What driving an old Q says about your personality?

[Q45tech]

"There are others like Dixon Thayer, an apparent throwback to the late Sam Walton. Thayer, CEO of health care facilities operator I-trax (DMX) , tools around in an '86 F-250 pickup that may be worth $2,000, but only because he takes such meticulous care of it. "Early in my career I learned to maintain plant and equipment," he says. He refuses to trade in the truck, and hopes that reinforces to his 2,000 employees in 31 states his commitment to frugal resource management."

"Only 10% of nearly 3,000 people asked didn't know what their chief drives, according to a survey by TheLadders.com, a job-search site for those making $100,000-plus. While that might not represent the typical employee, it shows that there is a keen interest in what kind of wheels the person at the helm of the company has."

http://www.usatoday.com/money/...N.htm

Until I explain that maintaining an old Q cost $3,000 per year they think driving a 17 year old car is weird then after they think about all the time I spend plus the money they know it is weird.

But they never sit down and truely calculate all the cost involved with their choice of vehicles.

I laugh everytime I pay $175 for insurance or $38 for an annual tag.

[superuber]

I honestly think the older Q's are better looking than anything now.I don't really look at maintenance any different with my Q. I would be putting money out anyways for another car. Pride of ownership to me is keeping it in top running and top looking condition-all the time-no exceptions! If something is broke, the car is parked and fixed instantly! (people tell me I have issues!)

[Jesda]

The most substantive reason for buying a new car is safety features. But quite a few older cars (Infiniti J30 comes to mind) are tremendously safe. And if thats the case, then its good to keep an old car on the road.

Emissions might not be as clean, but you're consuming fewer resources that come with designing, manufacturing, and shipping a new car. Environmentally speaking, an old Q45 is a net gain.

[maxnix]

My greatest fear is geting dinged by some trophy wife driving an large luxury SUV, drying her nails while talkingon her cell phone nad changing lanes with no signal.

[NightRiderQ45]

I think that my Y33 is the best thing since protein shakes lol!! I love my car. Like superuber state, I would take care of any car I owned. BTW, I was in love with my J30. I wanted to buy another one, but I saw my Y33 and haven't turned back since.

[Haitian_King]

I too have that fear. Driving around Philadelphia, I'm in a state of high alert. Most of the drivers out here don't have insurance and will not hesitate to run away.

The only safety feature that I feel that my Q is lacking, is the passenger side airbag. Other than that, I have TCS, ABS, and a driver's side airbag.

[mtcookson]

Most of the drivers out here don't have insurance and will not hesitate to run away.

People like that and bad drivers are reasons why I like to add a certain little "safety" feature to my cars...

[Haitian_King]

Ah. I'm not of age to own a firearm in my state. And definitely not allowed to carry it in the car. Probably a good thing. I have rage issues .

[Jesda]

Whenever I see a Q45, I look to pull in and park really close to look at its interior. From the vantage point of a large SUV, I can see everything inside.

[CakeDaddy]

"What driving an old Q says about your personality?"

It say you are graceful,conservative and at the same time stylish.

The car below is why I drive what I drive now. My previous car was an older ack legend, but once I saw this picture I knew I wanted an Infiniti. I skipped on the Y33 and F50 and went with the Y34. I happy to be part of the Infiniti family.

[Q45tech]

At one point in time driving an old Q in ATL [city] said you might be a crack dealer. Final evaluation was made on oem vs after market wheels [ color vs chrome] and body level..................mink interior, etc.

Alas this car preference has moved over to Lexus and expensive SUV.

So it's safe to drive the old Q downtown again after 1- AM.

A good useful survey would be to ask every recent Federal and State prisoner what their previous car was [ just before being incarcerated].

We seen some old Q with Kevlar inserts in doors and in trunk to protect gas tank.............had the HP to haul the extra weight.

[paranoidjack]

I think that my Y33 is the best thing since protein shakes lol!! I love my car. Like superuber state, I would take care of any car I owned. BTW, I was in love with my J30. I wanted to buy another one, but I saw my Y33 and haven't turned back since.

SAME

MAN I loved my j30, that car fit like a glove. Seriously, what a great car. Just HORRIBLE in the snow.

