Car talk!

POINT 1

me: How did you get to Yamagata?
B: I went by my car.

Mr B's answer is a little weird. "I went by car," is better. Most people will assume it is his car, so he doesn't need to say "my car." If it's a rental, then "I went by rental car," sounds okay. But actually, the best answer is..........
"I drove."



POINT 2

me: What kind of car do you have?
B: Uh..................a normal car.
C: Just a car.
D: A small car.

B,C,and D are not very specific! Maybe it's not a common question in Japan, but Americans always ask each other what kind of car they have. And by "what kind," they usually mean year, make, and model (in that order). Make is the manufacturer (Honda, BMW, etc) and model is the specific classification (Accord, 320d, etc).

examples:
I have a 2010 Honda Fit.
I have a 1964 Ford Mustang.


culture
Americans are pretty proud of their cars! Some people even name their cars. It depends on the city, but most people drive everyday from when they are in high school (about 16 or 17 years old). Almost always, both the husband and wife of a family have their own car, and usually the kids get their own car after they get their license. Unless they are rich, teenagers often get used cars. A lot of high school students work part time after school to pay for car insurance or gas. Most high schools have student parking lots.
Even if they are old, dirty, or beat up, people are still quite attached to their cars. (Actually, compared to the new, sparkling clean cars in Japan, Americans' cars are often rather old and beat up looking).
Some people are loyal to one manufacturer. For example, some families only buy Toyota. Some people who have a Ford, hate Chevy (and vice versa). Honda is probably the most popular Japanese car, but it is considered expensive. Recently Korean cars, such as Kia are becoming popular, because they are more affordable.
So...cars are pretty important!