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    Any joy in owning a sports car any more?

    Here comes the summer. Ideal time to enjoy top-down motoring in the beautiful Dorset countryside.

    Ha! Except if it wasn't full of tourists with Caravans,
    And, joy of joys, Dorset police have just bought FOUR new mobile speed guns.

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/dorset/7440620.stm

    So watch out round here!

    And with the increasing fuel costs... What's the point?


    Re: Any joy in owning a sports car any more?

    Why is England so anal rententive about speeding? I've never seen a more Nazi'istic country on the matter?

    They make speeding seem the equivalent of Murder.

    Re: Any joy in owning a sports car any more?

    Quote:
    wtsnet said:
    Here comes the summer. Ideal time to enjoy top-down motoring in the beautiful Dorset countryside.

    Ha! Except if it wasn't full of tourists with Caravans,
    And, joy of joys, Dorset police have just bought FOUR new mobile speed guns.

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/dorset/7440620.stm

    So watch out round here!

    And with the increasing fuel costs... What's the point?





    I concluded that some time ago. What is the point? Can we put the money to better use?

    Re: Any joy in owning a sports car any more?

    Quote:
    nberry said:
    Quote:
    wtsnet said:
    Here comes the summer. Ideal time to enjoy top-down motoring in the beautiful Dorset countryside.

    Ha! Except if it wasn't full of tourists with Caravans,
    And, joy of joys, Dorset police have just bought FOUR new mobile speed guns.

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/dorset/7440620.stm

    So watch out round here!

    And with the increasing fuel costs... What's the point?





    I concluded that some time ago. What is the point? Can we put the money to better use?



    You could always buy a piece of real-estate or a boat... Then again, I doubt you'd have as much fun.

    Re: Any joy in owning a sports car any more?

    Quote:
    Heist said:
    Why is England so anal rententive about speeding? I've never seen a more Nazi'istic country on the matter?

    They make speeding seem the equivalent of Murder.



    Don't get me wrong, I don't deliberately go around speeding, and never break the limit in built up areas. But some of the roads around here in the country you can push it a little more (than 60mph) quite safely. But sneak above about 66mph and if you're not careful to spot a mobile trap, it's 3 points, a Pounds60 fine, and a step closer to losing your licence, not to mention an insurance premium hike in many cases. I wouldn't mind so much, but around here, typically, the traps appear just at the end of the month.... Call me cynical, but that screams like they're trying to reach prosecution targets.

    In case anyone abroad doesn't know the system here, if you get caught JUST over the limit four times in three years, you get a driving ban. I can see the sense in it, but sometimes the execution is a little underhand.

    I would prefer a better way to catch dangerous or wreckless drivers. Maybe we should all have video cameras fitted in our cars so we can upload the worst offenders we come across to You-Tube!

    Re: Any joy in owning a sports car any more?

    My answer is yes but not for daily driving and not on public roads. I estimate in the future a big increase in sales for Sunday's track cars especially witht the gas prices going up...

    Re: Any joy in owning a sports car any more?

    Quote:
    Pentium said:
    My answer is yes but not for daily driving and not on public roads. I estimate in the future a big increase in sales for Sunday's track cars especially witht the gas prices going up...


    That's what I was thinking. Maybe the future is having a race-car stabled at the track instead of a race-horse!

    Re: Any joy in owning a sports car any more?

    Quote:
    Crash said:
    Quote:
    nberry said:
    Quote:
    wtsnet said:
    Here comes the summer. Ideal time to enjoy top-down motoring in the beautiful Dorset countryside.

    Ha! Except if it wasn't full of tourists with Caravans,
    And, joy of joys, Dorset police have just bought FOUR new mobile speed guns.

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/dorset/7440620.stm

    So watch out round here!

    And with the increasing fuel costs... What's the point?





    I concluded that some time ago. What is the point? Can we put the money to better use?



    You could always buy a piece of real-estate or a boat... Then again, I doubt you'd have as much fun.



    Or simply move somewere else

    For me the ability to fully enjoy a sportscar (everyday commute, weekend drives, and track) is part of the quality of life among many other things.

    Re: Any joy in owning a sports car any more?

