Downshift May 2025 by ralphanzellotti

BEND

PRESIDENTSMESSAGE

Fred Nielsen President, High Desert Region PCA

HIGH DESERT REGION 25 YEARS AGO AND AS IT IS TODAY

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April 29 will be the 25 Anniversary of the High Desert Region The club and its members will celebrate the event on July 26 at the New Member Picnic at Tracy Stout's beautiful Wildwood Ranch To help us celebrate the event, we intend to invite founding members who are no longer club members

As we all know, there have been huge changes in the cars Porsche produces and noticeable changes in club membership. For this month's President's Message, I am going to take you back to the way the club was 25 years ago when a group of Porsche enthusiasts who had founded a small local club decided to move forward in transforming the club into a PCA Region.

Pat and I moved to Central Oregon in early 1999. Having been a PCA member for many years, we transferred our membership to the Oregon Region but realized the difficulty of participating in their functions since everything was so far away. Through Carrera Motors, the local Porsche dealership, we learned there was a small group of Porsche owners who were having a car show and found a very friendly group who owned the same type of cars we did. The group included the Moores, Zilks, Beins, Shaws, Christensens, Andersons, and Farias. They met on occasion and we started attending their functions. Fred Faria promoted the idea that there were enough Porsches in Central Oregon to form our own PCA Region. Most of the group were content to keep things as they were, but Fred wouldn't let that rest and kept pushing the group to move forward in forming our own PCA Region. With the help of Brian Gingrich, a local lawyer and Porsche owner, the HDR was founded on April 29, 2000

At that time, almost all club members owned air-cooled Porsches There were a few water-cooled cars, but they were rare Porsche SUVs did not exist at that time

Initially, the club had only 30-40 members and every club member knew every other member When we had a function, most members attended Social and tech sessions were put on by a member and held at their home or shop The cars were simpler in those days and many members did their own mechanical repairs and when major projects were addressed, club members pitched in to help out. In summary, we were one large, happy family.

Fast forward to today, where HDR has over 500 members. Many members drive SUVs, and a majority of our cars are water cooled. The cars have hundreds of computers making it difficult for owners to do their own mechanical maintenance and repairs. Horsepower and torque have increased from 100-200 to, in many cases, well over 500. The cars of today have safety and comfort features which were not thought of 25 years ago.

A different perspective of our club of today follows when Stu Malakoff, our Vice-President and a relatively new Porsche owner and PCA member, gives his view of Porsche ownership and HDR in the year 2025.

Fred Nielsen driving his 356

VICE-PRESIDENTSMESSAGE

Stu Malakoff

Joining HDRPCA nearly 5 years ago has given me more than just a reason to drive it’s given me a place to belong. As someone relatively new to Oregon, the club has helped me explore this stunning state in a way I couldn’t have imagined. From winding coastal highways to the high desert roads that give our region its name, I’ve discovered Oregon’s beauty from behind the wheel and alongside new friends who share that same sense of adventure.

What stands out most is the spirit of the people. This isn’t just a car club it’s a community Whether it's cars-and-coffee, social events, or casual drives, there’s always a welcoming atmosphere, a shared story, and often a few laughs I’ve learned more about cars, of course, but I’ve also found connection, something increasingly rare and valuable these days Indeed, the spark that led to my second Porsche and my first brand-new one was a connection made through the club. A fellow member teed up an unexpected opportunity to purchase a 718 Spyder, a chance I never saw coming. That experience has become a cherished memory, one that comes to life every time I slide into the driver’s seat and turn the key…with my left hand, of course!

Twenty-five years ago, I was 31 years old, raising a young family and dreaming of owning a Porsche. Back then, it seemed like a far-off goal one of those “someday” ambitions that quietly sit on a shelf while life takes the front seat But as the High Desert Region Porsche Club of America (HDRPCA) celebrates its 25th anniversary, I find myself reflecting not only on the club’s journey, but on my own

Today, I’m fortunate to be part of this vibrant community, one that shares a deep appreciation for driving, precision engineering, and camaraderie While my automotive tastes lean toward the modern side water-cooled engines, clean lines, and the latest tech I’ve come to appreciate the diversity of Porsche passion within the club Whether it’s a vintage air-cooled 911 coupe, a sporty Macan SUV, or a Taycan EV, there’s a mutual respect that transcends model years.

