When to stop sinking money into it

[gerrygug]

Meka,

If you purchased your car over 4 years ago and have only put $5K into it over that period of time your cost to drive the car is about $100.00 a month. Your 84 is probably worth what you paid for it, so there has been no depreciation. What could you drive for $100.00 a month that would give you as much pleasure? If you purchased a new vehicle of almost any type you would be looking at thousands of dollars of depreciation every year.

Take good care of your 911 and enjoy the rewards.

[Super_Dave_D]

It's a very easy question - You stop sinking the money when you decide you no longer want a cool old Porsche 911!! I have sunk more money in mine than what I paid for it. Yes, sometime I think of stopping the bleeding BUT then I go for a ride and all is forgotten.

[Peter Bull]

The answer is very simple; the second you go from grinning like a kid in a candy store whenever you turn the ignition key to thinking of money spent on it as "sinking money into it".

/Peter

[cdrik915]

Any answer to this question on my own : Everyone live his 911 differently , and this way is the good : the way YOU do.

[Formerly Steve Wilkinson]

It sounds to me like you need to unload it. I sense you're not happy spending more and more money on what you think of as just a Porsche. (I'm not trying to be rude, believe me, it's just that you pointed out that it's simply a standard car, nothing special, which is probably quite true.) The thing is high-mileage enough that you need to begin thinking of rebuilding/restoring, which doesn't seem like it has much appeal to you. Either that or drive it into the ground.

I speak as someone who bought my car for $10,500, put $60,000 into it to rebuild it, probably have since then spent another $5,000, and just last Friday spent another $100 on a stainless-steel alternator-housing strap. What's the car worth? If I found the perfect buyer, $25,000 max.

[kick7ca]

I'd say ask yourself honestly what it's worth today, and if you sold it what could it be replaced with for the same money. Someone said $12K, could you get another 911 for $12K? No, you'd only get a basketcase for $12K.

I think enough is enough when nicer alternative 911s can be had for substantially less than keeping yours. (remember nicer alternative cars need work too)

[Formerly Steve Wilkinson]

Well, certainly we don't have to assume a like-for-like (in terms of money) move. Maybe it's time to take the $12,000 and use it as a down payment on a two-year-old Boxster, say.

[sagolfer]

This is an excellent question I ask myself all the time. I am a short time old Porsche addict. Since I do most of the work on my car and I enjoy it, I call it a hobby. I used to spend tons of money I'll never get back playing golf. Now I spend money I'll never get back on the car. When it's not fun anymore, I'll move onto the next form of entertainment.

[myfast911]

are you kidding me? grow up and stop the whining. spend the money that the porsche deserves and drive the sheit out of it. for the porsche there is never enough money. and for you there is never enough porsche. that is the ONLY answer to this question!

[dshepp806]

I've had my Carerra for almost 2 years now...an interesting travel. I can't believe I bought the damned car without PPI (...if I knew THEN what I know now..) Nothing major has raised it's head yet (other than a cross-threaded #1 plug,..STILL not too major) I'm now in the phase of occasionally worrying about something expensive happening. It can be a troublesome trait, for all the wrong reasons, as well as the right reasons. My P.O. had every bit of service docs for over 8 years of ownership...I was looking through these after my purchase and came upon the invoice for the engine rebuild (top and bottom),..granted: the P.O. had other work on this invoice, aside from the rebuild costs (such as windshield, leather work, tires, alignment/balance),...I looked at the total of around $18K on this invoice and almost had a freaking heart attack (literally). We had discussed the rebuild previously and I felt good knowing this had been ALREADY done on the engine,...I just wasn't ready for the price.....

Since,....I, too, quickly forget any/everything once I fire her up and drive,..it truly is a high, especially ONCE you learn her (just stock, at that). STILL,..I watch her like a hawk,..constantly attending Pelican University,..soaking up the data,..particularly when the VERY knowlegeable speak,....it's an experience, for sure. I like to call it a relation..a bit of a gamble....