[paranoidjack]

A good useful survey would be to ask every recent Federal and State prisoner what their previous car was [ just before being incarcerated.

What a fantastic idea. Shame these things bring lawsuits in the USA now.

[elwesso]

If the question is about personality, I would say that nearly everyone that buys a Q for what they are, and not for what they cost on the market, are usually technically oriented. Look at the guys that are hardcore into Qs here on NICO, at least half are probably engineers and the rest have at least a knack for working on cars, even if they dont have time.

Everyone else drives them because theyre too cheap to buy a car they can actually afford.. instead they buy old Q's and trash them... Sad, but helps keep parts cheap... At least its possible to kill an old Q, unlike a camry or corolla.

For me personally, I drive the Q because of what it was in its time. It was one of the best cars made at the time, and is totally under appreciated.

[tkd_q45]

Both my wife and I like the fact that these are really nice cars w/o any of the baggage of othe brands (IE BMW, MB). The G50 still looks great compared to what's currently out there. Like Q45Tech stated, even w/somewhat high cost of maintainance, you don't have a car payment or rediculous insurance/registration every year. It's still cheaper for me to drive this car (74 miles each day M-F so long as gas does not go above $4/Gal) instead of a Prius!!

[Peterofdevon]

I drive a G50 because of the "feel" of the car. The feedback in the steering wheel, the touch points in the interior, the position of the arm rests, and dead pedel.

It keeps the driver connected to the road but not over so. Its dead quiet and smooth. It kicks *** when it needs to. To me... it's perfect.

I demand perfection in my toys, women (I'm single of course), and things. I dream of having a five stall heated garage with a lift so I can do my own work. I started pumping gas and working on cars when I was 15. I want the working on cars thing back. I used to ride my bicycle to Toms Gulf station in wayne PA 15 miles round trip after school for the night shift till 9:00pm.

Peter

[qship96]

I still drive the G50 because the only other car to really capture my attention enough to lust after it is the Audi A8L,which is too unreliable to ever spend the asking price for.....But,to me,it is a modern day G50 thru and thru...elegant,understated,overlooked,and oozes of greatness

[BadQ45t]

Being a big fan of the 1st gen, an owner and fan of the 2nd gen, and somewhat of a fan of the 3rd, it always irks me when I see trashed Q45's. The G50's in trashed condition started showing up years ago, I have two in my area right now I see all the time. A brown one that has cracking paint, seats cracked up, dashed cracked, and it creaks when they drive it by my house. These people live in a house they paid 1M for too, not poor people (but in the SF Bay Area they are not rich either). There is a white 90-93 one that has a huge bash on the trunk that they never fixed and is now rusted out...these are for sure daily drivers for these people, I just nearly jerk a tear out. I have now seen lots of FY33's in horrible condition and even some newest gens not looking so hot anymore.

Meantime, my 97' is sitting in a body shop having one little ding taken out of the front bumper (thanks to the wife moving my parking stop and smacking my tool chest, grrrrrr) and getting a full detail inside and out.

I think the way you take care of a car says alot about a person. I have 1984 300ZX that I was determined to keep in primo shape when I bought it brand new...most people are completely floored when I'm driving it around and they find out what year it is. I know ever little flaw in the car, but to most the car looks in perfect shape, and for the most part it is...I have buddies on the 4-6th cars later and my Z (not a daily drive anymore) is still cherry!

[DoinkMobb]

I just bought a '94 Q45. I guess I like understated cars - I have a certain attraction to sleepers and the Q seemed to fit the bill. I also like having a "different" car. I see old BMW's, MB's, and Lexuseses all the time, but I never really see any old Infinitis.

My Impreza died and I needed something to get me to work. I didn't want an old Corolla or Civic, even though they'd be cheaper on gas and cheaper to maintain. I enjoy expanding my automotive horizons and I don't mind wrenching on cars.

It doesn't really make sense to buy a 13 year old Japanese luxury car to get to work and back but I think that's what I like about it.

[AlabamaDan]

DoinkMobb, (Interesting Name)

From your one post...I think you'll like it here. Welcome.