Who daily drives their 986?

[Overdrive]

I don't DD the Boxster year-round, just not realistic when it can turn into a snowplow if it snows too much. But when the weather's nice, I drive it as often as I can, and I couldn't care less if it rains. My car's not that precious that I obsess over whether or not it gets wet or dirty. I bought it so I could drive it.

You could simply use the company car and save miles on your 550 (there aren't too many of them out there, so that's one that's at least worth keeping out of the rain and taking care of). You can adjust your insurance due to the limited miles you'd be putting on the Boxster, save some money there, and you could even take it off the insurance temporarily during the winter if you know you won't be taking it anywhere. And I'd say don't take it for work if you're risking bringing it to poorly/non-paved areas or secluded places in the middle of nowhere where a tow truck will take half the day to find you if something decides to act up far from home.

If you ask me, if there's any car that should get the doghouse treatment out of the stable, it's the company car. Considering you just got the Boxster not too long ago, give yourself some time to enjoy it before you consider selling it. Take it to Lime Rock and/or autocross with the PCA and get some enjoyment out of what it can do besides look gorgeous.

[patssle]

I DD both my 914 and Boxster. 914 for when the weather is good and Boxster the rest of the year (i.e. Texas summer).

[aclark133]

I just hate having such a nice car sit in the garage to get driven only a few times a month. Maybe with the warmer weather i will be able to plan my trips accordingly with which car to take. Also, most places I go,I get preferential visitors parking without too much to worry about door dings

[grtc68]

almost everyday and longest route possible, at 140k miles

[LAP1DOUG]

Originally Posted by aclark133

I am in a bit of a dilemma. Got a new job, which provided a company car.. so now i have 3 cars, and a motorcycle at the house, with only room for 2. Ill never part with my MK3 VW golf, so that leaves the company Ford and my 986S. I can either sell the boxster, or, try to exchange the company car for some kind of compensation (mileage, fuel, etc.) while sucking up my pride and driving my P-car in the rain.

Has anyone been in a similar position? I want to hear other opinions, especially from someone who travels for work. PS i had some parts for sale, please accept my apologies for not being ready to part with anything yet

I have the same situation as you. I have a company car that I drive to work or on trips during the week, which gives me the opportunity to work on my 986S at my leisure without the pressure of having to get the coilovers, or clutch, etc. done before Monday. Generally I celebrate Friday by keeping the company car at home and driving the 986 or one of my BMW's to work. Then the 986 just has duty for weekend getaway, auto-x, and track days. For me, this is ideal.

[cas951]

Here's a Poll just over a week ago. Interesting result. I was assuming most of the members here use their Box as daily driver. Poll results show differently.
http://986forum.com/forums/general-discussions/43682-how-do-you-use-your-boxster.html?highlight=weekend+drive

Weekend driver almost equaled the daily drivers.

[aclark133]

Originally Posted by LAP1DOUG

I have the same situation as you. I have a company car that I drive to work or on trips during the week, which gives me the opportunity to work on my 986S at my leisure without the pressure of having to get the coilovers, or clutch, etc. done before Monday. Generally I celebrate Friday by keeping the company car at home and driving the 986 or one of my BMW's to work. Then the 986 just has duty for weekend getaway, auto-x, and track days. For me, this is ideal.

I wish i could do this! except for the most part i leave on monday, and dont come home until friday. I think i will figure something out.. Not driving the 986 = thoughts like selling to get a Z3 M coupe or 996 or anything else but a few days last week in VA made me wish for the 986 more than ever

[Idaho Red Rocket 3]

Boxster S is my wifes DD. We did buy a 21 year old Honda Accord for $1200 for the crappy weather days and a parking lot car for her part time job at the mall. Box S and Explorer in the garage with 4 street motorcycles. Accord, Escort and Avenger park outside, 2 Dual Sport Dirt bikes in the shed.

[Timco]

Every day I can!!

[notworthy]

Every day I can, it's also my work car. I love it to bits!

[aclark133]

As an update, im in VA doing a couple laser calibrations with another person from my company to show me how. We were talking cars, and i brought up how i want to take my Boxster on a couple trips, and he quickly said "NO!" in his thick eastern European accent. He said that our customers would get the wrong impression on our company, if i showed up in a Porsche, but wouldnt explain any further. Does anyone else here agree?

[AndyA6]

Originally Posted by aclark133

As an update, im in VA doing a couple laser calibrations with another person from my company to show me how. We were talking cars, and i brought up how i want to take my Boxster on a couple trips, and he quickly said "NO!" in his thick eastern European accent. He said that our customers would get the wrong impression on our company, if i showed up in a Porsche, but wouldnt explain any further. Does anyone else here agree?

Unfortunately yes, especially in Europe people are super jealous!!! Customers think you are making too much money and this hurts the possible relationship, true story bro!