    Quote:
    wtsnet said:
    What's the point?




    Take your car to Europe. Enjoy the superb open uncrowded roads of France. Go down South, drive along the Tarn and Lot gorges. Visit the amazing Millau viaduct. Go see the incredible Gorges du Verdon with the twisting roads, 1,000 feet drops and the chicanes running along the Gorges du Ardeche. Trace the Grand Prix circuit through Monaco.

    You will then fully appreciate what sports car driving is all about. Here cars such as ours are virtually hamstrung. Even in this country there are some great areas to visit. North Yorkshire with the challenging roads in the Dales and Moors - and no speed cameras!

    Our own Boxster has now totalled 10,500 miles. Of that, some 6,000 miles have been driving in Europe.

    I've done Brittany, three times, Champagne region once, South of France once and of course the factory collection when new. Next year we are planning Austria, Germany, Switzerland and the awesome Stelvio pass into Italy.

    When we've done all this then we will probably say goodbye to sports car motoring.

    You've paid the expensive entry ticket to sports car motoring, get the most out of your investment!

    We are probably experiencing the end of the performance car era. Ever increasing fuel prices, the tree huggers that will make owning a high performance car as anti-social as smoking, increasing congestion, taxation etc will make such cars dinosaurs and equally extinct. Enjoy whilst it lasts!


    Re: Any joy in owning a sports car any more?

    Quote:
    Carlos from Spain said:
    Quote:
    Crash said:
    Quote:
    nberry said:
    Quote:
    wtsnet said:
    Here comes the summer. Ideal time to enjoy top-down motoring in the beautiful Dorset countryside.

    Ha! Except if it wasn't full of tourists with Caravans,
    And, joy of joys, Dorset police have just bought FOUR new mobile speed guns.

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/dorset/7440620.stm

    So watch out round here!

    And with the increasing fuel costs... What's the point?





    I concluded that some time ago. What is the point? Can we put the money to better use?



    You could always buy a piece of real-estate or a boat... Then again, I doubt you'd have as much fun.



    Or simply move somewere else

    For me the ability to fully enjoy a sportscar (everyday commute, weekend drives, and track) is part of the quality of life among many other things.




    Re: Any joy in owning a sports car any more?

    Belted round Wales today with the Porsche Club 997 gang today - great roads, great scenery, great cars!!

    Only way to enjoy is to pretend to not care about cost of ownership (incl fuel and taxes - which should actually reduce general road traffic) and be totally paranoid about cameras when driving thus keeping your attention fully on the road and your surroundings. Then you can have a blast and be safe too

    Re: Any joy in owning a sports car any more?

    I used to live in NZ which has vigorously enforced traffic laws and ubiquitous mobile instant-on speed cameras. Not good for sports car enthusiasts.

    Three years ago I moved to paradise near the Nürburgring. As well as the 'green heaven' and unrestricted autobahns we also enjoy backroads with very few speed cameras.

    Come here for holidays. You can rent a 911 from Avis.

    Re: Any joy in owning a sports car any more?

    Quote:
    Heist said:
    Why is England so anal rententive about speeding? I've never seen a more Nazi'istic country on the matter?

    They make speeding seem the equivalent of Murder.



    research Toronto man! Here they confiscate your car for a week and up to 2000$ fine for 50km/h over and instantly charge you with street racing... even if they catch you alone on the empty hwy!!! Garbage Truck got street racing charge not that long ago!

    Re: Any joy in owning a sports car any more?

    Oh, and buy one of these...

    www.roadangelgroup.com/products/professional/connected.html


    Re: Any joy in owning a sports car any more?

    Quote:
    Heist said:
    Why is England so anal rententive about speeding? I've never seen a more Nazi'istic country on the matter?

    They make speeding seem the equivalent of Murder.



    Nothing personal Heist, but is anyplace more anal than Virginia? Talk about nazi's.

    Which is an ironic term considering Hitler built the autobahn and loved going for very fast rides in his supercharged mercedes. HA-HA. I just realized that his car was the first AMG.

    I agree with carlos too, it is a quality of life issue and freedom, which is why we all got pissed when certain germans wanted to do away with the open autobahn.

    Re: Any joy in owning a sports car any more?

