Usage of YMMV: Can I use it in day-to-day conversation?
I found the word YMMV in an answer to my question "How important to write down mission statement in learning English? Do I have to?", which I posted on January 6.
As YMMV is a quite strange word to me, I consulted Urban dictionary, and found that it's an abbreviation of Your Mileage May Vary, meaning your results will be varied and that is often used in forum talk. However, is the expression Your mileage may vary by itself a well-established idiom? Do baby-boomers use this expression casually in day-to-day conversation? Would I raise somebody's eyebrows if I use the abbreviation YMMV in ordinary conversation? Please teach me.
"Your mileage may vary" is a well known phrase in the US and can be used in casual conversation. I have never heard anyone spell out "Y M M V" in spoken conversation as opposed to "A S A P" which I hear spoken out loud a lot.
I would never use the phrase or the abbreviation YMMV in any formal writing.
However, it is a nice shorthand phrase in casual discussions to convey the idea that "What I just told you has been my experience in certain situations. You might see similar results, then again, you might not."
At least, that's what I think. YMMV :-)