Is it time to call it a day

[PSH]

Hi everyone

Now this may seem a little odd for someone like me who's mad about cars especially the 944T but it's something that's been on my mind a lot in recent years. The thing is I'm not getting any younger, now at 52 and have begun to ask myself can I justify the money that I spend on my car which I have to admit is stopping me from enjoying other things that I like doing, things that I guess are much more suitable for my age than charging around the Queens highways in a soup'd up Porsche .
I have owned my 86 turbo for over 14 years now, I'm the third owner with the first ( a lady from Hammersmith,London) owning the car from new for 12 years, the second owner only owned the car for a short time trading it in for a 911, the fool...

Over these 14 years the car has gone through many upgrades and modifications and had a lot of time in development spent on her, the cost of all of this would buy me a new 911 today so you can see it's not just been tinkered with and that doesn't even include my latest round of mods. Now I have to fix an inner seal which ok isn't a big job but when do I say enough is enough and pass it on to someone else?
I guess as we get older we ask ourselves 'how much time do I have left', this may seem a little OTT for a man of my age but things are not always as they seem and I won't go any further on that subject. My other main love is Model Engineering, Live steam locomotives in particular, I'm currently building two, one from scratch and one that is part built and offered to me for a very reasonable price. The problem is I want to be able to finish these loco's and hopefully get some enjoyment out of them, my scratch built loco is a 5" gauge model of the Flying Scotsman which I want to get finished and exhibit it, not to mention run the thing. I have at least another 8 years build to do here having only completed the tender to date which took two years. The part built loco of a smaller gauge but similar type probably needs another 2 years to complete, so just these two projects will take at least 10 years and that's only if I work flat out on them starting now!
Although undecided I'm getting very close to thinking it may be time to sell my car and move on, whether I'll actually bring myself to do this is an unknown but it is certainly on my mind and whereas in the past I have refused to sell my car no matter what the price, Porsche West London asked to buy her after awarding her best car in class and show at a concourse some years back, if they asked today I'm not sure what my answer would be.

So guys what do you think, anyone else here in the same situation? I can't be the only one who's asked themselves such a question, maybe not the younger guys amongst us but us older gents who want to do other things in life before it's to late may have asked themselves this very question, perhaps more than once...

I'd be very interested to hear what you guys think, you may help me make my decision... or not...

Kind regards

Pete

 

[ukmastiff]

People make a big issue out of it , it really IS just a car. Only you know how you want to be spending your time
(and cash) and from what you have written i think you know you are going to move on.

And why not 'lifes too short' really is the truth and you presumably have other things to be enjoying which is how it should be.

Im sure your car will go to someone who will cherish her and youll keep the memories

Best of luck whatever you do

Mas

 

[Chrishazle]

As long as you can still get in and out of the car and drive it, keep it! OK, maybe cut back on the tinkering and just service, drive and enjoy it. I'm almost 10 years older than you and have only been a Porsche owner for about 16 years (that was close, y and t are too close on the keyboard so that nearly said 16 tears!!) and have a lower back problem, but I can still get into my 968 cab and love driving her. Out yesterday, hood down round some narrow but very scenic roads near Ashford, a pint in Brook then home for Sunday roast - superb day.

We work long and hard to afford our toys, so what matter if she sits in her garage for a while and only gets used occasionally, at least she's there for us to enjoy when conditions are right. Besides which, how many fun cars have the boot space to carry your steam engine to the show?

 

[Chrishazle]

ORIGINAL: ukmastiff

Im sure your car will go to someone who will cherish her and youll keep the memories

Mas

How much are you prepared to bid for it Mas....[][][]

 

[PSH]

ORIGINAL: Chrishazle

Besides which, how many fun cars have the boot space to carry your steam engine to the show?

er.. none, including the 944, at 82" long and weighing in at 230lb I'm not going to find a performance car to take that. The smallest thing would be an estate with a low back, you don't lift these things, they are rolled into the car/van on tracks...


Pete

 

[chrishak]

I'm a similar age to you and although I'm in pretty good health (or so I believe), I've made a few changes to my lifestyle based on the fact that I haven't got enough days left to allow me the luxury of wasting any of them - not that I intend curling my toes up any time soon. And one of the pleasures I intend to continue enjoying as long as possible is driving my Porsche - and will do so until I can no longer extricate myself from the car. It's having many and varied hobbies that keep us young - I'd also miss the social side of PCGB membership.

