johnc Posted February 6, 2006 Share Posted February 6, 2006 I love driving and racing cars. I love it so much I walked away from a $150K a year job to open my own shop building race cars. Unfortunately, I have a whole lot less money to spend on cars so the quality of my daily drivers suffer. I make do with a 240Z that has a shot clutch, broken front diff mount, and at least one bad rear shock. Yesterday at a Superbowl party a friend showed up driving a brand new 2006Porsche 997 Carrera 2S. A Porsche like this (actually a 997 GT3) is on my life list of "must haves." But, it will be decades before that happens. For this guy (the consumate ignorant driver) buying and driving a car like this is not a big deal. I was completely stunned that he bought this car. Here's our conversation as I'm looking over this wonderful vehicle: Friend: "Yeah, I was tired of the Maxima I had been driving for two years so I thought I would stop in at Newport Beach Porsche. This car was in the back of the showroom and stood out because of its blue color. I like blue." Me: "Why did you suddenly decide you wanted a 997?" F: "A what?" M: " A 911." F: "Oh, I liked the color and I wanted something sporty." M: "A $90,000 something sporty?" F: "Oh, it was more then that. It has every available option except the ceramic brakes. I think I should have got those too because the salesman said they are not dusty. I'm also having trouble with the clutch." M: "Really, what's wrong with it?" F: "Oh, its just hard to get the car going. I stall it a lot." M: "How are you starting off from a stop?" F: "I just take my foot off the clutch out and then press on the gas. Sometimes it stalls and other times it bucks and then goes." M: "That sounds funny. Does the engine sputter when you apply the throttle or is it hard to feel the engagement point on the cltuch?" F: "What's the engagement point?" M: "Have you ever driven a car with a stick before?" F: "No, but the salesman showed me how when he test drove the car for me..." Life is not fair.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim240z Posted February 6, 2006 Share Posted February 6, 2006 A prime example of a cheque book driver!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
280zwitha383 Posted February 6, 2006 Share Posted February 6, 2006 Life is not fair.... That's no lie.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
240ZR Posted February 6, 2006 Share Posted February 6, 2006 John Ill let you drive mine..... some day.....(/end scarasm) my Uncle did the same thing (same car too except his is a 2004 and convertable)... except he asked me to teach him to drive stick...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auxilary Posted February 6, 2006 Share Posted February 6, 2006 john, you're looking at this the wrong way... wait 6 months until he toasts the clutch completely. then he'll talk about how crappy the porsche is, and will want to get rid of it quickly to replace it with a 'more reliable bmw with smg'. that's when you lowball him with an offer, get your dream car Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
z-REX Posted February 6, 2006 Share Posted February 6, 2006 I don't feel sad for my inability to buy the car. I don't feel sad for his inability to drive the car. I feel really, really sad for that poor Porsche. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EZ-E Posted February 6, 2006 Share Posted February 6, 2006 I like aux's idea, go with that and laugh as you take it home to its new heaven Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikelly Posted February 6, 2006 Share Posted February 6, 2006 Having recently left an income close to that John walked away from, I know the sting of this... I've come close to throwing in the towel in the 4 months our company has been operating, and just going back to work for someone else... I've cut my income by 2/3rds and anything I buy right now has to be traded in something I sell to get it... First time in about a decade where I didn't have discretionary income. Price to pay for being your own boss, I suppose. Some day, John, the gods will smile down on both of us and we'll be on the same track with cool cars... And then you can show me just how pathetic I drive. That's better than stalling a 997 in traffic any day of the week! Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted February 6, 2006 Share Posted February 6, 2006 Did I ever tell you about the time I almost got hit head on by a jackass customer driving his Countach? He also had a Ferrari 288GTO, couple of Testarossas, and a couple other 6 digit cars. Just because you can afford it doesn't mean you can drive it... Build the CP Z, invite him to the track and LAP HIS ***! That'll make you feel better. If that's not good enough get him to let you drive then make him crap all over his leather interior! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparks280zt Posted February 6, 2006 Share Posted February 6, 2006 Gah and I thought life isnt fair for other reasons...http://www.ebaumsworld.com/unfairlife.html And yes I do hate punks with new cars, I dont know how many kids high high school got brand new WRXs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hybrid240z Posted February 6, 2006 Share Posted February 6, 2006 Damn Sparks, that link you posted puts everything into perspective. Sometimes we forget how well we have it until we see how the other half is living. Reminds me to do more to help the less fortunate. I do agree that there are some big pocketbooks out there buying "deathtraps" because they don't know how to drive vehicles with that kind of power. I was behind some guy in a new 911 Carrerra 4S a couple of weeks ago and it looks like he was over-revving everytime he started from a stop so he wouldn't stall it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Some-Guy Posted February 7, 2006 Share Posted February 7, 2006 oh man I seriously wish I had too much money Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ON3GO Posted February 7, 2006 Share Posted February 7, 2006 a customer of my shops has a few ferraris.... all have around 3K miles.. all have had 2 clutch jobs each... um yeah its seems he doesnt even know what the clutch pedal is ... "i thought it was a foot rest" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
240ZR Posted February 14, 2006 Share Posted February 14, 2006 Sometimes i wish they made an automatic Sports car.... just so you knew who the retards are.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gollum Posted February 14, 2006 Share Posted February 14, 2006 Funny how all the people that can truly respect cars can rarely afford them. There are very few people that own those 6 digit cars that actually know anything about them. Sad sad sad. I'm kinda glad I've never owned a powerful car. All the powerful cars I've driven weren't mine, so I tend to over respect them and treat them much better than my own. So the only cars I really have ever opend up 110% are underpowered pieces of crap. Gotta be the best way to learn in my opinion. Then you get these people that have never driven stick that buy cars that even car journalists have a hard time driving... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olie05 Posted February 14, 2006 Share Posted February 14, 2006 Sometimes i wish they made an automatic Sports car.... just so you knew who the retards are.... porsche, bmw, ferrari, DATSUN... they all come (came) with the retard option Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
240ZR Posted February 14, 2006 Share Posted February 14, 2006 Couldnt get a 432R with an automatic..... Still cant get the Porshe 997 with an automatic... the BMW v12 760iL donst have a stick i dont think.... is there such a thing as a Automatic Ferrari? I would be suprized if there was.... but then again.... Dont see a 350Z track with an automatic, or a Civic SiR with an automatic... I ment the high end cars with automatics...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olie05 Posted February 14, 2006 Share Posted February 14, 2006 ................................................................................................................. I ment the high end cars with automatics...... should have said it in the first place... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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