Selling Porsches for 40 Years and the 1967 911 S Barn Find
To All The Cars I've Loved Before: Classic Car Restoration, JDM, and Automotive History
Selling Porsches for 40 Years and the 1967 911 S Barn FindTo All The Cars I've Loved Before: Classic Car Restoration, JDM, and Automotive History · Jun 9, 2026
Annotations will appear as you listen
0:00
36:35
Topic
Porsche sales and the Porsche scene
They’re talking about Porsche selling and the community around it. The host is using the dealer’s long experience to set up the story and history part of the episode.
The Porsche 356 is an early Porsche sports car from the 1950s and 1960s. It’s famous because it’s a lightweight, classic design that helped make Porsche what it is today.
“Bathtub Porsche” is a nickname for an early Porsche 356 shape. The body looks low and rounded, kind of like a bathtub, which is why people call it that.
The Porsche 911 is Porsche’s famous sports car. It’s known for its distinctive shape and rear-engine layout, and the hosts are talking about how the name evolved early on.
Term
Kills bugs fast
That phrase is basically a joke about driving fast—bugs hit your car, and the slogan is saying it happens quickly. It’s not a car feature being explained here.
The Austin-Healey 100 is a classic British sports car. In this episode, it’s the person’s first car—the one they bought even though it was in rough shape.
“Air-cooled” means the engine uses air (not coolant in a radiator) to stay cool. The speaker is saying that the Porsche engines they’re thinking of are the air-cooled kind.
Car
Austin Healy
An Austin-Healey is a classic British sports car. It’s the kind of car people remember for how it sounds and feels to drive, and the host clearly loved his first one.
He’s basically saying Porsche cars were in short supply compared to what people wanted. When that happens, prices tend to hold up better, which makes buying and later upgrading less painful financially.
Brumos is a name associated with a famous dealership and Porsche racing history. The speaker is using it to explain how they got connected to the Porsche world.
Hurley Haywood is a legendary Porsche endurance racing driver, referenced here as the co-owner. The speaker uses both Haywood and Peter Gregg to emphasize that Brumos was connected to the highest levels of Porsche racing.
Peter Gregg is a well-known Porsche racing figure, mentioned here as the owner who raced. In this segment, he’s used to underline how the speaker’s dealership connections were tied to top-level Porsche endurance racing.
Endurance racing is when cars race for a long time—often hours—so they have to last while staying quick. The speaker is saying the people behind Brumos were famous in Porsche’s long-distance racing world.
“Analog” here means the car feels more old-school and connected, with fewer digital/tech layers between you and the driving. The host prefers that kind of feel.
A manual transmission means you shift gears yourself with a clutch pedal and a stick. The host likes it because it makes the car feel more hands-on and old-school.
The Porsche Macan is Porsche’s compact SUV, positioned as a practical daily driver compared with the 911. Here it’s mentioned as a family utility vehicle (“grocery” and “dog car”), showing how the host mixes a classic-leaning 911 with a more everyday Porsche.
A sport button is a switch that makes the car act more “aggressive.” It can change how the throttle and suspension feel so the car responds faster when you drive it harder.
PDK is Porsche’s automatic-style gearbox that shifts very fast. It uses two clutches so it can change gears smoothly without the long pause you feel in some older automatics.
A dual-clutch transmission is a gearbox that uses two clutches to prepare the next gear. When it’s time to shift, it switches clutches so the change happens quickly and smoothly.
Autocross is a timed driving event on a course marked with cones. Cars are judged on how quickly and accurately they can navigate the course, and quick gear changes can help.
Platform sharing means different cars are built on the same basic “bones.” It helps companies save money, but the cars may feel more alike under the skin.
Before the Porsche 911 name existed, Porsche planned to sell the car as the “901.” The episode says Porsche even used “901” on early parts, but the name had to change because someone else had rights to that specific naming format.
“901 project” is Porsche’s internal code name for the development work behind the future 911. It’s part of why the car was originally supposed to be called “901.”
The episode is talking about a protected naming pattern: “three digits with a zero in the middle.” Porsche couldn’t use “901” because of legal rights tied to that pattern, so they changed the name to “911.”
Badging means the name/letters on the outside of the car. The host is saying you could order the car with “911” lettering so it looked more like the classic 911 identity.
A “delete” means you’re telling the factory to leave something out. So even if a car normally comes with certain equipment, you can order it without that equipment.
An option package is a pre-made bundle of upgrades you can add when you order a car. Instead of picking every feature one-by-one, you choose a group that goes together.
Profit margin is how much money a company keeps as profit after paying its costs. The host is saying that making fewer variations can help keep costs down and protect profits.
