Porsche Club Insider
Porsche Club of America
Updated 3 days agoIf you want to hear about Porsche and only Porsche topics, then Porsche Club Insider is the podcast for you. Accurate information and thoughtful opinions are what you’ll find in this premier, Porsche only podcast. Join us for a 60 minute conversation of Porsche news, inside information on both Porsche and the Porsche Club as well as funny stories that only those who have been behind the scenes can tell you. Your Porsche Club Insider crew features Porsche Club of America National Office staff: Vu Nguyen, Executive Director for the past 17 years; Rob Sass, Editor in Chief of Porsche Panorama Magazine; Damon Lowney, Digital Media Coordinator who brings us weekly top notch Porsche related videos and Manny Alban, Technical Director and Past National President.
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Episodes (228)
Porsches to Watch During the Monterey Auctions
On this episode we have Rob Sass in studio who helps us navigate the most interesting Porsches coming up for auction in Monterey. We start off by chatting about what we did over the Porsche weekend. This includes tire repair, air conditioning and fan resistor tips as well as why Orlando Bloom is promoting the PCA Porsche Design watch. We then go over cars from RM Sotheby’s, Gooding, Broad Arrow, Bonham’s and Mecum auctions in Monterey. This one is a little longer than usual but as always, it’s filled with great information.
Buying A 168,000-mile Cayenne for $3500 - What Did I Learn?
Damon Lowney shares with us his ownership experience with his 2005 Cayenne V6 that he purchased earlier this year. Damon has racked a good amount of miles on the car and has a list of things that need to be fixed. Vu also shares his ownership experiences he’s had with his 2006 Cayenne he’s owned for almost 20 years. If you are in the market for an older Cayenne and are tempted by the low prices or even if you’re not going to buy one, it’s still an interesting show to learn more about Porsche’s first SUV.
The Story of Ruf – A True Family Business
We had the opportunity to sit down with Alois and Aloisa Ruf during the Porsche Parade to hear their story of how the company started, recent innovations, and their current line up. We hear about how Ruf and Gran Turismo exposed the Ruf brand to gamers who are now buying the real cars. We also hear about the first Ruf built, Alois’s connection to PCA and Oklahoma. Plus Aloisa tells us what its like to grow up a Ruf. There’s a lot covered in less than an hour. If you’ve heard the name Ruf but weren’t sure how it was associated with Porsche, this is the episode for you. Chapters (00:00:00) - Intro(00:01:33) - Guest introduction, Alois and Aloisa Ruf(00:02:14) - What is Ruf?(00:05:01) - Early years of Ruf(00:06:31) - The first Porsche in the Ruf family(00:10:09) - What’s it like growing up Ruf(00:11:23) - Fascination video(00:12:53) - What inspired you to modify 911s(00:16:17) - Why did Ruf become a manufacturer?(00:17:41) - Selling the 356 Notchback(00:22:00) - How does Ruf position itself with other tuners?(00:25:14) - What did Ruf change when it received the 911 chassis from the factory?(00:26:16) - Ruf’s employee structure(00:31:10) - How Ruf’s lineup is structured(00:36:11) - Is there a Hybrid or EV future for Ruf?(00:39:29) - How Ruf keeps the new cars feeling like the old ones(00:44:33) - Gran Turismo and the Yellowbird(00:46:41) - Review of the current RUF lineup(00:49:12) - The new RUF 993 lighting system(00:50:12) - Alois’ connection to Oklahoma(00:54:00) - Upcoming PCA events
What We Did At the 2025 Porsche Parade
This episode was recorded in front of a live audience at the 2025 Porsche Parade in Oklahoma City, on the fourth day of Parade. Vu, Manny, and Damon welcome Nathan Merz to the podcast. We talk about all we did at Parade, which includes setting up, concours, RC cars, Tech Tactics, bowling, and more. This was a very memorable Parade and hopefully this episode will convince you to come next year.
