[968_33]

Hey all,

I've always loved porsches but always thought they were to expensive for me and working on them would be imposible without a garage. But after reading through some threads on this forum and others, and looking at prices for well cared for used porsche, I feel as though my previous thoughts may have been a bit misguided.

I'm still reading and learning but it may be some time before I pull the trigger on a porsche but who knows, it might be sooner than later.

Thanks for letting me join. Looking forward to learning more about the 968's and about porsches in general.

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[tamathumper]

Welcome.

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[mbardeen]

Do it! You won't regret it.













I lie, you will.

But then you'll get in the car and go around some curves and all those regrets will be forgotten.

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[tamathumper]

That does sum it up pretty well, I have to say. After owning three Porsches, two campers, a boat, five houses, two wives and four kids that pretty much sums it ALL up. <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/smile.png" class="smilie" alt="" />

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[Rap]

Be like me. Buy a 968 and build a garage for it. Best choice I've made in years and I'm having fun.

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[flash]

i , on the other hand, on many levels, regret having gotten into this car. if i had to do it over again, i probably would have just gotten the ferrari. this car has led to me spending $150k trying to make it drive like a new car, and have the features i want. left alone, the car does what it was designed to do. i wanted more out of it than that though. given than a new hyundai will outrun it, and many cars will out corner it, i wanted to keep up with the joneses. that was a huge mistake by any measurement of logic or financial consideration.



with very few mechanics around that know anything about this car, it falls to the owner to maintain it. with parts being discontinued at an increasing and alarming rate, it means time spent at wrecking yards and such looking for things. this is not a car for the lighthearted or novice. it will take up a lot of your time.



make sure that you realize this is not merely a car but an addiction. if you don't have the place in your life for one of those, this could be a very bad idea.



did i meet some great people along the line? you bet. have i had fun? sure. did i get my engineering yayas off in the process? absolutely. was this a smart decision? not if you talk to my wife. was it worth it? jury still out on that one.

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[tamathumper]

Points well made. Yet, if we're making our wives the judges of our "decisive intelligence", we're all doomed.

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[flash]

but that is a very real consideration. i'm quite sure we have all had those "discussions" with the wife about things related to this car. it's not like going out and buying a mustang. it's a very real time investment, regardless of how you choose to set up the car. unless you are lucky enough to pick one up from somebody who has really gone through it, just keeping it on the road is a lot more time consuming than most cars, let alone doing any upgrades. almost every car needs $3k of work right out of the gate, and with this car that usually means a lot of time searching for parts, dealing with inept mechanics, and often a lot of diagnostic time.



that can all be a great part of the experience if you let it be, or it can be an incredible frustration. it really comes down to your expectations. if you come at this from the perspective of a hobby, then you stand a fair chance of having a good time. if you come at this with the expectation of "plug and play" car fun, you will almost assuredly be disappointed.



at this point, while i have had my share of fun, i think i would rather have remodeled the kitchen and just bought the ferrari. the cost would have been the same, but the time investment would have allowed me to pursue other projects that would have been far more profitable. this "hobby" has become far too much like the situation i got myself into when i was doing the british stuff. obviously my situation is the extreme, but even as a mere enthusiast one must realize that this is an old car, which never gained any real following, built by a company that has no interest in supporting it.



i support those who want to get into this, but it is a real commitment if you want to get any enjoyment out of it. it's like buying a home gym when you want to get into shape. getting it is only the beginning. you have to put in the time and effort in order to get the desired results.

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[mbardeen]

I came into the car with the expectation of a hobby. I knew out the gate that it was never going to be the fastest, best handling car in the world. Really, it's 95% of everything I wanted in a car. It's fast enough to get me into trouble and it handles nice. Add to that the exclusivity of having one of only three cars in the country, and I'm pretty happy with my decision.





Yes it's cost a lot of money so far, and it will cost much more to get everything sorted like I want. But after I hope it will go another 10 or 15 years without too much more costly work! And then, if I'm ready to move on, it might actually be worth more than I paid for it.

