How come there is no Porsche comradery?

How come when I am on the road, and I give a fellow Porsche driver a wave, they look at me like I am crazy? Back when I was in high school, I had a Jeep and guys would chase you down if you did not wave back at them. Same with Corvette owners. Anyway, I have noticed this before, but today I was on the 405 in traffic, and stopped next to a brand new Cayman S. Anxious to ask the owner how she liked it, she looked at me (even with my kid in th car) like I was only trying to pick up on her. Seems like if I wave at somone in a car newer than mine, they do not wave back because they think they are too cool, and if I wave at a driver in a classic Porsche, they do not wave back because they think I am trying to be too cool. Maybe it's just me, I always wave at my neighbors when they drive by and less than 1/2 of them wave back - they look at me like I must be working on the owner's house, or watching it while they are away. Sometime I shout out, "I have lived here 5 years you miserable old so and so." Anyway, the moral is if you see another P-car, give them a wave.

Problem can be the 405 Traffic. Traffic drives me up the wall. The people that don't wave may just be having a bad day. Speaking of comradery, after 60 posts it is about time that you become a Rennlist Member!!

Like I said, I am selling the car and heading back to the dark side - no P-car in the garage for a while after this. I am sour still.

can't keep on waiving...to many P here in the Newport Beach area and yes they will look at me like I am crazy! We ain't motor cyclers

I notice that so much here in seattle! When I owned VW's alot of fellow owners always gave you a thumbs up and hello. I get more waves from people in other cars than people in Porsches Just the other day I was rollin down 405 here near bellevue and a 944 turbo catches up to me, I want ot wave and say hello and they driver doensn't even look over at me.. and then I notice that he has a Nurburing (sp) sticker on the back window and there are interior pieces taken out for what looks like track days. We end up taking the same exit and he still doesn't even look over at my car... I turn a street before him and then 5 minutes later he pulls into the same race shop that I am at. he still doesn't say a word... and my car is not something you see very often... very strange sometimes

What's the dark side?

what is different about your car than the other porsches? :> and where in seattle do ya live?

I notice when I pass by a "yuppie" Porsche owner (tons in Yaletown where I call home) of a nearly new model, they look like they have their Porsche key stuck straight up their hind quarters. It's the guys driving the old 944s, the pristine 70s 911s, the guys with the 928s, they're the "enthusiasts" around here, and they're the one who go out of their way to wave - I wave back!

The dark side is a garage with no Porsche. I world hard to imagine. Having to drive a boring car to work every day.

Never fear if you wave at a fellow Porsche driver in its home country of Germany they will look at you like what the *&^&* do you want from me. I have yet to be waved at one time in Europe but when I drove my Corvette here that was the complete opposite. Oh well life goes on I still enjoy driving.

I've never had the hand 'wave', but I often do get the 'high-beam' wave around New York. Generally, the problem with Porsches is that they have become quite mainstream. As such, the percentage of enthusiasts, while still high relative to other cars, is dropping. Thus, Mom in her brand-new tiptronic boxster may not understand exactly why we are waving. It doesn't dissuade me though; since I ride motorcycles too, I'm in the habit of waving to all my potential fellow enhusiasts, be they sport-bikers, cruisers, or even Porsches.

Agreed. P-cars now are mainstream and the occassional hand-wave or flashing (no pun intended) is becoming quite rare. The only real times it happens to me is when I see p-cars that are modified. I usually look out for clear side markers as they are usually the dead giveaway that the owner MAY be an enthusiast

Well that is a loaded question I think, I think there still is around here.Porsches are still few and far between, I think Canada gets less then 5% of what the U.S does. This is my take on it, older gens , anything before the 993 wave...993 Never I guess they think they are too true to the heritage to wave at a water cooled car. Boxsters never....not sure why ...and those in the P-Truck don't have a clue why your waving at them. I know this is not true for all of the cases, but as I said its my take on.

I'd wave back, Mark! (Actually, it's not really a wave, but raising the fingers off the 12'0clock position on the steering wheel.) I have a C4S and I sometimes gets sneering looks from older guys, especially those that drive previous generation 911s. They probably think I look far too young to have bought the car on my own. Unfortuanately, they are wrong. I just want to share in the love of Porsche ownership. Hehe.

