40 year old guys in Porsches

[Woofmeister]

If you're even moderately self-aware, you have to assume that by age 40 and up, you are going to start looking like a living cliche driving around in a Porsche.

On the other hand, suppose you're a hard working family man who just wants to reward himself with one of the most sophisticated and advanced examples of automotive art available rather than engaging in a pathetic attempt to regain your lost youth and cool?

Assume you fit the category in question and have the money, do you go for it?

If not, what car do you buy?

 

[ValValline]

Unless you are very lucky or born with money, you won't be established and secure enough financially to afford a Porsche until you hit your 30s-40s.

I fit the category (35) and I can afford it if I really wanted to, but to me it's a waste of money. You can't drive the car the way it is meant to be driven, and the upkeep is very expensive. I can have just as much or more fun in a much cheaper car (GTI, RX8, Miata, STI, Evo, etc).

My brother on the other hand (34) has always loved exotic cars and will buy one as soon as he can afford one. He has been waiting his whole life.

 

[thomsbrain]

When i see a 40 year old in a porsche, i think, "good choice."

the fact is most of us won't be able to afford it until we're that old, but that doesn't mean we're not allowed to like to drive at 40 or any sports car makes us a poser.

 

[Zenmervolt]

I'm 25 and I've already had 4 different Porsches. I assume that when I'm 40 I'll continue to do what I do now, buy older ones that are still fun to drive and work on.

Why the hell should I care if someone else thinks I'm having a mid-life crisis as long as I'm having fun?

ZV

 

[Arkaign]

Yep, and I've known many 40-year-olds who know more about appreciating what they've earned than basically any 20-year-olds. Of course it's different if someone is a condescending jerk and tries to act superior just because of what they drive, but everyone is different. One of my exes' father had a new Porsche (in '96 I think) as well as an old '71 911, and he wasn't in the least bit arrogant or pretentious about owning them. As a matter of fact, he loved to talk about their history, had tons of useful info to share, and was more attached to the old '71 model than his shiny new Carrera 4.

I think it's a hollywood thing, really, those stereotypes. I've yet to meet an older guy (or girl) driving a nice sports car who did so for any obvious pretentious reasons. Apparently, they buy them because they like them and can afford them. If anything, I've met a few pretentious people driving luxury SUVs, but also met some cool people that drive them as well. There's nothing like someone with the balls to actually take an $80k HSE or $120k+ G-Wagon on wicked off-road trails and mudding. It's a far cry from those rich kooks who only drive them to the golf course and back, and never drive them in the rain.

 

[ognabor]

i dont read anything into it at all when i see a 40 year old dude driving a porsche or any similar car. The guy has money, likes cars, and wants to enjoy himself. omg what a loser!

the guys i hate (though its more out of jealousy) are the guys/girls my age or younger (im 24) who drive porsches 'cause their daddy is rich.

 

[Zenmervolt]

Originally posted by: ognabor
i dont read anything into it at all when i see a 40 year old dude driving a porsche or any similar car. The guy has money, likes cars, and wants to enjoy himself. omg what a loser!

the guys i hate (though its more out of jealousy) are the guys/girls my age or younger (im 24) who drive porsches 'cause their daddy is rich.

Meh. Some of those people are like me and only have the cars because we're willing to dump 25% of our income into them for repairs. As a friend of mine used to say, "Old stuff is old stuff..."

But even the rich kids, if they like the car and respect it, then I don't care if they are driving on Daddy's money. They're luckier than I am to be doing so, but I certainly don't begrudge them their luck.

ZV

 

[ognabor]

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
But even the rich kids, if they like the car and respect it...

thats the problem... most of 'em dont. i know a couple who do, but i know far more who treat their brand new Porsches, BMWs, etc. like theyre completely disposable. which, for them, i suppose they are.

i dont begrudge them their luck, necessarily... i just wish they'd have a little more respect for what they're driving. like i said, im mostly just jealous anyway; i like these kids well enough but i just shake my head at the way they treat money. >.>

as far as people like you, im all for you buying cars into which you pour your life savings... its your money!

