Yes, it's a status symbol and of course "face". ....next question!

I have an e-bike and a car, we both need transport and cannot afford / don't want two cars. I use the bike for work leaves the car for the wife for shopping and transporting the daughter.

Shopping with an e-bike is not fun, I'm not into the Chinese habit of putting 50 cubic metres of goods onto my bike and hoping for the best, Also I absolutely REFUSE to put my 2 year old daughter on the bike, it's dangerous enough with just me on it! Public transport in Nanning, is buses only which in the rush hours basically is a free for all, no holds barred free-fight, no accounting for age or gender, you charge for the door and barge ANYONE out of the way, of course no lines or queues! With a 2 year old that wouldn't be much fun.

Absolutely love my e-bike.. The city where I live, on most roads, people can walk faster than the cars move. It is a poor city where most people drive moto, but from time to time there is a Lamborghini, Ferrari or Lexus that very slowly rolls down the street. Funny how people buy such supercars, only to roll down the street at 5MPH and of course sit on the horn the whole way to wherever they're going. That is China for you.

Like Hugh. G. I am also in Nanning. We thought about buying a car just before last Christmas but decided against it because,

1. Parking here is a nightmare,

2. I don't read Chinese signs, so my wife would have to drive and that takes the fun out of it. (Come to think of it the Chinese don't seem to read the signs either so it may have been ok!!)

3. Why risk an accident, even just a minor nudge, when as a foreigner it would automatically be my fault.

4. Public transport is ok here, even though the buses at rush hour are just a wee bit busy. When the subway system is up and running it will be better as well.

5. We just saved the money and use it for travelling.

6. Having owned some nice cars back in the UK, I got over the status thing years ago, but if someone wants to loan me the money for a Masserati Quatro-Porte I might just reconsider. Until then I will do without.

I can think of several reasons to own a car.

Work is 20 miles away, cabs are expensive and ebikes over that range are suicidal/impractical.

Transporting kids to and from school.

Shopping for 6 people on an ebike is silly.

Taking cabs when you have a family is not practical.

to pick up girls?!!!!!!

because i dont like sitting on a bus that is jammed  packed with my golf clubs for 1 1/2 hrs

and have everyone stare at me    i really dont give a $%^& about face cause i really dont care what people think ot say about me now my wife and her bs face thing because shes chinese and iam american i try to tell her just mind her own biz and dont worry about other s

Not waiting for and fighting to get on a bus.  Not waiting for and fighting for the next taxi.  Not worrying about getting caught away from home in a sudden rainstorm.  Pure, utter, sheer convenience (worth it for me!).

Also, I think if I'm going to brave against all those other horrific Chinese drivers, I might as well be as well-armed as they are

For me an ebike was enough, but I think there is status in owning a car. I won't want to drive a car in China. I lived in Guilin and cars were parked on sidewalks and the car drivers are terrible, so are the scooter drivers, but when I was hit by a scooter it didn't hurt me.

This question is stupid .  Cars arent about status... EXPENSIVE cars are about status.  Cars are about convenience. If your not in China for a long period of time consider yourself excused but any semi permanent resident here knows how convenient a car is, but is either too lazy to do the licensing crap  and/or spends too much money on beer to buy one. Could you live for years in your home country without a car?? So why is it so different here?? Everywhere has public transportation.  This whole" face" argument is just a crutch for people who still feel the home-grown shame of taking a bus.