How did you get into Porsches?

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I just bought one...that's all.

[ProjectM96]

When I was young, I watched Herbie movies. Herbie was a VW Beetle racecar that was alive. I also watched Speed Racer. Both are cars with round headlights.

So when I first saw a Porsche, I was immediately a fan. But it wasn't until I got to drive a 98 Boxster at 16 years old that I knew I had to have a Porsche. I started saving. It had to be my first car. It took me 5 years of min wage jobs to make enough money to buy one. In that time I was saving, I drove a 1999 911 Carrera, a 2004 911 Carrera 4S, a 1991 911 Carrera, a 2003 Boxster S, and the Cayenne S.

My dream car was the Porsche Cayman S. I was 17 at the time it came out.

When I turned 21, I bought a 2000 Boxster 5SPD MT. That was 2 years ago and I am still enjoying it today.

[southernstar]

I grew up during the 60's in a small town in Ontario, Canada, where Porsches were virtually non-existant. However, the reviews in Road and Track and Sports Car Grahpic magazine were invariably positive and there was something about the clean, uncluttered lines and the 'giant killer' reputation of the early cars that attracted me. At about 13 my older brother took me to some club racing at Harwood Acres and then to the inaugaral Canadian Grand Prix at Mosport. Watching the old 356's and the 911's in the preliminary races, tail-out around various corners but able to beat cars with up to twice the displacement, made its mark and from that point on I positively lusted after one of these rare beasts.

Of course, for my first car I couldn't afford a Porsche, but bought a 66 Beetle that I upgraded with a camber compensator, radial tires, extractor exhaust and a short-throw shifter - and dreamed that I was driving a Porsche. In 1974, at age twenty I managed to find an affordable 61 356B that was rusty but intact and drove her for a couple of years until the rust demons got the best of her - and me. Thereafter, while completing university and getting started in life I bought a series of relatively inexpensive sports cars - two (yes, I am that crazy) Fiat x-19's and a Datsun 240Z and 260Z. I still, of course, lusted after a Porsche.

In 1989 I purchased a Porsche 944 (midnite blue with tan leather, 'Turbo' rims, Blaupunkt stereo with magic wand, sunroof and headlight washers) which eventually I put under a transport truck trailer on Highway 400 during a blizzard (another story). At that point, I exchanged my desire for a replacement Porsche for the joys of raising a family, an expensvie divorce (OK, not so joyful), a love of sailing and the purchase of a small beachfront property in the Caribbean for my retirement.

The good news is that in March of this year I found a 2000 Boxster with low mileage and terrific maintenance records (and in the same color-scheme as my 944 - Ocean Blue Metallic with Savanna beige leather, 17 inch turbo twist rims, wind deflector, upgraded stereo, cruise, stainless door sills and exhaust tip )and, at their current prices, could see no reason NOT to buy one as a toy. Really, incredible fun and HUGE bang for the buck. And lets face it, this is the first time in history that one can purchase a Porsche in excellent condition (and without the rust bug that plagued the early cars) for less than many economy cars with similar odometer readings.

Maintenance? So far, after 7 months and 5000 km (3100 miles) not a single issue. I have found an incredible Porsche mechanic (who did the PPI) and will keep her as she should be kept. I will not drive her in the snow. I will wash and wax and detail her regularly, I will not park her in shopping mall lots (not a single ding in the doors at this point, and I plan on keeping her that way). I will not begrudge the cost of parts, or the sketchy reliability of the some of the mechanicals. Why? The joy of driving a car that has almost perfect balance - incredible handling, braking and steering imput combined with excellent acceleration and throttle response and an exhaust system/air intake that makes glorious sounds - and all of this enveloped in a distinctive and attractive shell with decent ergonomics and luggage space for a sports car! What an incredible joy to drive and, once again, what an incredible bargain!

Could I afford a new Boxster S or 911? Sure, but it would involve either going into debt or disposing of another asset that I really want to keep. Attack my priorities if you want to, but frankly, the 2000 Base Boxster is plenty enough car for me. I find myself perfectly satisfied with its performance and, to my eye, the 986 is still the best-looking and most original Boxster- and one of the best-looking and most original Porsche street cars, of all time. I know, I know, a totally subjective opinion. But in my view what is not subjective is this: those who are less interested in status or 'ultimate' performance, than in good value and responsiveness are indeed lucky that excellent examples of the 986 are now available at such ridiculously low prices.

Brad

[Ghostrider 310]

Where in the Caribbean? Good for you no matter where it is. I'm selling my houses in NY, first the rental then my home, after that I'm going somewhere that has far better weather, lower taxes and cheaper houses. I'll miss Ontario though, before 911 screwed the border crossings, I used to go to Kingston a lot, awesome place.