It really is a matter of perspective, and only the driver can say for sure whether their car is an appliance to them. An Accord is certainly more appliance-like than a true sports sedan, but not enough that I would personally call it an appliance. I suppose a Camry might not even be an appliance because it provides a spacious and cushy ride that could even be called luxurious by some. From my perspective, base Cavaliers and similar cars are true appliances.
What makes a car an "appliance"?
- Thread starter LouDawg
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Lack of road feel, numbness mainly in the steering. Isolation from the road and knowing what is going on.
Btw I called Acura an appliance I don't own a Euro make. I was fortunate to chose a "stripped" 99 BMW 323i manual for my company lease car a few years back. The next company lease car not my choice was a Acura Accord I mean TL and was an absolute bore even though more HP, bells and whistles.
my current ride 04 wrx wagon.
Btw I called Acura an appliance I don't own a Euro make. I was fortunate to chose a "stripped" 99 BMW 323i manual for my company lease car a few years back. The next company lease car not my choice was a Acura Accord I mean TL and was an absolute bore even though more HP, bells and whistles.
my current ride 04 wrx wagon.
What makes a car an "appliance"? Answer Toyota. Toyota, and others, discovered that there are people out there that drive because they have to, no I'm not kidding, it's true. I have such an appliance. In fact I have the Prius Appliance. It has a touch control screen like a copier, another appliance. And like driving there are people that make copies of stuff because they have to, not always, but usually. It's different than a copier because you get inside to operate it, but you push buttons, no key needed and you can go to the control screen and get information about how your appliance is performing. You push and turn controls and it takes you where you want to go, when you want to go. You don't say to the pretty secretary at the office lets cuddle up on the copier, well not usually anyhow, and I have seen those pictures. You also don't say to her, come out into the parking lot and check out my new ride when you drive an appliance, expecting her to do the same thing she did on the copier in your car. Also the Prius Appliance is like the printer in that you can do a few maintenance things but like the printer a tech takes care of the real work, and if the secretary is there your appliance gets more attention than when she's not. Also you get brain washed to, for good or bad, sign a service contract. Looking under the hood of either appliance is encouragement to sign on the dotted line. If that secretary is impressed with your Prius Appliance, she would have been impressed by the copier, too.
A 323i was an appliance who's sole use was to get people to buy BMW no matter how little they were getting for their money.
Again, all my ranting is done with tongue close to fully in cheek as a former and maybe one day future BMW owner. That 335i is a car to lust after. But some people can't see beyond a badge and use that as their sole determining factor as to what's an "appliance." If someone has an experience with both and forms an opinion that way, I respect it fully. But I get the feeling a lot of people are making their judgments without a lot of seat time.
Again, all my ranting is done with tongue close to fully in cheek as a former and maybe one day future BMW owner. That 335i is a car to lust after. But some people can't see beyond a badge and use that as their sole determining factor as to what's an "appliance." If someone has an experience with both and forms an opinion that way, I respect it fully. But I get the feeling a lot of people are making their judgments without a lot of seat time.
An appliance car is one you don't care about. If it got smashed up tommorow, you wouldn't be bothered in the least. Does it get a door ding? Big deal. Does the paint have 10 different shades? Big deal. Did you change the oil last year? Big deal. Is it a company vehicle? Big deal. =-)
A non-appliance car is one you like, you like driving, and you get pleasure out of it somehow. Your also paranoid about getting door dings and any other wound in general. You'll also probably spend your entire time owning it taking extra care of it, you'll know every rattle and squeek it produces, you'll know the source of every rattle and squeek, and you'll pay attention when there is a new rattle or squeek, or if one of those noises changes. And you'll undoubtedly be grieving its loss should it get smashed up wondering if you'll find another vehicle as good and/or as fun as it was.
Alex.
A non-appliance car is one you like, you like driving, and you get pleasure out of it somehow. Your also paranoid about getting door dings and any other wound in general. You'll also probably spend your entire time owning it taking extra care of it, you'll know every rattle and squeek it produces, you'll know the source of every rattle and squeek, and you'll pay attention when there is a new rattle or squeek, or if one of those noises changes. And you'll undoubtedly be grieving its loss should it get smashed up wondering if you'll find another vehicle as good and/or as fun as it was.
Alex.
An "appliance" is the sort of car that someone who'd rather be using public transportation, but doesn't have that option, buys.
Your 01 Saab doesn't have ESP?
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A 323i was an appliance who's sole use was to get people to buy BMW no matter how little they were getting for their money.
Again, all my ranting is done with tongue close to fully in cheek as a former and maybe one day future BMW owner. That 335i is a car to lust after. But some people can't see beyond a badge and use that as their sole determining factor as to what's an "appliance." If someone has an experience with both and forms an opinion that way, I respect it fully. But I get the feeling a lot of people are making their judgments without a lot of seat time.
Yes, the low end 3 series cars do attract some real winners, who have no clue about cars and financial accountability. But prejudice aside, if you are going to give love to a 335, then you can't say the 328 is not worth the money. The only difference between the 328 and 335 is the engine and you get to pay 5 grand for the extra 70 hps. Handling-wise, they are pretty much equivalent; i.e. still the two best handling cars in the marketplace. It's easy to find a car that pumps out close to 300 HPs these days, but very hard to find a car that handles like a 328. In fact, for the handling alone, I'd take a 328 over the 5 or 7 series, but that's just me.
