Maybe I bought the wrong car!!??

Vanda · Post by **Vanda** » Tue Mar 25, 2003 6:50 pm

This is going to sound so lame but I've been thinking (no that's not the lame part)!
I'm not the type to really draw attention to myself and I've not had the top down half as much as I could have, because I don't usually dare take it down when lots of people are around, especially if I'm on my own in it.
I cringe at the thought of people staring at me.

e.g. I went to Morrisons the other day, parked up and put the roof up. As I was doing this about 5 people literally stopped what they were doing (pushing trolleys, screaming at small children, dragging their knuckles etc) and just stared at the car. Then when the roof was up they continued staring at me. They only went about their pushing, screaming and dragging when I got out of the car, then they all pretended I didn't exist!

Is it just me who has had this type of experience. I now think twice about people being around when I put the roof up or down.

Derek · Post by **Derek** » Tue Mar 25, 2003 7:20 pm

dont worry about it - i get the nosey buggers too

samwise · Post by **samwise** » Tue Mar 25, 2003 7:28 pm

Hi

I was chatting to Grainne at the mini meet last night about this. In my view the 206cc is probably the best car you can have regarding having something really cool and useful like the folding roof while not being too in people's faces. Some people can take a dislike to you if you have nice things but I don't think that was the situation you described.

For what it's worth I drive through London roof down and with the windows up I feel happy that I'm not going to get grief from people. I had a Ferrari 355 last New Year for 5 days and .....

Got spat on by a homeless person at a set of traffic lights (thank goodness the windows were up).
Parking ticket for being 10 minutes over at 8am on the 30th Dec in a street where I was the only car (made some traffic wardens Xmas).
"Robbed" by a car park attendent who insisted in double charging me for parking.

I had someone deliberately walk out in front of me while driving a Porsche 928 as well. Some people don't like you if you drive something that looks expensive.

If I'm driving an old classic people don't see it as an expensive car and they don't giving me any grief. You can drive like a complete t*t in an AC Cobra and everyone still waves and smiles at you!

What you described is just human nature. They stare at the car because there's something to see but when you get out and there is an chance for conversation they suddenly feel embarresed and look away and pretend you never existed. If you were driving an old classic then someone might come over and ask a question. In the grand scale of cars the 206 isn't the most expensive so people don't feel the need to hate you like some people seem to. If you did the same thing in a very expensive car you'd get the same reaction but someone may key it for you while in the shop!

Of course my stories are extreme because I'm in London but a toned down version probably counts elsewhere!?

I'd ask if anyone had got a bad reaction to their CC from people but for Vanda's sake prehaps you'd better keep it to yourself!

Jason

rob · Post by **rob** » Tue Mar 25, 2003 8:24 pm

the one you have to watch out for is people pissing off motorway bridges

Usually drunks at night

but then I was mad and would have the roof down when ever I could

Greenday · Post by **Greenday** » Tue Mar 25, 2003 8:47 pm

I noticed some poeple looking but i think its cos most people have heard of the CC but not many people have seen them working e.g. putting the roof up or down, the main problem i find is t**ts on motorsway and dual carriage ways put out in front of you at the last moment so you can't overtake them, also everyone wants to race it away from traffic lights but hey i enjoy a good nice as long as it ain't a 400bhp monster next to me

Mr_AWOL · Post by **Mr_AWOL** » Tue Mar 25, 2003 11:15 pm

parked up and put the roof up. As I was doing this about 5 people literally stopped what they were doing (pushing trolleys, screaming at small children, dragging their knuckles etc) and just stared at the car. Then when the roof was up they continued staring at me.

I find this too vanda - i guess when you get ppl as attractive as you and me in such a sexy assed car, the world stops!

I have had complete strangers tell me in the street what a nice car it is too - and the bird at the drive thru is OBSESSED! luckily although i am very much shy & retiring (

: ) i am beginning to get over it. You will surely do the same - just enjoy it!

RTF · Post by **RTF** » Wed Mar 26, 2003 12:06 am

Hmm... Well here in Holland (and belgium because i live close to the border) i don't have that problem. I was careful the first few days but i saw people didn't care that much.
Of course people look at you but I just pretend everyone looks at me and not my car

ROLF

slimgym · Post by **slimgym** » Wed Mar 26, 2003 12:37 am

It's not lame - I'm with you! Never had a convertible before and chose the 206cc more on it's styling than its convertability. I'd looked around for months for a car to replace my '98 2.5CDX Vectra, considered others, but couldn't find one with a good gadget level inside or nice looks outside. Then I came out of a pub one lunchtime in Cheshunt and there was a silver 206cc. I just thought it had great such great styling for a coupe. Did some digging on the web, found this forum, test drove one on the monday, went back for another test drive on the saturday, and had one by the friday

With the top down, it's a great looking convertible. They've really done their homework on the styling of this beast! I've had it three weeks, and in spite of having good weekend driving weather I feel the same as you - in fact I've only ever driven top-down on the test drive

I'm more than happy with the car, the styling is great - akin to an Audi TT or Merc (even though it doesn't have the badge to back it up). It's got top of the range features (SE), handles well, is small and nippy, great to park, and most of all, it looks great! In short, the thing's a winner and I don't know why there aren't a shed load more on the roads!

If you're happy driving around with the top up, why not? It's your car! I might change over the summer, can't see me being happy to leave the thing with the top down, but the full monty mechanism really smacks of "I'm being a flash git". I suspect unless the neighbours know the 206cc they might not even know about it's party piece

CB · Post by CB » Wed Mar 26, 2003 3:25 am

Well said people - very articulate Jason...
Vanda - don't stress it, just enjoy the attention, if you can;t cope with it sell me your car (unless you've got orange leather in it...)

paul_y3k · Post by **paul_y3k** » Wed Mar 26, 2003 12:52 pm

nowt wrong with RED leather ......

MattB · Post by **MattB** » Wed Mar 26, 2003 1:25 pm

Put it this way. If the CC was just a 206 Coupe without the folding roof, would you still buy one?

I know I would.

PS I think I fall into the flash git category anyway!

Derek · Post by **Derek** » Wed Mar 26, 2003 10:05 pm

Put it this way. If the CC was just a 206 Coupe without the folding roof, would you still buy one?

Vince · Post by **Vince** » Thu Mar 27, 2003 12:12 pm

Put it this way. If the CC was just a 206 Coupe without the folding roof, would you still buy one?

Don't be daft! A 206 with a fixed roof is just a mum's school run/shopping trolly type car. The folding roof is the whole point of the car. If the CC was just a 206 Coupe without the folding roof, I'd buy a Merc convertable.

Vince.

Vanda · Post by **Vanda** » Thu Mar 27, 2003 5:43 pm

Well said people - very articulate Jason...
Vanda - don't stress it, just enjoy the attention, if you can;t cope with it sell me your car (unless you've got orange leather in it...)

I'ts red and black....... and it has..... so you can't have it!

Vanda · Post by **Vanda** » Thu Mar 27, 2003 5:49 pm

Well thanks for the replies folks..... glad (if that's right) that some other people have had the same kind of things too...... although am now paranoid about people pissing off motorway bridges!!!

I was brave today, got out of work there were quite a few people around and I put the lid down, driving around with it down doesn't phase me that much as long as I'm not in a town centre.
Got back home and put it up when there were people there too!

I even had a couple of admiring glances from people at bus stops which I was chuffed to bits with!

Guess it's nice having the good weather now so I can break myself in gently before summer!