Has your 911 become a garage trophy that you never drive?
01-12-2016, 07:49 AM
#1
Has your 911 become a garage trophy that you never drive?
Someone posted this on a subforum and thought it might be an interesting topic.
Worry. It may sound like you've bought a car you're afraid to use, for a variety of reasons. Maybe you don't want to ruin a piece of history. Maybe you don't trust of 30 year old reliability, or needing a niche mechanic on a long trip. Maybe you own a low mileage cream puff, and each mile driven is going to cost you. Maybe you're fearful of a high dollar repair? Can one address these worries? Or is your 911's fait accompli to be a trophy sculpture? When does it make sense to sell it?
Not parking outside. If that prevents you from driving it, maybe it's something to consider. After all, you bought the car to drive, not store, right? As a "Fear Factor" exercise, why not just park your 911 outside for a few days? Sometimes, I also need to remind myself my car is not made of paper mache, it's made of galvanized steel.
Is the car sorted out? Owning a car you don't "trust" is not a good feeling. I think part of this is just sorting it out, but another facet is simply logging miles and getting used to the car, like the psychology of a reliable old shoe. For limited use weekend cars, that old shoe feeling may never arrive. I have driven my 911 about 5000 miles, and I'm not yet fully at ease when I drive it, like I am with my DD that I've logged 30k miles on. For my DD, I just turn the key and go, and never think about stuff. In my 911, I sometimes may consider the DME, the questionable space saver spare, the dash wires lighting on fire (yea, I did the fuse), prospects of rain, etc. This might be a negative by-product of spending too much time on Pelican.
As 2014 buyers, we were forced to view the car through a different lens than the P-car veterans here. Clean the car with a diaper. Everything stock. No driving in rain. No parking outdoors. The slippery slope of concours **** retentiveness creeps. Maybe we got in at the wrong time, after these cars had begun to morph into scarce collector's items, and not common track rat cars. I wonder if even 5 years ago, the 911 had a more "down and dirty" ethos, maybe more similar to what an old Miata is today. Cheap. Fun. Sun baked. Caution to the wind. Mod with no guilt. Crash it? Just buy another one. No one else wants 'em. Now, in a heated flipper dominated market, it could take a year to replace your car, at a reasonable price. If so, I can see how the old guard would bemoan the direction things have taken.
In his final few years of ownership, my PO barely drove the car. I declared from day one I didn't want that for myself. Garage space has opportunity cost. I made a decision after seeing the "neglected 911s" thread that if I dwindled to barely ever driving my 911, or an entire season passed without my driving it, I would sell it.
I should clarify that I am not meaning to pass judgement on those who don't drive their cars much. The satisfaction of owning an old car has many facets, and actually driving it is just one. I enjoy driving the car. But, I also enjoy cleaning my car, doing basic repairs, being a "caretaker", reading and learning more about the car, etc. Borrowing the main theme of "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up", it occurred to me, even if one does not drive a car, but owning it still brings joy...then owning makes sense for that owner. We all have different ideas of what owning something should mean. The act of driving an old car is just one facet of owning an old car. Some may take great joy in maintaining it, looking at it, talking about it, preserving it, etc. without needing to drive it.
I'm not getting younger. I'd like to drive it more ...before I start to drive it less. Right now, probably drive it once a week. The motivation is sometimes, "I better drive the 911 (so the injectors don't clog)" I even felt that logging highway miles were a "waste" on my double digit odometer. So, I try to take back roads when I take the 911 out. But, sometimes, you're just in a hurry, or not in a mood. Every drive should not have to be an "event". That's negative overhead. One a recent drive, I said screw it, and drove all highway to and from work, because I was running late. Maybe that was a step in the right direction in logging some miles to break in these new shoes....and think less, and drive more.
Not sure if selling it yet. Thinking about a more practical weekend car.
Something my wife would go away in without worrying. I may just get another weekend car for long trips. Looking at older S2000s. They are cheap and may be a good alternative to selling the 911.
Something I could park outside a few days without worrying.
Something my wife would go away in without worrying. I may just get another weekend car for long trips. Looking at older S2000s. They are cheap and may be a good alternative to selling the 911.
Something I could park outside a few days without worrying.
Not parking outside. If that prevents you from driving it, maybe it's something to consider. After all, you bought the car to drive, not store, right? As a "Fear Factor" exercise, why not just park your 911 outside for a few days? Sometimes, I also need to remind myself my car is not made of paper mache, it's made of galvanized steel.
Is the car sorted out? Owning a car you don't "trust" is not a good feeling. I think part of this is just sorting it out, but another facet is simply logging miles and getting used to the car, like the psychology of a reliable old shoe. For limited use weekend cars, that old shoe feeling may never arrive. I have driven my 911 about 5000 miles, and I'm not yet fully at ease when I drive it, like I am with my DD that I've logged 30k miles on. For my DD, I just turn the key and go, and never think about stuff. In my 911, I sometimes may consider the DME, the questionable space saver spare, the dash wires lighting on fire (yea, I did the fuse), prospects of rain, etc. This might be a negative by-product of spending too much time on Pelican.
