Hypocrisy and "daily drivers" - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

YellowJacket · 08-03-2005, 12:49 PM

Well, many of you probably remember my staunch distain for people who refuse to put miles on their Boxster by driving something far more common as a daily driver. I have always believed that this is silly -- why have a car and not drive it?

Well... today I finally bought a daily driver from a coworker, a '96 Ford Explorer XLT, white with tan leather, 2wd, V6, overall, just your average sport ute. It has new belts, pulleys, tires, battery, hoses, and a recently cleaned MAF. Not bad for $2500!!!

I have been renovating my house for the last month and the number of times I've had to haul something dirty in the Box, or rent a truck from Home Depot at $20/hr has really gotten out of hand. As it turns out, with the multicar discount and listing the Box as a weekend car, my insurance doesn't even go up.

6 months ago, I was a 22 year old college kid spending all his money on booze. Now, I have a house, a Porsche, and an SUV. I'm turning into my dad overnight!

Brucelee · 08-03-2005, 03:38 PM

"I'm turning into my dad overnight"

This is not necessarily a bad thing!

limoncello · 08-04-2005, 03:59 AM

If it will ease the psyche, think of it as ying and yang. Psyche aside, it's kind of hard to haul the duck boat, decoys, and wet burlap home with the Boxster.

Pilot2519j · 08-04-2005, 04:48 AM

Turning into your dad is a good thing! Your present affliction can be corrected thus ridding your self of the guilt of not using the Porsche. Since your projects are weekend projects use the truck on the weekends for that purpose and use the Box for the rest of the week. That will return the ying yang back to normal.

ranbar2 · 08-04-2005, 05:08 AM

Prior to getting married recently, I had an SUV (Subaru Forester) along with my boxster, mostly for the same reasons you mentioned - hauling materials for home renovation and hauling my two 60 lb dogs. I thought I would be using the SUV alot, especially since it is automatic and I deal with stop and go interstate traffic on my commute (the interchange beween I-275 and I-4 in Tampa is called Malfunction Junction for a reason). However, I found that I still used the boxster whenever I could, unless I absolutely need the space of the Forester. I even took the boxster to Costco - you'd be suprised how much you can cram in that car with two trunks and the passenger side. Now that I am married, my dilemma is over. My wife drives the Forester and I am "forced" to drive the boxster. It's a rough job, but someone's got to do it!!

hdpt73 · 08-04-2005, 05:20 AM

I don't understand the justification of having a beater and having the boxster in the garage, in yellow jacket's case it makes sense since he's got a utility vehicle. but a boxster is an entry level porsche, i used to have a passat as a beater but that thing would occasionally break thus causing me to spend money on things that i could have saved the money for more important things, like a 3.4 upgrade or other toys. not to mention additional insurance every month. a car is the worst investment you all know that, but two cars for 1 person is a stupid idea. Remember, entry level porsche designed to be used as a daily driver. I'm not knocking the boxster in any way, just the idea of having a beater. :chicken:

deliriousga · 08-04-2005, 06:15 AM

Keep the Boxster as your DD and make the truck the driveway queen.

We have two P-cars and a Dodge Intrepid. The Intrepid sits in the driveway until we need to take my daughter and friends or the family of four somewhere. With the choice, there's no way I'd be in the Dodge every day.

BuffaloBoxster · 08-04-2005, 06:17 AM

Just think of all the cool things you can haul with a truck though.. Dirt bikes, jet skis, go-karts, poweboats

Brucelee · 08-04-2005, 06:45 AM

, "but two cars for 1 person is a stupid idea. Remember, entry level porsche designed to be used as a daily driver. I'm not knocking the boxster in any way, just the idea of having a beater"

There are many reasons that folks buy beaters. To each his own my friend.

Hey, it is there money!

hdpt73 · 08-04-2005, 06:56 AM

what's the point of a beater? only reason i can think of is not putting miles on your car and avoiding door dings. but having a truck and a boxster makes sense to me, or a subaru forester (hauling family) and a boxster, that makes sense to me also. but a single guy having a honda civic or a vw passat and a boxster, care it elaborate on that idea bruce? i'm not starting a flame, just want to understand what's a good reason, porsche made the boxster so dependable as a daily driver that a few miles would never hurt it. i have 110,000 miles of hard hard driving in my boxster and not had any major problems.

Brucelee · 08-04-2005, 07:30 AM

My point is that each person chooses to spend their money and time based on their own preferences. This is the essence of freedom.

You choose not to have a beater or driver and that is fine. Others do and that is fine.

In the past, I have done both!

I just purchased a "driver" for a friend. He has a large dog that he likes to take out to the country with him on weekends. He was trashing his Boxster in doing so, so now he has a Rodeo for the rough stuff.

Makes sense to him, as it is his money to spend.

To someone else, they might shoot the dog.

It is all fine!

And I love dogs by the way!

Enjoy!

yellowbox · 08-04-2005, 08:21 AM

Reasons for a beater:

1. I want to keep my Boxster forever (ok, maybe at least 20 yrs), given that no matter how reliable a car is, there's a finite number of miles that you can put on the engine, parts, etc. Yes, you can replace parts, engines, body parts too, but to keep the car as original as long as possible, I try to not to drive it daily.