As HDRPCA marks 25 years, I celebrate not only the club’s milestones, but a personal one as well. What once felt out of reach is now part of my life and better yet, shared with a community that’s driven by passion and fueled by friendship. Here’s to the next 25 years, and to all the roads we’ve yet to discover.

Fred Nielsen, President

Stu Malakoff, Vice-President

Jay Seeley , Treasurer

Trish Calderon, Secretary

Directors (Board Members)

Mark Taylor, Membership

Lisa Sarmiento, Safety and Insurance

Mike Simmons, Car Center, Moving Arrive and Drives, Track Events, Autocross

Greg Domantay, Car Center, Non-Moving Cars ‘n Coffee, Tech Sessions, Car Shows

Hack Heyward, Media Outreach

Audrey Moore, Tours

Sandy Wadsworth, Social Events

Volunteer Leadership

Ralph Anzellotti, downshift Editor-In-Chief

Linda Anzellotti, Event Calendar Maestro

Randy Lervold, Forums Manager

Laura Clark, Webmaster

Jeanine Faria, Financial Support

High Desert Region PCA Post Office Box 113 Bend, Oregon. 97709

HDR-PCA Established April 2000

www.highdesertpca.org

president@highdesertpca.org

EDITOR RAMBLINGS

Meet Ryan Marks, a new Contributing Editor for downshift. Ryan is the youngest HDR member and drives a black 2000 Boxster.

Ryan will be taking photos and writing articles, and will add a fresh perspective to downshift.

When you see Ryan at HDR events be sure to say hi and smile for downshift.

Published First of every month

Article Deadline 5th of each month

HDR-PCA Email Contacts

president@highdesertpca.org (Fred Nielsen) membership@highdesertpca.org (Mark Taylor) safety@highdesertpca.org (Lisa Sarmiento) socialevents@highdesertpca.org (Sandy Wadsworth) tours@highdesertpca.org (Audrey Moore) carevents@highdesertpca.org (Mike Simmons & Greg Domantay) advertising@highdesertpca.org (Ralph Anzellotti) webmaster@highdesertpca.org (Laura Clark and Hack Heyward) forums@highdesertpca.org (Randy Lervold) complaints@blackhole.com (Peaches Bachagaloopystein)

COWBOYS AND INDIANS TOUR

Thursday, May 15 - Sunday, May 18

Go back in history where the "Cowboys" and the "Indians" ruled the land. Oregon's iconic town of Pendleton is the home of famous Cowboys and Indians that we will get to know through our tour of the Pendleton Round-Up and Happy Canyon Hall of Fame, the Tamástslikt Cultural Institute, and an "Underground Tour" that is a "Place where culture is kept, history is told, and legends live on".

We will dine at local favorite restaurants including: Hamley Steakhouse and Saloon (Est. 1883), Prodigal Son Brewery and Pub, not to mention, a visit to the Wildhorse Resort and Casino! Our lodging, The Oxford Suites, is centrally located with 25 rooms reserved for our group (HDRPCA).

Go to https://www.oxfordcollection.com/hotels/suitespendleton/pendleton-hotel-rooms to view the rooms choices. Then make your lodging reservations direct by going to: https://reservations.travelclick.com/106565?groupID=4591042. Learn more about this tour and register by going to theCowboys and Indians Tour Page.

COWBOY DINNER TREE

May 31st

Join fellow HDRPCA club members on the yearly sojourn to the Cowboy Dinner Tree in Silver Lake, Oregon. The trip this year includes an added bonus of the option for lodging too. Participate in the drive and dinner OR the drive and dinner followed by an overnight stay. Either option will require a cooler for your leftovers.

This restaurant serves up enormous western-style dinners of either a 30oz. steak or a whole roasted chicken and all the fixings. Each dinner includes a hearty soup with homemade rolls, salad, a baked potato, dessert and drinks (coffee, tea, lemonade). Read more about this event and sign-up for dinner today on The Cowboy Dinner Tree Event Page.

