( CNN ) -- Thanks to the age-old art of bartering , a California teenager became the envy of all his friends when he pulled into school in a Porsche convertible . Steven Ortiz , 17 , dreamed of one day owning a luxury sports car -- a dream that became reality after he posted a used cell phone on Craigslist . `` My friend gave me a free phone and said , 'Do what you want with it , ' '' Ortiz told CNN 's `` American Morning '' Thursday . `` So I put it on Craigslist on the barter section . '' After some serious patience , research and a lot of talking , his cell phone trade landed him an iPod touch , which he managed to barter up for a dirt bike and then to a Macbook Pro laptop computer . Before long , he was the proud owner of an 1987 Toyota 4Runner . Eventually , he landed a classic Ford Bronco SUV -- the golden ticket that would soon get him into the driver seat of a luxury sports car . `` I just went for it , '' he said . `` I knew the Bronco was worth more at the end . '' So what 's his secret ? `` It 's trying to catch people who want what you have , '' Ortiz said . `` The man that needed the laptop had an extra car , '' so both parties got what they wanted , he added . He advises anyone looking to get into the barter game to be cautious before committing to a trade . `` Always inspect everything , '' Ortiz said . Although he accomplished his goal of owning a Porsche , Ortiz says it 's time to move on and he plans on going back to what he does best -- bartering for something else . `` I do n't have a job right now and I really do n't like asking my parents if I can get an oil change , so I want to trade [ the Porsche ] for a mid-sized truck , '' Ortiz said . `` We 'll see what comes along . ''
Ortiz posted a used cell phone on Craigslist under the barter section . Ortiz bartered up cell for iPod touch , computer , dirt bike , SUV and then a CNN . He says anyone can do it , but warns it takes patience and a lot of research . `` It 's trying to catch people who want what you have , '' Steve Ortiz told Porsche 's `` American Morning ''