fpena944

My father is a gearhead and tried to get me into cars. I had no interest in them though until I moved to Germany during my sophomore year in high school. A neighbor of ours had a car I had never seen before and looked unique and sporty. I used to stare at it for what felt like days so I started doing research to find out what it was. It ended up being a 924 Carerra which looked more like an aggressive 944 with hood scoops and bodywork.

At that point I started studying the brand more and found the car I really wanted. It was a 944 S2 Cabrio. I did have a job then but was making about $7/hour. With a list price of $55k+ I was constantly doing the math so see how much more I had to work and save up to buy one. My friends and I would be at the German Porsche dealers all the time looking at these cars, I even forced my parents to drive by the factory on our way to Austria/Switzerland during vacation.

Eventually I got into VWs and sort of gave up on the Porsche dream for a while. I still was interested but they just seemed unattainable...

I was in Manhattan during 9/11 and it made quite an impact on me. At that point I had the means and I thought, why not? So I started on a quest to find the car I wanted in High School. I finally got it after months of searching and kept that car from February 2002 until just three months ago.

I'm a fan for life of these cars now!

fpb111

My story was a little different. I was a late convert to the Porsche cult. I always loved sports cars but not necessarily Porsche.

Initially I was a 15 year old Jaguar guy working a 125 customer paper route to pay my Grandmother back the princely sum of $275 that I borrowed for a (non running) 1956 XK140MC Roadster. I subsequently went through a series of Jags.
Then I was smitten with a member of the opposite sex got married and had to sell my 1962 XKE and all of my Nortons to raise a home down payment. (Told you I was SMITTEN)
After a couple of years living the American dream and crying in my beer, often, due to the lack of a sports car. I needed to replace my 250K mi 1972 Mercury Capri. I went to a used car lot to look at Dodge Omni/Horizon, so sad.
Lucky for me there was a 1970 911S in the back of the lot slated for the Auto Auction because they could not get it through NJ inspection. It was a beautiful creamy yellow in very good shape. I liked it and could hear it crying “SAVE ME” so I bought it immediately for $6k and used it as my everyday car for the next 9 years. It got me involved with the PCA and the slippery slope of track events. I bought a 1972T and built an “R Gruppe” car for the track and ran that for 17 years.
Due to health problems I sold my 1972 and all track related equipment. I was totally depressed. So we bought a 2003 996 Cab to enjoy as a street car. When folks ask how me the 996 compares to my older 911, I say it is just like a big comfortable Buick, a really fast comfortable Buick that sticks like glue.

I have since received a new kidney and as I get things back together I am itching to build another track oriented 911, maybe a 1999 coupe?

That 911S turned me into a raving Porsche lunatic and introduced us to the widely diverse and interesting Porsche Cult of America (PCA) community. So while we were a little late to the party I would say that Porsche has had a profound effect on our family.

nycebo

I was driven home from the hospital after I was born in my dad's Porsche 911S. He's had Porsches every day of my life. It's in my bones. Got my first Pcar in 2000 and haven't looked back since.

FunkyJunk

Same with me. I'm 39 now, but my father has always had (and continues to have) a 911 of some sort. The one he still has right now is the one he bought back in 1982 - a special-color 911SC with turbo tail that he picked up at the factory.

I don't have my 911 yet, but I'm looking.

rudy1024

Sad to say my story is a lot less colorful, noble, etc. compared to everyone else's story and is purely an artifact of post-pubescent libido... My interest in Porsches was sparked by an extremely attractive P.E. teacher back in high school... She married well and drove a black 911 Targa to school - not sure if it was her rack and her really (REALLY) long legs (tennis coach) or if it was that car... but whatever happens in a 15 year old's mind, the attraction transferred to the distinctive Carrera shape and I've wanted one (the car) ever since...

Rudy

othomasjr

I knew I wanted one, got one, and 8 months later the motor blew. Will never ever own another.

FunkyJunk

Don't turn our lovefest into a pity party.