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[bombfactory]

It all depends on your level of 'persnickedy-ness' about the way you want your car to perform and handle. Many 968 owners leave their cars bone stock, do the required maintenance and have a great time just driving them. Others, including Flash and myself, are slightly more obsessed with getting the car to better fulfill our lofty expectations, and that's where the higher-than-average expenses and frustrations begin.



It is not easy to find someone who knows how to fix these cars properly. I use a guy who is an absolute guru when it comes to 944s and 951s, but even he runs into trouble with the 968, as it is a significantly different car in some areas - particularly the engine. Even finding someone who can properly align a 968 is a chore. I had three before finding a shop that could do it correctly.



Hopefully all these cautions don't scare you away from the car. All the info you'll ever need to successfully own a 968 is here on this site, so find a good one and join us in our obsssion!

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[flash]

i'm not trying to be negative or bitter. i am merely trying to bring to reality those factors which are part and parcel of ownership of the 968. it isn't for everybody. those who love it, would never leave it. those who don't, often bail in the first 2 years.



it truly does come down to your expectations, and the corresponding availability of your time and financial resource to achieve those expectations.



it's really not any different than picking a lawn. a fescue lawn looks best, but is the highest maintenance and highest installation cost. on the other hand, bermuda grass can't be killed with kerosene and a hand grenade, is almost no maintenance, and is a lot less expensive to plant.



lol - i chose fescue - figures

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[tamathumper]

flash, your points are well made and spot on - these cars never sold enough units and therefore there are no parts and no mechanics - owning and maintaining them falls to the owner. But I have never, nor will I ever, have a discussion with my wife about owning it, or the expenses attached thereto... My first wife might have sniped about it incessantly, but that's just one of many reasons why she's my first wife.



Of greater concern is, "what next?" My love affair with the 968 won't last forever if my history of hobbies is any indication - fly fishing, restoring Farmall tractors, flying, drumming, building CNC machines and woodworking,... each leaving a collection of accoutrements in its wake. What next?!

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[94SilverCab]

I have the experience of Hosting 2 gatherings in Newtown and one in Hershey, PA. I have attended celebrations, gatherings or runs in Virginia, California New Jersey and Pennsylvania. I have met people from all over the country and regularly communicate with others around the world. I love to show up at a PCA fun run and be the only 968 out of 100 Porsches, (and then spank the most expensive ones in the corners <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/3gears.gif" class="smilie" alt="" /> ). When I made a trip to Hailifax, I picked up the phone and called KIM, who met me for lunch. Because of my recent trip to Portland, 4 members got together.



I have made friends with people I would never otherwise have gotten to know and I can go almost anywhere and pick up the phone for a lunch or dinner guest. This is a group dedicated to good living and the friendship extends into food, wine, travel, watches and a whole bunch of lifestyle choices. My wife has become a part of the group and is friends with many of the other wives/girlfriends. When someone in our "cult" has news, we celebrate, or commiserate with them.



If, and when, I decide to sell the car it is the people I have met that I will miss the most. I threw myself into this "obessesion" with my whole heart. All I ever wanted in life was to own a Porsche. I have never regretted not buying a 911. I have gotten out far more than I ever put in...



JMHO,



Jay

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[flash]

i think that sentiment is true of most hobbies. as long as you go into this with the idea in mind that it is a hobby, i think you'll be a lot happier than if you go into it just looking for a cool car.

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[Rap]

I would agree with Jay. I attended his Newtown event and remarked when I got home that it was like I knew these guys. Open arms and welcome to a new guy. Flash put me up and lent me a car to drive the Ortega run. Then Liz and I did Paso Robles and met even more guys whose monikers and comments you read. So as a group you will find none better with a really diverse group of guys. If you buy a Porsche be prepared to spend money. The 968 was my first P car and I just bought another. My garage comment was true. I could have bought tons of cars instead of the garage but i don't regret the decision. Wives hmmm not a problem after I built Liz her art studio but I'm a hunter gatherer and don't believe it would have Ben anyway. Go for it!

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