Just for giggles does what you drive share how you will vote?

1. 86

   tsmogposted 2 years ago

   Being in the auto field for forty years and an avid fan of auto racing, hot/street rods, and vintage restoration the cosmos spoke to me saying, "Since what you drive pretty much is an extension of your identity/personality does it reflect your party choice and how you will vote?"
   
   Seems so from one study by Strategic Vision or at least their is a propensity for it. They gathered data from over 300,000 new car buyers to see which way they voted. One thing I would bet a dollar on is manufacturers would determine which political show to spend advertising on.
   
   Is it BS?
   
   Does it fit your choice of vehicle?
   
   Could it be used to prompt a casual conversation of the political nature?
   
   Thoughts?
   
   Vehicles And Voting: What Your Car Might Say About How You’ll Vote by Forbes Wheels
   https://www.forbes.com/wheels/news/what … -you-vote/

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      savvydatingposted 2 years agoin reply to this

      Hmmm. I've always assumed that the majority of Subaru owners are Progressives. So, I do believe that particular research is correct. On the other hand, everyone I know who has owned an Audi, BMW, Volvo, Cadillac, Land Rover, and Lexus voted Democrat. But then, most people I know are Democrats, so who is to say?
      
      Funny you mention this subject only because I have always given Subaru drivers a wide berth. Frankly, I hate the way they drive. In my experience, they drive under the speed limit, yet do not mind cutting someone off and then strangely speed up even if the yellow traffic light is on the verge of turning red.
      
      On the other hand, I've experienced the same phenomenon with men who drive big monster trucks.
      
      As for the other cars, they seem to drive like normal human beings, more or less.
      
      I own an old Toyota Avalon XLS, which I love. I think that puts me in the middle-right category, which is about right.

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         Ken Burgessposted 2 years agoin reply to this

         Its an interesting topic.
         
         I know a few very "liberal left" people myself, they are driving gas guzzlers.
         
         I wouldn't put myself in a political category, but many on here would, and it wouldn't be "liberal left" that would be chosen.
         
         Yet I own two electric vehicles, spend zero on gas, and almost zero on maintenance (no oil changes, fuel pumps, mufflers to worry about).

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         1. 86

            tsmogposted 2 years agoin reply to this

            Yeah, I thought of you reading the article being a strong advocate for EV. I imagine conservative views on economics may enter into reasons for a vehicle choice too. Yet, I am not the sharpest tool in the shed as far as economics goes other than Micro.

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      Sharlee01posted 2 years agoin reply to this

      It does not seem to be BS.  I did a quick think about my friends and family, and I think they may have something.
      
      Does it fit your choice of vehicle? They did not mention my vehicle ( sports car) So not sure what that says about me.  And yes I think this is a fun subject that could prompt casual conversation of a political nature.
      
      I enjoyed the read.

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      alancaster149posted 2 years agoin reply to this

      I started to drive later than most because of a lack of adequate funds for what I wanted until I was given my marching orders by Conrad Black's Telegraph Publishing plc. late in 1994. I had a short wheelbase Series III 1981 diesel Land Rover modified as a sort of estate car to take my family out and about. My next 'Landie' was bought with the aid of a loan, a 1971 Series IIA petrol Safari Estate, one of only 500 built. I bought a 1981 SIII Safari Estate with pressure vents in the roof, 'armed' with a Perkins 3 litre diesel that did OK until it started to chuck out black smoke. Time for a rethink, all of ten minutes after discussion with my garage out in Essex (I live in East London). The outcome was a Land Rover 2.5 litre 300 TdI - that chewed through the old gearbox like a hot knife through butter. Another rethink (they always cost money, but luckily my garage was friendly and a reconditioned 5 speed gearbox was 'married up' to the existing 4WD gearbox (that hadn't been chewed up) and ran like a bomb. An initial 'cough' of grey smoke gave way with each ignition to 'clean burn' ... Then one day when I sat in a local pub she was nicked (stolen, for our friends across the Pond), and only days after passing her MoT test (Ministry of Transport roadworthyness test)!! The insurance people coughed up after I sent the police report I was asked to get, but had to pay for work on the house roof. What I had left paid for a Discovery I that I drove around the North York Moors and Yorkshire Dales in my free time. But all good things come to an end, she failed her MoT! (I'd been warned). Now I drive my elder daughter's cast-off 2003 VW petrol Polo. She's got a lot of mileage behind her since I took her over, but I've still hankered after a Landie. Trouble is, in this Labour-controlled area I now have to pay to park out on the street, £100 a year this year for a 1.4 litre car! So I now also hanker after a change of council to Tory (Conservative) because Labour have turned into a bunch of 'eco-bloodsuckers'. I can dream ...

