*Nitpickers*
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 11,814
Likes: 9
From: Science Bitch! Mississauga, Ontario
Canadian Events Coordinator
*Nitpickers*
My C3 is not perfect and I am still working on it, but I find it very irritating when people feel the need to point out every flaw the car has. I know about every paint chip, spider crack etc. I wash the car and can see these things for myself.
Why do these people point these things out? It pisses me off.
Anyone have this happen to them?
Les
Why do these people point these things out? It pisses me off.
Anyone have this happen to them?
Les
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 954
Likes: 2
From: San Jose CA
It is worse when it is your wife or someone you care about. Many times I proudly showed the efforts of my hard work. Most times she just smiles and listens. She does not share my passion. But once she pointed out a flaw, that I recognized, that bothered me, but I finally accepted. That hurt. I just smiled and said I tried my best. She said sorry and gave me a hug.
I don't care what others think.
I don't care what others think.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 23,419
Likes: 22
From: In limbo
St. Jude Donor '13-'15, '17 thru '22
All the time!
I just ignore it. But yes, it is really annoying. For this reason, there are only 2 conditions under which I will ever say anything negative about somebody's car, they are:
1. I am asked a specific question.
2. I see something unsafe or that may cause damage to the vehicle that I think the owner is unaware of.
Someday, when I get to be more of a curmudgeon, I'm planning on responding to comments like that by pointing out pimples on the commenters face, or other imperfections about them. I have always thought that saying something like "Gee, that sure is an ugly shirt!" would be appropriate too.
I just ignore it. But yes, it is really annoying. For this reason, there are only 2 conditions under which I will ever say anything negative about somebody's car, they are:
1. I am asked a specific question.
2. I see something unsafe or that may cause damage to the vehicle that I think the owner is unaware of.
Someday, when I get to be more of a curmudgeon, I'm planning on responding to comments like that by pointing out pimples on the commenters face, or other imperfections about them. I have always thought that saying something like "Gee, that sure is an ugly shirt!" would be appropriate too.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 1,148
Likes: 5
From: South Dakota
It's just like women like to point out that I am bald on top, or have a bit of a gut....Like I didn't know this already. I tell them that we should take off our cloths and pick each others body apart...or telling them that their @$$ is getting fat and their t!t$ are sagging.
Same with the Corvette. Ask them where theirs is and go look at it and then help them with the flaws.
If you don't want to do that back....just forget about it and realize it's just a flaw in many humans to mention those things.
I let my better half know early on that it is never polite to pick apart a man's car.
Same with the Corvette. Ask them where theirs is and go look at it and then help them with the flaws.
If you don't want to do that back....just forget about it and realize it's just a flaw in many humans to mention those things.
I let my better half know early on that it is never polite to pick apart a man's car.
Last edited by builder; Jun 2, 2011 at 01:30 PM.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 20,835
Likes: 959
From: I tend to be leery of any guy who doesn't own a chainsaw or a handgun.
Envy and/or insecurity.
If it was obvious that their car was better/faster/prettier then they wouldn't feel the need to tear someone else (or their car) down.
Take their criticism as a hidden compliment.
If it was obvious that their car was better/faster/prettier then they wouldn't feel the need to tear someone else (or their car) down.
Take their criticism as a hidden compliment.
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Drifting
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 1,972
Likes: 6
From: Chester Virginia
My pga golf pro next door neighbor and modest buddy saw the car, came into the driveway and started tapping the paint in the one corner of the hood where the po's painter had caused a bubble and asked me if I knew about it and that the car had been repainted? I told him: "of course, I bought the car."
He started for his garage to get some paint testing gadget to do more with the paint and I stopped him and said, "Nobody touches the paint, Rick, please."
I couldn't believe he felt like he could start destructively touching my car.
I took him for a local ride that day but not since and went around some corners at speeds that made him laugh out loud and say he was going to get one and he finally forgot how rude he had been messing with someone else's property. Wonder what he'd have said if I took his driver and started killing weeds with it?
Nobody but me and the garage mechanic so far has driven the car since I've owned it.
Even the right girlfriend would have to pass a lot of tests before I'd let that happen.
lance
He started for his garage to get some paint testing gadget to do more with the paint and I stopped him and said, "Nobody touches the paint, Rick, please."
I couldn't believe he felt like he could start destructively touching my car.
I took him for a local ride that day but not since and went around some corners at speeds that made him laugh out loud and say he was going to get one and he finally forgot how rude he had been messing with someone else's property. Wonder what he'd have said if I took his driver and started killing weeds with it?
