From Ghostbusters to the weekly big shop, we found out that hearses aren’t just for transporting dead people – as proud owners of the sombre vehicles reveal their reasons for buying them
When you see a hearse driving down the road, you instantly think it’s on its way to a funeral, but what if the driver is just doing their weekly shop?
That’s right, people actually own hearses as ordinary cars, which may come as a surprise to some, but to them, it’s less about dead bodies and more about the uniqueness of the hearse.
As seen in a blog by Carwow, there are actually many benefits to owning a hearse. They’re comfortable, good to drive, and ‘great for Ikea’ with all that excess space.
Whether you like or loath the idea, there’s definitely a lot of love out there for hearses. For some, there’s a gothic appeal, for others it’s the sheer amount of space making them perfect for road trips.
We spoke to some proud hearse owners to find out more.
Katy Louise said: “Our main reason for getting a hearse was the fact that my partner was a huge Ghostbusters fan and always wanted his own Ecto-1, so we bought the hearse to convert into the infamous Ghostbusters car.
“I’d never driven a hearse previously, but I have to say it is by far the best, most comfy car I have ever driven. I’d really recommend a hearse to anyone looking for a comfortable car to drive as well as the added bonus of all that space.
“It’s great when you need to go and do a big supermarket shop or the dreaded Christmas present shopping!”
One thing that hearse owners find is the fact that they really do get people talking.
Katy added: “We find it gets people talking to you and you end up learning someone’s whole life story in a matter of a few minutes which is great, especially as over the last 18 months people have really missed out on conversation.
“It’s not all positive though, understandably it can be pretty difficult to find a parking space and it can be a bit of a tight squeeze, as well as the cost of fuel and insurance.
“All in all, I don’t see big cons to owning a hearse though, if people are looking for something different and quirky then I’d recommend a hearse over any other car.”
Another hearse user said: “I personally use it for going to Lidl, and for my giant dog Eve.
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“Plus, I might travel up and down the UK in it because of all the added space.”
It’s pretty mind-blowing to see how people have customised their hearses with some pretty wacky designs to say the least.
From Ghostbuster stickers to bright orange flames, custom hearses are far from morbid, they grab attention, and whether it’s good or bad attention, hearse lovers really don’t care.
Hearse owner Clare Brookes said: “I think I like the unusual, the things other people don’t have in their everyday life and especially because people think owning a hearse is eerie.”
Another hearse lover, George Coupland, said: “I wanted a car that is different but can’t afford a Lamborghini! I’m into gothic culture, and a hearse is the ultimate goth ride.”
So, it would seem that not every hearse driver is driving around with a dead person in the back, they might just be off for a bit of lunch, some shopping or even a long weekend away.
To conclude, hearse owner David said: “Hearses get noticed and always attract attention. I’ve had numerous strangers wanting a photo taken standing next to her (yes, she is a she) or laying in the back.
“Owning a hearse is a laugh, it offends and pleases people in equal measures. I’ve had some great reactions whilst loading the weekly shopping, some negative, but you kind of need to have a ‘I don’t care’ attitude if you own a hearse.”
Love them or hate them, it would seem that owning hearses as ordinary cars are way more popular than you might think. The unusual car has a popular following who are very passionate about their hearses.
Next stop, IKEA!