Ouch...

[RedTele58]

So this morning I jump in my black '99 Boxster and drive a couple of hours over to Amarillo to check out a '71 Porsche 914 sitting in a farmers barn. (The last thing I need is another Porsche project...)

As we're closing the deal on the 914, the guy motions over to my Boxster and says "That's a cool looking Miata."

Ouch.

Oh well. I now have a 914 sitting in the fleet, and on a nice lonely stretch of Texas highway I got to stretch the Boxsters legs out to 146 mph according to the GPS.

Let's see a Miata do that!

Rick

[thstone]

At least he didn't ask why you were driving your wife's car!

Congrat's on the 914 - post up a pic so we can all share!

[kk2002s]

You should have gotten pictures towing the 914 at 146. Man those Miata's are powerful

[Perfectlap]

Was he the original owner?

Nothing wrong with being mistaken for one of the best sports cars ever mass produced.
It is perhaps the car most likely to be found at any track day or autocross at any venue across the country.

[AP328]

^ couldn't agree more!

[RawleyD]

I would personally be offended if some mistook my awesome car for one of many billions of Miatas in my hometown.

ESPECIALLY by someone who supposedly owns a Porsche themselves. lol

[silver-S]

Except that his "Porsche" was made by (and in Europe, badged as) Volkswagen. He's obviously not up to date on what Porsche is doing.

[Perfectlap]

^ My understanding was that some 914 were made by Porsche, some by VW. Or something along those lines, or maybe it was Porsche engine with VW chasis. I'm not an expert.

[recycledsixtie]

As Rodney Dangerfield says we don't get no respect. Then how come folks take pics of my Boxster?
G.

[papasmurf]

Originally Posted by Perfectlap

^ My understanding was that some 914 were made by Porsche, some by VW. Or something along those lines, or maybe it was Porsche engine with VW chasis. I'm not an expert.

While the 1.7, 1.8, and 2.0 were all VW sourced engines. Karmann I think built the bodies and VW handled assembly. None of the 914's wore nose badges in the US market and were kind of like the "ferrari dino" in how the parent company viewed them at one time.

I have been looking for one for years but sadly they are mostly rusted away now and the ones that remain are almost gone but the owners think they are worth 5-6k unrestored.

[ttmedical]

I was with my local Porsche club out in Lubbock and we had all our cars in a semi circle for a picture for Pano. The cars ranged from my 986.2 to a brand new 981s Cayman and a 991 cab and everything in between. Some guy on a bicycle rides by screaming "Ain't no Ferraris!!!!!" and rolls away. It made me chuckle...

On a side note, I'm up in Amarillo quite often too! Good to see other Boxster drivers in this neck of the woods!

[SeanZ4]

I had a Miata 20+ years ago. I had zero issues with it and I think they'll go down as an important benchmark in sports car history. Absolutely bullet-proof!

[san rensho]

Originally Posted by SeanZ4

I had a Miata 20+ years ago. I had zero issues with it and I think they'll go down as an important benchmark in sports car history. Absolutely bullet-proof!

And the early models were gorgeous, a copy of the Lotus Elan.

[986_c6]

Most of us true car guys and track guys know the significance of the Miata...although I am puzzled also at the 914 owners remarks. I can see this coming from a soccer mom driving her Sienna, but another Porsche dude?

[Perfectlap]

Originally Posted by 986_c6

Most of us true car guys and track guys know the significance of the Miata...although I am puzzled also at the 914 owners remarks. I can see this coming from a soccer mom driving her Sienna, but another Porsche dude?

Most Porsche owners past and present aren't really enthusiasts the way we are here. It's just a car they own and never drive.

And the average car owner doesn't even know that the Boxster and Carrera Cabriolet are two different cars.

[nicecar]

the original plan was 4cyl. v dub ,6 cyl. porsche for the american market...didnt work out that way

[986_c6]

Originally Posted by Perfectlap

Most Porsche owners past and present aren't really enthusiasts the way we are here. It's just a car they own and never drive.

And the average car owner doesn't even know that the Boxster and Carrera Cabriolet are two different cars.

I suppose you have a point there. Us car guys are in another realm!

[woodsman]

I have never had anyone refer to my car as anything but a Porsche. And that makes me happy. When new it cost as much as 4.6 Miata's! And it shows. One of the biggest surprises about P-car ownership has been that so many 'regular folk' know it's a Porsche. I didn't anticipate this and love/ hate the attention. I was considering an AMG E55 (black and chrome- pano roof:dance but was afraid of high maintenance costs and I thought "everyone would think I'm rich". Boy, have I learned (and spent) a lot since then....

[jb92563]

To the non-enthusiast casual observer I can see that they would look similar.





and the kind of folks that are Porsche owners vs enthusiasts can vary considerably

[alanqning]

Man, my Porsche gets mistaken for a Miata often... then again... I don't look like I can afford a Porsche