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Teen uses Craigslist to trade old cellphone for a Porsche Boxster S.

leomac08

leomac08

macrumors 68020
Original poster
This 17 year old kid is a future CEO in the making. 😉

Steven started his lucrative journey when his friend gave him an old cell phone - the sort most people would throw away or shove into a junk drawer.

He traded that phone for a better phone, which he then traded for an iPod touch. He traded that for a series of dirt bikes, a MacBook Pro, and a 1987 Toyota 4Runner.

So he quickly swapped it out for a souped-up off-road golf, another more valuable dirt bike, a streetbike, then a series of cars ending with a 1975 Ford Bronco. He spent a few months enjoying each acquisition before determining he was looking for something else. It was that Bronco that got him the Porsche. Because some older Broncos are considered collectibles, Steven estimated his was worth $15,000. He got offered all manner of trades - including a locksmith business - for the Bronco. The Porsche, worth about $9,000, was actually a trade down.
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Read more: http://www.sgvtribune.com/ci_15533701?source=rss_viewed#ixzz0uCIwRXdh

It took 14 swaps over a two-year period to land Stephen Ortiz a 2000 Porsche Boxster S.
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Read more: http://cbs2.com/tv/Steven.Ortiz.teen.2.1812449.html
 
Synchromesh said:
That's impressive although that 10 year old Porsche is going to suck him dry in repair/maintenance bills.
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At the end of the article it said $150 for an oil change and $1000 for a tuneup. Is it that difficult to change the oil filter, remove the drain plug, gap the spark plugs and use a timing light yourself on a Porsche?

He could just get a Chilton Guide or Haynes Manual and easily take care of maintenance and most repairs himself.
 
That's cool. I've seen quite a few that have happened on eBay.


velocityg4 said:
At the end of the article it said $150 for an oil change and $1000 for a tuneup. Is it that difficult to change the oil filter, remove the drain plug, gap the spark plugs and use a timing light yourself on a Porsche?

He could just get a Chilton Guide or Haynes Manual and easily take care of maintenance and most repairs himself.
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Exactly!
 
velocityg4 said:
At the end of the article it said $150 for an oil change and $1000 for a tuneup. Is it that difficult to change the oil filter, remove the drain plug, gap the spark plugs and use a timing light yourself on a Porsche?

He could just get a Chilton Guide or Haynes Manual and easily take care of maintenance and most repairs himself.
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On a Boxster? Yes, it is that difficult. It's mid-engine, and it is a VERY tight fit in the engine bay.

Anyway, there was a story like this a couple of years ago. Some guy started with a red paper clip and wound up with a house. Check out his story here.
 
steve2112 said:
On a Boxster? Yes, it is that difficult. It's mid-engine, and it is a VERY tight fit in the engine bay.

Anyway, there was a story like this a couple of years ago. Some guy started with a red paper clip and wound up with a house. Check out his story here.
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You could take it to a place that guarantees a $90 tune up and a $30 oil change (*up to 5 quarts). None of the disclaimers I have seen say certain makes and models not included. Though I don't know if I would trust the kind of service I would end up receiving on that Porsche.
 
dukebound85 said:
i love these stories. I remember one that started with something with a rubber band and ended up with a house
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+1
And I think you mean a red paper clip.
Synchromesh said:
That's impressive although that 10 year old Porsche is going to suck him dry in repair/maintenance bills.
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Soon after he acquired the Porsche a few months ago, Steven realized it has had its drawbacks, namely operating expenses. An oil change costs at least $150, and a routine tune-up at least $1,000.

So he is considering his next trade - maybe an Escalade.
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Man thats a lot of money!
 
iBookG4user said:
But, I would take the Porsche over an old cellphone any day 😛

And that is quite amazing, that guy has a talent.
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Well, if it was a white Bronco, I would have kept that instead of trading for a Boxster. This vanity plate only works with a white Bronco.😛
 

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macquariumguy said:
I was wondering when the mini-van drivers would check in.

Even a 10 year old Boxster S is a very fun car. 🙂
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Very nice indeed. And he got it for free, so he could justify a loan for any major repair.

Basic maintenance on any car is outrageous now. Is any dealer in CA getting less than $100/hour? Major scheduled service on any nicer vehicle is getting close to a grand now.

Today's 10 year old car is yesterday's 4 year old car. Also, oil services are so far apart now that you spend less on that than you did years ago when you were supposed to go in every 3000 miles.
 
macquariumguy said:
I was wondering when the mini-van drivers would check in.

Even a 10 year old Boxster S is a very fun car. 🙂
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Not all of us drive a minivan. I have sports car and a sporty car. Take it from somebody that knows about these a bit, the Porsche Boxster would not be a car I would trade that Bronco for. Maybe an S2000.

Not saying a Boxster isn't fun. Just saying that an old Porsche is going to be very expensive live with.
 
dukebound85 said:
i love these stories. I remember one that started with something with a rubber band and ended up with a house
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Actually the dude managed over the course of a year and a half to trade up from a novelty sized plastic paperclip to a house. It was a fascinating story.
 
velocityg4 said:
At the end of the article it said $150 for an oil change and $1000 for a tuneup. Is it that difficult to change the oil filter, remove the drain plug, gap the spark plugs and use a timing light yourself on a Porsche?
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Yes it is that difficult. I believe you have to drop the engine out of the car to do an oil change.

I had to get a smog check on my Cayman S because I bought it out of state. I took it to 4 different smog centers and each of them said they did not know how check a Porsche. Most of them couldn't figure out how to get to the engine whatsoever.

You pay to play though. The cost of a basic oil change on my IS F runs $225.
 
Its pretty impressive but keep in mind he did it (make $9000) over 2 years.

It did not mention whether he has a real job.

Most people can make over $9000 over 2 years easily.
 
Consultant said:
Its pretty impressive but keep in mind he did it (make $9000) over 2 years.

It did not mention whether he has a real job.

Most people can make over $9000 over 2 years easily.
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But this is $9000 in addition to what he made while working.


Also, this guy is gonna be rich some day.
 
He was stupid - at one point, he's had a $15.000 car that he traded for a $9.000 one?! He should have just sold it.

That was the act that explains, why he's not that good.


velocityg4 said:
You could take it to a place that guarantees a $90 tune up and a $30 oil change (*up to 5 quarts). None of the disclaimers I have seen say certain makes and models not included. Though I don't know if I would trust the kind of service I would end up receiving on that Porsche.
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If you don't see why a $30 oil change is a bad idea with a 2.5L Porsche boxer engine, you might stick with a 15 years old little Honda.
 
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