Car Lingo You Hate

[TAKerry]

I know hate is a strong word, substitute how you wish. I have a few 'pet peeves' that drive me crazy when people talk about cars.

 

Near the top of my list is:

'Born with'- cars are built, not born. Dont say 'my car was born with such n such motor.

On the 'Clock'-A clock tells time, not distance. I believe the odometer is what most refer to when they say 'only so many miles on the clock'.

A bit more liberal but another irritant is 'car is all original, only 1 repaint'.

[Guest]

"Dizzy" for distributor.

[Joe Cocuzza]

"RARE" - which translates  into : very valuable from the sellers viewpoint. It especially irks me (nice word, huh?) when an ad reads : "They made 1 million (insert make) of these cars but only 50,000 had a purple/yellow interior with an automatic tranny" - You get the idea....

As has been said here before just because a cars production #'s were low doesn't necessarily make it more valuable - unless you're talking about a very special breed of automobile.

I use the words odd/unique  

[Bleach]

"Tranny" for transmission.🤮

 

[Joe Cocuzza]

8 minutes ago, Bleach said:

"Tranny" for transmission.🤮

 

You got me Bleach. I use it because I'm lazy and don't want to type out the full word

[Bleach]

I agree it's a long word to type but the longer the word the better the typing practice it is for me. I've never been a good typist.

[Joe Cocuzza]

44 minutes ago, Bleach said:

I agree it's a long word to type but the longer the word the better the typing practice it is for me. I've never been a good typist.

It doesn't matter how long/often I type I still stink at it

[rocketraider]

"Four Forty Two". Especially irksome when a supposed Oldsmobile enthusiast says it. Or worse when some yahoo says four hundred and forty two cubic inch engine.

[Walt G]

Joe you are right about the word "Rare" or now it's "Very Rare". If I see that in an advertisement It will be very rare  that I would ever consider buying what is trying to be sold even if I really wanted it. Does a seller really think that adding the word rare or very rare will just totally convince someone to fork over the exorbitant price they have listed/placed on it?

[JonW]

The word "original" has been so abused as to be worthless. Repainted is not original. Restored is not original. I saw a car advertised a while back that was billed as a "restored original survivor". Huh? 

[John_S_in_Penna]

"It's only original once."

That sentence was clever the first few times

it was used, but now it's no longer original or clever.

People should think for themselves and use

their own insightful or clever sayings.

[rocketraider]

9 minutes ago, Flivverking said:

I'd be carefull with the younger hip set or out at the bar to not say things in conversation

Why? Would they extend us the same courtesy?

 

Maybe next time one of them says "ok boomer" a beatdown is in order?🙂

 

I try to stay away from the knuckleheads meself. Saves me aggravation and temper. Maybe I should stay away from the "four forty two" crowd.😀

[Bhigdog]

Calling an internal combustion ENGINE a motor.......Bob

[billorn]

Stop calling your Mustang a "Stang".

 

Convertibles are not "verts".

 

Stang verts are for morons.

[28 Chrysler]

Restore use instead of restoration or restored.

This car had or needs a full restore.

 

[plymouthcranbrook]

1 hour ago, Walt G said:

Joe you are right about the word "Rare" or now it's "Very Rare". If I see that in an advertisement It will be very rare  that I would ever consider buying what is trying to be sold even if I really wanted it. Does a seller really think that adding the word rare or very rare will just totally convince someone to fork over the exorbitant price they have listed/placed on it?

Yes, I believe that they think since they are the owner that a potential buyer who is perhaps not very knowledgeable about old cars will believe that the owner knows everything about the car and more importantly, would never lie. 

[46 woodie]

"Frame off restoration"! You don't take the frame off the body, you take the body off the frame!

[SC38dls]

“Ran when parked”. So what it’s not running now!

[Guest]

3 hours ago, Bleach said:

"Tranny" for transmission.🤮

 

....or governor.

[motoringicons]

When someone says their car (or a car's feature) is "very unique".

 

You either have a unique car or you don't.  

 

A "very unique" car is the equivalent to a girlfriend who  is "little pregnant".

Edited August 6, 2021 by motoringicons (see edit history)

[RansomEli]

I go ballistic when:

 

1. Someone refers to a Camaro as "Camero"
    
2. Seller describes a car, then ends with "POA" (price upon application) of "call for price." I'm really tempted to call at 11pm.

[JCHansen1]

On and on I could go. Folks with Marti reports who brag about their "RARE! 1 of 1!!" Mustang because it was the only one ordered with whitewall tires or an electric clock or some other obsecure feature. Yawn.

 

We have a local seller in my area who will sometimes describe their cars as "runs and drives, as it should", which is typically code for a clapped out jalopy that will scare you to death to drive over 30 mph, even though the asking price is approaching Hagerty's #2 condition valuation.

 

I seem to find quite often that claims of all original sheet metal and/or paint are often complete nonsense, sometimes by the unscrupulous, and someitmes simply the ignorant. A recent Plymouth GTX with gross rivited metal patches in the quarters visible in the trunk that had obvioulsy undergone a complete color change at some point but advertised as "80% original paint" comes to mind.

 

I won't even begin to unpapck the whole "numbers matching" thing... patricularly on cars where no serial numbers or VIN stamps ever existed on a drive train and date codes are as close as you can get.   

Edited August 7, 2021 by JCHansen1 (see edit history)

[K8096]

Suicide doors 

[JCHansen1]

On the other hand... I like "juice brakes". Always have. Just rolls off the tounge easier than "hydraulic brake converted..." 

