I always forget that not all car people are good people

I don't hang with single marque clubs because I just don't want to limit myself; I like pretty much all cars with the exception of German stuff. Even with those I appreciate the older ones; I've had a 914 and would love to have a round taillight 2002.

Richard heads are everywhere out there; they drive anything and everything. They are in the dirt bike world too. I pretty much couldn't care less with one exception: the ones who spend as much on a car as I did on a house then demand respect based on that. (As if poor financial decisions made for the sake of 'enhancing' one's social status should engender respect.) They aren't really that common, or at least not in the circles I run in. I've met two of them, one's a Ferrari owner (he's a true asshat) and the other has an Aston Martin. P car owners seem to have a disproportionate number of them but they don't seem as intense as the two standouts mentioned.

When I do meet up with these types, I take great pleasure (hidden behind a poker face) in beating the crap out of their high price shinymobiles with a ~$8000 cobbled together rotary powered Britmobile.

As a 30 year owner of a Triumph Spitfire, I can tell you the snobbiest people to me are the owners of "real Triumphs" you know, those with TR in the name (except TR-7 owners).

Of course Jag owners pretty much scorn all other Brit cars.

Triumph and MG people can't stand each other; it's the Limey version of Ford vs. Chevy. I've owned both then skipped to a fringe brand, guess that makes me a hoor.

Come to think of it, I went to a Buccaneer Region AX in Savannah with the Abomination and laid down FTD; there was one guy who acted as if he hated my guts. Huh? I mean to the point where I was keeping my distance, I thought he might take a swing at me. I was flipping through my mental file cabinet, had I messed with someone's wife? I was then told he was a P car owner (Cayman) used to FTD'ing constantly and I'd beat him by a second. I guess he told all his buddies I was a richard head. Oh, well; I've been called worse.

Shoot, if (actually when) someone beats my times I go talk to them, treat them nice, shake their hand, see what speed secrets I can steal.

I see a lot of "my cheap car can outran these $$ cars". I can tell you that bothers some guys, but many it does not. I had a camry almost outrun my 85 911 one time, and I DID get beat by a modified chevy truck. That did not bother me at all, the camry was still a camry, and the truck was cool as hell so props to him. It seems like a lot of times guys with expensive cars are targets for dudes with E36 M3boxes and something to prove. I have both expensive cars and modified E36 M3boxes....I'm so conflicted. lol

Chris_V wrote: I dunno. I read through these forums and I see just as much closed minded hating of cars and groups that aren't someone's favorite as there are in any marque club event. You guys tend to be open minded about cheap beater projects, but that's about where it ends, it seems.

Just adding my agreement to this sentiment.

tr8todd wrote: I find the biggest dbags are the ones that make a living selling parts and services to a particular single car maker group of enthusiasts, and their fanboi entourages that always seem to chime in on their behalf. A cool car is a cool car whether its your cup of tea or not. Don't be hating because they ain't you. You look like a fool when the car you just slammed ran circles around you.

Agreed. There is a certain DSM/EVO parts supplier that is a complete jerk but has such a cult following that he's often times defended and lifted up as a good guy by his fanbois.

Cotton wrote: It seems like a lot of times guys with expensive cars are targets for dudes with E36 M3boxes and something to prove. I have both expensive cars and modified E36 M3boxes....I'm so conflicted. lol

To me they certainly are targets (in the standings, not personally, unless the driver is a dick in which case gloating would be fair play ), because I consider beating a big-money car with a modded E36 M3box to be the holy grail of racing. Can't wait to bring out my Corolla against the Evo X...it might not be possible to win but you bet I'm gunning for him.

patgizz wrote: try driving a 4 door 50's through 70's anything to any type of hot rod meet. 90% of the comments are "too bad it's a 4 door" or "it has 2 too many doors." nevermind it fits your needs, has baby seats in the back, and will wipe the floor with their 2 door whatever in a straight line or around a corner. "car guys" can be downright snooty nose up in the air snobs. if it's cool, i like it. if you're at the track running it, that's even better.

Or showing up to an autocross with a full-size wagon. Most everyone is nice about it, especially the older guys, but quite a few people just think I am there to muck about.

Richard Nixon wrote: Or showing up to an autocross with a full-size wagon. Most everyone is nice about it, especially the older guys, but quite a few people just think I am there to muck about.