    Quote:
    Alex_997TurboRSC said:
    Belted round Wales today with the Porsche Club 997 gang today - great roads, great scenery, great cars!!






    And yes, I used my Road Angel Plus for all the major A roads and motorways

    Re: Any joy in owning a sports car any more?

    Quote:
    Alex_997TurboRSC said:
    Quote:
    Alex_997TurboRSC said:
    Belted round Wales today with the Porsche Club 997 gang today - great roads, great scenery, great cars!!






    And yes, I used my Road Angel Plus for all the major A roads and motorways



    That picture is what Southern California highways look like.

    Each year the speed monitoring devices are getting more sophisticated and effective. Owning a sport car will fast become a public nuisance.

    Re: Any joy in owning a sports car any more?

    Quote:
    Alex_997TurboRSC said:
    Quote:
    Alex_997TurboRSC said:
    Belted round Wales today with the Porsche Club 997 gang today - great roads, great scenery, great cars!!






    And yes, I used my Road Angel Plus for all the major A roads and motorways



    Wished I could have been there.

    Re: Any joy in owning a sports car any more?

    I agree there is no point. I came to my conclusion in a different way. After about 2 dozen track days, I just realized after running sticky tires at a race track under conditions without limits in a much safer environment, street driving of ANY kind simply became transportation. I don't care how fast you take that canyon road or how deserted a back road you may find, nothing beats a race track, and that is where our cars belong.

    I was very suprised that not a SINGLE rennteamer took up my invite for a track day. I am sure there were at least a few in the area. How could you own a hot sports car and know that a race track is at your disposale and not take advantage?!?!

    The good news is that I now love sports cars MORE than EVER before, and drive on the street accordingly. So stop treating that car like some Mona Lisa and get out on a race track and learn what it CAN do!

    Re: Any joy in owning a sports car any more?

    No joy. No joy at all.

    There're bits and pieces of satisfaction but they come to an end fast. They occur when I can pass some dpsht who has no idea people drive to get somewhere, they don't drive to daydream or talk on the phone.

    Why is there no joy? Because there's always some braindead ahole in front of you with no fkn idea that there's six cars behind him!

    First questions should always be this:

    Is the car in front of me four or five car comfortable lengths away? How about the car _BEHIND_ me? Or is there NO ONE in front of me? If there's no one in front of you and there's six cars close behind you: you are a fkn ahle. If everybody's moving along and everybody's spaced for or five car lengths then everything is fine.

    I just loooooove the dbag in front of me who always allows a huge space between him and the car in front of him. That just allows car after car to pull out in front of him so he can allow that new car to drive off into the distance as he waits for the gap to widen again. I swear I start having homicidal fantasies with guys like that.

    Of course if the driver is a senior citizen I become very polite and understanding (seriously). I pass them as gently as I can.

    rant over.


    Re: Any joy in owning a sports car any more?

    You guys want to all move out to the countryside where there are lots of quiet twisty back roads to enjoy at your leisure!

    Seriously, how can you say there is no joy and then spend tonnes of cash on a supercar - that just doesn't make any sense!!

    I enjoy my car each and every time I go out in it. I don't care whether I am on a motorway, quiet scenic back roads, or even in a traffic jam. Yes the government/law here is totally draconian when it comes to roads/cars but I will NOT let them spoil one of the great experiences in life - driving a supercar on an open road

    Some other pics from our Wales trip at the weekend (3 x 997TT + 5 x 997 C2S)...



    Re: Any joy in owning a sports car any more?

    The first year a lot of us got our "P" cars (2005) we had several meets down south. Unfortunately we've had none since other than when porsche-jeck and Dr. Phil came to see us. Just goes to show what an unsociable lot we are down South...

    I tried to arrange a get together at the Goodwood Festival of Speed and from memory had one taker. Nothing like a good run to lift spirits, so I'll try again.

    WHO WOULD LIKE TO MEET UP EITHER AT THE FESTIVAL OF SPEED (11-12-13 JULY) OR A WEEKEND LATER ON IN JULY??!!

    Re: Any joy in owning a sports car any more?

    Quote:
    MMD said:
    No joy. No joy at all.

