6 types of car enthusiasts you'll see at any car meet or car event in Singapore

Car meets are quite an odd occurrence. You get a bunch of people who own cars and have the ability to go anywhere they like, but choose to gather in an empty parking lot and stand around mixing with other like-minded people who also seem to have no better place to be.

While most of these people are just crazy passionate about their quickly-depreciating assets (cars), some of them might hang around for other reasons, such as getting more Instagram followers…

Either way, there's quite a mix of types of people in car clubs and meets, and we've came up with a small lineup of them here. Well, have a look and see if you find any of these familiar!

1. The Car Spotter

Car type: Typically BMW (Bus-MRT-Walk)

Age group: Teens to early twenties

Equipment: DSLR Camera, iPhone, Gimbals for videos and Tik Toks

Who are they: Car Spotters are mostly non-drivers of a younger age with equal passion for cars and photography. They tend to have information on rare cars' whereabouts and know exactly when car events or meets are held.

You will often spot them holding expensive DSLR cameras or iPhones and gimbals for a 'sick event (hopefully not crashed by the police) coverage'. As a huge part of their goals is to collect likes and shares on social media platforms, they usually have a penchant for drooling over million-dollar exotic cars, rare 'JDM as F***' cars (with depreciation as high as a new Lambo) and some rusty, rotting 'classics' (that are sourced from kampungs).

This group of car meet goers are also extremely attracted to 'pops and bangs' and egoistic displays such as needless revving of engines and speeding within a confined area, like moths to an open flame.

2. The 'Influencer'

Car type: Depending on style, either branded cars or cars with loud and sometimes questionable modifications to attract attention.

Age group: Twenties to early thirties

Equipment: Smartphones for immediate social media postings, decals of their IG handles on their cars for maximum outreach.

Who are they: As long as you use social media, you would've noticed the existence of influencers. Yes, apparently it is now considered to be a real job to post photos and updates of your boring life - as long as you look good enough. Well, the Influencers you see at car meets are a little different from the typical garden-variety ones. These are the ones who have chosen to fixate on the rather niche car community.

These 'Car Influencers' can either be drivers or non-drivers, but you can surely spot them taking selfies or photos while posing with cars that may or may not belong to them. The ones who drive will attend car meets for 'exposure' and loves the attention from the Car Spotters.

While Car Influencers aren't necessarily limited to females, they often are. I mean, who really wants to see a dude posing in front of a car, right?

3. The Ah Sia Kia

Car type: Expensive sports cars, supercars and luxury cars

Age group: Barely legal to drive - late twenties

Equipment: Aforementioned expensive cars, expensive shades, clothes and wears Rolex or Audemars Piguet watches.

Who are they: These are the loaded ones who will turn up in exotics that 'Car Spotters' will run after - such as McLarens, Ferraris, Lamborghinis and other expensive rides.

They usually mix within their group within the same car club, who drive cars of a similar class. Are they actually into cars, who knows? Maybe they are just here for 'networking' purposes or to make sure everyone knows they are the ones to envy.

Nobody really knows whether the cars belong to them or their parents, or what they did right in life to deserve all the overflowing wealth, but it doesn't really matter. They are driving an exotic machine. Are you?

ALSO READ: He spent over $40k setting up a space for Tamiya car enthusiasts during the pandemic - now it's closing down

4. The Attention Seeker

Car type: Anything goes, they'll find some way to attract attention anyway.

Age group: Once again, a wide range, from snotty brats seeking attention to middle-age men experiencing mid-life crisis

Equipment: Like the Influencers, these people love the attention, so you can expect similar, attention-grabbing things from them.

Who are they: These come in a variety. Some are in entry-level enthusiast favourite JDM cars such as Mitsubishi Lancers, Honda Civics, Toyota Vios and the likes, while others might be flaunting their 1.4-litre 'atas Conti machine'. But you can be sure of one thing, they'll announce their entrance with needless revving of their engines and obnoxious pop and bangs from the exhaust.

While they might think their rich (air-fuel ratio) and retarded (ignition timing) tunes make badass bangs and crackles akin to WRC machines, they often sound like someone who ate too much Mala at one setting... The obnoxious sounds are quite effective at attracting the 'Car Spotter' bunch though.

5. The Gentleman (and Lady) Driver

Car type: A variety of cars, but usually of the classier type and tastefully personalised

Age group: Usually of a more mature age

Equipment: You might not even notice their presence. Without the desire to attract attention, they might even turn up in T-shirt and Bermudas - it's all about the company.

Who are they: Well, these are the drivers who couldn't care less about getting any attention from others. They are here to enjoy the company of like-minded car enthusiasts, and to appreciate the cars that others have poured their heart, soul and possibly their entire savings into.

They will usually arrive at the location without much fanfare, no unnecessary revving, just civilised driving to get to their parking lot - pure class.

6. The Wannabe Racer

Car type: Just keep your eyes peeled when you hear tyre screeching or people screaming in fear (preferably not)

Age group: Usually younger drivers

Equipment: Usually missing half a brain

Who are they: These are what you get when you have an Attention Seeker who has worse situational awareness and an even more inflated, yet fragile ego.

In a bid to show just how great their driving skills and cars are, they will be speeding within the confines of the carpark where a car meet is. Some rowdier ones might even think handbrake turns or doing burnouts in an enclosed area full of humans would be the smart thing to do.

At the end of the day, the only thing they achieve is to attract the law, and put the car community in a bad light.

This article was first published in sgCarMart.