VOLK und PORSCHES

HDRPCA Member Profile

Bruce and Tara Barton

Submitted by Ryan Marks, Contributing Editor

Recently I had the chance to interview new members Bruce and Tara Barton. In May of 2022 they had a chance to move from Portland to Bend and they eventually sold their SW Portland home in favor of moving to Bend. At first they lived in a cabin near Camp Sherman until they finally purchased a beautiful home on 8 acres outside of Redmond.

The couple's first experience with Porsche’s was when they travelled to Crater Lake in October of 2023 and got a chance to talk with multiple Porsche owners that were on an overnight trip there. They realize that they would love to have a convertible sports car to go do trips like this and start looking for cars, specifically the Boxster.

With this newfound idea the couple starts searching through the many car buying websites and dealerships. Of course as you do more research about the car many new questions come up. Should we get an S model or a base model? Is the IMS that big of a deal and how much should we worry about it? Also how are we gonna make sure the car is a good one and will we have to get it shipped to us?

These were all questions that went through their mind. After driving many Boxsters both base and S models, they decided the S model was the one to go for.

Fun fact is the Boxster I have now was one of the cars they were looking at purchasing. Bruce works during the week so he could only look at it on weekends so I ended up buying it out from under them. My car made them realize that they didn't have to spend a whole lot of money to get into a nice Boxster.

After they had decided they wanted an S model, one popped up in Portland, a 2005 Boxster S with 49,124 miles on the clock. At first it was around 10k out of their price range but around Thanksgiving they were in Portland and saw the same car had dropped in price. This caused them to consider the car that they had once ruled out. Finally at Christmas time of 2024, they were able to visit the car and drive it. After driving they knew it was the one

By January the price had been worked out and now the question of transporting back home was at the forefront of their minds. Shipping would be expensive and they had already blown their budget but the pass would be sketchy in a rear wheel drive sports car. Bruce eventually found a nice weekend in February and was able to bring the car home safely. They are looking forward to driving with the top down in the nice Central Oregon weather.

I got a chance to drive the car and I loved it. It felt quite a bit newer than mine even though it is a 2005. Another thing I really liked about it was it had a bit more power paired with an awesome six speed manual gearbox. I thought the steering was very nice and felt very predictable.

Overall Bruce and Tara stumbled upon a very nice example of a Boxster and finally get to live out their dreams of owning a convertible sports car.

Would you like downshift to feature your Porsche? Please contact me. ralph@teleport.com

“It’s not just the cars…….it’s the people”

PCA will celebrate its 70th Anniversary on September 13, 2025

The new 911 GT3 just became the fastest manual production car on the Nürburgring! Time: 6'56.294.

HDRPCA

1997 - 2000

Here is a reprint of a past downshift article regarding our humble beginnings as a HDR Porsche club.

HDR New Member Group Drive

April 19th

Submitted by Ryan Marks, Contributing Editor

About 28 Porsches and 40 people attended the New Member Group Drive that was also open to all HDR members. This was the first drive of the season and was focused on new or first time drivers on group drives. There were plenty of seasoned drivers that gave their expertise and guidance.

Group rides are designed to be moderate, we stay together, stop to regroup as needed, there is at least one stop of interest and a comfort station, we all have fun together. We have a sweep car to pick up any lost car parts and make sure everyone is safe.

HD H SESSION- Saturday, April 5th PeakEuro

ed by Ryan Marks, Contributing Editor

On Saturday April 4th a handful of members gathered at Peak Euro in Southeast Bend for a tech session The topic of the tech session was “getting your car ready for spring”. M ts include the gray 996 C

Even thou ent Mark had his be of cars.

Members were drawn inside Peak Euro’s awesome shop with donuts and coffee.

Inside boasted a very interesting shop layout. I really liked all the separate rooms that they had and I felt that it was laid out very nice.

