First time I was in a 911 was in 1997 or 1998 in my father's '97 Ocean Blue 993 with the motor sound package. It was beautiful and, to this day, my favorite sounding Porsche. He knew I loved Porsches, but he never let me drive it. He later leased a brand new 996 in 1999 which he let me drive twice. The first time I drove that car not long before he returned it to the dealer, I was nervous and didn't drive it that well even though I drive stick very well. He didn't let me drive it again for a second time until he was caught in a jam. He owns a transport company. All of his cars and trucks were busy but he needed one more car on the road. My car was at the dealer for service so he let me take his 996 to do a few deliveries for a big client. It always hurt me that he never let me drive his Porsches. It was part of the motivation I need to get through undergrad and law school to buy my own toys. I owned a 1987 911 cabriolet and a 2001 996 Carrera and currently own a 2010 997 Carrera. If I have kids, I can't imagine not letting my son or daughter drive whatever Porsche I have if either of them want to.

 

I walked into a dealer looking to configure a Cayman; a day later I left with a 2007 Guards Red Targa 4S, then traded that towards a TT of the same year, then traded the TT towards a new Benz, now I am in need yet again of either another Targa or another TT.....which ever comes first

 

I was 10 years old back in 1986. After school I would go over to a friends house to play Nintendo. In the garage there was a tiny car always under a cover. Growing up we had a conversion van and a Jeep Cherokee that would sit in the driveway. So I knew my friends dad had something special there, worth keeping under a cover even! One day his dad was home and I asked about the car. We went out to the garage and he pulled the cover off what I now realize was a 85 or 86 Carrera. Guards red with black leather interior. Got to sit in it. Probably the first car I'd ever been in with leather. Didn't get a ride but from that point on I knew the 911 was something special. Only cool dads had them!

 

first time… hmm i became an aftersales guy fr a porsche dealership.. hows that for a first time. its like being divirginized by being thrown in into a beauty pageant where you can do anything all you want…first time was a bit dull as the 911's were all over the place; i hope the op does not mind my most memorable ones were first time in a 993 gt2. it was a WOW..succeeding ones were GT2 996 that would wiggle its rear accelerating from 100kph in the rain… seeing the first carrera gt as it was unloaded from the cargo trailer and of course driving my first 911…997.2 carrera s…its really something else when you own it.

 

My first Porsche experience was in a friend's 1973 911 T. He'd prepped it for the track, with lowered suspension, lightweight flywheel, and countless other modifications. Barely street legal. He took me out for a ride and I was amazed at how alive it felt, its ability to effortlessly accelerate. He asked, no insisted, that I drive it. From the driver's seat it was a daunting prospect: floor-hinged pedals, no power steering, no servo assistance on the brakes, easy to stall with its lightweight flywheel. Just getting it moving was a challenge, but I pulled it off. Almost immediately I had to take a left turn, so I powered it through the corner, The car started to spin, so I instinctively lifted and we completed a 360. No damage done, and my friend was laughing. When I reached the highway, the feedback from the steering and the instant response to the gas pedal was unlike anything I'd experienced before. I swear I could feel every imperfection on the road. I walked away impressed, but the tail happy reputation of the 911 was confirmed. Many years later, my fascination with Japanese cars abated and my friend's perennial question "Have you got a 911 yet?" started me thinking. I didn't want a car that would spin as soon as you turned the steering wheel, so I started looking for a nicely equipped, and better balanced, Cayman S to compensate for my lack of skill. None of them had PASM, which I wanted, but for a little more money I could get a slightly older Carrera S with PASM as standard and more power. My wife was unconvinced...until we test drove one. We both immediately understood that there is no substitute! As we were talking to the dealer a white Carrera drove past with black wheels and we abandoned the idea of the silver 911 we were looking at and started the search for that color combination. We found Moby shortly afterwards.

I was fortunate to have the pleasure of being reacquainted with an early 911 when rennlister david recently took me out in his 1980 SC Targa. I got to appreciate how alive the the car felt, and how it well it handled in far more capable hands than mine! And that's the appeal of the 911, it's a car you have to learn to master and it rewards you as you do in a way that no other car does.

The only "problem" is that Moby has spoiled us for any other car. My wife is looking for a new car and we test drove an Audi S4 and various BMW 3 and 4 series. Perfectly fine cars, unless you've driven a Porsche, and so the search continues...

 

Drove my partner's 930 Turbo on I40 through Winston Salem in 1983. OMG!

 

This thread has really turned into something special. I have been sitting back just reading all of your stories and really enjoying them! Thanks for posting

John

 

Always wanted a 911 from early on. 2 years ago, I walked into a dealership to test drive a 997 and ended up buying a different one on the same day from a different dealership.

 

I'm sometimes loathe to share personal experiences on the internets but I think a lot of people in this thread and on this forum will simply get it.

It's odd. All the cars I end up falling in love with and keeping I end up forming a personal connection with. So this isn't my first experience in a 911 but it is the defining experience and it happens to be in the car I just purchased. This car became extremely special within a few hours of ownership. I had test driven a few cars and they where great but they where not the one. The PDK car didn't grind my gears and the other tastefully modified vehicle that I test drove wasn't modified to my taste.

