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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To turn up in old car to posh place?

104 replies

Ribrabrob · 15/09/2020 14:59

I have an interview later at quite a high end health club type of place regularly frequented by millionaires. The job is a fairly basic admin type role.

I was planning to get the bus however this isn’t possible now so I’ll need to drive my car... a very old tired rusty KA which I just noticed has bird poo allllll over it Blush (not enough time to clean it). the job ad made a point of saying that appearance is very important.

I really do need some kind of job right now - would I be unreasonable to turn up in this car? Should I cancel? I feel embarrassed. One side of me thinks I shouldn’t be and that it’s just a car, but then the other side of me is unsure.

Just to note it’s gated and they will see my car on the camera at the gates.

OP posts:
Lifeisgenerallyfun · 15/09/2020 17:12

Hope your interview went well. Proper posh people I know all wear old clothes and have old cars (usually a really old mucky Range Rover or Land Rover). They never discuss money, often a bit eccentric, rarely judge others, generally really good fun and lovely people. But as PP have said unlikely to be a member at David Lloyd’s etc.

Wannabe posh people are often cunts, spend their entire lives wearing their bank balance on their sleeves. Look down on everyone else to try and make themselves feel better and superior. Again they won’t mind what car you drive as it will make their Audi/mercedes/bmw
Company car/loan agreement car seem proper posh. They won’t mind your car in their eyes is a bit crap as most of them probably treat the gym staff that way

ClarencesMum · 15/09/2020 17:13

Good luck!

Thighdentitycrisis · 15/09/2020 17:21

If you were going to get the bus, can you drive to nearby the bus stop and walk from there?

NeuroticKindofNormal · 15/09/2020 17:23

I agree, get it cleaned and hold your head high.

I drive an old car (worth about 1k?) and my husband drives an 80k car 🤷‍♀️ Someone else mentioned old cars as a badge of honour and I do feel weirdly proud of my old car, which is totally functional for my short drive to work and supermarket trips etc. Husband has a 2 hour commute so he mostly gets the nice car and at weekends we both drive the nice car.

We are not 'landed gentry' by any stretch but I suppose I could go and get a swanky new hatchback if I REALLY wanted. I don't because it seems like SUCH a waste of money that could go on paying off the mortgage, or nice holidays, or any number of things I deem more important 🤷‍♀️

People I work with have never seen me drive anything other than my old car, and they've likely drawn conclusions, but I don't give a toss.

It's a mistake to make assumptions about people based on a car. A filthy car totally covered in old bird shit I WOULD judge you for though... but I'd say that probably goes for newer cars too.

Best of luck with your interview, I bet they don't pay any attention whatsoever to your car regardless- they'll be far more interested in YOU!

RincewindsHat · 15/09/2020 17:32

I wouldn't worry about it. I would clean the bird poo off, but so long as the car is clean and presentable, you're all good. Nobody's going to zoom in on the camera and examine your car for rust patches!

SerenityNowwwww · 15/09/2020 17:35

I’d stick some strands of hay in the back and an old piece rope. It would fit right in (‘posh’ people I know tend not to really give a monkeys). Or park the car around the corner and walk the rest of the way.

TantieTowie · 15/09/2020 17:42

I have a very old, battered and deep down unattractive car. I like to think people secretly think I'm really rich when I turn up in it ;-) I'm not and really I have it because it just keeps on going and is very reliable. The sign of a properly posh place is that they treat you just the same, regardless of your car.

TantieTowie · 15/09/2020 17:42

Good luck!

RB68 · 15/09/2020 17:46

Stick "Dogs on Board" sticker on it and it will be just like any monied persons old banger for running around in :-)

VampireBill · 15/09/2020 17:46

I always struggle with the 'I know lots of millionnaires' comments that get bandied around on these types of threads. Do you really know/care how much your friends/acquaintances are worth? Why does it/has it even crossed your mind?

Go to the interview via the cheapest car wash or pay a neighbours teen to take the worst off. It's a 10 minute job - you probably could've done it yourself in the time it's taken to read the responses.

SerenityNowwwww · 15/09/2020 17:50

Nah - I’ve just worked with a lot...

