PCA - The end of a long era for me

[McLovin]

Time goes by quickly, I’ve been a continuous PCA member for 30 years this year.
I used to be very active in a large region, autocross, tech stuff, on the board for many years (even though at that time almost everyone else on the board was 30-40 years older than me).
The G body cars had just gone out of production at the time.
But alas, I think this is finally the year I don’t send in the renewal check.
I haven’t had a Porsche for a few years now and don’t see myself ever buying another. I still think the air cooled up to 89 are nice cars, but I’ve had so many 911s (and 914s) that I highly doubt I’d get another. The last 911 I had (88 Carrera) just sat for months at a time. I sold it a few years ago and haven’t missed it.
Porsche hasn’t made any new car that I’ve been interested in for a long time.
I got my first Porsche in 1982 and have had one or more continuously up to 2018. What a wonderful run that was. Did a lot of work on them, including rebuilding an SC engine (in the pre Internet days even) etc.
So kind of sad to be “over it,” it’s not something I really expected (esp. in my 50s), but cheers to Porsche for being an aspiration and inspiration to me for many decades.

[McLovin]

Anyone else here been a continuous member for 30 years or more?

[pwd72s]

37, maybe 38 years for me before I quit...like you, zero interest in anything Porsche makes today.

Oh, they will send you a questionnaire...at least they sent me one back in 2005.

[fanaudical]

I have had my 911 for 11 years and keep thinking about joining the PCA but still haven't. I guess a 30 year stint means it was worthwhile.

I know a few others who have been members for many years; I don't know if their membership is as long standing as yours.

Have you looked at a Cayman lately?...

[unclebilly]

I have been a member on and off since 2006 or 2007 I think. The last straw for me was the one and only PCA parade I will ever attend. Chalked full of posers. Not my scene.

I still have 3 911s (2 930s) and a couple project cars as well as my son’s 944. I like the marque, I don’t care for the ‘better class of losers’ that seem to be represented at PCA events.

[911boost]

I’ve been a member since 02 I think, let it expire a few times.

Would rather drive mine than sit around for the most part, although I did go to a VW, Porsche, Audi show at the local dealer today in the 911 to benefit Meals and Wheels and it was enjoyable talking to folks, so who knows. I wish there was another driver because then I could have take the Westy also.

Have done a few drives over the years, but I bet they can be counted on one hand. I still enjoy the marque, I am just not really excited about any new sports cars lately. Mine scratches the itch perfectly and if I ever sold it I could see myself in a 356.

[dad911]

Joined in 92, let it go when I stopped racing about 8 years ago. I would have kept the membership longer if our region electronically published the newsletter, I was sick of throwing them in recycling.

Cars all gone: Soon to be Porscheless....

[p911dad]

[QUOTE=unclebilly;11432875]I have been a member on and off since 2006 or 2007 I think. The last straw for me was the one and only PCA parade I will ever attend. Chalked full of posers. Not my scene.

This was also my experience, but I let it go back in early 2000's. My old G -body still has the sticker..

[drcoastline]

Dropped my membership years, I joined in the early 90's, PCA left the air-cooled cars behind focused on the new models so no need to support an organization that didn't seem to want me there.

Found Pelican like minded people here, I am very happy.

I was no where near thirty years. Twenty-ish

[GH85Carrera]

I have been a member since 1976. I would have joined in 1974 but I could not find the club in the era before the internet. I was at an SCCA event and a PCA member gave me an application. I even asked the local dealer and they looked like I asked them about membership in the bigfoot hunter club. It was a VW dealership back then that also sold Porsches.

I attend the nation conventions (Parade) and enjoy those a lot. We have a small region and I have been on the board or an officer of our region since the early 1980s.

PCA is a major part of my life, and I have met many dozen friends that are more than just PCA friends. PCA was just the force that brought us together. I have never sensed and derision that I had just a lowly 914 or or the old 85 911 I have now. Usually it is just the opposite, and people tell me they used to have a G body 911 and miss it, or that they always wanted one. One of our members just picked up his GT3RS Weissach edition yesterday, and he reminded me that someday soon he want to come drive my 911 because he has always wanted an air cooled 911.

The club is about the people, and the cars are just the catalyst that brings us together. Because of the club I have met Seahawk at his farm in MD, Pete at his house in VT, and many other Pelicans at many other states from So Cal Chicago and the Florida Keys.

