|
In January 1984, my dad took delivery of his
first Porsche, a brand new, guards red 944. During the two
years that he had owned it, my dad pampered that car; the
car was always garaged, it was never out in the rain, and
it was always maintained and repaired meticulously. After
these two years my dad sold the 944 to get money to start
up a business. Even though my dad continued his Porsche lifestyle
with his 911 and 928,
the 944 was still his only brand new Porsche and was also
the only Porsche to get the garage. Although spanning three
different models, my dad‚s Porsche lifestyle was short
lived due to cancer. Having found cancerous Leukemia cells
in 1989, my dad was only able to fight off his cancer for
three years before the cancer took his life in 1992. Even
though my mom had kept my father's E68 Jaguar E-Type throughout
the years after his death, his three Porsches had long since
been sold.
Early in 2002 I began my search for a 944. Although
I had dreamt many times about finding my dad‚s original
944, I never thought that I would be able to find a car that
my family sold over sixteen years ago. My mom eventually found
a folder that my dad used to organize the 944‚s records.
Even though I now had the original bill of sale that was signed
over eighteen years ago, I still had great doubts that I would
be able to find this 944. As I concentrated my search on 1985.5
and newer 944s, I found a red 1984 944 at a dealership about
 an
hour away from my home. I went to the dealership on a Saturday
morning and much to my surprise the VIN number from the bill
of sale matched the VIN number on the windshield. The dealership
was asking $5,000 for car which was more than I could afford
and more than other 944s that I had test drove which were
newer and in better condition. After the dealership refused
my offer of $4,000, I went home with hopes of going back the
following weekend for further negotiations. I wasn‚t
afraid that the car would sell due to its condition and its
price, however, much to my surprise the car was already sold
when I drove out to the dealership the proceeding weekend.
After nearly a month of kicking myself for not
having gotten car, I went back to the dealership with hopes
of finding the name and number of the person who bought the
car. I asked the salesman about the car and he told me that
he had just repossessed a red 944. Much to my astonishment,
the VIN numbers matched yet again. This time the dealership
accepted my offer of $4,000 and I was soon driving home in
the same car that I rode in over eighteen years ago as a baby.
Even though the car is no where near the condition it was
in when my dad sold it over sixteen years ago, it still is
in relatively good condition given its age. The few parts
that the car needed were found at Automobile Atlanta. Under
their instruction, I was able to replace the leaking waterpump,
the timing and balance shaft belts, and various other parts
that would ensure that the car was road worthy. Still the
best part of the car is that it has the same seats, steering
wheel, and shifter that my dad enjoyed using over eighteen
years ago.
| Back to
Porsche Life |
|
