Modern cars are faster, safer and easier to live with—but did we lose something along the way?

In Episode 32 of Shifted Opinions, Paul Kramer, Casey Parkin and Dave Van Epps dig into the things they genuinely miss about old cars: thin A-pillars, incredible visibility, wing windows, pop-out rear glass, real bumpers, hood ornaments, pop-up headlights, spare tires and the simple, mechanical feeling that made older cars feel different.

The conversation also gets into where the “modern Porsche” era really begins—and why going back to a vintage Porsche after years in newer cars can be a shock.

Then the discussion takes a bigger turn: what happens when the enthusiast car you bought to DRIVE becomes so valuable that driving it starts causing anxiety?

From a manual Ferrari 360 purchased for around $90,000 and later sold for nearly $300,000 to an ultra-rare Aqua Blue 2011 Porsche 911 GT3 RS potentially worth more than $900,000, the guys debate whether collectors should cash out, buy something cheaper—or stop watching the market and keep driving the cars they love.

Plus: 996 and 997 GT3 values, Porsche transaxle cars, the 968 Turbo S, collector-car insurance, Carfax damage, Le Mans strategy and some of the best driving roads in America.

CONNECT WITH THE HOSTS:

Paul Kramer | AutoKennel

Casey Parkin | Group C Curation

Dave Van Epps | Sonderwerks

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Everyone says the good Porsche deals are gone. This episode makes the case that they’re simply looking in the wrong places.

Paul, Casey, and Dave dig into recent auction results to find the cars delivering real value—and some of the prices are surprisingly good. From a modified Porsche 924 Turbo selling for just $22,500 to an overlooked 911 SC Targa, rising 996 prices, and a 991.1 Carrera that hammered at $55,000, the guys break down where the market still makes sense.

They also get into what actually makes a car a “deal,” why condition matters more than obsessing over mileage or perfect specs, how auction presentation can dramatically affect the final price, and why trying to perfectly time the collector-car market can leave you watching from the sidelines.

Plus: Casey’s latest questionable project purchase, Bring a Trailer strategy, air-cooled Porsche values, GT3 RS insanity, and why the base 991.1 Carrera may still be one of the smartest modern 911 buys.

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Paul Kramer

Casey Parkin

Dave Van Epps

Project cars start innocently enough.

Brakes. Suspension. Maybe paint.

Then the engine comes out, the car is stripped to bare metal, the budget disappears, and somehow another project car appears in the garage.

In Episode 30 of Shifted Opinions, Paul Kramer, Casey Parkin, and Dave Van Epps tackle the reality of project-car ownership—from their own Porsche builds to listener-submitted restoration disasters and expensive decisions.

Casey revisits his Porsche 914 project, including the brake failure that caused him to lose confidence in the car and the question of how much money makes sense to put back into it.

Then the guys take listener questions covering Porsche 915 transmission rebuilds, paint colors and resale value, sports-seat conversions, engine provenance, restoration decisions, removing old window tint, and what each of them would build with a $150,000 project-car budget.

They also confront the question every project-car owner eventually asks:

Would I have been better off just buying the finished car?

Because as they point out, sometimes you can buy someone else’s $150,000 project for around $55,000.

And yet somehow…the projects keep multiplying.

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Which Porsche GT3 should you actually buy—and are enthusiasts paying massive premiums for the wrong cars?

In Episode 29 of Shifted Opinions, Paul Kramer, Casey Parkin, and Dave Van Epps take on the Porsche GT3 hierarchy.

The 991.1 GT3 has been haunted by engine-failure stories for years, but has that fear created one of the best values in the modern Porsche market? Paul argues that misinformation surrounding the cars has helped keep prices down, while proper maintenance, monitoring, and buyer due diligence can make them an extremely compelling option.

Then comes the bigger question: what if you could only own one GT3?

The guys debate the 996, 997.1, 997.2, 991.1 and newer generations for daily driving, canyon roads, track use and pure involvement. The 997.2 gets serious praise as the end of the true analog GT3 experience, while the 996 remains one of the rawest—and most underappreciated—modern Porsche options.

They also get into:

If you're shopping for a GT3—or trying to understand why one generation costs twice as much as another—this episode may change what you're looking for.

Paul Kramer / Auto Kennel

Casey Parkin / Group C Curation

Dave Van Epps / Sonderwerks

How far should you go when reconditioning an older Porsche?

Paul Kramer of AutoKennel, Casey Parkin of Group C Curation, and Dave Van Epps of Sonderwerks continue their conversation on Porsche recon—and this time they get into the decisions that can either improve a car or take things too far.

How do you know whether an independent Porsche shop is actually good? Should an older 911 remain exactly as it left the factory, or are period-correct upgrades acceptable? When should you repaint a Porsche, and when is original paint and honest patina more valuable?

Then there’s the uncomfortable question: when does reconditioning become “perfuming the pig”?

The guys discuss cars with bore scoring, questionable leak-down numbers, rust, hidden cosmetic problems, repainted panels, modified seats and wheels, seller disclosures, and why leaving out important information can be far worse than simply presenting an imperfect car honestly. Casey specifically argues that omitting meaningful inspection findings crosses the line from reconditioning into misrepresentation.

They also tackle the obsession with perfection. A 225,000-mile Porsche is still a driver, and repainting every chip and flaw can leave an owner too worried about damaging the finished car to actually enjoy driving it.

Topics include: choosing a Porsche specialist, air-cooled 911 engine work, stock vs. period-correct modifications, retaining original parts, seller transparency, Porsche paintwork, good vs. bad patina, and how much reconditioning is actually enough.

