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Waxing Nostalgic. Any other millennial's get a 944 as their first car?
No flaming on the title of this post , us older Millennial's are not kids anymore. Man I used to be so active on this board. I wish I could remember my login, but alas its been years. As Bob Seger says "now sweet 16's turned 31." In the spring of 2003, right before my 16th birthday, I hounded (literally would not shut up on the topic until I beat them into submission) my parents to let me buy my pride and joy '83 Sienna red metallic 944. I wanted the car since I was a kid, and was bound and determined to get it. From 11-16 I read hundreds of books, manuals, and message boards. I thought I knew (and still know even obscure knowledge about the 944, down to the different metals they used in the 83 v 84 engine) everything to be prepared.
After about one month of ownership, the car was named Christine (anyone who has ever owned one understands, and if you don't….. you're too young to touch this car.) Within a year I put the price I paid into her (although it worked out to be less money than a new, compact car and I doubt many people pine over their first Ford Focus,) yet I wouldn't change my decision for the world. I think owning a 944 is worth the cost of ownership in life lessons alone. It was not just my first set of wheels, but a first love (or maybe obsession.) I know this may sound corny, but are their any other older millennial's (or late gen x's, boomers too) that had this as their first car or even just when they were young, and feel the same nostalgia? Porsche enthusiast who bought one because of it being an up and coming cultural icon; just old enough to be retro, handled like it was on rails, got lots of looks and maybe because we couldn't afford 911's lol.
It might just be me; about to be 31, having had my first kid last July, and going down the Audi Q5 road. However, some little part of me misses those hot summer nights on the shores of Lake Erie, roof off (only year of manual latches,) windows down letting the breeze go through my hair.
Not mine, but identical. Except I had phone dials.
What became of your car ? How long did you keep it ?
And, what was your most vibrant memory of this ownership ?
Would you consider buying another one again to relive and replace that longing in your heart ?
You mention boomers.... so I will add a few thoughts of my own.
My first 944 wasn't my first car, BUT it WAS my first Porsche. Bought new in 1984, it has given me many miles of GREAT experiences and many new firsts. Track events sponsored by Porsche Club of America. Porsche Parades by PCA. A trip to Germany sponsored by Porsche, many new friends made at the track, at social events, during drives, rallies, Concours and Porsche shows.
It is the reason I have kept it all these years and continue to enjoy the experience of true sports car 'love'. And caused me to seek out others like it ( M456 and M030 variations in turbo, sunroof delete, 914, and 944 additions to the grouping ).
This VERY car created within me the desire to become the person I am today and developed the Porsche passion in racing, collecting, and showing these cars that is a part of me.
So, PLEASE tell us more about your own experiences of owning this jewel of a 944.... the one which has given you this moment of reflection
Last edited by mrgreenjeans; 01-20-2018 at 02:38 AM.
10 years, although the last three she was in dry storage. I don't know what it was about her, but she had a spell on me. I grew up white, upper middle class (not that it maters,) but I learned how to wrench quickly. I have never owned a car with a more distinct personality. Down to the special way I had to open the drivers door handle. She started as a status symbol, but become so much more. I think I equate the car with good memories. The most vibrant memory of the car would be homecoming '03, but that might be a little X-rated for this forum hahaha. But really, no it was probably driving around Presque Isle in Erie, PA with a blood sun and blood moon rising, casting an ethereal shade over the car and just being 16. I put way more money in than I got out. Hell….. I even found a perfect early 944 brown dashboard my dad and I installed. I bought real turbo fenders and front bumper, lights, custom fiberglass back bumper and stripped all logos. She was a very classy car by the time I was 18. Sadly, I went to school out West and she sat in storage. I finally signed her over to my dad to trade in when I got my first job. I made a mistake. To tell you the truth, I don't know if I could get another. She was so special and fit a certain time and place. As one of the other boards said "you can never go home again."
Its time for another. There will be a void until you do. Trust me on this. I've been there man. Keep browsing the for sale ads and craigslist util you find the right one. There's no hurry man, so take all the time you need and buy the one that will start to make things right.
Bought mine when I was halfway through college, 5 years ago, as my first and only car. Have a 951 now as well but that '83 is still my main swing and gets more use than my daily driver Subaru when the weather is nice.
-- A combination of 'butter-like' smoothness and near perfect road holding capabilities.
-- Dynamic, linear braking.
-- A somewhat 'heavy' steering which promotes predictable apexing.
-- And that look. Timeless.
-- Vault like body construction.
On the 'normally aspirated' early cars, a somewhat slow acceleration curve which lends itself well to a certain degree of driving a slow sports car fast on track. Creating an ideal perspective of balanced fun with safety. You can nearly drive with the throttle flat all the time ( on higher speed tracks ) requiring the driver assert a fast line around by not getting into trouble but concentrating on lines, brake points, turn in and using the brakes judiciously. Scrub too much speed and a fast line is hard to achieve because power is limited.
They thus make a good driver better by rewarding one with the magic of running with much more powerful cars competitively. Well driven 944s could really mix it up with 911s of the same era, on tracks which lent themselves to handling capability. And in 'mixed company' of period, stock Mustangs and Camaro/Firebirds, create a fun factor of destroying the egos of heavier and more cumbersome sports car owners with a trimmer and better braking auto like the 944 on tracks which gave the Porsche an advantage.