Everyone eventually gravitated to a room at the back of the shop where Fred’s stunning 356 was waiting on the lift. Also in there was Dave’s amazing guards red 911 sc

Carl the head Porsche Tech at their shop gave us some great tips on getting your car ready for the driving season. He made clear that you should check all tires for flat spots and make sure they are at the right tire pressure. Before driving you also want to check all fluid levels and check for any leaks on your garage floor

He also explained that you need to check for signs of rodents to make sure they haven't gotten into the car and messed things up. He gave a few examples on preventing them from getting into the car in the first place.

The final step he talked about was to give the car a good wash and get all the dust from sitting off the car. Some tips he pointed out is that you should go out for a good drive and get the car up to temp and get oil flowing through the engine instead of just starting it and letting it idle. Carl gave us many helpful tips on getting our cars ready for spring.

The final step Carl talked about was to give the car a good wash and get all the dust from sitting off the car. Some tips he pointed out is that you should go out for a good drive and get the car up to temp and get oil flowing through the engine instead of just starting it and letting it idle. He gave us many helpful tips on getting our cars ready for spring.

Overall these Tech Sessions are a great way to learn specific skills when it comes to working on cars and they also give you a chance to meet different shops around town. It is also a great way to meet new people in the club and it's a fun experience for all who come. Hope to see you at the next tech session.

ShopLight Matrix Integrated-Ben

Submitted by Andy Burke, Contributing

www.matrixintegrated.cc (excellent web site-check it out)

My initial idea with Shoplight in 2021 was to base the narratives around service I was having done to my 1986 3.2 Carrera. This worked out well for a number of articles but how much service can a fella have? It was also getting expensive and the Editor kept telling me checks were in the mail but so far none have arrived.

So then the idea was to branch out to other Porsche-centric shops that did not necessarily work on my own car. Missing in this last equation was the actual experience of being a customer-the good or bad of that particular position. However, the learning aspect of visiting various shops while representing HDRPCA has been very interesting and rewarding. Particularly when I encounter a top notch operation right here in our beautiful backyard.

I love seeing a clean, well-organized shop with a driven, engaging and friendly staff. It is the American dream unfolding right before our eyes. Thus when I finally stepped through the doors of Matrix Integrated I found myself in an ideal shop. Jeremy Williams, who along with his brother, Justin, co-own the three Matrix Integrated shops in Oregon gave me a slow walk through of his Bend operation. Six bays. Six lifts. Experienced and friendly front office staff. Three specialized techs who service most makes of European vehicles (Audi, BMW, Land Rover, Mercedes, MINI, Porsche, VW, Sprinter) with Porsche Master Tech Blake Viens overseeing all work done on the marque we love. Tools and cabinets all lined up in order. Floors clean. Racks and bins of parts ready for installation. Gobs of lubricating and cleaning products neatly arrayed on shelves. There is a physical openness to Matrix Integrated, due to the six bays laid out north to south, that eliminates any feeling of shop claustrophobia.

Jeremy and Justin, along with a third partner no longer with the organization, started Matrix Integrated in 1999 in the Portland area as a VW racing center. The brothers grew up with the highly rated and fun VW Rabbit GTIs delving deep in the VW culture, something that leads in many, many instances to Porsche. The Williams brothers expanded to a second Portland area operation and in 2019 opened the Bend facility to service their growing Central Oregon clientele. In addition to running three operations, the brothers are still involved in racing, specifically 991.1 and .2 Cup cars. They also currently sponsor a young female rally driver in a Ford Focus.

Jeremy attributes the success of Matrix Integrated to “disciplined, slow growth.” That friends, could be the philosophy of many of the shops we have in CO and certainly a sure way to create a long lasting, respected business in any industry.

Sitting in the Matrix Integrated parking lot was a dusty black Porsche Cayenne with bright orange mirrors and orange side decal stripes running along the doors reading, ‘Cayenne S Transsyberia’ in stylized black. When I asked Jeremy to name his favorite P-car his eyes quickly shifted to the Transsyberia. Jeremy’s vehicle, one of only 102 shipped to the US, is a special edition built to commemorate Porsche’s victory in the Transsyberia rally. He gave me a tour of the Cayenne. It is an impressive vehicle. If interested, check the model out on the Porsche website.