“Financial issues” just means the company is having money problems. In this segment, the host links that to Porsche’s experience with electric vehicles and the idea that they may scale back.
Electric vehicles are cars that run on electricity stored in batteries. The host is saying Porsche tried to focus on EVs, but they didn’t get the results they wanted.
In Porsche ordering, “options” means factory-installed equipment choices—things like trim, interior choices, and performance-related add-ons. The speaker emphasizes that some combinations are hard to order because they require special approval or coordination with the factory.
Porsche Cars North America is Porsche’s organization for the North American market. In the story, they’re the ones who told the speaker certain orders couldn’t be placed.
From a family-owned 1976 Super Beetle to decades of Porsche selling, the conversation tracks how early rides, dealer rules, and changing sales culture shaped Mike Maurer’s Porsche life. Pricing logic, manual-vs-PDK debates, and Porsche naming trivia (901 to 911, plus “911” badging) fill out the Porsche history side. The episode’s emotional centerpiece is a 1967 911 S barn-find story and a right-of-first-refusal sale that swung from $200,000 to $75,000.
What happens when a lifetime of automotive passion becomes a 40-year career? This week, Doug goes solo from Myrtle Beach to sit down with luxury car sales legend Mike Maurer. Mike has been navigating the high-end automotive world since the 1980s, working with legendary dealerships like Brumos Porsche.
In this episode, Mike pulls back the curtain on the reality of high-end car sales. He shares incredible, unfiltered stories—from growing up riding in the back of an air-cooled Porsche 356 bathtub across Europe to his early days crashing a classic Austin Healey into a tree while racing a Lotus Elan in Annapolis. We also dive deep into the ultimate "one that got away" story involving a pristine 1967 Porsche 911 S, a hidden barn, and an unexpected journey to Australia.
Whether you're a rabid Porsche purist who demands three pedals on the floor or someone dreaming of breaking into luxury automotive marketing, Mike's 40 years of industry experience serves as the ultimate masterclass.
Key Takeaways & Timestamps
Garage Updates: Doug checks in from vacation in Myrtle Beach and recaps our previous feature with Marla from BWomen.com.
Perks of the Showroom Floor: Mike explains how luxury sales professionals spec'd out new cars every single year to master their product knowledge.
The Hustle is Real: The brutal reality, demanding 11-to-12-hour days, and the pressure of working in high-end retail during the 1980s and 90s.
The First Car Heartbreak: Buying a derelict 1957 Austin Healey 100 with college tuition savings, and why it wouldn't start by day two.
Racing in Annapolis: How totaling a brand new Austin Healey 3000 while chasing a Lotus Elan through the woods paved the way to his very first Porsche 911.
The 20-Toyota Challenge: The unique ultimatum a legendary dealership owner gave Mike before allowing him to sell premium sports cars.
The Legend of Brumos Porsche: Working alongside legendary endurance racers Peter Gregg and Hurley Haywood at a dealership that shaped Porsche culture.
The Last Last of the Analog Cars: Why Mike's manual transmission 2007 Porsche 911 (997) Carrera 4S is an absolute keeper compared to modern digital platforms.
The Worst Cars Driven: Hilarious deep dives into sorting out the infamous Geo Metro and a nightmare Saab Turbo ownership experience.
The Ultimate Barn Find Story: How Mike acquired a pristine, original-owner 1967 Porsche 911 S out of a small hidden barn for $20,000, and what happened when he tried to buy it back from Australia years later.
Career Blueprint: Modern career advice for younger enthusiasts looking to break into luxury dealership sales, corporate wholesale, or online auction platforms like Bring a Trailer.
Master Class Trivia: Mike breaks down the legendary history behind why the Porsche 911 was almost called the 901
Hidden Options & Factory Battles: How Mike bypasses corporate constraints to build highly customized, one-of-one vehicles directly with factory insiders.
In the Shop: Mentioned Cars & Media
1957 Austin Healey 100 & Austin Healey 3000
Porsche 356 "Bathtub"
Porsche 911 (Classic 1967 911 S)
Porsche 911 (997 Gen) Carrera 4S (Manual)
Porsche Macan (The daily grocery & dog hauler)
Lotus Elan
Geo Metro
Saab Turbo
Porsche Posters: The legendary "Kill Bugs Faster" Arena Red 993 Turbo campaign.
The Soundtrack:Life in the Fast Lane by The Eagles.
Connect with Our Guest
Have questions about ordering a bespoke Porsche, navigating the current collector market, or tracking down an air-cooled classic? Reach out to Mike Maurer directly at [email protected].
Join the Cars Love Nation Community!
If this episode sparked a memory of your own first ride or a long-forgotten project gathering dust in your garage, we want to hear about it!