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         tsmogposted 2 years agoin reply to this

         I imagine Nathanville will understand more about the last part of your contribution since he is knowledgeable of UK politics. But, I get the point. You have given me motivation to consider the politics regarding how it affects the auto industry. hmmmm . . .

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      Credence2posted 2 years agoin reply to this

      Most interesting, Tsmog..
      
      I have never thought about it that way.
      
      I have 1 KIA van, and not so much a latemodel. I tend to be utilitarian, not much use for status symbols and glitz. Even, if I had copious amounts of cash I have no ego to bruise, at least not that would reflect in the kind of car I buy and drive.
      
      That may also show in the fact that I have no interest in sports/competitions, etc. I got past the part of having to make a "statement" with the car I drove back during my late teens and early twenties.
      
      While working for National Park Service during the 1980s, there was an exception. I was living in the Rocky Mountains at 9000ft elevations with horrendous weather conditions and such. Most every other car that "mountain people" drove were Suburus. They, by the people's choice had earned a reputation of being both rugged and reliable. That, was a premium for me.
      
      It is as Mr. Walton, the man behind the successful Walmart retail chain, once said when asked why after his being so successful with his stores did he continue to drive his beat up, old pickup truck?
      
      He replied, "it serves me as it is". That is my take. 
      
      I will check out your article, thanks.
      
      It is hard for me to find correlation between the car I drive and my political leanings. It is an interesting topic all the same.

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   GA Andersonposted 2 years ago

   Hey Wilderness, were you a 'Prius' voter?
   
   GA ;-)
   
   GA

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      tsmogposted 2 years agoin reply to this

      Hmmmm . . . He and Ken give cause to consider the validity of the article don't they? Even I driving a '07 Honda Fit today does. He drives a hybrid of some sort saying he was getting a new/used one soon or has. I think it is a GM model.

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3. 70

   abwilliamsposted 2 years ago

   I'm currently driving a 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee. I love it, don't even want to think about getting a new car! It's an 8 cyl. engine, a prerequisite for me. It has a sunroof, also a must!! I love windows down, sunroof wide open {when it isn't 90+ degrees}
   I like having the power to get up to speed quickly and on down the road, don't enjoy getting caught up in traffic. When I do, I am off at the first exit, seeking an alternative route! Not sure what any of this says about me, no telling, but there it is!

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      tsmogposted 2 years agoin reply to this

      I miss the days of V-8 power or even my V-6 in my '82 S-10 now long gone. I got my Honda Fit for several reasons one being able to fit into the parking spaces they give you these days. I had to get into my car a month or so back through the passenger door. ha-ha Go figure . . .

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   Stephen Tomkinsonposted 2 years ago

   I have never driven and don't have a car. I don't vote either. Is there a connection?

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      tsmogposted 2 years agoin reply to this

      hmmm . . . Maybe?

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5. 91

   Nathanvilleposted 2 years ago

   I had difficulty in following the list in that we tend not to use acronyms such as SUV in the UK e.g. our references tend to be on using whole words like Saloon car, Hatchback, Estates etc.  so what American’s call an RV we call a motorhome.
   
   Anyway, although I don’t drive myself my wife and son both have a Daihatsu Terios car each; and we’re all politically ‘Socialists’ – so I assume that combination of cars and politics is a reasonable match?
   
   But yes, there is probably some relationship between the type of car you drive and your politics; to a large degree e.g. a wealthy person, who may well be more inclined to vote Conservative because of their wealth will generally want to buy an expensive car; whereas people on lower income, who traditionally are more likely to support Labour can only afford the cheaper cars.
   
