The death of car culture

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

CruiserClass

Full Access Member
Joined
Jun 18, 2022
Posts
536
Reaction score
1,102
Location
Midwest
I don't think anybody wants a kia. They want cheap transporation, and kia provides. It's not like lottery winners go out and buy kia's.

And that's what I think of when I think of Kia. An appliance car that you buy because it's cheap. But over the past 5-ish years I've known many people who could buy about anything they wanted in the realm of automobiles move from "German Luxury" to "Korean Luxury" and have been satisfied enough to lease another one. Mostly the luxury trim SUVs for the older set and the Stinger sports sedan for the younger guys. Still not my thing and I completely share your bias in the matter, but the market says otherwise. People who can easily afford something else, and have, now want them enough to seek them out.
 

CruiserClass

Full Access Member
Joined
Jun 18, 2022
Posts
536
Reaction score
1,102
Location
Midwest
I just want to know......WHERE the heII are the flying cars that I was promised when I was a kid??? We had The Jetsons on tv and Lost in Space. I had high hopes for my adult life! It's all been dashed to pieces. :sad72:

I just want the technology that lets your car fold up into a briefcase you can easily fling up on your desk when you get to work.
 

CruiserClass

Full Access Member
Joined
Jun 18, 2022
Posts
536
Reaction score
1,102
Location
Midwest
So, kind of like this from Sept 2022 issue of CAR and DRIVER received yesterday -

View attachment 369592

Kind of like Kalifornia outlawing gas vehicles by 2030, yet all electricity coming in to the state from coal from another state. That doesn't make EV's in Kalifornia "clean" vehicles by any stretch. Sarcastic example, but not far off.

I'm stuck on the Chicago style pizza debate, now. Thanks.
 

The Car Stereo Company

aka grumpy car stereo guy and frf rolodex
Supporting Member
Joined
Jul 8, 2012
Posts
32,576
Reaction score
23,608
Location
here, on frf
Actually, these pathetic morons do post online, but not about what you think. My experience was with hypermilers and HOV snobs. I used to grab a short section of the HOV lanes on my bike for the ride home from work. I say short because ... well, I was on either my Ducati, ZX14 or ZX10r. The pace was brisk. One day I slotted in behind a staggered formation of priuii...? whatever the plural or prius. there were 5 or 6 of them, all going exactly 59mph in a 65 signed zone, with a line of cars stacked up behind them that had to be half a mile long. After attempts to politely suggest the left lane hogs should move and getting positive indication that wouldn’t happen, I split them all at about 75-80 to get past them... in 2nd gear. I was lamenting this on a local bike board and someone linked me to a local hypermiling board - yes, this is apparently “a thing”. This is where the passive aggressive road blockers get together and literally brag about how big a line they can get behind them. The link seemed to be the “other side” of the story I told above. They were more angry that the bloke on the bike broke through than anything else.
its priusopi. kinda like octopi, but different.
 

melvimbe

FRF Addict
Joined
Jul 22, 2019
Posts
4,878
Reaction score
6,436
Location
Houston, TX
And that's what I think of when I think of Kia. An appliance car that you buy because it's cheap. But over the past 5-ish years I've known many people who could buy about anything they wanted in the realm of automobiles move from "German Luxury" to "Korean Luxury" and have been satisfied enough to lease another one. Mostly the luxury trim SUVs for the older set and the Stinger sports sedan for the younger guys. Still not my thing and I completely share your bias in the matter, but the market says otherwise. People who can easily afford something else, and have, now want them enough to seek them out.

I actually owned a kia a decade or so ago. It was post divorce vehicle. It was a solid vehicle, rather cheap and with the lux that I wanted, which is exactly what I needed at the time.

I've seen some nicer looking vehicles, so maybe they have improved, the same way Toyota and Honda used to be thought of just cheap. But they do not make the kind of vehicles I want to drive.
 

CruiserClass

Full Access Member
Joined
Jun 18, 2022
Posts
536
Reaction score
1,102
Location
Midwest
I've seen some nicer looking vehicles, so maybe they have improved, the same way Toyota and Honda used to be thought of just cheap. But they do not make the kind of vehicles I want to drive.

Same. I'm happy enough to passenger in one, though I've no interest in owning one. I just make appreciative noises and nod my head. I think that's really part of car culture, let people enjoy what they enjoy even if it's not your bag.
 

CruiserClass

Full Access Member
Joined
Jun 18, 2022
Posts
536
Reaction score
1,102
Location
Midwest
I just want the technology that lets your car fold up into a briefcase you can easily fling up on your desk when you get to work.

My son and I discussed this today while out for some exercise.

My position: The vehicle is light enough that it's *always* briefcase weight due to Jetson Space Age polymers and alloys. It just folds but keeps the same weight.

His position: It uses some sort of thruster even while in briefcase mode to make it seem lighter.

My counter: But he puts it on his desk, so a thruster would be pushing the weight against the desk in an opposite/equal motion thing unless they've completley circumvented physics as we know it.

His counter-counter: Future furniture is engineered to withstand the weight of their vehicles and is, for all practical purposes, indestructable.

Then he blathered on about some guy on YouTube with a Mustang named "Noise Complaint". The car, not the guy. I don't know the guy's name. Car culture isn't dead if you pass it on.
 
Top