Lol, I realize it's the same car. Some people do like a little hot sauce with their handling. I've had a succession of nice cars with great handling and low power for my entire motoring life. I'd like an engine to match the car for once. I was specifically referring to the E46 325i which sported an underwhelming 184 hp and 175 lb/ft of torque. Even in Bimmer enthusiast circles, this car is not held in the highest esteem. Furthermore, submersing myself in the world of turbos, I get warm fuzzies thinking about a factory twin-turbo 3 series.
Interesting on your points about 323i. However I enjoy curves and twisties as I used live where I had a daily 20 min commute along the edges of lakes and ponds with a few hairpins along the way and many up-downs. The 323i was a pleasure there and the HP/torque was perfectly adequate especially for a car my company paid me to drive. I remember being tailgated occasionally by "sport
cars" with more power only to find them distant in my mirror once they got in the twisties.
Looking where you all live my guess roads are straight,flat and boring hence the reason of owning an "appliance"?
cars" with more power only to find them distant in my mirror once they got in the twisties. Looking where you all live my guess roads are straight,flat and boring hence the reason of owning an "appliance"?
I wish performance stats put out my manufacturers and car mags would report more than just raw HP and 0-60 times. 0-60 numbers are only useful for stop-light to stop-light gunslingers who are largely teenagers.
I prefer real world stats like 40-70 or 50 to 80. They are better measures of passing power, and imo, better indicators of how fun a car is to drive. My 266HP Sienna would shoot down my 170 HP Passat 0 to 60, but the passat actually goes from 50 to 80 faster because of the turbo.
I prefer real world stats like 40-70 or 50 to 80. They are better measures of passing power, and imo, better indicators of how fun a car is to drive. My 266HP Sienna would shoot down my 170 HP Passat 0 to 60, but the passat actually goes from 50 to 80 faster because of the turbo.
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Interesting on your points about 323i. However I enjoy curves and twisties as I used live where I had a daily 20 min commute along the edges of lakes and ponds with a few hairpins along the way and many up-downs. The 323i was a pleasure there and the HP/torque was perfectly adequate especially for a car my company paid me to drive. I remember being tailgated occasionally by "sport
Looking where you all live my guess roads are straight,flat and boring hence the reason of owning an "appliance"?
Oh yeah, we're all flatlanders here.All the world is flat outside New England
I have a combo of straight interstate and curvy backroads and at any speed I would drive intelligently every day there would be little difference. No one is paying for my tires. But it's good to know that any car other than a BMW handles like a Lincoln Towncar, evidentally.
I tend to consider 'appliance' as an expectation of most of the buying public, regardless of what they buy or why the buy it. They just want it work and don't want to be bothered with anything but driving and listening to music and maybe playing with the GPS. This applies to low cost / no status vehicles like a Taurus, or to Lexus SUVs, H2 Hummers, BMWs, etc. that we've seen others buy, and treat like appliances. That's fine, they might want the 'fun factor' but most often it's the status, and they're in good company as it's what most seem to expect. 'Appliance' is how you end up with vehicles like SUVs with poor clearance, bizarre in itself, but also sporting low profile street tires on fancy wheels. Vehicles that you see sliding sideways thru parking lots in the winter, vehicles that have been functionally castrated in the name of vehicle fashion.
It's not an appliance if you don't treat it like one, regardless of what vehicle it is, but is if you do, regardless of what vehicle it is.
It's not an appliance if you don't treat it like one, regardless of what vehicle it is, but is if you do, regardless of what vehicle it is.
I subscribe to the school of thought that it's the DRIVER, not the VEHICLE, who determines whether or not the vehicle is an appliance.
For example, I see plenty of the nicest BMWs being driven as (and thought of) as appliances... well, actually more of a fashion statement by people who use a vehicle as an appliance, but want it to make a social statement.
On the other hand, I know plenty of people who drive old trucks (which could be thought of as the ultimate driving appliance) who truly enjoy driving them... they enjoy the elemental "mechanicalness" of them, the simplicity and unpretentiousness of them. I am one of these, and I don't have to go fast up a curvy road to enjoy the experience.
It's all in the mind of the driver.
For example, I see plenty of the nicest BMWs being driven as (and thought of) as appliances... well, actually more of a fashion statement by people who use a vehicle as an appliance, but want it to make a social statement.
On the other hand, I know plenty of people who drive old trucks (which could be thought of as the ultimate driving appliance) who truly enjoy driving them... they enjoy the elemental "mechanicalness" of them, the simplicity and unpretentiousness of them. I am one of these, and I don't have to go fast up a curvy road to enjoy the experience.
It's all in the mind of the driver.
Who knows, maybe those people take them to the track on weekends?
And if you see a BMW driven like it was meant to be driven (read: more aggressively), are you then going to say that the driver is an inconsiderate prick and a showoff? Those poor BMW drivers - they just can't win, no matter what they do.
Yes, you guys are screwed.
When you don't drive fast, you are pretentious and only in it for the social statement. When you drive fast around those curvy roads, you are apparently not enjoying the elemental "mechanicalness", and the simplicity of the machine. Shame shame shame shame.
When you don't drive fast, you are pretentious and only in it for the social statement. When you drive fast around those curvy roads, you are apparently not enjoying the elemental "mechanicalness", and the simplicity of the machine. Shame shame shame shame.
Alex, I think you've written the dictionary definition of "automotive appliance" and its opposite. My relationship with my unpretentious Mercedes C230 is like that. Its tranny is acting up at odd times, and I don't know if I should replace the car . . . but every vehicle I consider just can't live up to the standard the 11-year-old compact Benz has set. What's a car guy to do???
If it has an automatic transmission, it's an appliance.
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