The ownership experience
#46
Instructor
I have been watching this thread as it has developed. A very interesting read to see what other owners experiences have been. I am not unlike many in this post in that I got the 997 due to a love for the brand, and a love for this model. I had the means, therefore made the purchase. Never regretted it for a minute.
I have taken mine to work, and while I don't have clients, I am in the automotive industry as an engineering manager. I don't flaunt the car, but at the same time, I don't try to hide it either. As a result, I have generally had good comments when people mention Porsche, even when they work for another car maker. I think that there is a general respect for the brand and its engineering prowess that generates this postive feeling.
I was inspired to post to thread today in the cafeteria when a coworker from another division came down and sat with me. The first words out of his mouth was, "I was watching TV the other day and saw a Porsche commercial and it made me think of you. Cool commercial, how's the car?" This discussion then when to the Panamera, hybrid power technology, Studebaker, hotrods, classic cars, and finally ended with a short discussion on how drafting was done on full scale paper drawings back in the 30's. A very enjoyable discussion.
In short, Porsche is a good brand and I like being associated with it.
I have taken mine to work, and while I don't have clients, I am in the automotive industry as an engineering manager. I don't flaunt the car, but at the same time, I don't try to hide it either. As a result, I have generally had good comments when people mention Porsche, even when they work for another car maker. I think that there is a general respect for the brand and its engineering prowess that generates this postive feeling.
I was inspired to post to thread today in the cafeteria when a coworker from another division came down and sat with me. The first words out of his mouth was, "I was watching TV the other day and saw a Porsche commercial and it made me think of you. Cool commercial, how's the car?" This discussion then when to the Panamera, hybrid power technology, Studebaker, hotrods, classic cars, and finally ended with a short discussion on how drafting was done on full scale paper drawings back in the 30's. A very enjoyable discussion.
In short, Porsche is a good brand and I like being associated with it.
#48
Intermediate
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Boston suburbs, North Shore
Posts: 45
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We're driving down from Boston to Philly next Friday in MINI Cooper and returning in a C4S. Not a bad swap! (Well, admittedly, it wasn't exactly straight up.) I'll definitely take some pics when I get back home, but it's going to be a dirty late winter/early spring New England car. And I've never been the concours d'elegance type owner. I'm more of driving school fanatic, both of the winter (driving sideways up a negative camber left turn... much fun) and the summer (Le Circuit Mont-Tremblant in Quebec in my favorite) varieties.
I've always been conscious of which cars keys to pick up depending on where I was going. That was one thing I like about the MINI. It was a demographic buster. I could take it anywhere and always elicit a positive response--rich or not-so-rich, young or not-so-young, male or female, and any other combination or permutation. For me, though, it was just a little too "cute" for my liking and not that comfortable for extended drives. I found myself taking our X5 everywhere, mostly without issue, except once we took a road trip into rural Maine and had some negative experiences with some of the "townies."
But being part of the community of BMW, Audi and MINI enthusiasts more than made up for the ignorant people I would run into. I hope that will be the same case with Porsche ownership. I've met some great P-car folks at the track, both student and instructor.
I've always been conscious of which cars keys to pick up depending on where I was going. That was one thing I like about the MINI. It was a demographic buster. I could take it anywhere and always elicit a positive response--rich or not-so-rich, young or not-so-young, male or female, and any other combination or permutation. For me, though, it was just a little too "cute" for my liking and not that comfortable for extended drives. I found myself taking our X5 everywhere, mostly without issue, except once we took a road trip into rural Maine and had some negative experiences with some of the "townies."
But being part of the community of BMW, Audi and MINI enthusiasts more than made up for the ignorant people I would run into. I hope that will be the same case with Porsche ownership. I've met some great P-car folks at the track, both student and instructor.