Who on here also has a Porsche as a daily driver

I personally know of Rich, Marty, and Tom. IF I go back to work, I might treat myself to a Porsche. I would love to hear your thoughts comparing the two and how you use them.

Mine is not considered my daily driver. What I have noticed over the past 45 days or so is how refined it feels compared to my Speedtser. Prior to finally getting to drive my Speedster, I thought the 911 was somewhat "bruitish", now it seems like a luxury car. Despite putting some upkeep money into mine I feel mine is a fairly dependable car. What do you have in your crosshairs, Tom?

Tom, Depending on where you live a late model Porsche can moslty be used a a daily driver. I remember that you are considering relocating South to Northern Georgia. I could easliy drive my 07 Boxster there year round. The only time you could not is in snow. Then you would have to change tires to peformance winter tires like Blizaks or Pilot Alpines. They are not cheap for 17 and 18 inchers. Smooth roads are important too. When the weather gets cold and the roads are not smooth you can real feel the pavment even in a late model Porsches because they are still in fact "Sports Cars"

Not only is a 911 a DD, I also use it as my work car. I've taken business trips through California, Nevada, Washington, Idaho, and Arizona with it. It feels wonderfully secure in the rain and even in the snow - though I don't have snow chains. If they make snow chains mandatory, I sit it out.

It makes even a slog down the interstate into a worthwhile trip.

angela

Angela I know you know everything 911 but it impossible to drive a rear wheel drive sport car of any kind through Michigan winters without the proper tires. That said I assume Tom is referring to his move south.

I drive an older Porsche, a 928, as a daily driver. Works out pretty well, but one thing to keep in mind is a Porsche, no matter new or old, will require expensive service more frequently than say a Nissan or Lexus or whatever. You might want to consider the TCO over 3 or 5 years if looking at new.....parts are expensive, mechanics are expensive, service is frequent, nothing is cheap....my 928 works as a DD because I do my own work, have a full shop of my own tools and machines, and may not have anything better to do with spare time....if I considered my time as worth very much I wouldn't afford the 928 as a DD. Check out the recommended maintance schedule on whatever vehicle you are considering.....plan on more, not less, than what you see on the schedule....and get used to $200 oil changes and the like...or maybe $5k-8K cost at your 60,000 mile service interval....

Tom, I'll let you drive my 89 Carrera Targa this weekend, so you can see what it is like for yourself. I daily drive a few oddball cars, but only because I live in Southern California. When I lived on the East Coast in Florida my priority was COLD A/C and smooth, quiet ride. Out here A/C is not a priority item, and the fun of driving on the great sports car roads is. I know NOTHING about Porsches that you add water to, and my newest model year car is a 1990. I'm completely insane, but smile a lot!

"I'm completely insane, but smile a lot!"

A truer statement was never made, nor has a better philosophy ever been declared.

Tom, I forgot to say I use the Porsche about 50% of the time during the nice months. I don't take it on work appointments in the City or where I don't feel it will be safe to park (fear of door dings, etc..) So you can't call it my DD its Just an HTD (half the days)

Lane-I think you lifted your post out of the Butch and Sundance strategy book on how to win-over the Bolivian Army...yes?

If you mean the "insane" statement, that belongs to our very own Will Pierson (a few posts up). I'm just commenting on its validity.

For Michigan winters, I would drive a $900 Nissan Pathfinder until the body rotted out so badly that I couldn't keep the interior warm for all the holes.

I too was thinking he meant a DD either in the spring/summer/fall for Michigan or living elsewhere.

Of course, there are all wheel drive 911's. But don't discount having almost 60% of the weight slung out over the rear wheels. That's what makes front wheel drive work in the snow - the weight on the drive wheels. The same idea works for 911's.

angela

Over the years I've had several 911's as daily drivers (1970 through 1995). I kept on top of all maintenance before they became big issues. Putting an average of 20,000 miles per year on each P-car, probably spent about $1,000/yr for maintenance but well worth it to drive a Porsche to any place I needed to be (work or play).

I would imagine that if I were on my death-bed, my last words WOULD NOT be "...I'm sure glad I got that Celica instead of that 911'!!

IF YOU CAN DO IT...DO IT, TOM!!

...I'm just saying...

