Steve 96C4S

So I moved into this neighborhood 4 years ago and was the only person who owned a Porsche anywhere near me. Last year a new neighbor moves in behind me and has a 996 or 997 Convertible (can't remember which year and I don't see it much as it's in his garage most of the time), Triple Black. He's from Germany, a nice guy and his car sounds awesome. He moved in just about the time I was going through a tough divorce and was seriously thinking I'd have to sell my 993 to stay afloat and keep my house.

I was really depressed thinking I'd lose my car and then have to see and hear his car every day. Then, things just kind of worked out in that I got to keep both my cars, the house and everything in it. I gave her a sh*t load of money to buy her out of everything, mostly in a 401k Quadro transfer so my net wealth went down significantly but my style of living each day didn't change much at all (other than being a bit frugal when I eat out for dinner and I stay at cheaper places when I travel, and travel less).

My other neighbor right next to me is a car guy (he has an 05 BMW X5 and his wife an 05 645ci) and has owned a Viper, Late 60's Camaro muscle car in as new shape and a bunch of other "car guy" cars in the past. 2 years ago he sold an 88 911 in White/black interior for his buddy that was literally a perfect car.

He had it for a month in the garage before he sold it and we both lusted over it. Everything was updated in it with new everything if it was only slightly worn, and it had very low mileage. The guy that bought it took it to the very next Rennlist Meet and Drive. It was fun to see him enjoy his car as much as we did. He even came out to eat with us and his wife.

The same buddy of his is now selling his 03 996TT X50 package with 22k miles and my neighbor offered to help him sell this as well. He asked me what he should list it for and I came up with $54799, $200 less than a similarly equipped lowest priced car on cars.com that had similar mileage.

He walks over to my garage today as I just got home and says "Guess what"? I bought the car. He said "Guess how much?" I said... "47500?" He said $44k. Sweet. He asked where the next Rennlist Meet and Drive is and I mentioned it's 4/22/12 in Rockville. He came once with his wife to check out the cars we drove there. He caught the bug.

It's neat to go from having no neighbors with a Porsche nearby to have my 2 next door neighbors now having one. He said he might sell it at the end of the summer as it's not really his style, looks-wise, but the car is totally mint condition. If there were marks of any kind in the interior, the owner simply bought a replacement part to make it new looking again. Pretty obsessive dude and a perfect guy to buy a used car from.

As my neighbor was walking away telling me how excited he is about it, he said "It's all because of you". That made me chuckle and put a big smile on my face.

The seller lives in Johnstown PA and there's snow coming down today and all sorts of little rocks on the road from previous sand and salt trucks so he doesn't want to drive it down just yet. He'll have it within a month though.

Did you ever have a friend, neighbor or workmate buy a Porsche and say that it was basically "because of you" and your passion for Porsches?

Cheers,
Steve

PS - G*d I love my car! The good news is that my job has gotten a lot better - I'm #1 in my division of 75 sales reps 2 months in a row now so money isn't such a stressor as it was a year ago. I don't have to worry about selling my 993 anytime soon. Yeah!!!

That's a sad feeling when that cloud is hanging over of economic disaster. Not saying this will last forever, but I'm enjoying the ease of financial pressure when I look at my checkbook lately.



This isn't the actual car he got, but it's the same color combo, model and year. I've seen worse looking cars for $44k. Yeah, it's not my style, but it's still a fairly cool car for a great price.

RollingArt

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Yeah, my good friend just bought a 997 just like mine and totally blames me. Says he didn't really care for Porsches until he started hanging around mine.


That 996 turbo is a TON of car for the money. $44,000? What a steal!
Has to be the biggest bargain going today in the used Porsche market.







Phil

certz

That really is a steal. It is funny how we lead or friends/neighbors astray My boss bought a 2012 911 Black Edition because of me. He had been looking at Corvettes until I showed him the light.

P-daddy

This Porsche thing is a disease....one I didn't mind catching. Hey Steve, must be old pic. Where's the front plate?

gomarlins3

Nice job on getting another owner.

