2 years of research and I’ve finally done it
Discussion
Well after 2 years of research and general fluffing around I bought a 355 spider about 3 weeks ago and I must say I have had a smile on my face since! I thought I would say a quick thankyou to all on here for the many and various tips.
I was sacrilegiously considering a 911TT but after one day on the way to work counting 6 x 911s on my street I decided against it. This was further confirmed when I turned up at the Porsche dealer in West London wearing jeans and a t-shirt, walked around for half an hour and not one of the salesmen asked me if I needed any help.
So as I have an aversion to paying full price for anything I asked Dion from Elms here on PH (PH name:Elms) if he could locate me one. It took him about a month (and despite the many dumb question from myself) he delivered.
I then had a 2 week wait while the car had a new windscreen put in and was then trailored down to Verdis for a few tidbits to be corrected (I’m off on Eurohoon next week and wanted everything to be ship-shape). This took another couple of weeks so by now I was getting antsy waiting for my new baby (I still hadn’t seen it or driven it yet).
I finally got the call from Karl (who along with Kahir were brilliant and I can thoroughly recommend them) that it was ready. However I was having a nightmare day at work and couldn’t get out there. I rang a mate Jock who kindly offered to go pick it up for me and keep it at his place for a few hours. 9pm rolls around and I finally make it to Jocks and am v happy. I pull out of his drive, go down his street and then floor it into the main road. I have a big smile on my face as I listen to it scream and then notice 2 blue flashing lights in the mirror. Turned out to be 2 nice BiB who just wanted to have a look at the car to a very relieved me and let me off with a quite warning to try and keep the noise down (how?!). So if anyone has owned their car for less than 2 mins before being pulled over I will happily buy them a beer.
Re the actual car, the handling has been great but it wasn’t quite fast enough or loud enough. Thus Verdis sorted me out with a decatted Capristo so the car now screams. I also had it chipped via Jayson at chippeduk.com (now putting out a respectable 407hp) and have uprated the brake pads to improve the stopping.
I am now keen to use the car as much as possible so if anyone is up for any weekend drives I would definitely be in for that (as long as you don’t mind being accompanied by a daft bloke with a permanent smile on his face).
Oh yeah, I had a pretty woman moment back at the Porsche place last week. I was picking up the M3 at lunchtime and decided to pull in for a look on the way back. I was in a suit and got pounced upon by a couple of Salesmen. “Can we help you sir”. Me: “No thanks, I was in here the other day but no-one would serve me so I bought a Ferrari”
Cheers,
BJ
I was sacrilegiously considering a 911TT but after one day on the way to work counting 6 x 911s on my street I decided against it. This was further confirmed when I turned up at the Porsche dealer in West London wearing jeans and a t-shirt, walked around for half an hour and not one of the salesmen asked me if I needed any help.
So as I have an aversion to paying full price for anything I asked Dion from Elms here on PH (PH name:Elms) if he could locate me one. It took him about a month (and despite the many dumb question from myself) he delivered.
I then had a 2 week wait while the car had a new windscreen put in and was then trailored down to Verdis for a few tidbits to be corrected (I’m off on Eurohoon next week and wanted everything to be ship-shape). This took another couple of weeks so by now I was getting antsy waiting for my new baby (I still hadn’t seen it or driven it yet).
I finally got the call from Karl (who along with Kahir were brilliant and I can thoroughly recommend them) that it was ready. However I was having a nightmare day at work and couldn’t get out there. I rang a mate Jock who kindly offered to go pick it up for me and keep it at his place for a few hours. 9pm rolls around and I finally make it to Jocks and am v happy. I pull out of his drive, go down his street and then floor it into the main road. I have a big smile on my face as I listen to it scream and then notice 2 blue flashing lights in the mirror. Turned out to be 2 nice BiB who just wanted to have a look at the car to a very relieved me and let me off with a quite warning to try and keep the noise down (how?!). So if anyone has owned their car for less than 2 mins before being pulled over I will happily buy them a beer.
Re the actual car, the handling has been great but it wasn’t quite fast enough or loud enough. Thus Verdis sorted me out with a decatted Capristo so the car now screams. I also had it chipped via Jayson at chippeduk.com (now putting out a respectable 407hp) and have uprated the brake pads to improve the stopping.
I am now keen to use the car as much as possible so if anyone is up for any weekend drives I would definitely be in for that (as long as you don’t mind being accompanied by a daft bloke with a permanent smile on his face).
Oh yeah, I had a pretty woman moment back at the Porsche place last week. I was picking up the M3 at lunchtime and decided to pull in for a look on the way back. I was in a suit and got pounced upon by a couple of Salesmen. “Can we help you sir”. Me: “No thanks, I was in here the other day but no-one would serve me so I bought a Ferrari”
Cheers,
BJ
Sounds like a plan, however not sure of those dodgy strawpedos of yours!
Re photos, its basically been at various places getting the upgrades done so far so have only had it out for a few drives. However there is one dodgy one on my profile taken on my cameraphone when it was on the rolling road at the weekend.
Re photos, its basically been at various places getting the upgrades done so far so have only had it out for a few drives. However there is one dodgy one on my profile taken on my cameraphone when it was on the rolling road at the weekend.
Nice one !
Know what you mean about Porsche dealers, had Porsche's now for 4 years & the snobbery in dealerships always amazes me, not so much with me now as they know me. My wife popped into an OPC to buy me some goodies for my birthday and made the "mistake" of turning up in the family work-horse people carrier. She said they looked at her like something they had stepped in.
Enjoy the 355 !
R.
Know what you mean about Porsche dealers, had Porsche's now for 4 years & the snobbery in dealerships always amazes me, not so much with me now as they know me. My wife popped into an OPC to buy me some goodies for my birthday and made the "mistake" of turning up in the family work-horse people carrier. She said they looked at her like something they had stepped in.
Enjoy the 355 !
R.
brendonj said:
So if anyone has owned their car for less than 2 mins before being pulled over I will happily buy them a beer.
Well, I did get pulled in the first 20 mins driving back from Wales... but that was by Babylon on F.Chat
However ... I did wait only one and a half weeks, not three, before taking it on the inaugural Eurohoon 04
See you on Saturday Brendon
al.
burriana said:
and I already have someone interested in the 911 so I may be back into a nice 348 LHD TS sooner than I thought :hopeful:
Yes, I know I wanted a TR but I can't have that AND a gaff in Spain!
Yes, I know I wanted a TR but I can't have that AND a gaff in Spain!
Hey Al hows it going. Long time no hear or see.
I really do hope you are jumping back into a 348. Have you found a 348 yet ?
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