I have serious problems

[Jim T]

The reality is that if you buy smart (which I am sure you will do!), its not a bad idea at all.

An 88-89 Carrera, if its in good shape, likely will not need a huge amount of $$ in the next few years, esp. given that I assume you are not going to be putting big miles on it. If you do the maintenance and repairs yourself, these costs will likely be pretty low (of course there are always risks, but I'd feel safe with a good 88/89 Carrera).
It is not going to depreciate much, and, in fact if you buy it on the low side and take good care of it, you can likely sell it for close to, or more, than you paid for it, in the next few years.

Sure, you will spend some $ on it, but its always going to have a lot of value. So, instead of the $ sitting in the bank, its sitting in the car. You could always sell it and get most of that $$ back, so its not like its thrown away. And, in the meantime, you have the enjoyment of owning the car.

Put it this way: All the millions of people who buy Honda Accords will lose more in depreciation in 3 years than you probably would lose, total (depreciation, maintenance and repairs) in 3 years of owning the Carrera.

Do it!

[Jim T]

Chuck, I remember Duane Collie from years ago. Where do those guys post now? I'd like to see what they are up to these days.
Thanks!

[patalive]

Jim, Duane started his own little list, about 500 members, called TheUUCGarage on Yahoo Groups. Although BMWs are the common area among the group, everything is open for discussion. It's a great source of information on topics in which you have little expertese. For example, I was considering purchasing a new bicycle for my wife. I learned so much about bicycles (street, mountain, hybreds, etc) on that list it was amazing.
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Duane periodically lets go with a piece like the above ode to a beater.
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Membership is open to the public - it's a fun group.
-
Chuck

[makaio]

Leland,
Do it! And don't look back. As my mother says, " I've never seen a hearst with a luggage rack." Meaning, you only live once.

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Matt Chamblin
78 911 SC

[Leland Pate]

You jerks...
I just might do it.

I'd probably have to drive to Salt Lake or Ogden to find a dealer that finances and would take my car on a trade.
The only other option would be to try and find a buyer for the "Imperial Gas Guzzler" and then just go out and finance another 911.
The Bank would think I'm nuts though.

[Superman]

Well that was easy. So now that you've resigned yourself to the inevitable, here are my feelings: The SC is kind of a compromise car. It's pretty luxurious with most amenities, but it's nto as quiet or heavy as, say, the 993. It's also not as nimble or graceful looking as the early cars. So, you can go in either direction.

A carrera is not enough different from your SC, so if you get a Carrera, it might make sense to replace your SC as well.

I personally would go in the other direction. I'd keep the baby you're building with your own two hands (should be quite an emotional bond there), and get a race car. It'd be a shell with a drive train. It would have luxury items like a steering wheel and pedals, perhaps a seat too, but not much else. Roll cage. It'd have LOTS of horsepower, it would stink and be obnoxiously loud. It would weigh no more than 2000 lbs and most people would be afraid to ride in it.

I wouldn't be afraid.

------------------
'83 SC

[makaio]

Who cares? We don't think you are nuts. In fact if I have been seriously considering buying another, since you started this thread.

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Matt Chamblin
78 911 SC

[old_skul]

Where is the luxury in an SC? Power windows?

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Mark Szabo
1986 911 Targa 3.2
1987 Escort 5-speed 1.9 RIP
The Porsche Owners Gallery

[mark 74 carrera]

Lee,

Forgive me father, for I have sinned. It has been two minutes since I lusted after owning two 911s. I have failed in thought(thought about it), word(talked about with strangers) and deed(have been to a dealership).

I have several dreams. One is to own one of every model. Another is to pick the best overall year and own one of each model from that year. You may be a very sick man, but we are right there with you.

Look at it this way, you've come to terms with it at 22. It took me until I was 35 to openly discuss owning one and until 37 to pull the trigger.

You are soooo much further along. Sy it out loud right now.... I must have two 911s...I MUST HAVE TWO 911s!!!

Danger, Danger, Will Robinson!!!!

R.S.

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Mark Isaak
'74 Targa

[emcon5]

Leland, be very carefull. As former enlisted military myself, I have a fairly good idea of what you make. I also know what it is like to be without my car because I didn't have the cash available to fix it (and that was a FORD, not a Porsche). Besides, too much top-raman makes you impotent.

IF you can find a dealer that will finance, and IF you don't get bent over on the trade in of your truck, you will most likely get bent over on the finance rate (you never see 0% financing on 15 year old cars). The asking price for any Carerra you find, will probably be considerably more than the car is worth.

