So I saw another Porsche owner and...

James_TX · 10-07-2002, 06:34 AM

My soon to be wife, a friends of ours Daughter, and I walked out of seeing Red Dragon last night. As we were walking out an older man (Im 28) was walking in front of us. Next to my car was another 911.

My friends daughter say "oh look another car like yours!" I replied with "yeppers and she looks nice" nothing more was said.

We got to our cars about the same time and I said to the man "Beautiful car". This is the part that killed me, he kept his head down and looks over without mocing his head like I was going to car jack him or something. The two girls looked at him. He jumped in the car and took off!

I do not look like a drug dealer or a criminal!

My 1st face to face dealing with another 911 owner and it was bad. So sad!

jriera · 10-07-2002, 06:56 AM

James, we just hope not to find many of those individuals.. but there is some out there.. unfortunately.

Keep the faith, most of the times comments like that have resulted in 30 minutes conversations about the car, mods, etc. the last being around a 912 Targa with soft rear window at Jiffy Lube's while changing the oil in my minivan.

Regards

jabb · 10-07-2002, 08:04 AM

No shortage of Porsche owner *********s out there.
Some guys just do not get it. Not all are enthusiasts.

I was in my 914 the other day and belive it or not a guy in a Brand new 996 waved to me. Talked about shocked I waved back and then thought this guy must have a couple of older cars sitting at home in the garage. Do not let this one encounter ruin your experience overall most encounters are good ones.

Good Luck

Kurt B · 10-07-2002, 08:08 AM

Guy probably wasn't a jerk, but wasn't sure what was said, and wasn't sure how to react.
I think that's the case a lot of the time. I always look away from other owners these days because most of them aren't into the brotherhood. Where I live there is absolutely no brotherhood amongst 911s unless the guy has a pca sticker or something.

And everyone waves to 914s and 356s when they see them. Owners of these cars are enthusiasts; they have to be just to keep their machines running.

These models are always gonna have that special place--because there are a lot of 911 owners (like me) who got a 914 first!

pbs911 · pbs911's Garage

Quote:

Where I live there is absolutely no brotherhood amongst 911s unless the guy has a pca sticker or something.

Quote:

And everyone waves to 914s and 356s when they see them. Owners of these cars are enthusiasts; they have to be just to keep their machines running.

This could not be more true. I see at least 25 P-cars in a week, just driving 10 miles to and back to work. No one returns or gives a way.

This past weekend my wife and I were driving to the outrigger canoe club and a guy in his 356 drove past and gave a big wave, simutaniously with my wave. My wife said that was really nice to wave and asked if the other car was a Porsche and if that is why he waved. I told her about the wave and she thought it was kinda neat. I told her that rarely will other Porsche drivers wave. But after seeing the old 356 and knowing that guys puts as much work/pride into his car and mine, she said not everyone has the enthusiam as me or the guy in the 356.

There are lots of Porsches, but few Porsche enthusiasts.

88911coupe · 10-07-2002, 09:09 AM

Once at a Borders here in Dallas a guy, with wife and one kid, stopped as I got out of my car and asked what year it was or something. After about 5 minutes his wife said, to the kid, come on son, let's go inside...they'll be talking about cars for an hour. Turns out he has an SC that he only uses for DE and some racing. One of the few conversations I've had with a stranger about 911s.
Later

Rick Lee · Rick Lee's Garage

I had such an experience just this past Friday night. I was walking from my parked 911 toward a bar (hard to believe, eh?). Just then I heard an engine fire up about 100 ft. away and I knew it was a 3.2. I scouted around and saw a silver anniv. model, just as its ligts came on in the dark parking lot. I went up to the startled driver and he rolled down his window. I said "88?" He looked at me like I was from outer space and said, "Yeah. How'd you know?" We talked for about 20 min. He had never heard of this BBS. So we exchanged business cards and I just emailed him some links to here and I fully expect he'll become a Pelican cohort in no time, certainly participating in Doug E's organized VA/MD/DC fun runs.

Once a guy came up to me at a self car wash in NJ and wouldn't let me get away. He had a 964 and just wanted to talk and talk, while I tried to get my 911 done before my quarters ran out. I was polite, but I was in a bit of a hurry.

Happens all the time, except for Boxster and 996 folks.

I stopped to help a disabled Boxster once and we stood by the side of the busy road shootin' for quite a while. Last week I saw a disabled 944 on the side of the Beltway, but couldn't get over to stop for almost a mile, so I hope they were ok.

RazorRacer · 10-07-2002, 02:48 PM

J_TX,

Check you car. He might have been scavaging for some parts.

Halm · 10-07-2002, 03:26 PM

Yep. Very similiar experience Sunday. I pull into the parking lot for the Panthers game. A new 996 pulls up behind me and we eventually park next to each other. At the very least I expected a nod of the head and a quick mutual "nice car" exchange. Instead, he got out and seemed to run away from us.

It is becoming very clear to me that the "brotherhood" -and I mean that without gender bias- of Porsche ownership is best represented on this, and maybe a few other similiar boards. For gosh sakes, the DEALERS don't even want my car in their service bay. The early cars must only have "historical" value to PCNA. While I don't really want to paint all Boxster / 996 owners with a broad brush, they strike me as dilettantes, owning the cars for purely the prestige factor.

epbrown · 10-07-2002, 04:40 PM

I lol'ed when someone mentioned hearing an exhaust and checking for a Porsche. I was walking from the Borders on State & Randolph when I heard a Porsche before seeing it - a black 3.2 cab turned and stopped in front of a resaturant on the next street. I stopped the guy and complimented him on the sound and asked what he had - turned out his was custom-made by a friend. We chatted for a few minutes.

And once while chatting with Dan (DANNOV) at a car wash, someone came up, pointed at my car and said "SC, right?" Guy joined in the chatting for a while - used to have one himself. (Speaking of the car wash and Dan - have you noticed the '60s Mustang fastback that's apparently been abandoned there?)

Overall, I've only once had another Chicago Porsche owner not speak while parked, though waves, honks, and flashes are rare while in transit.

Emanuel

speeder · speeder's Garage

Maybe the guy was deaf/extremely hard of hearing and did not realize that you were speaking to him. And maybe not; always trying to give people the benefit of the doubt. My father is deaf in one ear from a war injury, depending on which side of him you are on, he would not hear a comment from that distance, (6 feet away).

And of course some people are just really unfriendly, but having traveled the world and lived in L.A. and N.Y. for the last 20 years, these are uncommon. The vast majority of people are cool if approached right.

I agree that driving a 911 does not constitute an enthusiast, (nor should it, anyone who wants one has the right to drive what they want), but today I was driving next to a guy trailering a full-on club racing 911, got alongside him to ask where he got his F/G bumpers, he couldn't have been cooler. HIS car said enthusiast! I don't always go out of my way to acknowledge other Porsche drivers in the city, (you would have to live here to understand the Porsche volume), I am a fairly private person in public, but always try to be friendly to strangers just the same.