ABCar

Steve
The best part of your story is that you are doing great in your work. There is no way to enjoy anything you cannot afford. (Have been there before, yuck!)
It is cool that your enthusiasm is contageous too...it is so much more fun to SHARE the excitement with those who "get it".
Congrats, and good story.

race911

Sure. Many guys used to come by my shop, or later my house when I was working on lots of 911s as I went to law school, and I'd give them the what's what. Total of that is probably 10 cars.

But more personal, both of my lifelong friends (since age 5, and we're all turned/turning 50 this year). I got my first 911 when I'd just turned 18. My one friend found a 914 maybe a month later. Then he flipped that and a little cash for a '67 911. I've probably found him 4 or 5 other 911s to own here and there over the years.

My other longtime friend finally got a 911 when he was about 30. (Die hard Z car guy, and BMW CS Coupe, to that point. And still is.) Has had at least one 911 since, and pretty much financed the 910 project of my cousin.

And of course my cousin. Weren't close growing up with a ~5 year age difference. But when he was 16 I took him for a ride in my then converted to widebody IROC/RSR '68, and he was hooked. Picked him up the '73 that he made into an RS about 4 years later, which I subsequently bought, and now looks like we'll co-own with the pending 3.4L car purchase that will donate the driveline and suspension to make up a neat early car. (Was up at his place today--3 910 frames under construction!)

Rinty

Hey, Steve, I always enjoy your long posts. Good to see that things are looking up for you. Certainly, the economic numbers in the U.S. are looking better these days.

Met any interesting ladies, lately?

I also have a bunch of great gearhead neighbours, with interesting machines.

Steve 96C4S

Thanks. By the way, my neighbor with the 911 Convertible just pulled out of the driveway. Apparently it's a C4S Triple Black Convertible with black wheels. Kind of a hot car. Still haven't seen the front lights so I don't know if it's a 997 or 996. I rarely see this guy, doesn't seem to be home much.

I've met a lot of interesting ladies lately but no one has become my driving partner. To spell it out a bit more, haven't met anyone I'm serious with yet.

Ok, to clarify it even more, I haven't met anyone in many months that I've had mutual chemistry with. So there. Maybe sometime soon.

In the meantime, I've having fun not having to fork out 1/2 my paycheck to someone that wants to buy more ultra expensive ($1200-2000) handbags even though they already have 20+ already. Woo hoo, being single has it's economic benefits (she never worked the whole time we were married).

Ed Hughes

Glad to hear things are looking up!

Steve 96C4S

Thanks. Things are looking up even more than they were a few hours ago. My new neighbor was coming home in his 2006 997 C4S Cab as I was clay-barring my BMW for the first time so he walked over to see what was up. It was a total PITA to clean it, clay bar it, then put on 2 coats of Zymol (he let me use his Zymol - I've never used it before). 3 hours of hell but it looks killer now, like new.

So he asked about 993's and more specifically 993 TT's. He asked how it drove so I offered him the keys. He smiled really wide and said OK! He drove it for a while and couldn't stop commenting on the clutch and how different it was in my car.

Then he offered me his. WOWEE! Never drove a 997, let alone a 997 cab. I took it out and immediately stalled it outside my garage. I got the hang of it and we took it out on the real roads (as opposed to piddling around my neighborhood at 20 miles an hour as he did in my car). Wow, I LOVED this car. The acceleration, the cool in dash Nav, the short shifter that's standard, the high back body hugging sport seats though the clutch was VERY different than mine, of course.

I could definitely seeing myself owning a car like this one day, but when I got in the garage and saw my old 993, glimmering in the light, I couldn't help think that I prefer the older body style of my car for it's classic look.

The interior of the new car totally rocked. They both are excellent machines in the end. When he put the top down as we were going 35 mph or so, I was blown. Love this newer 997. Can't afford one anyway so it's nothing I need to even be thinking about.

Rinty

I've wanted to try a 997 for some time, and it looks like the opportunity has finally come, as a client of mine just bought a black on black 2007 Turbo, and wants me to try it.

I told him I'd come over with the 993 and we'd swap rides.

This should be fun.

I'd bet this has something to do with the electronic throttle. My Subaru has one, and it's really touchy. Then again, our 993s, with their millstone flywheels, can be bogged off the line at idle.

porsita

My buddy bought a GT3 because he saw and heard me on the Porsche all the time, so one day the clutch won over the Gucci flip flops that tore in half and he sold it for a Maserati.....there you have it