andre5

I guess I got off pretty lucky then. I took my car to my son's CYO basketball game last Saturday morning. I parked in a parallel spot, last in line, between the church and the gym. When I returned to the car a little over an hour later, I noticed smeared berries all over the passenger door and window. Someone went through the trouble of squeezing between my car and the bushes (I was parked right up against the bushes - no room to even open the passenger door to get in the car) just to smear the berries on the door and window. Fortunately no scratches, just a sticky mess. I guess some people feel if they can't have something, then nobody else should have it either.

Crazy Canuck

$50 is $50. It adds up.

If you watch the pennies the dollars take care of themselves.

I bought the 997 first after my dad died at 55. I said fu@k it! I don't regret it at all. Most people are supportive - the ones that know how hard I work. I don't rub it in their face though and rarely drive it places where it will be left for long periods of time like a movie theater.

After I got involved in the PCA and doing DEs I felt like I belonged. It keeps me sane.


Some though tell me "It must be nice, you're so lucky," and ask, "How much did it cost?"

I respond, "It cost me my father and grandfather."

That shuts them up.

9974G

Pure jealousy...it's that simple.

I have a friend who's supposedly a "car enthusiast", but his bible is consumer reports. He claims they are unbiased and rate all cars fairly. I try to explain to him that CR will NEVER recomment someone to buy really expensive cars...becuase CR is all about practicallity. But he insists that I'm wrong. Seriously, does anyone who wants to buy a Ferrari or Lamborghini consult CR first??? He drives a Civic and is always bragging about how great the car is...how the emissions are low...excellent gas mileage, etc...yet he's at car dealerships almost every other week test driving cars and wasting salespeoples time. BMW's, Audi's, Porsches...you name it. Then he talks about how it's a waste of money and how great his Civic is. Before I bought my car he always said that his favorite car was the 911. Ever since I purchased my 997 he's slowly becoming a Corvette fan...again, pure jealousy.

Another couple of my closest friends are jealous as well. They never wanted a ride in it nor ever ask about it. I now never mention it to them. The only non-work friend I have that isn't jealous is one that himself just recently got his ordered 535i with a ton of options.

I kept my 997 secret from my coworkers as well for the first ~6-7 months. Would only drive it to work maybe once a week or once over other week. Finally I was spotted a couple of times and now the word's out. I regret driving it to work. People immediately think you're rich or make too much money when they see you driving these cars.

My advice: downplay the cost of the car as much as possible (say it's a left over of the last model, the complete redesign happened over a year ago). Most non-Porsche people don't know the difference between 993/996/997 models. Just always downplay it and try to mention your ownership to as few people as possible. That's what I do. Good luck.

Sunshine

I've learned to blow it off and watch my car very closley. I assisted both of my sisters in the lease of thier own BMWs. Now thier addicted and can't say anything about the Porsche. My mother loves the Porsche and the way it rides so smoothly and when people in my office say anything I just smile and offer to take them for a white knuckle ride. It's my car and it makes me happy and that's all that matters. That being said I've been thinking about a daily driver like a Honda Civic or something.

blk on blk

To put it bluntly "****'em". THeir reaction to your choice of cars says a hell of a lot more about them than it would ever say about you. When I got my car my parents cried because they were so happy their son "made it".

9974G

I ended up buying a base BMW 328i about a little less than a month ago. I emphasize that I got an incredible deal on a very base no-optined car any time a coworker sees it. I'm going to limit taking my 997 to work to maybe once a month max going forward.

Phil G.

My in-laws don't like my Porsche - think it's a total waste of money, and don't even know I bought a new S4! They really don't like me very much either. I try not to let it bother me.

nkhalidi

If your friends make you feel bad about the kind of car you drive, they shouldn't be your friends.

For those of us on this board, we're obviously enthusiastic about Porsches' performance - as opposed to status - and that performance was the reason we bought the cars. Sometimes we can share that enthusiasm with others, and sometimes we can't. Not a big deal.

John Velasco

I have owned enough different cars in my life not to care much what the un-informed have to say. As for the family; You choose your friends not your family. The only person I have to convince is the wife and thats it, period the end. When I ordered the GT3 I kept it on the low and when it came in I tried to hide it for a period of time but it's to damn fun to hide. I work hard and this is my passion. The only thing that stops the obsession is garage space.


Have fun and the hell with them, no excuses nesacery.

jv

triode

I have never understood the compulsion of others to try and control our choices & behavior, whether to impose their religious beliefs, politics...or automotive choices. I actually feel contempt for someone who feels that they somehow have the right to dictate what others do.

Enjoy your car in peace, and f__k 'em if they get their knickers in a twist.

Jakeman

You've got to move to a place where people flaunt their cars more; that can help. Before I had bought my Porsche, the guy on my left had a 986 Boxster S, the guy on my right had a 2004 Turbo Cabriolet (Lucky Bastard!), and the guy at the corner had a 996 911 C2. ...and YES! I was envious, even with a '97 M3 as my daily driver.

At work, it's been an issue. One of my coworkers saw my car and ratted me out to the team, which made folks think that I'm overpaid. Then there was the time my boss asked for a ride at lunch... Thank God-- he drives a 2006 MB E55. The worst one? Getting a speeding ticket right outside from a conference-- with my boss watching it all from the hotel window.

My friends and family don't care; and everyone who comes over gets to take the car out for a drive. Sometimes it's more fun to see their **** eating grins than it is to drive it myself!

It may also help that in spite of (or because of) the 911, we don't live too extravagantly. If I was one of the lucky folks on Rennlist, who can own multiple 911s, or trade up every year or so, then I'm not so sure folks would be quite as receptive.

J

PS I also try to hide the PAM 117F when I can.

helispud

If any body starts giving me a hard time about MY car: too small, too fast, too much money... you've probably heard them all, I just paraphrase the immortal words of Joe Jackson and say "It may be stupid but it sure is fun!"

Of course to me it is NOT stupid.

helispud

Not all people are out to get us in parking lots. When we went to our son's college graduation last spring I parked the 997 in a corner as close as possible to the curb. We were just about to get out and a young man in a VW, wearing cap and gown parked next to us. We all got out he smiled and said "I've got you covered on this side." I offered to hire him on the spot, but he said he already had a job lined up!

stsanford

I've heard the negative comments many times. Not so much friends or family (some family) but often strangers and mere acquaintances. I usually offer reply: "How does my having the car of my dreams affect you in any way, exactly?"

In my 98' 986 Boxster one night I came out of BlockBluster to find someone took the claw of a hammer to the rear fender above the wheel well. Perf'd right through. Now that took some anger. Took me a good month to cool down from that attack...

I feel that most people drop it when I get started about lines, evolution, balance, the courses I've taken and the race tracks I've been on. They pretty much stop there knowing I'm a certified car nut.

If your friends and family are riding you, find other company to hang out with. Same goes if you're naturally a positive person and get sucked down by a friend. Get away from that friend because bad attitudes are contagious!

MartyB

You make a good point. I live in an affluent but very conservative suburb northwest of Atlanta. I went to a nearby upscale shopping center the other day (my son and I go "car hunting" occasionally) and was surprised to find tons of Lexus, BMW and Mercedes sedans, but not a single high end sports car. Although plenty of people around here could afford them, 997s, Maseratis, AM's, Ferraris and Lambos, etc. are very rare. There is a guy in my neighborhood who has a 348 and a Countach, I think, but I never see them out of the garage. I guess people in this part of the world are brought up to not spend money on such trivial things. Who knows?