 

[MysticLlama]

Better than driving a mid-80s Vette and wearing gold chains for your mid-life crisis though, right?

When I'm 40, I guess I won't fit into that, I plan on going for the Ferrari that's a model or two back from the current one. Red of course. Completely rediculous for the street, and a maintenance nightmare, but awfully pretty and a great noisemaker.

I may still have a Porsche for kicking around in though, they are plenty reliable, having put 50k+ between the two of mine in the last couple of years. (one 10+ years old, the other 25+)

 

[Pacfanweb]

What's the problem with it? The average 25 year old can't afford a newer Porsche, Vette, or anything else of the sort.

Why should older guys (and 40ish isn't that old) have to change their taste in cars just because they've gotten older?

A young guy wants a nice sports car, but either can't afford it, or it's not practical because he's raising a family. So he gets older, more financially secure, the kids are older now, and he can finally get the car he's always wanted.

I don't see anything wrong with it.

 

[jagec]

Midlife crisis...lucky bastard.

 

[Apex]

I think:

Lucky man, he's not driving a minivan.

 

[ayabe]

Yeah I don't really think anything. I live in a college town full of exotic cars bought and paid for by daddy. As others have said these are the people that get my goat.

Just yesterday I saw a beautiful black 335i with a messed up rear bumper(looks like she backed into a pole), filthy with bird crap all over it; driven by a 18-20 year old sorority girl.

I really really wanted to let her know that she should be taking care of daddy's car.

 

[fstime]

I think, 'nice car.'

 

[DivideBYZero]

Do you go for it? If you want a car, you want a car. It amazes and saddens me that people buy cars for anyone else but themselves.

 

[Apex]

Originally posted by: DivideBYZero
Do you go for it? If you want a car, you want a car. It amazes and saddens me that people buy cars for anyone else but themselves.

*shrug* I bought one for my son. It makes him happy, and makes it all worthwhile.

 

[DivideBYZero]

Originally posted by: Apex

Originally posted by: DivideBYZero
Do you go for it? If you want a car, you want a car. It amazes and saddens me that people buy cars for anyone else but themselves.

*shrug* I bought one for my son. It makes him happy, and makes it all worthwhile.

That isn't quite what I meant by that. I meant people that buy cars to impress others or to appear as something they are not.

 

[Arkaign]

Originally posted by: DivideBYZero

Originally posted by: Apex

Originally posted by: DivideBYZero
Do you go for it? If you want a car, you want a car. It amazes and saddens me that people buy cars for anyone else but themselves.

*shrug* I bought one for my son. It makes him happy, and makes it all worthwhile.

That isn't quite what I meant by that. I meant people that buy cars to impress others or to appear as something they are not.

This is almost always my first thought when I see luxury SUVs (Escalade/etc) that have probably never carried much more than a load of groceries, or ever touched a trail. They are the epitome of the 'me-too' vehicle, or the fad followers.

 

[Pacfanweb]

Originally posted by: Arkaign

Originally posted by: DivideBYZero

Originally posted by: Apex

Originally posted by: DivideBYZero
Do you go for it? If you want a car, you want a car. It amazes and saddens me that people buy cars for anyone else but themselves.

*shrug* I bought one for my son. It makes him happy, and makes it all worthwhile.

That isn't quite what I meant by that. I meant people that buy cars to impress others or to appear as something they are not.

This is almost always my first thought when I see luxury SUVs (Escalade/etc) that have probably never carried much more than a load of groceries, or ever touched a trail. They are the epitome of the 'me-too' vehicle, or the fad followers.

Or maybe the SUV owners just like the way their vehicles look, and don't care a thing about going offroad.
Seriously....you think all the SUV's with 20's and chrome out the wazoo have EVER cared about offroading?

