Prudent Or Prissy; Didn't Want to Drive The Mustang In Rush Hour Traffic

When my wife and I discuss (it's more me blathering) air cooled Porsches I always tell her part of the reason I don't pull the trigger on one is I'd start being careful about where I drive it.  

I don't like being prissy with cars.

Well lo and behold; this morning I was going to drive the Mustang to work but decided against it because morning traffic has been a bit nutty this week.

I've always hammered on my cars so I almost feel like I'm being prissy about the car. It's a strange feeling for me not to view a car as completely disposable.

I'd be curious to know if anyone else does this with their cars?

Cars are meant to be used. Scars on cars that do not have historical significance are even cooler and can always be repaired.

Drive your E36 M3 as much as you can. If not it's just rusting art in the garage. I used to happily take a 6 figure car across our E36 M3ty streets here and leave it street parked. Did I have small issues yes, did I have fun also yes. 

I drove my Viper constantly. A first gen car with clip-in fabric windows and no door handles. I even got caught in the snow with it once (it wasn't that bad, actually). I drove it to work, got stuck in traffic, got rained on, let my friends drive it, and I don't regret a single mile of it. I'll probably get another one someday, and then I'll drive the snot out of that one too.

Go buy an air cooled Porsche. Post lots of pictures for us! 

Poser. 

Motojunky said:

Poser. 

Heh. Yup.

Ever since fixing the rust on the Miata, I won't drive it in the rain.  It's been squirreled away in the garage on a battery tender since the first bit of salt hit the streets a couple months ago.

My high mileage 2001 Expedition is completely disposable, and while I don't have a particularly valuable (financially or emotionally) car at the moment, I've certainly owned cars in the past that I would be very cautious with, like not driving them in rush hour traffic.  That's what God created commuter appliances for.  And while I am somewhat critical of trailer queens, I also understand why people would take reasonable steps to protect their investment, especially if it's something that is frightfully expensive to repair, or hard to find replacement parts for, or a meticulously restored classic, or a fragile antique, or a car that you just have a strong attachment to.  So to answer your question, no, I don't think you are being prissy with it.  There's really no wrong answer here, you do you and treat your vehicles however you want.  

Motojunky said:

Poser. 

I was totally  waiting for this because that entered my mind.🤣🤣🤣

Fun cars are for fun driving. If the drive I'm about to do is 90% sitting in traffic or on pothole riddled roads or in pouring rain or whatever, it's going to suck no matter what I'm driving so give me the vehicle better suited to the conditions every time. My cayman is approaching 100k miles, I drive it and beat on it plenty, I have zero issue or regrets with only driving it when I know I will enjoy it. If you're the kind of person that can find enjoyment in every second in a car regardless of the situation, more power to you.

Every year I tell myself I'm going to drive my 911 more.  Every year I don't.  I bring my dogs to work with me and I'm not putting them in the 911, they're ruin it.  I don't drive it in the winter time, so it's really just a nice weather, fun car.  I can't find 18" snow tires for it, but I can still get all seasons for it, so maybe I'll buy a set for the spare stock wheels I have and drive it around in the winter when it's not actively snowing...

Traffic sucks and there are no points to be scored for sitting in it.

I was just on the phone with my buddy who sold me the car and I told him "dude you made me a poser". He laughed.

This is the first car I think I ever cared about having it damaged. It's far from pristine but still looks good.

In reply to Tom1200 :

I like driving mine too but I'm not a fan of sitting in traffic no matter what I'm driving. I can do it but I'd rather spend the time on an open road heading someplace fun. There's also no way in heck I'm going to drive it in the liquid brine that is winter here in the northeast so it's in the garage and plugged in to the battery maintainer until the roads aren't white and dusty with salt. If that makes it "prissy" and me a "poser" oh well.   

Tom1200 said:

I'd be curious to know if anyone else does this with their cars?

 

Yep. The BRZ, while not rare or exotic, gets attention. So we never take it downtown to shows/concerts/NBA games. After nearly being carjacked in it while grabbing lunch, in the middle of the week..........I drive it even less.

I've never owned anything nice enough to worry about that 🤷🏼‍♂️

stanger_mussle (Supported by GRM undergarments) said:

I've never owned anything nice enough to worry about that 🤷🏼‍♂️

 

Nor I until now........it's really weird.

My autocross Miata was only used for that purpose. No cruising, only took it to the monthly roadster meet once when I was already downtown after an autocross. Keeping it clean and the mileage down paid off when I sold it. 

It's easy for some people who live in very temperate climates to say yeah just drive it whenever wherever. Driving your fun car in bad weather, bad roads, and nasty traffic is not made any better by being in a fun car. The OP has a practical car he can use for what I previously listed. 

For me - being stuck in heavy traffic in a vehicle with a heavy clutch, hot summer, inadequate AC makes me reeeeeeeeeeal cranky.

I daily my 986. It's been backed into and scratched up. The bumper was smashed by a bucket blowing across the highway a few years back. It gets well used and I definitely enjoy my time with it! (I realize this car isn't special to a lot of people, but it is to me.)
 

That said I cringe a little at taking short trips in it or leaving it outside in the sun. It's less about scars and more about not wanting to replace stuff. Tops are expensive. A full suspension rebuild is on the horizon and that's gonna cost a lot too. I'm looking for a daily that isn't soul sucking to try and push some of these things back. 

Tom1200 said:

Motojunky said:

Poser. 

I was totally  waiting for this because that entered my mind.🤣🤣🤣

You can't lob a softball like that and expect me to not swing! 

I have a friend who is an avid skier.  If there is snow he can get to, he is on it, flying down the mountain.

When the snow is gone, even though the crowds are also gone, he doesn't try to ski down the mountain on the rocks; since he knows that skis are not the best tool for getting down the hill when there is no snow.

Maybe there are times (like rush hour) when your Mustang is simply not the right tool for the task at hand...

CJ said:

I have a friend who is an avid skier.  If there is snow he can get to, he is on it, flying down the mountain.

When the snow is gone, even though the crowds are also gone, he doesn't try to ski down the mountain on the rocks; since he knows that skis are not the best tool for getting down the hill when there is no snow.

Maybe there are times (like rush hour) when your Mustang is simply not the right tool for the task at hand...

That's a good way to put it.  No matter how much you like a given car, there may be times where you're in a situation that another car you own is just more enjoyable or more practical. 

I'm like this with the Shelby.  The front splitter is so low, that you have to hit certain driveways and parking lots at an angle, or you scrape.  Speed bumps are the devil.  I have to think about where I'm going before I go out to the garage and fire it up.  Now I have a better understanding  why people like 500 hp SUV's.

No you are not a poser.  You are someone who wants their good cars to be used properly.  From this I would also say someone who does a lot of work on their own cars.  I would never take any of my porsches, MGs, spitfire, etc out if there was salt on the roads.  Driving one to work was only done if conditions were favorable.  Unless everything else was broken!

For those who drive theirs in anything anytime that is your choice.  Drive your air cooled 911 in the snow and salt? Free country but it just seems wrong to me.