ChiaraRimini · 15/09/2020 17:51

The person who opens the gates is unlikely to be deciding whether to hire you so I wouldn't bother even cleaning it tbh

EveryDayIsADuvetDay · 15/09/2020 17:52

well if you can manage to be as well presented and self assured as @elfycat you'll be fine.
They are interested in your appearance, not your car. When I was working outside of London, I wouldn't have dreamed of checking out what someone's car looked like.
That said, it's worth 10-20 minutes at a car wash - you're clearly worried about it, so getting it sorted is likely to give you more self confidence.

Toomuchtrouble4me · 15/09/2020 18:04

In the time you've taken on here you could have washed your car - arriving in a poo smeared car is gross - the make and model don't matter but at least be CLEAN!

CountessDracula · 15/09/2020 18:20

Just park somewhere outside and walk to the gates.
Though if they give a shit about what sort of car you drive you probably don't want to work for them anyway.

Bluntness100 · 15/09/2020 18:22

It is fine, but a bowl of soapy water will get the bird shit off in five mins. You could have done it in the time you were on here.

Snackasaurus · 15/09/2020 18:27

@Ribrabrob

Don't ever be ashamed of what you own!

I have a 13 year old car that's scraped and dented. It's always covered in bird poo and the back seat is covered in all sorts of junk. But do you know what? That's MY car! It gets me from A to B and does what I need it to do 😊 If anybody has a problem with that, that's their problem and not mine. And to be truthful, anybody who judges others on the car they drive is not somebody I want to be friends with!

Good luck! 😊 X

SeasonFinale · 15/09/2020 18:31

Don't even bother to clean it if you don't want to. Noone will notice.

QuestionableMouse · 15/09/2020 20:03

@VampireBill

I always struggle with the 'I know lots of millionnaires' comments that get bandied around on these types of threads. Do you really know/care how much your friends/acquaintances are worth? Why does it/has it even crossed your mind?

Go to the interview via the cheapest car wash or pay a neighbours teen to take the worst off. It's a 10 minute job - you probably could've done it yourself in the time it's taken to read the responses.

I don't personally care how much someone is worth but I always strikes me as funny when I see them getting out of their old, much loved and dented car in immaculate designer clothes with a handbag worth more than my car. 😂😂😂
Mmn654123 · 15/09/2020 20:26

@Heartlake

Completely agree - it's a delicate balance! Too knackered and they think you must be crap at your job, too swanky and they think you must be planning to overcharge them......!

scintilla87 · 15/09/2020 20:51

It’s highly unlikely that the person interviewing you will be the one to buzz you through the gates, no need to worry. But if it does worry you, go through the car wash on your way there. Best of luck, hope you get the job!

DrinkFeckArseGirls · 15/09/2020 21:30

I drive an older car too, not always, well very rarely, clean but caked on bird shit signals someone who well, doesn’t give a shit or doesn’t pay attention to details. One shit - could have happened on the way there, covered in shit - Envy.
You’re going to dress accordingly for the job, clean and neat so I’d apply the same to the car if there is a chance recruiters or potential work new coworkers might see it. Poo bird or any other poo for that matter does not make a good impression.

worcestersauce29 · 15/09/2020 21:50

Between us our cars are 30years + old........We visit 'posh' places quite often; we are in no way gentry/rich and our cars are not muddy Landrovers' or Volvos' not even close. The car you drive does not matter one jot IMO.
Every now and then me muse about getting a new car, it doesn't last long...........when either of the cars die we will probably replace with similar

DrinkFeckArseGirls · 15/09/2020 22:36

Just realised the interview must have been and gone Grin - hope it went well, OP!

Original poster
Ribrabrob · 15/09/2020 22:48

Thanks everybody for the good luck wishes! Interview went quite well I think, the panel were really nice and it has quite a relaxed casual feel to it.

Regarding the car - I parked a few minutes away and waked in the end! Wasn’t really because of the car though - you guys actually have me reassurance and confidence Grin - but because I ended up being unexpectedly early and didn’t want to ask them to open up the gates too early.

Re the time - yes you are right I probably would have time to get the car washed rather than being online but practicality wise I didn’t have any equipment where I was and also - rather embarrassingly - I can’t really afford any added extras like car washes etc right now.

OP posts: