Have you influenced a neighbour or friend's car choice?
Discussion
A friend called me the other day to tell me he was popping round to show me his "new" car.
He turned up in an MGF just like mine. He was after a fun summer toy and likes the summer fun I have with mine.
He wants a Discovery Sport like mine, but thinks he'll go for a Jag I or F Pace because he jokes that he fears he's turning into me.
There's a Discovery Sport a couple of doors away. It's owner upped the spec after he ordered it to the same model as my old Disco Sport after I gave him a look round it.
Another neighbour has an old MX-5 because he said he saw the fun we were having with our rag top.
It's not so much keeping up with the Jones's, but it appears I really have had an influence on the car buying habits of the people I know.
He turned up in an MGF just like mine. He was after a fun summer toy and likes the summer fun I have with mine.
He wants a Discovery Sport like mine, but thinks he'll go for a Jag I or F Pace because he jokes that he fears he's turning into me.
There's a Discovery Sport a couple of doors away. It's owner upped the spec after he ordered it to the same model as my old Disco Sport after I gave him a look round it.
Another neighbour has an old MX-5 because he said he saw the fun we were having with our rag top.
It's not so much keeping up with the Jones's, but it appears I really have had an influence on the car buying habits of the people I know.
No. The other way around. A friend phoned me awhile back and wanted advice about a Vauxhall Corsa he was considering. I started looking around for a better one in his price range and accidentally stumbled on one that ticked all the bells for me. I had a Peugeot 207 GT which was expensive to tax, insure and run and the Corsa just fit the bill. It's a 1.4 turbo with all the bells and whistles and I'm over the moon with it. Incidentally, before I bought mine, my friend had changed his mind.
A friend of mine was dead set on a diesel evoque when they came out.
I mocked him relentlessly that he would be buying a hairdresser/girl’s car.
He ended up in a 430D as a result so I think I did him a favour.
I then proceeded to mock him for not being man enough to stick to what he wanted and say f
k off to what others thought and the triumphantly clambered into my £700 Ford Galaxy
I mocked him relentlessly that he would be buying a hairdresser/girl’s car.
He ended up in a 430D as a result so I think I did him a favour.
I then proceeded to mock him for not being man enough to stick to what he wanted and say f
k off to what others thought and the triumphantly clambered into my £700 Ford Galaxy- I was renovating a house at the time and a Galaxy with no seats is way cheaper than hiring a new skip every week.
May have created a 'car girl'. So yeah, the community can thank me for that.
She had a pov spec Fiat Panda, but always commented she loved my Mx5 and wished she could afford something like that. Long story short after a lengthy explanation of the fairly minimal running costs of small Japanese sports cars she seemed really interested. A couple of weeks to a month later she was showing me pictures and asking for advice on an mk3 MR2 for sale locally. She traded in her panda for it the following week.
She had a pov spec Fiat Panda, but always commented she loved my Mx5 and wished she could afford something like that. Long story short after a lengthy explanation of the fairly minimal running costs of small Japanese sports cars she seemed really interested. A couple of weeks to a month later she was showing me pictures and asking for advice on an mk3 MR2 for sale locally. She traded in her panda for it the following week.
A few years ago my nephew had a Seat Leon 1.6 he had owned for almost a decade, but it was due a new cam-belt and he wasn't sure whether to spend about £400 on it given what it was worth.
I let him have a drive in my BMW 325ti - he liked it! A few weeks later I found him one!
Then 2 years ago he became a Dad, so the Compact didn't really work. I found him an E46 325i Sport Touring.
But maybe he has also influenced me - a couple of months ago I sold my 325ti Sport Compact and got an E91 325i Touring.
Mrs Tidy bought a new Mini One (R50) in 2003, then replaced it with an early R56 Cooper around Christmas 2006.
It seems my sister had always wanted a BMW Mini - so a couple of years ago I found her an 06 plate Cooper!
I let him have a drive in my BMW 325ti - he liked it! A few weeks later I found him one!
Then 2 years ago he became a Dad, so the Compact didn't really work. I found him an E46 325i Sport Touring.
But maybe he has also influenced me - a couple of months ago I sold my 325ti Sport Compact and got an E91 325i Touring.
