something quite more special.

[Clivey]

Originally Posted by LeonOfTheDead

"""cheap""" cars even if he can own something quite more special.

And what, may I ask, is wrong with the AutoXBonne?

[LeonOfTheDead]

Originally Posted by Clivey

And what, may I ask, is wrong with the AutoXBonne?

care to elaborate?
as far as I can tell now, I can't see something wrong with either driving a Prius or that car (when it was running, that is).

Given the possibility, I know what expensive car I'd buy, but I really don't know what I'd go for as my daily drive, grocery store, etc.

[Ferrer]

Originally Posted by LeonOfTheDead

Makes sort of sense to me.
Driving a Prius is what it was designed for.
The SLS was made for touring/racing and occasionally bragging.

A grand tourer is made to drive before anything else. Probably more than any other type of car in the world.

Originally Posted by LeonOfTheDead

Given the possibility, I know what expensive car I'd buy, but I really don't know what I'd go for as my daily drive, grocery store, etc.

Certainly not a Prius.

[LeonOfTheDead]

Originally Posted by Ferrer

A grand tourer is made to drive before anything else. Probably more than any other type of car in the world.

in everyday traffic too? not so sure, regardless of you opinion .

Originally Posted by Ferrer

Certainly not a Prius.

Possibly. I'm my case it's "certainly not a Golf".

[Ferrer]

Originally Posted by LeonOfTheDead

in everyday traffic too? not so sure, regardless of you opinion .

Well, at least you'd be stuck in some 6.2 litres of V8 goodness instead of some batteries...

[LeonOfTheDead]

Originally Posted by Ferrer

Well, at least you'd be stuck in some 6.2 litres of V8 goodness instead of some batteries...

I'm relying on batteries 16 hours out of 24 everyday, even when I'm driving a car. Cell phone, notebook, etc... no difference there. Plus I love silence, and at idle or low revs modern exotic engines aren't unfortunately nothing special.

[Clivey]

Originally Posted by LeonOfTheDead

care to elaborate?

Sorry: I thought you were around when that sensation spread across the forums...

...basically the Auto-X-Bonne thing was a bunch of forum members taking the piss out of, sorry, appreciating Rockefella's first car. the Pontiac Bonneville is the best trackday weapon ever. Don't argue, just accept it.

[LeonOfTheDead]

Originally Posted by Clivey

Sorry: I thought you were around when that sensation spread across the forums...

...basically the Auto-X-Bonne thing was a bunch of forum members taking the piss out of, sorry, appreciating Rockefella's first car. the Pontiac Bonneville is the best trackday weapon ever. Don't argue, just accept it.

Did a little digging, but didn't get it. Now I do, but I'd stick with a Prius thanks, I can't really see myself in a large American sedan anytime soon.
Even if probably driving a Prius in the States is substantially different than driving a Prius over here.

[Clivey]

Originally Posted by LeonOfTheDead

Did a little digging, but didn't get it. Now I do, but I'd stick with a Prius thanks, I can't really see myself in a large American sedan anytime soon.
Even if probably driving a Prius in the States is substantially different than driving a Prius over here.

The Prius isn't a bad applicance. It's just the attitudes of some of the owners that draws-in the hate.

[culver]

It is possible that the car had given him so much grief that he longed for a reliable car. Just a thought.

[NicFromLA]

Originally Posted by LeonOfTheDead

Makes sort of sense to me.
Driving a Prius is what it was designed for.
The SLS was made for touring/racing and occasionally bragging.

That said, I like that there is someone still capable of enjoying simple and blindingly hated """cheap""" cars even if he can own something quite more special.

Lord I hope he plans to rip it up on weekends, but I suspect not.

There's nothing wrong with "cheap" cars; I love Golf and the Mini. In Europe you also have the option of many wonderful Renaults, Citroens, Alfas and FIATs.

All in all, I think loving your Prius over your SLS is like loving your fridge over your mistress.