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

Funny story today, if you didn't know I'm 16 (probably the youngest Box owner on this forum?) and I have to get a parking permit for my high school parking lot. So I had to go in with my registration and proof of insurance. The lady printing out the form looked at the registration, looked up at me, and gave me a look.

After this, she asked me what the model was, I was quite proud as I said "Boxster." But she gave me the same look again and said "you're wasting your car, you know that?" I just smiled back, we had a little bit of a conversation about it afterwards.

Not sure what she meant by that, but it was a nice feeling to have the lady (who I despise, btw, I can't stand her ignorant behavior) praise my Boxster.

16! I didn't know that. I know there are responsible teens out there but I can't help but having visions of a wrecked blue box. Have you been to a driving school (like some of the ones offered at tracks)? These are real eye openers for a lot of young drivers.

That being said, gratz on your box and she was probably just shocked that you have a car like that at your age. Enjoy it!
:cheers:
Chris

o cmon man, wrecked boxster? dont say that...
then again, its just a car, and they are getting really cheap so its not anything special, but its a great car, and if you take care of it it will take care of you.
i wish i had a porsche when i was 16 :)

Maybe its because you are still under the age of cosent. I get the same comments because I'm married.

Age has very little to do with responsibility in my opinion. Teens in general due tend to be less responsible than other age groups, but you can't say that about all of them.
So are you the only Porsche at your high school? :D

You beat me, Lordblood! I was 17 when I got my first Porsche. 1968, I bought a '64 356C Cabriolet! Now wait till you hear this.............$1900!!!
Congratz and listen, very carefully, about the advice for a good drivers school.
I do believe Skip Barber does a winter school in Phoenix and Skip is excellent. I sent both my daughters to him. Besides, he was the first Formula Ford National Champion.
Sorry, went and checked it out, nothing in Phoenix, closest is Laguna Seca - http://www.skipbarber.com/driving_school/driving_school.aspx

Seriously, this is the BEST money you can spend.

Good for you Lordblood...I see a number of Porsches, mainly Boxsters, when I drop my son and daughter off at their high school. FWIW, my son started autocrossing my '02 Box S when he turned 17 through Chicago's PCA junior driver's program; great fun and experience for both of us.

I need some caffeine. I read the title of this post 4 times and kept thinking it said, "Help, my fiance tells me I'm washing my Box." I was confused when I read the post.

you peaked too soon man. Its all downhill from here as far as sports cars.
Unless you buy a Ferrari or something. I'd love to see your car insurance bill.

You should start autocrossing. At your age you need to learn the limits of your car in a safe enviorment. That way your still developing that frontal lobe of your brain (ins't fully mature until age 25'ish). Having a full sports car envio understanding of your boxster won't tempt you into NOT going for the brake in a dicey situation.
Younger people are for some reason numb to the survival instinct of impending disaster. Its not always an issue of bad judgment (street racing) its the mind's ability to sense danger before its 10 feet away.
I have a friend who learned how to drive a car PERIOD on an autocross course.
That's the way to do it!

My first car (that I didn't have to share with my older brother) was a '74 914 1.8. I got it for my 17th birthday. She was a little beat up and cost about $3k in '92. That car was a blast to drive and not enough power to get me into too much trouble. I learned a lot trying to keep the old girl running.
Two door, two seats, no power steering, no power breaks, and no A/C. The essence of a sports car.

I'm with Quickurt, I went to a high speed driving school when I got my license, and it has been invaluable. My sister did the same thing, it helps a lot for freeway driving, and controlling a car like the Boxster at speed. :cheers:

Haha I'm not that stupid to street race or "take my car to its limits."

I realize sporty driving has its place, I don't go more than 5 over the speed limit, only accelerate hard when there is very minimal traffic, and every time there is a 350z or a Mustang trying to race me, I'll rev the car a bit to make them think that I'm about to accelerate, but then I'll brake and watch them fly forward. I'm not a street racer in any stretch of the imagination.

You guys have nothing to worry about, I treat my Boxster with respect. It ain't a toy, its a serious sports car.

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 :D

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.

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.

Good attitude - it'll keep you out of lots of potential trouble.

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

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. :)

"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 :cheers:

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!

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 !