Mrs Tidy bought a new Mini One (R50) in 2003, then replaced it with an early R56 Cooper around Christmas 2006.
It seems my sister had always wanted a BMW Mini - so a couple of years ago I found her an 06 plate Cooper!
On two occasions friends have asked me what they should get when looking for a quick but economical daily car.
On both occasions I suggested Skoda Fabia VRS. They both bought one, liked them a lot, and kept them for several years.
I lent my 350Z to a mate for a week, he bought one soon after.
It's worked the other way too.
I once drove a mate's RX7 and knew after about 1/4 of a mile that I had to have one, which I did a little while later.
Years ago my o/h bought an MR2 Roadster.
When she sold it a couple of years ago I missed it so much I bought one and still have it. It might die of rust eventually but I'll never sell it.
On both occasions I suggested Skoda Fabia VRS. They both bought one, liked them a lot, and kept them for several years.
I lent my 350Z to a mate for a week, he bought one soon after.
It's worked the other way too.
I once drove a mate's RX7 and knew after about 1/4 of a mile that I had to have one, which I did a little while later.
Years ago my o/h bought an MR2 Roadster.
When she sold it a couple of years ago I missed it so much I bought one and still have it. It might die of rust eventually but I'll never sell it.
Not as far as I'm aware, I don't think I have
I did influence my dad and sister though!
Slagged my dad off for years about his Xsara Picasso and how crap it was, once the clutch started to go and he got a bit more money he sold it to a friend and bought a Toyota Urban Cruiser. Admittedly I don't actually think I had a say, but I like to think I did! Actually, thinking about it I almost certainly had no say as he was ignoring me when I said not to buy a Dodge Caliber he was looking at (his mechanic friend quickly took my side though and put him off such a travesty)
I influenced my sister though, just differently to what you might expect. When I found out she wanted to buy a car I told her one thing; "Don't buy a Fiat 500, anything else is fine". She went out of her way to get a 500, just to annoy me. Obviously as a result she now complains about me slagging her off for it, but oh well, her own fault!
I did influence my dad and sister though!
Slagged my dad off for years about his Xsara Picasso and how crap it was, once the clutch started to go and he got a bit more money he sold it to a friend and bought a Toyota Urban Cruiser. Admittedly I don't actually think I had a say, but I like to think I did! Actually, thinking about it I almost certainly had no say as he was ignoring me when I said not to buy a Dodge Caliber he was looking at (his mechanic friend quickly took my side though and put him off such a travesty)
I influenced my sister though, just differently to what you might expect. When I found out she wanted to buy a car I told her one thing; "Don't buy a Fiat 500, anything else is fine". She went out of her way to get a 500, just to annoy me. Obviously as a result she now complains about me slagging her off for it, but oh well, her own fault!
In the 80's me and my mate helped a ton of people choose and buy various Alfa's - mainly Suds but the odd Sprint and GTV. With a side line in twinc Lancia's and Fiats.
Between what we and everyone else bought the Alfas alone came to something like 18. Off the top of my head I can think of at least 4 Lancia's and 3 Fiats.
More recently, not really.
Although last year I did encourage a mate to buy a lovely W124 280 estate.
Between what we and everyone else bought the Alfas alone came to something like 18. Off the top of my head I can think of at least 4 Lancia's and 3 Fiats.
More recently, not really.
Although last year I did encourage a mate to buy a lovely W124 280 estate.
Friend bought a E46 3 series a few years ago. When i came to change my car I had a preference towards BMW, maybe because of his, idk. I have a different model but i did always enjoy his car.
Anywho, since having my 340i, a mate said he was going to get the 435i until I bought mine and then he immediately changed to a 440i
Also, dad has recently changed his car and has bought an E46 330ci. Says partly because he liked my mates, and liked the power of mine.
Anywho, since having my 340i, a mate said he was going to get the 435i until I bought mine and then he immediately changed to a 440i
Also, dad has recently changed his car and has bought an E46 330ci. Says partly because he liked my mates, and liked the power of mine.
