A bit of a weird topic.

When I used to drive other cars and dream about owning a Porsche, I always wanted to be a part of that "brotherhood".

I'll give an example: when I had a Mini, if you spotted another Mini, it was common courtesy to wave to other Mini, and to let them merge infront of you (if the opportunity came up) and just be exra courtious towards other people with the same car as you.

I don't find that people in Porsche have that mentality. I give right of way to other P-cars and when I smile or wave at other people in P-cars they think I'm absolutely bat **** crazy. They give me this look like "do I know you random person?"
I find it becomes less and less true the older the P-car is. I tend to give a thumbs up to guys in really old P-cars that are well maintained. Those people tend to appreciate my fondness for the brotherhood.

Curious if anyone else believes in the Brotherhood. Do you include all P-cars (Cayenne, Boxsters, Panamera, etc..) or just 911s? Regardless of year, or not? How would you react if someone did what I did? Do you give right of way to other Porsches?

I know that I'm supposed to be curtious to everyone on the road (regardless of brand), but let's be real

 

Others have noticed this too https://www.6speedonline.com/forums/...-nod-wave.html

I think part of the reason is that people are just consumed with their daily activities .

In fact with things like the bluetooth I can actually think of the other day when someone I knew waived at me and I mistakenly said hello to my PCM unit phone conversation .Back in the old days they didn't even have a cell phone or half the car's gadgets.

 

If Porsche GM Mueller achieves his plan, you'll have alot more Porsches on the road to wave to and alot more people that will think you're bat**** crazy for doing so.

 

i wave especially if its a 911.

 

I wave and get waved at about 50% of the time.

 

I always wave... get a response back about 75% of the time here in CO, where people are a bit more relaxed than other places Although the other day, I saw my car's twin - red 997, except it was a 2009+. Waved and the other driver never even looked my way!

 

This subject has been discussed at length for the past 20 years or more! Us old guys that started with 356s and early 911s always waved or at least flashed the lights at other Porsches. The 356 was the first car to have the "buddy light" that you could pull to give others a wink. As years went by the tradition slowly slipped away. Today many (NOT ALL) but many new Porsche owners have no idea of the history of Porsche and the "brotherhood" of recognizing other owners. I was in my 356 at a stop light, a guy in a 928 pulled up next to me and said "nice....what kind of car is that"? I told him it was the new Mitsubishi!

 

"wull, back in my time.." ('twas the early 60s when I had my 1st Porsche - a '56 1600 Super Coupe)

was stationed in Germany, in the Army - my friend also had one, a few years newer - we couldn't afford to "do much of anything" except pack a lunch and head out on those wonder Bavarian back roads and have a picnic, with the Families, alongside some river or lake - great times ! but I digress :

ALL Porsche people then would recognize fellow Porsche drivers by signaling each other with their Flash To Pass lites - this "recognition" and "friendly gesture" continued in the States when I brought my newly acquired 912 home - and even further when I "upgraded"(?) to a '70s 911

but then, something happened - nobody (except me) carried-on the tradition - and now you sorta get a look from them like "what the heck is wrong with you, I don't have my brights on..!"

it's a different world..and that's sad

 

I strongly feel that a majority of folks .. probably 80% of those (obviously this does not apply to enthusiast community who interact in forums) who buy Porsche nowadays do so for bragging/exlcusivity rights more than anything. I am curious to know from the "older" guys what that % would have been in the '80's and '70's.

 

This thread depresses me. I’m in my mid 30's and just assumed there would be a level of brotherhood among Porsche owners. Coming from the motorcycle community I can tell you this discussion has nothing to do with age. A low hands down wave to other bikers (Harleys and race bikes) is common and part of riding. I rider a Ducati, and always wave to others.

Could it be that a good bike is 10k and a good 911 is 100k? Is it all about the money?

 

I had heard of this "brotherhood" when I had my Cayenne, and I also heard that it existed mainly for people with 911s. I did however get a waive one time from a fellow Cayenne driver, and he was an older (than me anyway) driver, so I suspect he had a knowledge of such Porsche brotherhoods.
Now that I have my 911, I waive at every 911 I see. I get a response probably 80% of the time.
The funny thing is, when I first bought it, and it still had its dealer plates with the trip permit in the window, no one waived. I think they thought I was just test driving it or I was a dealer and not an actual owner. I used to waive and get nothing. I would consider myself somewhat of a younger owner. I bought my first one when I was 27 and that was only 2.5 years ago. I say that just to let you all know that some of us are still out there trying to carry on the "brotherhood!"

 

I guess I am one of the older guys. I do wave to other Porsche drivers. Mainly, only 911 drivers wave back.

I really got into Porsches in the late 60s . Their numerous racing successes also caught my imagination in the 70s and 80s. But, then, I could not afford one.

In those days you rarely saw a Porsche, MB or BMW ( at least in NJ). People who wanted to make statement in those days oftern bought a Cadillac or Oldsmobile. I believe Porsches were, indeed, more often purchased by enthusiasts. I also think that today many 911s are purchased because of the financial statement it makes. Soon after ( about one year) the buyer realizes this is a hard-edged performance sports car, not a luxury GT. In these cases the 911 is traded in for a Jaguar, Aston, Lexus or whatever.... To be sure, the Porsche SUVs are mostly purchased because of the brand ( shield) on the hood of the car.

Further, as many of the older folks stop buying the 911 ( for whatever reason) there will be less and less reason to keep the car true to the original design. I am sorry to say that Porsche will end up being more like any other up-market brand ( Rover, Jaguar, Aston, Lambo) as the target will be to expand sales through adding models and designing the 911 to have broader appeal ( larger more comfortable).

In the future, prospective owners/drivers will not understand why the 911 has ( by then, had?) its engine in the rear or that it was, at one time air-cooled.

My 911 has no leather dash, special painted do-dads or plush seats. I bought it off of the lot so it has several things I would never have ordered. My only problem now it that after I finally ( after many years of work, kids, tuitions) recently got my dream car, I am afraid to take it on a track. I guess now I will need to find an old one for that.

Back to the original question...yeah, the bling factor is more important theses days than the sound of the flat six for many folks.

 

Hey Comet, stop by in Chattanooga some time and if I see you, you will think I am crazy. I just love seeing other Porsches and i will say howdee 911 or not.

 

Lets face it.....1997 (if not before) was a game-changer for our Pcar company.
You can't go back.

I still flash & wave......and I'm old enough to not care if people think I am nuts .

 

This is common in many cars. I did it for years in my WRX and STi. I heard of it from M3/M5 owners and many other like Mini, RX7, Evos…the list goes on and on. But as time also goes on and on, people stop being kind to others. People stop feeling the camaraderie with others. Manly people stop having a passion for the vehicle they drive, as it is nothing more than “bling”.

At 29 I wave to every P-car I see. I don’t see many as I am not in an area that is prominent to them. Because of that I hardly ever get a wave or nod back. But I will continue as I could care less if someone doesn’t understand. I hope that with time the person will get enough waves that they will pick up on it and start to wave on their own.