Oct 21, 2016 9:39:07 PM
- Jim_in_Iowa
- Pilot
- Loc: US
- Posts: 336, Gallery
- Registered on: May 18, 2005
Baby Boomers Are Getting Too Old for Sports Cars
Also talks about Porsche sales.
Oct 21, 2016 9:39:07 PM
Also talks about Porsche sales.
Oct 22, 2016 1:41:15 PM
Oct 22, 2016 9:38:47 PM
Oct 23, 2016 12:21:49 AM
I'm over 70, but won't be changing my choice of transportation anytime soon!
I re-took and passed the IAM driving test a couple of years ago and will do so again regularly to ensure that I'm still capable of handling a 911.
One is only as old as one feels! I'm hoping that I'll still be driving fast cars when I get my OBE - (Over Bloody Eighty) -
"Things turn out best for those who make the best of the way things turn out."
Keep going John H I appreciate you setting a good example for me (and others) and will try to maintain the same standards.
In my area, I know of quite a few Corvettes that make the occasional drive to the office or they belong to retirees and only get out of the garage for an errand once in a while. Several of these owners cannot use the car more often because the wife or girlfriend (or both) will not (or cannot) put up with getting in and out of the car.
Considering the demographics of the US and the general lack of interest in sports cars among younger people, there are going to be a large number of low mileage and well maintained sports cars putting a big dent in the demand for new sports cars.
The millenial generation is being sold on self driving nirvana, so they can text, tweet, and (be) driven.... why would they want fiddly sports cars? But I have long thought that the many "investors" in collectible cars, if they plan on unloading their collections in a decade or so, may have problems in finding buyers without big drops in prices.
2011 Range Rover Sport S/C, 2009 Porsche 911S
Oct 23, 2016 8:30:08 AM
John H:I'm over 70, but won't be changing my choice of transportation anytime soon!
I re-took and passed the IAM driving test a couple of years ago and will do so again regularly to ensure that I'm still capable of handling a 911.
One is only as old as one feels! I'm hoping that I'll still be driving fast cars when I get my OBE - (Over Bloody Eighty) -
That is awesome John, that is exactly my midnset too and hope to achieve that as well
⇒ Carlos - Porsche 991 Carrera GTS
Oct 23, 2016 12:43:46 PM
Carlos from Spain:John H:I'm over 70, but won't be changing my choice of transportation anytime soon!
I re-took and passed the IAM driving test a couple of years ago and will do so again regularly to ensure that I'm still capable of handling a 911.
One is only as old as one feels! I'm hoping that I'll still be driving fast cars when I get my OBE - (Over Bloody Eighty) -
That is awesome John, that is exactly my midnset too and hope to achieve that as well
I still think that we need more sportscars with backseats (Porsche clearly lacks a four seater GT) but one reason many people do not buy sports cars anymore is actually mentality...I think. Look around you, when I was young, basically everyone at my age (incl. many women) were driving sporty little cars which provided a lot of fun.
Does someone remember the VW Golf GTi, BMW 323i, Opel Kadett GTE/GSi and Fiat Uno Turbo (or Ritmo Abarth) era in Europe?
Nowadays, when you look at young(er) people, they are driving some sort of small city car or a station wagon or whatever, so... Also, when you look around, you see that young women are driving and young men are co-passengers. Sometimes because these young women want to drive, sometimes because those young men don't care about driving anymore or they drink.
Sports cars are also often considered to be a useless luxury and bad for the environment. People have changed their mentality and nowadays it is more important to have the latest smartphone or gadget than a "cool" car. Cool cars are also more expensive nowadays, so it is easier to impress friends with a cool gadget (or YouTube channel ) than an "expensive" car.
RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Porsche 991 Carrera 4 GTS Cabriolet, Porsche Macan Turbo, Audi R8 V10 Plus (2017), Mini JCW (2015), Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT (2014)
Oct 23, 2016 12:55:44 PM
I see it too, in my time all we wanted to do is learn how to drive and we drive anything we could get our hands on any chance we could, 2 or 4 wheels...it was part of growing up like flirting with girls or learning a profession... nowadays I see many young men (teens to 30's) who are afraid of driving, learn just the basics to get their license and don't even seem to enjoy driving
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⇒ Carlos - Porsche 991 Carrera GTS
Oct 23, 2016 2:08:04 PM
Carlos from Spain:I see it too, in my time all we wanted to do is learn how to drive and we drive anything we could get our hands on any chance we could, 2 or 4 wheels...it was part of growing up like flitring with girls or learning a profession... nowadays I see many young men (teens to 30's) who are afraid of driving, learn just the basics to get their license and don't even seem to enjoy driving
Same here...don't have a clue why.
RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Porsche 991 Carrera 4 GTS Cabriolet, Porsche Macan Turbo, Audi R8 V10 Plus (2017), Mini JCW (2015), Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT (2014)
RC:Carlos from Spain:I see it too, in my time all we wanted to do is learn how to drive and we drive anything we could get our hands on any chance we could, 2 or 4 wheels...it was part of growing up like flitring with girls or learning a profession... nowadays I see many young men (teens to 30's) who are afraid of driving, learn just the basics to get their license and don't even seem to enjoy driving
Same here...don't have a clue why.
It's beginning to sound like a world wide phenomenon. Probably a vast conspiracy behind it.
Gladstone:RC:Carlos from Spain:I see it too, in my time all we wanted to do is learn how to drive and we drive anything we could get our hands on any chance we could, 2 or 4 wheels...it was part of growing up like flitring with girls or learning a profession... nowadays I see many young men (teens to 30's) who are afraid of driving, learn just the basics to get their license and don't even seem to enjoy driving
Same here...don't have a clue why.
It's beginning to sound like a world wide phenomenon. Probably a vast conspiracy behind it.
Same in the US? Maybe Obama?
On a more serious note: Maybe it has something to do with money and/or other priorities? 30 years ago, we didn't have that much media diversity, gadgets and whatnot.
RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Porsche 991 Carrera 4 GTS Cabriolet, Porsche Macan Turbo, Audi R8 V10 Plus (2017), Mini JCW (2015), Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT (2014)
RC:Carlos from Spain:John H:I'm over 70, but won't be changing my choice of transportation anytime soon!
I re-took and passed the IAM driving test a couple of years ago and will do so again regularly to ensure that I'm still capable of handling a 911.
One is only as old as one feels! I'm hoping that I'll still be driving fast cars when I get my OBE - (Over Bloody Eighty) -
That is awesome John, that is exactly my midnset too and hope to achieve that as well
I still think that we need more sportscars with backseats (Porsche clearly lacks a four seater GT) but one reason many people do not buy sports cars anymore is actually mentality...I think. Look around you, when I was young, basically everyone at my age (incl. many women) were driving sporty little cars which provided a lot of fun.
Does someone remember the VW Golf GTi, BMW 323i, Opel Kadett GTE/GSi and Fiat Uno Turbo (or Ritmo Abarth) era in Europe?
Nowadays, when you look at young(er) people, they are driving some sort of small city car or a station wagon or whatever, so... Also, when you look around, you see that young women are driving and young men are co-passengers. Sometimes because these young women want to drive, sometimes because those young men don't care about driving anymore or they drink.
Sports cars are also often considered to be a useless luxury and bad for the environment. People have changed their mentality and nowadays it is more important to have the latest smartphone or gadget than a "cool" car. Cool cars are also more expensive nowadays, so it is easier to impress friends with a cool gadget (or YouTube channel ) than an "expensive" car.
I doubt that people have changed as much as cars have. "Back in the day" you had to have a sporty car to enjoy good performance and handling, and you would generally run out of power before you'd run out of road to use it on.
Nowadays, even a modest small hatchback has more than enough power and road manners to allow you to keep up with (and potentially ahead of) road traffic. Roads are much more crowded and restricted (speed limits,speed cameras, speed bumps, CCTV), and where I now do most of my driving they have not been upgraded to allow better use to be made of improved car performance. I even get the impression that they are deliberately degraded as a "stealth" means of restricting drivers.
While out driving today I noticed that while I was easing off the throttle of my Porsche at a speed not yet too far above the limit with a view to being allowed to keep my driving licence, the driver of a Fiat Panda which overtook me just carried on driving in the "fast" lane at undiminished speed and trying to encourage anyone he caught up with to get out of his/her way. What incentive does that driver have to get a sports car?
fritz
I don't know, fritz...my experience during my early "wild days" (16-22) was different. All of my friends (and their friends) had kind of "cool" cars (coolest ones were mine, a Lancia Delta HF Integrale 16 with water injection and over 280 hp, no Porsche could keep up with me or a 180 hp Fiat Uno Turbo, also with water injection) or motorcycles (Yamaha XT500 was pretty popular with us and of course one of those new KTM Enduros showing up at that time). I remember this stuff as if it was yesterday, wonderful times with us driving around in groups and enjoying life. Totally different youth at that time in my opinion. Nowadays they are more into media stuff, gadgets and sports in my opinion.
I could be wrong though, perception can be tricky...and what I remembered happened over 30 years ago.
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RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Porsche 991 Carrera 4 GTS Cabriolet, Porsche Macan Turbo, Audi R8 V10 Plus (2017), Mini JCW (2015), Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT (2014)
964C2:A thought.......Porsche needs a 21st. century "914" that sells for $50,000 (fully optioned) to create a new generation of future "911" buyers.