They are bigger, and more comfortable vehicles. Nothing wrong with just liking the way it looks.

 

[Woofmeister]

Originally posted by: DivideBYZero

Originally posted by: Apex

Originally posted by: DivideBYZero
Do you go for it? If you want a car, you want a car. It amazes and saddens me that people buy cars for anyone else but themselves.

*shrug* I bought one for my son. It makes him happy, and makes it all worthwhile.

That isn't quite what I meant by that. I meant people that buy cars to impress others or to appear as something they are not.

Actually, my concern is sort of the opposite. I assume that the man buys the car simply because he loves the car and not because he's trying to impress everyone. The problem is that so many jerks buy Porches to impress that you risked being lumped in with them. Unfair, but true.

 

[Apex]

Originally posted by: DivideBYZero

Originally posted by: Apex

Originally posted by: DivideBYZero
Do you go for it? If you want a car, you want a car. It amazes and saddens me that people buy cars for anyone else but themselves.

*shrug* I bought one for my son. It makes him happy, and makes it all worthwhile.

That isn't quite what I meant by that. I meant people that buy cars to impress others or to appear as something they are not.

Ah, gotcha, I see what you mean.

I personally am not a big fan of Porsches, but my son loves em after seeing the movie "Cars." I figured, why not make him happy? He fits just fine in the back seat.

 

[Arkaign]

Originally posted by: Pacfanweb

Originally posted by: Arkaign

Originally posted by: DivideBYZero

Originally posted by: Apex

Originally posted by: DivideBYZero
Do you go for it? If you want a car, you want a car. It amazes and saddens me that people buy cars for anyone else but themselves.

*shrug* I bought one for my son. It makes him happy, and makes it all worthwhile.

That isn't quite what I meant by that. I meant people that buy cars to impress others or to appear as something they are not.

This is almost always my first thought when I see luxury SUVs (Escalade/etc) that have probably never carried much more than a load of groceries, or ever touched a trail. They are the epitome of the 'me-too' vehicle, or the fad followers.

Or maybe the SUV owners just like the way their vehicles look, and don't care a thing about going offroad.
Seriously....you think all the SUV's with 20's and chrome out the wazoo have EVER cared about offroading?

They are bigger, and more comfortable vehicles. Nothing wrong with just liking the way it looks.

Eh? I don't think you can get much more comfortable than say a full-size Lexus, Cadillac, Mercedes, Buick, etc car. SUVs are generally based on truck chassis, and to call them more comfortable than luxury cars is a serious stretch of the imagination. They handle worse, are generally less fuel efficient, and so on. I maintain that they are more of a status symbol than anything else. How else can you explain the sudden and drastic rise in popularity?

Liking the way it looks is more likely = liking the image that you project when driving the status quo of 21st century American yuppiedom.

And no, there's nothing wrong with buying something simply for the way it looks. This is America after all I just find it a bit silly. You have to remember, SUVs have been around for a very long time, but it's only the past decade or so that everyone and their brother, aunt, grandma, etc have gone bananas over them.

 

[Apex]

Originally posted by: Arkaign

Originally posted by: Pacfanweb

Originally posted by: Arkaign

Originally posted by: DivideBYZero

Originally posted by: Apex

Originally posted by: DivideBYZero
Do you go for it? If you want a car, you want a car. It amazes and saddens me that people buy cars for anyone else but themselves.

*shrug* I bought one for my son. It makes him happy, and makes it all worthwhile.

That isn't quite what I meant by that. I meant people that buy cars to impress others or to appear as something they are not.

This is almost always my first thought when I see luxury SUVs (Escalade/etc) that have probably never carried much more than a load of groceries, or ever touched a trail. They are the epitome of the 'me-too' vehicle, or the fad followers.

Or maybe the SUV owners just like the way their vehicles look, and don't care a thing about going offroad.
Seriously....you think all the SUV's with 20's and chrome out the wazoo have EVER cared about offroading?

