I was reading a recent threat that reminded me of my first Porsche driving experience:

I dreamed of owning a Porsche since high school.

In high school I owned a stock '74 Super Beetle, no heat, rusting floorboards, etc. One Friday night, with not much to do in Iowa, I was out with friends, cruising around looking for trouble. We decided, as many young testosterone drunk young boys do, to drag race. My Super Beetle was packed with five guys, and my buddy had another four in his Datsun. Off the line, I was ahead, and my friends were yelling out full-bodied encouragement. When we pulled above 60 mph, my buddy in the Datsun took over and I was lost and left to suffer eternal humiliation.

The only cure would be a Porsche, some day. Some day.

Ten years later and not much wiser, with memories of my sacred vow, I started scouring the papers for an "affordable" Porsche. I was headed to Lousville, KY for my sister's wedding and thought that I'd check the Courier-Journal website. This was 1997, the market was up and I was in the money. So I splurged for a $4,500 1977 911S. Why only $4,500? The spark plugs were pulled (for how long the owner couldn't tell me), the CIS ignition was in a box in the front trunk and there were mice droppings on the back seats. I was told that he parked it when the fuel system got clogged. Otherwise, it had no rust and only 40,000 miles. The owner was fed up with the high repair costs at the local dealership.

I had my dad trailer it back to Iowa and for the next four weekends I came home from Chicago (where I was working at the time) to work on the car.

After a new gas tank ($500), installing hydralic chain tensioners ($350), and putting the CIS system back together (books = $80 to figure out how to do this), I had the car running tip top. Took it for its first spin and topped 120 mph on the Iowa back roads. My dad, riding in the passenger seat, **** his pants and I was finally there! A Porsche. A classic. And a car that I can work on, learn on, and simply enjoy putting the pedal to the metal and accelerating like the space shuttle when I go above 4000 rpms.

We left my old Jetta back in Iowa and from then on I commuted with a Porsche 911S.

I'm now working in the Czech Republic, the car is still in Iowa, and I read these posts regularly, planning my next projects and trips when I get back to Iowa and the Porsche.

Regards,

Mike

 

Ahhhh, yes, how did we get here...When I was in high school (80's) the exotic car scene and tuner scene was just starting to explode. About the only car I really, really liked was the Porsche 911. I didn't like the Lambo because of all the wings, the Ferraris were just ok and the AMG Mercedes were way cool, but lacked a stick. I went down to the local Porsche Mercedes, Audi, VW dealer and applied for a job as a mechanic and what do you know, they hired me. What a cool job for in high school. I went to work in the morning and again after school doing mostly the prep work and some basic mechanical work like brakes, shocks, etc.

I would show up early and go in the showroom and sit in the Porsche Turbo and dream of owning one some day. My most memorable time was when a mechanic took me for a ride in a RUF slantnose, at that very moment, I was terminally ill from the disease.

It took me another 12 years to get through school and save, but now I have my own Turbo.

 

I love hearing these stories. It would be great to hear from others too about their first driving experience, because I think it is usually a life-altering experience.

Unfortunately, I'm still shopping for my first 911 and I will be for atleast another few weeks, if not months!

 

One of my first test drives in a 911 was back in '96 when I was considering an '82 SC Targa. This was at the point where I had the money, did the homework and just needed the car. The car in question was nice, the dealer trusted me, so I took the car out for a test drive by myself.

Anyway, I started the car, checked my mirrors, made sure everything was O.K. and took off. I noticed in the lot that the fuel guage was on 1/4. I was raised on GM cars and on those, when the guage showed empty, that meant there was still at least 2 gallons left. "I assume Porsche has a big margin too, I've got 1/4 tank left, and I'll pick some fuel up if need be on my test drive" I thought to myself.

After a few miles, the low fuel light went on and stayed on. I figured I had 3-4 gallons left and I'll just keep going for a bit and get some gas after a few more miles.

A couple of full throttle blasts later and about 5 miles down the road the car started to studder. I quickly turned onto a side road and the car just quit. I turned it over, and she caught. I rev'd it a bit, as we all do, to keep her going. Turned around to head back to the dealership or the nearest gas station (I was getting a bit worried now). Then, at the intersection of this side road and a very busy, rich suburb boulevard, the car quit for good. Sh*t. Definitely ran out of gas. I'm an idiot for not having them put more fuel in the car before leaving. No cell phone (at that time), and it's way too far away to walk back.

I put the hood up and walked up the road to a house to use the phone to call the dealership. I got back to the car to wait. During my 15 minute wait, at least 5-6 people stopped to let me use their car phones and really would not leave until I assured them I was fine. A cop then pulled over and asked if I needed help or was in trouble. He was all ready to drive me back and call a tow truck. He wanted to wait by the side of the road with me and I insisted that he need not wait and that the dealership is coming with some fuel. He was super nice and very courteous.

Morals of the story:

When Porsche has a warning light come on, they mean it.

Even though we constantly hear about idiots and rude people, there are also a lot of friendly people who want to help and not all cops are power trippin' ticket writers.

Never leave with only a 1/4 tank of gas in a 911...

Jay
90 964

P.S. I did not buy the car anyway...

 

[quote]not all cops are power trippin' ticket writers<hr></blockquote>
amen

my first 911 driving experience:
Well, my father and I have always gotten googly eyed over 911s in parking lots and we have both always dreamed of having one of our own to bomb down broadway in saratoga springs.

on the way to a 25 anniversary party for some friends, we past a beautiful 911 at a foreign car car garage. my father and i ended up talking about it during the whole party.

so we stopped on the way back through to ask if they would let us test drive it. the shop owner turned out to be a super nice guy and he was selling the car for the owner.

well, it was all down hill from there. that was officially the funnest 20 minutes of the summer.

4 months later there are TWO 911s sitting in the driveway. we call them the red pill and the blue pill coined by "the matrix"

and i'll shamefully admit that I have a ball driving to my old high school to pick my sister up after class, lol. if only i could go back and show off for a day <img src="graemlins/r.gif" border="0" alt="[king]" />

 

My first ride in a Porsche, was actually my drive home in my '71 911T minutes after I purchased it a number of years ago. But how I got there is an interesting story...

I went to RIT where the terms are listed with a two didgit year followed by a term number.

I was having a bit of a time in a very demanding major, so I made the decision to transfer into something easier.

To transfer majors I had to fill out some paper work. It was the first quarter of 1991, so at the top of the form I wrote in the current term: it was 911 ...

cool - but you know - if i transfer out of this major, I may never get a job that will let me afford a "911" - so I crumpled up the transfer form and went back to class...

Sure enough - I graduated and got myself the first of several Porsche's soon afterwards... That 911 is still in the garage.