Is it even worth having an "interesting" car anymore? - Printable Version
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Is it even worth having an "interesting" car anymore? - Cloud9...68 - 12-05-2013
Particularly one with a stick shift? I know that sounds cynical in a car forum, but it's something I've been wondering about for awhile. I'm sure there are plenty of people who can answer "yes" to this question, but to be honest, I don't think I'm one of them. In my particular situation, I commute to work in a vanpool, and alternate driving duties to the pick-up point with a co-worker in the neighborhood. Since I sold the minivan, I'm using the 968 for this purpose, but that trip, especially in the evening, is pure torture. Nothing but bumper-to-bumper the whole way, and it seems to have gotten a lot worse since I started driving the 968 again after its long track-conversion project. There are no real great roads very near my house to drive on the weekends, and I find going out for a drive with no particular destination to be pretty pointless, although I'm probably in the minority on that.
I used to think that if a pile of money landed in my lap, the first thing I would do would be to buy a really nice car, but I just don't see the point anymore. I could go back to driving my car to work, but that's not any fun, either. Honestly, I think I just need an inexpensive, fairly reliable car with an automatic to get me to and from the vanpool pick-up point and to and from the grocery store, which is about all the driving I do.
Before anybody thinks this means I'm about to put the 968 up for sale, nothing could be further from the truth. I have a blast driving it on the track on weekends, as well as during the week on my lunch break (there' a track minutes from my place of work). I know some people feel that non-competitive track driving is basically emasculated racing, but I look at it more as a very satisfying alternative to "spirited" driving on the street.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that stifling traffic in my fair city, which has seen explosive growth in the last decade or so, has taken all the fun out of driving on the street. Are others feeling the same way, or are there still enough opportunities to have fun with your car anywhere but on a race track?
Is it even worth having an "interesting" car anymore? - Chris Vais - 12-05-2013
I have some of the same traffic issues driving around the Bay Area now that the Great Recession has eased and more people are back at work. I have driven a couple of PDK equipped Porsches and that set up is the best of both worlds as far as I'm concerned. I enjoy the interaction of driving a manual transmission until I get a cramp in my left foot in stop and go traffic. That said I'll take a Porsche over the more typical econobox, even for commuting.
Is it even worth having an "interesting" car anymore? - Kim - 12-05-2013
My 911 is a PDK. and I like it a lot. AWD to keep me safe®, convertable for sunny days, hardtop for rest of time, makes easy driving when that's all I want and fun if I want something else. But I do miss my old white 968.
Is it even worth having an "interesting" car anymore? - ds968 - 12-05-2013
And that kind of traffic is the very reason I bought a Tip 968, I found all other makes and models cars ( with automatic transmission ) which I have driven to be simply uninspiring...just plain boring by comparison to the 968. But I will never give up the six speed ; as a weekend and fun runs car it offers pretty much an unbeatable experimence, the tip can never match in a million years. I simply love going through those gears and having a clutch pedal . I think the new Porsches, Ferraris, Audis, Lambos, and any / all sports cars for that matter which completely discontinued on the floor shifting and converted to the little old lady paddle shifting m.o. did the world of real drivers a huge disservice . I could care less about the performance advantages of a paddle shift, the fun factor has been reduced by 99% IMO.
Is it even worth having an "interesting" car anymore? - Cloud9...68 - 12-05-2013
So you guys enjoy driving an "interesting" car, even in heavy traffic? To me, just the thought of driving ANY car in the kind of traffic we have nowadays is just plain depressing, which is why I'll use some sort of public transportation for the rest of my working life. And I can't justify having a "fun" car just for weekend duty. Maybe I'll feel differently in the distant future when I retire. If it wasn't for the nearby tracks, I think I would have sold the 968 years ago.
Is it even worth having an "interesting" car anymore? - flash - 12-05-2013
we just went through this same decision. i'll be posting about our answer this weekend.
Is it even worth having an "interesting" car anymore? - Cloud9...68 - 12-05-2013
Hmmm... Anxious to hear.
