realtime

I just returned from a quick two-nighter in Venice / Marina Del Rey, CA and I was absolutely stunned by the number of Porsches there on the streets! Staying at the Marriott on the corner of ?Admiraly and Washington? (I think) overlooking a busy intersection I estimated a P car went past every 3-5 minutes at most- often less! Thats a whole lot more per hour than we see out here in the East in a month or even two! (Only about 1/2 of them were Bxtrs...) How refreshing to see so many sports cars in general especially compared to the barrage of SUVs and mini-vans here in the Phila. Suburbio-metropolis. Then again the S. CA weather does kind of lend itself to that.

Anyway- the shock of such a difference in the #'s / stats got me wondering if there's a resource of any kind available that contains a graphic depicting numbers / distribution of p-cars across a geographic area - say the USA or N. America, the world- whatever. I was thinking of what it might look like- just slightly weighted to the left coast.....

anyone know of such a thing? <img src="graemlins/yltype.gif" border="0" alt="[typing]" />

agent325

Welcome to So Cal <img src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" border="0" alt="[cheers]" /> ....................I heard once that the highest concentration of Porsches in the world in between Santa Barbara and San Diego

JackOlsen

It would be nice to get the actual numbers. The commonly-held belief is that there are as many Porsches in Southern California as there are in all the rest of the world. And just about every region in the country (Florida, Texas, the northeast, someone recently posted Georgia) will tell you that the concentration of p-cars where they live is second only to Southern California. (It's a little like the way most people believe that they grew up "in the part of the country where most newscasters come from, because we don't have an accent, here.")

But there must be some hard data, somewhere. I know that I generally see at least one pre-74 911 out there every week. Usually, one shows up in the course of a 40-minute drive.

CN

I read an article (I believe in Excellence or Panorama) about a year ago that stated half of all Porsches end up in California. I remember the artical, which was an interview with the president of PCNA, indicated that back in the early 1980's, California may have been instrumental in preventing the demise of the company. I must admit that this is a recollection and may not be accurate. In fact, I may be out to lunch on the whole dang thing. <img src="graemlins/drink.gif" border="0" alt="[cherrsagai]" /> <img src="graemlins/roflmao.gif" border="0" alt="[hiha]" />

Jay H

I too remember reading awhile back that 50% of all the Porsches that PCNA imports into North America are sold/delivered in California.

I contrast, in my neck of the woods, if I drive around on a nice sunny Saturday near our major city, I'll maybe see 3-4 Porsches. A Boxster for sure or a new 996 or 993. Vintage Porsches are rare sightings. If someone here is selling their car and it's from CA, that's one of the 1st things they list in their ad for some reason.

It's fun to drive through a 'back woods' town on a Sunday afternoon and basically stop people in their tracks with the 911 since they never see much more than Chevy Blazers, Suburbans or Silverado Z71 4x4 extended cabs with a gun rack in the back. Mouths hang open on 12 yr old boys while they point and punch their buddies to get their attention, gas station clerks HAVE to ask you how fast the car goes, etc. etc. But, they all sure know it's a Porsche.

Jay
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brandon

My wife and I amuse ourselves playing "spot the Porsche" as we run our Saturday or Sunday afternoon errands. We average about 12 - 15 in a two to three hour period (sometimes as many as 20 to 30). I remember living in Maryland and seeing only a handful in a 3 year period. I guess the demographics of sunshine and $ (Carmel/Monterey) tilt the odds in favor of seeing so many.

Like others, I've heard that 25-30% of Porsche's total production goes to California. Not that hard to believe I suppose - do a nationwide search on p-cars & look where many of them are.

gerry100

SoCal used to be the land of " you are what you drive" - so at least they have taste in some things.

I remember taking part in a conversation out there with a guy who arrived in a 911,was wearing a Rolex and was agonizing about the cost of a dishwasher because he and his girlfriend were tired of arguing about who did the dishes.

That's a strange priority even for me to grasp.

JeffW

Well I just removed one porsche from Cali and brought it to Arizona. There are alot of boxters here, few 911's. Every once in a while you'll see an 60's-70's porsche, but it's rare to see.

Gunter

I have an 1980 SC with a full Carrera up-grade that started life in Hawaii, then California and was brought into Canada (B.C.) This beauty is now in the interior of B.C. near Nelson and there are only a few 911's in this region. The locals are always very surprised to see it and are curious about price and speed. Most drivers move over and let me pass because they want to see it "go". As you all know, you haven't lived until you drive a 911. Whhooooosh! <img src="graemlins/bigok.gif" border="0" alt="[thumbsup]" />

pbs911

I know what you mean. I live in Newport beach and commute 10 miles to work. Each morning I see the same silver 996 TT, at least 1 - 2 SC / Carrera, and at least 1 80's turbo. And this does not count the pcars I see that are garage queens out for the Sat / Sun drive.
It is actually rare that I go to the supermarket without parking next to a pcar or comming out of the market and having a pcar parked next to mine.

addictionms

Last year I bought my 996 from Champion in Fl, I drove it home, and I can tell you I saw a few Porsches in FL, then none until the pan handle of Texas where I saw a Boxster, then none again until Palm Springs. Once inside LA they were all over the place, and it remained that way all the way home to the Bay Area.

Jim

Joe Riley

I can tell you that in my home town, Gainesville Florida there are very few daily driver 911s. Other than mine - I see one a week at best! I few more water pumpers.

75project

The only time I've seen a higher Porsche density than in SoCal is on Porsche club weekends in Elkhart Lake, WI. I grew up there & every year when Chicago PCA has their weekend, the streets are lined with p-cars. Nothing like it!

bs
new 75 project

88clbsport

Moving here from NYC 4 years ago I can vouch for the major difference. I bought '97 boxster from a dealer in CT and shipped it out to LA when I moved. I drove it in NY, NJ and CT for a couple weeks and it really stood out. I figured part of it was that the car was just released a few months earlier. When I drove in LA the Boxster was just one of many.

Say what you want about So Cal, but people here really know and appreciate their cars.

Jay H

I'll vouch for what 75project says about PCA-Chicago's Labor Day track events at Elkaht Lake / Road America. You'll see everything from vintage 356's to the latest Turbo model.

Jay
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