Here in the US it is slightly different, more of thumbs up and less "you rich MF don't deserve this because I don't have a Porsche...."

Still, here at work, people associate the Porsche with me being the boss. When I visit certain customers I park around the corner, no need to wake the dog.

Back to topic, my DD, only left i the Garage if the wheather is really bad.

[Overdrive]

Originally Posted by aclark133

As an update, im in VA doing a couple laser calibrations with another person from my company to show me how. We were talking cars, and i brought up how i want to take my Boxster on a couple trips, and he quickly said "NO!" in his thick eastern European accent. He said that our customers would get the wrong impression on our company, if i showed up in a Porsche, but wouldnt explain any further. Does anyone else here agree?

There is truth to it, and unfortunately there's no exact science to determining how anyone will react to seeing you with that car. I tend to get raised eyebrows, question mark looks, and sometimes sideways looks if I'm seen driving the Porsche to the workplace. There are still plenty of people at work that don't know that I have one, and I also don't try to (and don't like to) broadcast it, though others try to go out of their way to do it for me, whatever their intentions may be for doing so. Unfortunately (at least in this case), even a 15-year-old first year Boxster still looks enough like a few years young $65,000 one that people simply think it's that nice and that's how much it cost you, and that you must be rolling in some kind of dough that you certainly can't be making here, so wtf man!!!! I don't try to flaunt it that way or anything, either. It's just my car and I drive it during the nicer seasons, that's it. But whatever, there's just certain places I don't bring it when I know those seeing it will likely try to cause trouble for me out of jealousy, or assume things about me rather than just have the gumption to ask me how much it was. It won't kill me, or the car, if it sits at home a day or two out of the week.

Personally, I'd say err on the side of caution unless you know you're going to be at a place where your car will not be messed with, or if, like you said, it's a giant lot where you're unlikely to be seen jumping into/out of the car. Just make up for it on the weekends and go stretch the car's legs, or come out the the autocrosses the PCA holds in Hartford.

[aclark133]

Andy, that is what i was thinking. its not like they are watching for my car! and some places are so big, with a whole visitor lot, how would they ever know

[aclark133]

Also that explains why the bosses of my company in Germany drive VW passat wagons lol

[jakobv84]

My 986 is a DD too. Does just fine.

[haste]

daily drive mine, 97 bright red 986. Put 1k on her in the last 2 weeks, 84k on her now.

However, I throw the hardtop on it as much as possible(saves the softtop and motor), but I have noticed some areas on the softop fabric are being separated(from softtop being down?)

I bought this for 9k off of an older gentleman, best deal I have ever gotten.

After a wash, and a wax, most people think its a 65k+ car but It can be annoying. Ill stop in a small restaurant to grab a bite, and the people see me pull up in my 9k car and act different all of a sudden. Same goes for cruising around, alot of jealousy which becomes negativity. And of course, the 99% of mustangs, 370z trying to race..

[Homeboy981]

I too drive my 986 S everyday again (and even make reasons to go to the store, ya know).

When I buy residential real estate and have found that if I do not talk about it, the price of the subject property goes UP. What I do is point out that even a $12k car can be made to look like $60k. Here is where I focus their attention….things gone DOWN in value over time, even a Porsche. And, everything needs repairs. Then, once they KNOW I can handle it, I start to talk about the repairs on their property and I have found they open up a little more.

At first it is a detriment, but I turn that around into actually getting a better deal. The owners have seen HOW I take care of my stuff and they WANT their property cared for that way too.

On Commercial property….they just think I have good connections, which doesn't hurt.

I was at a loss…until I figured out a way to turn the conversation around.

At a daily job, it is a different mentality. Kind of like, "What are you doing here? You obviously don't NEED to work." Bosses got jealous fast…unless you take THEM for a ride! Then, you become their driver!

[Overdrive]

Originally Posted by Homeboy981

At a daily job, it is a different mentality. Kind of like,"What are you doing here? You obviously don't NEED to work."

I've gotten that one before, too, which annoys me. It's like they seem to think the car never breaks or needs anything. Don't tell me what I do and don't need, you know? If I didn't need to work I sure wouldn't.

Anyway, let me not rant. Point is while these cars are amazing to drive and enjoy, the air they tend to carry about them is a double-edged sword depending on your situation.

[aclark133]

Originally Posted by Homeboy981

At a daily job, it is a different mentality. Kind of like, "What are you doing here? You obviously don't NEED to work." Bosses got jealous fast…unless you take THEM for a ride! Then, you become their driver!

I dont have a daily job now. I am a service and application engineer for a machine mfg company for the New England region, and i go to a variety of company ranging from a mom and pop machine shop to recent visits at places like Rolls-Royce, GM, Continental, etc. I think at the big boys they would never notice what i drive in with, and id rather be seen driving my chick car in the summer rather than a rental econo box