Has anyone seen that Curb Your Enthusiasm episode where Larry (while driving his Prius) waves at another Prius driver who does not wave back, and Larry pops his cork - "How DARE he not wave back" - and proceeds to follow him to find out "what's his problem". He ends up running over a dog. Try not to get too worked up about it. We're the geeks of the car world, pleased as punch to be driving our superior automobiles - sometimes life is happening and the wave gets missed. I'm sure I've missed a few, and, last time I checked, I've got no key shoved up my hind quarters...

I did the "wave" at a fellow P-Car owner recently. The car was an older 912. I am just totally enamored with the older cars and as such gave him the wave and a smile. The gentleman in the 912 waved back and the expression on his face was one of (as best I can describe) excitement and surprisement. It was alost like he didn't expect a new P-Car owner like me to "recognize". Felt like I did my good deed for the day and told myself I will continue to do this to ALL P-Cars. My next encounter later that drive home was with a Boxster and looked at me like I was on crack when I waved. I just don't get it. Regardless, I will continue to wave. LET'S CHANGE THE WORLD ONE WAVE AT A TIME!!!!

Let's not kid ourselves: we can't expect much out of Cayenne and Boxster drivers.

Have to agree with that Edward. I don't even feel like I am driving a Porsche most of the time I am in the Pepper. I bought it as a SUV to haul crap around, etc.

as an ex motorcycle rider I always or flash the lights at a fellow P-car about 75%of the time no reaction, so what I'll keep on .

I almost always wave, but if someone waves at me I definitely wave back.... especially in the summer when the top is down and people are in a good mood. I actually get a lot of non-Porsche driver's give me a thumbs up or a smile, and I always wave and smile back. Of course I also get the finger and one time someone put their thumb and forefinger in the shape of an L to imply I was a loser. He was driving a post war, that's WWII, Saab so I just laughed.

most of the times when i "wave" another p-driver i'll get no reaction. last week i met a 996TT driver with a totally moded car in the parking lot. i went over and asked him what mods he did on the car. first he was suprised that i asked him and secondly he had no clue at all: i just bought it like this, i don't care whats inside, it just have to work.... strange, it had all the techart stuff mounted and i'm sure it had an enginge mod too..... strange! over all i guess 60-70% of the drivers don't replay too here in switzerland..... sad

I,m with LVDell "Regardless, I will continue to wave. LET'S CHANGE THE WORLD ONE WAVE AT A TIME!!!!" OH! and don't forget to be first to say HI! even if there is not a response.

Same here! Probably because 911s are like hens teeth in my neck of the woods One day I got waved at by a 996 w/aero in speed yellow It made my afternoon (i'm a sad fool!)

Too many P cars in DC area, I get the same thing. 944 guys always waived, especialy when I was in the 944, I have not had the 996 long but have recieved a few waves and a thumbs up from a Corvette owner; however, when I had the Boxster nobody waived...even 911 guys. The Boxster never recieved the credit it deserves.

no, but you can thank them for saving Porsche(Boxster) and making it profitable(Cayenne). You'll probably be adding CaymanS to that list soon. January saw 2,000 Cayennes and Caymans ordered already YTD. That's roughly $140,000,000.00 in Porsche's pocket on only two models already. I get a comment on my BoxsterS every time I drive it. But I rarely get a wave from another Porsche driver. When I had my higly modified Miata I would get the engine Rev hello as the other Miata passed in the opposite lane. Even at PCA events I notice people aren't as friendly as they are at Japanese/BMW/VW tuner events I've attended. I think younger enthusiast car people are frienldlier in these necks of the woods. The more the P-Car owner actually drives his Porsche at AutoX and DE's the more I notice they are friendly, almost like they don't care that its a Porsche. Outside of PCA, Most P-Car people I've met have no desire to engage in any HP driving and see their car as a trophy.

The most enthusiastic nods have always been from non-Porsche drivers. But, I've had a lot of porsche driver's acknowledge the car, and I wave back. But, there definitely are some who don't even want to turn their heads when I am on the next lane driving side by side. I think they are afraid I am going to street race with them,.....It makes me feel good when another Porsche car enthusiast's appreciate the common passion with a simple nod, so I always try to..... Jsaindc, I love that "save the flash" signature, I want to copy it.