They are bigger, and more comfortable vehicles. Nothing wrong with just liking the way it looks.

Eh? I don't think you can get much more comfortable than say a full-size Lexus, Cadillac, Mercedes, Buick, etc car. SUVs are generally based on truck chassis, and to call them more comfortable than luxury cars is a serious stretch of the imagination. They handle worse, are generally less fuel efficient, and so on. I maintain that they are more of a status symbol than anything else. How else can you explain the sudden and drastic rise in popularity?

Liking the way it looks is more likely = liking the image that you project when driving the status quo of 21st century American yuppiedom.

And no, there's nothing wrong with buying something simply for the way it looks. This is America after all I just find it a bit silly. You have to remember, SUVs have been around for a very long time, but it's only the past decade or so that everyone and their brother, aunt, grandma, etc have gone bananas over them.

People do it with clothes all the time. Look at the meteoric rise of the "cargo pants". All those pockets and people don't even fill em full of junk. Talk about not using something for their intended purpose.

 

[Woofmeister]

Originally posted by: Apex

Originally posted by: DivideBYZero

Originally posted by: Apex

Originally posted by: DivideBYZero
Do you go for it? If you want a car, you want a car. It amazes and saddens me that people buy cars for anyone else but themselves.

*shrug* I bought one for my son. It makes him happy, and makes it all worthwhile.

That isn't quite what I meant by that. I meant people that buy cars to impress others or to appear as something they are not.

Ah, gotcha, I see what you mean.

I personally am not a big fan of Porsches, but my son loves em after seeing the movie "Cars." I figured, why not make him happy? He fits just fine in the back seat.

And here I thought you had bought your son a Porsche to drive!:laugh:

 

[Pacfanweb]

Originally posted by: Arkaign

Originally posted by: Pacfanweb

Originally posted by: Arkaign

Originally posted by: DivideBYZero

Originally posted by: Apex

Originally posted by: DivideBYZero
Do you go for it? If you want a car, you want a car. It amazes and saddens me that people buy cars for anyone else but themselves.

*shrug* I bought one for my son. It makes him happy, and makes it all worthwhile.

That isn't quite what I meant by that. I meant people that buy cars to impress others or to appear as something they are not.

This is almost always my first thought when I see luxury SUVs (Escalade/etc) that have probably never carried much more than a load of groceries, or ever touched a trail. They are the epitome of the 'me-too' vehicle, or the fad followers.

Or maybe the SUV owners just like the way their vehicles look, and don't care a thing about going offroad.
Seriously....you think all the SUV's with 20's and chrome out the wazoo have EVER cared about offroading?

They are bigger, and more comfortable vehicles. Nothing wrong with just liking the way it looks.

Eh? I don't think you can get much more comfortable than say a full-size Lexus, Cadillac, Mercedes, Buick, etc car. SUVs are generally based on truck chassis, and to call them more comfortable than luxury cars is a serious stretch of the imagination. They handle worse, are generally less fuel efficient, and so on. I maintain that they are more of a status symbol than anything else. How else can you explain the sudden and drastic rise in popularity?

Liking the way it looks is more likely = liking the image that you project when driving the status quo of 21st century American yuppiedom.

And no, there's nothing wrong with buying something simply for the way it looks. This is America after all I just find it a bit silly. You have to remember, SUVs have been around for a very long time, but it's only the past decade or so that everyone and their brother, aunt, grandma, etc have gone bananas over them.

The cars you mention are generally more expensive than an SUV. Cadillac, Mercedes, Lexus, etc.
I should also say that, by comfortable, I mean I can fit in one and be comfortable. I'm 6'4" tall. It's not all about just the ride.
I am not as comfortable in any Lexus, Mercedes, Caddy, etc, as I am in my Tahoe or Suburban. They might ride a bit better, but that's it. For my purposes, which are work, towing, hauling the family, there is no car that fits the bill.