997 flashed me today

[450knotOffice]

My bone stock 996 has seen 1,000 miles of track days in the last 18 months. It has run absolutely flawlessly and I do not worry about re-sale value plummeting because of it. By the way, I know one air cooled guy who's a regular right here on Pelican, and who happens to be a good friend of mine, who refuses to take his car to the track even though he's a hard charger on the street. Why? Because he's afraid of breaking something. There are plenty of people on this board who feel the same way as him, so the idea that someone wouldn't want to take his expensive car out on track is not limited to the 996 and newer crowd.

As for looks, to each his own. My favorite look happens to be the 76-89 Turbo, but to varying degrees, I like them all - even the 996's and 997's. The 914's and 924/944's don't really do it for me, but I still smile and take a look when I see one of them.

The flash thing. Hmm. That started in Europe and I remember seeing other Porsche drivers flash my dad in his Porsche when we lived there in the 60's and early 70's, but that usually only happened on the roads as we were passing each other. It was originally meant as a way of getting the other Porsche driver's attention and an acknowledgment of his nice car. There are other ways to do this and they are all valid. A wave and a smile is valid. If I flash someone and they don't flash back, I don't really care. It's an old tradition and I don't fault someone for not being aware of it. Many times these same people will wave or smile as we pass each other - good enough for me. In this day and age, flashing means so many things that a flash may simply confuse someone if they aren't privy to the old tradition. That doesn't make them any less of a Porsche fan than those of us who drive old school 911's.

I'll say it again, I find it amusingly ironic that the air cooled snobs on this forum are galled that the drivers of water cooled cars don't acknowledge them, when in fact, those same air cooled drivers admit that they will not acknowledge the water cooled cars and their drivers. When I meet guys like you, I just have to quietly chuckle at your self-righteous exclusiveness - and remember, I myself am the proud owner of an air cooled 911.

[wastintime]

Originally Posted by 450knotOffice

My bone stock 996 has seen 1,000 miles of track days in the last 18 months. It has run absolutely flawlessly and I do not worry about re-sale value plummeting because of it. By the way, I know one air cooled guy who's a regular right here on Pelican, and who happens to be a good friend of mine, who refuses to take his car to the track even though he's a hard charger on the street. Why? Because he's afraid of breaking something. There are plenty of people on this board who feel the same way as him, so the idea that someone wouldn't want to take his expensive car out on track is not limited to the 996 and newer crowd.

As for looks, to each his own. My favorite look happens to be the 76-89 Turbo, but to varying degrees, I like them all - even the 996's and 997's. The 914's and 924/944's don't really do it for me, but I still smile and take a look when I see one of them.

The flash thing. Hmm. That started in Europe and I remember seeing other Porsche drivers flash my dad in his Porsche when we lived there in the 60's and early 70's, but that usually only happened on the roads as we were passing each other. It was originally meant as a way of getting the other Porsche driver's attention and an acknowledgment of his nice car. There are other ways to do this and they are all valid. A wave and a smile is valid. If I flash someone and they don't flash back, I don't really care. It's an old tradition and I don't fault someone for not being aware of it. Many times these same people will wave or smile as we pass each other - good enough for me. In this day and age, flashing means so many things that a flash may simply confuse someone if they aren't privy to the old tradition. That doesn't make them any less of a Porsche fan than those of us who drive old school 911's.

I'll say it again, I find it amusingly ironic that the air cooled snobs on this forum are galled that the drivers of water cooled cars don't acknowledge them, when in fact, those same air cooled drivers admit that they will not acknowledge the water cooled cars and their drivers. When I meet guys like you, I just have to quietly chuckle at your self-righteous exclusiveness - and remember, I myself am the proud owner of an air cooled 911.

For the record the entire point of this thread was that an air cooled and water cooled guy flashed each other... so we're both cool. My comment on the 997 owner and track was mainly he was a rich married snob buying his girlfriend a car and had the nerve to make fun of my 911.

Eh, there are Porsche owners I've met that I really don't like, but for the most part, it's neat to meet other owners, I flash at every Porsche on the road whether it's a 911 or not... except Cayennes, not because of any snobishness they just tend to get upset by it or not understand it, or have no idea what car you're driving...

Lol, my next Porsche is probably going to be a Cayman S... with a 997S motor... until I can get a GT3 motor in it... I love some of the water cooled cars... especially when their owners give them to me to play with on race tracks!

And like Scott said, it's an old tradition... the first time I towed a trailer and race car I couldn't figure out why every time I put my turn signal on the 18 wheelers were flashing or turning their lights on and off... I finally figured it out it was a courtesy thing letting you know you've got room, etc... just saying hi, breaking up the monotony, whatever... With Porsches it's cooler than towing trailers obviously... We should feel a little special, we all have AWESOME cars... like I said though, I did the same with Subies... I mean, car people love cars...

[hcoles]

let's see if I can bail myself out of this.....
Regarding people that don't track old or new Porsches because they want to reduce maintenance cost exposure, that is perfectly fine by me. I like to feel smug that I can DIY and run a bit on the track. I guess, it makes up in a small way for the jealousy of not feeling like I can afford a newer 911. I don't feel like I'm an air cooled snob...

