What Is Your Poser Car

Apis Mellifera said:

Jeeps.  All Jeeps.  However, they seem to be OK once you replace all the Jeep parts.

And Harleys.

Hey. HEY!

Juliet would like a word.

As far as the Harley thing, many qualify. Maybe even most. Few vehicles get under my skin as quickly as a custom bagger with a brutal exhaust system and a sound system to match. Those are obviously built to be as abrasive as possible, to bolster the ego of someone who desperately needs attention. 

OTOH, there are also plenty of people happily riding Harleys for themselves. We don't notice them as often because they aren't getting up our noses in the same way.

Should we talk about truck flags?

In reply to DarkMonohue :

I see a lot of truck flags. I live in a predominantly Hispanic part of the valley (Tom aren't 1/8th Cuban?......shhh I'm masquerading as a white guy) and there are loads of them here.

Mostly brodozers flying both the Mexican and American flag with LED whips with lights that blink with the music.

I've come to see those as an over the top Lucha Libre kind of thing.

RWB's. 

I find this thread funny as 5 of my cars according to people here are poser cars. I actually found it a bit insulting. I have worked dam hard to afford them and I maintain them to the highest standard and yet somehow I am a poser.  This thread has been eye opening. 
 

Some of it I am hoping is tongue and cheek but that is not immediately clear to me. 

Out of random curiosity, I asked ChatGPT what are typically considered "poser" cars. It gave me an interesting response: 

"Poser cars" are vehicles that some enthusiasts perceive as being more about image than substance. This perception is often unfair, as many of these cars are still great vehicles in their own right. However, the label usually comes from factors like aggressive styling without matching performance, brand perception, or the type of owners they attract. Here are some cars that often get this reputation:

Luxury & Sports Cars with Base Engines:

-BMW 320i / 330i (F30 generation) - The entry-level 3-Series lacks the performance of higher trims, yet some owners present them as high-end sports sedans.

-Mercedes-Benz C300 / CLA250 - Similar to the BMW, these cars offer the badge but not the AMG performance some assume they have.

-Audi A3 / A4 (Base Models) - Stylish and luxurious but not necessarily performance-oriented.

Fast-Looking Cars Without Performance to Match:

-Dodge Charger SXT / GT (V6 Models) - Often styled like their V8 Hellcat counterparts but without the power.

-Chevrolet Camaro RS / Ford Mustang EcoBoost (Base Models) - While still decent cars, they lack the V8 performance some expect from American muscle.

-Toyota 86 / Subaru BRZ - Labeled by some as underpowered despite their handling prowess.

Overly Aggressive Styling Without Performance to Back It Up:

-Mitsubishi Lancer (Non-Evo models) - Many are modded to look like the Lancer Evolution but lack the performance.

-Honda Civic with Fake Type R Badging - Stock Civics are great, but slapping a Type R badge on a non-Type R model is often mocked.

Exoticâ Cars with Mixed Reputations:

-Ferrari California - Some view it as more of an entry-level status symbol than a true enthusiast Ferrari.

-Lamborghini Urus - A fast and capable SUV, but some see it as more of a luxury flex than a performance machine.

Trucks & SUVs with No Off-Road Use:

-Jeep Wrangler / Toyota 4Runner with No Off-Road Use - Some owners lift them and add accessories but never take them off-road.

-Ford Raptor / RAM TRX as a Mall Crawler - Built for high-speed off-road fun but often used just for show.

Again, many of these cars are solid choices for different reasons, but the "poser" label comes from how they are presented or used rather than their actual capabilities. 
 

Our robot overlord has spoken! 

My thoughts: 

I don't typically care what people drive. Whatever floats their boat or makes them happy- even if I might think it's stupid or lacks some characteristic I might value. They can pose next to whatever they want if it puts a smile on their face. Their perception of themselves is none of my concern. 
 

I might make some assumptions about a person's personality or value system based on what they choose to own- giant trucks, Camrys and most Subarus come to mind- but the image of those vehicles wouldn't keep me from buying one if it drove well or fit my constantly changing wants/needs (let's be honest, I've bought a lot of E36 M3boxes on a whim!). 

Harleys are low-hanging fruit for this discussion. 50% of the riders own them for the ability to instantly be a member of a cosplay group. The other half actually like the bikes for what they are, and are often very cool people who will even compliment my Triumph (including one Hells' Angel guy). Problem is, you never know which one you're gonna get.

A post above brought to mind what may possibly be the poster child of poseur vehicles:

I was that kid building engines and modifying suspension on what ever I had.  Faster, better braking and handling.  For what, didn't drag race, street race or frequent race tracks, that makes me a poser.   Meanwhile my buddies car that I helped with went out drag racing AND was an obnoxiously loud Camero.

On the other side of the coin is people who HDPE anything with wheels, and no one knows, the Anti-poser.  

I met a fella on a riverboat in France.  He noticed his Pasha wheels in my GRM magazine that sparked a conversation.  I told him of my current build (Fox Mustang) to which he questioned if it had a cage.  Never felt like more of a poser, No cage, Pshhhht, poser.   Redeemed by the fact that I had a caged Lemons car, and the other Fox was merely a fun car.