    Because there's always some braindead ahole in front of you with no fkn idea that there's six cars behind him!





    Here that PITA either tows a caravan or drives either a Volvo or a Toyota Prius. The latter with their inevitable holier-than-thou smirk, driving at 45 mph on the open road, and you've guessed it, the same 45 mph in a 30 or 40 mph limit wind me up most of all

    Re: Any joy in owning a sports car any more?

    Quote:
    dreamcar said:
    Quote:
    MMD said:
    No joy. No joy at all.

    Because there's always some braindead ahole in front of you with no fkn idea that there's six cars behind him!





    Here that PITA either tows a caravan or drives either a Volvo or a Toyota Prius. The latter with their inevitable holier-than-thou smirk, driving at 45 mph on the open road, and you've guessed it, the same 45 mph in a 30 or 40 mph limit wind me up most of all



    Ah you see, that's why you have a sports car to eliminate these suckers...

    I'd be up for a meet, but you southerners need to need to venture further north. It's okay, we don't bite and we promise not to take the mick out of your watered down beer and the fact you are all shandy sippers.

    Re: Any joy in owning a sports car any more?

    Quote:
    ResB said:

    I'd be up for a meet, but you southerners need to need to venture further north. It's okay, we don't bite and we promise not to take the mick out of your watered down beer and the fact you are all shandy sippers.



    OK OK, well we are having a two week holiday at Askrigg in the North York Moors in September, probably drink too much Black Sheep Bitter (but not before driving, naturally)
    so if you would like to meet up just let us know.

    Re: Any joy in owning a sports car any more?

    About a month or two ago we had a gathering of 60-70 Porsche and we went along great mountain roads, some used to be part of the rally championship, it was fantastic fun. Each at their onw pase, there were even from 356's up to modified modern Turbos. Then we all gathered for a great meal. To me thats part of the fun of driving a 911.

    Here are a few photos:


    First breakfast at a Gran Hotel and Spa:








    Then the briefing of the route:




    On route, the tail of cars was long but the roads were great without traffic each following their onw pace:




    Some rain towards the end... still rain is fun too



    half way re-group




    Final grouping at the annual Autoshow with our reserved parking space







    Bus ride to the restaurant... if you drink don't drive





    Back to the Autoshow were those who wanted could take thier car into a inside drifting course:





    Even the Porsche 356 gave it a try with a pair of cojones, now that is a sportcar enthusiast:[thumb]





    classic 911 lifting the wheel on the turns







    a 996GT3RS with exausts that sounded incredible

    Re: Any joy in owning a sports car any more?

    Quote:
    dreamcar said:
    Quote:
    ResB said:

    I'd be up for a meet, but you southerners need to need to venture further north. It's okay, we don't bite and we promise not to take the mick out of your watered down beer and the fact you are all shandy sippers.



    OK OK, well we are having a two week holiday at Askrigg in the North York Moors in September, probably drink too much Black Sheep Bitter (but not before driving, naturally)
    so if you would like to meet up just let us know.



    Askrigg is about a two hour journey from me, but even so I wouldn't dare gate crash your holiday. Lets face it we don't get many nowadays. Easy_Rider was looking into doing something but that seems to have died a death!

    Now Black Sheep will certainly make ya hair curl.

    Carlos, what a fantastic event. Great Roads, food and drifting at the end. Not sure how I'd do at drifting with all those people watching tho... lol

    Re: Any joy in owning a sports car any more?

    Carlos nice pics, I see a slate blue 928 in the center of pic 2.

    Re: Any joy in owning a sports car any more?

    Carlos although the camaraderie was fun would it been any different if the event was for Prius owners?

    Driving in a long procession, as least to me, is tedious and boring. I can make the same drive alone and certainly enjoy myself much more (assuming there was a Starbucks at the end). Sport cars are meant to be driven and the only place for them is the track.

    These events are nothing more than an excuse to drive the car. In my view, a waste of gas.

    Re: Any joy in owning a sports car any more?

    I think if you enjoy driving your sports car what difference does it make! I take your point about sports cars are made to be driven however, if your not at the track, I guess you never drive yours then? Nick, just out of curiosity and general interest how often do you take your F430 to the track?

     
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