I am a first time Porsche owner and absolutely love my car. My heart says I want to have this car as my fun weekend sports car for the next 20 years (akin to my Dad's 69 XKE he has owned for 25 years) but I realize the hedonic treadmill is all powerful and at some point (2 years? 5? 10?) I might just fall in love with the newest, fastest, "gotta have" model. Just wanted to get a sampling from guys like Edgy (Dan) who have driven Porsche's longer than I have been alive (ha ha) on reasons why/when they traded up to the latest model. Is it the desire to always have the best available technology from Porsche? Do you ever miss that (fill-in-the blank 911 SC, 964, 993, etc) you traded in back in the day? Any ramblings would be appreciated.

Ken

 

Just check out the signatures on a lot of the posters. There are a lot of "dearly missed" cars mentioned. I miss my '84 Targa, should have kept it but couldn't afford to. The fact is that even older Porsches can put a huge smile on your face.

 

Some of the classic cars are definitely so great they can be kept forever, for recent examples are the Original 996 GT3 MK1, which were ALL handbuilt from C4 shells (if i recall correctly).

The 996GT3/RS and 997RS are all highly desireable, the 997 base GT3 has been softened a bit and we will see the effect in the residuals. Both are great cars though.

I think any GT3/2 Turbo Car is probably something that one can live with for a LONG time without being tempted to the newest model.

 

Great question Ken. Lately...I've been wondering that very same thing myself!!!

I haven't owned as many as some here have, I've owned about 7 (since my first in '82).

The last one was in '03. It was an '89 Targa, red/tan, very very low miles...a really honest car. I bought it from the owner who bought it new (a surgeon), it had Excellent records. Exactly what I had been lookin' for. I thought I'd own it the rest of my life. I sold it in less than 2 years.

Why? I think for me, I get tired of driving these cars on the street. The fun of driving on the street, well, that just goes so far, then it's like "well, now what?" So, I end up selling it, because I do not track it.

After a time without a Porsche...the that "I miss having a Porsche" feeling comes back, and I go buy another one. Now...I've got an '06 911S. FANTASTIC car! I love it. When I bought the car, I'm thinking..."I'll never need another Porsche" (again). So, we will shall see how it goes.

Specifically to your question thought...I cannot ever remember selling a Porsche because I wanted to "Trade-up" and get a better one. I've loved them all enough to keep every single one of the for a life-time, but that life-time never seems to last for more than 2 years max.

Anyway...I'm interested in seeing why others have sold their porsches along the way also. It's really is kinda weird.

But again, the last one I sold, I CLEARLY remember just looking at it one day in my garage and thinking...
"What good is it if you're not going to track it?" Within 3-4 weeks, it was gone.

Anyway...long post

 

One more thing..

I am not the kind of guy that "goes through things" either. My current pick-up truck I bought it new in '92. With NO plans to EVER sell (I'm just not gettin' my money back on it!!!)

Lived in the same house 20 years.

Harley...owned for 10 years. It's just not my style to "move my stuff around". But, I do p-cars

 

I had a '95 993 which I sold to a friend when taking an overseas assignment.
He didn't want to sell back to me 2 years later upon my return (I offered the same price).
Would've loved to get the same car back and would've driven it until it became too unreliable or uncomfortable for my needs.

That said, I couldn't be happier than my replacement....a new 997S - despite the $60K premium and hefty depreciation I'll enjoy.

 

Compared to many on the Rennlist, I rarely move from car to car. I started driving 911s in 1976, with a 1977 911S. Worse Porsche I ever had. The magnesium case on the engine caused it to loosen up all the time, along with the potential of airbox-destroying backfires of the CIS injection system. I was happy to trade it away toward a 1981 911SC that had been turbocharged. It was unbelievable with the amount of power it could put down. Handling was a little tricky as with all early 911s. I would have liked to have owned a 993 when they first came out but now avoid them as they are getting up in years and will need more time on them than I want to spend. I have never been a fan of the 996. The styling was such a compromise that it appear to be designed by a committee. When the 997 came out I knew this was one to buy. The looks had me immediately that I knew I had to order one,--without even test driving one first. I knew from over 30 years of Porsche driving that I could count on Porsche to make a winner, and they did. Occasionally I have the opportunity to drive a 964 coupe and I have to say it's more like a 'real 911' but I don't really want to work that hard. I appreciate that the 997 makes us all look like really good drivers. The combination of seriously wide tires and Porsche's suspension management have come together to create a first rate performance car. While in Europe I had the opportunity on many occasions to run it up into super-car terrritory (around 180 mph) and I felt very secure with what the 997 can do.

There's a reason many of us give the following advice to people: Buy the newest Porsche 911 you can afford. With each year, Porsche has done something to make the newer ones better than ever. These days the 911 is so refined that I would say that an 06 is the same as an 07 or an 08. Many years ago the differences between one year and the next were substantial. That's not the case today.

