Boxsters a "chick" car??
 

So not one but two of my buddies offered the POV that the Boxster is a "chick car." They did not mean attactive to chicks... rather designed to be driven by them. "Real men drive 911s" sort of thinking if you follow me.

Well, I got 5 kids and nothing to prove so I am sticking with what I like but I must say I was surprised by the perception.

Anyone else run into this??:confused:

May I ask what these friends drive?

Good question.... one is a car nut... has a BMW m5, a Posche 911 gt3 and a new Vette.

The other guy drives a Mercedes E 55AMG.

Well personally I would suggest doing the Twin Turbo Mod and putting all of them in their place when you tear the crap out of them :) Thats why I am working on trying to get my 986 up to 475 HP.

Tell your friends that you'll gladly sell your skirt and put up the proceeds towards a 911 and they can simply add the difference!

Hehe...
Thats another good idea :)

Funny stuff

I think it's funny when "vette" guys call the boxster a hairdressers car. When I ask them for a reason, they don't reply and just change the topic. Some of those guys are just plain ignorant and closed minded. Some think that any car that doesn't have a fixed roof is a chick car. Probabbly another reason they think this is because the boxster isn't a (big V8 with lots of muscle). Funny thing is, at the vette club I go to every month, half of the drivers are women! Usually the flack boxster guys get is from the domestic V8 crowd. I think they are just mad because they have to look at the cavelier like interior everyday with lots of cheap plastic.

I have both a Boxster and a Pontiac Firebird (V8 350). Quite frankly, they are two different beasts. The American muscle car is all about raw power. Harsh off the line and slams your head back. A lot of torque in that huge V8.

The Boxster is like power with finesse. A refined power that doesn't waste power spinning the tires. I get up to speed just as quick and much more nimble in the Boxster.

I definately think that the convertible makes the muscle car crowd think that it is a woman's car. And that V8 engine makes the exotic car crowd think that its making up male pattern baldness and for a small .... appendage. :)

I say we get together and make fun of the guy in a Dodge Neon with the bolt on funny car spoiler and a radio system that treatens to shake all the panels off of the car.

(And if you have that Neon... Sorry... not for the comment, just the car)

Definitely not a chick's car. Your friends have no idea what they are talking about. Although chicks in Boxsters definitely are always welcome!

I mostly see men driving Boxsters, and some women.

I don't see how a convertible top makes a car a chick car. Many great sports cars have been topless. The 427 Shelby AC Cobra is surely not a chick car, the convertible Beetle could be be one.

I drive a Z06 now and love the raw power of the 440 ponies, but I respect most all cars for what they are. I am still working on buying that guy's twin turbo but the miles are worrying me.

Thats the thing Poloman, it does not make sense. People from the "convertibles are girly" school of thought are just plain dumb. The new 500hp viper can only be bought as a drop top and that car is hardly girly! The cobra is another excellent example.

One of the draws of motorcycle riding is the " open air " experience with nature and the road. That is why we call auto drivers "cagers" .... better to be in an open cage than a closed one. From this point of view, the idea that convertables are feminine ( not that there is anything wrong with that!!) does not hold up.

This is an old post but it caught my attention. I agree with Vicelike. I'm into custom harley's. Big bored out motors, apehangers, high lift cams and all. I can outrun just about any production car in the stoplight races, but its really about the open air experience and being part of the environment not insulated inside a can or cage. Its freedom. Vicelike knows. Its that deserted, twisty country road early on a Sunday morning with the sun shining, the wind in your face and time on your side.

Chick car? I never heard that about any Porsche. I've heard other characterizations. Maybe a 6 cylinder convertible Mustang with slush drive or a VW cabriolet, or one of them convertible Chryslers is favored by women. Basically any convertible designed with form over function in mind. Oops! My apologies to women out there. I know there are plenty out there who can outdrive and outride me. Well, ok maybe two or three. LOL I'm joking!! Not really...

I do notice that this forum is predominantly male. Does that reflect the Boxster ownership profile?

And what is this talk about Boxster not being a real Porsche's? So there exists some sort of Porsche Aristocracy? Well, I'd rather be part of the Boxster riff raff. And I have loved the 911 series since I was a teen way back in the last century.

Its funny how people need a social pecking order. Like harley guys who don't wave at metric riders, or the custom guys who are too bad ass to acknowledge anyone, or the oldtimers versus the newbies. Some of these folks couldn't tell the difference between a camshaft and a crankshaft.

