OT: Porsche Guy or Alfa Guy?

[donevwil]

911s, and their variants, have always interested me because they fit someone 6' 5" with ease. Not many fun cars can claim that.

Shortly after starting my career ('88) a retiring co-worker was selling everything to buy a sailboat and sail around the world. He had a '70's euro spec 911 Targa he offered me for next to nothing and I passed. In '98 a close friend acquired his first 911 (996) and offered me his 968 at a very fair price, I passed. In '02 he upgraded to a GT-3 and offered me his 996, I passed again. Just not at that place in my life. He added a base 997 commuter to his stable in '04 and when he replaced it with a new Riviera blue GTS in '18 he offered me the 997 for next to nothing. Thought about it seriously, but ultimately still not the right time.

When he offers me the GTS I'll hopefully have the house paid off and be close to retirement.

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[grateful]

In 1988 I was a college sophomore. A good friend of mine turned 18 and drove his crappy VW Bug home for his birthday.

He comes back on Sunday driving a brand new E30 BMW M3. I didn't even know what that was. That car created an obsession that is unmatched.

It turns out that his Grandfather bought a fair share of NIKE stock in the 60's. At 18 each of his grandchildren had access to their shares.

18 years old, Michael Jordan and Bo Jackson. Tons of NIKE shares. TROUBLE!

[cgolvin]

18 year old with a new M3?
BIG trouble. YUGE!

[stien]

Originally Posted by jamesdak

^ Sweet!

My love for BMWs hasn't ended. Picked up this 340i with M SPORT and Track Packages Saturday.


Guess my answer to the OP is neither, LOL!

My brother just bought a 340 and is seriously considering selling his 997.2 C4S because he likes the BMW so much. Of course he tuned it plus exhaust.

[grateful]

Quote from Star Wars:

Who is a bigger fool, the fool or the fool that follows him!

We drove from Seattle to Tacoma in roughly 45 minutes at 2am. Very little traffic but i remember looking at the speedometer and it was pegged at 153mph. I believe that was because of the limiter but that car was more stable than my car at 35mph.

Of course he destroyed it and ended up getting a 911 of some sort. I have since lost contact with him. I am sure that he now has no less than a Bugatti.

For those that are good at math, the grandchildren received 18,000 share at their 18th birthday in 1986. My buddies sister was my girlfriend and was much more conservative (paid for college on NIKE dividends, never touching the principal). She bought an 89 Prelude for her first car.

What is that stock worth today so that I can relax. Surely NIKE has tanked by now.

[jlwdm]

Originally Posted by grateful

For those that are good at math, the grandchildren received 18,000 share at their 18th birthday in 1986. My buddies sister was my girlfriend and was much more conservative (paid for college on NIKE dividends, never touching the principal). She bought an 89 Prelude for her first car.

What is that stock worth today so that I can relax. Surely NIKE has tanked by now.

If they had not spent any of the stock it would be worth about $89m. But obviously that did not happen. Was probably worth about $270,000 when they received it. I am sure most spent a lot of the $270,000. In 33 years probably most if not all was sold.

Jeff

[jlwdm]

Originally Posted by grateful

We drove from Seattle to Tacoma in roughly 45 minutes at 2am. Very little traffic but i remember looking at the speedometer and it was pegged at 153mph...

?????
It is only 30 miles. 60 mph would only be 30 minutes.

Jeff

[grateful]

North to South. It was a drive that I made regularly. Trust me, we were going fast. I looked at the speedometer and it read 153.

PS: Thank you for confirming that my story is 100% factual.

[grateful]

My girlfriend at the time never touched the principal. She paid for her education via dividends.

She also left for the weekend and came back with a Honda Prelude.

She was much more conservative than her brother.

Originally Posted by jlwdm

If they had not spent any of the stock it would be worth about $89m. But obviously that did not happen. Was probably worth about $270,000 when they received it. I am sure most spent a lot of the $270,000. In 33 years probably most if not all was sold.

Jeff

[palincss]

Originally Posted by paredown

Observations:
Porsche prices are insane (except for the 986/993 with the IMS cloud over them.) Even 944s are getting expensive and people are paying real money for 928s!

Alfas seem to be selling cheap--well, comparatively.

So it you were picking a budget project/fun car--would you go down the Porsche or the Alfa rabbit hole?

None of the above. Cheap + fun to drive sports car = Miata. AFAIK no rabbit holes there. Not that I'm in any way interested in a car that won't let you carry a bicycle inside, of course.

[Steve in SLO]

Since we are veering off the original topic a bit, how about a 2005–2006 Mini Cooper S? Many examples can be had for $5000-$6000 with lots of life left in them, and they are a great tinkerers car. I’ve had a lot of nice cars, but the Mini’s turn in and ability to transition between tight corners is right up there with the best of them.

[Climb01742]

Owned a few 911s. My '87 was favorite. Simpler, purer, ideal size. But...for absolute driving pleasure in 90% of daily situations, nothing beat my 914. It had so many flaws (mine was pretty beat) but on the road, particularly in the twisties, nothing came close. Wish I'd kept it and restored it. Never gets you the looks 911s do, but the look on_your_face? Priceless.

[Steve in SLO]

I loved mine, too. Insanely quick and carried momentum through corners like nothing else. I also liked the David vs Goliath aspect of running with Twin Turbos, Corvettes and Vipers on the track. This little car offended a few of them, I'm sure.
914s are climbing in value and make good project cars, but finding a solid example as a basis is a must. Many have led hard lives and they grow rust.

[Climb01742]

Very nice. Bet it wiped a few smirks off a few faces. 914s really used the laws of physics to their advantage.

[jlwdm]

Originally Posted by grateful

North to South. It was a drive that I made regularly. Trust me, we were going fast. I looked at the speedometer and it read 153.

PS: Thank you for confirming that my story is 100% factual.

Ha. I am not confirming it is factual.

Jeff