There's nothing wrong with showing up to muck about anyway. Some guys show up with drift cars and their primary intent is sidewaystastic hoonage, and as long as they don't wantonly plow over cones I have no problem with them.

After I lapped the paddock jerk in the Nissan GTR (driving my decidely ratty e36 M3) I went by his spot and asked "I got around you pretty easily; is that thing fueling right?"

Kenny_McCormic wrote:

Duke wrote:

patgizz wrote: try driving a 4 door 50's through 70's anything to any type of hot rod meet.

There is a certain faction in *all* types of car groups that just hates 4-doors and always will. I dun geddit.

They're jealous you paid half as much for a nearly identical car.

You kidding? It's super hard to find a good 4 door... people demo derbied them all and saved the 2 doors, what with their leaky weatherstripping and sagging A-pillars from their 300 pound doors...

I will give props to the Lotus guys. I ran one of their events at Barber some years back. A great group of guys that didn't take themselves very seriously. Actually the best time I ever had a marque event.

Also, our Alfa club when I was a member lacked much of the problem associated with brand specific clubs too. It helped that we mostly just ate Italian and drank wine!

In reply to Knurled:

Yeah, but when they come up, a good 4 door almost never fetches anywhere near what an equivalent 2 door does.

racerdave600 wrote: I will give props to the Lotus guys. I ran one of their events at Barber some years back. A great group of guys that didn't take themselves very seriously. Actually the best time I ever had a marque event. Also, our Alfa club when I was a member lacked much of the problem associated with brand specific clubs too. It helped that we mostly just ate Italian and drank wine!

I used to hang with the Lotus club back in Ottawa, in the pre-Elise days when every Lotus was an old Lotus. Quite a cast of characters. They'd make fun of my soulless Japanese copy, I'd offer to carry spare parts. We had a good time.

In reply to Keith, this was early days for the Elise, so there were a few there. Most however were the older stuff. Lots of Europas, Elans, etc. And of course 7's. In fact, I drove a 7 copy very similar to the one you built and was well received. If I remember, I set the second fastest time at the autocross next to full up modern Caterham, a 500R I think. Good fun!

I have felt the same attitude from members here, one of you jumped on my thread about the wife's 11 F150 5.0 which as purchased had a 8" lift, I also recall Tim getting grief about purchasing a 335i.

We have the ability to be the same dick as anyone else.

Keep that in mind guys.

Curmudgeon wrote: Triumph and MG people can't stand each other; it's the Limey version of Ford vs. Chevy. I've owned both then skipped to a fringe brand, guess that makes me a hoor.

Our British car club is for all British makes, so we only have good natured prodding at each other. But we all pick on the guy with the brown TR-6 because we all know sport cars are not brown.

aussiesmg wrote: I also recall Tim getting grief about purchasing a 335i.

We were just trying to save Tim from becoming a prick

racerdave600 wrote: I used to be a member of that particular club....and what you experienced is why I used to be there. Truthfully they are not all that way, but enough are to ruin the experience. I've been in a lot of clubs and it was probably the worst for that type of behavior.

You get a little of that when you show up to a bmwcca autox in a 4cyl e36 compact and proceed to make all but 1 person look really bad......the one who beat me put in a heroic effort by a good e30M3 owner, and he barely beat my conaistant times. The e30 owner was cool as hell though, and we deemed that event "Revenge of the 4cyl"

Strangely enough, that event and another at an hpde led in part to my permabanning from bf.c

sesto elemento wrote: I was a guest at a semiluxury/semiperformance oriented/usually a sedan club of america event recently and was super unimpressed with some of the people's attitudes. I made the mistake of complimenting a guy with an e36, he asked what I drove and proceeded to tell me my is300 was a store brand facsimile of his, and that lexus did a "reasonable job on the knock off".

Sounds like he pretty much nailed it. What's the fuss about?

tr8todd wrote: I find the biggest dbags are the ones that make a living selling parts and services to a particular single car maker group of enthusiasts, and their fanboi entourages that always seem to chime in on their behalf. A cool car is a cool car whether its your cup of tea or not. Don't be hating because they ain't you. You look like a fool when the car you just slammed ran circles around you.

Turner Motorsport > JOO.....