wow, reading this whole thread really remind me why I've always wanted a Porsche. I just dont know why, but everytime I walk up to it, it makes me smile. Everytime I drive it, I want to drive more. I got tire driving two hours trips in my Mercedes or Honda van, but in the Porsche after eight hours drive I still want more. Definitely something special.

 

It took me a while to figure out why some people sell and move on to, I didn't say "up", a Ferrari, Lambo, BMW This, Audi That or Mc Laren. They regarded the Porsche as a symbol of attainment or an icon representing some degree of success. They figure as MSRP's climb, so does the personal satisfaction, and maybe it does depending upon why you drive these types of cars in the first place.

In '63 I had a stack about 2' high of Road & Track, Car and Driver, Motor Trend and Auto Week magazines. I read each cover to cover several times. I developed a knowledge of most cars, their attributes, what had the most success in racing, etc. probably far and above and much more in depth than most any other 14 year old.

Ferrari was really cool, but at around $13K it would be impossible to ever own and an AC Cobra was kind of an abomination of a big Ford mill shoehorned in a Bristol body, maybe unique and fast, nothing more. Porsche it was. Porsche was a winner in nearly every type of auto racing there was and the 1,2, 3+ place finishers in every race on all the world famous venues. 24 Hours Le Mans, Nuburgring, Hockenheim, Imola and more.

Porsche racing posters decorated my room, I went on to subscribe to Road & Track and I was too young to even drive. The slot car set I got for the next Christmas had two 904 Porsches, not by coincidence, but because it was the most awesome car in the planet at the time. It didn't hurt my enamorment for the marquis when I saw a real 904 drive up my street the following Spring. I knew exactly what is was too and could not believe what I saw.

When I started to drive, I had an old VW Bug that I lowered, put Koni shocks on, 356 hubcaps and later a 356 grill in the rear deck. I would dream what it would be like to drive the "Real Deal", a race prepped Porsche. Year later, I got to drive a 911S and several years later, I owned a couple of 914's, then a mint Guards Red 911 SC Targa, then a Boxster, then a 996 C2 Cabriolet and finally my '04 TT.

Along with fast cars, I had a liking for fast motorcycles and had a few dreams early on that I fulfilled. One was to race for top speed on the Bonneville Salt Flats during Speed Week. I did this in '85 with a best of 148.546 MPH with my street legal Honda 1000 Interceptor. Another was to road race. I did this for a decade from late '80's to mid '90's, finished in the top 10 nearly every season campaigning a GSX-R slick shod Superbike racing in the AMA CCS series.

It's been "all good" and as you can see a Lambo or Audi really doesn't into fit into what I perceive my dream car to be. I'm there, I'm happy, I own the best and with my racing experience feel I can appreciate all its engineering marvels.

 

I bought one,

pretty much almost a year ago, because I dreamed about it, since 2000 when I picked up silver 996 twinturbo poster, still on my wall up to this day. I thought time will never come, dream was too big, not even close, coming in and went away.

I went through VW's, mustang cobra, 2 Evo's, 2 mitsu GSX's even turbo charged 240sx that was pretty quick, than slowly I wanted something with tight interior and boxy looking car, I always liked German cars and quality - I had Audi S4 and I thought i was done with turbocharged cars, so i got myself e46 m3 -owned that car for 4 years. and i said no I WANT something better, something awd, and Turbo again! ( I was sitting in my garage, i looked over my shoulder and the damn poster again)

I went through few websites to see how much does it really cost to own 996 turbo, it was on and off checking the forums and going through car dealer/websites. if prices dropped or not, After reading forums and what people posted, was super-unsure and afraid. if i should get one because the cost of owning one is pretty expensive for my budget. BUT after checking how much things cost, like insurance and how simple is to change oil and replacing parts (not the clutch of course), I WAS like hell im gonna get into this car, I DONT CARE, i dont drive a lot and i'm just gonna GO FOR IT, because I CANT WAIT for another few years. So i found this black 996 I Drove it, (remember, i never even owned one or nobody did as far friends) my pants dropped. This is my dream car, this is what i wanted for years! and This is the car i'm gonna keep for as long as i live. (my dad is also into cars, he works hard, but never really owned a sports car) sometimes I visit my parents i take him for a spin, he smiles like a kid, and telling me to gun it. and telling me how powerfull and stable the car is, and how aftermarket exhaust makes a difference- Sometimes i fix my car at their place, and he just stares at me, asking me how I actually learned about this entire Car, I SMILe and say< i picked a lot from you! and i read alot. After putting few parts on the car, I dont need more power, When i check rear view mirror, rear window and on the bottom I See that says Porsche, I smile, I cant believe this is true. I own a legend, I'm a Porsche guy. I own a dream car I always dreamed about, Porsche its not a car that you see on the street everyday- I say keep it, and never let it go, or you will me a dent in your hart for selling it the end, sorry for wall of text. I thought i share something, that actually made me happy writing it and I always love to read stories, and how people are attached to their cars....

 

I enjoy reading these especially Nicks as I'm a old motorcycle guy having had a GSX-R also among others. I was brought up around nothing but car guys with my father being a service shop owner and my brother a muscle car nut. I built my first car a 1936 Plymouth coupe with the drivetrain from a 1970 Charger at age 14. The Porsche connection came in my early twenty's when my friend bought a 1982 928 5spd black/black and I liked it enough to buy my own. From there I have owned more cars then I can remember but with Porsche being one of my favorites. I honestly have never lusted after any car and can say I enjoy seeing a clean Fiat X19 as much as a Ferrari F40 = weird I know but the truth.

 

ive owned many mostly because my mentor and next door neighbor produced the janis joplin song in 1969 or maybe 1970? with the lyric:

"oh lord won't ya buy me a mercedes benz, my friends all drive porsches i must make amends". long story short, he ordered the very first 911s delivered in SoCal in 67 and i got to drive it, it was unlike anything and back then we had corvettes and cobras and my family was in business with the beach boys lol. lots of gtb CA special ferraris/cessnas/triumph 650's and of course, my beloved 911's, and ask anyone that "knows" me, i've never "grown up" and just drove up a mountain just now in a 600rwhp 911 turbo

that's why

 

INSANITY and a total disregard for rational thought, especially at high speeds.

 

Because my business partner just paid 1200.00 for a new battery and an oil change service at the Lambo dealership for his gallardo and its an 08 superleggerra with 11K on it and he is afraid to drive it

 

My wishlist went like this - turbocharged, equal to or larger than 3liters, AWD if possible, not so cheap that if another dumbass hits me the insure companies won't screw me by trying to tell me it's not worth anything. Oh and it needed to handle, be available in a stick, and have good brakes. It needed to look decent. Affordable was good but I had saved for a few years after fighting an insurance company for 3 to get a decent payout on the car their driver destroyed so I wasn't too strapped for cash. When I looked around what I found was the 996 Turbo fir the bill just fine and someone I knew was driving one and loving it. I'd never driven one until I got in mine and it was pretty quick and it was comfortable, I liked the looks. Problem solved! I'm not a marque snob, it could as easily have been a domestic or a Japanese car too. Had the Skyline been available and not cost a mint with a glass transmission I might have bought one of those. Pretty happy with the purchase and starting to drive it a good bit more and tweak it too. For years I refused to upgrade anything due to cost and lack of engine management solutions. Finally that has improved!