Is it even worth having an "interesting" car anymore? - MCL968 - 12-05-2013
For me, the car is part of the trip, and an enjoyable, even difficult or finicky car makes a crappy commute better. Even after a sucky day in the office and in endless meetings, I still grin like a little kid as I walk out to the parking lot and get into the 968. It makes the day better, and that's more than I can say about most boring cars that I have driven.
A car is transportation, which makes life possible. The 968 is a pleasure, and it makes life better. It still performs all the functions of a car, it just does them in a manner that engenders a sense of happiness and satisfaction, which makes it a little more than a mere car.
Is it even worth having an "interesting" car anymore? - Rap - 12-05-2013
Man, youse people sure like to bitch and moan a lot. Half full or half empty? If you don't like driving a stick in traffic get rid of it. Give up something that brings a grin to your face. Hitch up those pants, cinch the belt, please make sure it's at least 4-5 inches above your belly button. Oh by the way, please cinch your Velcro tan shoes up, button your cardigan and nod off with some leaking drool!
Is it even worth having an "interesting" car anymore? - Scott Collins - 12-05-2013
Rap - too funny.
As someone who has just changed over from a 968 to a truly fantastic lux sedan (Lexus LS430), I can say without a doubt that the 968 is a car for people who enjoy driving for the sake of driving.
The many times I drove through NYC and in and around my childhood haunts on Long Island with the 968 are great experiences. And when you get traffic, you just wait a bit longer to let out the clutch. People behind have to suck it up.
The 6-speed with clutch, flywheel, etc., is such a direct link and connection to the road. Every part of your body is doing something to drive it. It's all worth it.
Is it even worth having an "interesting" car anymore? - Cloud9...68 - 12-05-2013
I dunno. I for the life of me can't fathom how driving at an average speed of 10 mph in stop-and-go traffic can be enjoyable in anything - a 968, a Mercedes S Class, or a Ferrari. In fact, I have to say that I feel the exact opposite from MCL968 - driving a driver's car like the 968 in the snarled mess of my town's streets is like keeping a Cheetah in a 3' x 3' cage - pure frustration. Again, I thank my lucky stars for all the tracks around where I live - if it weren't for them, I'd probably drive a Corolla. With an automatic.
Is it even worth having an "interesting" car anymore? - flash - 12-06-2013
don't you have HOV lanes?
Is it even worth having an "interesting" car anymore? - Cloud9...68 - 12-06-2013
Nope. Houston does, but not Austin.
I guess a big part of my frustration has to do with the times I'm on the road, which is pretty much during rush hour, when everybody else is, too. Now my wife, on the other hand, operates a business which has her on the road at times when everybody else is at work, so she gets a lot more enjoyment out of driving than I do, so I would probably feel differently if I were in her situation.
Is it even worth having an "interesting" car anymore? - Eric_Oz_S2 - 12-06-2013
I find driving the s2 in traffic tiresome. I also find driving it on the weekends frustrating due to the nanny state I live in where speeding is akin to being a criminal. Coupled with big fines, congested roads (on weekends too) and slow drivers, it is not as fun as it was 20 years ago. I also have a manual e46 DD and it can get tiresome on my 15km commute to work in the city. I find it is more fun to have a less powerful car to drive to work in as you can drive it harder without needing to worry about going to quick. I used to have a Peugeot 206gti that was a great commute car - small, brilliant handling, light, direct steering but not much power. Nevertheless, I think I'll end up with an auto next time as traffic congestion ever increases.
The s2 is almost only used for the track these days.
Is it even worth having an "interesting" car anymore? - Bulti - 12-06-2013
I would buy a small, cheap second-hand car for the commuting and groceries, something like a VW Polo 3-cylinder diesel. Saves a lot on gas-money, and the 968's clutch will be happy too.
Keep the car, you will almost certainly regret it the day it's gone. You live only once. My bike only sees daylight on sundays for a trip to the Ardennes, where there are almost no speedtraps. The car is used almost exclusively on highways, but I will never, ever sell it.