A base Cayman is not much more than that ($53,900 before discounts which should be readily available). Just need to be judicious with the options (none of which are really needed to enjoy this car - certainly much more lavishly appointed in base form than any loaded 914 ).
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73 Carrera RS 2.7 Carbon Fiber replica (1,890 lbs), 06 EVO9 with track mods. Former: 16 Cayman GT4, 73 911S, Two 951S's, 996 C2, 993 C2, 98 Ferrari 550, 79 635CSi
I think Fritz is on to something. When I had my GT3 and now with my Targa on a number of occasions I have had drivers in sedans BMW5, MBG63, SUV's want to race me even if it was on a slow curvy road. I had one MB G63 loaded with four passengers chasing me as I enter a freeway trying to keep up with me.
What is says is they don't need a sport car for performance especially on the roads of today. When not have performance, comfort and room for less money?
One of history's few iron laws is that luxuries tend to become necessities and to spawn new obligations.
nberry:What is says is they don't need a sport car for performance especially on the roads of today. When not have performance, comfort and room for less money?
You don't need the sports car for performance on public roads, for sure, but you do need it for feel (remember you asked me why we took the 911 instead of the Range Rover on our 4400km road trip that I posted in August?). Just, there are even fewer new drivers who know, or care, about the "feel" of driving.
2011 Range Rover Sport S/C, 2009 Porsche 911S
I live in an urban environment and have stopped using my own personal cars for pure transportation. Most commuting is done with either public transport or Uber. Using Uber to go to work is actually more relaxing and cheaper than renting a parking space at my office building, for example.
This allows me to use sports cars for what they are good at. Not necessarily for performance. But for fun and emotions. Because all my driving in them is for pleasure.
If you use a sports car to get from A to B fast then you are missing the point.
I love the big SUVs for family trips. I need the space - I like the comfort. BUT - whenever I drive by myself I prefer a small, fast car. When I was young the car didn't need to be comfortable, today it is important that the car is providing some comfort features, but also can give me driving pleasure on the same time. I think a 991 would do the job perfectly. But well - I have a child and a dog - means, sometimes I need some more space. Hence the C-Class is able to do the same, but also offers the chance to take the little one and the dog with me. And yes - comfort features are mainly Assisted driving systems - Adaptive cruise, adaptive steering, etc - they are all very important to relax in this hectic business world. Not to forget - traffic compared to 20 years back got tremendously higher.
Oct 25, 2016 8:13:40 AM
I could never use Uber, and especially not on a regular basis, and have to get into someone else's "personal" car who is not even a professional driver. That would not be relaxing for me, wound rather drive myself to work in my own clean optimally maintained car driven by myself even if it's more expensive. It's like something in your own home and renting a room in some strangers house, not even a professional hotel. I can see how Ubet can be popular but just not for my own preference.
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⇒ Carlos - Porsche 991 Carrera GTS
4trac:nberry:What is says is they don't need a sport car for performance especially on the roads of today. When not have performance, comfort and room for less money?
You don't need the sports car for performance on public roads, for sure, but you do need it for feel (remember you asked me why we took the 911 instead of the Range Rover on our 4400km road trip that I posted in August?). Just, there are even fewer new drivers who know, or care, about the "feel" of driving.
I agree, Many of us were bought up knowing how to drive a car and feel as one with it. Today, that dynamic has changed. To most, feel means speed. An SUV today can give you plenty of that.
One of history's few iron laws is that luxuries tend to become necessities and to spawn new obligations.
Oct 26, 2016 4:11:19 PM
Carlos from Spain:I could never use Uber, and especially not on a regular basis, and have to get into someone else's "personal" car who is not even a professional driver. That would not be relaxing for me, wound rather drive myself to work in my own clean optimally maintained car driven by myself even if it's more expensive. It's like something in your own home and renting a room in some strangers house, not even a professional hotel. I can see how Ubet can be popular but just not for my own preference.
--⇒ Carlos - Porsche 991 Carrera GTS
My experience with Uber so far (USA and Paris) is that the cars are much newer and better maintained than your average Boston cab. And with one exception, the drivers have been excellent. Regarding the lone exception: the driver was a bit aggressive, but nowhere near the aggressiveness and lack of attention I have experienced riding with some friends and relatives...
For decades now people have been taught that carbon energy is bad, cars are bad, rich people driving expensive sports cars are D bags etc etc etc... and traffic has gotten denser, traffic enforcement and fines bigger.
Whats left for people to enjoy about cars without social stigma ,... the tech they use while in the car, not the car itself.