My hope is this could be a regular post where enthusiast tell their stories about that Porsche that got away. The title of these posts could have been inspired by all the fishing tales about the one that got away! But instead I decided to take my inspiration from Cher’s dodgy late 80’s song “If I could turn back time” with the unforgettable video clip. I thought this analogy was apt as Cher’s outfit and antics are a vivid and uncomfortable memory… perhaps similar to the mixed feelings of a Porsche that got away!
In the early 1990’s my then boyfriend and now husband Tim bought his first Porsche. On a bit of a whim, a red 1968 Californian converted 912 was purchased from Shannon’s Auction Rooms on Warrigal Rd. This acquisition could only take place with some assistance, and so the always charming Tim secured $8K of the $12K purchase price from me his super generous girlfriend.
It’s a long time ago, but I think Tim’s winning sales patter appealed to both head and heart. ‘I’ve always dreamed about having a Porsche, plus it’s going to be an awesome investment.’ Young love is truly a beautiful thing, so at the age of 21, I lent Tim the majority of my savings to buy his dream car. If that wasn’t enough, he then proceeded to store his Porsche in my garage whilst I parked on the street! Reflecting back, perhaps this storage location was a smart move, as it did give me some security against my loan.
Whilst stored in my garage, the 912 did receive some TLC from an enthusiastic but fairly cash strapped Tim.
So fast forward a year after purchase, and young love turns into a marriage proposal from Tim… Unsurprisingly, a marriage proposal comes with some serious commitments and expenses! So here is where Tim gets some tough love, and a reality check from his Fiancé. ‘The 912 needs to go!’ Tim dutifully sold the 912 for the same price as he purchased it for, and my $8K went into the marriage kitty. Did Tim therefore ever pay me back? After 23 years of marriage, this is a question that still remains unresolved, and continues to fuel some fun banter between Tim and myself!
Tim still bangs on about what the car would be worth today if I hadn’t made him sell it. He saw the car advertised around a year ago for $80K, and still argues it would have been an excellent investment. I’d argue keeping your soon to be wife happy is an even better investment decision… (plus the compound interest on $12K over the last 25 years is probably more than $80k!) However I am reliably informed by many Porsche enthusiasts that I’m really missing the point of the story!
In the interest of making these posts more interactive, I’m offering a prize to anyone who can correctly guess how many years we were married before Tim made his next Porsche acquisition.
If you have a ‘If I could turn back time’ Porsche story you’d like to share please get in touch… learning from Tim’s experience, I think lots of sharing with a supportive audience can be quite cathartic.
gj. says
Was it the red car and maybe 15 years later?
mr. says
Sorry Gordon, but it’s a no on both fronts!