How the PCA 70th Anniversary 911 Club Coupe was developed
This is a special episode that was recorded several weeks ago since this car was still a secret. It is split into three sections because we wanted to interview the key people involved with the development of the newly announced PCA70 911 Club Coupe. We start off with PCA President Aaron Ambrosino, who details how the Executive Council conveyed their wishes to the staff the Porsche Exclusive. We then bring on Michael Tam, PCNA's Product Manager for sports cars, who details how special cars like this are planned and executed. Lastly, we bring on Alexander Fabig, VP of Individualization & Classic at Porsche AG, and Grant Larson, renowned designer and Director Special Projects, Style Porsche, Porsche AG. They give us the story of what happened with the car in Germany and how so many of the special details came to life. PCA Club Coupes only come around every ten years, so we are super excited to bring you behind the scenes. Chapters (00:00:00) - Show introduction(00:01:23) - Guest introduction, Aaron Ambrosino, PCA National President(00:04:01) - History of Club Coupes(00:06:35) - When did planning start on the 70th Club Coupe?(00:12:40) - How was the color chosen?(00:16:27) - What’s special about the interior?(00:17:42) - The story behind the No Delay button(00:19:07) - How do you buy a 70th 911 Club Coupe?(00:20:00) - Guest introduction, Michael Tam, Product Manager, Sports Cars at Porsche Cars North America(00:23:16) - What are the first steps when planning a special car?(00:27:38) - Why was the Carrera T the perfect choice for the Club Coupe?(00:29:12) - What can you NOT get on the Club Coupe?(00:30:06) - How much difference is creating a Club Coupe as compared to a regular model?(00:31:02) - What’s the relationship between Porsche AG and PCNA for a model like this?(00:32:04) - How much work was involved in bringing the debut 70th Club Coupe?(00:33:46) - Where is the customization work done?(00:38:39) - Will you be overseeing the delivery of the Club Coupes in North America?(00:38:49) - Guest introductions, Alexander Fabig, Vice President Individualization and Classic and Grant Larson, Special Projects Style Porsche(00:39:36) - Did you look back at previous Club Coupes for inspiration?(00:42:36) - What role did In and Out have with the creation of the Club Coupe?(00:46:07) - Why was the 911 Carrera T chosen as the base for this car?(00:47:52) - Tell us about the color from a designer standpoint(00:50:39) - Explain how you came up with the wheel design?(00:54:36) - Special Easter eggs on the car
Do You Want To Drive Your Porsche On Track?
On this episode, Mia Walsh, who is PCA’s National Drivers Education Committee Chair, joins us in studio to talk about what a rookie can expect if they come to a PCA DE. Along with hearing about Damon’s recent HPDE with Nord Stern Region at Road America, we chat about what you’ll need to participate, how PCA trains its instructors, and how PCA teaches you how to be safe while having fun. Plus we discuss Porsche news. Chapters (00:00:00) - Show and guest introduction(00:02:25) - Damon’s day at Road America(00:13:45) - What is Driver’s Education?(00:17:00) - Which cars can’t participate in DE?(00:18:00) - What’s required of your car?(00:21:49) - Should you modify your car for DE?(00:24:29) - How PCA trains its instructors to teach students(00:37:00) - Is DE just like racing?(00:40:29) - What you’ll need prepare you come to your first DE(00:45:48) - Do you need a driving suit?(00:50:19) - Are race tires necessary?(00:53:24) - Windows up or down while on track?(00:57:13) - Day of the event, what do I need to bring?(01:01:10) - How fast can you expect to go?(01:03:50) - Is this an activity for both men and women?(01:09:01) - What happens when something goes wrong on the track?(01:11:30) - Is there classroom instruction?(01:13:30) - What if my car breaks down?(01:18:47) - Porsche News: Porsche comes in fourth at 6 Hours of the Glen(01:20:07) - Update on PCA videos(01:23:17) - Upcoming PCA events
What Really Happened With James Dean and the 550 Spyder?
