Mike in O.C.

uptheorg,
If you have to ask, you'll never understand.
If you are so unhappy, why don't you sell the Porsche to someone who will appreciate her, and buy your Z4.

chris322

Could not agree more in regards to the passion for the 911, its shape and sound. I have had since early childhood and to this day get excited when I see a 911 on the road. Having said that, I was worried when I decided to purchase a 911 that the actual car would not live up to the perception that I had created in my mind. But, the car is amazing and when you add the performance and all of the intangibles together, it is even better than I imagined. When you look at shear numbers and performance stats, the 993 is not better than a Vette, an M3 or other sports cars. However, when you talk to someone that rides a Harley, they will tell you that a Honda is faster, more reliable, etc. but it is the sound and the intangibles that compel people to ride Harleys. I know the Harley/Porsche analogy is not the best analogy to use, but I used it on a relative who could not understand why I would buy a 911 when I could have had a new Vette. I too was also fascinated by the 911 long before I knew what PCA or Rennlist was.

Rohan Nath

hey whatever happened to uptheorg? i think you guys scared him away...

914und993

Usual kid in high school, dreaming of cars I couldn't have, watching Steve McQueen in LeMans, following the exploits of the 917s in the CanAm series. I would occasionally stop by the Porsche dealership and look at the cars on the lot with a buddy. Heres a 911T. Cool car, wish I could have one. Wait, this ones a 911S, and its red. Look at that sticker price though....

Then my Dad decided he wanted a sports car. He said it came down to an MG Midget or a 914. Was he crazy? There's no choice there! Even though the entry level 914 2.0 would cost twice what a Midget cost, it was a no brainer. Well he bought the 1974 914, and my brother and I were in heaven. It felt like the car was welded to the road, a solid block of steel with pretty good acceleration (though not so much as my old 1967 Chrysler station wagon with a 440).

10 years later, Dad gave me the 914, and for the next 10 years I thought I had all the sports car I would ever need. Then a buddy took me to look at a 1990 C4 he claimed he was interested in. I drove it and was hooked - it was how I remembered the 914 when I was in high school but multiplied several times over. Felt like it was going to squirt you out the rear window when it hit the cam at 4000. When the wife didn't flip when I pulled into the driveway on the test drive, I knew I was going to be a 911 owner.

But it is true that the hook wasn't really, really set until I joined PCA and the old PorscheFans mailing list, and learned the ins and outs of the car, and how to work on it, and how to drive it at the track (local PCA DE sessions). Thats how you bond with your Porsche.

And now I have a gorgeous 993 in the garage. I have never been more attached to a car. Much of it is the physical beauty of the car, but most of it is the years being a part of the Porsche community - even when it was only in a small way.

Chip

tsjoel

One really nice thing I have realized from reading the previous posts is that the passion a parent/adult has for a car (in my case a Porsche) is often passed down to a younger person. In my case I have three boys and now know that someday they will be writing about or reliving their first ride in Dads Porche. To most of the guys on this thread their first memory is as clear as if it happened yesterday. I guess I just discovered another great reason to own a Porsche!

RRLOwen

I have only been on this board for a few weeks but after about 1 day of viewing posts, I knew that I had found a group I could identify with. the comments about the vehicle echoed the thoughts I have had in my head for the past 30 years or so. I had just never encountered a place where "we" could hang out. It's great
I have just purchased another Porsche - my 4th 911.
When I got the first one back in 1987, it was one of the best days of my life. I couldn't beleive that I actually owned my dream car!! Over the next 10 years I went through 3 - an 85, a 90 and then a 95 and then sold that one thinking that I would be OK without one. I was wrong.
Now I truly believe that there is a connection which some of us have to these machines which is undeniable.
I love cars - all kinds of cars - but there is only one car that really calls my name and that's the 911.
I can't really explain it - I'm actually quite rational about most other things - except to say that I see no reason to deny myself the joy that I experience from looking at it; washing it; polishing it; and of course driving it.
I have owned many beautiful vehicles over the years and I notice that for a few months after getting them I will turn around and have a look at them when I walk away. The difference with the Porsche is that I never stop doing it for this car.
I agree with the comment that " if you have to ask, forget about it, drive something else" And I don't say that in a demeaning way - it's just that it isn't something you can really explain reasonably to someone.
There are lots of beautiful cars out there to enjoy. First - no one says you have to be a fanatic to own a Porsche - lots aren't. Second, as the song says "love the one you're with"
ROwen

csertich

I had a similar experience recently. Took my ten year old for a bit of a ride, nothing foolish, but he got to feel 2nd gear running all the way out a couple of times. He's got big eyes but they got BIG, the smile was bigger, and he experienced the passion that day. I felt it (the passion for cars in general) at an early age just like Jake (son). And then I got a ride in a new 69 911 when I was in high school. That was it for me.

chuck

FlyYellow

well for me it's the sound, feel & looks of the car. the more i work on it - the more relaxed i am.

i tend to agree that if you don't feel passionate about it you are unlikely to develop one.

i'll equate it a bit to a relationship. imagine a beautiful, intelligent woman with good sex. can you still be dispassionate? Sure, but if that doesn't float your boat well what does?

