Was this person pumping gas into their $50 - $60k domestic SUV? What I find interesting is that most people have no idea where the Boxster/Cayman line falls price-wise, so they see the badge and assume that it's significantly more expensive than what most (Americans) are driving these days.

 

So true!!!

 

If they only knew, my base custom built Boxster is only a Porsche starter car.

 

...more like a starter drug. 😱

 

Jealousy can be an ugly thing. Don't let it bother you.

 

So funny. it definitely depends where you live also. I live in a neighbor hood where most people don't drive Porsche's. So you feel like a mark. But most people go out of their way to meet you. I was walking in the grocery store and this lady said, you are the Porsche guy right. But the funniest thing happened a few months ago. There is a new tenant 4 houses up who is selling drugs pretty publicly, so the neighbors had enough and called the cops. The problem is all the cop cars pulled up at my house, I have two Porsche's, a Harley and an X5 parked in my driveway. They discussed between themselves and said sorry and drove up to his house and arrested him. It was obvious they thought it was me due to the Porsche's, lol.

 

sounds like you live in the wrong neighborhood to have so many nice vehicles just sitting out in the front yard ...

 

The World is scarier and more crazy as each day passes. People no longer perceive boundaries. Everyone is entitled to an award. Even the losers.

 

Welcome to the Human race.

 

..."I noticed faster than you did because I'm on a budget!"...

The dude made a generalization, and those are always wrong some of the time. But what makes it sting, instead of being funny, is that there is SOME truth in it.

I hadn't noticed the price of gas going up because I don't need to buy gas much anymore. In this horrible year there are literally millions of Americans out of work through no fault of their own. Meanwhile, my wife and I are working safely part-time from our home, and can afford to have Porsches sitting idle in the garage. And we both got stimulus checks that we don't need. It makes me sick to see huge lines of our citizens lining up for food. We signed our stimulus checks over to the local food bank and added some extra.

I'm sorry that the guy was rude to you. Hopefully you can forgive him. Perhaps he was stressed out and needed to vent.

Cap

 

Sounds about right these days. The only negative comments I get are about the timing of my purchase. 'How can you buy a Porsche when so many people are struggling financially due to the pandemic?'. I honestly think that's the most stupid comment you can make. I work hard and spend money. Isn't that the point? Doing my part to keep the economy going? Who are you to decide what I should and should not spend my money on? A more fitting comment should be: 'You're selfish not to spend money when you can while people are losing their jobs left and right'.

 

I agree Erik

The first comment I got when I first got home in my previous 987 S from a neighbour was the expected “they’re paying you too much”. And the fact was it probably cost less than his Ford Van. My other neighbours 1979 Ford Escort RS is worth considerably more.

So far no comments about the 718, although I have had a few sneers from other drivers when sat at lights for no reason. But I haven’t really driven it much recently due to lockdown.

As mentioned above I think many people see a Porsche and immediately think the owner has an endless pot or money. In reality a new VW Golf GTi is a very similar price to a new Base 718, and a mid-spec Audi TT will cost you more.

Interestingly driving my ’95 MR2 I get entirely different reactions, every single one positive from all ages. Children love it and seem to be especially drawn to the pop up lights.

 

The first comment I got when I first got home in my previous 987 S from a neighbour was the expected “they’re paying you too much”. And the fact was it probably cost less than his Ford Van. My other neighbours 1979 Ford Escort RS is worth considerably more.

Oh god I hate those comments. They're always laughing while they're saying stuff like that, but you know they're dead serious.
I took a risk. Started a business in the right field (software development). I'm ****ing good at what I do.
If you're jealous, get off your ass and take a risk as well instead of complaining!

6 years ago, when I was still employed, middle management once took me aside and told me:
'You have a company car, why do you also own a private car and sometimes use it to drive to work? You're not allowed to drive it to work anymore. You have to use the company car!' Turns out, his manager saw me driving my private BMW Z4 and was jealous cause he was 'only' driving a 3-series. He went to my manager and instructed him to make me stop using it.My manager even told me: 'You shouldn't own car like that in your position. Co-workers are not happy about it.'

I handed in a hand written resignation letter on the spot and never gone back to an employment position.
People are pathetically jealous. If I see a brand new 911 or Ferrari, or whatever nice/expensive, all I think is: ****!! nice!! good for you!!

 

I regularly get kids shouting out “Nice car mister”

 

I usually find in such circumstances that a smile and an impolite "Fuck off" ends the conversation.