However,..everything is relative.....and to each his own. I can understand someone, who's not very knowleagable on these cars nor is a "tinkerer", becoming troubled and (even) frightful of worstcase conditions on the 20+ year old cars. The experienced guys speak quite "matter-of-factly", as they've much knowleadge and a passion for these babies,...but someone without their level of expertise could (possibly) see it as something else,...something bad. You HAVE to be able to do some of your own work....and, on that note, God bless these forum members who share the wealth.

Bottom line: you gotta' pay to play (in this world)....and that's coming from ONLY a 2 year owner,..catch me on the day my engine blows and you may get another answer....I may not wanna' play? You gotta' WANT to do it,..with every drive, I strengthen my "WANT" with this damned addictive sports car....it is truly a drug.

...and I'm diggin' her high.

Best of luck in sorting it out.....

[sig_a]

It all boils down to this: ADRENALINE

[mike monde]

Paid 14K for what I thought was a great 911SC. Over a period of 4 years have dropped another 12K into her "sorting" her out.
Sometimes I wonder if I have gone to far?
This queston gets answered when I open the garage door and take a look after a rough day at work, never fails to put a smile on my face.
When the smile stops happening, then Ive gone to far and it will be time to sell.
As my wife says, if it makes you happy and puts a smile on your face after a long day at work,it must be worth the expense.

[ToddM]

I got sick of sinking my money into buying toilet paper that just got flushed down the toilet, so I stopped wiping my a$$. I started to smell real funky, but with the rising cost of water, I refused to take a shower so I jumped in a pond to wash off.

Since I am all about the solving the problem at its source, I stopped eating... besides, the cost of food was going up anyways.

I've now lost 50 pounds for free which has helped me go faster in my 911.

[Meka]

Originally Posted by myfast911

are you kidding me? grow up and stop the whining. spend the money that the Porsche deserves and drive the sheit out of it. for the Porsche there is never enough money. and for you there is never enough Porsche. that is the ONLY answer to this question!

I love responses from guys like you. The whole "stop whining" and "grow up" aspect of your post..... very informative. Right on myfast911! Id love to know whats in your fleet!
Seems everyone else had valid helpful input. Even though some I didn't like. And didn't want to hear, but expected. I simply wanted some feed back from 911 owners with infinitely more knowledge and wisdom than I have when it come to my Carrera. I have no intentions of unloading it. I would like to pass it on to my daughter when she's a bit older. This car is like a loving pet to her. And in the mean time time purchase another 911 and sink a ton of money into it. I have put countless hours of my own labor into this car. It is much like part of the family. I have no problem sinking money into it. But if I had numerous long time 911 owners with extensive experience (like most that responded to my query) tell me I'm nuts. Or that if I was willing to sink a ton of cash into a 911 I may be better off with another year, model ex. Or if I was told with that many miles metal fatigue or something I hadn't considered was an issue. It may be something I would like to be aware of.
Thanks all for your responses. I knew it would be a touchy subject.
Anyone else feel I need to stop whining and grow up? It certainly was not my intension to make my Carrera out as a swarmy money pit.

[bourgeois911]

I'll stop when there's no cash left to spend.

[Zeke]

Meka, what's the alternative? It's that simple.

BTW, I have a 235K Carrera. So, you're not alone on the high mileage. Do I worry about the car in a parking lot or running thru the twisties behind some cat throwing up rocks? You see, that's the advantage of having a completely street legal car that you don't worry yourself to death about.

I'd quit spending money and start to get your money's worth out of the car. When it's time to sell, part it out. You'll likely make more money.

[theclaw]

Elliot Spitzer spent $5,000 AN HOUR on an expensive hooker and look what it did for him. Our Porsche's are cheap! If you are married what would you rather explain..."Honey, I spend $5,000 an hour on a call girl that I fly to DC for fun." or... "Honey, What do you think of these new Recaro's, only $1,500 each!"

[Rusty Heap]

thank you all for the laughs...........my wife is giggling in the backgroud.........

I've put 2 1/2 times what I paid for my 911 back into it in under a year time frame.

and yeah, I've stopped wiping and showering too..........priorities you know.

[JV911SYDNEY]

Originally Posted by Meka

When should you stop sinking money into a 84 911

NEVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Palum6o]

If the miles bother you, just get a new speedometer.