PCA member and internationally recognized expert on James Dean, Lee Raskin, joins us in studio for a lesson on everything you didn’t know about James Dean and his love of racing Porsches. Lee explains to us how he got hooked on James Dean, what he’s discovered over the decades of research and investigating James Dean, his cars, and that fateful day. If you want to hear accurate information on this fascinating topic, this is the podcast for you. Chapters (00:00:00) - Intro(00:02:00) - Guest introduction, Lee Raskin(00:03:50) - Why did you get interested in James Dean?(00:08:10) - James Dean books that Lee authored(00:11:49) - How did Lee get into Porsches?(00:15:56) - Why did James Dean drive Porsches?(00:26:20) - How did the 550 Spyder and James Dean come together?(00:40:05) - Why was Dean heading to Salinas?(00:45:45) - What happened on that fateful day?(00:59:05) - Investigation of the accident(01:02:20) - What happened to the wrecked 550 Spyder?(01:14:49) - Porsche News: Porsche 963 finishes third in IMSA Detroit race(01:16:59) - PCA events update(01:17:37) - PCA video update
Highs and Lows of Selling Porsches Over Four Decades
Michael Maurer was a salesperson at Porsche dealerships for four decades starting in 1982. He tells us what it was like to sell during lean years, what the 944 and Boxster did for salespeople, the coming of the SUV and luxury four door sedans and the threat of a Porsche bankruptcy. We talk about how people used to buy Porsches, discounts, selling during the pandemic and much more. It’s an interesting peek into the dealer sales side of the Porsche world.
Has Porsche lost its way?
Michael Levitas, owner of TPC Racing, joins us to discuss whether Porsche has lost its way with the new cars. Michael owns a variety of Porsches that range from a 1971 911S to a 2024 911 Carrera S. He also owns several examples of Porsche’s competitors that he uses to develop aftermarket suspension and tuning products. We chat about whether newer cars are still visceral, do driving aids make bad drivers seem great, and whether or not it is still possible to modify and improve what the factory produced. It’s always interesting when Michael joins us and this episode doesn’t disappoint.
Porsche 911 Hybrid Driving Impressions Plus Doing A Pro Solo In A Porsche
On this episode we chat about our turn at the 911 GTS T-Hybrid as well as what we thought about the Macan Turbo EV. Damon fills us in on his first ever SCCA Pro Solo event. Manny gives a report on doing the Porsche Driving Experience at New Jersey Motorsports Park as well as taking his sub-100 horsepower 914 on a PCA rally. We also touch upon people behaving badly in Porsches on public roads as well news, event and PCA video updates. We cover a lot of Porsche content in 70 minutes, don’t miss it.
Insider’s Perspective with Calvin Kim, PCNA's four-door spokesperson | Episode 168
Calvin Kim, Porsche Cars North America’s Product Spokesperson for Four-Door Porsches, joins us at Porsche Headquarters in Atlanta. Calvin doesn’t only work for Porsche, he wrenches on his own 996, does crazy road trips, and is a dyed-in-the-wool enthusiast. He gives us some insider perspective into all four lines of the four-door Porsches, why they built certain models, which ones are most popular, and much more. It’s an interesting 75-minute peek into Porsche’s best-selling vehicles.
Curating Porsche Collections – A Peek Into How It's Done
Casey Parkin, owner of Group C Curation, visits us again in studio to discuss what he does everyday. Casey maintains several collections which feature Porsche predominantly. We delve into how he keeps track of maintenance, how often they are driven, what it’s like to work with the owners and much more. It’s an interesting peek into the collectors mind and how they expect their collections to be taken care of. Plus, we chat about what to do with fuel when storing your Porsche, the Porsche-only swap meet in Carlisle, PA, will Porsche build a street 963 as well as Porsche news, upcoming PCA events and current PCA videos.
All the PCA History you can learn in one hour
On this episode we have Linda Goodman, PCA’s National Historian, on to discuss the history of how PCA became the world's largest car club with over 103K primary members. We start from the humble beginnings when it was just owners looking for technical support to the Porsche Parades, Panorama Magazine, factory Treffens, partnering with Porsche to build special cars and so much more.
Trying To Win The Porsche Classic Restoration Challenge with a 996
Peter Simpson, Service Manager for Porsche Owings Mills in Maryland, visits the podcast studio for a 60 minute discussion on a variety of topics. We cover the car they are going to enter in this year’s Porsche Classic Restoration Challenge (hint: it’s a 996), what a Service Manager does all day, are Porsche customers are different than Hyundai’s and how he landed in this busy role. If you wondered what goes on once you drop off your car at the dealer, this is the episode for you.
Are Porsche Cup Cars The Best Buy Right Now?
Bob Miller of At Speed Motors joins us for this week’s episode. We discuss every Porsche cup car from the 944 to the 997. We cover what they’re like to live with, how easy they are to drive and whether or not you need a crew to run them at the track. If you’ve ever wondered what’s the story behind these Weissach built specials, this episode will answer a lot of your questions.
