Opinons Or Thoughts On Selling, 911

[3.2 CAB]

I am wanting to get some feedback, opinions, or thoughts concerning the sale of the Porsche. I have a couple of scenarios of selling.
1. If you knew that you might not be able to drive your 911 again, would you go ahead and sell it?
2. If it was going to be left up to your estate to sell, if this is the case, would you leave it for your estate to sell?

Example #1. Being that you are the owner, mechanic, and you also know the car inside and out, every little noise, squeak and all of the rest of what makes the car, your car. Would you go ahead and sell it, because nobody else knows it, like you do?

Being you know all of this, you can provide whatever information a possible buyer might have, and you can get a realistic, fair price for the car. You can also "screen out" the tire kickers, and BS offers and unqualified buyers.

Example #2. If it was going to be left to your estate to have to deal with it and try to sell it, with no one that could really answer any questions, or basically does not really know anything about the car. Would you want your estate to possibly just give it away, or get involved in a BULL$HIT SCAM, or have a novice, that has hardly ever even seen a real Porsche, let alone drive one. Would they know not to let someone like that just take off in the car, that you had nursed back to health, always took care of it, and had it for 10-15yrs, and it was part of YOUR FAMILY!
The question here is, would you want to put your family through all of this, or would you go ahead and try to liquidate as much of what your estate would be? So they wouldn't just get severely screwed over on just about everything?

I would really like to get some serious opinions from the group, because I know that most of us, would not ever really want to sell. Some here know me and my car, and that I have not been able to really zoom off in it much lately. I had the speedometer/odometer rebuilt and calibrated in June 2003, and I have only been able to drive the car about 1800 miles since then.

I am posting this on the OFF-TOPIC FORUM, because it isn't really a technical issue. I would like to input on this. Thanks a lot, Tony.

[Noah930]

You'll get different answers depending on who's giving the advice. Personally, I would love to save my car for one of my kids, as my wife doesn't particularly like driving the Porsche. But they're so young, it would be silly to have the car sit around for so long with minimal use. So I'd go ahead and sell it, hope to see it go to a good home, and put the proceeds towards providing for my family. That also avoids scenario #2, which you describe.

In the meantime, I'll be happy to exercise your 911 for you, while you take your time to decide.
give it to me give it to me give it to me give it to me give it to me give it to me

[RANDY P]

Sell it while you can guarantee the outcome.

Leaving it to family will just leave it in the hands of those who may not appreciate it nor care about it.

[nostatic]

I only own things I use. If I couldn't drive my car, it would be sold within a week. Not that I don't love it, but a 911 sitting in the garage is a sad thing imho.

After my motorcycle crash I couldn't drive the 911 but I knew (hoped) that I'd recover enough to drive it. If it had been more serious and I knew I couldn't, I would have sold it to someone who would appreciate it (and would track the crap out of it).

[Superman]

I would sell it myself. And from the sound of the opening post above, "3.2 CAB" would do the same thing.

Paul, in Oregon, made sure his early S car went to an enthusiast who understands the importance of the car's heritage.

Sold as part of an estate, the chances of the car bringing the right price and going to a good home would be low. If I were selling my 911 and my family were at least somewhat well taken care of, I would advertise it for a price that represents a very good deal for the buyer, and then I would interview the buyers. When I found one that was going to appreciate the car like I did, that guy would buy the car. For a good price.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

I'd give it to that Porsche-O-Phile guy, but whatever thrills ya'.

[DanielDudley]

It is perfectly natural to want to settle things for your family. It is also a known fact that we love our cars, and want to see them go to people who will really appreciate and look after them.

You are doing the right thing by thinking about this, and when the time is right, you will know what to do. Prehaps there is a responsible family member who you can talk to about this. Certainly you don't want to burden anyone, but you deserve to keep your car for as long as it makes you happy to have it.

Good luck with this, and God bless you sir.

[Groesbeck Hurricane]

Tony,

I only hope these are hypothetical situations and not a harbinger....

In scenario one I'd let her go rather than see her rot. Tell the people up front what is needed and be happy to sell to an enthusiast. I'm assuming this is a personal issue and not that the car is falling apart and not driveable. Not driveable she is a parts car.

Scenario two I've seen happen too many times. Sell it and put the money into something you can use at the end of your days and that will set your family up in good stead for times to come. The family simply will not know about the object and it will go to someone who will rip them off. Take the equity available now.

