Model Loyalty

[andrew_j]

My dad has 4Runners. Just never sold the previous one that worked just did not drive. He has 1990 4Runner. 2010 4Runner in barn and now 2025 4Runner.

He just likes them. All are clean and still run.

 

[ls1mike]

View attachment 299167

Awesome.
I generally only do GM due to the similarity and my selection of tools.

 

[macarose]

Long-term keepers tend to stay with the same brand. In many cases they will even stick to the exact same model for as long as they can find one.

I have customers of mine who have asked me to find older Volvos and Hondas for decades on end. They will absolutely not even touch newer models. The same is true with Toyotas, Suzukis (I kid you not), smart cars, and pretty much every brand except Jaguar and Land Rover. Although I do have a friend of mine who was knee deep in Land Rovers for a long time. I just never sold him one because I usually stay away from them.

There is a lot of OCD related behavior out there. Once people get comfortable with having their lives a certain way, they absolutely will not accept change no matter how small. A lot of the NIMBY issues in our society are due to this obsessive attitude towards keeping things as they are. No matter how inane or counterproductive that behavior may actually be.

As a car dealer I keep absolutely nothing. Every vehicle I buy I get to enjoy, but it's food on the table for my family. That's it. A means to and end. But if I weren't so knee deep into this business I would have likely stuck with Camrys and Miatas.

The only new vehicle I ever bought was a red 1994 Toyota Camry Coupe which is still on the road today with somewhere around 400,000 miles on it. I would have bought another Camry for my wife since having two of the same vehicles makes servicing a lot easier, and probably kept with NA and NB Miatas for the same exact purpose.

 

[fdcg27]

Pretty easy to understand.
One spouse gets a new car and finds it quite decent. Other spouse drives it and thinks the same, so they buy a second one.
I personally prefer to have two quite different vehicles that suit different users and different uses.
The Subie suits my wife with its enormous glass area, high seating position and expansive sunroof. For a bad winter's day it is a beast if we need to go out.
The Accord is more of a heavier use car, with many highway trips, with its greatly superior fuel economy.
It's also quieter and better handling than the Forester, although the Subie has more suspension travel as well as a softer ride.

 

[97prizm]

I’ve noticed something over the years… families that have multiple of the same vehicle.

A block from work I noticed someone got a blue Prologue (same color as the one I had) a few months ago. This week they must have got a 2nd one (in Silver) because every time I drive by they are parked next to each other.

When I walk around my neighborhood many people don’t just have multiple of the same brand of car but the same model.

Sometimes they are identical cars in different color, sometimes multiple generations of the same vehicle in the same color.

Like, this one house has three Volts, a first gen and two 2nd gens. Another house has three red Yukons, a GMT800, GMT900, and whatever the newest ones are called. Another has two current gen Acadias but in different colors.

In your household do you have a tendency to have the same model of car in the family or is it random?

Thetes a house nearby that has four Miatas parked in the driveway. It's funny that you mentioned it. I would guess that certain people like a specific vehicle or possibly if they have kids can inexpensively repair several of the same vehicle as parts and tools share.

 

[ATex7239]

Only Dodge trucks or SUVs and Honda cars in the driveway for a while. Got over it and started to branch out. Now it’s whatever suits the need, budget, and desire. My brand loyalty was really strong and now it’s nonexistent. Not because it didn’t work for me. Just don’t really care anymore. Driving company vehicles with zero options and brand swapping every few years likely helped break me of it. Probably helped me realize some of my personal habits and traits didn’t make much sense if I had to guess.

 

[MCompact]

From 1998 to 2001 my wife and I both had a 318ti. My wife loved hers but we had to trade it for an E39 528i when both of our mothers were widows and no longer drove. We replaced our 1999 Sahara with a 2021 Sahara 4xe because my wife and I love Wranglers- but hate ducks.

 

[IndyIan]

Yeah, we are probably going to end up with two Outbacks, although I'm tempted to try my luck with a VW SportWagen, as it would be more fun to do drive, but might be less fun to fix...

 

[Patman]

I’ve been loyal to a few cars over the years. Three Mustangs, three Firebirds, four Corvettes and three Civics. And for the past 14 years I’ve owned a Corvette and a Civic at the same time (3 different Corvettes and 2 of the Civics that is)

 

[3GTL300k]

Took this last year while walking

 

[Tomioka]

I was loyal to Toyota's timing belt V8 motor, the UZ series. Had the 1, 2, 3UZ motors in a Lexus and 2 Toyotas. Timing belts, valve covers, and starter motor work seared in the back of my brain.

 

[50yr Street Mech]

I was a Ford guy, then Mercury. Then switched to any GM available to my wallet. Then to Nissan. Then to Honda. Finishing with Toyota. Getting too old now to be playing with different cars. Stickin with Toyota.

 

[Marcozi]

Bimmer fanatic here. Once you drive a bimmer every other car seems underwhelming.

 

[Patman]

Bimmer fanatic here. Once you drive a bimmer every other car seems underwhelming.

But once you get the repair bills that quickly sours things I’m speaking from experience

 

[D60]

My wife's family are Honda loyalists. To their credit, they'd usually drive them to 400k freedom units or more. They'd sell them blowing blue smoke and still see them around town for years to come.

They live(d) VERY rural and put on a TON of miles. Basically they acted like they lived in the city two hours (rural -- not gridlock) away when the kids were young for sporting events, band practice etc etc so they were constantly driving the three kids from BFE (Eads CO -- bonus points if you've EVER heard of it) to civilization (Co Spgs)

The kicker for me is a Cherokee loyalist I know. He went from an XJ to a KL. There's absolutely NOTHING the same except the letters in the name. Any XJ heritage is LONG LONG gone.

 

[50yr Street Mech]

If you can afford a BMW, then enjoy a BMW ....

 

[goblin]

Provided a minimum mechanical skills, a space to work in and enjoying it at least a little, a bimmer is one of the least expensive cars to own, and certainly the best bang for the buck passion-wise.

It is certainly an acquired taste and not for everyone.

 

[repairman54]

I knew a guy who was a Volvo certified dealer mechanic back in the '70's. Started his own Volvo specialist shop then and by the early '90's he was a millionaire driving a new 911 thanks to the rabid Volvo loyalists in his area.
Its' not broken down, it just needs some maintenance.

 

[KMFDM]

I knew a guy who was a Volvo certified dealer mechanic back in the '70's. Started his own Volvo specialist shop then and by the early '90's he was a millionaire driving a new 911 thanks to the rabid Volvo loyalists in his area.
Its' not broken down, it just needs some maintenance.

There is a house in our area with 2doz older Volvos in the driveway. I think a home garage that only does Volvos.

 

[D60]

I knew a guy who was a Volvo certified dealer mechanic back in the '70's. Started his own Volvo specialist shop then and by the early '90's he was a millionaire driving a new 911 thanks to the rabid Volvo loyalists in his area.
Its' not broken down, it just needs some maintenance.

We've got a Volvo specialist here. To his credit, this a rural area and the nearest Volvo dealer is three hours away.

Anyway, his lot is always full of vehicles for service. It would seem he's doing well.