Id like to find a decent 912 coupe.. Beige or pail yellow.. Id part with the bug for it

My 1973 911S isn't a daily driver but a "occasional day driver"

I know it's stirring the pot, but if you want a daily driver, go with newer water-cooled Porsche, Boxster, 996 or 997. Can't go wrong with any of them. You'll have heat, real air conditioning & a better ride. I've had a 914, 951, (2) older 911's, 996 & now a 997. The 997 is definitely a great DD & can driven hard on the track. Whatever you do, get it checked out before any money changes hands.

Keep in mind that some used Boxster's have a history of intermediate shaft bearing issues tha cause catastrophic engine failure. There is a lot of metal particles from a failing IMS bearing that will show up on a dip stick and a death rattle from the motor at idle......Nice cars and can be had for cheap money. Extended Warranty might be the tip of the day.

http://www.pelicanparts.com/catalog/shopcart/101P/POR_101P_BOX014_pg1.htm

I believe Jake Raby has a growing business dealing with a solution to this issue.

As I understand it, there is a fix before IMS implosion.

This is not common on the second generation 987 Boxster (best car I ever owned) Fast, Comfy, Great Looks & Low Maintenance Cost-for a Porsche anyway. Car and driver 10 best 10 years in a row!

The IMS issue has a retrofit possible due to the development that Charles Navarro and I have done..
I also have a new product that warns of imminent IMS bearing failure using a dash mounted interface.. The best 389 bucks that you can spend!
Check out the November issue of Excellence Magazine for a 4000 word father article on the system.
Boxsters are good cars with the proper updates. I have an S for sale now that's fully updated.. It's super clean!

Jake:

Forgive my lack of familiarity with these engines, but can it be retrofitted still in the car or do you have to drop the engine/tranny/subframe to get at it? I realize that dropping the engine isn't THAT big a deal, but I'm just curious.

Boxsters are GREAT DD's. Further, the PRICE IS RIGHT BOB! There's a saying that the best Porsche you can own is the newest one you can afford.

Though I will always own an old air-cooled car, the newer water pumps are absolutely terrific. A 996 is a bargain - just never caught on with the Porsche crowd. The 996 also has some known engine issues, but the turbo version is apparently very, very solid.

You know which one I love? The Cayman. More money, sure, but that is a beautiful car.

angela

Copy that, Angela. The Cayman may well be the prettiest Porsche ever.

If there is an easy fix, I would run out and buy a used one ...really like the overall styling.

Stick to your Speedsters gentleman.
Angela is the only one here that can drive ANY P car she wants, new or old, Cayman, Boxster, 996, etc... oh, and Butters.
Older men, unless driving something vintage or in the 612 Scaglietti range, look sad.
Small newer sports cars and men in the age range of 35-55 just don't mix. Unless you're gay (NTTAWRT) and then any cutesy little convertible is OK.
Sorry to say it, but its true. I've done extensive surveys on this and the results always come back the same.
If it's vintage and sporty its OK.
If its new a sporty it's not.
Women look great driving any sports car anytime anywhere always and always. (Did I mention woman driving sports cars look great?)

Lane, with reference to what Mickey just said, please get your head examined.
Marty, we forgive you. We know you bought the Boxster because Sandy wanted it. :)

Tom, I had two 928s back-to-back, and between them they were my daily drivers for almost five years. I don't think I've ever had a better car than those, but goll-dangit they were expensive to maintain. One was an '80 automatic, the other an '81 5-speed.

I spent about $500/mo to keep them in pitch and tune, and when the parts started to go, so did my Visa balance.

Figure on adding a 50-percent markup to whatever an equivalent 'Merican part would cost, and that's a good starting point for 928 parts.

Porsche no longer supports the 928 at all, and I kind of got the idea that maybe they wanted to forget they ever did. I don't know why, though. I loved driving them. Maintenance-intensive as they were, they weren't new cars -- and they were true thorobreds. I think the only thing faster than the '81 might have been the Maryland Air National Guard.

Thanks everyone. I think that I've made my peace with this topic. When the weather is nice, I already have my dream car. When it's not, I really don't care that much :-)

That pretty much sums it up!

Well said, Tom!

And Mickey? I luv ya man!

angela

Q. Did 35-55 year old men look gay driving those little European Porsches around in 1955? I guess 35-55 year old men won't look cool in Porsche Boxtser's until 2030 or so. I am just trying to get my head around this thinking??? I can agree that some cars look soft but not all cars fit that stereotype.