 

[alsancle]

8 minutes ago, K8096 said:

Suicide doors 

 

You changed your avatar for the first time in 15 years.

 

What is wrong with Suicide doors?

[TAKerry]

At one time I had an issue with people throwing around the word 'survivor'. At one time to me that meant an original car that had original parts, paint etc. Someone pointed out that ANY and ALL cars that are around, running or not, new or old have SURVIVED. I discount that word entirely now.

[Akstraw]

Oh, this is a fun one!  Yes, agree that “restored” is over- and mis-used.  I am beginning to hate the word “classic” these days in any context.  Also don’t like to see the word “base“ applied to any car pre-1990.  Have to say my all-time favorite hated one is applied to trucks and jeeps that come with a “wench” (wish they did).  Every now and then I see cars “formally owned” by somebody famous.  Now I then I wonder what “mint condition” means when applied to cars manufactured in a factory, as opposed to coined in a mint.  I can go on and on.  If there were a real job for a ‘grammar policeman’, my wife and I would be in strong competition for it.  (A gift… or a curse?) have some favorites, though.  Love “three on the tree” shifter and “crash box transmission”.  Not sure about “carby” for carburetor.

[Matt Harwood]

"Gangster car." Enough already. Gangsters needed cars, too. They took what was available. All cars of the era were potentially gangster cars.

 

Hearse:

 

Hurst:

 

Get it right. Please.

[Reicholzheimer]

Engine has been Blueprinted. 

Edited August 7, 2021 by Reicholzheimer (see edit history)

[Billy Kingsley]

Purposely misspelling the name of something, usually applied to Chevrolets. 

 

I picked up my El Camino Billy nickname by arguing against abbreviating and contracting the name El Camino when I was 16 years old, and now that's how most people know me. 

[George Smolinski]

VIN number. It's either a Vehicle Identification Number or a VIN for short, but not a gd Vin number. I've even seen it in some of the "experts" posts on here - shame on you.

[pmhowe]

I was out driving my 1966 Morgan drophead coupe today. For those of you unfamiliar with Morgans, it looks like a British drophead coupe from the 1930s, that has been left in the clothes dryer too long, and shrank. It is a fun sportscar. In fifty years, this one is my third one. 

 

I came to an intersection, and some Shriners were collecting for a children's charity (God bless them for that, and of course I gave). 

 

The gentleman was thrilled with the car. He said; " Neat car. Is it real?"  

 

How do you answer that? I took an admonition from this forum that said we must encourage young people to be interested in old cars. I stated that it was indeed real, and was an authentic 1966 Morgan drophead coupe.

 

I'm not good at guessing ages, but he was at least in his seventies.

 

So it was a win-win. He learned something about a car he liked but had never seen before, and I did my bit for bringing youngsters into the fold. 

 

Phil

[rocketraider]

1 hour ago, Matt Harwood said:

"Gangster car." Enough already. Gangsters needed cars, too. They took what was available. All cars of the era were potentially gangster cars.

 

Hearse:

 

Hurst:

 

Get it right. Please.

That ranks right up there with "four forty two" in my book!

 

Always having to explain to the ign'ant that no, my Pace Car is not a "hearse Olds".😛

[Steve_Mack_CT]

I don't hate the term, but to me what constitutes an "upgrade" might be a narrow band in circkes who prefer originality.  I might consider cast brakes on a Model A an "upgrade" but crate engines and at, ac,pw, etc. Is not IMHO.

[JD in CA]

Can’t believe no one said it yet, but absolutely my #1 is……”Barn Find”

 

Again, it made sense the first few times that amazingly rare and desirable cars were pulled out of long term storages (in either good or bad shape) but now, come on man….that’s not a barn find…

 

or better yet:  “Barn Find with one repaint…”

[DavidMc]

How about "tribute car" , I have nothing against the concept just the stupid name.

[31plymouth]

  The word Classic when talking about any vintage car .. A friend of mine goes ballistic when someone refers to a 57 Chevy as a "Classic"

[K8096]

"What is wrong with Suicide doors?"

 

That term was never used by auto manufacturers or coachbuilders in the 1920's or 30's.   

[Akstraw]

3 hours ago, JCHansen1 said:

On and on I could go. Folks with Marti reports who brag about their "RARE! 1 of 1!!" Mustang because it was the only one ordered with whitewall tires or an electric clock or some other obsecure feature. Yawn.

 

We have a local seller in my area who will soemtimes describe their cars as "runs and drives, as it should", which is typically code for a clapped out jalopy that will scare you to death to drive over 30 mph, even though the asking price is approaching Hagerty's #2 condition valuation.

 

I seem to find quite often that claims of all original sheet metal and/or paint are often complete nonsense, sometimes by the unscrupulous, and someitmes simply the ignorant. A recent Plymouth GTX with gross rivited metal patches in the quarters visible in the trunk that had obvioulsy undergone a complete color change at some point but advertised as "80% original paint" comes to mind.

 

I won't even begin to unpapck the whole "numbers matching" thing... patricularly on cars where no serial numbers or VIN stamps ever existed on a drive train and date codes are as close as you can get.   

I think “80% original paint” refers to “all the deteriorated finish I should have sanded off before giving a cheap respray.”

[Studemax]

6 hours ago, John_S_in_Penna said:

"It's only original once."

 

It's truthful and THAT never goes out of style.