Why a Tesla (now) Instead of a Porsche 911 (later)?

Ever since I can remember, I've wanted a Porsche 911 Turbo. Like most American kids, my love of cars came from my Dad's infatuation. Most of his professional life has revolved around cars. After working for the Anderson's Tire Center, he went back to school so he could teach automotive at the local community college. During his tenure as a teacher, he taught two primary subjects: electronics and transmissions. Both are necessary (and complicated) topics for mechanics to understand when repairing modern automobiles.

When my Dad was young, his father owned a Porsche 912, which was an affordable version of the vaunted 911. My Dad loved this car. Unfortunately, my grandfather sold it before my Dad had a chance to buy it from him. I don't know if that's where the seed of my infatuation started with Porsche in general – and the 911 in particular – but it seems likely.

My grandfather's Porsche 912 and nameplate.

When I was in my early teens, I subscribed to Motor Trend. I poured over every page, memorizing the 0-60 times for all of the important exotic cars. I didn't understand everything that I read, but I loved it nonetheless. I hung a poster of a 911 on my wall (which I still have somewhere in the garage). It was my dream to own one. It was my obsession. But I was also realistic. It's an expensive car, and one that I wouldn't likely be able to afford. So it hovered just out of reach for most of my life. 

That is, until recently. What I hadn't counted on is leaving academia, getting a job at a software company, and not having any kids. All of these decisions allowed my wife, Leslie, and I to save our disposable income. It also never occurred to me (I don't know why) that purchasing a used Porsche could put a 911 within my financial reach.

Owning a "certified used" car actually worked out well for us, although our used car was a far cry from a Porsche. When Leslie and I graduated from grad school in 2005, we replaced her Oldsmobile Delta 88 with a 2003 Honda Civic. It only had about 13,000 miles when we bought it, and it was the perfect car for us. It was extremely reliable, and the cost of ownership (including gas, insurance, and maintenance) over the lifetime of the car has been extremely low. 

My beloved "midnite porsche" poster. So cool!

When I got my first real job after grad school, I started an informal "fund" to save up for a 911. Every bonus that I received, I put into my fund. After 12 years of driving our dependable Honda Civic, I had saved up quite a bit of money. I wouldn't be able to afford a new car (or a Turbo for that matter), but I was finally within striking distance of owning a used 911!

What I hadn't counted on was the founding of Tesla Motors (July 2003). Their first car was the Roadster, which only millionaires could afford. But they sold enough Roadsters to finance the development and production of their second car, the Model S. To get the company off the ground, the Model S had to compete with luxury sedans from BMW, Mercedes, and Lexus. By "compete", I mean it had to completely exceed them in terms of materials, features, and polish. It also has to be drop-dead gorgeous – enough to turn heads when it drives by. 

More than good looks, however, the car had to out-perfom all of the cars in its class. Therefore, the engineers at Tesla spent considerable effort making a car with performance numbers that can only be obtained by a sports car (the Model S is technically classified as a "luxury sedan"). Going back to my teen-age infatuation with acceleration, the P100D (base price: $134,000) will accelerate from 0 to 60 miles an hour in a mind-numbing two and a half seconds. By comparison, the Ferrari LaFerrari is ten times more expensive ($1.4 million), and it is only a tenth of a second faster.

In a nutshell, that's the history of my interest in cars. So why did I buy a Tesla (now), and not a Porsche 911 (later)? The main reason Leslie and I decided to buy a Tesla now is because of a startling new statistic. For the first time in several decades, the average American's life expectancy has dropped. Our generation isn't going to live as long as our parents or grandparents. 

Those are the national statistics. When I look at my own family, things don't look a whole lot better. In 2014, my Mom was officially diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's Disease. In the years since her diagnoses, her progression has been alarmingly fast. Since there is a large genetic component to Alzheimer's, I am squarely at risk. I am doing everything I can stave off this horrific disease. But in the end, there are no guarantees.

Meet "Sparky" our Tesla Model S 75D.

I could roll the dice and continue saving for another day. In fact, for most of my life, I've always had my eye squarely on the future. I save for retirement, I don't live beyond my means, and I don't wear fancy clothes. I bought a house that I could afford, I don't have any credit card debt, and my education is completely paid for. On balance, I've done everything right. But saving for the future comes at a pretty steep cost, especially if you die young.

This purchase, this one luxury that I have allowed myself, represents a chance to enjoy the present moment. It's my hedge against not being able to enjoy driving a really fast car one day. And for the record...I'm going to drive the hell out of this car. 

Carpe Diem