"Car guy*" is a term that can hold a lot of different meanings. I know a lot of different people who label themselves "car guys" and there's a pretty big range of variation in what that means. Some of them have restored classics, some have rebuilt engines, some hate driving and love wrenching, some hate wrenching and love driving, others love both, and plenty of them couldn't tell an EGR from an LSD (or even LSD from an LSD...). Lots of different kinds of car people out there.
But, if you ask me, there are only two types of people who call him or herself a "car person". And they're separated by a major distinction.
The first is people who LOVE CARS. Whether it's driving, wrenching, looking, talking, or anything else in regards to cars.
The second is people who love THEIR car. They love the car they bought and own and put their time and money into.
And because "car guy" is generally a self-applied title, it's hard to tell them apart.
Except it's not hard at all.
And it's the first group, the ones who just love cars, who I consider the "real" car people. Maybe vehicles in general. Maybe they're bike guys or plane guys or even train guys. But they're the ones here for the love of the hobby. And it's what makes them different from the second group that makes our hobby such a great one. Automotive enthusiast communities are huge, passionate, and often very welcoming and friendly and even loyal. It's a hobby that traverses a lot of common divisions, be they cultural, gender, race, or even physical ability. When you know someone else is a "car guy," it's easy to find a common ground and talk cars--or anything else. Whether it's Chip Foose leaning over the barrier at the live SEMA filming of an Overhaulin' episode, or your neighbor who just finished rebuilding his TR7, or your other neighbor who traded his Corvette for an Accord but still loves to wrench. We can spot each-other in a crowd and enjoy shooting the breeze about our love of cars. ALL cars. All things automotive.
And that's the key. I'm a car guy, and I don't care what anyone else thinks of my car. Don't misunderstand: I love to hear "oh, man, I love those things!" or other compliments about my car. As a car guy, I consider my car an extension of myself (even an expression of my personality). So a compliment to my car is a complement to me, at least in my perception. But that's not the PURPOSE. That's not why I do it. If you think the LS is a mess of Americanized euro-weirdness, that's great. I didn't buy my LS8 for anyone but me. I bought it because I love cars, and specifically I love DOHC V8-powered RWD luxury sport sedans. And if you think my car's a joke, we can still talk cars. Because the LS8 isn't the only car ever made. And that goes for your Passat, or your goofy-a** Volvo, or your Accord, or that Hyundai Accent you bought to commute in that turned out pretty enjoyable. Or any car. We don't have to like each-other's cars. We love CARS. Not THE cars. The hobby. The experience.
And it's at this point that we come to the 2nd group. Where our "Real Car Guys" are inclusive and supportive, our second group is exclusive and judgemental.
These are the guys who are NOT in it for the hobby. They're not in it for the camaraderie. They are in it for the praise. They want you to love THEIR car. They want you to tell them that their Golf makes you hot and sweaty and that you think they're awesome because they drive that car. As for your car, who cares? We're all here to talk about their car.
When these guys ask "what do you think of my car" they don't want a frank discussion about how Ford's Fisher Price school of interior design isn't exactly appealing. They want a compliment. They want you to tell them it's amazing and unique and creative and great. And in most cases it won't be any of those things because they picked that car and that style and those tail lights and wheels and that "stance" specifically because it has already proven popular, so it's a risk-free compliment factory.
And if you don't like their car, they will not want to talk about their car (or any car) with you any more. Because you're a hater now. Any compliment of their car is a compliment of them, and any insult the same. They aren't interested in talking cars. They're interested in talking about how great their car is.
And the reason I don't consider these people "real car guys" is that all of this really has nothing to do with cars. Cars (their car) are the medium by which they achieve their narcissism. For others it's some other means. But the car was never the point with these guys. The car was the means to the real end: the need for validation.
Real car guys don't give a damn what you think of THEIR car. They didn't buy their car for you, or anyone else except their own self. Real car guys might use their car as a way to kick off a conversation about cars (ALL cars). But they don't care what you think. If it's not your style, it doesn't matter to them. And it's not that your opinion doesn't matter. Rather, it simply isn't the point. You have your car; they have theirs. The point is not THE cars. The point is cars.
Thanks for being real car guys. Real car guys (and girls!) are what makes the hobby fun. Real car guys are the reason things like NICO exist. Real car guys are the reason a few interesting cars in a parking lot can turn into a mini "meet" and an afternoon of bs'ing with random people. Some real car guys don't even know they are. I saw a fairly well-kept Cressida in a parking lot the other day as I was throwing groceries in my trunk. A girl approached and unlocked the door, and I said "Hey, nice Cressida." She looked kind of taken aback and pleased and told me "Thanks! I love my car. My dad wants me to get a new one but I can't find anything I like as much without spending a ton." We talked about why the Cressida is so enjoyable for a bit, and then left.
One of my employees parked her 2nd gen Mazda 6 next to me a couple days ago, and I mentioned that I'm pretty fond of Mazda 6es. She asked me if I wanted to take it for a drive, and when I refused (I'm even more picky about driving other peoples' cars than I am about letting other people drive mine) she insisted that I go for a ride while she showed me everything she likes about it.
Another of my employees just bought a 5th gen Passat, and he began a conversation one day with "you're going to hate my new car." And I don't hate it (not fond of it). It's a sludge-free V6, so I can't make too much fun of it. But it sure is a good conversation piece for both of us.
I love my car. It's NOT unique, not customized or "personalized" (unless you count the home depot brass HVAC bypass valve in the heater core coolant line) and it's certainly not particularly interesting in the grand scheme of automotive things. I don't really care if you love my car (although...come on...230 ft-lb @ 2000rpm...
) or even if you hate it. What I do care about is talking cars with car people.*Please excuse the use of "guy". It's used here in its gender-neutral form, since it works better as a generic plural than "women," "girls," or "men."