As 2014 buyers, we were forced to view the car through a different lens than the P-car veterans here. Clean the car with a diaper. Everything stock. No driving in rain. No parking outdoors. The slippery slope of concours **** retentiveness creeps. Maybe we got in at the wrong time, after these cars had begun to morph into scarce collector's items, and not common track rat cars. I wonder if even 5 years ago, the 911 had a more "down and dirty" ethos, maybe more similar to what an old Miata is today. Cheap. Fun. Sun baked. Caution to the wind. Mod with no guilt. Crash it? Just buy another one. No one else wants 'em. Now, in a heated flipper dominated market, it could take a year to replace your car, at a reasonable price. If so, I can see how the old guard would bemoan the direction things have taken.
In his final few years of ownership, my PO barely drove the car. I declared from day one I didn't want that for myself. Garage space has opportunity cost. I made a decision after seeing the "neglected 911s" thread that if I dwindled to barely ever driving my 911, or an entire season passed without my driving it, I would sell it.
I should clarify that I am not meaning to pass judgement on those who don't drive their cars much. The satisfaction of owning an old car has many facets, and actually driving it is just one. I enjoy driving the car. But, I also enjoy cleaning my car, doing basic repairs, being a "caretaker", reading and learning more about the car, etc. Borrowing the main theme of "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up", it occurred to me, even if one does not drive a car, but owning it still brings joy...then owning makes sense for that owner. We all have different ideas of what owning something should mean. The act of driving an old car is just one facet of owning an old car. Some may take great joy in maintaining it, looking at it, talking about it, preserving it, etc. without needing to drive it.
I'm not getting younger. I'd like to drive it more ...before I start to drive it less. Right now, probably drive it once a week. The motivation is sometimes, "I better drive the 911 (so the injectors don't clog)" I even felt that logging highway miles were a "waste" on my double digit odometer. So, I try to take back roads when I take the 911 out. But, sometimes, you're just in a hurry, or not in a mood. Every drive should not have to be an "event". That's negative overhead. One a recent drive, I said screw it, and drove all highway to and from work, because I was running late. Maybe that was a step in the right direction in logging some miles to break in these new shoes....and think less, and drive more.
Last edited by sugarwood; 01-16-2016 at 07:05 PM.
01-12-2016, 08:51 AM
#3
RL Community Team
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
Bowie would have called them Garage Queens, rest his soul.
01-12-2016, 08:55 AM
#4
Drifting
Still averaging about 10K per year on mine. I love the car! I tried to keep a "proper" daily driver (appliance car) when I first got it, but I always wanted to drive the 993! So the appliance car never got used. Whenever I wasn't in it, I felt like something was missing; like forgetting to wear my wrist watch when leaving the house. So I decided to just use the 993 exclusively.
One thing that helped my case, was that I bought a car in excellent mechanical condition that had untouched, "driver" quality paint; some road rash and other minor imperfections on a car that had been enjoyed, but never abused or wrecked. And that's the way it still is today. Over the next few years, I will likely have it repainted, but I worry that's when I will start to sweat the little stuff. So I maintain it, mod it as I want, and otherwise enjoy it the way it is.
One thing that helped my case, was that I bought a car in excellent mechanical condition that had untouched, "driver" quality paint; some road rash and other minor imperfections on a car that had been enjoyed, but never abused or wrecked. And that's the way it still is today. Over the next few years, I will likely have it repainted, but I worry that's when I will start to sweat the little stuff. So I maintain it, mod it as I want, and otherwise enjoy it the way it is.
Last edited by sand_man; 01-12-2016 at 04:46 PM.
01-12-2016, 09:14 AM
#6
Pro
With little kids there is just not enough time anymore to get the car out. Then there are insurance requirements - pleasure drive only. That makes my car a garage queen averaging 500 miles annually, at least for the time being.
01-12-2016, 09:15 AM
#7
Race Director
strange original post. Is it a lecture, a question, or something in between.
I do about 5k miles a year on my 3TT. Drove it in the rain the other day. No big deal.
I do about 5k miles a year on my 3TT. Drove it in the rain the other day. No big deal.
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01-12-2016, 09:42 AM
#10
Three Wheelin'
I'm in the exact same boat. When I bought the car originally 6 years ago with 27K Miles it was bought to be a weekend fun car and no more.
I would never have as much fun in the 993 if I did daily it being stuck in traffic and being surrounded by idiots on the road. I have most fun waking up at the crack of dawn on the weekends and getting out to some back roads with a few local P-car nuts.