 

........... snip...................I actually have found it truly fascinating how people perceive both the Porsche products and Porsche drivers. The comment today was by no means an isolated incident. .......... snip..........

Fascinating for sure, but the reaction you get from strangers should come as no surprise. Face it, of all the high-end marques, Porsche drivers are the most likely to be jerks, often going out of their way to keep the Porsche Driver As A Jerk stereotype alive. You're going to have to live with that fact; however, you can do your part to change the public perception of Porsche drivers, or least try to change it.

When a stranger comments that my Panamera is way too expensive for them to own, I sometimes politely explain that I paid less for it (used of course) than they paid for their Camry. Or, if I see a youngster and their parents looking at my Guards Red Cayman, I sometimes let the kid sit in my car for a moment. And once in a while I have an opportunity to explain that I paid about the same for my new 2021 Cayman as they paid for their gussied-up pickup truck. Naturally, if you drive a 911 variant costing a hundred and a half, you have to use a different approach.

Every Porsche owner has to decide how to handle both compliments and snippy comments in their own way, but being polite and informative without being apologetic is the key, as far as I'm concerned anyway.

And if the stranger doesn't respond in a nice way, just look down your nose at them, spit on their shoes, and speed away spewing gravel all over their stupid little economy car.

 

To maintain a high-performance car, like Porsche, is not cheap. I also own a Honda Pilot SUV and oil and filter change cost me $58.00 at the dealership. A Porsche is very expensive to maintain unless you have a extended warranty. Your Porsche will cost you at least thousand dollars annually on maintenance costs depending how you drive. You can't compare a Porsche with a pickup truck that's Ludacris. A pickup truck is definitely much cheaper to owned for the long term.

 

Funny. Over here BMW/Audi/Volvo drivers are considered the jerks on the road.
Porsche sports car drivers are usually very friendly. Not the ones in a big Cayenne/Macan/Panamera

 

He loudly commented to me "The cost per gallon has increased [recently] by over 40 Cents/Gallon!" I simply and politely said "I noticed." To that he responded, "I noticed faster than you did because I'm on a budget!" ...
I knew I was buying a more expensive car than my previous BMW Z3/Z4s but never expected what I have observed and heard over the past two years.

I would guess/think/imagine/suppose that it depends on the neighborhood. In a land where everyone can afford a BMW another BMW is just another BMW.

The problem is all the cop cars pulled up at my house, I have two Porsche's, a Harley and an X5 parked in my driveway. They discussed between themselves and said sorry and drove up to his house and arrested him. It was obvious they thought it was me due to the Porsche's, lol.

Maybe it was the Harley. (I have a co-worker who rides a Harley. It has a plate on one side engraved with the word "****". It's a subtle joke because he is one of the nicest, most un-hellish guys I've ever known.)

Inaccurate perceptions are all around us, unfortunately. I have been judged inaccurately in personal ways many times through my seven decades, and judged accurately some too. No one has yet complained about my 718 Cayman though. Tolerance is a good balancing agent to inaccuracy. If someone wants to think I am <fill in the blank>, I tolerate it as long they tolerate me in return. And when the opportunity presents itself I set them straight by whatever means works, behavior, speech, example.

 

I just bought my first Porsche this year. It's been a dream and a goal since I was really little. This past year I took a risk and left my comfort zone of a career and took on a new opportunity that so far has been financially rewarding. While I could have afforded this car years ago, now was the time as things happened to line up. I have noticed the looks from people and so far I have not seen anything negative unless you count every Billy out there that wants to race you in their turbo diesel truck. That's just Texas for Ya.
I took a good friend for a ride who I respect a lot. He is a very successful Neuro Psychologist and the most frugal person I know. He was asking why now and how long have I wanted it? I explained and he said you know what if you can afford something like this and it's been a goal, good for you. I've worked hard to get where I am and while I felt a little guilty when I first bought it, I shifted my thinking on it. I hit my goal because of the work I put in and the early sacrifices I made to ensure I would be in a comfortable financial spot.

 

Put a Porsche badge on a Trabant, drive it around and a lot of folks will think you’re rich.

Worry about not embodying the stereotype.

 

Perceived value: Got a comment "must be worth over $100k" from someone at work. They didn't bite at $95k I offered.

No negative observations made to me after 1yr ownership. (SoCal)
Honda Civics seem to get the most excited to see me on the road.

MR2 '85: Great car, and resolved to have another 2 seater when I sold mine will 275k miles.
Knew I wanted a Cayman since then, managed to hold out until 2yr 718's used available.