Sorry for the ramblings....

Wild

I must agree most who comment really don't understand the difference in automobiles. Having 2 muscle cars and then getting the boxster I have had a few knuckleheads (friends) ask if its for my wife. I love the suspension and engineering that has gone into the boxster. I realize my other cars are 34 + years old but also have have driven new vettes and bmw's. The boxster is a true sports car and falls into that relm.

BBS- A '68 Chevy 396 is definitely a classy ride. I'm jealous. The muscle car is lots of fun. They say power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. I had an '87 mustang GT which was too tempting and always got me into trouble.

But you're right. Every machine has its niche.

One of my most memorable cars was my first. A '60 VW bug. My dad had an auto repair shop and one of his customers gave him the car in '70. It had been T boned and the engine was tired. I started out intending to chop it into a dune buggy with a Porsche engine. Lacking funds, I ended up straightening out the body with the help of about 100 pounds of bondo. I built up a VW motor for it but sold it for some cash and had to build up a second one. I forget the displacement but remember it had a whopping 36bhp!!! They were air cooled flat fours with push rods back then. I think I was around 14 and it was just the coolest thing to have my own wheels.

Have your friends follow (as that's all they can do) you through the mountains and they will learn what kind of car the Boxster is. :cool:

We take mountain runs and the Ferraris, BMWs, Vettes, etc. can't keep up with the Boxsters. 911s do much better, but still can't hold the corners as well. Other Porsches are the only ones that can keep up. :D

Hi,

Absolutely the Black Ninja Stupidest post I have seen on this forum. Can't believe I have even contributed to it...

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99

It can be ended by saying, "Well if its a girl car then why arent you driving one?". Most people dont respect cars and run off stupidy rather then knowledge.

Yeah, my wife loves the Boxster. She thinks it looks better than the 911. My wife is gorgeous. Maybe they meant "chick magnet" car rather than just "chick" car.

Actually our Boxster is really my wifes car :cool: She just lets me drive it on occasion :D (and of course, do all the required wrenching.......)

I agree, this is one of the lamer threads but hey, we all need a little diversion on occasion.

MJW has the best signature. Cogito Ergo Zoom! Why can't I think of stuff like that.

Man, you latin guys are cool....

I don't have to be defensive about contributing to this thread, cause I am pretty lame, so here's how to spot a chick car;

stand outside a strip club during a shift change and watch the girls drive in.... lol

A waste of expensive machinery, but man they do look good together.

No way a chick car. I think that there are chick cars out there but this isn't one. Most of the people I see driving them are men. My wife has a RX330 and I definitely think that it is a chick car...

Let's see them call this a chicks car, it is after all the claimed heitage of our cars.



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porsche_550_Spyder

I'm the guy who posted the recent "C6 or Boxster". I want to report that I posted that same question on the Corvette C6 forum and got TONS of responses. Yes - there were the "Boxster = chick or hairdresser car" responses... but honestly, many over there ridiculed that reaction and applauded the Boxster for what it is. There is no question the C6 is more straight-line power, and many would say it is a georgous looking sports car. But I've never heard anyone claim Corvettes as a chick car!

Here's another point of view -- the Miata gets that label quite often by ignorant by-standers. My take (and a lot of others') is if one doesn't know how to "drive" the car (Miata, C6, Boxster, whatever) then it will never give you that full satisfaction whether in the straight away, or the hilly twisties. The "girlie" attachment is well deserved if the thing is constantly being puttered around town by the majority of its owners. That isn't to say flogging your base Neon with that ghastly wing makes it "manly".... Perception is based on prejudice, subjective feelilngs, and level of knowledge (or in this case, ignorance). :matchup:

Anyone who really likes a particular car, but won't buy it simply because fools call it a chick car is the one with a problem. Not the clowns who ridicule the thing! :)

Doug

This thread comes up every few months, but it's always fun anyway.
There certainly is a segment of the car-oriented public that perceives the Boxster as a "chick car". This perception is fostered by media references such as one of the characters in the HBO series "The Sopranos" referring to the Boxster as "... a Porsche with panties".
Having owned a 911 from the '80s, I can tell you the Box is a very different kind of car. Much more refined, smoother, more comfortable, much better ergonomics. Maybe that's what makes it a "chick car" compared to the 911. Those old 911s had heavy steering (at low speed), heavy brakes, abrupt clutches, switches and controls scattered willy-nilly about the interior, virtually worthless AC. All the compromises were made on the side of performance, and it kept the 911 from having broader appeal. That orientation was sometime called "the alloy lug-nut syndrome". It was no joke, the lug nuts were light alloy.
The Boxster and, I assume the 996/997, are much easier to live with.

