Jimjacqmx5

I had this exact affliction from the day I was four and my next door neighbours dad took us out in his Carrera to see Superman the movie.
From then, I would often make any excuse to go into a Porsche dealership to check out what was on offer.......
I'm sure it's a familiar story for many.

I think it is also interesting that the age or series of 911 we often purchase is dictated by that as well. Although I first drove in a 77 Carrera, it was the 964 I always desired as this was the 911 on offer when I was in my late teens. So when I finally knew I could afford a 911, it was the 964 I wanted, even though a 996 could be had for the same price here in Oz.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-lVDfb5PTI

Moffman

When I was a kid my dad owned a Black 911 (996) C4 and I descriptively remember always riding in the backseat on the center wedge between the two seats and that wonderful engine in the back.

I miss that car.

PorscheZen

My dad owned a '74 914 that started it all. That boy in the advertisement was me in the '70's. We lived a few miles from a dealership and I could stop by after school and the salesmen would let me sit in the cars... After I got my 964 I watched that ad and wept...

tbennett017

My dad started with a 356C, then later a 69 911 that he got new. I rode in the back, and my sister, being older sat on the hump in the middle to talk with my parents. I always remember the smell of the hot heater boxes (for some reason smelled like carrots) and fighting to get her butt off me as she hogged all the middle space. In the recession of '72 my dad got laid off, and eventually he sold the 911 and had to get a Honda Civic 1500... I don't know how he managed that... ugh.

Makmov

I learned to drive on 911s. I didn't ever get to drive my fathers 72 911 E, but I did get to drive a lot of customer cars

It wasn't an easy choice to get a 964, I grew up on the older lot of 911s SC, 930s, Carreras, so that is want I wanted. However, I am sure I got a better car than a low tech 911 could ever be, it just took some conviencing. The only 964 I ever been in was the one I bought.

My younger brother (7 years younger) was like cool, I always wanted a 964.

User 040621

I learned to drive in a 69 911 [sitting on my dad's lap], took my drivers test in his 71 911E, went to the local Porsche dealer every chance I got. Rode along for a demo drive in a 78 911SC, turbo carrera, and a 928S. Went to the races at Laguna Seca with my dad. Saw Mark Donahue drive a 917 [really well, and really fast].

I had a pretty cool childhood.

911URGE

My father came home in a 1968 912 and it was then I got my first ride in a Porsche. I was hooked from then on. We had the car serviced at Vasek Polak Porsche and walking around the race cars in the showroom just added to my Porsche fever. I did'nt get to drive the 912 much growing up but when I did it was a blast. That little 912 is still with us and I drove to a recent PCA show this last weekend.

elbeee964

Man, that makes me feel old...

LouZ

I know what you mean...to me, anyone under 50 is a KID!

Earlydays

I got hooked on sports cars when a neighbor took me for a ride in a Jaguar XK120 Roadster when I was 11!

elbeee964

Huh. You weren't alone in that regard. (e.g., Jay Leno.)

altarchsa

When I moved to San Antonio, fresh out of college in the early seventies and ready to begin my Architectural career, I noticed that the guy across the street had a Porsche in his driveway. After a few days it was a different Porsche. Then I noticed the Porsche was different every week or so. I lurked like a vulture to catch him outside and make friends.

When I did finally catch him and waived "Hello", I learned that he was the Five State PCNA Service Manager. He told me he had been a mechanic for A.J. Foyt for years before he took the Porsche job.

He soon offered to give me a ride in his car for the day, a blue 914-6. He took a seldom used curvy road along the banks of the Cibolo River. He really knew how to wring that little roller skate out, and I was both scared stiff and hooked in the same breath.

38 years and 5 Porsches later, I'm still hooked. While I had always worked on my own car since I inherited my brother's worn out '56 Ford at age 14, I had to learn, sometimes the hard way, about Porsches. I was always amazed by Porsche engineering, and love working on my car as much now as when I was 14. It's just that now the back aches a little bit after a day on the creeper.

wilko

great post , born 1968 brought up in lancashire & for the 1st 20yrs of my life porsches were only on tv,magsazines,books or toys ,
had a toy 911 with opening doors in the 70,s & scalextric versions
into the eighties & started seeing them on the roads & the more time i spent on the motorways working & travelling just fueled my 911 desire , the shape,noise & prescence just never went away
looked at buying 944,s & boxsters in last 5years but each time i came home thinking "i,l have to wait ,that,s just not what i want"
well iv,e been patient & waited & got one in the end & the magic is real
42 now & 6weeks into porsche ownership wonder if i,l ever be without one in the future? seems unlikely

Regulatori

My father definitely had a profound affect on my love for 911s. Growing up we always had 911 posters in the garage (Peter Gregg Brumos 934, 935 posters, etc..). I remember at one point I had a 930 poster in my bedroom of car's rear end with my name on the license plate (some type of promotion through Porsche). My dad was a Porsche mechanic all through the 70s but ended up giving it up for a more secure job at Boeing. He had a 72 E which I loved...and if he ever caught me saying "Porsh," I would get the typical scolding and "Only blond's in California say 'Porsh'...it's Pour-sha!"

In my early 20s I saved my pennies and bought a 911SC. Everyone in college thought I was some trust fund kid until I explained that my parents hadn't helped/nor co-signed for any of my cars. That car was a lot of fun. I ended up selling it because I attended school in London and didn't want to store it. I've had a lot of different cars since then but the 911 bug has never left me. I constantly compare every sports car I drive/own to my old 911..."it handles well...but not like my old 911" type deal. I realized I had to have another and just recently bought a 964 C2. I needed a car with creature comforts but still had the classic 911 body. I have a feeling this "curse" will never leave me.

Jimjacqmx5

Such brilliant stories and exactly the stories i expected.
The Porsche drug is alive and well and very addicitve.
the best thing I can say is I have owned my 911 now for three years and EVERY time i drive it, it makes me smile. I still look back at it, where it is parked, everytime I walk away from it. My favourite thing though is remembering to never be precious with it. When I was young, i remember many scowles from owners when i peered into their Porsches and vowed when i owned one, i would never be like that. It's only a bloody car!
So I regularly take little kids for joy rides or let them hop in the drivers seat. I know that letting them do that, will give them a great memory and the best part about owning my 911 is sharing the joy it gives me with others.

Thanks again for sharing your wonderful memories and yes, i saw the '996 as a kid' and immediately felt very old too and I'm only in my late 30's!