What Exactly Does Your Car Choice Mean?
You’ve probably been fed the line, “don’t judge a book by its cover” until it gives you a gag reflex. What if you had the opportunity to make observations and reach conclusions simply based on the things a person owns? Actually, you can tell a lot about a person by the make, model, and color of car he or she drives. What does your car say about you and the type of person you are? You may be surprised.
Everywhere you look, you can find little jokes about what your car can mean about you and your personality. Camaro owners are bullies, and Volkswagen Beetle owners are hippies, etc. You can go on and on with the stereotype jokes about car ownership, but there are some serious inferences that can be made just by taking into account your choice of automobile. Let’s take a look at what the color of your car says about your personality first.
Car Colors
If you’ve chosen red as your preferred car color, you are most likely a bold, high-energy, dynamic individual who sees yourself and your lifestyle as sexy and wants to appear as such to others. You may be a fan of silver, which places you in a category of either futuristic appeal or the desire to appear elegant and smooth, cool under pressure. Gold may imply that you are sensitive, warm, and intelligent but may also suggest that you are a patron of comfort and are willing to pay whatever price is necessary for it.
Black cars typically show that you have a penchant for elegance and may also inspire deeper determinations on your personality, such as suggestions that you are not easily manipulated. White and gray tend to be colors chosen by those who are serious, sober, fastidious, and pragmatic, while dark blues suggest dependability and credibility. Light blues usually suggest a quiet driver with a deep-set sense of loyalty and faithfulness. Deep brown automobiles usually state that the owner is down to earth, and lighter brown or tan can hint at taste in simplicity.
If you own a car of another color – yellow, orange, purple, or some similar less common color – you are simply seen as someone who ‘marches to the beat of your own drum’ and doesn’t follow trends. You may be seen as eccentric, but you don’t necessarily care what others think of you.
Car Age
The age of the car you drive can say a lot about you, as well, especially considering the condition of the vehicle. If you stay in a brand-newvehicle, trading in for the latest model at least every two to three years, you may be a car snob. You don’t like “used” things, and you’re also most likely a fan of the latest and greatest designs and upgrades, looking forward to the future. You may also be simply concerned with upkeep and nervous about the cost of maintenance and repair on a vehicle that is aging.
If you buy used, you are most likely a very practical, frugal individual. You are familiar with what’s under the hood of the vehicle and can tell when an automobile has been well cared for by previous owners. You are comfortable with minimal maintenance and are not concerned with the fact that you are not the first owner of the vehicle. While this doesn’t mean that you shop at thrift stores, you are the kind of person who likes a good bargain.
An individual who acquires a new car within a few months of paying off the previous one is typically a very practical person. He or she takes the time to study choices, consider options, and determine exactly what their next preferred vehicle is going to be and sets out on a mission to purchase it, seeking the best deal and not purchasing until the previous model is paid off.
When it comes to owners of older model vehicles, it gets a little more broken down. If you own an older car but keep it in prime condition, you are someone who places great value in your belongings and work to carefully maintain them to last as long as possible. If your car may not appear so lovely but is still in good working order, you are concerned with functionality and purpose rather than aesthetics and don’t need the admiration of others. If you drive a car that is barely running, however, you could be presenting to others that you are cheap or careless with your possessions. Car Makes and Models
What may be the most definitive part of your vehicle in terms of giving clues to your personality is the actual make and model of your vehicle. While we won’t look at all individual models, we will use examples to summarize a particular style.
First, while buyers of Nissans, Volkswagens, Mercedes, and other foreign brands are not necessarily un-American, those who purchase GMC, Ford, and other American-made brands are typically quite patriotic and have a strong belief in the need to support the American economy. Also, while driving economy cars may be a statement in support of the environment, it may also simply be a statement against emptying the pocketbook.
Speed, power, and notoriety stand behind the choice to own asports car. Things like cost of maintenance and fuel mileage are of no concern. Owners of Ford Mustangs and Chevrolet Camaros are generally some of the most proud owners while remaining quiet in their choices, simply choosing their vehicle to give them speed and power. On the other hand, higher end sports cars – Corvettes and Vipers, for example – are bought to impress. Owners know that these get noticed on the road and are the sorts of people who love special attention. Of course, Ferraris and other ultra-expensive sports cars are mainly a statement of money.
A complete 180 turn from the sports car, an economy car states that cost of the initial purchase, cost of care, and cost of fuel are extremely important. Many people choose to drive economy cars because they care about the environment as well, though the choice more often has to do with finances. The individual in an economy car is typically a frugal individual, who will clip coupons and shop sales, saving money the smart way. Drivers of cars like the Ford Focus and Chevy Aveo are definitely making a statement against the typical Japanese compact car.
These range a great deal in meaning for people. Usually, a sedan like a Ford Taurus, Chevy Impala, or Nissan Altima will suggest practicality, especially for families. They are roomy
enough to fit everyone inside comfortably without taxing too highly on the cost of fuel. Again, drivers may be coupon clippers but are more likely simply Wal-Mart shoppers who know a good bargain and are always on the lookout for ways to save. Some drivers of sedans, especially older models, are classic examples of believers in simplicity, who don’t feel the need to modernize or upgrade as long as their car is in good condition and functional.
Drivers of Lincolns and Cadillacs are used to being pampered. They enjoy that smooth ride and all the amenities and extras that are found in a luxury car. Often, these individuals were only children or came from well-to-do families and received the best of everything growing up. The other extreme is the group of individuals who grew up poor or in large families and had little. Both sets will feel the need to indulge in the best in life, often starting with their cars.
The sports utility vehicle began as just that – something that was used for sporting excursions and off-roading. Now, every other person on the road seems to be driving one. Small SUV’s are trendy and show that, while conforming to the taste of the modern world, there is still a practicality in the owner’s mind in terms of cost, space, and fuel mileage. Mid-sized SUV’s are the new minivan and are often a sign of a family being toted around. Drivers of these vehicles usually have a moderate income level and high family values, putting children and loved ones first. Safety is a concern, and while these owners don’t want to spend an outrageous fortune on their transportation needs, they will make sacrifices for the good of the family. Large SUV’s that guzzle gas, such as the Hummer or the Ford Excursion, are a clear defying of the idea of global warming and used as a means of both luxury and exertion of power based on sheer size and elegance.
The pickup is a classic favorite, and while some have come to be a status symbol (think Ford Eddie Bauer and Harley Davidson models or the new Lincoln pickup truck), others are still purely for convenience of having a work truck. Functionality is part of the personality of any proud truck owner, and those who have had trucks all their lives understand the meaning behind the power of a vehicle that can easily tow thousands of pounds and that you can load with anything from furniture to dirt. For those who add lift kits and increase tire size, the truck becomes a symbol of superiority and reflects what perhaps may be a “bigger means better” complex. Of course, it could just be a call for attention as well. Our vehicle can say a number of things about you, many of which you may not have recognized for yourself without being told. Of course, now that you are aware of how you and your car are perceived, do you feel it’s a fair perception? Or are you ready to trade in your vehicle at the next available opportunity to try and correct the notions people may have about you? This writer and her brand new Alfa Romeo don’t really care what the world thinks – we’re elated with our relationship! 