Your car clearly means a lot to you, but only you can make the decision - all I would say is that if older Porsche ownership was dependant on financial prudence, then none of us would own one!

 

[pauljmcnulty]

I've seen a lot of turbo owners over the years who've spent far more than the car's value tinkering, let alone the time involved, only to seem to run out of enthusiasm before it seems to get driven much.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that you might have reached that point where the "project" has got boring, and you want something new to do. Personally, I jump in the 944 to go everywhere if I can; that's the point in owning the thing to me. If you're not using it a lot then I can see the thoughts might turn to getting rid. Have you tried just enjoying it by putting some miles on it for a while? It might not carry the locos, but it would be fun to use whilst driving around buying bits!

 

[Copperman05]

I think only you can answer this one Pete, my father hankered after a Morgan+8 for years and after finally buying one from new and using it for 14 years and doing 120,000 miles on it he had enough, sold it and now runs a much more sedate Jag Mk2. Although he was a bit older than you I can still see the reasoning behind such a move. Of course a car is more than just a car when its a passion of ours, but how many passions can you have or afford?

Perhaps another options would be to downsize to a early original Turbo that you just dont modify, or dare I say it one of the n/a cars? That way you can get the 944 fun without all the expense or urge to spend £££ on mods?


Edd

 

[944 man]

Youll probably regret selling Pete, and you wont be able to replace it. I know that my advice is almost always not to sell, but I think that its usually good advice.

 

[Hilux]

ORIGINAL: PSH

Hi everyone

Now this may seem a little odd for someone like me who's mad about cars especially the 944T but it's something that's been on my mind a lot in recent years. The thing is I'm not getting any younger, now at 52 and have begun to ask myself can I justify the money that I spend on my car which I have to admit is stopping me from enjoying other things that I like doing, things that I guess are much more suitable for my age than charging around the Queens highways in a soup'd up Porsche .
I have owned my 86 turbo for over 14 years now, I'm the third owner with the first ( a lady from Hammersmith,London) owning the car from new for 12 years, the second owner only owned the car for a short time trading it in for a 911, the fool...

Over these 14 years the car has gone through many upgrades and modifications and had a lot of time in development spent on her, the cost of all of this would buy me a new 911 today so you can see it's not just been tinkered with and that doesn't even include my latest round of mods. Now I have to fix an inner seal which ok isn't a big job but when do I say enough is enough and pass it on to someone else?
I guess as we get older we ask ourselves 'how much time do I have left', this may seem a little OTT for a man of my age but things are not always as they seem and I won't go any further on that subject. My other main love is Model Engineering, Live steam locomotives in particular, I'm currently building two, one from scratch and one that is part built and offered to me for a very reasonable price. The problem is I want to be able to finish these loco's and hopefully get some enjoyment out of them, my scratch built loco is a 5" gauge model of the Flying Scotsman which I want to get finished and exhibit it, not to mention run the thing. I have at least another 8 years build to do here having only completed the tender to date which took two years. The part built loco of a smaller gauge but similar type probably needs another 2 years to complete, so just these two projects will take at least 10 years and that's only if I work flat out on them starting now!
Although undecided I'm getting very close to thinking it may be time to sell my car and move on, whether I'll actually bring myself to do this is an unknown but it is certainly on my mind and whereas in the past I have refused to sell my car no matter what the price, Porsche West London asked to buy her after awarding her best car in class and show at a concourse some years back, if they asked today I'm not sure what my answer would be.

So guys what do you think, anyone else here in the same situation? I can't be the only one who's asked themselves such a question, maybe not the younger guys amongst us but us older gents who want to do other things in life before it's to late may have asked themselves this very question, perhaps more than once...

I'd be very interested to hear what you guys think, you may help me make my decision... or not...

Kind regards

Pete

Me.........................for what its worth.........................?

I love cars, always have. Love messing with them, love building them but once you sit there and look at it and cant be *rsed to drive it in case it gets dirty or dont get that 'butterflies in the stomach' moment when you go to drive it knowing you`ll be going fast.....................its time to move on.

What I mean is...if the motivation and keenness are waning then find something else to do (as you have) but a fun simple car can be bought for not a lot of money. (I also have a 1992 MX5 Eunos Roadster which I absolutely love to bits - cost me the princely sum of £300 - top down in 3 seconds and a smile every single mile)

I loved my 944T (its for sale again) but wont buy it back as it is an experience I had, thoroughly enjoyable, fantastic social life with R34 (I think it was) superb trips abroad etc etc but it would still just sit there.

