They may be intensely concerned with what they imagine impresses other random, unknown motorists.
I used to work with a guy with a 120 mile commute, of course done solo in an empty full size V8 4x4 pickup. I ran through the "get a beater like mine" scenario and it would have saved him ****tons of money but he wasn't having it.
People's vehicle choices are intensely personal. A friend of mine who probably has heard more of my anti-SUV rants than anyone recently totaled her SUV. She always claimed she only had it because that is what her ex-husband gave her but she wanted something more economical. What do you suppose she's been looking at/test driving? SUVs. I don't want to hear it, and it looks like she doesn't want to hear what I say either.
P.S. My best commuter vehicle was my bicycle. But then I made sure, when house shopping, to buy within bicycle commuting radius from work, not 120 miles away.
