Rennthusiast Radio

Shannon Harper of Harper Porsche, Knoxville, Tennessee runs a Porsche store the way most of us wish every dealer did: No games and no nonsense. We talk pricing, ADMs, and the stuff you ask us about all the time, especially allocations and why some cars feel impossible to get.
What we cover
Why some dealers add big markups, and why Shannon refuses to do it
What really happens when someone flips a new GT car
How allocation works, and why GT cars stay tight
How Porsche rewards dealers, and what the “hoops” actually look like
What a Gen 5 Porsche dealership is, and why it feels like a Porsche clubhouse
Shannon’s personal collection, and why he is obsessed with green cars
The most reliable Porsche pick for a normal owner who just wants a car that works
PLATICA, how it started, and how it turned into a serious event

Porsche PLATICA info
Knoxville, Tennessee
Sunday, May 3, 2026
Follow @porsche_platica on Instagram for ticket announcements and updates
Website: porsche-platica dot com

Rennthusiast Radio
Listen and Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and Spotify

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Rennthusiast on YouTube

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ElevenAfterNine on YouTube

If you have a dealer experience that made you swear off a store forever, tell us in the comments!
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In this episode of Rennthusiast Radio, you hear the full ownership story behind one of the most talked-about modern 911s. Will breaks down eight months with his 2009 997.2 Carrera S manual in Guards Red. The good, the bad, and the expensive.
You hear how he found a rare manual car in a sea of PDKs. You hear what felt off right after delivery. You hear how $13,000 in maintenance and mods changed the car, and his opinion of the platform.
We talk real buying advice. What to ask sellers. What PPIs miss. Why borescope proof matters. Why cold second gear surprises owners. Why the 997.2 feels different from both older air-cooled cars and newer 991s.
If you are shopping for a 997.2, this episode matters. If you already own one, this will sound familiar.
Topics covered:
• Finding a rare 997.2 manual
• Ownership reality after 80k+ miles
• Transmission behavior and cold shifting
• Exhaust, suspension, and seat upgrades
• $13k in work, what was worth it
• Is the 997.2 really an $80k driving experience
• Would he buy another one
Watch Will’s full video series on the car on the Rennthusiast YouTube channel.
Check out Derek’s reviews and ownership stories on ElevenAfterNine.
Subscribe, leave a comment, and tell us if you think the 997 is actually worth it.
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This week, you get a holiday revisit of one of our most requested topics. Should your first Porsche be a 911 or a Boxster? Before the episode starts, Derek shares a few updates from the road, plus a straight take on winter driving. If you own the car you love, do not park it for months and stare at it. Pick the right day, set the car up right, drive it, then rinse the salt off.

Questions? Email Derek at [email protected]

Watch Will’s channel: Rennthusiast on YouTube
Watch Derek’s channel: ElevenAfterNine on YouTube

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Nathan Merz is back on Rennthusiast Radio with Derek and Will.

If you buy, sell, or even daydream about Porsches, this one is for you. We talk ownership reality, what people get wrong before they buy, and what the market is actually doing going into 2026. Nathan has been around more Porsches than most of us will see in a lifetime. He’s also one of the few people who will tell you the truth even if it hurts your feelings.

What we cover:

We start with the mistakes that kill Porsche ownership for first timers.
Then we get into what’s hot, what’s dead, and what still feels like a deal.
We also talk online auctions and how they changed pricing and behavior.
We finish with a fun budget game where Nathan picks the best Porsche in a few price ranges.
Topics in this episode
Emotional buying and why people call for validation, not advice
Buying for status, buckets vs “sofas”, and the spec trap
Bring a Trailer, global demand, and why local deals feel harder
2025 market recap and why pricing stayed stronger than expected
What’s moving, G body 3.2 cars, 964 demand, and the 993 “settle” trend
What cooled off, longhood interest, SWB cars, 914 values, most 928s, and transaxle pricing
356 market shift, concours perfect vs driver and hot rod style builds
Where to find better cars, relationships and community beat scrolling listings
Budget game, Cayman R vs 981 Spyder vs 991.2 Carrera S, plus the $50k and $30k rounds
Risk talk, bore scoring reality, early PDK risk, and why you need reserve money

Timestamps:
00:00 Intro
00:52 Nathan’s quick reset from last episode
03:57 The biggest buyer mistakes Nathan sees every week
07:16 Buying for other people, spec pressure, buckets vs comfort
12:07 Online auctions and how they changed the market
19:49 The underrated truth, you can still have fun under $10k
20:14 How to actually find good cars
23:48 2025 market recap and the 2026 setup
27:21 What’s hot in air cooled 911s
29:17 The best value right now, longhood 911s
34:02 What’s soft, 914, 928, transaxle market
39:29 356 market changes and what buyers want now
44:06 Budget game, $80k to $120k
48:26 $50k to $80k, why 981 keeps winning
53:09 $30k to $50k, 996 reality and 987.2 base sweet spot
59:30 Wrap up

Shout outs:
Watch Will’s channel, Rennthusiast on YouTube.
Watch Derek's channel, ElevenAfterNine on YouTube. [email protected]
Check out Nathan’s inventory and work at Columbia Valley Luxury Cars.
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In this episode of Rennthusiast Radio, Will and Derek sit down with Justin Roeser, a filmmaker, writer, and one of the most respected voices in Porsche color history.

Justin is best known for his work around Moonstone, one of the rarest and most emotional Porsche colors ever produced.

This episode covers:
• Why certain Porsche colors make owners happier long term
• How color can affect resale value without turning cars into garage art
• Moonstone’s origin story and why it failed when new
• Why social media changed how Porsche buyers spec cars
• Paint to Sample vs standard palette, what actually makes sense
• Why the 996 and early Boxster are still huge value plays
• Why original paint matters less than most people think
• How to chase a rare color without getting burned

If you care about driving your Porsche, loving your Porsche, and choosing a spec you will still enjoy in 10 or 20 years, this one is for you.

Guest links:
Justin Roeser Porsche Moonstone feature
https://www.porsche.com/stories/dreams/moonstone-the-rare-porsche-colour/
Moonstone film by Justin Roeser
https://youtu.be/woL2wzourIM?si=0Z4Xw9JHRBxf_WJr

Justin on Instagram
33bosshog
If you post about this episode, tag him. He will share it.

Check out Will’s YouTube channel for in depth Porsche ownership, driving impressions, and real world updates.

Check out Derek’s YouTube channel, ElevenAfterNine, for Porsche reviews, buyer advice, and long term ownership stories.
[email protected]

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