Story: Jim Myhill
“SO, WHAT ARE YOU driving now?”
This question was a staple of almost all conversations, at least between any two men in Australia, for decades.
Whether at a backyard barbie, a formal dinner, a reunion or even a visit to the dentist, it was part of the Australian culture to ask – and be genuinely interested – about what cars other people were driving.
Cars were more fascinating back then, even if they were nothing exotic. If someone responded with “just a garden-variety Holden”, or “a base model Ford Falcon”, or just about anything else, the reply would always prompt another question: “The six or the V8?”; “Did you go with aircon?”; “Has it got power steering?”
Cars were interesting. And they generated interest and discussion. And passion
There were a number of options that varied the driving experience. When the Aussie car makers were producing plenty of cars, the wide range of options, colours and trim levels meant that very few were (or seemed) exactly the same.
European cars were met with even more reverence. “You’ve bought an Alfa?” People would raise their eyebrows. “How do you keep those Webers in tune?”
The reply would inevitably detail experiences with a local mechanic, a specialist or the dealer. As a topic of conversation, the topic of cars was almost limitless. In fact, in many social settings between men, while standing around in the kitchen at a party, for instance, it might even be the whole (and only) topic of conversation.
Sadly, the “What are you driving?” question has all but disappeared from social gatherings in the 2020s.
Why? Because for most people, the answer to that question is mind-numbingly boring. I won’t even stoop to listing examples of boring cars here (nor do we have the time or the space. Or the patience! – Ed.) There are simply too many to list. Think about colours that are offered – most current cars are white, black or grey, Automatic or manual? It’s almost an irrelevant question now, as so many cars – even interesting ones – are pretty much all automatic, whether it be normal auto or a dual clutch mechatronic shift.
Of course there are still some very interesting cars, and for these, the question would still be relevant – but due to the current automotive landscape, it’s rarely asked.
Ferrari, McLaren and performance models from Mercedes, Audi, VW and the like are still holding the banner high. But they make up a minuscule percentage of the total car market in Australia.
Other, more affordable interesting cars have disappeared. The Renault Megane RS, the Ford Focus (RS and ST), the Fiesta ST, the Hyundai i30N Hatch. And of course, sadly, Aussie made V8s of both the red and blue varieties.
Some motoring pundits have labelled cars as “whitegoods”. It’s an apt description when the function of a product becomes utilitarian: simply to do a job, as functionally and reliably as possible. While some of us may care what brand of dishwasher we have, most don’t: if it washes the dishes, it’s fine.
Equally, for many, as long as the car gets them from A to B, it’s done its job. No fanfare or enhanced experience required.
Recently, I visited a number of car dealerships, shopping for a new car for a friend. I asked what I thought were normal questions such as “How many kW does this model have? What is the engine size?” Alarmingly, on many occasions the salesperson simply didn’t know, and resorted to combing the brochure. But, on the other hand, they knew volumes about the multi-level mood lighting and 8-way adjustable seats.
Ongoing service/reliability? Many car buyers now choose to simply replace the car once the warranty is expired, so they never experience the joy of regular visits to the local mechanic chasing down an intermittent problem (another oft-used barbeque topic of conversation!) These days, people at a barbie are no more likely to enquire about your car as they are to ask about any other whitegoods.
So… what make of fridge do you have now?