   The reason that we have chosen to have Daihatsu Terios is that they are:-
   
   •    Optional four wheel drive.
   •    Compact (small)
   •    Large Boot (storage area), especially when you push the back seats down.
   •    Economical to run
   
   Daihatsu Terios:  https://youtu.be/xMPQr1U17BE

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   1. 86

      tsmogposted 2 years agoin reply to this

      Most definitely there are a lot of reasons for vehicle choice. It is interesting what that marketing company came up realizing the motive. As far as wealth as a connection EV cars aren't cheap. So, I would have to ponder that.

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      1. 91

         Nathanvilleposted 2 years agoin reply to this

         Yeah, EV is an interesting point; and very poignant for Brits in that the British Government is set to ban fossil fuel cars from 2030 (just 8 years from now).  So many people, whether they can afford it or not, are beginning to think about switching to EVs sooner rather than later; many putting it off for a few more years in the hope, and expectation, that prices will fall.

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            alancaster149posted 2 years agoin reply to this

            To be honest I don't think HMG were going to meet that deadline anyway. I read it's been pushed out to 2035, and I think that'll be missed as well because it's unrealistic. Imagine the scrap yards bursting with petrol or diesel vehicles, from cars to trucks? It'd have to be pushed along and thought out better. What we call 'Classic Cars' in the UK will need to be gently phased out of road usage, and then roll on until all that's left on the road are hybrids and electrics... Even then there'll be resistance. With electric cars the re-charge will go down gradually and eventually it'll be found that even 2040 is unrealistic. People who live in hilly or mountainous regions will find a charge doesn't last as long as a tankful of petrol or diesel, until an electric engine is developed that can compete with fossil fuel engines. Many routes in, say, North Yorkshire, Derbyshire, Lancashire and the Lake District have winding roads, sharp Z-bends and so on, on gradients of 1:3 and 1:4. Have electric car makers even considered the strains on electric motors to cope with them, or 1:5 which is the average in places like Sheffield or Leeds and further out into the Pennines, in winter, with ice, snow and slush? I don't think they have. The  Government and its acolytes - whether Conservative, Labour, Liberal Democrat or Green are going to get their heads together to think properly whether forcing through 'de facto' changes to suit the green movements,  who live mostly in cities and towns and don't understand the needs of country dwellers. Try cycling up a winding 1:3 or 1:4 with shopping, eco-friends, with tools or materials in a trailer in winter, in blizzards or in summer in hot conditions. The answer isn't for everybody to live in towns or cities, and visit the countryside when it's nice and lush and green.

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               Nathanvilleposted 2 years agoin reply to this

               You make some interesting points, and yes over the next 8 years Government planned targets may change; it wouldn’t be the first time.  But I am a little bit more optimistic than you that we are heading in the right direction for near full electrification of the roads by 2030.
               
               The original target date of 2040 has been bought forward 10 years, and I’ve seen no official publication suggesting that there’s any intention to push that back.
               
               •    Most of the car manufacturers who remained after Brexit have predominantly switched to the manufacture of EV cars.
               
               •    In 2021 11.6% of all new car sales in the UK were EV cars, and
               
               •    In 2021 7% of all new car sales in the UK were plug-in hybrids
               
               Thus 18.5% (almost a fifth) of all new cars sold in the UK in 2021 can be plugged in, that’s a fivefold increase in EV cars over the past five years; so the tide is turning in favour of EVs.
               
               Also, although there is still a long way to go by 2030 in developing the infrastructure, we are off to a good start in that there are now more than 42,000 charge point connectors across the UK in over 15,500 locations - that's more public places to charge than petrol stations!
               
               Also, I appreciate what you say about country driving, but the technology is improving, and prices will fall.  You can currently expect between 100 and 300 miles of range from a fully charged electric car, depending on the model.  For example, real test runs (not the manufacturers claims) for EV car range on a full battery in the UK for three of the models is:-
               
               •    Volkswagen e-Golf = 120 miles
               •    Nissan Leaf = 138 miles
               •    Hyundai Kona = 250 miles
               
               Yeah, 17.1% of the British population live in rural areas, so for them getting an EV with a long distance battery, and getting to know where the local public charge points are in their area is going to be more critical.  But did you know for example that SHELL OIL have been rolling out electric charge points in their petrol stations for the past few years; and that increasingly, most supermarkets and public car parks are rolling out electric charge points for people to top up their EV while shopping or parking.
               