Nobody but me and the garage mechanic so far has driven the car since I've owned it.
Even the right girlfriend would have to pass a lot of tests before I'd let that happen.
lance
Last edited by LancePearson; Jun 2, 2011 at 01:30 PM. Reason: added
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 15,892
Likes: 42
Being retired, I get he opportunity to participate in as many hobbies and sports as I want, as does my better half.
Each and every one of these hobbies has few members or spectators that just have to point out every little fault - but only in the others, never in themselves.
Nothing you can do about it, except ignore them.
Each and every one of these hobbies has few members or spectators that just have to point out every little fault - but only in the others, never in themselves.
Nothing you can do about it, except ignore them.
Pro
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 668
Likes: 3
From: Platteville WI
It's interesting when this happens, especially considering Rat Rods are so "in" and how routine it is to find collector type cars with poorly done rust repairs. I suppose some people have higher expectations of Corvettes. A compliment for Corvettes in general.
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 1,532
Likes: 14
From: Dallas-Fort Worth TX
Heck, I find more C3's that are in need of cosmetic work than are not. Seems to be the norm. I personally do not see a lot of perfect ones in the shows/cruises I have been too. They are all 30 + yrs old. What do they expect.
But as AGVI states, I know my cars flaws and she has plenty of them, I don't give a rats a$$. I built her to go fast and drive good. As soon as I pop the hood and crank her up, that usually quiets people up. But so far nobody has been very critical. It's just a hot rod. AGVI, I think your car looks damn nice from the photos I have seen.
But as AGVI states, I know my cars flaws and she has plenty of them, I don't give a rats a$$. I built her to go fast and drive good. As soon as I pop the hood and crank her up, that usually quiets people up. But so far nobody has been very critical. It's just a hot rod. AGVI, I think your car looks damn nice from the photos I have seen.
Last edited by Rebelrob; Jun 2, 2011 at 02:58 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 3,079
Likes: 314
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
I suppose that is why so many people either buy a car that has just been painted, or want to immediately paint the car they just bought. It is the first and sometimes only thing that many, if not most, people look at. I love my 42 year old paint, with all the chips, nicks and cracks. Very few old cars still have their original paint. Makes it hard to win that $15 POS trophy at the local beauty contest, but who cares. They'll just end up in the garbage some day. I'm also proud of the wrinkles in my 61 year old face...my wife tells me they add character...just as long as she doesn't tell me my face has a certain "patina" to it..... 
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 4,057
Likes: 99
From: Southeast, Tennessee
St. Jude Donor '09 thru '26
one of my buddies has a 67 cpe that is one of about 100 made that year with calif emissions, smog and a/c. it is a bloomington survivor complete with all the paperwork. our club is NOT a corvette club, but we go to a local friday evening cruise where a couple of the local corvette club guys also congregate. one evening a couple of us were sitting near our cars when some of the corvette "gurus" come wondering over and start picking the car apart (as to the classic "that's wrong, and that's not right", etc). after they spend a few minutes doing that, one of them turned to us and asked it it was one of our cars, to which we replied no, the owner was out in the show area walking around, but i couldn't resist pointing out all the bloomington stuff in the rear shelf of the car along with original documentation, etc. the guy just stood there, mouth open and just kind of slithered away, lol!! so it's not just the casual uninitiated, there are no boundries, you just can't fix stupid, LMAO!!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 3,264
Likes: 3
From: Vero Beach FL
Held to a higher level after all they are Corvettes!
Pro
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 745
Likes: 66
From: Hutto Texas
I guess I am pretty lucky, my fiance' really likes my Corvette, flaws and all. Gives it character and puts no pressure on me to fix the nose even though I am dying to fix it as it is a major eye sore in my opinion. However she is all for getting the AC fixed sooner than later 
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 1,313
Likes: 5
From: Middle Tennessee
They are just jealous because they don't own a Corvette, and probably never have. They are the type who question your manhood and claim that you're having a mid-life crisis. I bought my first Corvette, brand new, at the age of 25, so it wasn't a mid-life crisis when I bought my second one at 39, then went on to buy 6 more Vettes!
People like that just suck!
People like that just suck!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 2,077
Likes: 0
From: westmoreland N.H.
My C3 is not perfect and I am still working on it, but I find it very irritating when people feel the need to point out every flaw the car has. I know about every paint chip, spider crack etc. I wash the car and can see these things for myself.
Why do these people point these things out? It pisses me off.
Anyone have this happen to them?
Les
Why do these people point these things out? It pisses me off.
Anyone have this happen to them?
Les
