Does your car represent who you are?
For people who live in countries where driving a car is only a dream, or even where having much of a choice is not the case, such a question is absurd. But here in the land 'O plenty, we think about such things. To wit, we shall delve into this trite and meaningless discussion and take a break from the usual rantings that are ever so needed and instructive.
Face it America, you still drive like a maniac with no sense of intelligence and no hint of attention. In the whole world of auto driving, Americans rank dangerously close to rock bottom. But again, for this particular article, we set aside those obvious shortcomings for lighter fare.
OK, so does your ride (shoe, sled, vee-hickle, wheels, et al) represent your personality? Many greasy-haired auto dealers would have you believe that, but is it true?
First, take the following quiz. All answers are on a scale, from one to ten, with one being least, and ten being highest. Figure out the rest on your own.
1. On the 1 - 10 scale, how important is the color of the car to you?
2. On the scale, where would you rank the importance of the utility of the vehicle?
3. How important is the layout of the interior to you?
4. How important is the powertrain (engine, transmission, power output, etc.) to you?
5. Where on the scale is your preference for a 4 door vehicle?
6. Where on the scale is your preference for a 2 door vehicle?
7. Pretend the scale is a preference for a convertible; where does it fall on the scale?
8. How important is the horsepower output of the car to you?
9. How likely are you to purchase a vehicle that resembles those in your peer group?
10. How likely are you to purchase a vehicle that you think your friends and family will approve of?
Now, the scoring. If you tended to answer those questions with numbers ranging from 7 - 10, then you are very likely to think that your car does indeed reflect your personality.
If your numbers tended to fall into the 4 - 6 range, then you are not neutral, but rather, a more cautious buyer who would like to have a car that is more "edgy," but you let other factors invade your decision making process.
If your numbers fell into the 1 - 3 range, you are likely someone who has no idea what an oil change is, and does not care. You probably have multiple yellow and red lights lit on your dash all the time, and multiple scrapes and dents on your exterior panels. A car is just transportation, and not much else. Your purchase of a car is either decided by someone else, or you have been (or will be) stuck with a used piece of crap that is a rolling death trap. Of course, you are not held captive by the trappings of material possessions of the mechanical kind, but on the other hand, your tires are bald, your brakes are worn, and the sky is not yellow - your windows are. Because they've never been cleaned. Got it?!
Well, back to the quiz and other indicators of personality vs vehicle.
So let's assume that to some degree, you do think your vehicle represents something of your personality. If that is the case, peruse the following color chart and see if anything lines up.
If your car is ___________________, this may mean _______________
If your car is black, this may mean that you want to stand out, but you also want to be stealthy. Black is one of the most illogical colors for a car, cause it shows dirts and dings like crazy, and is hot as hades in the summer sun. But black paint, like black clothing, supposedly carries an air of reserved power. Guys with balding and a sagging sadle like black, as do men who are still single in their early 30's. For women, it's girls in high school driving "daddy's car" or those who are in their 40's, who still listen to Zeplin and wear sun glasses when it's cloudy on their way to the mall. Black is the color of BMW's and Harley Davidson's. Nuff said.
If your car is white, this may mean you like things classy and clean. White can look really good with certain accessories like chrome wheels and blacked out trim. It says "I can look good enough for the country club and still have a little rebel hidden within." For guys, white is only acceptable if the car has some other outstanding trait, like a powerful engine, or is on a sporty, expensive brand, or is set off with spoilers and such. For gals, white appeals to the young married crowd who want to be different, or to those who are older who just want a clean appearance, with no fuss. As a side note, white was the most popular color for the past 20 years, knocked off recently only by silver. White is a color often seen on Volkswagens and American luxo-barges of the late 70's.
If your car is silver, this may mean you want to exude an air of sophistication. Silver is the staple color of Mercedes Benz, and it can make almost any brand look a little more expensive. Silver is difficult to keep up over the long run (it fades like mad) unless cared for consistently. Like white, silver needs certain off-setting marks to really make it pop, i.e., it needs help. A nice silver Daewoo with plastic wheel covers still looks sad and cheap. For guys, silver may indicate a give the impression that you make more money than you really do. For gals, silver definetly is used to give the impression that you have more money than you do. It evokes the notion of diamonds and expensive jewlery, and dealers know this. A well dressed woman is a sap for a clean silver car. On the other hand, a dealer faced with a gruff woman weaing a sleeveless plaid shirt may just direct her to the closest pickup truck.
If your car is red, this may mean that you've either hit the supposed "mid-life" crisis (gender has no bearing on this) or, you're young, are spending Daddy's money, and are fully convinced that this red car will vault you to the top of your chosen peer society. Red is simple -- it is totally impracticle, very hard to maintain, and stands out so much, you have to accept it and just move on. The worst color for geeky gamers and men who no longer want anything to do with women, red demands that you wear those shades at all times, invest in a really nice toupee, and shine your patent leather shoes once a week. On the other hand, if you just can't get enough attention, and you really don't care if your personality is abrasive, then paint it all red. Even the tires. Red is the color of Ferrari's and Alpha Romeo's, and it looks good on them. Not so much on old Caddies.
If your car is green, this may mean that you are either eco-friendly (a tree huggin' nut) or someone who likes to buck the system in a more subtle way. Green is the color of Jaguar and Ford (in the early 90's) and can, on certain models such as the XKE or a mid 60's Corvette, pop like a ray of sunshine on a cloudy day. A nice metallic green has a pleasant depth to it that is easy on the eyes, and uncommon enough to draw attention. Men who want to appear sophisticated yet down to earth like green, provided it is not one of those horrid pastel greens we banished in the 70's. Women who value hard work and like to spend money in a way that makes sense like green. If either gender tends to gravitate towards green, they likely have good credit, own a large flat screen TV, and find ways to stand out from the crowd in a most quiet way.
If your car is blue, this may mean you like things of royalty: golf, horse racing, a good card game, solid investments, and something other than steak. Blue is definetly the color for Ford, sometimes Mazda, and rarely Ferrari. A dark blue can make any car or truck look richer and more flamboyant. Off set with liberal amounts of chrome and polished aluminum, a rich blue paint job carries the notion of upper crust ideals with working man's budget. Men who tend towards blue may be of a more quiet disposition but with an eye for art. Women who like blue probably have designer dinner ware instead of expensive furniture. Dark, rich, metallic blue hues connotate the deep blue sea, with all its mystery and forboding, along with its beauty and coolness. However, if either gender opines for pastel and light blues, you definetly fit into that group that does not know what an oil change is, and does not care. Please,......please.......do us all a favor and pass on the pastel blue and get white. Or beige.
Finally, if your car is yellow, this may mean that you are pretty much like the red car people, only with less intelligence or ability to see how annoying you really are. Yellow is reserved for those who demand constant attention. If you are a nagging little gnat that smacks gum, wears tank tops to movies, and has tats all over your arms, you need yellow. If you have a college degree, don't shop at Wal Mart, and wear expensive watches, sorry, but yellow is not your best choice. And to be fair, a hot canary yellow looks really GOOD on so many cars! Too bad it has to be avoided due to the rabble that give it a bad name.
Is there a corelation between the color of your car, and your personality? Well maybe, and maybe not, as it all depends upon just how important color was to you in your initial decision making process. In later installments, we will look at other vehicle factors and their supposed alignment with your personality.
As a side note, the colors beige, brown, pink, and orange were not mentioned, as they are too ugly and drab to waste time on. If you own a pink anything, sell it for whatever you can get and walk until you gain some sense and taste. Or move to San Francisco.