It's a personal indulgence with other financial commitments taken care of.
IF I were to get a stimulus check, was going to donate it straight to food bank.
Didn't expect or get one, donated extra anyway.

 

I've been told in parking lots that I must be:

• a doctor
• independently wealthy
• shopping in the wrong location (Walmart)

No comments or stares to date seemed particularly egregious so I typically smile and go about my way.

 

Porsches are rare in my area, especially as daily drivers. While I love conversations with strangers who are into cars (especially kids), I detest the more common conversations that go along the lines of what everyone else has said. I am very uncomfortable driving my cars to work because of the perception people have. But as someone else said, my previous used 911 or my current Boxster are not too far off in price from my coworker's $60k SUVs. I'm also incredibly cheap when it comes to everything else so I can afford my cars, which of course nobody assumes. My wife has been on me lately to buy myself socks, but I refuse. Every week I have to scratch bottled water off our shopping list because the family can get perfectly fine filtered water out of the refrigerator. I'll option leather backrest shells on my car no worries, but if I can save fifty cents on a can of corned beef hash by going to Walmart I'm all over that as well.

Speaking of my wife, the interactions I find really hilarious are when we drive the used Maserati Ghibli I bought her. People take pictures of it like it's some sort of exotic car (I never see any Maserati in my area). It's particularly funny because half the time the person is driving a new SUV or sedan that that I'm positive cost the same or more as the used Ghibli. Yet they are taking pictures of our Italian Chrysler 300. I have had zero conversations with a "car guy" when I drive that thing...they know what it is. I think the greatest feature of electric cars is never having to go to the gas station and being asked what I do for a living, how much I paid for my car, and can you adopt me.

 

I started my first full time job in 1969 for General Electric as an entry level engineer at one of their big old industrial city well established manufacturing plants with almost 5,000 employees. One day my car was being serviced so my Dad lent me his car, a big (like in "huge") new 1969 Cadillac. Without any thought I drove it to work and parked it in my assigned parking area, a lot reserved for exempt employees only (no bargaining unit). Later that day I was discretely informed it was not considered acceptable to drive a nicer car than the boss. That never did effect what I drove to work but I did then park in a less noticeable area of the lot. Interestingly, a new Porsche 914, driven by a co-worker, that moonlighted as the local 11 O'Clock TV news personality, never got any attention (at least that I knew of). I always had a very hard time buying into that level of old established corporate culture. My attitude in this regard was periodically noticed over the years, to my detriment. I also heard stories back then there was a time in the not too distant past where one did not enter an elevator if the plant manager was riding it.

 

I think Porsche owners are as bad if not worse at this than the lay folk. I recently saw a facebook discussion in a porsche group where a guy asked what grade of gas everyone uses. Every person who said they use regular instead of premium because it's so much cheaper got inundated by other porsche owners blasting them about being cheap or saying if you can afford a porsche you can afford premium, etc. In my local PCA monthly gatherings I was really turned off by a large percentage of the members who were super bougie.

 

I think Porsche owners are as bad if not worse at this than the lay folk. I recently saw a facebook discussion in a porsche group where a guy asked what grade of gas everyone uses. Every person who said they use regular instead of premium ...

Two things wrong here:

• use regular in your 718 and the ECU will pull timing to mange knock
• facebook

And if you think some PCA folks can be strange, show up with a 928.

 

If I feel it's worth a short conversation I say that after paying for two wives, two divorces, 3 houses, and 3 university educations I only had to save for 10 years or so. 😳

 

LOL, "after paying for two wives, two divorces, 3 houses, and 3 university educations" , in my humble opinion, you're earned the right to drive anything you chose to drive, the opinions of others be damned

 

You also lose mpg when you use non premium fuel so it is not the saving you think it is.

However the main point is why buy a performance car that costs a lot of money, run it on cheap fuel and lose performance?

 

Since I bought the car in October I have exclusively used Tesco Momentum 99 Ron. It might be my imagination but I am sure it is running sweeter than when I originally bought it. I also think that the sports exhaust is now beginning to sound a little throatier ( someone else on the forum said that after 4000 miles the exhaust sound improved and I am now on 4,500).

 

"I noticed faster than you did because I'm on a budget!"

Keep saving and you can buy one too.

 

The perfect reply would have been...yes, I feel your pain, I am also on a budget because I not only have to fill up my Cayman but my 911 and my Spyder! It’s not easy sir!

 

I just smile and say, "Money means nothing to a gentleman such as myself".