And street driven cars owned by folks not running 'on track', they were just plain ( and STILL are ) Great looking beauties. The unmistakable profile gave it a look of street cred that some felt the engine could not back up.....
but advent of the 951 put that correction in due process and Corvettes were put on notice they were something to not trifle with.
I made a mistake. To tell you the truth, I don't know if I could get another. She was so special and fit a certain time and place. As one of the other boards said "you can never go home again."
I still dream of having my old 88 Dinan M3 back. I couldn't afford to keep her when I had her, but I can't afford to buy another one now. So that's why I have a 911. hopefully I'll be smart enough to hold on to this one.
I had to look up the date range for Millenials. I guess I'm one of them! I don't really identify, but that's not the point.
My first 944 wasn't my first car, but I was only 20 when I got it. And I agree with everything you said in your post, 100%. It taught me how to work on cars, how not to impress girls (when they have to sit in the back), just so many life lessons I can't even list them. I don't regret selling it as I moved on to much better cars, but I did regret it at the time, as my 2 years with it took it from beat up to fully sorted.
It got replaced with my first 968, which was the best car I ever owned, but never quite had the simple fun factor of the $1000 car that looked like $5000 because I put $10,000 of myself into it. When I finally got another NA 9 years later, it was EXACTLY as fun as I was hoping it would be. I drove it more than my other cars!
You totally need another 944. I found one that was nicer than my first one, but still needed some sorting and tinkering. That's part of the magic (getting "intimate" with the car ). But the new one had nice paint and black interior, which were my top 2 peeves with my first car, so the second car was hugely satisfying (and I miss it way more).
Why are millennials even interested in these cars? It has no blue tooths so they can't tweet on Facebook how cool they are or check how many likes they have on the video they just uploaded to YouTube. It won't stop for you when you're not paying attention and playing with your phone. Besides, what are you doing driving? I thought all of you guber around town stopping at every Starbucks for a caffeinated beverage and free WiFi to download the latest app or check your credit score. You'll never pick up girls because you won't know how to parallel park without rear-view cameras and parking assist. They'll get mad at you too when you have to tell them THEY have to lock the door. OMG, these cars r stupid!
Why are millennials even interested in these cars? It has no blue tooths so they can't tweet on Facebook how cool they are or check how many likes they have on the video they just uploaded to YouTube. It won't stop for you when you're not paying attention and playing with your phone. Besides, what are you doing driving? I thought all of you guber around town stopping at every Starbucks for a caffeinated beverage and free WiFi to download the latest app or check your credit score. You'll never pick up girls because you won't know how to parallel park without rear-view cameras and parking assist. They'll get mad at you too when you have to tell them THEY have to lock the door. OMG, these cars r stupid!
Later Millennial here. First car I officially bought & owned myself. Lots of Civic Si and E46 325i time before I eventually got around to purchasing my S2 a few years out of high school. Didn't immediately click with Porsche at a really young age until around high school when interests etc change. The Porsche obsession grew to exactly that, an obsession. Started out with a Japanese thing at a very young age (which has recently started coming back..) then the German thing and now have pretty much come back full circle and appreciate just about everything.
Biggest thing for me, as others have already echoed here was the learning part. I went into ownership knowing as much as I thought I could know about the car but it just wasn't the case. Getting down and dirty with the car was a total eye opener when I was rebuilding my suspension. Getting to pull it all apart and see it move, understand why things are where they are and put it all back together was really awesome. Driving it before the upgrades and then after at autocross a few weeks later with that newfound knowledge and appreciation was pretty special for me. It only enhanced the experience and because it was mine and I rebuilt it, it made me that much more proud.
In general though I think it's that little ba*tard attitude along with the still semi-respectable performance that make it so fun. Rewards driver skill but wont bite if you're a lesser skilled hand - Just a friendly car to drive. It's a bit of a period design icon and the box flares just add to the cool factor. Car's far from perfect but it has a lot going for it.
Got to side with Thomas on this; my first car was a 1971 914 1.7L. I'm very sorry I sold it, but I have a 928 and a 944 now so I feel a bit better. The 914 would have paid for both had I held on to it.
I'm just a bit older than millennial; I think they call us Xennials. Back in 1999 I bought my first car, though I had been gifted some rustbuckets previously. It was a guards red 1987 944 and I drove that car until 2009 before selling it to a friend. Unfortunately, it met a money shift shortly after I sold it and got stored in a boat house until 3 years ago when we got a chumpcar team together and bought it back. That old car is living out the dream of retirement to full time race car. My team gives me a hard time about learning to wrench on that car as a 19 year old with a glorious head of hair... but some poor wrenching skills. Now I've got a lot less hair, but I'm much better at not leaving wrenches in the car! Here she is as she looks today:
01-18-2018, 10:56 PM
Waxing Nostalgic. Any other millennial's get a 944 as their first car?
, us older Millennial's are not kids anymore. Man I used to be so active on this board. I wish I could remember my login, but alas its been years. As Bob Seger says "now sweet 16's turned 31." In the spring of 2003, right before my 16th birthday, I hounded (literally would not shut up on the topic until I beat them into submission) my parents to let me buy my pride and joy '83 Sienna red metallic 944. I wanted the car since I was a kid, and was bound and determined to get it. From 11-16 I read hundreds of books, manuals, and message boards. I thought I knew (and still know even obscure knowledge about the 944, down to the different metals they used in the 83 v 84 engine) everything to be prepared.
