Featured: Just Because: A Four-Person Porsche 911 Road Trip

Just Because: A Four-Person Porsche 911 Road Trip

By Petrolicious
November 12, 2015

Story and photos by Alberto Martinez Rubio

I have two kids, Diego (8) and Ivan (7) and a beautiful wife. We live in Guadalajara, Mexico. I absolutely love cars, especially Porsches. Last fall, browsing over the internet, I found this beautiful 1974 Porsche 911 in Oregon, and I immediately felt in love with it.

So, naturally, my family and I decided to go, pick it up, and drive it back down to Guadalajara.

Late December last year, we took a plane and picked it up in Phoenix, OR, and soon begun our adventure back home. Our first goal was to fit the luggage and my two kids in the car. The second objective was to drive it for 2,300 miles, import it to Mexico, and cross the border.

Immediately we drove to Rogue River National Forest, and saw some beautiful Redwood trees. Then we took Highway 1, which is absolutely gorgeous. Especially because cornering in this machine is one of the greatest pleasures on earth. However, it took a few more hours than the usual because Diego, suffered a bit of motion sickness and threw a spectacle over the window…

We traveled around 150 miles per day, drove through San Francisco, Monterey Bay, Pebble Beach, Carmel and headed south to San Diego. Just as we were about to cross the border, I received a call from the person who sold the car to me. He had a serious buyer from Germany that wanted the car, and who was willing to pay for it. So make a long story short, we made a U-Turn, drove back to Oregon and sold the car.

Now, I regret it. It was a beautiful machine. Well, other opportunities will arrive in the future… 

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Chris Tye
Chris Tye
7 years ago

If the late buyer from Germany was paying for my trouble, and the cost of flying home for the entire family. Plus my new adjusted price, I’d think about. if not, I would’ve told him to pound sand. Need more details to even understand what transpired, but all I read was a story about a long trip with car sick kids and an over stuffed Porsche with a soon to be cranky wife.

Darel Matthews
Darel Matthews
8 years ago

So this is just a story about a flip? And about yet another 911? Pass.

Jonathan Clarke
Jonathan Clarke
8 years ago

I, too, don’t understand. If I had my family in that car, there would be no U-turn. These cars and our experiences with them (and our families) are really priceless, I think. Collectors and greedy, aspirational sellers are killing that. I hate to see that among enthusiasts, but we’re going to be priced out of the market very soon. if you’re one of us, don’t ever sell!

Nicolas Astras
Nicolas Astras
8 years ago

Wait, I, uh, umm, uhhh, what? You flew in from Mexico with your wife and 2 kids. Picked up an amazing car, had an wonderful road trip and turned around to hand it back, all because someone in Germany was offering more money? I think that car was yours in more ways than one.

Philip Todak
Philip Todak
8 years ago

Good to see Phoenix, OR getting some recognition! Sounds like he got a good trip out of the car at least!

Ricardo Garcia
Ricardo Garcia
8 years ago

I just can´t imagine how someone who love Porsches had the bravure to make an U-turn and sell the car back. I would never do that.

Jure Žove
Jure Žove
8 years ago

Really cool story and really interesting that a German guy bought a Porsche from the States. 🙂

Guitar Slinger
Guitar Slinger
8 years ago
Reply to  Jure Žove

Actually thats quite common seeing as how ( generally ) our prices are lower.. cars from CA CO and the Desert SW [ along with the eastern plains of WA and OR ] have less rust are in much better condition as well as again generally speaking folks in the US ( unfortunately ) tend to drive their zippy cars a whole lot less leaving far fewer miles on the odometer .

What is surprising though is that said German or Alberto would purchase a car … any car from the west side of Oregon [ or WA ]

The saying in the NW being … you can sit on the porch with a beer and watch your car rust , mold and mildew away while you drink it .

Benjamin Shahrabani
Benjamin Shahrabani
8 years ago

no one but children can sit in the back. Trust me, I know!:D

Jarrod H
Jarrod H
8 years ago

I do not hate my child enough to make them ride in the back of something the size of a 911.

Guitar Slinger
Guitar Slinger
8 years ago
Reply to  Jarrod H

Seriously ? Hmmn … methinks you need to readjust your thinking on that one good sir . You have no idea how much fun you’re keeping from them not to mention their propensity to enjoy the experience thoroughly … rather than seeing it as any kind of punishment / torture . Heck … my dads friend used to stuff me in between and behind the seats in both his Austin 3000 as well as the C2 that replaced it when he’d take me for a spin with his girlfriend de jour . Those being some of the defining moments of my contracting the GearHeaditis virus .

Jarrod H
Jarrod H
8 years ago
Reply to  Guitar Slinger

Whatever you say. My daughter gets to see things for the backseat of a truck which will allow her to see things through a tent flap in the woods somewhere.

Putting her in the back seat of something like my BGT, a 911, or something likewise as small is just mean.

Jason Garrett
Jason Garrett
8 years ago
Reply to  Jarrod H

Whatever you say. My two kids get to enjoy riding in the back of a 911, they *LOVE* it and ask for it all the time. I think it would be mean to put them in the back of something as boring as a truck.

John
John
8 years ago
Reply to  Jarrod H

My nephews also love riding in the back of the 911, its a fun time.

John
John
8 years ago

I’ve fit several adults in my 911 over the years, no road trips though, and nothing more than an hour at a time. But it is possible.

Noah Lee
Noah Lee
8 years ago

Wait… What? This doesn’t add up. Guessing there’s an untold story of buyers remorse after trying to drive a family of four from Oregon to Mexico in a 70’s 911. Oh well, I would have kept it.

A Dias
A Dias
8 years ago
Reply to  Noah Lee

I wonder…

Guitar Slinger
Guitar Slinger
8 years ago
Reply to  A Dias

Nahhh … I’m guessing the price on offer was too good to turn down with Senor Rubio having the good sense [ two kids will do that to you ] .. to jump on a once in a lifetime opportunity . That is … driving a classic Porsche … with the family … down some of the best roads the Pacific NW and California have to offer ….

… and getting paid [ the profits he garnered from the sale ] for the privilege of doing so

And heck … with said profits in tow now he can look for an even better one … to keep this time .. ! Now pardon me while I turn green with envy ….. grrr …

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