Spokes

I have just finished reading a lot on driverless car development. The prediction is somewhere between 2025-2030. With several prior-steps including: partial automation, platooning, auto valet parking, and shared driverless vehicles.

So, this bullish market on air-cooled Porsches maybe at sometime face a disruptive technology that will change our values. Up or down is the question.

nzskater

I'm picturing a small number of fiercely independent old bastards traveling along the highway, manoeuvring amongst the vapid, soulless modern carriages as they meander out of the city, passengers oblivious to the others around them but for the occasional child, face planted to the window looking bewildered as a group of noisy petrol driven 911 roar past.

pcarplayer

Thanks fellas. Appreciate the offer. The weathers looking a bit sketchy on Saturday though no doubt will be fine in patches. I might stick to what i have for the moment unless the forecast improves slightly. At the very least it will give me a chance to test the changes i've made in isolation from new tires

Of course i may change my mind in the next hour

Spokes

So true & sad, made me laugh out loud.

mikey_audiogeek

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Barchetta

My uncle has a country place
That no one knows about
He says it used to be a farm
Before the Motor Law
And on Sundays I elude the eyes
And hop the Turbine Freight
To far outside the Wire
Where my white-haired uncle waits

Jump to the ground
As the Turbo slows to cross the borderline
Run like the wind
As excitement shivers up and down my spine
Down in his barn
My uncle preserved for me an old machine
For fifty odd years
To keep it as new has been his dearest dream

I strip away the old debris
That hides a shining car
A brilliant red Barchetta
From a better vanished time
I fire up the willing engine
Responding with a roar
Tires spitting gravel
I commit my weekly crime

Wind
In my hair
Shifting and drifting
Mechanical music
Adrenaline surge...

Well-weathered leather
Hot metal and oil
The scented country air
Sunlight on chrome
The blur of the landscape
Every nerve aware

Suddenly ahead of me
Across the mountainside
A gleaming alloy air car
Shoots towards me, two lanes wide
I spin around with shrieking tires
To run the deadly race
Go screaming through the valley
As another joins the chase

Drive like the wind
Straining the limits of machine and man
Laughing out loud with fear and hope
I've got a desperate plan
At the one-lane bridge
I leave the giants stranded at the riverside
Race back to the farm
To dream with my uncle at the fireside

pcarplayer

And by that point only said old bastards will be willing to pay the $50/litre for fossil fuels. RSG meeting's will be limited to single session events at the track (possibly in a co-op arrangement and/or for those that are willing to pay the equity share in track X) or coffee runs to where ever the highest concentration of owners store their cars.

shiraz

Originally Posted by nzskater View Post
I'm picturing a small number of fiercely independent old bastards traveling along the highway, manoeuvring amongst the vapid, soulless modern carriages as they meander out of the city, passengers oblivious to the others around them but for the occasional child, face planted to the window looking bewildered as a group of noisy petrol driven 911 roar past.

upside is they'll travel at consistent speed - easier to pass. However if any of us wished to travel in such manner, we'd surely have bought an old '70's Roller with someone called James behind the wheel. "Drive on, James"

kiwi 911

^^^ Correct. This has been happening for some time now.

A few have recently been exported too, so the local pool is getting smaller.

Find someone with a car you like and offer sufficent money to take it off their hands or buy one in the UK and bring back........

kiwi 911

This strategy works for Max (put it out there and wait for someone to capitulate).


P.s. - 996/7 GT2's now freely sell for around $400-500K AUD, that ship is now long sailed.

Macca

There are 3 x GT3 I know of that have been exported to the UK in tje last 12 months or so and 1 x GT2.

Although the GBP:NZD isnt forecast to get any stronger in 2016 (quite probably the opposite) if UK car prices continue to escalate cars will go North. If the market their softens exports will slow down.

As Paul says the GT2 market have moved on. 996 GT2 like in the UK have escalated. Very few cars were sold here in the first instance. I should say at least 2 have headed to the UK.

Id suggest the cars in the CHCH advertisement I posted (including GT2) are actually being exported to UK and the adverts may just be by way of "proving" a high export invoice price (VAT refund).

Macca

Imagine how few 911s would be on our roads if Japanese/UK/Singapore/HK used Porsche imports had never been allowed onto our shores.

The reason they came here was the same reason they are leaving. Price arbitrage. They were worth more in our market than theirs at the time (exchange rates, demand and legislation).

The NZ Porsche fraternity has benefited hugely. In the last 20 years I would say 2 in every 3 used Porsche fr sale have been imported used.

My guess is in the total fleet of Porsche in NZ over 65% are imported used. This means without these imports we would be like Australia for Porsche numbers which is why their pricing is significantly higher than ours.

Even if cars continue to flow to UK for next few years I doubt it will affect total numbers much. But it will affect specific models like GT2/3 etc. Basically there will be few left of these models, they will be expensive and garage Queens.

In 5 years time there may be few GT3 at an RSG day.

Its a real shame because IMO & experience (996.1 GT3) older GT3 make crap road cars for our NZ roads and poor bonnet polishing propositions (not pretty enough). They shine in one place only really - on the track and of course in the future pub bragging rights. Youd be better off with a 356/early 911 garage queen for bonnet polishing and weekend runs...

Macca

Warwick. Weather for Sat looks OK IMO. Less than 1mm rain forecast in the morning which is nothing and a dry line will form quickly on the track. Compared to recent visits to HD I dont think the track will stay damp fr more than an hour or two early on. I think yur idea to stay with what you have is a good one - try out the new alignment settings and get some time off your PB on existing tyres then graduate to the R comps for Jan RSG day...

PHG

Youd be better off with a 356/early 911 garage queen for bonnet polishing and weekend runs...[/QUOTE]

Cars like mine and Walters, Chris's etc are still the best bang for buck out there, tipo or 6 spd..Put track work aside, they are as quick as a GT2/3, and still under $70k.. and comfy on the road.

Macca

Cars like mine and Walters, Chris's etc are still the best bang for buck out there, tipo or 6 spd..Put track work aside, they are as quick as a GT2/3, and still under $70k.. and comfy on the road.[/QUOTE]

100% agreed.

Right now in terms of bang for buck, multi use (NZ highways & B roads), track compatibility (with some preventative maintenance and light modifications) and durability (engine block design and proven strength) the 996TT is in the perfect "Sweet Spot". I think it still presents the markets best opportunity as a capable do everything car for the $$$.

996tnz

"Put track work aside, they are *quicker than* a GT2/3, and still under $70k.. and comfy on the road"

There, fixed it for you Phil. At least if talking 996/997 gen on comparable tyres, the softer sprung AWD Turbos are better suited to NZ's bumpy roads and weather conditions. GT2/3s are probably more fun on road though (in the occasional 'code brown' moment kind of way), at least stock for stock.

On track - again on comparable tyres - a tune and exhaust has Turbos running with the 997 GT3s, and all the more so if they've also had suspension, wheel and brake upgrades. Go the full hog by adding bigger turbos (up to about 650HP), aero, lightening and some competition spec suspension and pro drivers have run 1.10s at HD with them, even in endurance events.