[Mantis]

Okay, this might be just funny to me but it is my first Porsche-related story that has relevance to me since I am now an owner!. I have a friend who bought a new Boxster back in 1999. He hardly ever drives it, and never in the rain, has maybe 4,000 miles on it to-date, washes it even when he doesn’t drive it and he NEVER goes ‘fast’ or will take a turn at any speed which generates a g-force of any kind!! I have been busting his chops occasionally over the years and get pretty much the same response every time, “My car is artwork. It’s okay if it sits in my garage a lot.” Okay, so I guess I understand the collectors of the world, a la the Leno’s who own cars that APPRECIATE. But you guys weigh in here; unless he holds it in mint condition for 60 more years, it’s not going to go up in value anytime soon…right? (but he might want to sell it and it IS in mint condition)

Anyway, I call him Mr. 45. I just picked that number awhile back indicating what I thought his top speed was on the Boxster since he ‘babies’ it so much. So, I bought mine 3 weeks ago – have 1200 miles on it all on 3 weekends, road hard on lots of corners and recent top speed of 134 before I had to back off (she didn’t even sweat).

Back to my story, I had Mr.45 in the car for a short ride; a rather pedestrian ride in city for 10 miles with no surprises and a top speed at maybe 40. With ½ mile to go before dropping him off, I goose it a little and out of the corner of my eye, he is grabbing dash board, door armrests, seat bottoms, whatever, in a flailing arm frenzy to hold on for dear life! It was a very fast and violent reaction and I did not think I was going fast at all so I looked down at the speedometer. 47 !!! I had passed his tolerance threshold – it was unchartered territory for him – and he went into survival mode! Maybe you had to be there....

Well, it was very funny for me. I don’t mean to bust up on a buddy – different strokes for different folks and all when it comes to how you value your car – but had a free moment and thought I would share with others slacking off at work…