P's in NYC

I just got back from 5 days in NYC and still can't get over the number of beautiful 996's, 997's and TT's I saw parked on the side of the road with all the riff raff. MOst of these cars had major door dings along with cracked and badly scuffed bumpers. I watched in disbelieve as a couple P-cars were smacked by someone trying to parallel park and almost wanted to throw my body inbetween them for protection. How can these owners sleep at night? Is it a matter of someone wanting to drive their P-car so badly they are willing to subject it to the rigors/abuse of NYC or of someone having so much money the don't really care? With the cost of living in NYC my vote is for the money. I don't even like leaving my car in a parking lot in suburbia much less on a busy street in Manhattan.

Ive been to Manhattan a couple times and totally agree, those roads will destroy even an old Toyota pickup, I would never take my 996 there.

I've been to Manhattan quite a few times and I wouldn't even want to drive a rental car there. Too crazy. Interesting place to walk around, though.

It's a matter of their having so much money that they just don't care about the body damage. If it gets too bad, they'll just buy another. I parked mine on the street in Boston a couple times, and had trouble getting to bed because I was continually looking out the window to check. As for the driving in NYC, it's fun in a car you don't own.

Leased status symbol. Most of em wouldn't even know how many cyl. the motor is. No different than any other vehicle for most people in the tri-state area.

i had an old sedan in NYC. u just can't help it there but bear with the bumps. luckily, my sedan had huge steel bumpers.

I agree; I'm obsessive-compulsive enough about my car I could never live that way. I get nervous if one of the kids parks their BIKE within 6 feet of the P car, which sits in the most spacious spot of my garage. Interesting point about the leasing. I've been looking at some used sedans the last few days. Cars that come out of places like Washington, D.C. tend to be very low mileage, but are beat up as hell. Same thing in NYC I think. Even parking in one of those lots where they double-decker the cars would be uncomfortable for me.

It's just the price of living in that city. I wouldn't be too quick to judge the owners. I can see being a Porsche lover but having or wanting to work in Manhattan, in finance, say, or advertising, and deciding to live with not having a pretty car.

Theres something to be said with having alot of money--its just a piece of metal that can be replaced-- so some people treat their cars (whether its 10k or 120k). For me 20 miles outside of nyc in the burubs--so guy parks a Quattroporte and another a new s600 v12 (150k) at the train station all day!!! When u have it why care!!!! Mike ps I like my cars and respect them but do realize I'm **** retentive

Nice. Bring it. You guys don't know what you are talking about. I've parked my sports car in garages and on the streets of NYC with only modest issues now and again (bumper's need repainting about once every two years...if that). Then again, I don't leave it on the street overnight too often, but I do drive everywhere I go in the city (dinner, movies, etc). Frankly, when I lived in Florida, I had more door dings because I parked next to other cars (well, they parked next to me). Indeed, in NYC, parallel parking means the doors are generally free and clear. As for driving in the city, it's fine and you guys from the midwest or wherever the heck you're writing from don't know what you're talking about (possibly out of ignorance). Once you get used to the flow of NY drivers, they're the best in the country. They know when to veer left and right with you and they pay attention to cars around them. I was in LA over the weekend and talk about oblivious drivers in expensive cars. The key is to focus on driving (which we should all do), gingerly avoid potholes and manhole covers, and THEN hit it hard when the parkways start up (yes, those are highways without any trucks) like the Bronx River, Hutch, Sprain Brook, Pallisades, etc. Trust me guys, you don't know what you're talking about. When I first moved here, I thought the same thing; it's heaps better than you're making it out to be. I mean heck, have you guys ever been to Boston or San Fran? P.S. - the car has 6 cylinders, wise ***.

Ah, Saw Mill River Parkway ........used to take it everyday to work (at 90mph). I've lived in L.A. and Texas and I would take New York drivers over both of them although I did live in upper Westchester and only drove to the city for nights out. I always parked in garages so I never had any damage to my car.

nycebo - I tend to agree with you, but you know as well as I do that overnight parking on the street in Manhattan is a prescription for disaster, although it's better now than it was in -say- the Dinkins years. My comment (it's fun to drive in NYC in a car you don't own) is based on the condition of the roads: they suck . I agree the drivers are good. The drivers are better than Boston drivers, but the roads are worse.

My total oversight. Saw Mill rules. Ride that hard on the bike from spring to fall. What a ride and perfect pavement now. Mind you, the Lower Taconic is awesome too.

I have lived in the area my whole life and have been driving into NYC on weekly basis since 1992. Never have lived more than 20 minutes outside of Manhattan. Parking on the street is a no no because its nearly impossible to find a free spot during day time hours and the fines are STEEP. Just got a $115 ticket for parking outside this bar one night in Tribeca. Most of the time I park in non-touri$t parking garage where I can get my car out in five minutes in or less. At night its a little easier in some areas to find a spot. And I haven't ever had a scratch. I don't mind walking a few extra blocks to park on a street where it's a little quieter. Sometimes I'll even cab it from the parking spot. As far as the roads, they are far from the worst. Go to Brooklyn. And the drivers mean business no slow pokes in the left lane and like everything else people are in a hurry to get to point B. I't far from the worst driving I have ever seen.

