And so the journey begins.
I did it. Having owned 47 cars, I finally own a Porsche.
I’ve a weakness for Alfa Romeos. I’ve owned eight of them and still own two. But for years I have hankered after a something from Zuffenhausen. Some years ago, I was looking at adding a car to the fleet and ended up with the choice of a BMW 530i or a Porsche 3.2 Carrera. Despite the fact that we had a Discovery III to ferry the kids around in, I bought the BM. That same car would now be worth about $15,000 if I was lucky. The Carrera would be worth about $100,000. (Sigh).
So for two years I studied the market. I watched the price of all things Porsche go up and up and up. I nearly bought a 964, but procrastinated…and now look at them. Then I contemplated a 996, but no (though I may still look at the 3.6 litre version before they, too, go ballistic). I always liked the front engine water cooled cars. I contemplated 944s and 928s. Even 924 turbos. But when all was said and done I wanted the boxer-engined experience. I was intrigued by 914s (especially 914/6s) but even their prices are heading north.
But hang on, I thought. What’s the modern equivalent of the unloved, derided 914? It’s the unloved, derided Boxster! What better, cheaper way to get the Stuttgart bug to bite, yeah?
But let me explain. It’s not me that needs to be bitten. The intention is to get my wife behind the wheel on track days and the like (she doesn’t like driving my 1970 105 Alfa race car… steering too heavy, clutch too heavy, turbo charger too tricky, and a bit flimsy, she says, roll cage notwithstanding!)
So I looked for another 12 months and, guess what, finally found one within 2ks of home. It wasn’t silver, black or yellow. It was dark metallic blue – tick the aesthetic box. It wasn’t a 2.5 (nor a 3.2, alas) but a 2.7, so it’s got a bit of get up and go – tick another box. Best of all, after some patience and hard bargaining, it was mine. FOR LESS THAN $10k!! Tick another box.
So far so good.
Stuart had a look at it and pronounced it fundamentally sound. A little tatty, but that’s easily fixed. There’s a small dint in the boot – no big deal. A quick wash, a cut and polish, touch up some stone chips, polish out the plastic back window (came up a treat), and it looks like a $15k car.
Mechanically not bad, but again, that’s nothing that we can’t address. We start with replacing the IMS bearing, a water pump, an engine mount, new shockers and springs and a full service. After that, I’ll be reasonably confident that it won’t roll to a stop on the side of the road with a splutter and a rattle.
So the first track day beckons…for all three of us!
Intrigued? Me too. Stand by!
There will be more. Much more.
Like I say… “So the journey begins…”
By Ian Roberts