What Is Your Poser Car

I've always used poser in a friendly jab kind of way rather than a serious insult. We're all posers in one way or another and it's a slippery slope if you take it seriously. 

When I was in my 20s I was racing motorcycles on and off road. I was a "real" rider. I would also take my shiny sportbike to the local cruise spot on Friday and Saturday night and park it strategically knowing that it attracted attention. What could be more "poser" than that? 

I have a coworker who has a really nice Backdraft Cobra Replica. He wears a Cobra jacket when he drives it to Cars & Coffee. He's not mechanically inclined and he doesn't do any 'high performance' driving. Is he a poser, or is he just a guy who's always loved Cobras and has worked hard to be in the financial position to own a nice one? 

roninsoldier83 said:

 

-BMW 320i / 330i (F30 generation) - The entry-level 3-Series lacks the performance of higher trims, yet some owners present them as high-end sports sedans.

<snip>

-Jeep Wrangler / Toyota 4Runner with No Off-Road Use - Some owners lift them and add accessories but never take them off-road.

<snip>

I might make some assumptions about a person's personality or value system based on what they choose to own- giant trucks, Camrys and most Subarus come to mind- but the image of those vehicles wouldn't keep me from buying one if it drove well or fit my constantly changing wants/needs (let's be honest, I've bought a lot of E36 M3boxes on a whim!). 

I have been dailying a 320i for 5+ years. I bought it on a whim when it popped up cheap from a friend. I always get a chuckle when people in $50k "normal cars" make a joke about me having money when I'm in my $6k BMW. 

Currently in my driveway/garage are 2 Subarus, a Jeep, A 4Runner, a BMW, and a Camry (and some other junk that hasn't yet been called out as a poser vehicle). I am a pro-level poser! 

OK since I unleashed this whirlwind I shall say this.

Being a "Poser" costs money.

 Even if one part of me thinks someone is an actual poser the other part of me appreciates that the person is successful enough to be able to afford that.

I was poking a bit of fun at my far less than logical viewpoint. Nothing about this hobby is logical. 

My brother in law's mid life crisis Porsche. He'd never driven one, he just had to have a Porsche to impress the people he comes in contact with. He's not a car guy, he's an image guy with an honest-to-god combover. And he's not really successful enough to be able to afford it.

Oh, and you have to spell it "poseur" because that's more poseur than using the pedestrian English version.

Motojunky said:

I am a pro-level poser! 

Pffft...............I've got a 46yr old BMX bike that's worth $3500. I pedal it around the Wetlands Park trails.

You're an amateur :)

ddavidv said:

50% of the riders own them for the ability to instantly be a member of a cosplay group.

OMG i LOL'd so hard. So fact, much true.

Keith Tanner said:

Oh, and you have to spell it "poseur" because that's more poseur than using the pedestrian English version.

You're Canadian, right?  Aren't you supposed to be pushing the French spelling? :)

codrus (Forum Supporter) said:

Keith Tanner said:

Oh, and you have to spell it "poseur" because that's more poseur than using the pedestrian English version.

You're Canadian, right?  Aren't you supposed to be pushing the French spelling? :)

 

Only Quebecois. 

Most Canadians don't care one way or the other about French. 

Quebec doesn't think they're part of Canada so the rest of us just kinda let it go.

Quebec is Canada's drunk ex-wife. We want to love her but she won't let us.

In reply to ShawnG :

Quebec is like the classier Florida of Canada.

I'd assert that this was my poser car--

When you consider getting a vanity plate reading NOTADJ, pretty sure it's a poser car per the spirit of this thread. 

"-Chevrolet Camaro RS / Ford Mustang EcoBoost (Base Models) - While still decent cars, they lack the V8 performance some expect from American muscle."

I have to laugh every time I hear this (The bit about 'muscle' is hilarious too.  It's a Pony Car). A friend of mine has a 2012 or so Boss 302, and his wife has a 2010 GT.  When we go to the drag strip, I race him in his wife's car.  My 2016 1LT base model, stick shift V6 Camaro against a 4.6L V8 stick shift GT. He's drag raced a lot in his 60+ years.  First pass I ever made was in 2019.  Once I got the timing down of the start, he can't beat me.

My best time is 13.909 @ 100.75, his is 13.97 @ 101.

Karacticus said:

I'd assert that this was my poser car--

When you consider getting avanity plate reading NOTADJ, pretty sure it's a poser car per the spirit of this thread. 

Maybe it is. But it's so pretty.

In reply to ShawnG :

You just can't beat a French Canadian girl for a good time though. 
 

Keith's from Ottawa, they're kind of half and half, and neither at the same time. 

