I’ve owned my 996TT for about 2 weeks now and I really love the car. The car is very clean, factory aero kit, exhaust, lowered on Champion Motorsport RG5 wheels…

I’m experiencing attitude from friends and people I meet. Commenting on how much money I make and how well things must be going, like I’m some snob. People are treating me differently and not in a good way. Sure it’s a nice car but it’s 12 years old and it’s my daily driver. Whenever I tell people I bought a Porsche their tone and comments change. The car cost 40K. A new Subaru costs more than this. I feel I’m smarter buying the Porsche because it won’t depreciate like a new car. You guys experience much of this attitude? Are Porsche owners D-bags? I’m not worried, it’s just kind of frustrating and didn’t expect it.

 

I never have run across this. Although I do get a lot of comments from people who think my car is newer than it is. I usually follow that up with it's actual age, and how affordable they are.

As always though, discussing money with people is right up there with politics. Usually to be avoided.

Be sure to bring it to the next Cars and Coffee in Lafayette. I missed this month, but usually try to make it.

 

There is a wide-spread wealth bias illness in this country that I noticed most when Romney ran against Obama. I was going to ask a similar question on here.

I'll be curious to read responses. Maybe a revision to the title of the thread to get more responses?

 

I get that a lot, right along with admiration and *** kissage.
I suppose these cars do hold certain aura of wealth and elitism, like Bill Clinton holding saxophone, with his pants off...

 

Entitlement breeds laziness, which in turn breeds jealousy in those who do the minimum to get by against those who work hard for more success. (Bodes poorly for where we're headed as a nation.)

I've never gotten those comments you describe from anyone whose work ethic I respect. On the contrary, they're always happy and supportive.

I'll chime in again later with what happened to my 1995 yellow 968 cabrio in a parking lot like 10 years ago. Vandalism for the sake of ruining something beautiful that someone else worked for. Ugh.

 

I've gotten that attitude a lot. It's the main reason I only take the car out for drives or shows. I never just take it to the store or work anymore. Only a few co-workers even know I own a Porsche.

The attitude was *way* worse when I was living in upstate NY where the median income was something like 20k or 30k a year. In Richmond, nice cars are more common so I haven't noticed it as much.

 

Yes, people assume I'm rich or family is rich and assuming I don't deserve the car and am a ******bag goes with it. At the end of the day who cares, I love the car, I love to drive, screw the haters. =]

 

I used to feel awkward or sorta guilty at first driving it around and tried to tell people the actual age and how affordable it was too, but now I just say thanks I worked hard for it. I get more compliments than anything but know how you feel about people treating you different.
I took the car to work and some people saw me getting in at lunch, I couldn't believe how quickly word spread in the office. Some guys came over to ask about it and kiss up, others made comments about how I must be getting paid too much. Most people have no clue about the car and just assume its uber expensive so you must have money.
Like TMWTP said avoid talking about price and how much you paid.
At the end of the day, we bought it for us and because we could afford it, no need to justify it, just enjoy it.

 

This

 

The timing of this thread is funny... I just posted an identical event I witnessed about a woman who owned an older Boxster (for only $8k).

There is so much wrong about people giving someone an attitude merely for a certain type of car (or badge).

You should just tell them that a fully loaded Mustang GT costs more, and they should throw eggs at all Mustangs... Nahhhh... Just kidding. Some cars (and other objects) sometimes garner negative attention from certain people, based on their own prejudice and ignorance. We can't educate everyone (and some don't want to be). I say, learn to have fun with the responses. Enjoy ownership!

 

I rarely drive/drove my cars around certain people because of the comments/attitudes. When I was working on rare occasions I would drive my Supra or Bmw or whatever to work and people would think I just bought it when in reality I had them for months/years. I found a guy in the 80s pissing on my new Corvette in a mall parking lot and while running off was telling me what a rich *** I was lol.

 

Interesting enough, I can even glean these attitudes from the cars that drive around me. While I primarily drive the Porsche to work, I do often mix in the 3rd car in the family and my wife's car from time to time. Each of which are quite different in persona - 3rd car is a beastly Land Cruiser, wife's car is a tree hugging electric RAV4 EV. Same commute, same driving style.

In the Land Cruiser, fellow commuters give me a wide berth. Readily yielding and generally acquiescing position for lane changes and such, without so much even a suggestion from my driving language.

The RAV4 EV is unassuming and hides under the radar. Seem to get neutral vibes for the most part from the majority of motorists, except for the crunchy types who give it a thumbs up.

As expected the Porsche seems to solicit the most (generally positive) reactions. Though it was the unexpected acts of aggression that I found interesting. Not speaking of those rare flexing or goading of me to speed. But it was more of people actively closing gaps for simple things like normal non-aggressive lane changes. Where people will give me room in the cruiser, ignore me in the RAV4, they will actively try to close gaps where there was plenty of room.

Almost like they are saying "I'm not going to give an inch for you and your already easy and entitled life." Wish they knew how hard I work for what I have.

 

The car doesn't really illicit those kinds of responses where I live (Dallas TX area, there are a LOT more expensive cars rolling around than mine) but when people see ME get in/out of it, they usually make some comment. I'm 37, a t-shirt and jeans type guy, and I guess most people assume that it's going to be some older guy getting out of it. I suppose it doesn't help that a lot of people think I'm late 20's/early 30's as well.

I actually just sold a car (Jeep GC Overland) on Craigslist. The guy who came to buy it saw my car in the garage and asked me if it was worth going into debt for.

I just smiled and told him all my cars are paid for, while inwardly rolling my eyes at his lack of manners.

I will say this though, a lot of drivers out there tend to hate Porsches. I've had plenty of people go out of their way to cut me off, or do whatever they can to inconvenience me in some way. Domestic owners are the worst at this.

 

Maybe I just don't notice those little things, or I drive like an old man, so I don't experience that.

But, my business partner has a run of the mill newer BMW 325 that he claims elicits these same behaviors from other motorists on a regular basis. Even though its a sub $25k car.

 

I never noticed that. I could see it if I were snobby or showy - but when I talk to people - they can typically see that I simply enjoy cars.
In the end - pfft. Everyone has their hobbies / preferences.

(If it bothers you - drive a civic so that everyone else can be happier. - just kidding!)