Heh the finance office tells me I'm wasting my Box

[RandallNeighbour]

I believe her comment, which was completely inappropriate by the way, was meant to mean:

"It's a waste of a perfectly good sports car to give it to an immature kid your age."

Now before you get pissed at me, keep reading!

1. She probably sees a lot of students come into the office, driving MUCH nicer cars than her lousy administrative assistant salary can provide. <--Pure Jealousy.

2. She probably thinks that the car was given to you by your rich parents who have chosen to spoil you instead of act responsibly and give you a sensible and safer car to drive back and forth to school... AND you will trash it out because you didn't work hard to buy it and don't respect the things you are given. <-- Ignorance, but true so much of the time.

3. She probably thinks the car is easily a $50k+ car today and doesn't know it's worth less than most 2-3 year old Toyotas on your school car lot. <-- typical thinking from an uneducated consumer.


When I was in high school, I knew kids who had BMW 3 series and Mercedes coupes. Their parents spoiled them and the kids had a very strong sense of entitlement. They were arrogant and elitist snobs for the most part.

I'm sure you are a great guy who is friendly to everyone and earned the money to buy your relatively inexpensive boxster (compared to newer Japanese cars on your school lot).

However, it does not change the stereotype or perception. You must never forget that others (regardless of age) will assume your parents bought you that $50,000 sports car and you are a spoiled brat who feels you deserved the car because you wanted it.

You will have to work overtime to help people see this isn't the case. It's not fair that you have to do this, but alas, you still must do it if you don't want nasty comments made about you and the beautiful car you drive.

At 46, I am asked how I can afford a Porsche as a minister. I ask the person how much they paid for their wife's new minivan or SUV and I tell them, "You could buy THREE cars just like mine for what you paid for that Toyota Sequoia last year."

That shuts them up.

Just don't tell them your car requires $2-3k a year to keep rolling

[eslai]

Now hold on, the 1998 Boxster only had about 200 horses, right? I'd be more scared if a kid rolled up to the high school driving a new V8 Mustang, or a 350Z.

Back when I was in high school I remember guys rolling up with brand new Mustang 5.0's. That's the kind of car that entices impormptu stop light drag racing.

The boxster should be a nice, sporty ride, but it's not like someone just handed him keys to a deathmobile.

Enjoy the car, man. Just don't get too ballsy when you're turning!

Now, as for image though--Randall's right. I've commented on the effect of the badge before too. As long as your car is in good condition, people will still assume it was super-pricey and that you're some spoiled kid. Water off a duck's back.

[Perfectlap]

I've driven all manner of Mustang. the only people who get in trouble in those cars are bone heads. Like pulling the trigger on a .50 caliber hand gun.
A Boxster, even a 2.5 can get you into a lot of trouble. Once you get it going you start getting this false sense of security if you really don't know how to drive at those speeds. And by driving I mean actually turning the wheel past 45 degrees.

p.s.
Do the the autocross before you take a driving course. You'll learn 90% of what you will learn paying for $40 day of Autocross that you will learn paying 20X's that on a driving course. It will take longer with the Autocross because of the limited runs but as they say safe Autocross drivers make for safe track drivers.
And after one day of Autcross you will have become a 1000% better driver than the average bloke on the highway.

[23109VC]

Originally Posted by RandallNeighbour

I believe her comment, which was completely inappropriate by the way, was meant to mean:


3. She probably thinks the car is easily a $50k+ car today and doesn't know it's worth less than most 2-3 year old Toyotas on your school car lot. <-- typical thinking from an uneducated consumer.



However, it does not change the stereotype or perception. You must never forget that others (regardless of age) will assume your parents bought you that $50,000 sports car and you are a spoiled brat who feels you deserved the car because you wanted it.

You will have to work overtime to help people see this isn't the case. It's not fair that you have to do this, but alas, you still must do it if you don't want nasty comments made about you and the beautiful car you drive.

At 46, I am asked how I can afford a Porsche as a minister. I ask the person how much they paid for their wife's new minivan or SUV and I tell them, "You could buy THREE cars just like mine for what you paid for that Toyota Sequoia last year."

