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Took me about 27 years... but the 911 is finally here!
I was around 13 years old when I was playing Porsche Challenge on my PlayStation 1... for the young ones here: that was a game made to introduce the Boxster in the market in 1996/1997. In the game there was a video showing how the car was designed, take a look
That was when I fell in love with Porsche, at that time, the Boxster was the only Porsche I knew, I had never seen a Porsche in real life(I was born and raised in South America, not many rich people there at the time).
Throughout the years and once I got access to the internet (around 14 or 15 years old), I started researching more and learning about the brand history, and as expected, I fell in love with the 911.
I saw the first one in real life around 2003, it was a 996 Carrera S and I thought it was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen!
Then a few years later I watched the 997 commercial with the boy... you know... the best car commercial ever made:
By the way, does anyone have this video in a better quality?
Fast forward a few (many) years later, I moved to Europe when I was 32 and knew that eventually I would get one, but I didn't really start to plan it seriously until I was 38. I had money to buy before, but it was just not a good financial decision at the time, now I had money to spend on a toy.
I wanted a 992, but that was too expensive for me, so I decided to make my younger dream true and get a 997 just like the one from the boy in the commercial.
About a month ago, at the age of 39 and right before the midlife crisis, I got a 2005 997 Carrera S and I can't express how much in love I am!!! It's naturally aspirated, rear-wheel drive with a manual transmission, just like I always wanted. I learned to drive in a manual and all my cars in my first 10 years of driving were manuals, so this one had to be a manual too. I like the turbo wheels, but I would prefer the lobster ones, maybe I'll get that as a winter set.
I followed all the 911 releases since the 996, so I knew exactly what each generation would give me and all the known issues. I'll make another post about this, but I made an extensive preventive service on it to mitigate/prevent the infamous IMS problem, bore scoring and to keep the car in perfect condition.
For the young ones here: Be patient, when your time comes it will feel extra special. I don't come from money, I had never driven a Porsche until I bought this one, I wish I had a camera to record the size of my smile during my first drive, I'll remember that feeling for the rest of my life.
Of course, I would love to have a modern one like a 992 GT3 RS or a Turbo S in the future, but if on the day I die, this had been the only 911 I have ever driven, I would die with a smile on my face
Paraphrasing the 997 commercial: "It's a funny thing about a Porsche, there's the moment you know you want one, there's the moment you first own one and for the truly afflicted, there's the decade or two that passes in between"
Last edited by AndreSilva; 07-19-2024 at 07:07 AM.
Well done, one you had had one you always want to go back to them.
I am on my 4th now over a 25 yr period first one bought when I was 35, every time I got a 911 people said "mid life crisis eh" bought my latest (GTS) last year !
At what age is it not a mid life crisis ?
Congrats ! That old commercial is like a time machine for me. Like it was yesterday, I remember the first time I sat in the left seat of a new 356. 70 years later, I am as excited every time I turn the key. “Truly afflicted” - guilty as charged. The kids are born & grown, the roommates have come & gone. The single constant in my journey has been the P-car :-) It’s been a great run!
Congrats on achieving a lifetime dream!! It’s a pretty good feeling!! I can tell by the length of the post and the story therein how much it means to you. May it bring you thousands upon thousands of smiles per gallon!!
Such a fun story to hear. I’ve owned quite a few 911s and still remember the feeling of the first few drives in my first 911, as well as my first Porsche, a Cayman S.
enjoy it to the fullest and remember its not really the car itself that matters most, it’s the experiences you create for yourself and your loved ones with it. Take those drives. Take the roads less travelled.
I have a similar story. Back in the mid-70s, one of my neighbors had a '72 911S and I loved that car. I think the color was called eggplant, which was a dark purple. I always told him if he ever sold it I was interested. Well, he came to me one day and said it's for sale. He wanted $12K, which was a LOT of money to me back then. Unfortunately, I had to pass but I vowed that someday I would own a 911. Fast forward to 2020 and I decided that I would try to find one and buy it for my 65th birthday present to myself. I figured it was now or never. I found a 2006 C2S that was for sale from the original owner. It had 52,000 miles on it. I bought it. Like the OP, I have a grin on my face every time I drive it. I live in the mountains so every drive is a "spirited" drive on some amazing roads.