Now I have another simple little project. Road going but track biased and importantly cheap and I love it as its a project that will never be finished.

I am 55 and thinking towards retirement so my savings and efforts are looking towards that route but I love track days and do 5 or so a year (Bedford on 27th October anyone?) and if I blow it up its £500 max to stick another engine in it.

I do care for it so I`m not saying I am cavalier with looking after it but I stopped doing what I like in the 944T as an engine re-build would be 3/4 at least of the cars worth and £1000 a year simply to maintain it was a pain in the *rse as its the only car I hated working on. I can get 4 or 5 track days a year for that.

My little Golf is flat out everywhere - great fun whereas the 944T was a licence loser and couldnt safely be exploited on the road. A small engined less powerful car on the limit is much more fun in my opinion.

Do what you actually want to do and never do what is apparently the right thing to do - life`s far too short to look back and think "if only"

Nice car - I can see your dilemma []

 

[GlennS]

Draw a line under your Porsche modifications and keep and enjoy the car as it is now; you won't find a better means of transport. Get your engineering fix from your other interests. Putting the 944T on a "care and maintenance" basis shouldn't consume a huge amount of time.

 

[944s2]

Pete

Don't you'll regret it I still miss mine

Dougie

 

[944Scott]

I thought you were supposed to have more time to yourself when you got older.

 

[Diver944]

You will regret it Peter, I know I regret not having mine anymore.

The trouble is once they have been off the road for a few years you forget the awesome amount of fun that they are on the road. Get your rebuild finished and start driving it again and I am sure you will soon change your mind and abandon thoughts of selling. Forget any further modifications, yours is already fast enough and with a fresh engine will be even better

 

[944 man]

As Paul suggests, mission creep can be a problem.

 

[Frenchy]

You will regrert it Pete, yes it's only car, or is it ? as Ed said it is a passion ( i have 2 so obsessive passion ?) that said i fit my other interests in and just leave the cars alone for a while then tinker again, my cars are off the road in winter so every few weeks i will do a job on one of them, they always need something (or we find something to do).
Sold my black car and immediately regretted it, got it back a few years later though.
Yesterday afternoon was spent fly fishing after some painting and cleaning out gutters around the house, i will be beating on pheasant shoots this season, bit of gardening today and admittedly a quick car job.
I also get to watch Carlisle United a good few times a season.
My advice is to get her back together and running, then drive, clean and polish, forget the ultimate power thing, as you know anything over 300 bhp and these things seriously shift, take it for a few summer blats and a couple of euro trips and get on with the loco's in between.
Jim.

 

[pauljmcnulty]

once you sit there and look at it and cant be *rsed to drive it in case it gets dirty or dont get that 'butterflies in the stomach' moment when you go to drive it knowing you`ll be going fast.....................its time to move on.

That's a dilemma I have. You'll all know I'm hardly concourse-minded, but if I get the bodywork and a respray will I suddenly not want to take the car anywhere? At the moment it's no problem to take it to Tesco, if it picks up a new scratch then so what, it's no less fun to drive.

I am convinced that the more time, or money, we spend on the cars, the less they get enjoyed in many cases. Service it well, look after it, but most of all drive the flippin' thing like it was designed to be driven; hard and often. If it breaks, buy another one. [8|]

Regarding "going fast", let's be honest here. If you're not on a track, or driving at license-losing speeds in the UK, 200-250 BHP in a 944 is plenty? I've said it before regarding the Lux/S2 enjoyment, and it's the way the GT86 has been designed, but if you want to have more fun don't modify the car to silly power levels, fit smaller tyres.

 

[Sandspider]

Don't make big decisions like this when the weather is cold and the rain is falling.

I tend to fall out of love just a bit with my 944 when the weather gets grim, but as soon as Spring comes around again, I see it differently and want to get out and drive it. You might too?

 

[Frenchy]

Paul, the difference mid range between a 250 and a 300 + BHP car is a OMG moment........................Silly Grin Time, Pete's car when finished wll be seiously quick and TBH a " a right handful" possibly way too much power, and don't even think about hitting boost in the damp.

 

[Copperman05]

Paul, Ive spent money on mine getting the front end restored and resprayed, I think you have to have the mindset that you know it will get marks, scratches and chips. Get the work done and enjoy it being 10x better than it was and not worry about using it. I even take mine on the track!


Edd