lingpoen

1st time i drove the 911 to the course, the next few days the phone calls from old familiar peeps wanting to know all about how my business was going, started coming in. I get a thousand comments at the gas station, mostly from other planets: one guy says, "i had one of those once, the tires will cost u over a hundred a piece." another time, the guy pulls up in a very old Lexus something model looking close to death and says,"i paid 80 for mine." an x-friend said i was cheap & blah blah blah. my wife won't drive it because blah blah blah. smart cars & the UPS guy tried to race me. young girls, and i mean "way frekn too young" always thumbs up me. i too live in southern ca so not as much attention as other places maybe, and everyone i know makes more doe than me. however, what i truely believe from most reactions aimed at the car is this: porsche 911 is "the it car". it always was for me, and my neighbor's Pantera. I had a vette, no reactions. I have a Harley...not on the same page. I had the mustang, no comparison. I had two mini's, well, they don't count but people smiled...and pulled right out in front of me! Maybe the best envy reaction is my own, just starring at the car in my garage not believing it is mine. I paid 1/3 retail if your wondering, however i think i have more equity in it than i do my house! does that make me a bad person?

It is the most beautiful thing i have ever owned. And i feel absolutely no remorse for having it....to anyone....for any reason-

Hurdigurdiman

They can hate me as much as they like as long as they like my car.

dennis hiip

I live in a Northern California small mountain community (Weaverville) and my 996 gets a lot of of attention. Often, I don't like the attention so I take my other vehicle.

Mickey356

I've had a 914, a replica speedster, an SC and my 996. Of all the cars the 996 gets the least attention, which I'm very happy about. The speedster got so much attention I hated driving it sometimes, I do miss it though, the car, not the attention.
I am not a 'spot light' person, I like the background. I'm also a Porsche fan, the two don't mix well.
I always tell people that my cars cost me the same as what most people pay for a nice new import sedan, I just choose to spend my $ on older cars.
I Had the speedster at a Mercedes dealership one time visiting a friend. 10 people must've come over to look, ask ?, etc... The funny thing is they could've had 4 replica speedsters for the cost of what they were driving.

kartboy1234

Damn I just read all 18 pages, I need to get back to school work. My parents have an 03 996, they dont drive it (15000 miles in 9 years), so I drive it when I am home from college. My friends seem to like it ,but I mentioned to my GF that I could possibly take it to college and she freaked out. She said that she would judge me if it was here. She loves driving around in it, but I have never seen her act like that. Porsche's are misunderstood cars, some people drive them to show off, but the real enthusiast drives one because they know how good it makes them feel. If I have had a bad day driving the P-Car with the windows down always makes me happy. Some people just wont understand.

vwillo1

Absolutely! Now if I was only as rich as people say I am!

machbx

~~~;} Some people are so broke all they have is money. I love my 996. The 996, to me, is so someone who loves to drive, but isn't going to drive in the Le Mans {See: Please Save Me} And I think it was an intelligent choice considering I was going to do another Big Block until I drove a Porsche. Now *that* would have been a mistake.

SSST

I alway try to remember to smile at the less fortunate.

Marc Gelefsky

No kidding!

Quix

Wife: "do you really want to be the guy who drives a Porsche?"
Me: "Yes, I do." (but because it's fun to drive, not because I want to be seen in it).
Daughter (15) won't ride in it, too "ostentatious."
Son (11) loves it, except when asked to ride in the back seat.
I conveniently blame it on a midlife crisis (bought it at age 45 so that gives me till 90?).
I sometimes joke that I gave my wife the choice between the midlife P-car and a mistress, and she told me that the P-car would be a lot cheaper.
It is the least expensive car we have based on what we paid for each at purchase. I enjoy telling people that because everyone assumes that it's a $100K car.
Interesting thread, thanks RLers.
q

p-funk

I currently own both Lexus SC400, and a Acura Legend Coupe LS and I love them both equally. I was in my early 30's when I acquired those cars, and over the years, I loved them even more because you can't get a newer edition on either of them, because both Honda and Toyota stop production of those model years.

But after driving them for so many years, I thought I was done with cars period, and satisfied my mojo... HAAAA HAAAA. After almost headind to bed, I seen this P-911-Turbo 996 with all that wood grain interior, and that in-board computer, I was interested to test drive it, and did just that the next day.

WOW, OH $%@%** !!!!!!

Now I am done. My mojo is set for life. The P-911 Turbo was purchased with CASH, paid in full!

P-FUNK-

SubzeroX

trollololol

Steve2112

Interesting thread... I never gave it much thought - I have always been a car guy and keep on top of the industry. I could probably be a junior editor at one of the industry magazines like C&D and R&T

It was always my dream car all my life - it started with a plastic Revell model my Mom bought me when I was 5 - it was a yellow air cooled Carerra - the type of model that looks great on the box, but is crappy white plastic inside.

When I was in college the hot new car was the 944 - when it was new on the market it was the car to have for those that couldn't get a 911.

I work in the IT field, and slowly made more money each job change - I started with the hobby with a new 99 Honda Civic Si, then got a 05 WRX STi, and then a 08 Infiniti G37, and then finally the cars I have now - my daily driver 2012 Hyundai Veloster, and my nightime/weekend fun car the 40th AE 911.

Never gave much thought to what other people think of me - buy now you all have me paranoid! No wonder people whisper about their cars at work.

Not to get all political, but I guess it is not "Fair" that I have this car I worked hard for, and everyone should have the same Ford Focus - everyone sell their cars and put it in a fund to divide equally with everyone and we'll all get the average priced cars.

Remember to vote this November!

LOL

robrichtx

Glad this thread was started - this actually bugged me quite a bit for a while.

When I bought my first 911 years ago, no one paid much attention as it was a '77 and a project car. I hang with a very eclectic crowd - everyone from city coroners to nurses/doctors, techies, legal, and unemployed/disabled workers. We don't care what you do - we DO care who you are.

I was a bit dismayed when I bought my '04 and suddenly some folks treated me a bit different. My inner circle didn't care much, but some outer circle folks gave me some ****, and I actually felt bad about it for a bit.

Eventually I came to the realization that my car is my car, and other people's reactions to it are just that - their reactions and their issues. If a friend of mine got a Ferrari or a huge house, I wouldn't really give a **** as long as they were still cool.

So if they have envy - that's probably natural. Not everyone can have a Porsche. If they act differently, then give them some space, and let them adjust. If they just can't handle it - well, that's on them, not on you.

If I was really really concerned about it, I'd sell her. I just have too much fun listening to that engine sing.

Just keep your karma, like your wheels, in alignment

fivepointnine

bet they would not give you crap if you spent the same amount of money on oversize/overpriced SUV...have you seen how much they go for now? You could get a 996 turbo for the price of some even mid priced SUV's/trucks