And to briefly return to my opening paragraph, I mentioned to Jeremy my MINI S was having starting issues, especially in the mornings. As MINI is one of the marques they service I was prepared to leave the car with them as a customer and Uber home. Jeremy soon had the scanner hooked up, checking for any faults. Fortunately nothing major found and with Jeremy’s advice, I headed to the nearest parts store in the MINI for a couple bottles of fuel additive. All in all, another great visit to one of our terrific CO shops, this time as a customer in waiting.

Bend; 20460 Brandis Ct. Bend, OR 97701. #541-241-5348

www.matrixintegrated.cc

Electronic Engine Oil Dipsticks: More Foe than Friend?

As a follow-up to my original electronic dipstick article, I’d like to share some further information experienced amongst our three shop locations.

We recently saw a newer MacanS here in Bend where the electronic engine oil dipstick readout was showing “Oil level below minimum, Stop driving” similar to this;

To help solve this, we added 0.8qts, test drove to populate oil level (as letting the engine idle will not re-populate the oil level anytime soon), and the same warning returned. We added another 0.8qts, drove to populate level again, and this time we found the oil level was finally at the minimum (fill with no more than/“Maximum 1qt”), like this;

Since we want the oil level reading in between Min and Max so that there’s no possibility of the client experiencing an “Above Max” warning, we added another 0.5qts, test drove to populate oil level once again, and finally saw the Macan recognize that the engine oil level was in the middle of the dipstick, like this;

After some investigating, what had occurred is that while this MacanS’s 3.0L V6 specs 8.4qts for oil quantity, the engine was initially filled with only 6qts, thus the multiple “Oil level below min” warnings.

It’s personal preference as to how many quarts to initially fill the engine with after an oil drain. With an 8.4qty spec, we’d probably start with no more than 8qts. Then we test drive to warm up the oil and get the electronic dipstick readout to populate, then add a touch of oil from there depending on the current level shown.

Our revised test drive procedure, all depending on how warm/hot the engine is when it comes in for the oil change service, is to drive the vehicle for at least 57miles, continually entering and exiting the Oil Level readout using the roller knob on steering wheel (or lower stalk for vehicles with Sport steering wheel) [Vehicle>4 measurements->Info/Oil Level], until the oil level populates in the gauge. Sometimes we might drive over 10miles and the level still hasn’t populated, so we’ll often come back to the shop, letthe engine idle while we enter/exit the Oil Level readout. At times even this doesn’t populate the oil level, so we’ve also tried shutting the engine off, then ignition on Accessory2 position (2 turns of the ignition key so that the “Christmas tree” of warning lights are displayed), enter the Oil Level readout and just let the vehicle sit while we talk nicely to it. Most often this will eventually populate the oil level.

In regard to also checking/verifying the oil level with a sophisticated computer scan tool, from our experience, some Porsche models show more oil level info in the scan tool than other Porsche models, ie911’s seem to show more info than Cayenne’s do for example. And we’ve seen some scan tools providing different measurements of engine oil level compared to other scan tools, on the same vehicle! On one Macan, a scan tool showed a value of 88mm of engine oil level, whereas a different scan tool showed 55mm of engine oil level. These are some of the oddities we all face with electronics and technologydevices.

All in all, we feel it’s safest to trust the color display of the electronic oil level readout, hence why we drive our client’s vehicles after an oil change until the electronic dipstick reads “Oil level OK.”

If you have any questions regarding this topic, please feel free to ask. No question is a silly question.

Jeremy Williams co-owns Matrix Integrated (European automotive workshop) with his brother Justin.

Reno, Nevada Monthly Wine Social

Submitted by Ralph Anzellotti

My sister and her husband are Porsche owners and belong to the Reno PCA Region. Mark and Bev Stenehjem were hosting a Sierra Nevada Region Monthly Wine Social at their home on April 18 and Linda and I were invited to attend. th

The Reno Region supplies glassware that is used and passed on to the next months host. Most of the food, wine, and beer is brought by attendees. There was no fee to attend,

This wine social event had about 40 Porsche members. Just wine, food, and great Porsche social. The event started at 5:30pm and everyone was gone by 8pm. What a simple and fun idea!

