If you’re reading this article right now, chances are that you love car culture. And guess what? So do we! All over the world, you see different cultures popping up in different areas, like South Florida with its donks, supercars in Los Angeles, and Bosozoku in Japan.
However, the one thing that unites us is our love for badass automobiles. And while we here at Ideal accept all kinds of car culture, I must say, there are some trends that just have no place in this world. In this article, I’m going to take you through 8 trends that are ruining car culture!
Wraps On Wraps On Wraps
To paint or to wrap, that is the question. But these days, it seems like there’s only been one answer. Is it just me, or does it seem like no one paints their car anymore? What’s going on? Is a sick House of Kolor paint job with custom graphics not cool anymore? And, look, I’m just as guilty as the next guy. I would argue that the wrap on my 911 looks pretty sweet.
So how come I say that wraps are ruining car culture? Well, painting is a long and strenuous process that allows you to add a custom color then layer it with gobs of clear coat, and you end up getting that better-than-factory shiny look to your car. But can’t wraps do that? Sort of.
Wraps have certainly come a long way since hitting the market, but I’ll be the first to admit that they still don’t look as good as a new paintjob. Professional wrappers take a car and wrap it, and a lot of the time it looks great. But if it’s not properly installed, sometimes it can turn out pretty awful.
How would you like to spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars on a crappy wrap job? I know I wouldn’t. Sure, paint can turn out bad too. If the paint gun isn’t set up properly, it can cause your new paint to have orange peel, and that’s not ideal.
While both methods have flaws, it seems like increasingly more people are choosing to go with wraps over paint, and that’s pretty much just because it’s cheaper. But, as you know, cheaper doesn’t always mean better. While a typical paint job will easily last 10+ years, a wrap job is only designed to last 2 or 3 years maximum. Otherwise, it’ll take up some of your clear coat and paint when you decide to unwrap your car.
So, while a wrap might seem like the more cost-effective option, it can actually result in you spending way more money down the line to fix the damage it’s done to your car’s original coat of paint.
This next mod won’t just mess up your car’s paint, it can have seriously awful effects on your suspension. Can someone tell me why everyone’s stancing their cars?
Stance Obsession
Honestly, would you rather have your Porsche 997 bagged and saggy or lifted and gifted? I mean, I know which I would choose. But how come today it seems like it’s almost a requirement to be hellaflush at a car meet? I guess I like to go against the grain. It seems like having a car that’s unique and different is being completely replaced by Hellaflush Fever.
Today people with unique builds get turned away just because they don’t have the “proper fitment”. If you want to keep your stock E30 M3 the way it is, I say go for it! Not everyone wants to slam their car and Pandem widebody it.
And that right there is another fad that’s impossible to get away from. Seems like I can’t look in my rearview anymore without seeing a Pandem widebody kit.
Pandem Widebody Everything
Nowadays, people are slapping Pandem widebodys on everything. And yes, I do mean everything. From Skylines to Supras, from McLarens to Mustangs, from RX-7’s to Rangers! Okay, I think you get the point. Just about anything and everything today is being widebodied. They all start to look the same if you ask me.
And the sad truth is that there isn’t enough companies making unique widebody kits. Don’t get me wrong, the Pandem kit is definitely cool-looking. But you tell me the difference between two Pandem widebody kits and I’ll give you a cookie. Be unique, people!
Plus, the more hyped these widebodies get, the more it seems like the prices are being driven up. And that’s not just happening with widebodies, it’s happening with cars too!
Hyped-Up Prices
Anyone remember how the absolutely legendary Mark IV Supra was going for just $20,000 a few years back? Not today! Nope, now you’ll be shelling out a heck of a lot more if you want to call one of these legends your own.
But, it’s not just Supras, it’s 240’s, Miatas, and S2000’s too! 240’s are trading hands for as much as a newer 350Z, a Miata for the price of an MR2, and S2000’s for the price of a 911! Sure, these are still great cars, I just miss the days when you could buy one without paying a hype tax.
Fortunately, there are still some great sleepers out there at affordable prices. But, let’s just establish that there’s a big difference between a sweet sleeper and an absolute missile.
Missile Cars
What are missiles? No, I’m not talking about instruments of death and destruction. Oh wait, I guess I kind of am! Missiles are cars that have been stripped and modified solely for track use. So, yeah, say goodbye to safety features.
Drift missiles are the most common, and while they’re meant for the track, a lot of people drive them on the streets and to the meets. And sometimes they just end up looking ridiculous.
Missiles are set up for the perfect asphalt conditions, no driveways, and no speed bumps of a race track. So, imagine having to deal with these imperfections in a car that’s just not at all equipped to handle them. Well, people do it, and they not only inconvenience themselves, but also all the other motorists around them.
Alright, I get it if you want to stance your car or maybe even slap on a fart can, but driving a missile on the road is downright unsafe.
You want to know what else is ridiculous? YouTubers making cool cars uncool.
YouTubers… SMH
Okay, this might sound like I’m being a hater right now, but hear me out. A manual Lamborghini Murcielago is cool, right? Classic 2000’s styling with those scissor doors and a rumbling V12 paired with a manual transmission, baby! But what about a Huracan? Sure, it’s a cool Lamborghini, but so many YouTubers have bought them that now they’re as common as Camrys. The Murcielago and the Huracan are the same price, but if you’re like me, you’d rather have the way-less-common Lamborghini Mercy.
And McLarens? Everyone and their mom has one of those these days. Every year they drop a “new” model that’s pretty much the same as last years! So, one minute it’s cool, and the next it is not. A lot of YouTubers show off these expensive cars only for them to be uncool a year or two later.
If you’ve been saving up for a rare supercar, don’t get the one from that YouTube video, trust your gut and get the one that’s unique to your style, and consider whether you’re still going to love it 5 years down the road.
Oh yeah, and definitely don’t Plastidip it if you don’t know what you’re doing!
Plasti Dip
Now, Plasti Dipping isn’t always bad. It can be done right, and when it is, it can look sweet! But, doing it right is easier said than done. All across the internet, we’ve been seeing people botching Plasti Dips left and right. If you really think that rattle-canning your whole car with Plasti Dip will come out looking like paint, I hate to tell you that most of the time you’re going to be wrong.
While using spray cans is far less expensive and a lot easier to remove than traditional paint, you should still learn how to properly apply your Plasti Dip before you completely ruin your exterior. I’m talking about a spray gun, people! Leave the spray cans for subway graffiti and give your car the care it deserves, and the results will be awesome.
Then, you can go out and show it off. But if you show it off too much, your freshly Plasti Dipped car might just need some more work.
Showing Off
Why do I feel like I need to talk to Mustang owners about this one. When leaving a car show, it’s acceptable to give it the beans, but don’t be the guy jumping curbs. You know who you are. Just because you have 4-wheel or all-wheel drive doesn’t mean you’re invincible either.
If you do want to show off, make sure you know what you’re doing. Please. You’re not only endangering yourself and your car, but also everyone around you when you start hooning in your Crowd Killer GT500.
Plus, when leaving an event, you have to realize that your tires are cold. So when you give it gas, you’re not going to get much traction. Don’t be that guy killing crowds with your Mustang. There’s a reason they got that reputation.
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