FlamsteadHill

I didn't see where anyone said anything about an expensive babe.

Sangetsu

You can always have both, maybe all three (if you include an attractive woman). It's a shame that most of us can't afford a Porsche when we are younger, and are more interested in fair company. When I was in my 20's I had an old Roadster, a rusty pile of junk missing it's top. It was not exactly the kind of ride that would attract the attention of the ladies, especially when it was raining.

I used to winter in South Beach, or Southern Europe, and spent a lot of time on my bike. In those days I would occasionally be passed by a young lady (or not so young) in a nice car, and they often favored me with a look and a smile.

Nowadays I could probably afford a Porsche, but Tokyo is not a fun place to drive. The garage in my apartment building is full of Mercedes Benz cars, a few Bentleys, and even a couple Ferraris. But streets are crowded, lanes are narrow, and speed limits low, and I can get across the city more quickly on my bicycle than I could in a 911. My "midlife crisis" purchase was a new Martin D45 guitar, which I can spend a lot more time with.

Rollfast

All my bikes are expensive babes.


Tempest
Germaine
Rosa
Beryl
and a Shelby and Red Hornet as yet unnamed.

jeromeoneil

Is there some other kind?

TCR Rider

And if they're like my Italian Philly they love to be ridden hard.

Rollfast

Hopefully they don't file into the ladies' room in packs to plot how to ditch you with the tab.

Stormsedge

I just acquired a 17yo Mustang GT convertible...it will be my "Porsche". And, with the minimum investment, I won't feel bad about it sitting in the garage if it doesn't fit my day. Parts are cheap, too. Lol, it didn't cost me much more than my bike...that's either funny, or a sad statement about my investment in my bike! Cheers.

Biker395 

All true.

It's probably different for you folks who live in more rural environments or people who drive their supercar only on weekends. But for anyone living in an urban environment, I wonder about the wisdom. It doesn't matter if you've got 400 HP or 40 HP when you're sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic.

Cars are sold on the myth of freedom, but they ceased to represent freedom to me a long time ago ... now they're just an occasionally necessary PITA.

Maelochs

I saw an ad in a car mag once ... guy selling his Lamborghini because he was tired of running to the store to get milk in it.

Another time, long, long ago, I was working in a convenience store at a highway on-ramp, when I guy drove up in whatever was the top-tire Lambo at that time ... reasonably attractive but not gorgeous slightly older blonde with him ... bought some stuff and hopped on the highway.

I heard him floor it in first, almost immediately into second ... and then nothing because he was already doing 65 like everyone else. 4.2 seconds of thrill ... Yahoo. For what $385,000?

I blast my aging Honda off the line at full power, i get eight or ten seconds of fun before I hit max traffic speed .... twice the thrill at one-fifteenth of the price. My annual insurance bill probably wouldn't pay for half of one of his tires.

Now offer me a 1974 Dino 246 ... I will drool. Can't afford one of its lug nuts, but I would drool.

FlamsteadHill

I live in one of the more rural environments of the USA, but it's still not great for legal fun driving.

When we were in Germany earlier this year my son and I both rented Porsches for a day (24 hours). Had an absolute blast because the speed limit is 62 in the countryside. Granted, that's not "fast" on a Kansas road, but we were in the Black Forest area, lots of curvy mountain roads where hitting that 62 happened only rarely, and you still felt like you were on an amusement park ride.

After that adventure I decided I really, really wanted a Porsche. My wife convinced me that it wouldn't be nearly as fun here where similar roads are generally posted at 35-40, and have a lot more vehicles and residences.

I still want one, but some dreams remain dreams. Sometimes the reality doesn't live up to the dream anyways, and you're better off left with just the dream.

jamesdak 

Two of my most favorite cars over the years.





I never realized it made me a snob....

mpath

As an owner and Porschephile, I can assure you the reality lives up to the dream. From what was originally supposed to be a weekend toy turned out to be a daily driver, even through Pacific Northwest winters. And it's even a traditional manual.