So 45 years of membership and counting up!

[William930t]

We still have the flame, thanks our PCA family membership since 1966 started by my Father. The basement is slowly getting crowded with all the Panoramas I refuse to toss. Started Florida Crown and switched to Peachstate region after I moved to Atlanta. Get what you want out of membership, I try and attend meetings and driving events when possible. Definitely hit the corrals at multiple IMSA races each year. Porsche model progression is fascinating to me, I'm staying in.

[GothingNC]

Still involved with the PCA in my area, Hurricane chapter.

Extremely active with weekly Saturday morning get togethers and once a month a BBQ run.

Air-cooled membership had been going up.

[javadog]

Originally Posted by McLovin

Anyone else here been a continuous member for 30 years or more?

I joined in 1982. I had a one year lapse in the 1990s and then finally quit a few years ago. Don’t recall the exact year. The last new Porsche I bought was a 2008 Boxster S RS 60 Spyder (A ridiculous name but a great value) which I enjoyed as much as all of my other Porsches. I bought it for the wife but she didn’t drive it much and I ended up putting most of the miles on it the last few years we had it. I still went to the Porsche club breakfast every Saturday in Tulsa, but I sold my house there and moved so I don’t see those guys anymore. Still talk to a few of them on the phone but that’s about it.

I still may build a 914/6 hot rod someday, I haven’t quite gotten those cars out of my system yet. Or, I might hot rod the hell out of a Boxster, who knows? And the last new Porsche that really floated my boat was the 997 turbo S but I don’t see myself ever buying one. Nothing in their current lineup interests me, at all.

I owned 13 Porsches over the last 40 years, hard to say if I’ll have another one or not.

[masraum]

I got my first Porsche in '99 and was a member until a year or two after I got rid of the car about 5 years later. I got my next Porsche in 2014 and was a member for the first couple of years, but I've never been very active, so I let my membership lapse.

[Zeke]

If I had the funds to spend and didn't worry about depreciation, I'd buy a late generation Boxster before they put the turbo 4's in them. They are fun cars to drive and don't ask much from you. Drive it fast, drive it like grandma. I'd consider a PDK as they did come with them eventually.

I doubt the PCA would be of any interest either way. Just like the old Jeep I have, I never talk Jeep or seek out other Jeep folks. Too much drama in that 'I wouldn't have done it that way'.

I give a rat's ass.

[cassisrot]

I’ve been a member since 71, with a couple of lapses. My current 3 year is coming due and I don’t think I’ll renew. Pano is boring and “local” region is over 100 miles away.

[ted]

PCA was fun in the beginning with AX and DE/TT and w2w events.
Fortunately I got out at the right time.
If I would of stayed in I would of missed so many great car experiences in the last 20 years.

I attended 2 or 3 PCA board meetings and was disappointed.
For example seeing a male chairperson yelling at some other guys wife about club business.
The inner politics can be disgusting.
Too many little power hungry members trying to influence the sheep.
It was on the level of a bad condo complex association.
That's what happens when you pick your friends by the car they drive.

[Racerbvd]

Originally Posted by McLovin

Anyone else here been a continuous member for 30 years or more?

Yes, joined in 87, not active at all with the local region but was, likeyou, very active until 2006, seed on the board most of that time, was VP and chaired a few positions.

[fastfredracing]

25 + years here, but let my membership lapse , maybe 2-3 years ago . At this stage in life with family , home , and business responsibilities ,it was no longer very important to me .
I never went to any functions, other than the autocross and track stuff .

[Por_sha911]

I joined PCA in 2003 when there are a lot of folks who actually worked on their cars. At the end of our monthly meetings we'd all go out into the parking lot and talks cars, repairs, and auto-X. It eventually became a wine and cheese club and the meetings people just left. Unless you really loved Pano (the old one was terrible) did club racing, concours, or didn't have enough friends, there wasn't a big reason to be a member and I dropped it. The people were still friendly but were "checkbook mechanics" the only thing they knew was they owned a "porsh" and it was expensive.

I feel the same now about Excellence Magazine. It seems like all they want to talk about is EVs or the latest ultimate turbo whatever. I don't need a car that does 0-60 in 3 seconds. There is no place I'd drive it and I don't need a badge on the hood for bragging rights. I love my old and "slow" air cooled. It is more fun to drive at 9/10th slow rather than a super car at 4/10ths.