While driving my friend’s late-1970s MG Midget, a guy pulled up next to me in an MG Sprite. We did the manly nod exchange.
Well, as manly as we could be in cars that were practically gokarts.
I drive a Landrover Freelander. 2002, which was the first US model year. Back then other Freelander drivers would nod or wave, but not so much anymore. I have a rare color…Icelandic Blue. The other one that color in town is also driven by a woman. I see her from time to time and if we catch each other’s eye for some reason (at a stop light or whatever) we will usually smile or nod.
My friend, those people with the brand new Freelanders and their ilk are as far from people like you or I as night from day. Don’t expect them to know anything about the brotherhood of rugged vehicles - the honorable Land Rover brand has been, unfortunately, co-opted by the Dolce and Gabanna set. Don’t even get me started on the new-generation Land Cruisers.
When I drove this I waved at anyone else with a brushguard, lights and mud. They usually waved back. But I wouldn’t wave at a post-'99 4Runner. You only get a wave from me if your vehicle is actually rugged. The new generations of almost all SUVs, with the exception of maybe the Jeep Wrangler, are like a man who has grown fat, old and tired and surrounds himself with luxury and comforts because he can no longer go out and hunt.
Should have hit preview…
Please don’t kill me!!! [runs]
I only waved at Sportswagon WRX. In Seattle at least, it was an entirely different sort of person who bought the coupe versus the wagon.
Though that was four years ago.
Honk honk! 
There is supposed to be a “Prius wave”, but I am unsure what it is.
My desire to wave is inversly proportianal to how often I see one.
Brian
I drive a 1988 Mercury Tracer.
The only one that gets the waving is some poor dude stuck in a time warp.
Although, on the internets, I’ve seen people saying that they had my make and model of car and it lasted for a quarter million miles. Ford built a freak for the only year they built my particular model, that’s for sure. A couple more years and I can apply for historical plates!
Woooo!
Wooooooooo!
Woooo!
Awww, no worries. I’m one of those people at heart…I would have bought an old Defender if I could have found one in my area in my price range in good enough condition. I have wanted one since I was a tiny child and I used to watch the National Geographic specials.
There was one Defender for sale in my area when I was looking for a car (mine having died) and it was beautiful. '95, low miles, Olive drab, in excellent condition, out of my price range at $26K. I have to make due with my Freelander for now. It was only $19K on a year end clearance…get-this-thing-off-my-lot sort of sale.
Whatever. They’re great cars, but what’s with this secret brotherhood of ____ car owners who have to wave at one another?
I drive a special production car (500 in the model year), and a couple of months ago somebody at a light coming the other way started honking at me and flashing lights. Here I am trying to figure out what I’ve done to piss this guy off or whatever, then my passenger says, “Hey, his car looks just like yours; it even has the same [custom] interior.” Oh. Big frickin’ deal.
Maybe when I get that Aston Martin DB9 I’ll deign to wave and wave only at other Vanquish (but not lowly Vantage) drivers. I don’t see myself sharing a deep bond with other Subaru owners though.
Stranger
Oh, yes, I do. I’ve lived in this area for 19 years now ( :eek: ) and I’ve only seen a handful; 2 which were the same color as The Turtle. Once, I was ascending in a spiral off-ramp and met another dude coming down the other way in the same car. His eyes got as big as saucers!! I just waved and grinned.
What kind do you have? I see Legacy/Baja/Outback/Tribecas at every corner but I only see other Imprezzas every few days, sometimes only once a week, sometimes even less. They’re cool cars and not very many people know how cool they are, so when you see someone else driving one you give a little nod and wave to acknowledge that you’re both “in the know”.
My dad is pretty knowledgable about cars but he thought Subarus were in the same class as Kias, Hyundais, Suzukis, etc until he drove the WRX. I only knew about them because my grandfather was a big fan of them going back to the '70s.