Last week I went to try and get my oil changed on the Boxster and I parked next to a mid 70's 911. I went in and set up an appointment and when I returned I saw the two cars next to each other and I thought "Wow! look how small and feeble that car looks next to mine". There was a huge difference in length, wheelbase, width, and tire size. So, I guess it just comes down to personal taste or opinions.

Ahhh, jeez!! Now I went and pissed Marty off :(

Marty,
I didn't say men in the age range of 35-55 LOOK gay driving newer sports cars; I said the consensus is they look SAD.

I think we've all heard the "mid-life crisis" and "making up for shortcomings in other areas" theroies. That's what I'm saying in reference to "sad": Is it always the case? No. Is it ususally precieved as such? Yes. It's just the way it is, sorry.

The majority of women out there are not NEAR as impressed as men think they are by the expensive sports cars they drive around in. Young girls are! Sometimes. And whats more sad then a 45-50 yr old guy trying to impress 20-something girls?

As for how men from 35-55 yrs old looked driving 356s around in the 50s..... I would imagine they looked as cool as they would today. The stereotypes I'm referring to likely didn't exist. Or if they did they weren't as prevalent.

Here's the run down -

35-55 yr old male driving a newer model sports car = Mid-life / shortcomings

Young male driving newer sports car = spoiled brat / fiscally irresponsible

Young female driving newer sports car = spoiled brat / got herself a sugar daddy

30-??? yr old woman driving ANY sports car = HOT


Tom put it best. And the bottom line is drive what makes you happy. All I'm sayin is when you pull up next to a car at a stop light that smile you get from the person in the car next to you may not always be the smile you think it is. Just sayin

I am always smiling with my hot wife next me in my red gay Porsche:-)

"I am always smiling with my hot wife next me in my red gay Porsche:-)"

Yes Marty, I've seen your wife, Sandy and if I pulled up next to you and your hot wife in your gay red Porsche the smile I'd have would be exactly for what you think itd be for (yeah, he wishes he was me). ;)


See. It's not ALWAYS the case :D

I'll bet ANY amount of money that the average buyer of a speedster in 1957 would've had their virility and masculinity questioned by pretty much every male (and female) in the heartland. A 4 cylinder foreign car for the same cash (or more) as a domestic V8 would've made Mr. and Mrs. America question the sanity of the buyer as well.

The point is: who cares what anybody thinks? I live in a small-town, where a lot of what people do (and where they live, and what they drive) is dependent on what other people think of it. It's got to be nice- but not TOO nice, or people might get the impression that I'm stuck on myself...

I couldn't care less. If what I've got is cool to me (nice or not), then I don't give a rip what anybody else thinks of it.

Really.

That's why there's 31 flavors at Baskin-Robbins. 8-)

"The point is: who cares what anybody thinks? I live in a small-town, where a lot of what people do (and where they live, and what they drive) is dependent on what other people think of it. It's got to be nice- but not TOO nice, or people might get the impression that I'm stuck on myself...

I couldn't care less. If what I've got is cool to me (nice or not), then I don't give a rip what anybody else thinks of it."

As long as it has the right emblems on it, right Stan. ;)
(I kid because I love)


I know that it never seems to matter what others think to the individual, or so they say. And I do think that there is an unfortunate cross-over in that, usually by the time someone can afford to buy "that car" they've always wanted, they're of an age that it slips them into a stereotype.
But I know first hand from talking to people who own exotic cars their reasons. Some will be blatant about it. Others more subtle. And it ain't because of the technology or performance. (I've seen them drive and they all send their cars off for wiper blade replacements)

To me, if you own a sports car (which is intended for spirtied driving) then you SHOULD know how to maintain it, you should know how to drive it, etc... otherwise you're just showing off, to some extent.

I'm not busting on anyone for driving whatever they drive. As Stan said, I couldn't care less. I'm defending my original post about preception and trying to support the stereotype that is out there.


And Marty, after re-reading my last post I don't think it reads properly. I'll just say if I pulled up mext to you and Sandy in your gay red Boxster I'd be jealous. :)
(I've driven Boxsters and they are reaalllllyyyy fun cars)

I drive a big truck, the kiddies in four wheelers think I'm way cool casue I'm haul'n cars, I get an ocassional but rare flash from a female driver and anyway, mine's bigger than yours ~:)

Totally Gayest car is the MG TD.

http://66.154.44.164/forum/showthread.php?showall=1&t=210662