 

I recall my first Porsche purchase.

I was standing on the dealer lot looking at two cars parked side by side. One was a 1998 Ocean Blue 993 C2S's and the other was one of the first (and I mean very first - 6/98 build date) 1999 996's. I was of the mind set at that young and fortunate age (incorrectly it turns out), that one needs to have a brand new car to fully experience the pride and engineering excellence of Porsche ownership to the fullest extent. God I wish I had chosen that 993....

Well....the 996 was a disaster. Even Porsche agreed. Two years and 20+K miles later, they proactively bought the car back, and put me in a fully loaded 2001 996 (in Slate Grey to boot). Incredible customer service and the car was night and day better and a great car in general. BUT - I somehow felt as though I had missed out on an entire generation of Porsche technology, what it meant to own & experience a technology that had been evolved for 40 years. Granted the newest cars were more comfortable, a lot more capable and technically "improved" in a lot of ways,....but they will always be there, the first generation won't be.

I proceeded to go back and less than 5 years later had experienced ownership of a 1980 SC Coupe, 1987 Carrera Coupe and my current overall favorite, my beloved 1997 993. All fantastic cars with a charm and soul that can't be compared. And am blessed through my current and previous business, to enjoy lots of seat time in the current 997, TT and GT3 not to mention our Monster 997 3.8 X-51 equipped Cayman S (sorry Boxster & Cayenne....you are just not for me).

Summary? I'm not sure I have one other than to say I love all of them. Drive as many examples as you can and your gut will help you hone in on the one that is best suited for your intended use. If buying anything other than new, it is critical to pay for a pre purchase inspection by a qualified Porsche tech. You already know about this great resource!!

For me, If money is no object, 997 GT3. Daily driver 997/997S. All weather C4S. But for the same money, I'd take a 993 over the 996 but that's just my opinion.

Hope this helps.

- Jordan

 

Excellent question! I'll admit I think the same thing myself. I'm on my first Porsche, though I do have some familiarity with the marque through my father, who owned a 1973 911 and then later a 1986 911. I drove both of those up and down the East Coast, several times to just Vermont, and those experiences really put an impression in my mind. This was all when I was in college and grad school, a bit younger... I've never been a car person- I don't get excited looking at engines, reciting specs on HP or 0-60 times, and whether X component is made from composite Y material means nothing to me. But I really enjoyed driving those 911s, and I really enjoy driving my current ride. I bought the car for the experience it gives me.

I've always been one to like to buy nice things, and then hold on to them for a long time. I can easily see myself in this car for 10 years or more or even 20 years. But you never know- I might want to do a Euro Delivery (which from Edgy's descriptions seems to be a "must do before you die"), and might not have room for a 997 and a 998 or whatever. So I might upgrade sooner just for the sake of the Euro delivery.

I think the biggest factor for me, though, will be reliability. In 10 years, will I be willing to go on a weekend road trip, or will I be worried that the car will break down on a remote mountain pass in West Virginia? (I'm less tolerant of this in my 30's than when I was in college, and will certainly be less tolerant when I am in my 40's.) I think as long as the car treats me reasonably well, I will keep it.

 

Yes I miss all of the 930 turbos I've been blessed to have owned "back in the day".

 

I tend to buy a new Porsche when the technology improves significantly. I loved my 964 and 6 years later my 993. I recall them all fondly but by and large Porsche keeps making these cars better and I fall in love with the "new and improved" version. I guess I am a Porsche ****

 

I think this is a legitimate question for everyone that owns a modern Porsche. Why did we buy a 997, when we could have purchased a 996, 993, 964, etc.? What drew us all to the 997?

I think you answered your own question in your post. I debated most closely the 993 and 997 and did not consider the 996. Warranty is another "comfort zone" issue -- to know that for 4 years I won't have to worry about anything. The current balance between sport, feel, and technology is pretty good in the 997. I do wish I could have gotten it without PCM or electronic climate control. To me this is a sports car, not a luxury cruiser. Take away the cup holders!

We have 2 teens at home (1 in HS, 1 in College) and so we have an extra car here. Once the garage space is empty, I have a feeling a 993 or maybe even a 964T will end up in the garage. A little Old with a little New. Then again, the New may become something different, like a Mark 2 GT3 (once I don't need the back seat - passenger side only for my daughter).

 

Probably the only thing where we all agree on this board

 

Dan, my apologies, you were not driving Porsche's before I was born. I was 2.

Hope to be driving them as long as you...

 

This is my first Porsche. As I learn more about these cars I tend to be more impressed with original owners that still have their car, compared to someone that buys what's on the showroom floor. Most of us can afford the latest 997 GT3 RSR or whatever is on the floor, but it takes a real love to hold onto a car for years. There's a guy that lives near my neighbourhood. He is the original owner of a '72 911, drives it everyday, and it looks great. May not be the greatest Porsche ever built, but how many people can say that they have owned and driven the same car for the last 35 years.