The Batmobile, Batman’s official car, is probably one of the most popular fictional cars in the world. It was originally invented by Bill Finger and Bob Kane in 1939, so it doesn’t matter when you were born – if you’re a Batman fan, you’ve grown up with the Batmobile. The car has appeared in almost all of the major depictions of the superhero, from comic books to films and animated series, and is even playable in the Batman: Arkham video games series.
Many fans have attempted to make their inner child happy by purchasing or crafting cars that are supposed to look like the Batmobile. We’ve seen everything from modified SUVs to customized Lamborghinis, all attempting to recreate the glory of the vehicle. The closest thing we’ve ever seen to a real-life Batman is Zac Mihajlovic from Camden, Australia, who hand-built his very own street-legal Batmobile based on the classic car from the 1989 film with Michael Keaton. No matter what you try to create or purchase, don’t forget – you are not Batman.
Dark Headlight and Taillight Vinyl's
Besides getting us from point A to point B, the most important car features are the way they are built for maximum safety. Since losing your life in a car crash has never been a goal for the average consumer, we, as a society, tend to care about safety measures. One of the most important pieces of equipment that help create safety in your car is your headlights and taillights. These parts of the car serve two functions — they illuminate the road in front of you, and they help drivers behind you stay aware of your location and distance. Why would anyone even consider making these critical lights less effective by tinting them into a specific color, or even worse, darkening them altogether?
We ask ourselves how could anyone actually care so much about looking cool that they’d be willing to risk a car crash when driving at night. If looking cool is that big of a deal, why not work hard and save the money to be able to afford a brand new Mercedes with the latest high-resolution multi-beam LED technology? That would be much cooler (and safer) at the same time.
Donks. Yup. Donks.
Arguably the most hated car fad in existence, donks are ridiculously large wheels that make your car look like something out of a kid's Saturday morning cartoon. These are the big and clumsy wheels that often come with the dumbest paint jobs and accessories you'll ever see. The coolness factor of these larger-than-life tires is equivalent to a regular-sized man in clown shoes. While not dangerous, donks will absolutely wreck your spine by ruining any semblance of bump softening, and will also destroy any chance for smooth handling.
This is seriously one of the worst car trends that have plagued the automotive industry. If you have friends that do this, please ask them to stop. If you know someone who’s considering installing one of these, refer them to the nearest psychiatric facility and ask them to admit themselves there until the urge subsides.
Tank Cars
Some people have taken it upon themselves to turn their vehicles into real-life tanks. The reason? Nobody knows. Perhaps some of us like pretending we're in a World War simulator or in a video game where these kinds of vehicles can be found in mass. To be honest, there’s really no reason for this fad to exist.
Whoever asked for these modifications must have a lot of spare money or a very weird fascination with tanks. We can’t help but notice how the car’s headlights look like funny eyes while the rear of the car tries to be a serious tank. The camouflage definitely helps though, as the car can barely be seen on the surface of the grass… not.
The Cartoon Interior
One of the only trends on this list that actually applies mostly to women is the cutesy interior trend. Car owners, usually female, will decorate their entire vehicle with pink colors, Hello Kitty stickers and seats, many toys that either move when you drive or are powered by solar energy, and more. The most terrible aspect of these cars in our opinion is the handbrake. It's enough to look at the image above to realize what a disgusting and horrible trend this is.
Vehicles are tools meant to get us from one place to another in the fastest, safest, most efficient way possible. This is not Barbie's dream house and it's not a 6-year-old's bedroom either. Nobody knows how or why Hello Kitty has become the main villain in this trend. Perhaps it was a premeditated commercial plan, or maybe it just organically happened. Scooby-Doo is also an occasional cause for this trend, although in that case the reasons why are clear. Either way, please don't let anyone you know do this to their car.