Is it even worth having an "interesting" car anymore? - mbardeen - 12-06-2013
I DD between a manual kia and an automatic mazda. My commute consists of 10 minutes up and down a large hill, 10 minutes of city driving, then 40 minutes of fairly clear highway driving.
On the weekend, I take my 968 out on the road leading to the coast, usually late at night when there's no other cars on the road. It's a lovely stretch of road, with two mountains along the way and some long straight sections in between them.
It's a guilty pleasure and serves no other purpose than to make me happy. Feeling the weight of the car shift in the tight corners, hearing the rhythm of the wind increasing and decreasing in relation to my speed, feeling the push on my back as I accelerate... that makes the pain and expense of owning the car worth it.
But as you mentioned, I think it's particular to each person. It depends on their situation, their goals and desires for the car, and the availability of good driving roads nearby.
Perhaps relevant to the discussion:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4JEcivazOE
Is it even worth having an "interesting" car anymore? - gbarrier - 12-06-2013
I understand the Issue. Were it not for the lure of the supercharger for which there was no unit for the tip available early on I would probably still own one. Of course back then I was driving 30K a year and the tip worked. Not so now and the 6 speed works for me. My wife did recently hand down to me an E46 which I drive well over half of the time now. The 968 just happens when I want to. A couple of times a week is almost necessary. That way the oil consumption stays down and electrical gremlins do not start to creep in. So yes, what do I do. Guess I just have a whole bunch of old cars around.
Is it even worth having an "interesting" car anymore? - Dubai944 - 12-06-2013
I think it's age related. When I was young all my cars had to be manuals and have an excess of horsepower, regardless of how tedious they were to drive in traffic. These days I'm smarter and just want comfort and quiet and decent fuel economy on the road. I still love changing gears and going fast, but only on the track.
Is it even worth having an "interesting" car anymore? - Rap - 12-06-2013
I have always marveled at the use of the 968 as a dd. It never occurred to me to use my car this way. Why? Just never wanted to and didn't want to put all those miles on the car. While I understand sticks are a pain in traffic, it would seem like not driving a stick in traffic would be a simple answer. Now perhaps everyone can't own two different cars at the same time but its somewhat hard to believe that car guys/gals like us don't! This especially is true when one lives in a metro area and everyone knows traffic is a problem.
Yes I live in an area where traffic is not a problem but I used to live in DC where it was. I drove a stick back then. It actually wasn't till I moved here that I stopped driving a stick. Why? Just tired of it and it hurt my crappy knee. Once my knee was replaced, guess what? I bought a stick-968.
If you don't like driving a stick in traffic don't. But please, don't whine about how much you don't like it! It's sooooo middle aged!
Is it even worth having an "interesting" car anymore? - ampegboy1 - 12-06-2013
[quote name='MCL968' timestamp='1386290431' post='153265']
For me, the car is part of the trip, and an enjoyable, even difficult or finicky car makes a crappy commute better. Even after a sucky day in the office and in endless meetings, I still grin like a little kid as I walk out to the parking lot and get into the 968. It makes the day better, and that's more than I can say about most boring cars that I have driven.
A car is transportation, which makes life possible. The 968 is a pleasure, and it makes life better. It still performs all the functions of a car, it just does them in a manner that engenders a sense of happiness and satisfaction, which makes it a little more than a mere car.
[/quote]
That sums up my outlook quite nicely. For me, it's not so much "I'm stuck in traffic in my Porsche/Beetle <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/sad.png" class="smilie" alt="" />" as "I'm stuck in traffic <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/sad.png" class="smilie" alt="" /> ... but at least I'm in my Porsche/Beetle <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/smile.png" class="smilie" alt="" />". No matter how good or bad a day I've had, when I walk to the car park and see one of them waiting for me, it cheers me up immeasurably and that makes all the traffic etc. worth the aggro.
Michael