Actually, not usually. People ask me all the time because I know a bit about cars but they usually end up getting something else and sometimes regretting it. However, after years of being at completely opposite ends of the spectrum, (I like fast and good-looking and he likes economical and practical), I think that my dad and I are starting to influence each other.
Growing up, he always had Peugeot or Citroen estates, one Renault, one Polo, a couple of Fiats. Wouldn't be seen dead in a Ford or Vauxhall. Naturally, I rebelled and when it came to getting my first car, ignored my dad's suggestions of a 205 diesel, Citroen BX, Renault 5 or mk2 Scirocco and got an Astra! In hindsight, all his choices were a lot more interesting. I did manage to talk my mum out of her 2CV and into a new Cinquecento Sporting though. I was coming up to learning to drive age and the 2CV wasn't going to cut it! The Cinq was a fun little car that I enjoyed thrashing around in for a couple of years.
When I was selling VWs, I finally managed to persuade my dad out of his Citroens into a mk5 Golf TDI. A great car compared to the Xsara Picasso that it replaced. He replaced that with a 2010 Polo TDI (I had an older shape 08 Polo TDI at the time). When my dad retired a few years ago, he replaced it with a new mk3.5 MX5 having enjoyed driving the mk2 that I owned a few years ago. My uncle has also gone through phases of copying what my dad has. When my dad had a 405 Estate, my uncle bought one a few months later, likewise the mk5 Golf and the Polo TDI, although he has never bought a Citroen and has gone back to Fords now. My dad went back to Citroens as his practical cars after the VWs, a Nemo Multispace (because he wanted something with sliding doors) and currently a C3 Picasso.
I think my love of estate cars and minimalist hatchbacks comes from my dad, although the WRX/C-Class estates that I owned were a bit different from my dad's Peugeots/Citroens. I also bought a car with sliding doors (Grand Voyager), so maybe our interests are converging a bit now that I have kids and I have to admit that I do rather covet his MX5!
Growing up, he always had Peugeot or Citroen estates, one Renault, one Polo, a couple of Fiats. Wouldn't be seen dead in a Ford or Vauxhall. Naturally, I rebelled and when it came to getting my first car, ignored my dad's suggestions of a 205 diesel, Citroen BX, Renault 5 or mk2 Scirocco and got an Astra! In hindsight, all his choices were a lot more interesting. I did manage to talk my mum out of her 2CV and into a new Cinquecento Sporting though. I was coming up to learning to drive age and the 2CV wasn't going to cut it! The Cinq was a fun little car that I enjoyed thrashing around in for a couple of years.
When I was selling VWs, I finally managed to persuade my dad out of his Citroens into a mk5 Golf TDI. A great car compared to the Xsara Picasso that it replaced. He replaced that with a 2010 Polo TDI (I had an older shape 08 Polo TDI at the time). When my dad retired a few years ago, he replaced it with a new mk3.5 MX5 having enjoyed driving the mk2 that I owned a few years ago. My uncle has also gone through phases of copying what my dad has. When my dad had a 405 Estate, my uncle bought one a few months later, likewise the mk5 Golf and the Polo TDI, although he has never bought a Citroen and has gone back to Fords now. My dad went back to Citroens as his practical cars after the VWs, a Nemo Multispace (because he wanted something with sliding doors) and currently a C3 Picasso.
I think my love of estate cars and minimalist hatchbacks comes from my dad, although the WRX/C-Class estates that I owned were a bit different from my dad's Peugeots/Citroens. I also bought a car with sliding doors (Grand Voyager), so maybe our interests are converging a bit now that I have kids and I have to admit that I do rather covet his MX5!
Well i convinced my elderly ish next door neighbours to buy a very lightly used Land Rover Defender 90 a year before they stopped production to replace their old Daihatsu mini 4wd thingy.
British racing green. Super chuffed with myself and I think they are still quite pleased too as they have noted that last gen defenders are quite rapidly rising in value meaning their car is probably worth around the same they paid for it or more now after about 3 years ownership.
British racing green. Super chuffed with myself and I think they are still quite pleased too as they have noted that last gen defenders are quite rapidly rising in value meaning their car is probably worth around the same they paid for it or more now after about 3 years ownership.
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