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Thread: Who has had their E38 called a grandpa car?

  1. #1
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    Who has had their E38 called a grandpa car?

    I've had a few people say my E38 is a grandpa car and just wondering if others have had this. Its always from non car enthusiasts and on the opposite end of the spectrum true car enthusiasts really respect I have maintained an old BMW flagship car that still looks good. For reference my car is a 1998 740iL Oxford Green with M Parallels.
    Just keeping it reliable and looking decent.

  2. #2
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    A grand marquis is a grandpa car lol

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by Narlift View Post
    A grand marquis is a grandpa car lol
    Exactly!
    Just keeping it reliable and looking decent.

  4. #4
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    What's the general age bracket of these "few people" making the comment? That info would provide tons of "context" as to why they may hold that opinion.

    Something as subjective as this topic can be perceived differently by various demographics. For instance...black wheels can have a different appeal depending on generational age demographics...younger may find them appealing & older may find them unappealing (aka looks like an undercover cop car).

    Most 4 door luxury sedan flagship models at their debut are geared toward an older wealthier buyer...so yeah, a 7 series could easily be perceived as a grandpa car...especially to someone young, or young-minded.

    If there any of the flagship 4 door luxury sedans were parked nesrby, and the door opened and the driver emerged...I'd be more surprised if the driver that exits was a twenty-something vs a forty, fifty, sixty, seventy-something:
    * Lincoln Continental Town Car
    * Cadillac (whatever their big 4D sedan is called now)
    * Mercedes S class
    * BMW 7 series
    * Audi A8
    * Volkswagon Phaeton
    * Buick Park Ave
    * Mercury Marquis
    * Chrysler
    Last edited by Qsilver7; 08-15-2018 at 04:06 AM.
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  5. #5
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    My 23 yo son says it’s an old man car. Same thing as grandpa car I guess.
    2000 740i Sport | 2004 330xi | 1988 325i Vert | 2003 Z4 2.5 | 1995 Ford F150 | 2018 GTI

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by Qsilver7 View Post
    What's the general age bracket of these "few people" making the comment? That info would provide tons of "context" as to why they may hold that opinion.

    Something as subjective as this topic can be perceived differently by various demographics. For instance...black wheels can have a different appeal depending on generational age demographics...younger may find them appealing & older may find them unappealing (aka looks like an undercover cop car).

    Most 4 door luxury sedan flagship models at their debut are geared toward an older wealthier buyer...so yeah, a 7 series could easily be perceived as a grandpa car...especially to someone young, or young-minded.

    If there any of the flagship 4 door luxury sedans were parked nesrby, and the door opened and the driver emerged...I'd be more surprised if the driver that exits was a twenty-something vs a forty, fifty, sixty, seventy-something:
    * Lincoln Continental Town Car
    * Cadillac (whatever their big 4D sedan is called now)
    * Mercedes S class
    * BMW 7 series
    * Audi A8
    * Volkswagon Phaeton
    * Buick Park Ave
    * Mercury Marquis
    * Chrysler
    The age bracket of people commenting its a "grandpa" car is early to late 30's, pretty much my age bracket. I honestly think these are the type of people who think Lexus makes the best car ever and something interesting such as the E38 does not appeal to them. These days if I see a 4 door luxury sedan in great shape driven by someone younger I'm very impressed, to me it says they really care. I also have noticed our E38's are either in fantastic shape or junked out , not much in between.
    Just keeping it reliable and looking decent.

  7. #7
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    Well, I'm a grandpa, thus I drive a grandpa car. Another round please.
    Lets get the party started before it's my bedtime.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by gaspump View Post
    Well, I'm a grandpa, thus I drive a grandpa car. Another round please.
    Heck yeah, grandpa's always had the most baller car.
    ---- Processing Individual ----
    Z1XX Upholstery
    Seats front and back in Epingle / leather englishgruen,
    As Schl.Nr. B9EG.
    Front seat backrest in Montana Englishgruen (No. 8 174 861)
    Other interior equipment as for Volleder Nappa englischgruen,
    Schl.Nr. P5EG

  9. #9
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    Nothing and S62 won't fix.

  10. #10
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    On the contrary, I was walking to my car in a parking lot the other day and I saw 3 guys in their early 20’s hanging around my car. My first instinct was to be suspicious, that they may be thinking of vandalism or breaking into it. But as they saw me walking up to the car, one of them turned to me and said “your car is awesome man!”