I drove a Boxster S for 5 GREAT years. Loved the car, handling, and the way it just ripped through corners. But, only very rarely did I ever get waves or flashes from other drivers. Hell, even NON-911 owners called it a girl's car. Screw 'em. It was a hell of a lot more fun than the M3 I had before it. Of course, on driving my 996 cab now, I will concur that I like it (the 996) even more, but I still wave to/high-beam all sports car [Sorry Dell if you're in the Pepper] Porsche drivers.

That's the problem guys, you're not supposed to wave, you're supposed to flash. Two quick flashes w/the high beams. I flash every P-car I see. Sometimes when I'm driving the Rover I forget what I'm driving for a second and flash P-cars in that too. There's not a lot of P-cars up here in Bellingham, quite a few cool older ones, I think I know just about every one in town. The flash is almost always reciprocated up here.

Back in the late 70's Porsche's would always flash their lights at each other here in the northeast. Back then it was mostly enthusiasts driving the car. While expensive they were still within reach of the average guy. My 1974 was the equivalent of about 1 year salary of a 24 year old college graduate starting out in a big corporation. It was a stretch but doable. Today it is more like 2 or 3 years salary unless you are a hotshot MBA. The bigger price tag has scrubbed off most of the younger enthusiasts. And the doctors and lawyers who brag to me about the car never being in the rain and never taking it above 4500rpm, well, we all know they are just driving the car to impress. There are too many Porsche owners like the high profile sports attorney who bragged to me how he had his C2S up to 135mph on the interstate and then proceeded to brag about how he babies it and never winds it up above 4500rpm. I almost puked. Of course I am the bottom feeder waiting to buy that car with less than 10,000 miles when he gets tired of showing off.

Kind of a shame there isn't more interaction between Porsche drivers. When I had an old (1991) saab 900 turbo convertible, anyone who was driving a saab convertible would wave or say hi... in my 911 I rarely see it. Totally agree with rmillnj... if I heare one more line a la "My baby is all tucked in for the winter" i get nauseas...

The MINI Cooper crowd are all wavers. So when we wave at people from the 996 they all look at us like we're nuts.

Funny you brought this up, my wife and I were talking about it last week when a 964 passed us with no wave. Porsche's are rare here, only 4 that I know of in our town. In our part of the country everyone waves, pick ups, cars, 18 wheelers, everyone, it is common courtesy. The one Porsche we saw...no wave.

LOL, as soon as I hear that "girls car" talk I know I'm dealing with someone who has never had any sort of HP driving instruction and certainly doesn't know that the Boxster is the first and only full blooded convertible by Porsche (from conception to production it was always to be a roadster). and In my book there's no beating mid engine dynamics. All convertibles under $100K get a chick car label or like in Clarkson's UK, worse: "If ever I drove the 911 Cabriolet I might have gotten mistaken for a homosexual" Jeremy Clarkson-Top Gear(he hates Porsche).

If you see a well cared for 928 you can be sure that there is an enthusiast behind the wheel who will wave/flash back. Only a serious enthusiast throws $50.000+ into a $10.000 car. The problem is that most newer pcar owners don't recognize the 928 as a Porsche till they see the hood badge. I was following a nice 964 on a two lane road. We hit traffic and I pulled along side to complement the driver on his car. Without looking over at me, his window went up, he gave me the finger and took off. I hit the throttle and nearly blew out his windows with my modded exhaust. The look on his face as I went by was priceless. Sad thing is that I've been given the finger more often than a wave from 911 owners. Occasionally I wonder why I would want to join their ranks. Then I remember, ownership is a personal experience effem if others have an attitude.

LOL, Hey man its Jersey the finger is how we say hello.

TOO true! And it's the same in Philly as well. When we first moved back here from Boston I spotted a young lady in the same car. I did the usual honk and wave while she, resplendant in an $800 Donna Karan suit, proceeded to hoist her perfectly manicured middle finger in my general direction. It's good to be home

I experienced the same, my first Porsche was an 00 Boxster S and it was I would say 95% of the car my 911 cab is at 70% of the price, which made it better value in my eyes. The other thing is I used to love auto-x, and the car was great for that, the 911 cab is simply not practical to take there, at least not in any terms of competitiveness. I've driven several Boxster base models and find them a significant, noticable, step down in driving experience from the S/911, but my S got lumped in with the basic ones in the "respect" category. When this 996 gets sold, I will likely return to the Boxster S. It was almost as fast, less money, and in some ways more practical - the two trunks were more useful than the rear seats to me.