How long ago did you buy that truck? Not very long, if I remember correctly. You will be lucky not to owe more on the loan than the truck is worth if you sold it to a private party, let alone a trade in to a dealer.

As to you guys who think that once you are married all the money goes to your wife, all I can say is you picked the wrong wife.

If you are determined to get another 911, do what Superman says, and buy an early T, replace all the sheetmetal with fiberglass and build a firebreathing lightweight beast.

That very thing has been bouncing around in my head ever since I saw Jack's pics from Cambria.

Tom

[Leland Pate]

Tom...
Thank you for slapping me back to reality...

I already knew that...but you know what it's like..........:yeah....I could do that"...

[pwd72s]

Leland...you're military, young & single? Other old farts on the board have warned you about the life of drudgery that awaits you if you marry for love. So, I'll give you some (non original...wish I could remember who I'm quoting) advice: "you can marry more money in five minutes than you can make working for it in a lifetime." Think it over, Leland. Or, as a buddy of mine who got a scholarship to Stanford told me long ago..."The girls here might be ugly, but they are smart, and they all seem to have rich parents." This buddy married one of those girls...he could afford all the P cars he wanted, but he seems to be into private aircraft instead...

[BlueSkyJaunte]

Besides, if you go Carrera on us, *I* will take over the SC World Domination Plot.

Think about what a mess that would turn out to be.


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blue
'81 SC Targa

[atr911]

MAy your freshly built engine blow up!

CAn't believe you would betray the SC plot... Remember the grass only LOOKS better...

Besides, I want to be the youngest on the board to own 2 p cars

Adam Roseneck

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1978 911SC 3.0
roseneck@cyberbeach.net

[pwd72s]

Sorry Adam...if I'm to believe an e mail from Rufblackbird, a 20 year old in Hawaii, he's very close to having 2 911's...may have already happened. NO comments from me on the condition of these two cars, tho..

[Superman]

Mark, I do think the SC is a luxury model, comparatively, and have a hard time distinguishing the SCs from the Carreras, which is why I wonder what Leland wants. As for details, my car has A/C, power windows, power sun roof, power, heated mirrors, rear defroster, cruise..... I'm thinking there must have been some fearful arguments at Porsche headquarters when the engineers were told they would add these things to the 911. I reflected, just this morning during my commute, how quiet and smooth this car is.

No, I don't really see much difference between the SCs and the Carreras. My second car would be the fire breathing, lightweight, track/street bully that Tom also wants.

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'83 SC

[Pillow]

Excellent post petalive!!!

That guy Duane totally sumarized my beliefs of truck ownership!

BTW if you see a POS 1971 green Chevy truck puttering around. That is me No A/C, gets cleaned out with a hose, easy to work on, cheap, tows like a champ, CB, gun rack, nasty cap, and, to top if off, three-on-the-tree shifter.



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Adrian Pillow
1979 911 SC
1966 VW Microbus
PCA - Peachstate Region

[JEB]

Yes - Yes - Yes!!!! Everything they say is TRUE. Wives - Kids - Dogs - Houses.

They all make P-Cars look inexpensive. By the car while you can - then fight to keep it as other priorities come along. The post was correct about no TIME to really enjoy the car(S) and play with them when other things come along.

Get a beater truck as the previous post said.
I have a '78 Chevy 3/4 ton - 400CID - 30,000 of the hardest original miles imaginable (low range snow plowing). No radio - No A/C - no options except a plow, a gun rack and dual fuel tanks (which are mandatory because you can watch the guage fall as drive down the road). If I "had" to choose one vehicle to piss around in this might be it. The springs are so hard that I went over a rough railroad the other day at about 10 MPH and my dogs head bounced of the roof (she wasn't very happy - and that is why I don't tie her in back). Never have to worry about it. Hauls all the parts/branches/dirt/etc (I dug to huge stumps from my back yard this weekend and hauled them away w/it). It is truely and AWSOME, FUN, and POWERFUL vehichle. I don't know how folks can live without one.

Anyway, get the car - enjoy - suck it up if it breaks. Have fun spend money on yourself before your wife and kids do.

Jeb
'98 Toyota Land Cruiser
'79 930
'78 Chevy Pick 'em up
'69 Triumph TR-6 (which I have not run yet this year for lack of time)

[emcon5]

Originally posted by Superman:
My second car would be the fire breathing, lightweight, track/street bully that Tom also wants.

Dammit Leland & Superman, now you got me really thinking about it. I went as far as to do a classified search for pre-74 cars, and downloaded the GT Racing catalog to price fiberglass and Lexan.

I don't have a driveway, and no room in the garage for the cars I already have. I really need to move.

Tom