The DU Lounge
Related: Culture Forums, Support ForumsWhat does your car say about you?
A global portrait of people and their rides, from Shanghai to Santa Monica.
You can view all the pictures at this link.
https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2026/jan/10/martin-roemers-homo-mobilis-photography-book-car-vehicle-owners-portraits
It made me smile and reminds me of the paring up of people with their pets.
rampartd
(3,856 posts)my last one was a pontiac minivan , but i needed the back for tools and such.
i generally drive a car until it will no longer move, and would rather pay $1000 for a repair than $20 k + tax license dealer prep and options for a new car.
Boomerproud
(9,162 posts)nt
The Madcap
(1,760 posts)Stick shift. Stripped down. Drove it for 15 years. Worth every penny.
Unwind Your Mind
(2,324 posts)Drove it nearly as long as yours
I noticed the manuals lasted longer than the automatics
The Madcap
(1,760 posts)Without an airbag. Of course, there weren't as many giant pickups back then, so it didn't feel as risky.
Unwind Your Mind
(2,324 posts)But, I was in my twenties
The Madcap
(1,760 posts)It was either a 91 or a 92.
Grim Chieftain
(1,271 posts)I traded it for a new black Camaro, and when I drove it on campus for the first time, the students treated me like a goddess. It was hysterical. Suddenly, they saw me in a whole new light.
Deuxcents
(25,549 posts)ProfessorGAC
(75,864 posts)It's an old convertible. Big dent in the door caused by a careless driver in a parking lit.
I only vacuum it once a year. I never get it washed.
I do the regular maintenance so it still runs good. But, it starts when i turn the key, stops when i hiy the brakes, and tge top goes up & down.
Those 3 things are the entire set of criteria for me.
Chemical Bill
(3,056 posts)with an added pretense of work or outdoor activities. I drive a Honda CR-V with a trailer hitch and a roof rack.
Someone once suggested to me that you could tell everything you need to know about a person by their age and car. This seems to hold up, at least to me.
I was really happy when my wife went from a Mercedes wagon to a Mazda SUV.
Intractable
(1,659 posts)My car says I am an opportunist.
When it comes to auto ownership, I always took what fate has brought to me.
At various inflection points in my life (for example, a relative passing on), a car became available.
PoindexterOglethorpe
(28,460 posts)It says I'm boring, but reliable.
I'm 77 years old, have never voluntarily driven an automatic (why I hate rental cars) and when I can no longer drive a stick, I'll know it's time to give up driving.
Interesting comment about sticks lasting longer. I only replace the previous car (a Subaru Outback about 15 years old at that point) because I was bored with it, not that it actually needed replacing.
Chemical Bill
(3,056 posts)I had a '90 something Civic. It had about 70,000 miles when I got it, but the speedo didn't always work, and eventually quit, so I don't actually know how much I put on it. They aren't boring, give yourself some credit. And you can leave it with the keys in it, because nobody drives a shift anymore.
Bayard
(28,646 posts)It says I haul a lot of stuff.
duckworth969
(1,202 posts)Great heater, always starts, tires are good, exhaust repair 2024, new radiator 2023, new front ball joints 2025, insurance is cheap, v6 has some giddy up and go, gas mileage not so good but Im a bit of a lead foot, dont use sunroof (I hear they leak ez), no a/c (🤷🏼♂️
, if it werent for the damn rust on the side panels shed be much more impressive
CountAllVotes
(22,083 posts)Last edited Sat Jan 10, 2026, 08:04 PM - Edit history (1)
It was freezing outside. I found it covered with ice and frost. It is an old Camry with over 250,000 miles on it.
It started right up and the defrosters all worked like new.
I let it run for abt. 10 minutes or so and drove away in a defrosted car and thought to myself, "It may be old but it is a fine piece of machinery".
Still going regardless of what some may say
to you Old Frosty!
Dulcinea
(9,683 posts)...and takes a lot of road trips." I drive a 2020 Chrysler Pacifica minivan. It has the Stow & Go feature where I can collapse the seats to make room for college kid stuff, also to bring stuff on vacation like my husband's bike. Not flashy, but practical. It also has satellite radio, very useful when driving through the sticks.
Borogove
(540 posts)Aristus
(71,675 posts)Its a sedan. So the first thing it says about me is: I will never, ever drive a fuckin SUV!
A gray paint job on a car in the drizzly Pacific Northwest is basically camouflage. So the second thing it says about me is, I know how to blend in. Let the red cars and the yellow cars get all the traffic stops and all the speeding tickets. I havent had a speeding ticket in over twenty years. Cause they cant see me!
It has a turbo-charged V-6 engine. So the third thing it says about me is, I know how to get from Point A to Point B. I dont lollygag.