01-12-2016, 09:51 AM
#11
RL Community Team
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
Lots of others out there who can preserve history, not me!
Hard to trust a car under thirty.
That would be me, however other than a broken belt I have not had any issues.
Negotiating repairs is a blood sport I find entertaining especially when the provider likes negotiations and assumes I am automotivly uninformed. I must have gotten this trait from my father who looked at IRS audits as an entertaining opportunity to apply game theory.
Are you kidding?
When it needs a paint job that cost more than finding an example in better condition..
When not at home sort of a requirement.
Correct
What I would call to a street level of performance and reliability
Never an issue
Have used it once, took a while to inflate but it worked just fine
What?
,
Rain happens, we don’t melt over it.
Not too much time, sometimes too much money
Yah, I need to take a selfi of me doing this – NOT, as it never happens
A good point of view, within reason and availability.
Only if the tires are worn
No biggie
I’m not a Q-Tip kind a’ guy
Not my example
Yup.
Shares the space with all my other DIY projects
Just a hypothetical as this has not happened yet
Seems like a good rationalization if you Honey-Do list is getting kind a’ long
.
Yes, all the time
.
Been there done that
Yes
01-12-2016, 10:17 AM
#12
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+1
I'm in the exact same boat. When I bought the car originally 6 years ago with 27K Miles it was bought to be a weekend fun car and no more.
I would never have as much fun in the 993 if I did daily it being stuck in traffic and being surrounded by idiots on the road. I have most fun waking up at the crack of dawn on the weekends and getting out to some back roads with a few local P-car nuts.
I'm in the exact same boat. When I bought the car originally 6 years ago with 27K Miles it was bought to be a weekend fun car and no more.
I would never have as much fun in the 993 if I did daily it being stuck in traffic and being surrounded by idiots on the road. I have most fun waking up at the crack of dawn on the weekends and getting out to some back roads with a few local P-car nuts.
I bought my 993 knowing that it would be a "driver". Not a daily driver, but a hobby car that I intend on driving whenever I can (I also have a young family, so time is hard to come by).
But I think I accomplished my goal is year. I drove my 993 1-3 times a week, usually for 1-2 hrs, and typically late at night on my favourite 'urban circuit' (a mix of highway ramps and less-busy streets). I got out to a PCA Intro Driving School @ Mosport, and enjoyed every moment.
I AM breaking one promise I made to myself when I bought my car: I said I wasn't going to fuss over the small cosmetic stuff like I've done with my previous hobby cars. I'm failing there - I love replacing maintenance items, trim, covers, screws, and detailing it (when I can). No shortage of DIY stuff here!
IMO - it's a shame not to enjoy these cars as both objects of beauty AND fun driving machines.
01-12-2016, 10:46 AM
#13
Drifting
Having p-car and not driving it is kind of missing the point to me. There is so much more to pcar ownership than looking at it in the garage. It's not even that good looking.
I've made a dozen friends because of 993 ownership, I've dipped my toes into driving on the track, done autocross, car control clinic, gone to cars and coffee, porsche road shows, did wrenching on my and other 993s etc. etc.
I've made a dozen friends because of 993 ownership, I've dipped my toes into driving on the track, done autocross, car control clinic, gone to cars and coffee, porsche road shows, did wrenching on my and other 993s etc. etc.
01-12-2016, 10:48 AM
#14
Rennlist Member
For the first time in my life, I can't find a use case for driving any 911 around here. I need a truck every day, and when I don't we're traveling. Even if not, there isn't a road within a day's drive around here that someone in the third world would trade for--condition, traffic, housing density. It is absolutely depressing to think how California was in my teens when I got my first 911, and we were ripping around everywhere on what were basically street races loosely promoted as rallys.
So it's now two years that the 4S has been parked in the backyard, and almost four years since I dinged the faux RS and stuck it in the corner of the shop. (I've even gone from an inital 15K in the first year of the 996 R Turbo, to 5K last year--half of that doing 993 Fest.)
So it's now two years that the 4S has been parked in the backyard, and almost four years since I dinged the faux RS and stuck it in the corner of the shop. (I've even gone from an inital 15K in the first year of the 996 R Turbo, to 5K last year--half of that doing 993 Fest.)
01-12-2016, 12:13 PM
#15
button queen
Having p-car and not driving it is kind of missing the point to me. There is so much more to pcar ownership than looking at it in the garage. It's not even that good looking.
I've made a dozen friends because of 993 ownership, I've dipped my toes into driving on the track, done autocross, car control clinic, gone to cars and coffee, porsche road shows, did wrenching on my and other 993s etc. etc.
I've made a dozen friends because of 993 ownership, I've dipped my toes into driving on the track, done autocross, car control clinic, gone to cars and coffee, porsche road shows, did wrenching on my and other 993s etc. etc.