Botsy67

My luck came when my Bro-in-law upgraded his '00 996 Cab 3 yrs ago to a '05 997S Cab, he gave me the chance to finally own one. It was a low mileage 28K miles with good options on it including Nav, awesome. I jumped in and now love every minutes of it even if it sits in the garage Cheers,

uberskier

I don't know when I started loving Porsches, but I certainly know that I really fell in love with them when I visited the factory at 15 years old in 1985. I told my parents that they had to take me there. We were staying with family in Schorndorf (about 30km east), which was also the birthplace of Gottlieb Daimler (of Daimler-Benz).

Dennis C

I don't remember ever not wanting a Porsche. I've always loved cars. When I was younger, I couldn't afford a Porsche. My first true sports car was a 1979 Alfa Romeo Spider Veloce. It was a beautiful car, but extraordinarily unreliable. I was forced to sell it after less than a year of ownership. After that came college, marriage, kids, etc. A sports car wouldn't fit into my life. With the kids now at driving age (one driving, on to be driving late this year), I finally got to the point where I can drive a sports car every day. I knew I wanted AWD, and I knew I wanted something a little different. I live in GM country, so most people's view of a sports car is a Corvette.

I've loved every minute that I've owned the C4S, and I plan to drive Porsches for a long time. I think my wife is even hooked now that she drives the Cayenne every day and rides with me in the C4S whenever we go anywhere. Once you get it in your blood, it's hard to shake!

Rob in WA

My Mom had a red 928 when I was growing up that got me interested in Porsches. When I was 18 I bought an MR2 and thought it was the coolest car ever. Then my sister got a 911 and let me drive it. That was it. I got my Targa when I was 23 for $19k. Ten years later I ordered my 996.

medtech

I've always loved muscle cars and sports cars.

My first car was a '68 Fastback.

To be honest, I spent most of my life under the assumption that they wouldn't even let an average person like me INTO to the Porsche dealership. I dunno, I guess I figured they did a credit test at the door, bouncers/security and the whole deal. "Sorry sir, the Mazda dealership is down the street."

Anyway, on my birthday about 3 yrs ago I decided to go "look" at cars. I sat in a few used ones that the dealer had and I couldn't believe they made cars THIS nice. The guy took me for a test drive in a Black Boxster S, and I was HOOKED! That was the best impulse buy of my entire life.

Now I've owned 4, and can't stand driving anything else.

909punk

When my parents bought me a $1200 81 924 for my graduation a long time ago..

Dave!

I knew I wanted one when I saw one in need for speed 2: hot pursuit... I think. It was the GT2 and it just looked so damn incredible. After that I was hooked on Porsches.

I did hit some other kid who's going to be posting here 20 years from now--I was cruising in the right lane when some SUV with a 10-12 year old boy in the backseat started crawling along next to me. I saw him looking at me so I hit the gas when they were past me...his jaw hit the floor and he just plastered his face to the window. Yep, he's hooked too.

Steven B

I've loved sports cars since I was a kid and soaked up every issue of Car & Driver since it began. Once in college, I supported my car habit by working in my friend's British repair shop. Began with 2 turbo Corvairs, but wanted more "feel" and better handling, so began looking for a "real" sports car.

The bug hit when I drove a 356. I absolutely loved the feel of being connected to the road with steering that relayed every pebble in the road. Unfortunately, the car had rust and bondo everywhere, and I had to pass. Ended up with a series of MGB's and a Healy 3000 (MK 3). The next 8 years saw me being "practical" (wife/kids,etc), but was always looking.

One day my wife and I were driving to pick the kids up from day-care, and my wife spied a Silver 944S on the side of the road with a For Sale sign in the window. She said "Go ahead - look at it!" and I haven't looked back since.

Despite a few non-porsches since that time (Audi, Lexus, M3), There is, for me, "no subsitute," for the feel, handling and sound of a Porsche. Still love it and smile every time I get in the car....