Are you sure "enthusiast" is the right word? I always give mad props to the 928 guys (all 6 of them a year that I see), because you just gotta be hardcore to own one of those...

Basically Porsche Owners are snobs and think somehow they have achieved ownership instead of just being gear heads. Now I'm a Porsche owner for 6 years but still love Vettes. The Vettes always waved but they don't anymore. I guess it's because I'm not driving a Vette anymore. The Porsche drivers don't have a clue even if I flash.

^ maybe they'll wave if ur wife flashed them instead of you (just kiddin around man :bigwave

Wow - great to see so many people weigh in on this from all over ther world. The internet is pretty cool. It happend again today. A woman pulled up next to me in a car that (except for the color) was EXACTLY LIKE MINE. Same year, also cab, also C4. Crazy woman would not even look over to acknowledge my wave. That is the problem with this marque, in order to make money, you have to sell these things to housewives and people who are not enthusiasts like us. Uggh. Keep the stories coming, they are hilarious.

Once upon a time in midtown toronto, a young lad named omar was following his friend's S4 thru some sidestreets on a shortcut to his house in rush hour traffic. Torrential rain continued to drown the pavement, rendering traction rather pecular to say the least. Needless to say the dude in his S4 must have felt pretty comfy with his quattro workin away. What does this have to do with the wave? Well as we came upon an empty side street area with massivly wide lane space at the corners (like a court, except it wasn't a dead end), i decided to get a little drift on (great visibility around the corners, no cars comming no kids, no pedestrians naturally). after getting a little sideways and catching the slide on exit, i resumed travel and caught a glimpse of a Facelifted 996 parked on the side of the road. My friend who was riding shotgun, and isn't really a car guy, wanted to know why that guy was smillin and waiving. Unfortunatly, i was too busy with my antics to wave back, otherwise i would have. I explained to him that it's just a Porsche thing (or used to be apparently), that when you see a fellow owner, you waive to him and give him a thumbsup, like a little club. He was really impressed by the tradition of camaraderie between owners and everytime henceforth whenever he was in my car and we passed another porsche guy, he would waive on my behalf if i was too busy driving to do it myself. (he actually started to pick up a few of the model names too, which became really amusing when he had a few beers and i was dropping him off or going to home depot to pick up some mischeif related supplies, he would start yellin to me in a loud excited tone: "DUDE! That Carrera was sik! Porsches rock! w000! or something 2 that effect). good times back in the day.

To be fair, a man in a Porsche waving to a woman in a Porsche is more likely to be mistaken for trying to pick her up than for actually giving her the 'heritage wave'. Go figure.

DeAd-EyE I'll have to see if I can get her to do that. Something should happen she's 64

You know guys, all this waving and light flashing stuff started over 50 years ago with the 356s. In fact the 356 was the first to have the turn signal lever have the ability to flash the headlights by pulling back on it. Today if I see another 356 on the road, we don't just wave, we pull over and give each other a hug!!! I pulled up to a stop light in my 356 Coupe right next to a guy in a 928. We looked over at each other and I nodded and said nice car. He said "thanks, you got a nice car too, what kind of car is it?" R

around these parts it's probably 50/50 at best. i see two or three of the same 996 daily drivers almost every morning as i'm on my route and never get a wave or flash. never get one from the peppers and occasionally from the boxster crowd. there is no shortage of p-cars around here, so i'm surprised i don't get more. i'll always give it (except for the pecker heads i see each morning) and if you give it to me, rest assured you'll get one back.

Hey RJT, My wife wants a porsche emblem for her toes like shown in your avatar picture... please tell her where to get it?