    Feeling a bit sheepish for thinking the worst, I just said “thanks.”
    Last edited by Tdownpdx; 08-17-2018 at 06:38 PM.

  11. #11
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    Coupla girls at a bar I used to frequent had their jokes about it being an old man car. Most all comments are along the lines of, "wow!" "Gangsta car" "badass" "beautiful" etc... I feel I'm doing the public a favour by driving it around

    Funny though when I had my SRT8 Charger when it first came out someone at a gas station asked, "is that a Mustang?" I said, "yup its the new four door one!" "!!! Cool man looks so much better!"

    Hahah

  12. #12
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    Last Christmas, when my uncle saw my car said "hey, what's up with the grandpa car?" He drives Focus ST and was pulling my leg. Before kids I used to drive only 2 doors, last one being 2001 VW GTI vr6. But now I need more roomy sedans to haul two kids around.
    Current: 2007 Z4 M Coupe (blue/black)
    Previous: 2001 740iL Sport (black/black), 2000 528i Sport (black/tan), 1995 318is (black/black), 1991 318is (white/black)

  13. #13
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    Im 31 and Ive noticed most of the people who comment on mine are dudes in their 50s and the older lady at work who rocks a really nice Alpine White e46 M3. Most of my friends seem to like it but they are all into their 4Runners and trucks and don't really "get it". I did have a kid with a nice e30 give it a good once over at the gas station but he seems to be the exception, so maybe we are rocking old people cars ? Jokes on them, they don't know what they are missing.

  14. #14
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    My wife has called it my old man car a couple times. But on the flip side I have had someone leave me a note under my wiper that I had the nicest car in the business park.
    2005 X5 4.8is (DD winter) * 2001 750iL (DD summer) * 2001 Ford Excursion 7.3 L <> 2005 X5 3.0 * 2003 X5 4.4i * 2009 X3 3.0 * 2009 X5 3.0 * 2007 Toyota Avalon Limited

  15. #15
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    Stopped at Arby's for lunch today...two twenty-something dudes were sitting in one of those small souped up Asian car's with the large muffler, and real low to the ground. As I passed the passenger side...the guy spoke out "nice ride,man"...and the driver gave me a ... I smiled and said "thank you".

    So I guess it can vary...some (young or old) like it and appreciates what it is...and some (young or old) see it as an old man's car.

    But just because they complimented the car doesn't mean they don't think it's a grandpa car...they could see it as a 'nice' grandpa car.
    Last edited by Qsilver7; 08-18-2018 at 10:45 PM.
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  16. #16
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    I'm 43, and when I step out of my car, I get lots of attention. My 98 740il is tinted, with black 18" BMW 5 spoke wheels. The younger crowd loves it. My peers don't seem to think I deserve it.
    I absolutely feel like I'm doing a public service driving this around.

  17. #17
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    So I'm with Jamos in this one. The younger crowd with the ricers and "donked" ghetto cruisers hang out their tongues in envy when I go by.

  18. #18
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    1675_zpslc2nhkdm.jpeg

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  19. #19
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    I found their perfect car.
    The World is ruled by Kings and Queens that blind your eyes and steal your dreams.
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  20. #20
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    A lady in her 40s at church told me she wanted to buy one like mine. I told her she could not afford it, too much maintenance.

    My youngest daughter wanted the silver 740iL I had. Now she wants a 3 series because she says the e38 is too big. But her friends thought it’s cool. With an Alpina lip, angel eyes, tinted windows, a trunk lip, and MPars, it’s not a grandpa car.

  21. #21
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    When I drive any of my nice,maintained,washed/waxed bmws nobody cares but when I drive my 1986 Toyota Corolla Hatch or old 4runner I get waves and people stop me all the time asking about them
    "Helicopters: 10,0000 pieces of metal fatigue rotating around an oil leak."


  22. #22
    Join Date
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    Well, my buddy called my car a hoopty, then I proceeded to show him it had no rust and took him up to 140 on the highway. This was coming from an owner of a 2009 wrangler. He ate his words.

  23. #23
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    I had one person I work with that it’s a cool “sleeper car” because you expect someone’s rich grandpa to be behind the wheel. He is 20. I also had another co-worker christen the car the “sheik-mobile” because “it’s just what I picture someone choosing when they have it all”

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