Anybody NOT get emotional about their car?
11-23-2011, 06:33 PM
#46
Nordschleife Master
Well, I'm guilty as charged and I'm completely good with that. SpeedArena is the only one who listens .. the only one who REALLY understands me ... unconditionally. There are several people I could name, relatives included, that I'd happily run over with her just to get her out of harms way .... 
11-23-2011, 06:34 PM
#47
Rennlist Member
Synonyms: addict, aficionado (also afficionado), buff, bug, devotee, fan, fanatic, fancier, fiend, fool, freak, habitué (also habitue), head, hound, junkie (also junky), lover, maniac, maven (also mavin), nut, sucker
Antonyms: nonfan
I have uttered the phrase "it's just a car", probably thousands of times in my 18 months of ownership of the C4S-pretty much in response to comments of how I use the car. How many 911's do you see with a bike rack on top...let alone mud covered bikes at that. The car was race weekend transportation for the bike racing season, both last year and this year. I started the season with road races in April, then mixed surface destination and mountain races, and the last cyclocross race of the season(for me anyway) was last Sunday. I drive it everywhere I go, park it in everything from paved and gravel lots...to the middle of mud covered hay fields. I am worried little to park it in the big box lots when I have to go to the store. I've even strapped lumber and ladders to the roof rack.
All that being said, yes it's an object. It will be driven, it will be cared for, and it will be enjoyed. There have many many cars that I have owned in my life that at the time, I thought were the best-for me anyway. I struggle to conjure up any memory of most, as they were little more than fair weather garage queens.
The ownership experience that I had with my last Audi, simply changed all that.
very clever, but ultimately false.
What about the person that enjoys aggressive driving and needs a tool to do so?
Wouldn't that be category four? Said person can enjoy a vehicle without exactly being enthusiastic about sports cars in general.
In light of this category, the rest of your post is moot.
Why in gods name would you feel sorry for me? its great not having an attachment. I can sell it with no regret, if it gets stolen, I'm not gonna cry, I can drive it whenever I want, including the winter, without worrying, and I can generally treat it like "just a car" without another thought.
As for the status thing...If that were the case, I'd have bought a Ferrari F355 or 997.
What about the person that enjoys aggressive driving and needs a tool to do so?
Wouldn't that be category four? Said person can enjoy a vehicle without exactly being enthusiastic about sports cars in general.
In light of this category, the rest of your post is moot.
Why in gods name would you feel sorry for me? its great not having an attachment. I can sell it with no regret, if it gets stolen, I'm not gonna cry, I can drive it whenever I want, including the winter, without worrying, and I can generally treat it like "just a car" without another thought.
As for the status thing...If that were the case, I'd have bought a Ferrari F355 or 997.
I'm a Porsche fan-Ferrari's, Lambo's, etc...while I admire them, I feel no real passion toward them.
I'm a F1 fan(ironically like the Red cars) as well as WRC, but I don't really watch any other forms of motorsport.
You can be an enthusiast regarding damn near anything really, and care little about what else revolves around your core interest.
And your last remark regarding status-99.9% of all people who see my 993
C4S think it's a new car. The 997's have round headlights too, right! It's a Porsche, that's all people see...if it's shiny, it must be new.
11-23-2011, 06:49 PM
#49
Addict
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Joe, I also drive my 993 daily including winters. it's a car. I like driving it and attribute 72.6% of that to the convertible roof. I sold one and bought another one within a week. I've had a 993 for close to 8 years now, longer than any other car save the autocross appliance Miata.
I like the feel of an old sports car with no ergonomics to speak of and now heated seats and USB input on the head unit. I like the way it looks. I like that the first one was a stealth Aventurine green, it suited my personality. I like that the new one is yellow, it brings a smile to my face. I like my new Italian espresso machine the same way, essentially. Love? No.
I like the feel of an old sports car with no ergonomics to speak of and now heated seats and USB input on the head unit. I like the way it looks. I like that the first one was a stealth Aventurine green, it suited my personality. I like that the new one is yellow, it brings a smile to my face. I like my new Italian espresso machine the same way, essentially. Love? No.