[wastintime]

Well, the thing is Porsches specifically LIKE GETTING TRACKED!!!! it's good for them!!!! I don't care what anyone has to say about that, the Porsches that get tracked tend to be the most maintained cars around and I don't think it in any way hurts them or their value. Simply making a statement like why would you ever track a 911 is.. stupid. It's one thing if it's just not for you or you're worried about your car... that makes sense at least.

[rfloz]

Originally Posted by ToddM

I must really be a snob... I wont flash anything newer than 1998 unless it flashes me first... and most of the time, these P-Cars don't even make it past my filter. Also, if I flash somebody and they WAVE in return, I feel like beating the **** out of them.

I really am a nice guy.. maybe I'm getting too old.

So, Todd. Are you really the world's angriest Porsche owner or is this a failed attempt at humor?

FYI, some of us have, um, issues, with our turn signal/flasher unit and a wave is the best we can currently (no pun intended) do.

By the way, I am an old guy too, and fairly cranky (or so I'm told), but I will flash, er, wave, at any Porsche. Even 924s! Okay, so I don't acknowledge Cayennes, but I can't tell them from the other hordes of SUVs looming over me.

[wastintime]

LOL, I'm laughing because the funny thing about having a Porsche and being young... 24... I can drink, but my car insurance still sucks... is from the PCA and Racing all of my friends are like at least 10 years older than me. I think the only person I've ever driver with who was close to my age was Ian Baas, and the joke was I think we were 23 at the time, and everyone said he looked 15, I looked 30. Ah Leh Keen's young too... and I love him like a retarded cousin, but... you know... he's a rich kid. No, I like Leh a lot, he's cool.

[jeffrey2]

Geez; guess I'm no longer the young buck I used to be. I was inducted into the Porsche livelihood when I was a young 18 with my first 912E - pretty cool car for a teenager.

Scratch what I said about being a young porsche driver...Andrew, my friend, you are young.

[wastintime]

LOL, check out my oldest post on the forum... I was a stupid 15yr old with a '67 912... which should appear somewhere in this post. I say stupid because my dad helped me buy the car as a christmas present before I could even drive legally, worked on it till I could, and wow I dumped and he dumped a ton of money into that car, I mean it was worth it though, but it was an eye opener... of course I got my job in college through it, and fell in love with Porsches, which now I race professionally, so... good move in the long run, I suppose.

[dagriff]

Meeting of (Insert Hairdressers car name here) owners club, practicing their "waves".



Or in the imortal words of Clarkson "It's not even a Hairdresser's car, it's a Hardressers receptionist's car".

[PSportoVeloce]

While we're throwing down our young cards...does 21 count? I properly joined the Porsche fray (that is, the first Porsche that is actually mine, rather than inherited) at 20, but more realistically I've been a Porsche guy since before I was born. In fact my parents met because my mom inquired about my dad's longhood that he was advertising for sale. She didn't buy the car btw haha.

[GothingNC]

I just got the wave from a GT3 today

Nothing from a Cayenne that was oncoming a few minutes later...

[flatsixnut]

Flash/wave/smile/honk its all the same. I live in the Tampa Bay area and I have received all of these at some point from just as many newer Porsches as older ones. I think it is more of a car guy/gal thing....anyone into cars is going to ackowledge another cool car.

I prefer a little double tap of the horn.....I love the sound of my twin horns.....why did Porsche do away with these? To me it was worse getting rid of the horns than it was to build the SUV.

[88911coupe]

This is reminiscient of the old 2002 "and everything thing else" discussions from back in my BMW days. The old 2002 drivers felt no one appreciated them and their contributions to making BMW what it is (was?), or whatever. I recall one guy saying he refused to acknowledge the newer cars until he got the general impression that he was properly respected in the BMW community...
I remember thinkig this guy needs to get a life.
BTW, I love 2002's and would like to find the '88 535i I sold/traded to get my first Porsche.

[ljowdy]

What a let down!!!!

I expected to read about women removing thier clothing as you pass by. Isn't that the definition of flashing ???

[porsche4life]

Hey im 16 and i will wave at any p-car i see. In the year I have been driving ive seen like 2 on the road in and was not driving either time... One was a black 997turbo cab in dallas that went by so quick i almost missed it.

[Noah930]

Don't entirely understand the b!tchin' about air-cooled vs water-cooled waving etiquette. Here, in Porsche-rich L.A., I can't even get the air-cooled guys to acknowledge me. The 914 and 944/968/928 crowd's no different. No love from anyone.

[SCWDP911]

We should all just drive our cars like grumpy old men!

I got it... a secret Pelican wave... hmmmm.

Maybe just hold up your pinky finger like the eeeevilll one from austin powers?

[wastintime]

haahahah what the middle finger won't work?

[SCWDP911]

Originally Posted by wastintime

haahahah what the middle finger won't work?

Some of us drive with our kids...

[porsche4life]

I was thinking about the not tracking because you are worried about breaking it.
I will drive it like its stolen and if it breaks i will fix it... I rather like a challenge.