2. For ppl who keeps the car for 5 yrs, then trade in and upgrade, sure, drive daily, but the miles you drive during that 5 yrs, say 100,000, I can enjoy that over 10 years because I really have no intention of selling it! I'm spreading my joy over many years. Remember, I don't have to drive it to enjoy it. I smile just to see it in my garage and wipe of the dust

3. Long, stop and go, commute in LA. Not 30 mins, not 60, but usually 90 mins or more, 1-way! An automatic beater saves a lot of energy (mine, not the car's fuel)

4. Once I'm more financially sound, I'll get a 911 or Cayman and get rid of the beater. the Boxster won't become a daily drive, but it'll split that duty with 911 or Cayman, therefore I'll get to enjoy a Porsche daily, YET keeping the miles relatively low for both.

5. In a perfect world, I'll own a Boxster, Cayman and 911, plus a Cayenne for HD or Costco trips. Hey, maybe a Panamera too, but if I have that much deposable income, I might as well get an used F430

bhduxbury · 08-04-2005, 09:23 AM

i looking to get a new boxster as my main car, but am planning to keep my 2001 330i and use it as my "SUV." my main reason: i can fill it with 4 people and gear for a rafting trip to the kern, it takes the grapevine at full speed and full blast ac in 100+ degree weather. it eats up the summer desert heat and dirt and dust on roads from bakersfield to bodfish and shines right up on return. (thank you, klasse!) heh. oh, i can also take a couple kayaks on top thanks to the integrated bolt / removable rack system

but for everything this side of the river, i'll use the box.

brett

BuffaloBoxster · 08-04-2005, 09:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hdpt73

what's the point of a beater? only reason i can think of is not putting miles on your car and avoiding door dings.

Anyone who drives a Porsche in the snow, slush, salt, and mud of a Buffalo winter should be executed by firing squad

hdpt73 · 08-04-2005, 10:07 AM

good points fellas, i'd drive my box in the snow or ice, it's good fishtailing weather. i put my (mastiff) dog in it also, and it's a pain in the a$$ to get the hairs out. let me tell you why i would not drive a beater, the money that i save every month on additional repair costs and insurance is money that i plan on using to buy a 3.4 when my measley 2.5 blows or upgrade my aquarium to a 500 gallon. I love porsches, since i was 7 years old, but they cannot make a car where electrical components stay working. engine and trans works great but the cost of little electrical problems here and there on my box was enough for me to get rid of my beater. my boxster is my beater now. porsche (when it comes to electrical problems) there is no substitute.

forgot to mention, very nice car bhduxbury

KRZTACO · 08-04-2005, 10:21 AM

Here's what I am trying to focus on:

1) A Boxster S, daily driver

2) 997 S, weekend car

Brucelee · 08-04-2005, 10:55 AM

Don't hold back buddy, what do you really think?

"Anyone who drives a Porsche in the snow, slush, salt, and mud of a Buffalo winter should be executed by firing squad"

Funny stuff!

boxstter · 08-04-2005, 11:18 AM

I am not rich by anymeans but I just can't part with my cars. I buy them because I really like them - they aren't just transportation - so in effect I have a Boxster and 3 1/2 beaters.

Since they are all pretty dependable maintenance is pretty minimal and it is pretty nice to spread the milage

1976 Datsun 280Z - taken apart, waiting for me to restore it - thus the 1/2
1989 Honda CRX - gets me a nice sweet 40 mpg so it gets driven every day to work after lunch (other vehicles rotate in for the morning drive). Plus it was the wifes first car.
1998 Discovery - It is great when we have to haul lots of family and off-roading is fun too.
2000 Audi TT - My wife just loved it and the Honda was on the fritz so we got it and it never left.
2003 Porsche Boxster - I can't believe how much we like this car - it is another one that will still be sitting in our garage 40 years from now.

deliriousga · 08-04-2005, 11:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hdpt73

I love porsches, since i was 7 years old, but they cannot make a car where electrical components stay working. engine and trans works great but the cost of little electrical problems here and there on my box was enough for me to get rid of my beater. my boxster is my beater now. porsche (when it comes to electrical problems) there is no substitute.

Have to take exception to that one. The reason most Porsches form electrical problems is because the electrical system is ignored and/or the car sits.

Most of the problems stem from dirty/corroded grounds causing components to strain to get the current they need and stress something to the point of meltdown. Keep the grounds clean and your problems are few and far between. I would guess 9 out of 10 owners don't clean their ground points annually as they should, or even know where they are for that matter. Not faulting the owner, it should be a regular maintenance issue listed in the owner's manual.

Another cause of electrical problems is just plain sitting around. When the car sits a lot, the electrical connections corrode more. Even though it's in a garage, it still has the outdoor humidity, etc. to deal with. That and any electrical component that is not used corrodes more quickly. Take a look at any of the electrical stuff you may have had sitting around in the garage for a year or two, especially something connected to a battery and not used. The brass is probably tarnished or corroded.

The two combined can kill electrical components. I had electrical problems in the 928 all over the place when I first got it because the PO put 1000 miles/year on it and never cleaned the grounds. Lights would go on and off, or very dim and gauges would freak. Cleaned all of the grounds and lights are bright and working properly along with all of the gauges.

YellowJacket · 08-04-2005, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boxstter

1976 Datsun 280Z - taken apart, waiting for me to restore it - thus the 1/2
1989 .

Those are so nice. My old boss had one that he bought new that was in amazing condition. I always wanted to buy it from him, but he had owned it for almost 20 years and was not planning on parting with it anytime soon.