11-23-2011, 06:50 PM
#50
Rennlist Member
11-23-2011, 06:53 PM
#51
Drifting
For you perhaps. The honeymoon generally doesn't last long before the desire for mods, a new toy or other interest arises. Its a natural human desire to want more/new. Relationships are a whole other topic.
11-23-2011, 06:57 PM
#52
Addict
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BTW, we've discussed it, but to me a 993 is a definite "he". As is every Porsche is a strong "he" except Panamera and, strangely, Carrera GT (both ugly shes at that). And my own is either a "Porsche", or a "993". But that's no surprise, I've never had any inclination to name my cars or any other possessions.
11-23-2011, 06:58 PM
#53
Addict
Rennlist Member
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But, honestly, I personally don't care about a hunt at all.
11-23-2011, 07:01 PM
#54
Drifting
Sure. If you can't appreciate what you have it would be difficult to be happy IMHO. I'm happy with my beater POS 356 while others would not be. Its the imperfections in cars that interest me. Some days I look at my cars as just chunks of metal but I'm happy to have them in my garage for some period of time nonetheless. I could be pretty happy without them too so their is not a lot of emotion there.
11-23-2011, 07:11 PM
#55
Rennlist Member
Quad, stirring the pot! Gotta love it.....wait, not love, enthusiastically like ?....crap, now I'm confused!
I am guilty of saying at times that I love my 993. Not the same way that I love my wife and children. I guess it depends on how you define the word "love" and in what context you are using it. I have enjoyed the 993 more than any other car I have owned....so far. Would it ruin my life if I lost it...nope. Could I sell it ....yep. Would I want something else to replace it...yep...I like cars!
I am guilty of saying at times that I love my 993. Not the same way that I love my wife and children. I guess it depends on how you define the word "love" and in what context you are using it. I have enjoyed the 993 more than any other car I have owned....so far. Would it ruin my life if I lost it...nope. Could I sell it ....yep. Would I want something else to replace it...yep...I like cars!
11-23-2011, 07:18 PM
#56
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11-23-2011, 07:45 PM
#57
Race Director
Thread Starter
Whether you agree or disagree with the post it does insight thought and conversation.
I recently drove a Superleggera and just before I got in I asked the co-pilot who was a professional racer what he thought of the car. He said mechanically it is fantastic, it's fast, precise, and has great brakes but the car lacks soul. After my drive I asked him what he meant by lacks soul and he said when I drive a Ferrari or a Porsche I feel the pride the engineers and designers put in to the car, he said I feel an emotional connection to the heritage and the track. As weird as it sounds and maybe total BS I didn't enjoy driving the Lambo nearly as much as my Porsche or similar Ferrari's like a Scud or 360 CS.
Is that emotional connection or just better engineering to create feel? Probably the latter but I can't deny that the feel was different.
As for emotional attachment to cars. I buy and sell them all the time, I like some and really like others. I do believe a car can provoke emotion and feelings but different emotions than emotional interaction between living things...people and pets etc.
I recently drove a Superleggera and just before I got in I asked the co-pilot who was a professional racer what he thought of the car. He said mechanically it is fantastic, it's fast, precise, and has great brakes but the car lacks soul. After my drive I asked him what he meant by lacks soul and he said when I drive a Ferrari or a Porsche I feel the pride the engineers and designers put in to the car, he said I feel an emotional connection to the heritage and the track. As weird as it sounds and maybe total BS I didn't enjoy driving the Lambo nearly as much as my Porsche or similar Ferrari's like a Scud or 360 CS.
Is that emotional connection or just better engineering to create feel? Probably the latter but I can't deny that the feel was different.
As for emotional attachment to cars. I buy and sell them all the time, I like some and really like others. I do believe a car can provoke emotion and feelings but different emotions than emotional interaction between living things...people and pets etc.