Learning Porsche History with author, Jay Gillotti
Jay Gillotti, PCA member and noted author, joins us in studio to discuss his two Porsche books, Gulf 917 and Porsche Decades. We learn about the 917 and its origin, how the Gulf sponsorship and Steve McQueen came together to do a movie and what he though about Seinfeld’s 917 that went to auction. We also chat about his latest book, Porsche Decades and why it’s the perfect book for those new to the Porsche world or anyone who is looking for one book that will cover a lot of history. It’s a fascinating podcast where you’ll definitely learn something new like we did.
What did Florida's auctions tell us about the Porsche market?
David Whitlock of the Stuttgart Market Letter joins us to go over the auctions held in Miami and Amelia Island in March. We learn which cars surprised us, which didn’t sell and which met expectations. Plus we touch upon the affect of tariffs on the collector car market.
Secrets To Daily Driving A 720K Mile 996 Turbo
Unbelievably, Tom Thalmann has driven his 996 Turbo to over 700K miles. He’s in studio to share his secrets to keeping the car running reliably and looking like new. We learn his secrets on maintenance, oil changes, driving through Boston winters and why he choose a 911 Turbo.
Projekt964 Auction Watch and Porsche Spotting in Scottsdale
We recorded this episode as we were watching the last 15 minutes of the Projekt964 auction on Bring A Trailer. We discuss the history of the car while anxiously awaiting the final bid. Plus, we talk about our visit to Scottsdale, Arizona where we visited the Avante Garde Collection, Roger Penske’s newest dealership-Porsche North Scottsdale. We also get special access to an amazing private collection with a dream garage of Porsches. The trip concludes with a tour of Patrick Motorsports and all the wide scope of cars and services they are working on.
What we did during Amelia Island Car Week & Why you need to register for Porsche Parade
Every year the Amelia Island car week starts the car season on the east coast. This episode we take you along with us as we visit different events and Porsches. Our guest is Carl Scholz who attended is first Werks Reunion this year. We cover both the Gooding and Broad Arrow auction previews, the Reverie party, Werks Reunion and ending with the Amelia. We finish up the episode with Melanie Williams, PCA Event Manager, who gives us the lowdown on registering for this year’s Porsche Parade in Oklahoma City as well as what the organizers have in store as we celebrate 70 years of the PCA.
Selling Projekt 964 with A-GC's Matt Crandall
PCA has decided to sell its 1990 911 Carrera 4 on Bring A Trailer. Matt Crandall who owns Avante-Garde Collection and is also known as 911R on Bring A Trailer, is taking care of it for us. We find out what they did to the car to prepare it for the auction, how he started his business of helping enthusiasts sell their car, and lots of stories. Also joining us is PCA Treasurer Richard Strahota, who has used Matt’s services and shares his experiences as a seller.
Did Damon make a pro detailer cringe?
On this episode, Damon answers the critics about his detailing video. In the studio is Kurt Felmar, professional detailer, who joins us to discuss what went right and what didn’t when Damon detailed his Cayman. Even if you didn’t watch the video, you will learn some new detailing tips and better understand ceramic coatings.
Nathan Merz: The Man Behind the Minutiae
On this episode we invite Porsche savant, Nathan Merz, on the podcast to discover what he really thinks on a variety of Porsche topics. From how he got hooked on cars and Porsches to whats his forever Porsche. He tells us which model would he never buy and which GT3 generation is the best. If you enjoy watching Nathan’s videos, you’re going to learn even more about the guy in front of the camera from this episode.
Inside the Mind of a Collector — Joe Hikel
On this episode we highlight PCA member Joe Hikel who not only acquires but drives his collection of Porsches. Some are modified, others stock, some classic, others modern. He tells us what attracted him to the various models and how they’re used. He also tells us what it’s like to own an Emory Special as well as a Singer 911.
Porsches Up For Auction at Amelia Island & Miami 2025
On this episode we review some of the interesting Porsches that will be going up for auction at Amelia Island and ModaMiami. Joining us is Bob Miller of At Speed Motors who gives us a market perspective and insights of what these cars will sell for.