Chick Car??
 

Thanks for all the new input on this question.

The only thing I have to add is a question.

Where does Wild1-Poet2 find deserted mountain roads in the Boston Area??

:cool:

wow, I guess CA is the center of the world. lol Ever hear of the White Mountains or the Smokies?? Mt. Washington is highest mountain east of the Mississippi. We actually ski out east. Imagine. We rock climb and ice climb too. Our surfing isn't to brag about but we got hard core guys who go out year round in their dry suits. We also got the Berkshires and the Green Mountains. These are glacial mountains and are actually older and thus craggier than the Rockies.

come on out.... I'll give you the tour.

I get a lot of crap from my friends about having the Barbie Porsche. Thing is, most of them acknowledge that it's a great car, but they like to rib me about it.

Those that really do think the car is for girls, generally can't afford anything over $30,000. They're the types that are thinking "for less money you could have purchased a faster car."

I'll give them a few years to "get it." :)

Interesting. I suppose that would make the Boxster S a "Porsche with a thong." ;)

This marque will always draw detractors. I tend to listen to those critics who have driven both cars and then speak intelligently about the characteristics of each, even when I disagree. The rest are simply contributing to global warming.

Actually rural NE has a far superior set of roads for running the Boxster hard, than we do here in most of CA.

Having said that, I remember those roads as a bit beat up due to the harsh winters. Hence, you could lose your Box in some of those potholes.

:cheers:

Go Pats!

BruceLee, is The Dragon!

The roads out here are rough on a sport suspension. Up north in NH the main roads are better because they lay down a deeper base. You're right, its the frost heaves from the freeze, thaw, re-freeze cycles. It draws up rocks and creates mini sink holes.

Perhaps worse, is the sand, salt and calcium chloride they put down on the roads to melt the ice. It mixes to a corrosive sludge that it'll eat and pit chrome and alloys.

Go Pats Dynasty!!

Ok, here’s my response to this.

Chick car, yes I get (wife cover your ears) chicks all the time waving to me.

Muscle car guys, (rhymes with muscle head) I feel they are all compensating for something?

Reminds me of the old saying about the two bulls standing on the mountain looking at all the heifers in the valley:

"Young bull (muscle car) sez to the mature bull (Porsche owners) lets run down there and gets us one! the mature bull sez, lets stroll down there and get them all"

I have owned muscle cars in the past, way past, I just feel I have matured to the point of really appreciating a finely engineered car like a Porsche and only comes with age and experience.

Unless you’re a prodigy at age under 30, hurrrray blinkwatt.

Regards

Do you have link to the corvette thread? I just would like to see what they said for fun.

" But I've never heard anyone claim Corvettes as a chick car!"

That is very true!
:cheers:

Actually I can't take credit for the originality, I stole it from the old Car and Driver column written by David E. Davis.

Around my parts, most Vette drivers are mid to late 40's women (auto trans mostly, and yes, I check) . Not drawing any conclusions but.........................

The way I look at it(and one of the reasons why I own P cars) Porsches are sports cars and have always been pure sports cars(no apologies for lack of cup holders or plush interiors) and they are also racers and have put most models to that ultimate test from day one.

Not to take anything away from the Vettes of recent, they're a very formidable sports car now, they just don't "do it" for me, nor do I need (or want) mega power for driving on the streets (now if I were chosing something mainly for the track...a C5 or 6 might have prevailed)

I used to see a lot of testosterone displayed by guys with "real bikes" (ie, 750's and liter bikes) at track days a club races, but when you stuck it to them in a corner with your better handling, lighter, yet lower power "girly bike", they piped down. Knowledge plus handling.

Anyway, if you're going to worry about whether or not some (ignorant) person thinks the Boxster is a "chick car", maybe the passion to own one isn't really there. (don't take that negatively, just a thought).

Yeah but most kids are done playing with plastic cars by age 10...

Not these guys!

http://www.corvetteracing.com/history/2005releases/lagunaseca/lagunaseca4.shtml

:cheers:

I hope they enjoy it, these boys are next..

http://www.jalopnik.com/cars/news/racing/porsche-builds-new-lemans-prototype-car-penske-to-race-040222.php