Its certainly personal, but I don't feel that sort of connection.
Well, I'm guilty as charged and I'm completely good with that. SpeedArena is the only one who listens .. the only one who REALLY understands me ... unconditionally. There are several people I could name, relatives included, that I'd happily run over with her just to get her out of harms way ....
I'm confused with the "aggressive driving" remark. Pretty much every track/DE/Auto-X/drag racing person I have ever meet, has been an enthusiast. Am I wrong to assume that your aggressive driving example was in a safe and controlled environment, and not just some You Tube inspired ****bag doing some drifting or top speed runs on a busy interstate? If any person desires the proper "tool" for aggressive driving, that implies that passion, and committment drive that decision-unless of course it's status again. I've never meet anyone involved in any motorsport-amatuer to professional, that wasn't passionatte about what they were doing. I can simply not imagine anyone having the comprehension that they would need the right "tool", if they cared little for what they were doing.
I'm a Porsche fan-Ferrari's, Lambo's, etc...while I admire them, I feel no real passion toward them.
I'm a F1 fan(ironically like the Red cars) as well as WRC, but I don't really watch any other forms of motorsport.
You can be an enthusiast regarding damn near anything really, and care little about what else revolves around your core interest.
And your last remark regarding status-99.9% of all people who see my 993
C4S think it's a new car. The 997's have round headlights too, right! It's a Porsche, that's all people see...if it's shiny, it must be new.
I'm a Porsche fan-Ferrari's, Lambo's, etc...while I admire them, I feel no real passion toward them.
I'm a F1 fan(ironically like the Red cars) as well as WRC, but I don't really watch any other forms of motorsport.
You can be an enthusiast regarding damn near anything really, and care little about what else revolves around your core interest.
And your last remark regarding status-99.9% of all people who see my 993
C4S think it's a new car. The 997's have round headlights too, right! It's a Porsche, that's all people see...if it's shiny, it must be new.
Nevertheless, my 993 is simply a good tool for this kind of driving. It is effective and efficient at its purpose. There are fleeting moments when I feel some passion for porsche (like when i watch one of those 993 videos, right before I realize its all marketing fluff) or hear about their race history, but then I realize I don't really care. I'm not sure where the commitment part comes in.
I enjoy endurance racing, which porsche loses on a regular basis (restrictors or weight penalties not withstanding), but would hardly say I want an audi cause they dominate.
Finally, the status thing again. I live 20 minutes from midtown, where porsches are dime a dozen. Like I said, if i wanted status, a 355 or 997 would be a no brainer.
Sure. If you can't appreciate what you have it would be difficult to be happy IMHO. I'm happy with my beater POS 356 while others would not be. Its the imperfections in cars that interest me. Some days I look at my cars as just chunks of metal but I'm happy to have them in my garage for some period of time nonetheless. I could be pretty happy without them too so their is not a lot of emotion there.
Me personally, if someone released a technically perfect car at an affordable price, I'd probably be very interested.
11-23-2011, 08:45 PM
#59
Rennlist Member
About this "patina" thing, there was a 993 racecar at RRIV that raced in the '90s. It had been completely refurbished to better-than-new status. It looked nice, but almost too nice, you know, too perfect for a race car. Then there was a 917 that raced in the '70s that was faded, paint all chipped up, seat worn, that was absolutely fantastic to look at. I enjoyed looking at the patina on that car imagining all of the track time it had seen. Does that seem weird?
Don't get me wrong..broken glass, upholstery tears, huge dents..I consider "damage" and not very appealing. But worn-in leather, and faded paint can be very cool on the right car.
Don't get me wrong..broken glass, upholstery tears, huge dents..I consider "damage" and not very appealing. But worn-in leather, and faded paint can be very cool on the right car.
11-23-2011, 08:55 PM
#60
Race Director
Thread Starter
I still don't know if I'd call it patina, but rather damage from racing. Leaving it in the as raced condition is fine in my book...because its a classic, historically important, race car. A guys 1996 911 road car....ehhhh