That shuts them up.

Just don't tell them your car requires $2-3k a year to keep rolling

this is all so true. I bought a used 2000 2.7 and I swear, people at work and friends act like I bought a Carrera GT. Honestly, most of them have no clue what yhear it is, how many miles are on it, or what it's real value is. they just know it's a porsche and they all think I blew $50k. the car cost me 12k... ha! there are honda civics on the work parking lot that cost more than my pcar - and these people at work act like I bought a Veyron....

in a way it's kind of cool. you can get such a nice, fun, exotic feeling car, for the price of a commuter mobile - and people act like you are driving a ferrari...mostly because they are ignorant about cars and only know ti's a porsche.

enjoy your car. not many 16 year olds are as mature/classy as you. most of them woudl rather have their nose and lips pierced and cruise in an EVO or Civic witgh a big fat wing on it.

best advice I can give you...were I to go back to being 16 years old again - nail all the women you can. be safe or course, but bang them all.

[Jaxonalden]

"Speaking of trouble, don't be enticed to run off to Mexico with the finance officer! She sounds like a potential cougar."

Potential? "you're wasting your car, you know that?" I just smiled back, we had a little bit of a conversation about it afterwards."

Cougar? O' yea. When you said Boxster she probably thought you said "Boxer's". Be careful

[944boy]

I got my 944 when I was 16! Mind you that was only 4K for a 15 year old car. That was over 6 years ago and I still have it and added a Boxster.

I agree with others that you should auto-x and attend some form of driving school. It really helps in critical situations.

It's good that you have good taste in cars. now the trick is to make good money so you can keep moving up with each new vehicle.

When I was in HS (SoCal) there were plenty of rich 'Hand-me-downs' such as the parents 'old' SL500 which was only like 3 years old. There were three Porsches by my senior year, 2 944's and 1 911SC. My parking permit was listed as 'Other'. :-)

Make us proud and prove that there are responsible teenagers!

[nefarious986]

Agreed. I keep having people ask me what year my car is. When I tell them its a 2000, they jaws drop. They expected to hear like 08 or 09 or something. Most people just cant tell Porsches apart .. Our 8 year old $20 car looks like its 1 or 2 years old and worth 50k easily !

I'm 25 and one time driving out of a gas station. A old bum walked up to me .. didnt ask for money or anything .. just looked at me .. smiled and said .. when I grow up, I want to be just like you.

What I hate though, is:

1. people think I am borrowing my dad's car for a joy ride
2. people that knows a bit about car that says stuff like .. oh .. so you couldn't afford a 911 ?
3. girls that says, oh, you have the cheapest Porshe ( like the ONLY reason I bought my car was for the P logo on the hood ) ?

#2 is the most annoying because even though I could afford a 911, I would rather keep my box. To me, balance is more important, but do I really want to get into an argument about mr setups vs rr setups ? And even then I cant win because they'll still think I'm just compensating for the fact that I cant buy a 911. LOL. Maybe a TT .. i'll consider .. otherwise .. NEXT !

[dmcutter]

"best advice I can give you...were I to go back to being 16 years old again - nail all the women you can. be safe or course, but bang them all. "

Niiiiiiice.....

[FrayAdjacent]

Statistically, you're going to wreck that car. That's what she meant.

Got my first car when I was 17. A 7 year old Acura Integra... back when they weren't all that fast. I didn't drive it poorly, but it was wrecked... by a 16 year old dumbass from my school. He rear ended me when I was stopped at a light.

[Lordblood]

Originally Posted by FrayAdjacent

Statistically, you're going to wreck that car. That's what she meant.

Got my first car when I was 17. A 7 year old Acura Integra... back when they weren't all that fast. I didn't drive it poorly, but it was wrecked... by a 16 year old dumbass from my school. He rear ended me when I was stopped at a light.

Ouch, I got read ended by a senior last year, but thank god its was my dad's old beat up Nissan Altima (from 97).

I try to be careful, there are way too many Mustangs around driven by people who's confidence comes from the amount of horsepower coming out of their engines.

Does Gran Turismo or Forza make up for Autocross? I have loads of experience in that! (joking, of course)