Man, if this isn't a question that has a different answer depending on when you asked it in my life. 

Back in my early gearhead years, nothing was more Poser than a 3rd Gen Camaro/Firebird with the 2.8L V6 cosplaying as a higher model. We used to call these Z-2.8's. They almost always had the aftermarket "Daytona" hood, annoying straight pipes, and a loud stereo. If you won the Posermobile lottery, they would also have underbody neons. 


Later, it was all the terribly modded sport compacts with APC stuff festooned upon it. 



Basically, anything with all show and no go was a no-no. 

Later, it became ANGERY FACE Jeeps. 


Why so grumpy? Jeeps were supposed to be happy little 4x4's! ME ANGERY ME WANT RUBBER DUCKY NEOWWWW

Current day, there's all sorts of Posermobiles:

The stupid, useless waste of money and natural resources that is the Cybertruck:


Newer sedans with what I like to call "Rhode Island Mods", which include body kits, RGB tail lights, and especially quarter window louvers (apologies to RI GRMers, if there are any):



AEV Truck builds that never go further than the local REI for adventure:



Then again, I'm one to talk, because I daily a Kia Forte GT, the "Poser" Civic Si/Jetta GLI. 


 

Calling someone a Poser is just judging.   Sport bikes are fast in a straight line too, don't judge me based on my tire wear pattern.  Maybe I just want to learn to wheelie.

Ok, I'll stop now.

akylekoz said:

Calling someone a Poser is just judging.   Sport bikes are fast in a straight line too, don't judge me based on my tire wear pattern.  Maybe I just want to learn to wheelie.

Ok, I'll stop now.

This is funny:

The 20yr old me took great pride in the fact that the tires on my RD350 featured highly feathered edges. If your rear tires weren't you were a wannabe.

Such are the capabilities of modern bikes you'd have to be completely irresponsible if not dangerous doing that today. 

In reply to Karacticus :

That car strikes one hell of a pose.

Full disclosure;

I ordered a pair of Enzo Bonafe shoes this week.

Hmmm I suddenly feel the urge to go shopping for Mondial convertibles.

Poser is not merely about drawing attention, but more importantly also about trying to give the impression that they are something they aren't... But those that actually are, aren't posers.

That's why some of the most interesting, exciting, desirable, and/or enjoyable cars are also 'poser' cars.

I would love nothing more than to park a Mondial convertible next to my crew cab short bed non-V8 poser truck.

akylekoz said:

Loving what you love doesn't make you a poser.

No, but loving what you think other people will love does make you a poser.

Duke said:

akylekoz said:

Loving what you love doesn't make you a poser.

No, but loving what you think other people will love does make you a poser.

 

And where do we stand on the tricky topic of loving what you think other people will hate, just to make sure you don't go unnoticed? To my feeble logic, that's the absolute height of poseury.

I saw a Sportster in traffic today. Short rear fender, maybe a Roadster. Quiet pipes, rider in riding gear and a full face heckmet. He seemed to be enjoying himself. I yelled at him that he was a poser and his bike was slow, but he didn't seem to care. Must not be posing hard enough. Next time I'll yell at him about that, too.

DarkMonohue said:

And where do we stand on the tricky topic of loving what you think other people will hate, just to make sure you don't go unnoticed? To my feeble logic, that's the absolute height of poseury.

 

This is tough one; I am a contrary child. I have been since I was 4 years old.

If you go on and on about hating a particular car I have to suppress the urge to buy one and beat you with it................I think this has more to do with my love of pouring gasoline on a fire.

Duke said:

akylekoz said:

Loving what you love doesn't make you a poser.

No, but loving what you think other people will love does make you a poser.

 

I bought the Foxbody Mustang because parts are cheap and plentiful.

Everywhere we go with it someone will say "cool a Foxbody".  I will admit the fact that people appreciate it makes me appreciate it.

I may be dangerously close to your observation.

DarkMonohue said:

Duke said:

akylekoz said:

Loving what you love doesn't make you a poser.

No, but loving what you think other people will love does make you a poser.

And where do we stand on the tricky topic of loving what you think other people will hate, just to make sure you don't go unnoticed? To my feeble logic, that's the absolute height of poseury.

Mmmmmmmm, not sure if I consider that poseury.  It is, however, a definitely related subset of attention whore.

I knew some goth types.  I used to tell them all the time that always doing the opposite meant they were letting popular conformity dictate their lives just as much as any normie.

I've never put much stock in doing things just for shock value.

In reply to codrus (Forum Supporter) :

I took my 14 year old nephew home in my 4WS Prelude and he had never been in a car with 2 doors before.