[targa911S]

I'm with Butters on this.

[Hugh R]

A few months ago I sold an old car for "stupid" money to a collector. I did it because I was tired of working on it, parts were getting incredibly scarce and very expensive, and I know my family would have listed it for sale before they arranged to have me cremated. They'd also probably have gotten about 1/2 what I sold it for.

[911Rob]

Geeze Tony, I hope you're doing OK and this is just some loooong range planning?

I'll go along with the others, sell if you can't drive; OR gift to family/friend.

All the best and God Bless!

[Dantilla]

When I'm done with my 911, maybe I'll just park it in a barn somewhere, so some future Pelicanhead has a great "Found in a barn!" story.

[jim72911t]

Wow, Tony, from the sounds of it, there are some more serious issues than just the possible sale of your 911. I really, really hope things turn out okay for you and your family.

As far as getting rid of the 911, my first suggestion would be to find someone close to you (family, close friend, etc.) that will truly appreciate the car. You could even "educate" that person on all of the little idiosyncrasies of the car (all Porsche's have them), and it might be fun watching someone learn about and grow to love a car that's been such a special part of your life.

Second choice would be to sell it to a Pelican or fellow Porsche nut.

Take care,
Jim

[VaSteve]

My Dad had all kinds of books that he'd spent years collecting. He had a note that explained who to be contacted when he'd passed on to buy some of it. He knew that some were quite rare and valuable. The rest we had to liquidate for pennies. It was a PITA. Really.

If it makes you happy to have it around, keep it. Leave instructions for those burdened with it. If it will have you (literally) spinning in your grave for it to be defiled as it surely would have pwd72, sell it now and move on with live. I doubt we're talking about this being a "significant" part of your estate.

[Tobra]

No kidding Jim, sounds like the car is the least of your problems Tony.

If you pick who gets it, it is more likely to go to a good home.

Hope everything works out for you. Looks like you have one P car you can still drive, if the Road Runner is a torque flite, or what ever the Mopar auto matic is called(besides bulletproof)

[WI wide body]

Tony, I hopethat your issues are not serious but since I'm on Medicare I fully realize where you might be coming from. So here's my take.

I have the very same deal with some of my "stuff". I'ts even more difficult since I've got 6 kids. But I'm trying to set it up so that the ones who appreciate the "stuff" get it if they want it. Uppermost is my '86 Euro Wide Body Cab and my 1969 Triumph Bonneville T120R and some of the sports memorabilia I've accumlated such as a baseball autographed by Mantle, Maris, Berra, Ford, and most of the 1963 (I think) Yankees.

I have actually let one of the boys buy into the '86 Carrera so that's a done deal. Now, everything that I do to it (he's too damn busy) is with the idea that it's going to be in the family forever. The bike is a bit more problematic but since it's got less than 6K miles on it I hate to see it go but I would not want it to end up being an issue either. Or the other stuff.

If you don't have anyone that you think would like and truly enjoy your 911 you probably would be better off selling it to someone you felt good about getting it.

I have threatened that already with the bike!

Take care and good luck.

[pwd72s]

I agree with Tobra, that the car may be the least of your problems. Since I've been mentioned in other posts, I'll pass this link on:

Adios, old friend...

However, I think your reason(s) for considering the sale of a loved car may be totally different than mine were. I "sold" to an enthusiast of my choosing, for probably less than half of what the car may have brought if I'd merely gone for the bucks.

I hope I'm guessing wrong here, but you may be looking for maximum dollars in order to help your family?

[Rot 911]

Another vote to sell the car now and get top dollar. This also avoids having to pay any estate taxes on it.

[JeremyD]

My deal with my toys is to use em or sell them. If I can't use them for one reason or another, I'll sell.

My 911 I would like to keep in the family - but I'm not sure it would get the same level of attention that selling to an enthusiast would get.

On the other hand - I applaud Paul and him hand picking the next caretaker. I also think it's important to maximize the $$ I leave to my kids.

I'd sell the motorcyle to the highest bidder.

[72doug2,2S]

Both scenario #1 and #2 are pretty flimsy excuses to part with the 911. Your going to have to do much better than that, like, "I've got this 356 in mind and..."

Seriously though, I hope you are OK. Are you?