While some students deck their cars out with flashy chrome wheels and bright-colored paint, others say students “pimping out” vehicles may garner negative attention from onlookers.
Michael Jefferies, 20, a junior mechanical engineering student from Jacksonville, said cars are like a canvas.
“Designing my car lets me express my artistic side, and when you have a fly ride all the girls notice you,” Jefferies said. “When I’m riding I feel like a metal object and all eyes are magnets.”
At Carquest, a Tallahassee dealership, the majority of the employees agreed that ‘pimped’ out rides are hot right now because of the number of young people who are coming in requesting work to be done on their vehicle.
Angel Smith, a Carquest employee, said pimped out cars may be fashionable to have, but sometimes they are looked upon negatively.
“One thing I can definitely say about pimped out cars is that they come with a lot of attention. Attention can sometimes be negative and positive,” Smith said. “People usually come in to get rims and dark tints put on, and less than a month later, they’re back wanting to get them removed because of the attention. Pimped out rides attract police and are targets for criminals.”
Numerous students on campus feel these creative car designs are a little over the top. Lisa Robinson, 22, a senior business administration student from Detroit, said changing up a vehicle’s original design sometimes makes the car less desirable.
“Why would you want your car to be “pimped out?” Robinson said. “It hurts the cars original structure. Does pimping out even sound the least bit attractive?”
Many students agree with Robinson and believe that having a normal “non-pimped out” ride is best. Derrick Fields 19, a sophomore political science student from Indianapolis, is very content with his car and said his car is a nice model as well as unique.
“I mean I have a pretty nice BMW and I think the car has its own flavor,” Fields said. “I don’t have to change up the color or add outrageous speakers to make it better. I do have tinted windows and 22-inch rims, but that’s very normal.”
If you want to look professional but still have a fun side, some students say having two cars is the best way to do go. Some students believe one car could be used to go to work, while the “pimped out” car could be used for clubs or other such outings.
Gennie Tienna, 19, a sophomore biology student from Fort Lauderdale, agrees with having two separate cars.
“You show out with the pimped out ride at clubs and special events, but you need the standard car to be professional,” Tienna said.