generally when lots of people follow a trend there is an essence of good reason, try it sometime GB you just might be missing something.

Now there's a subject for debate. If you're a wildebeest perhaps it makes sense to be one of the herd, safety in numbers and all that, though I suspect that isn't what you meant.

I imagine that's the evolved characteristic that accounts for all those Levi jeans and Nike sports shoes, as well as the majority of car choices. Though it's quite difficult to be different with cars, which are de facto mass market products, even the posh ones.

Although I am not motivated to be different for the sake of it as far as I know, I seem to be managing it almost, with a Mitsubishi Outlander and a Skoda Roomster. And I only wear jeans (Asda brand I think) for mucky work. I own no 'trainers'; I tried jogging in 1978 and didn't like it; my Hi-Techs perished long ago:)

Very few people can honestly say they don't care about the badge, IMO. It would be illogical - the badge represents other values than snobby ones in almost all cases - though VW Group is becoming an exception, by design - they aim to make all brands from essentially the same 3 platforms, and suite of engines and gearboxes before too long.

Then we will know that the Audi buyer who pays the most really is paying for the badge, unless he/she just has a softer-plastics fetish!

Neighbour had a "C" class, then his SWMBO bought an "A" class. Delighted with the 'handover' and the bouquet of flowers on the back seat. Studiously ignored my questions about how much discount they'd negotiated.

I swear it was because of the logo on the key fob.

Neither objected to being taken to collect them in my Kia pride, but asked me not to park in front of the showroom!

generally when lots of people follow a trend there is an essence of good reason, try it sometime GB

Millions of acolytes followed the new Messiah of the time, a certain Anthony Blair, blindly, feted by the media (with few exceptions, those few still worth listening to) and worshipped by an adoring puppy like public.

As for modern car trends i delivered them by the thousand over a 20 year period driving car transporters until 5 years ago, with few exceptions the experience of new and most common cars did nothing for me, other than in the vast majority of cases cause me to wonder why anyone would bother.

We've only ever bought one new vehicle, a Hilux in 2007, now sold as we no longer need the carrying capacity, really liked that though for its driving pleasure (3 litre auto) and its relative simplicity for a modern vehicle, at the time the model was unknown then that Clarkson bod did the North Pole stunt literally 2 weeks later, however that didn't do the resale value any harm as the vehicle gained a certain kudos among those who wouldn't have considered one otherwise.

Toyota impressed me for their whole commitment to quality long before i bought from them, the dealers always a pleasure to deliver new vehicles to, you see a different side to some makes from the other side.

The other make that almost always impressed me was Subaru (dealers were different to the herd) for their individuality, capability, durability due entirely to good engineering and simple driving pleasure, and we now run a 12 year old Outback H6 as well as the 18 year old MB that we've had for 12 years...both of which run cheaply on LPG.

I don't like change for the sake of it especially sales/fashion/media/politician led, i like progress and modernisation in any walk of life when its of actual benefit, but far too often the results, vehicles in this case, are often less tough/reliable/durable/capable and always more complicated leading to expensive and increasingly specialist maintenance and repairs.

Edited by gordonbennet on 18/08/2014 at 08:07