First time on the Taconic, I got into a race with a 928S . He lost....(I was riding my turbo bike)

I am with Ed- Upper East sider here... and we put~20K miles a year... I usually park in a garage 99% of the time, but wouldnt think twice about parking it on the street... Its a car - not a trophy... what better place to use it then the tri-state area?!

This is timely post...I'll be there this week and weekend. Any good watering holes around 82nd and 2nd? I've driven in NYC several times and really don't know what all the fuss is about. I love Dallas but the drivers here can be complete morons and I'm not talking about driving fast, I'm talking about not paying any attention. I guess driving in Manhattan focuses the attention! :-)) Gotta admit there's a lotta cars up there though. BTW, a good friend of mine sold his Turbo Saab on the WAY TO THE AIRPORT when he moved from LA to New York. Said there's really not a lot of need to have a car up there.

It's true, you don't 'need' a car in the city, but it's great to have when you want to get around in the city as hailing cabs in some neighborhoods can be a real hassle. Moreover, if you ever want to drive out of the city and see some amazing sights, it's great to have the car to visit the beaches out on the Island, the Catskills, the Hudson valley, etc. As for bars on 82nd and 2nd, there's literally tons everywhere so it depends on what you want: College scene: Dorian's on 84th and 2nd Dark and quiet: Auction Bar on 89th and 2nd Cigar bar: Bar and Books on 73rd And Lex Drunk off your **** bar: Mo's Carribean on 75th and 2nd Wine bar: Von Wine Bar on 77th and 2nd Have a good time; heck you'll be in my neighborhood, how can you not?!

Thanks for the suggestions.... now it will just be a fight with my wife and I as to whether it's Mo's or Von Wine Bar. Mo's wouldn't have been called Lucy's Retired Surfer bar a long time ago was it?

Bring it? Well, I'm a bit too old for teen ego-boost movies, but... Perhaps, for those that are overly sensitive, I should clarify. Far more people, since the incarnation of the mass produced 996 and ease of leasing, have been able to drive p-cars. Consequently, people are treating these cars as any other. They are not enthusiasts who have a passion for the cars, rather they are more concerned with the crest on the hood. Such people could not be bothered to converse on rennlist as it serves no purpose. Awfully defensive for someone who chooses not to play into the stereotype. Btw: I commuted into NYC for several years. My DD was an 82 924 followed by a an 85 944. I beat the hell out of those cars and still enjoyed the handling/quickness those cars provided on the streets of Manhattan. I'd never use any car I care about as a dd in NYC. Not that I wouldn't take the proper precautions, but your average NYC cab driver has less respect for you than he does his own cab(sorry if my generalization offends any conscientious cab drivers).

I've driven mine in/out of the city in all weather for 4 years, not a single problem, ever. The only dings I have were a gift in suburbia. Life's too short to drive a POS, for me anyway. You just gotta drive offensively not defensively, or you'll get run off the road. These cars are meant to be driven......anywhere, what are you saving it for, the next guy?

I never questioned the skills of drivers in NYC as they obviously must be good to survive on a daily basis. I was only observing that the P's I saw parked on busy streets in Soho/Tribeca/Manhattan were beat up. These cars are meant to be driven but seeing a TT 996 & 997S pinned in between late model P.O.S. was hard to take.

Not that I'm aware of. I'm almost certain your wife will prefer the wine bar....unless she loves margaritas.

Dave, incidentally, another way to think about 996 drivers in NYC is that they must REALLY love cars in order to chance flying into a pothole or a yellow cab. I will concur that the 'love' tap to the bumper by disrespectful drivers whilst parallel parking can become grating until one just accepts that bumpers are there for, well, bumping. Indeed, if you really want to see insanity, visit London. Those guys park EVERYTHING (Ferraris, Porsches, etc) on the street as there's a dearth of underground parking lots. You wouldn't believe the condition of those cars across the pond. Even a hardened New Yorker like me almost had a myocardial infarction.

Thanks...I did a google search and Lucy's was on the Upper West side something like 84th and Columbus and has relocated to New Orleans, or it was. Foggy memories of that place

Great thread - nycebo telling the mid-westerners to "Bring it" - good stuff. It takes more dedication to thrash a 996 around Manhattan than it does to cruise with the top down on Santa Monica Blvd - I say props to the tri-staters.

I rarely take the porsche into the city but sometimes do... See the situation is that regular "commute" transportation is pretty much public and parking is expensive. So you could be "rich" by standards of most places, but that would make you middle class in manhattan and two parking spots/garages would be out of reach...