Any help guys...

wabo · 15-05-2008, 10:45 AM

Hi guys, long time reader first time poster...I'm after your help. Basically i'm working on a project where i have to define 'car/motor' enthusiasts. If you could help by giving your thoughts i'd really appreciate it. What makes a motor enthusiast? Why do you define yourself as a motor enthusiast (if you do)? Any thoughts you've got would be great. cheers guys

TadKa · 15-05-2008, 01:05 PM

I think cars are pretty.

aye you · 15-05-2008, 01:27 PM

i like shiny wheels. that count?

Laminge · 15-05-2008, 01:46 PM

Doesnt take much to be constructive, dont reply if your not.

LOWBA6 · 15-05-2008, 02:02 PM

I think a motor enthusiast is someone who takes pride in taking care of their vehicle, modifying it to their personal taste, maybe knows a thing or 2 about the mechanical side of it. Its quite hard to put into words really.

stiddy · 15-05-2008, 02:13 PM

Nothing better to do today minge?

A car enthusiast is somebody who as an unusual pre-occupation with their car, wants to spend time with that car, wants to love it, wants to make it look as good as it can possibly look.. and go as fast as it can go.
Its a hobby, and that hobby breaks up into two directions: either they want to make the car exactly original, the way it was when it was brand new, or they want to customise it and personalise it in some way.
They are fixated on their cars and love to be with other car guys/girls and share their stories - why they did this or that.
They love to take the car and drive it either to a car show or just down the street and having people give them thumbs up and saying how cool their car is.. (maybe because its pretty with shiney wheels). It becomes a part of ones perosnality.
The defining element is that cars get them so excited (amoungst other feelings) and they just can't spend enough time working on them and loving them.
Example - Someone who is not a car enthusiast looks at polishing the car as work. For enthusiats we look at is as fun. 'Others' just look at it as a mode of transport. We just like to pull up a chair and just look at the car - the styling, the lines.. just admire the car.
It takes another car enthusiast to understand that and that's why the majority of us all get along and like to hang out together be it a forum or in person.

wabo · 15-05-2008, 02:23 PM

cheers fairmont, stiddy, appreciated

lamborghinifan · 15-05-2008, 04:26 PM

ya, what stiddy said, defenitely someone who doesn't see their car as just a mode of transport. among other things

TadKa · 15-05-2008, 04:32 PM

I like Clarkson's use of the term 'appliance' for cars that are basically shopping trolleys and some of the crap mass produced koreon cars (Yes I know they have improved vastly over the years but I still wouldn't be proud to own one). So maybe an enthusiast is someone thats sees cars for more than just an appliance.... or not.... I don't mind...

StAndArdAU · 15-05-2008, 04:36 PM

Someone who spends the extra time to be knowledgable in regards to vehicles, and is often the case, in regards to a specific brand, specific model, specific decade etc... for personal reasons like a hobby.

These people also take great pride in taking care of, and being interested in motor vehicles.

**Falcon Coupe** · 15-05-2008, 05:01 PM

It starts with wanting a certain car and buying one, then seeking out and befriending like minded owners (AFF is good for that), it then snowballs into a lifestyle choice.

andrewts · 15-05-2008, 05:05 PM

Personally I think a huge part of being a car enthusiast isn't just aligning one's self with one brand (Toyota fans are like this), but an actual passion for CARS, which includes being interested in other makes, and car related advances etc.

v8falconsrule · 15-05-2008, 07:54 PM

i wouldn't call it a hobby as much as a lifestyle. an enthusiust will eat, sleep an breathe all things car related.

'normal' people look at a car and see transport, sure they might like the colour, or the wheels or whatever. but a petrol head will look at a car and know exeactly what they'd change to make it thiers- it's an expression of individuallity, while at the same time attracting like minded people.

no one thing applies to all petrol heads either, some like performance, others care more about looks, others are more worried about the stereo 'doof-doof' system. its even all types of cars, big bad 4x4s, low sleek boy racers, the rumble of a 70's muscle car, or the top down coolness of a cruiser.....like i said it's a lifestyle.

Laminge · 15-05-2008, 08:06 PM

Its worse when one works up on a idea that a group of like minded individuals should start a forum for people that need an outlet.....

Nikked · 15-05-2008, 08:40 PM

I like driving around, and tinkering with cars. My weekends were spent washing, improving things on it. But now its off the road in a 'slow repair' state and my weekends ave a huge hole in them, and the money im saving on fuel goes towards happy hour...

There is a huge misunder standing towards car enthusiasts, our image is potrayed colectivly as a bunch of dropkick hoonyloons. That is everyone with a non standard car is a 'Hoon' or a 'racer' or some other anti-social stain.

It doesn't help that there are a minority that get about causing trouble, and creating the headlines, spun by the general media into a fiasco, as is life the miority spoils the majority.

I think that alot of kids that playaround with cars are better off, hands on learing, money is spent on the car intead of drugs/alcohol and they arn't board as in my first paragraph, now i don't have a car, i've lost alot of the things i did, crusing/driving, tinkering...

But define enthusiasts?

Its a hobby, like gardening, wood work or model building. Its a hobby for people who enjoy spending weekends making an improvment, tidying somthing up and finaly driving it around soaking up the sounds and sun.