Should I have been insulted?
#1
Melting Slicks
Thread Starter
Should I have been insulted?
Pulled into the gas station to fuel up and there was a four door sedan on the other side. Two guys in it.
Apparently they were having a debate over what I was driving. So the driver comes over and the conversation goes:
Him: This is a Nissan 300zx right?
Me: No, it's a 92 corvette.
Him: Are you sure it looks like a Nissan hood badge.
Me; yeah, i'm sure.
Him: Well, I guess you would know.
Me: Yeah
Him: My buddy thought it was a firebird but I thought it was a 300ZX, but it's a nice car.
Apparently they were having a debate over what I was driving. So the driver comes over and the conversation goes:
Him: This is a Nissan 300zx right?
Me: No, it's a 92 corvette.
Him: Are you sure it looks like a Nissan hood badge.
Me; yeah, i'm sure.
Him: Well, I guess you would know.
Me: Yeah
Him: My buddy thought it was a firebird but I thought it was a 300ZX, but it's a nice car.
#2
Racer
Pulled into the gas station to fuel up and there was a four door sedan on the other side. Two guys in it.
Apparently they were having a debate over what I was driving. So the driver comes over and the conversation goes:
Him: This is a Nissan 300zx right?
Me: No, it's a 92 corvette.
Him: Are you sure it looks like a Nissan hood badge.
Me; yeah, i'm sure.
Him: Well, I guess you would know.
Me: Yeah
Him: My buddy thought it was a firebird but I thought it was a 300ZX, but it's a nice car.
Apparently they were having a debate over what I was driving. So the driver comes over and the conversation goes:
Him: This is a Nissan 300zx right?
Me: No, it's a 92 corvette.
Him: Are you sure it looks like a Nissan hood badge.
Me; yeah, i'm sure.
Him: Well, I guess you would know.
Me: Yeah
Him: My buddy thought it was a firebird but I thought it was a 300ZX, but it's a nice car.
At least they thought it was a nice car
#3
Race Director
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Wow, the boys mistakenly thought a 92 Corvette was a Nissan 300 ZX? Definitely NOT car guys
#4
Race Director
In their defense, the c4 flags are practically the same outline as the nissan logo.
I always felt like the c4 looks like the 3rd Gen firebird.
I always felt like the c4 looks like the 3rd Gen firebird.
Last edited by FAUEE; 05-28-2017 at 08:12 PM.
#5
Pro
The answer to the question about being insulted is no. It's ok to not be a car guy and not know every car (or any car) on the road. Where it got weird for me is when he asks you "are you sure?" Real retard factor...I would never assume the owner wouldn't know what he bought. You almost have to feel sorry for him that he's that much of an idiot.
#6
Safety Car
I think you should take it as a complement! They recognized that your 'vette was something they don't see every day, something special, and nice enough that they felt at ease about asking you about your car! They could have let it go, and you wouldn't have had the fun chat! I'd call that a "smile moment"!
#7
Team Owner
1. They didn't put a penny towards the car. Their thoughts don't matter.
2. Asking the owner if he is sure of what he has?
Good or bad, what they think is meaningless once their stupidity shows.
#8
Team Owner
I think you should take it as a complement! They recognized that your 'vette was something they don't see every day, something special, and nice enough that they felt at ease about asking you about your car! They could have let it go, and you wouldn't have had the fun chat! I'd call that a "smile moment"!
#9
Burning Brakes
The only real Corvette badgeing is on the rear bumper and if not altered with chrome or colored infill it would be hard to tell what it is to a young not gearhead guy. Except for the round flag symbols. Not an insult, they just don't know.
Last edited by A Peter C4; 05-29-2017 at 01:07 AM.
#11
the best mistaken ID thing I ever ran into was with my two-tone silver 85 in (old) St. Augustine. I was standing next to the car (top off) when a bus load of (i'm guessing) 5 to 7 year old kids went by - heard one of them yell out the window, "Hey, there's one of those back to the future cars!"
#12
Drifting
I always seem to want to have fun during these occasions. When he asked if I was sure, I would have replied, " ya know it was dark when I stole it and I wasnt paying attention, you might be right " .
I cannot see how it could be confused with a 300zx, but if you focused on the body and not the nose or the rear, the early c4 did look like the firebird.
I cannot see how it could be confused with a 300zx, but if you focused on the body and not the nose or the rear, the early c4 did look like the firebird.
#13
Safety Car
I don't worry about what people say about my car. I have had several times where some younger person has complemented it yet had no idea what it was. So many younger people may not know what the cars are but they know what they like.
Best one I ever had was a young 7 year old girl with Spina Bifida I took for a ride at their annual picnic. When we got back from the ride she said she was going to have one like this one when she got older. She had no idea what it was, but she sure liked it! One more convert.
Take it as an education opportunity to teach them a little about C4's.
Best one I ever had was a young 7 year old girl with Spina Bifida I took for a ride at their annual picnic. When we got back from the ride she said she was going to have one like this one when she got older. She had no idea what it was, but she sure liked it! One more convert.
Take it as an education opportunity to teach them a little about C4's.
#14
Team Owner
I agree with that. What I am referring to is that they were told what it is and still challenged the owner if he was sure what it is.
#15
Safety Car
Obviously they aren't car guys since they can't identify foreign or domestic cars. But at least they had the gumption to approach and ask. Now they know and might even become members on here.
#17
Burning Brakes
A few years ago, I was working as an EMT at Hershey Park, when a coworker walked in and asked me when I got the Ferrari. Next thing, it was all over the place that I was driving a red Ferrari ! I never offered up a comment.
#19
Team Owner
Start with the simpler lesson of "I am the owner. I really know what I am driving. IF I don't, the registration in the glove box will remind me.".
#20
Le Mans Master
Member Since: Oct 2004
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But, what is even more interesting is the number of C4 "Vette guys" that miss the "Z" visual clues. Were it not for the badge on the bumper, and even with the hood up, it might go almost completely undetected.
I'm a WARRIOR and not a WAXER. I don't mind - either way. It's all OK w/ me should anyone ask about it, and a fair amount do stop and take pictures at car shows. Only when a "Vette" person asked "What car did that motor come out of?" did I get a little amused.
But, there was one especially juicy moment: A few years ago, a know-it-all "Vette" dude walks by at a car show with his cute blonde GF in tow. He paused to give the motor a very cursory glance before remarking to her how it was "just a C4" and how his C5 would "wipe" it. Another nearby person challenged him with "Do you have any idea you're looking at??" That tickled me, but it was the GF's eyes-only double-take and instant expression of doubt that was priceless!
Last edited by Paul Workman; 05-29-2017 at 11:09 AM. Reason: typo