FlamsteadHill

^ Very nice

I want a Boxster convertible. I drove the 2017 S with PDK* in Germany. Unfortunately that is waay out of my budget. I've been keeping an eye on a 2006-S with 6 speed and 28k miles. The price has kept dropping throughout the fall and I just may go look at it this weekend, having freed up some space in my garage with the sale of a couple pieces of equipment...

*loved the PDK. It was like driving a semi-auto rifle - put your foot on the floor, pull the trigger as fast as you want and you just keep shooting forward.

StanSeven

It is nice. Those type of automatic trans make manual obsolete in just about any situation. The only reason to stick with manual is the fun factor but it’s no longer for performance.

Rollfast

TCR Rider

Tell me about this PDK. I've always driven a stick and never found an automatic that was nearly as responsive.

mpath

Porsche Doppelkupplung. Porsche's version of paddleshifts. Simply put, it's faster around a track than any human can do with a traditional manual/clutch.

Slick Madone

Think of a manual, that is shifted for you by a computer. You don't have a 3rd pedal, but you can also choose to manually shift, and its sequential.

They are pretty amazing and one reason almost none of top performance cars come with a manual any longer....(Ferrari, Lambo, etc....)

TCR Rider

Sounds like something I'd like to check out. I don't have that kind of coin so for now I'll keep driving my Mazda Speed3 and content myself with riding my F8

I recently drove my wife's nephew's Tesla which was quite a trip. Incredible acceleration but the silence takes some getting used to.

FlamsteadHill

This.

I don't know the technical details, but for the layman, I believe it is mostly just a manual transmission that has the clutch and shifting operated by a computer. There is one twist, the "doppel" part (means "double"), which, if I understand correctly means that there are two sets of clutches, and the transmission is therefore able to be in two gears at once, so all the computer has to do is disengage the one and engage the other, resulting in a super fast shift.

On top of all that, Porsche at least, has programmed the shift load/points very, very well. As stated, you can drive it in manual mode, but unless you are a top level track driver, or just want to fool around with super high RPMs or whatever, you will almost never find yourself in the "wrong" gear in Auto mode. The higher optioned ones have a Sport and Sport Plus mode that, among several other things, changes the shift behavior to be more and more sporty.

BTW, I pulled the trigger on the Boxster S I went to look at. "Just" an old fashioned manual 6-speed, but it shifts like butter. Maybe in a few years I'll trade up to a later model that has the PDK.

PaulH

I grew up when driving meant perfecting double clutching and heel and toe downshifts. It makes me sad to learn that these modern Porsches perform better than the real sports cars of the 1960s. I'm glad that bicycles still offer the elemental, wind in the face, experience that cars once provided.

deaninkl

Must say, for years I have drooled over certain sports cars, I probably could have afforded a decent one, but always had other priorities, house, schooling for the kids.... I bought my wife a nee Merc. SLK a few years ago thinking it I could also use it to quench my passion... but I found it fun but not as interesting as I thought.... now I tend to hanker after classic stuff like MG, Beatles old Porsche (prices of the Porches is getting silly..) even Minis and little Fiat 600's.. speed it totally irrelevant. Its just something to play with and get a little grease under the nails with. Do like retro bicycles and motorbikes as well....

Biker395 

Congratulations!

I'd keep the 6 speed though. This might sound funny, but for me it's not about the speed ... it's about the experience. This puts it pretty well:

FlamsteadHill

I agree it's not about the speed. I may grow to like the 6mt, but I have gotten so that I really like an auto, and having driven an auto that works the way I want it to is rather addicting. One thing with the NA Porsche is that you really need to be in the right gear; in my Hemi Ram it doesn't much matter - torque is always available.

Phil_gretz

...as the costs of ownership for cars can far outweigh their utility. An expensive car has to be maintained. It requires insurance, and now our county government insists on collecting personal property tax on it, as well as state registration and annual inspection fees. No thanks. I'd rather ride my bike and save/invest the equivalent of the avoided costs.