Talk Me Down
 

People tried to warn me about the maintenance costs of a used 951, but I didn't listen.

For over a year, the 951 ran great with only minor problems. A blown BOV? No biggie. A loose ignition rotor? Child's play. I take relish in doing jobs like this. Makes me feel like I'm connected to the car. After a little over the year of things like this, I am thinking, "man, these cars aren't so bad... I don't know what everybody is always whining about..."

November rolls around. Blown head gasket. I garage the car for the winter and don't get around to working on it until around February. The job goes fairly well, but slowly, and I get the car back on the road in early April. It runs great for a little while. After a couple months, I start to hear a whirring sound when I put any pressure on the clutch pedal (I am thinking bad TOB). Not long after, I lose the clutch.

Like I said, I can deal with little, niggling problems here and there. But a blown head gasket and a blown clutch one right after another? This is overwhelming. I am just starting a career (two, actually - professional writer and teacher), so my priorities are not on fixing Porsches right now.

I know I have to fix the damn Porsche before I do anything, and I won't be able to make any big decisions soon, but suddenly the idea of owning a newer car is very attractive. A two-year old Cayman might look really good parked in my garage. They are fast, too - Road & Track got a 5.3 second 0-60 time out of the BASE Cayman, and 4.9 sec. out of the Cayman S. The base Cayman numbers are comparable to my 951 in stock form. The Cayman S would be considerably faster.

Like I said, I won't be doing anything soon (probably for about a year), and I would have to fix the 951 (I am guessing that selling a 951 with a bad clutch, I would get not much more than half its value), but by then there will be a number of Caymans on the used car market, with low mileage, for decent prices.

I don't know, I'm just weighing my options here.

The only 2 porsches I would never own are a 924 (worthless POS) and a 944 Turbo (too old now, too hard to try to keep a disposable car that old on the road).

The 944 Turbo was a fine car when new, and a good cheap fast used car 10 years ago, maybe even 5 years ago. But as used cars they are now past their expiration date.

I went through a rough patch a few years ago with my '74 911 and almost gave up and sold it. I didn't sell it and got everything fixed. It's been smooth driving since and I truly enjoy the car. I can hardly remember what the problems were... keep the car and get through this rough patch!!

I own a 951 and had to replace the clutch two years ago......not fun, but once done, you will never have to do it again. Shop around, as 951 clutches are stupid expensive!! The worst part of the job IMO, was getting the exhaust disconnected from turbo components..... luckily I did not snap any studs or catch the car on fire with my oxy/acet torch! Other than the clutch, a rebuild of the power steering pump and the mandatory changing of the timing belt/water pump, I have had minimal problems with my 130k mileage 951. I also have contemplated selling it, but I keep convincing myself to just keep it. Presently it is parked for awhile as I have too many other cars to license and insure.

I was in your shoes before, and as you know I sold. I still miss the car, but you have to do what is right for you. I presently have no fun car at all.

Your alternate option of a cayman is a bit extreme- I mean, as far as I know those would go for at least $35k unless I am way out of the loop. You could pay a mechanic a few grand to get the 951 back together and not deal with it yourself.

But I agree- I lost it when I got my third fuel leak. Sure- it was only a $75 fix, but there you are on the side of the road on a cold rainy day, waiting for AAA to get a flatbed to you so you can go to your specialty repairshop and then call someone for a ride home. It got to be too much for me.

Then again, nothing I have driven since gives me the same pleasure.

Thanks for the input, guys. I think I'm just frustrated right now. I know I have to AT LEAST fix the car before I do anything, so I think I will just take care of that and see how I feel then.

What? No love for the 968? IMO, those were very nice cars.

I found my 951 to be like a boat in that two of the happiest days in my life were (1) the day I got it and (2) the day I lost it.

When they run right, they're a blast. But when they break, it's a guarantee of unpleasantness, expense, lost time, busted knuckles and a lot of yelling and cursing down in the garage when you could be down at the beach or doing any one of a million other things you'd rather be.

I still love the 951 - its a great "bang for the buck" car, but they are cruel mistresses and very, very high-maintenance and demanding of your time and money. Be careful lest ye be lured by her siren song... :)

Call me when you are about to sink $20k into rustoring a 356 for the sentimental value, which will be worth about $25k when it is all done and said...

Cruel mistress indeed. Mine never ran *quite* right, always something a little off. Silly fun car though, I sometimes still miss it. Never quite enough to buy another. I'd love to have back those hours, and all the skin I lost working in that God-forsaken tight engine bay.

On the upside, you'll never have to do that work again. Cayman vs 951 is apples and oranges considering there's easily $30k difference in their value. Cayman is a nice car, but I suspect it is also a PITA to work on. Fortunately being 22 years newer gets you ahead of the repair curve.

I can relate to this in a way. My 944 never actually let me down and left me stranded but it seemed like there was always 'something' that I just needed to do. I would probably have kept it but my fiance (now wife) convinced me that a more reliable car was needed and talked me into getting the 996. The newer car is definitely a major benefit when it comes to social time rather than crawling around on the garage floor.
The only thing I can see with the Cayman is that you will be relying the dealer which may or may not be a positive to you. An older 996 might be worth looking at. It will be considerably cheaper initially and you can choose whether you take it to the dealer or do stuff yourself. Just a thought...

Keep the 951 and fix it but do yourself a favor and get something reliable, no old american iron or swedish meatballs but something from, "gulp", Japan. I have had 6 german cars and 2 Mazdas. At one time I had my e30 daily driver plus the 944S and I hated life because something was always wrong with one of them. Keeping an older car is challenging so offset it with something that you know will work all day everyday.

Sell the Volvo, use the money to fix the 951 clutch. Cheaply lease a Mazda3, Subaru or something for daily driver duties. The best of both worlds IMHO.

+1 to the Japanese daily driver. I've now had experience with three of them-

A 10 year old 626- brakes, exhaust, I think a tie rod, and a battery. It had lived a rough city life, and was in pretty good shape. The auto tranny seemed like it was getting screwy when we sold it. Then again, 100k miles of stop and go probably did that. You'd get a manual anyhow.

2005 RX8- 2 years, no issues

2006 Accord- 2.5 years and ticking, no issues.

I think you should bail on the volvo and get a used Mazda 3 or similar, as suggested above. But I understand your 951 pain.

Sell yours...buy mine. :D

Idk, our boat and waverunner have been a hell of a lot more reliable than our cars lately

Bad trans are a known issue in 626's. You sold just in time my friend. Usually they go out much sooner.

JUMP mtherfker JUMP!!!!

THIS IS THE REASON WHY I NEVER GOT AROUND TO DOING MY 911S. I had restored a Mustang Mach1 428, a Dodge Challenger 440 6 PACK and a 66 427/425 hp Corvette...and maintained a Roller Roycer LWB....after being stuck on the side of the road numerous times waiting for a Tow, and draining my checkbooks. I got sick and tired of it all. The only car that I didn't get to was the 911S....

While those other cars wer OK, I do wish I had just stuck to the Porsches. Today I could have a nice 356 SC Cabriolet and a fully restored 69 911S.....

As it now stands my Mustang will make we well with cars....I will be in a break even position if I sell it.

If you miss your 83 so badly, I could be pushed to trade cars. ;) I even installed a fresh clutch, all engine seals, front suspension bushings and control arms, Yoko summer tires, water pump, and belts this past spring.

On a more serious note, let me know if you do put the Volvo up for sale.