robmypro

When did you know you had to have a 911? Where were you, how old were you, and what was it about the 911 that captured your attention?

For me, I was probably 18 years old, living in Southern California. This was the mid 80's. A yuppy friend picked me up in a "regular" 911. Of course I had seen them all over SoCal, but this was my first up close and personal encounter. To be completely honest, I had always viewed Porsche as a glorified VW. I get inside and immediately like everything about it. The interior just screamed quality, but in a sporty way. The sounds were awesome, it was quick, and I loved the styling. It was also an unusually intimate driving experience. The 911 just represented everything I liked about cars. It checked all the boxes for me. I never felt that for any other car. Still don't.

I then went and graduated from college, got married (going on 26 years now), had two kids, started a software development company I still run, and just got done putting our daughter through college (there goes $125k).

And then one day it hit me. I never got my 911.

Actually it is a bit more involved than that. I took my wife to LA for a short trip, and we ended up renting a Camaro. It was one of those "what the heck" decisions. I owned many muscle cars growing up (the good ones...70 Mach One 428 CJ, 55 Chevy, 69 GTO Judge, 71 340 Demon, etc,) and driving that car just awakened something in me. I guess it reminded me of how much I liked performance cars. The visibility in that Camaro was shocking, so I started looking for other cars. The Hellcat was pretty cool, and so was the ZL1 and Z/28, but quickly my mind started thinking Porsche. About seven months ago I visited the local dealer here in Denver, and had a look at two 997's. One was a GT3 and the other was a Turbo. Those same feelings I had 30 years ago came right back. I remembered what it was a liked about these cars. Such a timeless design. Such an engaging driving experience. It is the car I love to drive. It just never gets old.

I have had nice cars (Mercedes, Lexus, etc.), but I never went back to follow through on a decision I made 30 years ago. The 911 was just something I wanted. Call it an achievement, but to me it was far more emotional than that. It was fulfilling a dream of having the absolute best car in the world, because I love cars and only a 911 will do. I could have bought one long ago, but I had responsibilities, and a 911 just wasn't practical.

Getting a 991 GT3 is in some ways a make up for all those years I waited. Too late to start with an entry level 911 (if such thing even exists). So I swallowed the whole hog, buying my dream 911, optioned to the hilt. I am glad I waited, because I doubt I would have ever done this otherwise. I really needed some logical excuse to be irrational, and waiting 30 years for something would do. Every car I bought for myself was used, so I saved a ton of money on cars over the years. I just gave it all back, and it feels awesome. So worth the wait.

Well that's my story. When did you know?

Mike in CA

Great story, robmypro.

For me it was 1971. I was 21 and my college buddy's dad had just bought him a new orange 911E Targa. I loved cars, had been reading Road & Track and Car Life magazine since I was 14, and owned a slightly used '69 Plymouth GTX 440 at the time. I'd been in a few of the British sports cars of the day....MGs, Triumphs....and many other muscle cars, but that first ride in my friend's Porsche was a revelation. The car was as solid as a vault, the ride was firm yet supple, it handled like it was on rails, had incredible brakes, and while it didn't have the straight line speed of my GTX, it was very quick. It just did everything well, especially compared to the other cars of the day. I was totally smitten and knew that someday I had to own a 911.

It took another 13 years and a number of different cars before I was able to acquire my own new Porsche, a 1984 3.2 Carrera in Ruby Red Metallic with burgundy leather interior and a whale tail rear spoiler. I've owned a 911 ever since....

SMGT3

Watched No Man's Land with Charlie Sheen, had to have one.

silverrules

1980 on San Rafael bridge with my friend who just bought a 928. He floored it and I was immediately hooked on Porsche. I had to have one but I had just graduated and had a low paying engineering job. My 1st one was in 1997 & the most I could afford was a Boxster which I paid $5K over MSRP to Fremont Porsche and after going through 3 Boxster's, and a Cayenne-S I bought my 1st 911 (Carrera-S) in 2005. I have had 911 ever since.

Enjoy the ride.

PeteyDaddy

I got "arrested" driving my friends dad's 930 cab when I was 14 on a dare. I had quads and dirtbikes when I was young so I was the only one in my crew who had the "theory" of a manual transmission down. Needless to say I ground em' till I found em'. The PD towed the car...tore up the front valance- the poor dad...I would've KILLED me Needless to say I didn't see the light of day for a year after that (solitary confinement)...I dreamt of that red 930 ever since...

Sloopy

For me, in my 40s. Had some nice and fun cars over the years, however drove a friends Carrara S and couldn't stop smiling.

All of this was due to feel.

