Slipstream - November 2020

Love (and PCA) Is In the Air
by Vanessa and Clark Randall
Engine Transplant: In Good Hands
by Mike O’hare
photo provided by author
Vanessa Fernandes and Clark Randall are Mav PCA members
whose relationship has blossomed through participation in our
club. It all started on a blind date back in 2016. We met for
dinner at the House of Blues in the Dallas West End. Clark saw
that the only parking available was valet, and, in typical fashion,
he looked for a better deal (he is a financial planner after all!).
The parking attendant told him that he could park in an adjacent
lot. So, after finding just the right spot at the end of the row
for his black 911 Cabriolet (so there was only a 50% chance
of getting dinged by a stray door), he went in the restaurant to
see his mystery date. We had a great evening of food, music,
and conversation before leaving and walking to the parking lot
together. As it turned out, Vanessa had parked in the same lot.
She told him that she got lucky, as a woman was just leaving as
she arrived, and offered her spot that still had time left on the
meter. What? Time left on the meter? I didn’t know that this was
a paid lot, remarked Clark. As he walked up to his beautiful
911 with newly painted custom wheels, he found not one, but
TWO big yellow metal boots on his wheels – one on the front
wheel and one on the rear. I didn’t know this was a PAID lot, he
remarked. As he frantically scanned the surroundings, he saw
the pay meter on the other end of the lot. This was also where
the parking enforcement sign indicating the boot warning and
company phone number was located. Vanessa offered to wait
while the attendant came from another location to unlock the
boots, but Clark told her to go on home (he REALLY wanted to
vent after she left). At the time, he did not know that his Porsche
was the most impressive part of the evening to Vanessa.
They started dating on a regular basis, taking fall drives in
the Porsche around Dallas and especially around White Rock
Lake. On one particular drive, when they were driving with the
top down and perhaps exceeding the speed limit by just a skosh,
Vanessa blurted out, “I love this car . . . I might even marry
you!” After having only dated for a couple of months, this gave
Clark the confidence he needed to ask her if she wanted to go on
a trip together. He had recently joined the Maverick Region and
heard about the Porsche Palooza event in Arkansas. She agreed
to go. We were both excited and nervous at the same time; this
would be a considerable challenge to our young relationship,
since traveling together tends to reveal one’s true personality and
traits. But it could also be a fantastic time. It turned out to be
a little of both. Since long time Mav members Larry and Cathy
Hampton were going (friends and financial planning clients of
Clark’s for over 30 years), they would at least have someone to
help keep the conversations going during any awkward pauses.
Our first Palooza ended up being a fantastic trip. At the
time, we didn’t know that the group of Porschephiles we drove
with would become such good friends, or that Palooza would
essentially become our anniversary trip each and every year.
Beyond the special place that Palooza has in our hearts, the
people in the Mav PCA chapter have become an integral part
of our lives. We worked on the Mav board together helping
with the monthly Happy Hours, we regularly go on tours and
rallies together, and visit with friends at Mavs & Mochas and at
club parties. One of the most important things that Mav PCA
has done for our relationship is it has helped us create our own
friendships together. While we each brought our own friends
into our relationship, the friends we make through Mav PCA
are made together.
After four years of dating, we were married in January of this
year. While the Coronavirus has put a damper of many of our
usual social events, we have managed to be able to stay involved
in PCA events since many of them are, by nature, socially
distanced in separate cars. We were sad to hear that our Palooza
anniversary trip was cancelled this year and are anxious to go
again in 2021. But we’ve made up for it with our own mini Hot
Springs trip with our dear friends, Phyllis and Jimmy Gallegos.
Vanessa has said that the next chapter in our Porsche
relationship is for her to get her own Porsche – perhaps a Macan
(she is frustrated that Clark’s 911 is a manual and she can’t drive
it). Clark is not so sure about that. He’s got his eye on a Targa
for himself. Either way, we will continue to grow in our young
marriage as Mav PCA Porschephiles
We all know that gut wrenching
feeling, (like you’ve just been punched
in the stomach by a welterweight
boxer) when one of the red warning
lights illuminates on your cars control
panel. At least that’s the feeling I
experienced when my 991.1 GT3 lit
up a crimson warning that read, “
reduced engine performance – possible
to drive on”. “Possible…. to drive on”
– yeah right – well that’s exactly what
I did, directly to Porsche Grapevine.
As fear, anger, and uncertainty
raged through my body, I tried to
reassure myself that my warranty had
to be the golden ticket. As I pulled
into Porsche Grapevine, I was greeted
by Service Manager Ryan Breshears
who reassured me my GT3 would be
evaluated with TLC (tender loving
care). After some diagnostic testing
and spirited test drives the prognosis
was determined. A critical engine
flaw………… critical as in serious,
no good, just plain bad.
To NO amazement, Ryan and
team Grapevine jumped right into
action engaging Porsche North
America to assess the details behind
the engine flaw and the activation of
my warranty. After a short waiting
period the resolution was established
– Porsche was going to replace my
engine with a brand new one!
Like an anxious parent, Ryan
kept me fully apprised of the
“transplant” from the engine removal
process (see pic) along with allowing
me the privilege to unveil the brand
new replacement (see pic)! What
could have been a disastrous
experience actually turned out to be a
very professional, courteous and
satisfying one. A special thank you to
Denette, Ryan and Juan from Porsche
Grapevine’s Service Department.
24 November
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