Fella was from Australia, owned a few 911 Race-cars, definitely not a poser.

Don't mistake me for someone with money, but it was fun hanging with people way out of my league.  Another story.

So many levels of poser, Like the dunes?  Got Paddles, No, Poser.

Ride a motocross bike, race it?  No, Poser.  But I like tight woods riding, don't care, Race Hare Scrambles.

Drink wine?  Know anything about it? No, poser.

My favorite, wear expensive clothes?  Rich? no, poser.  Conversely, I see a lot of scrappy looking guys coming out of 100k cars, quickly and quietly, the anti-poser.

Drink? like to get drunk? No, Poser.

Back to cars.

My blanket poser car is the sporty or muscle car with an automatic, pre DCT.  Blah,Blah newer autos are better, those don't count.

Javelin said:

RWB's. 

A perfect answer! lol

I think RWBs look cool and all, but the more I see videos of groups of rich guys standing around worshipping Nakai as he smokes in his chair, the more poser-y they feel. No disrespect to Nakai, the dude seems cool and has clearly found a groove and makes cool stuff, but I see one more video of an RWB event talking about "aura" I'm gonna die

Datsun240ZGuy said:

There's a guy out there that has this in the back of his mind as THE car he would love to own.

 

Apis Mellifera said:

Jeeps.  All Jeeps.  However, they seem to be OK once you replace all the Jeep parts.

And Harleys.

Younger me thought that all Harley guys were posers. In the 90s I had a coworker who had one (I don't know models, but it was something like FXS Softail) that was mildly customized. I put fork seals in it for him and took it for a ride afterward. The torque delivery made for a really nice cruiser. I softened my stance a little at that point. It's the "buy a Harley, buy the costume" guys that turn me off. 

For me, it's the Jeeps with tons of bolt-on accessories, ducks, "you wouldn't understand" stickers, etc. AKA - the Mall Crawlers. I'm partial to CJs, having had 8 or 9 of them over the years. My current poser Jeep:

Harley V-Rod or Sportster. Harley guys think they're fast. Nobody else does.

Chrysler 300 in any form but extra points for the Bentley grille. This car says you managed to talk your baby momma into using her welfare check to buy you rimz.

AWD non-turbo Eclipse. Why? WHY?

Plymouth Prowler. This car is actually neutral. Lame because Chad Kroger owns one. Cool because Dean owns one so there is balance in the universe.

akylekoz said:

So many levels of poser, Like the dunes?  Got Paddles, No, Poser.

Ride a motocross bike, race it?  No, Poser.  But I like tight woods riding, don't care, Race Hare Scrambles.

Drink wine?  Know anything about it? No, poser.

My favorite, wear expensive clothes?  Rich? no, poser.  Conversely, I see a lot of scrappy looking guys coming out of 100k cars, quickly and quietly, the anti-poser.

Drink? like to get drunk? No, Poser.

Back to cars.

My blanket poser car is the sporty or muscle car with an automatic, pre DCT.  Blah,Blah newer autos are better, those don't count.

That mentality is probably why I don't care much for the term "poser". To me, I hear that word and I can't help but associate it with a kid in high school with a limited world view. 

For as long as I can remember, my father has loved (and owned) Corvettes. He currently has a low mileage C5 Z06 that is in immaculate condition. When I think C5Z, I immediately think: most bang for the buck you can buy for a track car build. My dad? He's never been on a race track in his life. By my estimation, his driving skills, well, let's just say they leave a lot to be desired. I'm not sure if he knows what the word "apex" means. But I do know one thing: he loves that car and it puts a smile on his face. So who cares what I think? Who am I to judge? 

My wife is in the same boat. That little woman is barely 117 lbs after Thanksgiving. She owns a 485hp Challenger 392 Scat Pack. I poke fun at her for barely being able to see over the hood lol. She's never been to a drag strip in her life (although I have taken her to an autocross school and a track day at HPR back when she used to have a Camaro). The tach on that car almost never goes over 2500rpm. Yet, for some inexplicable reason, she absolutely adores that car. Again, it's her life. Who am I to judge? 

Both of them probably think I'm crazy (they might have a point). I've dumped boatloads of money into E36 M3boxes I've tracked over the years, with no hope of redeeming the steady stream of cash that I flush down the toilet. While I would say they're probably both supportive, they don't get it. It's not their thing. It's also not their life or their money. If I want to blow money on my stupid cars/parts/hobbies, that's my prerogative. Who is anyone else to judge? It's by that mentality that I can't really fault others for what they choose to drive, or why- even if it's not something I would buy. 

I couldn't care less what image someone else might be trying to convey by buying whatever XYZ car they desire, regardless of their motivations. If they're buying it out of some deep rooted insecurity, to be seen as "cool", or "tough", or "rich", or whatever else they're trying to portray to the public at large, that's their own demon they have to battle and it's honestly none of my business. If it makes them smile, truly, who am I to judge? 

dean1484 said:

I find this thread funny as 5 of my cars according to people here are poser cars. I actually found it a bit insulting. I have worked dam hard to afford them and I maintain them to the highest standard and yet somehow I am a poser.  This thread has been eye opening. 
 

