Living the Legend
If you’re reading this, then it’s likely you already own a 911 and will have a good idea of their capability. You may also have purchased a copy of this fine magazine if you’re considering buying one. For anyone venturing into sports car ownership, a Porsche makes a compelling proposition – especially as a second car. But what about as a daily driver?
I’ve been pondering this very question myself of late. Yesterday I spent almost 14 hours in the car (850 miles). It’s used to buy groceries from Whole Foods five minutes down the road (I can almost hear you thinking, “Tut-tut, not short trips”), I take the dog to the beach in it, and home again covered in sand. Almost every mundane task imaginable is thrown at this Carrera S. It now has almost 105,000 miles on it, and by the time these words appear in print it’ll likely have risen a couple of thousand more.
Daily driver-ing a 911 of any flavour isn’t easy. Sure, if you’re a singleton about town looking to attract your next bedfellow then it may work well, but as soon as there are two or more of you, the practicality issues creep in. It takes commitment and perseverance.
Space is the main issue. The back seats are constantly used for luggage, and in my case that means securing luggage away from the dog. Luckily it’s a dog, because a small child – at least one of talking age – would complain at having to sit on top of a bag, or having the view from the window obstructed. This week I had to make one trip without Renée and Alfred because there would have been no room for us all and the microwave I collected. In fact, there was barely space for me and the microwave which I had to un-box to fit in, and drive with it propped on my arm to stop it pushing the PDK gear selector into top gear (or park). In a manual this would have been impossible, so to all you haters out there, keep that in mind when you’re next dismissing “autos” as devoid of involvement. Sure, we PDK drivers can’t heal and toe, but we can carry a 30-inch microwave oven.
It doesn’t end there. This load lugger thinks it’s a Transit van. A chainsaw hitched a ride home this week, and my bike even fitted (sort of) a few weeks ago. However, it must be said that it was finally beaten by the lawnmower – a more practical vehicle had to step in and collect that particular device.
Given the mileage being covered, the reality of hurricane season, flooding and snow, and a house renovation – a 911 simply can’t do the job. Or perhaps more fairly, it can’t do all of the jobs. Back in October a proper daily driver was ordered, but the global supply issues mean it’s unlikely to arrive until the end of April. It’s always exciting to get a new car, and I’m excited about the SUV that’s incoming with its ventilated nappa leather captain’s seats and heads-up display. However, having put up such a good fight daily-ing less-practical vehicles for so many years,