There was plenty of cool cars and people. At times there was barely room to access the yummy food and wine but no one cared a bit, we are Porsche!

SkidCar Training

Deschutes County SkidCar Training is an all-weather driver enhancement program taught with the aid of the SKIDCAR System. The SKIDCARframework attaches to the suspension of a vehicle to allow the front and rear tires to be lifted or lowered independently with a controller. The system allows drivers to experience the inclement driving conditions that cause a vehicle to lose traction in a safe and controlled learning environment. The course costs $100.00 and is available through Deschutes County Risk Management and sponsored by the Deschutes County Board of Commissioners.

Training includes one hour of classroom instruction followed by three hours of hands-on driving in the vehicle. The instructor will cover various techniques, including proper eye placement, acceleration, braking, steering, weight and energy management, as well as proper tire decisions and maintenance. Participants will learn the proper use of anti-lock braking systems and understand the differences between rear wheel drive, front wheel drive and four wheel drive systems, as well as Electronic Stability Control and Electronic Traction Control in modern vehicles. Participants will also learn about skid prevention, control and recovery.

https://www.deschutes.org/administration/page/skidcar-training carevents@highdesertpca.org (Mike Simmons)

CARS AND COFFEE

Cars & Coffee at Porsche Bend, 3rd Sunday of each every month, 10 AM - Noon

Join us every 3rd Sunday of the month as we gather and bring our Porsche community together for a cup of coffee and a shared enthusiasm for our cars.

We provide the Coffee, you bring your own mug or cup Please wear your name tag.

HDR-PCA MEMBERSHIP UPDATE

Mark Taylor, Membership membership@highdesertpca.org

Bryan Minkel Bend, Oregon

1999 911 Carrera

Teresa Kaufman Bend, Oregon

2025 Cayenne

Ben Massey (transfer from Los Angeles Region) Bend, Oregon

1996 911 Carrera

Brian Lawson (transfer from Oregon Region) Sisters, Oregon

2022 911 Targa 4S

PCA ANNIVERSARIES

Tenure Congratulations! We are very grateful to these members for their membership tenure anniversaries with PCA, not just with the High Desert Region

April PCA Anniversaries:

John & Cooper Naitove: 44 years

Dan & Lynn Christensen: 40 years

Doug McMullen: 33 years

CW and Mary Zilk: 24 years

Andy and Julie Burke: 19 years

James and Jan Chambers: 19 years

Jim & Jeannette Beeger: 15 years

Douglas Dense: 14 years

Thom & Cindie Bell: 10 years

Joe Angel & Susan Corey: 8 years

DD & Bonnie Davidson: 8 years

John Spomer: 7 years

Patrick & Francine Duffy: 6 years

Betty Jo & Richard Gretler: 6 years

Don & Gail LeBart: 6 years

Frederick Paine & Julia Rice: 6 years

Tami Webster: 6 years

Adam Davidson: 4 years

Constance & Bruce Halperin: 4 years

Tony Doy: 3 years

Michael Elderkin: 3 years

Patrick & Kristen Moylan: 3 years

Steven Nerud: 3 years

Cory and Molly Darling: 2 years

Lindsay Edwards & Matt Chinnock: 2 years

Kevin Goldsworth: 2 years

Sean Neary: 2 years

Elizabeth Buchanan: 1 year

Mike & Cindy Chrystal: 1 year

Michael Osborn: 1 year

Enclosed Car / RV / boat / motorcycle storage space available near Redmond airport. Safe, secure, heated, powered, 24/7 access. Contact Stu at 609.933.7085.

356 wheel hub remover and clean out spoon. Bonus tooth pick.

Contact Fred Nielsen

downshift features FREE HIGHLY CLASSIFIED ads for our club members. Private ads for Porsche related items such as cars, tires, wheels, accessories, or parts. You can place a free ad with a photo and up to 40 words.

Ralph@teleport.com

For sale 1974 914 2.0 in original Silver Metallic paint. The car is less a sideshift transmission, but otherwise very complete. Been off the road since 1999. Please call or text if you'd like to come take a look. More photos available upon request. Located in Bend.