Some of it I am hoping is tongue and cheek but that is not immediately clear to me. 

Yes. We are dealing in stereotypes, which is inherently shaky business, and also has any number of regional variations. I came to the defense of Harley Guy because the ones that I grew up with were working class people who bought them because they were cheap and had character. They weren't that fast, but could be made reasonably so by the standards of the time (Not unlike the aircooled veedub crew in that aspect). I really like my C63 Mercedes because it's a hell of a car, and as the last of their NA v8s is historically significant in a small way. Do I pretend to be a hedge fund manager? No, I dress the same for my beater truck or my car.

And sometimes I'm guilty of Humor deficiency.  

In reply to roninsoldier83 :

You get my point.

I put together a 900+ Hp car for a buddy.  It has a tranny cooler, rear end cooler, cooler for the cooler.  He loves it and uses about 25% of its capability.

Loving what you love doesn't make you a poser.

Anything that you choose brag about how expensive either the parts you buy are or the payments you're making are comes across as a poser.

I am all for hearing about the deals people score on second hand parts or being right place right time clearance deals on a floor model part, but bragging about your 'Ultra-Special-Exclusive-Limited-Extreme-Spiffy-Smashing' part you took out a mortgage to pay for screams "Look at me!!"

(Caveat: I fully understand that *actual* race car safety gear is and never will be "cheap", but cost is never brought up when showing someone your new safety gear unless whoever you are showing asks, its usually "hey check out the new cage / seat!")

There are definitely plenty of poser Harley owners, but there are also a ton of them that just put the miles on their bikes endlessly. I would posit that there are as many high mileage Harleys as any other bike, maybe more. To me a 10 year old CBR1000RR with 1200 miles on it is more of a poser bike than a 5 year old Harley with 150k miles on it.

But really, there's no such thing in my book as a poser car. They're machines, made to be used and enjoyed, let people like them.

A Mondial Convertible is just cool.

codrus (Forum Supporter) said: 

Old school lambos were all about over-the-top design and pushing high top speeds -- they were not driver's cars in the way that Ferraris of a similar vintage were.  

Depends on what you mean by old school. The 'old school' models were 400 GT, Miura, Espada, Countach. After that Lamborghini left and it turned into silly car territory.

In reply to akylekoz :

100% 

I fully agree. 

ddavidv said:

Harleys are low-hanging fruit for this discussion. 50% of the riders own them for the ability to instantly be a member of a cosplay group. The other half actually like the bikes for what they are, and are often very cool people who will even compliment my Triumph (including one Hells' Angel guy). Problem is, you never know which one you're gonna get.

I think you're being generous to the legitimate Harley owners by suggesting 50%. I chose Harleys because it is, like you said, low hanging fruit. But it really applies to any cruiser, and maybe the Japanese cruisers are even worse for it. When you see a middle aged guy with a beard wearing the badass outfit, black boots, jeans, black T shirt and (hopefully not leather) vest with a black beanie helmet riding a Honda it's pretty funny how normal that look has become.

Let's consider how easy it is to make assumptions, that's what this thread is about. When I bought the C5Z everybody said, ooh, midlife crisis car.  Well no, I've driven high performance cars my entire life. Because I can finally afford something reasonably high end doesn't mean anything other than I can afford to drive whatever I feel like.

The thing is that its really impossible to know if someone is a poser or not without talking to them most of the time. A dentist cosplaying on a harley because he enjoys the experience and wants to fit in with the culture is a little different than the guy who bought one because he things it will make him look tough and get chicks. Its more about the reason than the thing itself a lot of the time.

wspohn said:

codrus (Forum Supporter) said: 

Old school lambos were all about over-the-top design and pushing high top speeds -- they were not driver's cars in the way that Ferraris of a similar vintage were.  

Depends on what you mean by old school. The 'old school' models were 400 GT, Miura, Espada, Countach. After that Lamborghini left and it turned into silly car territory.

By "old school" I mean basically everything before VW/Audi bought them -- those you mentioned plus the Diablo.

So what if someone is a poseur? And isn't looking down on any sort of auto enthusiast the opposite of what GRM is about?

dean1484 said:

I find this thread funny as 5 of my cars according to people here are poser cars. I actually found it a bit insulting. I have worked dam hard to afford them and I maintain them to the highest standard and yet somehow I am a poser.  This thread has been eye opening. 
 

Some of it I am hoping is tongue and cheek but that is not immediately clear to me. 

I wouldn't look into it too deeply.  Cars are just cars, the people who own them define what's poser and non-poser. Some cars attract more posers than others, but it is entirely possible to own such cars and not be a poser.  

dean1484 said:

I find this thread funny as 5 of my cars according to people here are poser cars. I actually found it a bit insulting. I have worked dam hard to afford them and I maintain them to the highest standard and yet somehow I am a poser.  This thread has been eye opening. 
 

Some of it I am hoping is tongue and cheek but that is not immediately clear to me. 

I wouldn't look into it too deeply.  Cars are just cars, the people who own them define what's poser and non-poser. Some cars attract more posers than others, but it is entirely possible to own such cars and not be a poser.