I've treid for quite a while to figure out the motivation behind.

Bling and "Pimping of rides"

Now I understand things done for styling, but what I can't wrap my head around (and I've tried for several months now) is why someone would modify a vehicle (esp. preformance based ones) in such a way that the mod served little to no function, preformance was hurt, mod was never used, "just for show" on a non-show car, TVs where they aren't even watched, Plastic painted silver so it looks like chrome to stand out.

I understand ,choppers, hot,rods, rat rods, clean shaved and dropped German cars (mainly of the VW and Audi VCariety) the buldging hoods of American Muslce, rasied and deep country prepped wranglers (and farm trucks for that matter), so could someone explain how Bling fits into the world, what drives the desore?

Why does it have so many immitators? In most any other category mentioned, owners usually go for the genuine artilce and mods have purpose.

Just interested in learning more about another aspect of car culture, this thread is NOT to bash, belittle, label or degrade anybody's ride; but instead the goal is to give those "in the know" a chance to further educate the community about another aspect of car culture.

 

Why do people smoke? That degrades performance too.

My guess is it is to be accepted by the crowd they run with. So long as they are happy and the people they are trying to impress are impressed, then those mods really did function as intended.

 

I think it is an expression of personal style. The bling folk want attention and like shiny things, whether they are functional, performance-oriented, or not. My impression is that it is a fashion statement.

 

Probably for the same reason women like make-up and jewelry (some guys too). We were shopping for a ring for my wife this weekend and the salesperson said "don't you love this ring", I said "show me a mutual fund that will get me 10% a year and I'll get excited, rings don't do if for me" So, what I'm saying is that what is important to one person may seem ridiculous to another. But thats what makes the world go round!!!

What I don't get is the people with the trick out brand new cars parked infront of their run-down down mobil home

 

Personal expression is a major reason; for those on the tv programs, well people will do just about anything to be on tv. I also think that the herd mentality of people when presented with fads adds to the popularity of pimping (anyone remember the cigar smoking fad of about a decade ago?)

In the next couple of years, the tv shows will be cancelled, people will find something else that is a "must do" and the hobby will return to the few hardcore people who were doing it before Hollywood discovered it.

 

Duallie trucks laying frame on the ground, lowriders, any car with hydraulics. These and others fall into the catagory of why. Main reason is because it can be done and there will always be someone who want to push the envelope of what can be done with a car and will do it. Others will either find it 'cool' and imitate it or not as they feel like. It's all in the eye of the beholder.

 

This reminds me of the Top Gear episode where they did a hill climb with a riced out Peugeot 306 against an old Austin Healey Sprite. The Sprite won.

 

Hmm, I think that although the results can look the same on the outside there are two different main motivators at work for different people. There are those that love mods as a personal expression and way to make their vehicle more to their liking and individualized (and get addicted to tweaking it). Then there are those that mod as a status thing -this can be performance or just bling - but the motivation is more about impressing people then personal expression. It can be hard to differentiate (though overt trendiness and expensive 'bling' like mega size super expensive wheels is kind of a status thing giveaway), and I think there can be overlap, but once you talk to the people you know which camp they mainly fall into

 

as Clo mentioned above, it is a fashion statement. it's like their cloths,
how they talk, what they listen to, etc. and just identifies who they are
i suppose.

even some of the music they listen to says they don't go fast because
they want their ladies to have a good look at them. so i guess that sums it up.

 

It is a fashion statement, and also a social expression to say "hey look at me and all this expensive stuff i have" Its a way to flaunt or try and prove your worth. Just like when people buy a pair of $500 pair of jeans. There is no point of it except to say "hey look what i got!" So when people who buy 26 inch spinners, it makes them feel like they are someone because they have expensive wheels. I think its more of a social status thing...

just my .02

 

Most of the fashion statements I've seen driving around, are about to give up the ghost mechanically because the owner has sunk all their money into looks without substance.

Very American!

 

Dude .... you gave it away in the phrase above.

To you, maybe performance counts.

To MANY MANY others, performance means squat.

Everyone likes different things. We all have likes and dislikes.

Your not going to understand why someone likes those 20" spinners because its not your style anymore than they will understand you like a SC shine.

We are all different

Just think about this the next time you spend say $800 on a new IC that gets you maybe 2 HP only when its really hot outside ... The people who be pimping their rides are laughing wondered about what a waste of money an new IC is!

 

First, you will have to educate them as to what an IC is.

Then they can laugh.

 

This is true!

Its kind of like some ppl drop money on high end audio systems

Others on golfing vacations

Others on motorhomes

Others on .... you get the idea

Everyone is different. It doesn't make it right or wrong, it's just your perspective.

 

MCS-JCW - $31,000
Photography Equipment - $8,000
Monterey Historic Tix and Camping - $500

Following Your Bliss - Priceless.

 

Think you missed the point of that part of statement.
try reading it as...
why buy an Enzo put oversized spinners chrome and 6 TV screens on it, thus killing the Perfomance aspect of the purpose built car, and then putting LCD screens where they won't be seen/watched. Why install a 6 exhaust tip when you can clearly see the 2.5 ehaust pipe sticks through.

I can understand liking a car for looks and I understand making a car ones own; but find the difficult part is to know why people waste on what they don't use (then turn around and B*** about the price of gas, or toll increases). Some poeple have speakers hidden where they can't be seen and when heard its only the rattle of the trunk. Many times to me Bling has been a signal the person felt the need to make up for something (lacking in personal depth so sought monetary replacement) but I know thats not always the case and was looking for some insight.

Thanks for the responses, I'm at the point where I know why, just don't "get" the motive behind it. If anyone is into bling please post, and give us your thoughts, and a little education, it seems like most thus far have been outsiders making observations, perhaps a 1st person point of veuw would give us a new lght on things?

 

Got it.

Its like this.

Why buy a five bedroom house, with no kids?
Why put a TV in every room when you can't possible watch them all and never get put on?
Why do women have 200 pairs of shoes and men 3?
Why do men have maybe 3 suits and women 200?
Why put in a pool you never use?
Why put in a fireplace and never light the fire?

The mysterious of life

 

To show social status, and impress others. Cant be out done by the next person! its all subconcious compitetion. Oh...and human nature. or is that the same thing?

 

Why buy a five bedroom house, with no kids?
Starting a Family
Why put a TV in every room when you can't possible watch them all and never get put on?
ok, never had that many TVs so this one needs to be explained(as well as why your car has more TVs than your house
Why do women have 200 pairs of shoes and men 3?
Men are right
Why do men have maybe 3 suits and women 200?
See last answer, besides women need something that makes them look fat so they can get you in trouble
Why put in a pool you never use?
When I have acess to a pool I swim
Why put in a fireplace and never light the fire?
I'm a pyro I use the fireplace often (but its gas, ugh I miss the smell of burning pine)

The mysterious of life