Possible Answers:
1) perhaps you aren't attracted by the opposite sex?
2) perhaps you are a person who thinks everyone is beautiful - well good for you!

either way it's ok - it's all good here on the rennlist.

cheers,
boris

Carreragal

Always wanted one and finally got it! I love my car and can be heard of most
Saturday mornings in the garage yelling just that! Of course , if no one is awake yet, I just jump in and go for a spin! Life is Good!!!!

Edward

Yes, that's it: Therapy!
No joke. Paradoxically, I'm thrilled even as I approach the car, yet soothed knowing it's mine at the ready. Giddy right when I fire it up, yet calmed as the flat six purrs, albeit with authority. When we drive, we communicate: the wheel converses and I respond with my own input, hands and feet talking about needs, wants, desires. Sometimes we wrestle, at other times we dance; but always, we enjoy the company. Therapy!

Edward

24FPS

no offense taken. but maybe you should have bought a 996 c4 or c4s??? sounds like you wanted a new car. so why did you pick the 993?

as far as the group-think... ? i bought the porsche type 911 when i was 5yrs. old (in my mind). sorry, no group around... just saw/heard one drive by when i was on my bigwheel.

this collective is purely that... people who have passion and emotion for an incredible car! an individual's interest shared.

another thought would be to really get out and drive your p_car on a track... see what that does for you. maybe it'll knock a few cobwebs outta the old pipes! hee hee.

we all have different taste... and it's apparent you don't share it. no worries. get a "z4"

Stuttgart

Well I'm only 21, but i got the Porsche bug when I was about 10yrs old. I got to ride around Road Atlanta(old course) with my dad in his '72 911E. I will never forget going into the "gravity cavity"(or whatever it was called), heading under the bridge and watching him saw the wheel back and forth, as the front tires were pretty much off the ground.

To me Porsches (prior to 996's) were exercises in engineering, rather than being built around profitability. I can't think of any other mass production car that had as much thought put into it as the porsches did.

There is something neat about having the same basic chassis from 1966-'98. It is true to its sportscar roots; porsche did not scrap the old cars and sellout building totally new cars every 5 years to stay trendy like mustang, or corvette. The chassis was nearly perfected in 1969 with the longer wheelbase, and the only big change was the multilink rear suspension in the 993. You look at a 993 and you can see/feel the history, you just can't do that with BMW, Mustang, corvette, etc.

I can't stand people who constantly change the way they dress or act to stay "cool". You know the people, like the ones walking around in pre wornout jeans (what the hell is that all about?) They think theyre cool, but their really just followers/posers. Porsche never worried about being trendy(hence the same interior 66-98), they worried about building sporstcars(in the purest sense of the word) and thats what made Porsche special.

enough rambling, its late and i need to study for a marketing final, so i can buy a porsche someday.

uptheorg

WOW! HOW CAN I RESPOND? IT REMINDS ME OF AN OLD BEEGEES TUNE: "I STARTED A THREAD, WHICH STARTED THE WHOLE WORLD TALKING!!"

Seriously, I cannot thank you guys enough. I started this thread less than twenty-four hours ago and am blown away by the responses. Particularly resonant: Wachucko and GrantG -- Thank you. JPS -- your response was practically poetry!

I learned several things from all the posts:

**A seminal experience is usually the thing that hooks you. For me, I
had one the night I was six years old and my Dad brought home a dark
grey Alfa ragtop -- I still remember how it looked lit only by the light
from the garage. It wasn't a Porsche and this may be the thing you are
all referring to. I have always loved manual drive convertibles -- that is
the fallout from my experience . . .
**I HAVE GOT TO TAKE MY CAR TO THE TRACK!!!!! (If someone could tell
me where to get info on this, I would be much obliged.)

And TSJOEL and CSERTECH -- you guys have helped me to realize what I am giving to my boys -- they are eleven and twelve. I am now sure they will never forget those first rides in the car -- the huge smiles on their faces as they approached the car, even before they got in, said alot to me. They cannot help but become enthusiasts!

One final note: I will be subscribing to RennList in the next twenty-four hours. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Caveman

I've loved them since I was a kid and saved up to by a Schuco 2.7 RSR rally car model. You have only had it two months and that's coming into winter. Wait until Spring, when you've had it for some time and then let us know how you feel. It takes time to bond... The only problem though is that then you don't ever want to give it up!

Cheers,

David

Surj-993C2S

First of all - enough of all this Z3 bashing - its not a comparable car to the 993 but for many it is the pinnacle of motoring and it is a lot of fun.

Thing is, the word 'fun' gets re-written once you get a 993

Actually, uptheorg, I kind of know what you mean; I went from a Z3 M Coupe to my 993 and initially was taken aback by the 'old school' feel and look inside, I'd always wanted one but wasn't sure if I 'got it'.

But then I started to change the way I drove the car (you have to from a Z3 but then I think you have to coming from almost any other car - bar an original beetle !! of which I've had 3) and the car started to make sense to me, I found that taking corners in a different way resulted in my speeds thru them to be quicker with the car moving just the way I expected it to.

Glancing back at the car (I do every time) as I walk away always brings goosebumps to the back of my neck along with the feeling of being one lucky SOB!!

So dont worry, spend as much time with the car as you can and it'll come to you - you'll get it (hanging around here definitely helps too ).

But if you dont - c'est la vie