               As regards ‘Classic Cars’ I would envisage that the same concessions are made to them as are made to the steam trains enthusiasts who still operate steam trains (using coal) throughout the UK; so I would imagine that the annual London to Bright rally will continue for a long time to come yet.
               
               And most people who buy EVs will have their own charge points installed at home, so for all but long journeys there will be little or no need to fully charge, perhaps just a top up while shopping or parking for a few hours.
               
               And it’s not as if all fossil fuel cars will be scrapped all at once in 2030; it will be phased e.g. many people will by EV in the coming years leading up to 2030, some will leave it until the last moment, but from 2030 the law is that all ‘New Sales’ will be banned, so people who buy petrol cars in 2029 will still be able to drive it for the life of the vehicle – but by that time the cost of petrol will be so prohibitively expensive that it’ll not be economical to run a fossil fuel car, electric cars will be a lot cheaper to run.

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                  alancaster149posted 2 years agoin reply to this

                  You paint a gloomy picture for owners of older vehicles, or who buy older vehicles on the second-hand market like me. I've never owned a new car yet, and while I can still get one I'll drive it. I've owned four Land Rovers of varying build years between 1971 and 1991 for off-road driving and driving on metalled roads. Going by your table of VW e-golf, Nissan Leaf and Hyundai Kona, I'd get less than halfway from London to South Teesside (home territory) with the VW, just over halfway with the Nissan and just about get there with the Hyundai. My last Landie, the 1991 Discovery 1 got me there with fuel to spare for a day of local driving the day after. Supposing there were delays on, say, the A1(M), the first two could land me in trouble before I got halfway. The third would see me as far as York or Thirsk, which means leaving the A1(M) and driving maybe ten-twenty miles out of my way depending on the nearest exit/re-entry. A waste of maybe an hour or two each time getting back into traffic or finding an alternative viable route. Wearside, Tyneside or beyond would be out of the question, or even Upper Teesdale (Barnard Castle or Cotherstone). I'd have to calculate each trip plus added mileages before I set out, making any trip away from a metropolitan area a quasi-military undertaking. Nice if you liv in the City or suburbs of a major city and just pop to your supermarket after dropping off the kids to school, and then pay a visit to grannie a few streets away. You could last a few days between charges. Round the corner from me an electric saloon owner has his car plugged in every time i pass. With each charge his range is reduced. Think of the wastage of materials on replaced batteries. Who disposes of them, and is it legal? (I've seen pictures of 'ship breakers' in Bangladesh who wade through knee-deep pools of toxic chemicals with no protective gear because their bosses made an extraordinarily low bid to dispose of vessels. Will they bid for car batteries?

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                     Nathanvilleposted 2 years agoin reply to this

                     I’m not in a dissimilar position to you.  Admittedly we do live in a city so most of our journeys are just typically 10 miles round trip.  Although like you, we’ve never owned a new car, we always buy second hand cars.   However, we always take three holidays a year; exploring the length and breadth of Britain, and prior to Brexit France and Belgium.
                     
                     Our next holiday, in a couple of weeks, is from Bristol to Durham (south west England to north east England), a total of 277 miles each way.  So if we had an EV, on such a journey we would need to make a pit stop to recharge the battery twice on the journey up; which is no difference to what we do anyway e.g. on long journeys we always take a 20 minute to 30 minute break every couple of hours.
                     
                     And like wise, we often visit London, 130 miles from us, so for a lot of the current EV’s we would need to stop off part way to recharge the battery; but when nipping over to London we always stop off at Reading for a 30 minute rest bite (egg roll, crisps and a coffee).
                     
                     Yeah, I’m sure there will be teething problems as the number of EVs on the road start to outnumber fossil fuel cars (if not before), such as what happens if there are delays and diversions causing you run out of power before you get to the next charge point.  But based on current trends and Government policy it is something we’ll have to face, and get used to.  And I’m sure it will just be teething problems, and not turn out to be a major disaster where the whole economy collapses because of insurmountable traffic issues.
                     
                     Yeah, current batteries are not totally environmentally friendly, but unlike the ship breakers in Bangladesh that you describe, there are proper channels for recycling spent batteries, and when your garage or car dealership replaces a battery they’ll ensure the proper channels are followed to recycle the old batteries.
                     
