I’m having a crisis where unless I see something with my own eyes, I can’t tell if it’s real or fake.
With the proliferation of fake news, choreographed social media stunts, split-second trends and news cycles, and artificial intelligence (AI), I find myself taking comfort in old stuff – old media, analogue technology, vintage clothing, and – increasingly – old cars.
I know I’m not alone.
The secondhand and vintage clothing market is booming (it’s currently valued at about US$197 billion globally), and its explosive growth has been documented everywhere from Vogue to Forbes. Cassette tape sales have hit a 20-year high, vinyl sales are lucrative, and both formats are experiencing double-digit growth year over year. Pentax recently released its first new film camera in more than 20 years. Walkmans are selling for hundreds of dollars. Sick of endless doom-scrolling and constant connectivity, people are buying the “dumbphones” and flip phones with no internet connection I used as a teen that can only make calls and send T9 texts.
With convenient, accessible, and powerful pocket-sized devices that can take perfect 4K video and high-quality photos, serve an endless library of music, videos, shows, and movies for us to stream whenever we want, and connect us instantly to almost anyone, the movement toward analogue technology we assumed was obsolete can’t go unnoticed.
Driving a 1994 Porsche 968 Convertible, it became even more apparent why convenience and perfection are overrated.
Its Own Reward
It’s not an easy or convenient car to drive. These old manual cars don’t have a brake hold, so good luck not burning up the clutch on a hill. Putting the top up or down requires tools to unlock or lock the latches, and the car must be parked and in accessory mode for it to happen. There are no cup holders. It’s a Porsche, but it’s not quick. There’s no power steering, so parking is an arm workout. There’s no back-up camera, no blind-spot monitoring, and it’s ergonomically hilarious.
Despite all this, the 968 is wildly fun, and I adored driving it. Each trip was an adventure in itself.
From the moment you slide the key into the door to unlock it, this vintage Porsche surprises and delights. Getting to know this car opened up many opportunities to have happy discoveries – something new cars rarely do. I squealed when I discovered the pop-up headlights. There’s an organizer for cassette tapes in the armrest. The switches and knobs click and clack in the most satisfying way. Even mastering the sequence to use the convertible top feels like an accomplishment.
Not having every feature and function fully automated makes you an active participant instead of a passive user. It’s impossible to be distracted while driving old cars because they require so much of your attention and effort. Slowing down like this forces you to reconnect with the process and experience of driving, which will always be more gratifying. Old cars (and old stuff in general) make you work for the fun, and I’m a big believer that anything that’s too easy isn’t as rewarding. This Porsche’s imperfections – all of its quirks that make it inconvenient – simply make it more fun.
The Analogue Experience
Flipping through a crate of records to pick the perfect one, taking it out of the sleeve, cleaning it, gently placing the needle on the record, and flipping it to listen to the other side isn’t a convenient way to consume music. But the process forces you to slow down. The warmth of the sound combined with the characteristic cracks and pops make it an experience unique to you.
Clacking away at a typewriter is the most stupid, hipster way to document. You make mistakes you can’t correct, it takes forever, there’s no spellcheck, it’s messy, and the typewriter itself takes up a lot of desk space. But again, it forces you to focus and be intentional with each word. With a loud bang as each letter strikes the paper, a permanence to your typing makes your words feel more profound in the same way that a handwritten note presents more sincerity.
I miss this authenticity.
We are collectively exhausted by being bombarded with new tech, AI, keeping track of fleeting trends, and a cycle of consumption that isn’t great for the environment or our mental health. It feels so alienating, and while all of this new stuff is sold to us under the guise of convenience and advancement, it often leaves us feeling empty and lost.
Final Thoughts
This vintage Porsche speaks to me in a way a new 911 simply can’t. That’s not to say a new 911 isn’t magnificent – because it is – but vintage stuff just hits different. Analogue stuff like this 968 makes you work for the joy. When there’s effort and time involved, trial and error, and building up the know-how to connect with something, it gives everything more meaning. You feel more engaged, fulfilled, and grounded. This vintage Porsche and other analogue stuff embody an honesty that I miss – they proudly wear their imperfections like a badge of honour. Their flaws and deficiencies give them character.
Analogue stuff is characterized by its imperfections. Imperfections make us human, and that’s something we need to embrace more of.
It’s Not My Dream 911, but it Might Do the Trick
For many Porsche fans like myself, 911s of all generations have become unattainable. Not even considering the air-cooled 911s that can command hundreds of thousands of dollars, even 911s from the generations that were once considered ugly and unloved have become prohibitively expensive.
Luckily, Porsches like this ‘90s-era 968 haven’t yet hit that level of high collectability. Since this is a front-engine four-cylinder water-cooled oddball that was a commercial flop back in the day and isn’t what most people picture when they think of Porsche, they’re still relatively affordable.
There are currently five 968s available nationwide on AutoTrader, all of which are under $40,000. Seeing that these cars will only become rarer and more in demand as more people find solace in analogue stuff, those prices can only increase, so if you’re considering treating yourself to a classic Porsche, there is no better time than now. And there’s even better news: Porsche Canada has extensive support for classic Porsche owners, so if you need parts or catalogues, they’re easier to find than ever before.