I flew out to Monterey on a Saturday morning with the intent of purchasing the car. I had high hopes but relatively low expectations because I'm a huge stickler when it comes to the cosmetics. I saw this car in person and it was in better then quoted condition. Not a paint swirl, ding or leather crease to be found. Couldn't believe it. Done deal. I took the car out of Monterey onto the PCH and as I started heading into Big Sur I found myself behind a yellow Lotus. Ahead of the both of us was what would best be described as a blockade of RV's. After several miles the RV blockade started to dwindle as they made various turn offs to see the sites and all of a sudden we where free and clear. I realized very quickly I wasn't pushing the car anywhere near to it's limits and in fact the Lotus was probably holding me back. It didn't matter. New car, PCH, Big Sur...I was just happy to be there. At some point through the run behind the Lotus it struck me that the last time I was on this highway was in the back of a 87 Ford Taurus on family vacation some 22 years ago. Despite living in LA for the last 2.5 years I just never got the chance to drive this road again. The memories literally brought a tear to my eye and the car quickly became very special.

My wife called me in the car a while later and asked how it was going. - "I'm on the PCH in a f****** 911" She knew from the tone of my voice that the car was going to be a keeper.

 

In the service I was into vetts, 67 390, 427 vert.
Came back to NJ had damage from a deer hit, redone, added a removable hard top, she was pristine.
Took a girl out on a date, she kepit saying, "let, me drive, let me drive"
She hit a parking meter, wiped out the front end.
Went to Reedman Motors, for those of you from the NJ, PA area.
Uncle Izzy fixed me up with a New 70 XKE vert.
Beautiful, it died in NJ inspection Station, a week later.
Finally got it back (this was definitely a Monday or. Friday car)
Other things broke, finally took to a caddy dealer and traded for a new 70 coupe deville.
Got married in late 70 and gave the Caddy to my Dad, and bought a Fiat 850 spider, with the wedding money.
BMW was unloading their 2800 and 2600 models and I went to get a deal, no dice all gone so I ordered a 71 Bavaria.
Never came in and we went on our honeymoon in the Fiat, BIG mistake! to Colorado and back.
Got back and called dealer, where's my car?
Response, I don't know, call importer Max Hoffman.
I called. Max, where's my car, it's been over a month?
Response" it'll get here when it does, wait or buy something else" and he hung up on me!
Off to the Audi/Porsche we go, this again is in 71, to look at Audi's.
Salesman says have you driven a 911, to which I say no.
Off we go, getting on a circular on ramp he says floor it, I say what and give it a little gas, He says FLOOR IT!
I did and I bought my first 911T, that day.
5 911's later, 43 years in PCA, and lovin every minute.
Hope you find this entertaining :- )
PS the dealership was Holberts, when both AL and his dad were there!

 

Larytrk (et al): Entertaining to say the least!

Growing up in LA during the 60s/70s put Porsches squarely into my field of driving vision, and aural senses, and as luck would have it, my best friend's father was into the marque so I was hauled around in the family's first 911, a green '68T (with S trim), and then an ivory '72.5S, anthrocite '78 SC w/teatray spoiler and then a gray '79 930.

The S and the SC were the ones that I got to frequently pilot; the 930 was pretty much off-limits although I got a bit of left seat time, but hardly enough!

Driving either one up Calneva in Encino was so much fun...let alone having Mulholland and many loops to PCH and back with the 405 and US 101 just a few miles away!

I can't put my hands on any of the pics right now except one in which the S was sitting in the Main Lodge parking lot at Mammoth Mt. We often went to ski for the day!!!

Good times and the addiction continues...

 

In 1975 I was a rookie cop in Miami and spotted a 911E for sale in my patrol zone. I want to say the asking price was $5000, not sure of that. Went home to try to talk my wife into the purchase, somehow she talked me into buying her a 1971 Corvette instead and the hopes of a 911 purchase died. My desire for 911 stayed with me through three kids, six moves, several mini vans, SUV`s, two VW Bugs and a Mercury.

Two years ago we went shopping for a new Corvette for her, she insisted that this time I buy myself a 911 instead. Worth the wait!

 

In high school my dentist had a new 911 and I was in love with it. I begged him to let me drive it, but he was too smart for that

My first year of college I totaled my Mustang and found a nice 924 for sale. Knowing that my dad wouldn't approve, I put a small deposit on it and went to work on my grandfather for a loan, which he agreed to. Alas, before the deal was done my dad found out and killed it (and nearly me!)

22 years later I drove a 911 (930) for the first time when I flew to Florida to pick it up. Glorious! When I took my dad for a ride he smirked at me and said "you finally got your Porsche". I about lost it laughing. I had completely forgotten about the 924 debacle.

Shortly after that I bought a tired SC cab and spent three years restoring it. With the addition of the 997.2 cab last year I decided to free up some garage space and just sold the SC last week. Great car though, I'll miss it.

I'd say I'm hooked on Porsche pretty good. My dream car was always a Ferrari, but now that I've driven both and could have both, it's 911's for me.

 

In the 90's when I was in high school, my father's friend brought over a maroon red 993 turbo, he was extremely excited but I just thought, "meh" I rather have a Nissan Z car, I thought it was just plain ugly, ugly headlights, ugly huge tail. I didn't understand all that excitement until 6 or 7 years ago, when I drove my uncle's 964 for two days, from Seattle to Vancouver and back. I fell in love with the drive. I became a Porsche fan and brought one for myself two years later. My uncle has always been a fan of Porsche, he currently owns a 996 GT2.

 

Drove one of my friends 82 carrera. Hard Koni's and a half cage. I'm sure it was a great track car. But too stiff for city streets. And my man ***** hurt. My boss is a Carrera nut. Drove his a number of time. He had 2 aircooled. never really liked the driving position of the peddle in the floor. Drove his 997, now this is a car that I could live with. A real car that you could put miles on. So at his next trade in time. I bought it. 2o,ooo kms later. I still love the car. Even don't mind the servicing costs, and learning to do some of the smaller stuff.