Now every time I drive or look at my GT3!!!!!!!

s996

1976. The black 911 in the gumball rally / cannonball started the love for the car.


8 yrs old

Amazing and worth the 35 yr wait.

dunlopnick

I drove a 914 just after my 17th birthday and passing my UK driving license when I temped at a local village garage in East Anglia, it was LHD and as cool as hell. My dad gave me a battery powered 935 model car - cause he knew I had the rear engine gene. I drove beetles for my air-cooled fix, even hot rodded one until I could get my first 911 in 89 @ 31yrs old (wish my dad had been alive to see the grin on my face). Actually told my better half we were going to see a VW camper van to use for motorsport trips - well it was a crappy targa and thank god she said lets see if we can find a better car. The first was a brown 2.7 911 CIS and originally sportmatic - but that color was so good, but I soon moved onto my 1973 RS in 1992 and have had that beauty since, but other P cars have joined us during our life - 996 GT3 Speed Yellow in UK (50/50 with a good buddy) , then a 356 Pre A Speedster, Cayman S, Cayenne S (x2) , 997 S F77 and Macan S in the US. This past September I acquired a 2015 GT3 and this past weekend I spent 3 days at COTA with MVP Track Time and I have just reaffirmed why the 911 model will always be the car .....

Fast Doc

For me it was back in 1983, age 22 one of the guys at University had a white Turbo. We all were in envy as no one could afford anything decent at that age. Slowly worked my way past 2 BMW M3's and bought a second hand 996 turbo.

Now drive a 991 GT3, where do you go from here?

thxbuff2001

The only sports car I know when I was young was a PORSCHE. I grew up my father a VW Beetle fanatic. So he would bring me to school on his Super 1600. But a 911, now that's a sports car.
It took me another 30 years to buy one, used.

dunlopnick

To the TRACK !

bronson7

In 2000 I knew it was time, I was 42 and wanted a convertible sports car. Well the S2000 and Boxster S were it. Went with the Pcar, now 3 Pcar's later, here I am in a GT3 at 58. Where do I go from here?

ny991

We were looking for a new car for my mom when I was 14 or so in 1973. Talked her into looking at a 944 and went to the dealership to look at it. There was a 74 Carrera in the showroom that I drooled over. She ended up getting a Firebird. I never forgot that car.

Driving around town 15 years later I see this car in the back of a warehouse you can see into from the road, and I swear it's a 911 sitting there. I drive by it for a couple of months and finally stop in to see it, and see what is going on with it. The owner tells me it's not for sake, but I tell him if he decides to sell it to call me.

I stop in a couple of more times over the next year or so but it's not for sale.

I'm reading the sports car adds a couple of years later and I see a 74 Carrera for sale. That was the same car. I tell my dad I need a raise because I bought a car and the next thing you know it's mine.

He was a contractor that did a remodel for the dealer and never got paid. It went to court and the contractor got the Carrera as part of payment.

That was my first P-car. I bought a lake house a few years later and sold it to buy a boat. That was my first biggest mistake, but I was totally hooked.

Just in time

I go way back to like 1962 or so. A new family moved to the neighborhood right next to our house. They had a reddish wine 356B. My dad said o heck it is just a VW with a different body. While he may have been right I did not buy it. The thing not only sounded differently, to me it looked exciting. A life long Porsche fan had been born.

PC Valkyrie

Good thread. I've always been a car enthusiast, appreciating cars since I was a kid. Since buying my first "performance car" in 2005 (a C55 AMG), I learned the art/technique of driving on a track, averaging about 4-5 times every summer. In 2008, I bought a 135i as a the new "abuse" car with a stick shift and learned to track that car as well. Over the years, the laptimes got faster and faster, but I found that 911 Turbo's and GT3's were consistently among the fastest street cars on the track days I attended. This was especially true with the 997.2 generation of the 911. And many car tests consistently revealed how the 911 Turbo/GT3 would "punch above its weight class", outperforming many cars with more HP and higher price.

It was then that I decided (in late 2000's, early 2010's): "When I can afford to, I'm going to get a 911 GT3, because I was ready to move up to a higher level of performance car, and the 911 GT3 seemed to provide one of the best bang for the buck (with the exception of the Corvette Z06)."

So when the 991 GT3 was announced in 2013, I put down a deposit. And I've been enjoying this car ever since.....on the streets at nights and on weekends, and on the track too. It's everything I hoped for and I couldn't be happier about the driving experience and capability. And yes, I actually WANTED the latest fast shifting PDK, as I've already experienced a sport tuned automatic transmission with a big capacity naturally aspirated V8 (C55 AMG) and a good feeling stick shift with a twin turbo I6(135i), but never had a dual clutch gearbox and high revving naturally aspirated powerplant (which the 991 GT3 provides). I feel complete in terms of my car ownership experience.......for now.