Connect with the hosts:

Paul Kramer | AutoKennel

Casey Parkin | Group C Curation

Dave Van Epps | Sonderwerks

How much money should you spend preparing a car for sale?

In this special “Recon” episode, Paul, Dave, and Casey reveal how they decide which repairs, services, and cosmetic improvements are worth completing before an enthusiast car hits the market.

They debate whether sellers should install new tires, correct imperfect paint, repair minor oil leaks, restore worn seats, remove aftermarket modifications, or preserve a car exactly as it was received. They also explain why spending thousands of dollars on maintenance rarely means adding the same amount to a vehicle’s selling price.

Using real-world examples from Porsche consignment, dealership, auction, restoration, and service work, the hosts examine the difference between making a car presentable and wasting money trying to make a used car perfect.

The episode covers air-cooled Porsche oil leaks, original exhaust systems, catalytic converters, factory seats, paintwork, PPF, deferred maintenance, underside cleaning, pre-purchase inspections, and the difficult decisions involved when a car needs more reconditioning than its market value can support.

CONNECT WITH THE HOSTS:

Paul Kramer | AutoKennel

Dave Van Epps | Sonderwerks

Casey Parkin | Group C Curation

Another Porsche 911 GT3 RS has gone off Angeles Crest—and this one reportedly traveled more than 500 feet down the side of the mountain.

Paul, Casey, and Dave discuss what is known about the crash, how the driver was able to walk away, and why the outcome demonstrates the strength of Porsche’s engineering.

The crew also provides an update on Dave’s damaged GT3 RS. According to the initial assessment, the car may require approximately $250,000 in damage before it can be declared a total loss. If that happens, would Dave replace it with another GT3 RS—or has he realized that modern GT cars require too much speed before they become truly exciting?

The conversation then turns to advice from three “honest” used-car salesmen.

Should buyers automatically reject a Porsche because it has high mileage, accident history, imperfect paint, deferred maintenance, rust, or an odometer discrepancy? Or have online auctions conditioned enthusiasts to value perfect documentation more than the actual condition of the car?

The hosts also discuss overlooked Porsche values, the continuing appeal of manual air-cooled 911s, 991 Targa ownership problems, Top Tier fuel, G50 versus 915 transmissions, dry-ice cleaning, driving rallies, and what sellers really mean when they describe something as an “honest car.”

Paul Kramer | Auto Kennel

Casey Parkin | Group C Curation

Dave Van Epps | Sonderwerks

Send the hosts your questions for an upcoming episode of Shifted Opinions.

A long drive up California’s Highway 1 reminds Paul why early Porsche 911s are so special—and why owning one is not always comfortable.

After spending several days behind the wheel of an early 911, Paul, Casey, and Dave discuss what it takes to make a classic Porsche genuinely usable for road trips and rallies. Dave breaks down modern electric air conditioning, including installation requirements, airflow challenges, upgraded alternators, cost, and how it compares with a traditional engine-driven system.

The conversation also covers the current Cayman GT4 market, a Mexico Blue 914 hot rod, upcoming rallies, and Casey’s long-awaited drive in a B5 Audi RS4 that did not quite live up to the dream.

Then the hosts answer listener questions about radar detectors, repainting versus preserving patina, preparing a car for an online sale, Tuthill-built Porsches, and Porsche facts that sound completely made up—but are actually true.

Connect with the hosts:

Paul Kramer — AutoKennel

Casey Parkin — Group C Curation

Dave Van Epps — Sonderwerks

Special guest Jo Bejar—known as @a_car_gal on Instagram—joins Shifted Opinions to talk about building, repairing and driving classic cars instead of simply admiring them from behind a screen.

Jo shares how she bought a neglected 1972 Datsun 240Z at 18, left it unfinished while completing the automotive restoration program at McPherson College, and later rebuilt it for the Great Race.

What followed was a cross-country adventure involving a mystery engine, a donated transmission, electrical problems, parking-lot repairs, fuel-system failures and an alternator issue that kept disguising itself as something else.

Jo also discusses working on historically significant race cars, navigating a male-dominated industry, her dream Porsche 911 Slantnose project and the automotive work she loves—and hates—most.

Before Jo joins the conversation, Dave provides an update on his recovery following the GT3 RS accident and explains the unusual process of evaluating the heavily damaged Porsche.

Follow Jo on Instagram at @a_car_gal.

Follow Shifted Opinions and subscribe on YouTube, Apple Podcasts and Spotify for more honest conversations about Porsche, classic cars, road rallies and the automotive industry.

This episode goes from vintage racing chaos to very real Porsche ownership advice.

Paul Kramer, Casey Parkin, and Dave Van Epps start with The Great Race, Cannonball Run memories, and the kind of car-movie disappointment only a Countach-obsessed kid could understand. Then it turns into a proper Shifted Opinions shop session: 993 cabriolets, a low-mile Boxster Spyder, dead batteries, jumper-pack hacks, a 968 Club Sport, Cayman GTS auction talk, and Paul’s newly acquired Albert Blue 1971 911T.

The listener questions get into the good stuff: when does a sports car become too raw to enjoy, what air-cooled Porsche makes the most sense for a first-time owner, whether a cabriolet is secretly the best value 911, what actually makes someone a good driver, and how to keep old air-cooled cars alive on modern fuel.

It is part Porsche therapy, part marketplace reality check, and part old-car survival guide.