"Uh-oh, I think I see another Porsche in my rear view. Boxster?" A little fear went up my spine when I saw it was another 996/7. " Damn, 996. I know you're there. I see you." It wouldn't be so bad if it were a 993 or older. A 993 Turbo will put a little tinge of apprehension, though. " Oh, I see it better in my rear view now. OMG, it's a wide body! Is it a Turbo? Nah, it's just a 4S, but still, I better see if I can get through traffic a bit faster. Maybe I can use this semi as a pick. Damn, traffic's slowing up. Oh, no, he's going to catch up. Can I make the lane change to keep him behind me? Can't do it. HE'S RIGHT NEXT TO MEEEEE. Keep the eyes forward. Don't let him think I know he's there. I'll tap my finger on the wheel like I'm absorbed listening to my favorite CD. HE'S WAVING AT ME FER CRYIN OUT LOUD. Where's the next exit? I need gas. Never know when you might see another station. Don't look over. Don't let him see that bead of sweat on my brow. Can't wipe it off otherwise he'll know it was there. The salt is stinging my eyes though. Uh oh, I can smell my body odor." "STOP WAVING AT ME! Where's my cell phone? There it is. Awww, look, it ringing. Better answer it." "Yes."... "Uh huh", I say rather convincingly if I do say so myself. "Better pull over to the shoulder. Driving and talking on a cell phone at the same time is not safe! Pulling over now. Whew, there he goes. Damn, too bad we couldn't wave to each other. DAMN CELL PHONES!!!!

well done - very funny

You must be that guy that joes c4 cab was waving to....... LOL.

I always wave to the vette owners, but they might not see me because the sun glaring off their gold chains blinds them.

Ouch. I actually went to test drive a Corvette a little while back in Connecticut and you wouldn't believe the name of the salesman. Indeed, I blinked twice. I kid you not, it was 'Guido'. Too funny. Mind you the car had some sick straightline acceleration that Guido kept hollering about. But, I always felt a little unnerved in the corners: something about the sightlines of the car; I feel like I sit too low down even though I am 6'1".

Ever since reading this thread, I've tried looking at fellow Porsche owners around here (Bay Area) and I'll be damned, the guy who started this thread is right. I can't even get them to look at me much less wave (my inspiration for my little psycho babble thing). Same thing this morning. I don't go out of my way to stare, but if I just saw a turned head, I'd wave. Owning a 2 seat sports car, one used to have to make sacrifices. And appreciating the other nutcases w/ bugs in their teeth was obligatory. I guess it's just too easy now? Their seems now to be a tighter community w/ the people that track their P-cars. No issue getting waves from people heading to and from a track venue. Real enthusiasts... I'll keep trying though. Maybe I should tally the attempts and send the results to Dr. Phil. Maybe he can get one of these non-wavers on his show for a public dissection.

greg, i'll wave at ya next time Got a wave from a boxster s going the opposite direction last week..

Im way overdue. You just gottah keep in mind that some of the new porsche buyers are not enthusiasts but just some shmoe' out there that has money to afford one. When we enthusiasts wave at these people, they don't get it, they don't know the porsche brotherhood/code' and they look at us as if we have other intentions other than just saying hi' to another p-car owner. These people crack me up because they have no clue that people like us exist. Most earlier porsche owners will wave back but I'm iffy of the ones with the newer porsches. I look young so when I wave to another porsche owner, I sometimes get this weird stare' as if I was trying to be slick or something.

drove to princeton 2 weeks ago. met a boxster going the opposite direction while waiting for traffic light. i slightly horned and waved, got a nice smile and wave back. my wife asked me what i was doing, then i replied this is a porsche thing. off course, M3 & civic were all over the place, trying to start a race. but gave me when finding me having a child-seat in the back.

chicks don't wave porsche has become feminized over the last 10 years ergo, fewer wavers--more posers even so, I always wave.

Got a wave from a dirty 993 the other day - there was a little girl in the back waving furiously to my son, who was looking at her like she was a space monkey.

Harley owners are the same way... well if you don't ride a Harley. For a street bike guy that converted to a Harley a few years back, I always thought that was lame and still do. I wave at the street bike riders, but most don't wave back now either... uh.

This whole world is absurd. We'll all sit around and talk with one another from across thousands of miles, but most people won't even say hello to their next door neighbor. We're all on the right tact here: keep flashing and waving. Share the love. If we stick with it, people will eventually get it and start waving back.

Yeah, but my neighbor's an *******...

I had 2 top down 996 Cabs wave at me today while in my 964 cab. Maybe its a Cab thing

That's what I was saying too. It's somehow easier in a cab!