                     As we speak, in Britain (and no doubt in other countries) there is a lot of R&D (Research and Development) into developing new more sustainable and more environmentally technologies; and if history is anything to go by, we can expect some breakthrough in good time.
                     
                     It’s not going to be an easy path, but we can’t stop change.

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                  tsmogposted 2 years agoin reply to this

                  I am not against EV's, yet I think the goals may be a little ambitious. For instance if I want to go see my sister in Arizona some 456 miles (734km) away from me based on the average miles per charge being about 250 miles (402km) means I would not make it much less would I even be able to afford an EV to begin with.
                  
                  I would have to drive from my city to San Diego about 30 miles (48km) away on Interstate 15 then take Interstate 8 to Phoenix. Phoenix is 354 miles [570 km] away from San Diego, so too far for one charge. Most likely I would charge at Yuma some 172 miles (277 km) away. It is a desolate route too. Where she lives is about 260 miles (418 km) away from that point, so I could hold my breath and hope I make it. Nahh . . .
                  
                  Most likely I would charge again at the next metropolis Phoenix about 193 miles (311 km) away. From there it is about 90 miles (145 km) to where she lives. So, it appears I would need to charge twice on the trip.
                  
                  Yet, the big hiccup to it all is the average vehicle count on I-8 crossing the border between California and Arizona along I-8 is 14,000 per day (2018). So, one may see easily infrastructure will be an amazing feat in just acquiring space alone to handle enough charging stations much less the electricity needed. At least I see it that way. Going to my sister's in Portland, Oregon would be a different challenge being 1,065 miles (1,714 kim) away.

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                     Nathanvilleposted 2 years agoin reply to this

                     Yep, very valid points; as you graphically demonstrate, driving long distances in an EV would be challenging – but (with the right infrastructure) not impossible.  China, a much bigger land mass than Europe and USA, are pushing ahead with their infrastructure with the intention of phasing out fossil fuel cars. 
                     
                     This video of a holidaymaker taking a road trip from Wales to Austria (over 1,000 miles) in his EV Campervan shows what is possible.  https://youtu.be/Xem-MabuOPU

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                        alancaster149posted 2 years agoin reply to this

                        If he sticks to well metalled roads he still has to stop every 100+ miles, and on Alpine roads there are some toe-curling gradients (I've been driven on them as a passenger in a petrol Audi up hairpin bends to the site of a dam in the south, and in a different car to the top of another mountain where temperatures can drop to minus in an instant). What's the braking powered by in an electric car, and does heating drain power in winter, thus shrinking range? A hybrid might be a better solution but HMG is set to shunt them into the scrapyards as well as fossil fuel vehicles. Strange that, as they could lengthen the range of the electrically powered accumulator. The second-hand vehicle I drive, I might've mentioned, is a 2003 VW Polo with 90K-odd on the clock. In the next eight years or so I'll have clocked up a fair bit more in years as well as miles (I'm 75), so the car will see me out  before I decide to jack it in and take the cash scrap value. Enough is enough. There are alternative-fuelled Land Rovers about, maybe I'll get one of them but service stations that sell the stuff are few and far between ... Hobson's choice, eh?

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                           Nathanvilleposted 2 years agoin reply to this

                           Yep, fair points; some of the issues you raise are being researched, so as the technology improves they may become less of an issue.
                           
                           Although one point of interest is that while driving up steep hills, as on the Alpine roads, does drain the battery; driving down them actually recharges the battery in an EV car - It's a technology called 'Regenerative  Breaking'.  Regenerative braking turns your car’s kinetic energy into electricity to charge its battery and boost efficiency. Regenerative braking is a way of taking the wasted energy from the process of slowing down a car and using it to recharge the car’s batteries.

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   tsmogposted 2 years ago

   Just to add to  the conversation on the thread about censoring and free speech I politely replied to each post to this thread this morning. I just reviewed the thread seeing some to many are not there at least in my feed now. I offer thanks to all who did post and apologize that at least for me my reply is not showing.
   
   Does that mean it is delayed and I have to have patience? Since I made so many replies one after the other was it seen as spamming? Oddly, it is mainly those who replied first being right leaning. Should I read something into that?

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