I think I need an intervention

[tirwin]

I am writing this not believing I am writing this. I am actually considering selling my SC and I don't want to. My wife doesn't want me to. I haven't slept well the last few days going over several different options in my mind. I need to kind of virtually talk this out and see if there is some of angle I haven't considered. Would appreciate your input. I'll buy you all a virtual beer for your thoughts.



My basic problem is I have 10 lbs of stuff and a 5 lb sack. 4 cars, 3 drivers, 2 garage bays, 1 frustrated dad (me) and 0 places to put everything.

Option 1: Sell this house, buy new house with ginormous garage space.

Pros:
- The heavens part, I'm a happy guy. Porsche addiction moves into overdrive.

Cons:
- As much as this is what I want to do, it ain't gonna happen. Wife and I are intending to stay in this area for 5-7 more years. Hassle of moving locally for such a relatively short period of time is not worth the cost or grief.

Option 2a: Install 4-post lift. Pour extra parking pad.

This means I sell my truck, put the 911 up top on the lift and get some other vehicle that will fit under the lift.

Pros:
- 4 cars parked as conveniently as possible (3 inside, 1 out)
- lift is useful
- I have high-rise garage doors, tall ceilings and 220V panel with 30A breaker ready

Cons:
- 4-post lift will intrude upon already-limited tool/work space
- will miss having a truck as I use the snot out of it
- will a moving company move a lift? Doubt it. Probably means I sell it on Craisglist in 5-7 years when we sell the house.

Option 2b: Same as above but add a small workshop area.

Pros:
- all problems solved for now

Cons:
- cost. Probably never recoup investment by the time I sell.
- more $$$ not being spent on Porsches

Option 3: Sell truck and SC, buy newer 911. Pour parking pad.

2 cars inside, 1 outside

Pros:
- newer 911!?
- 3 cars instead of 4
- cup holder!?

Cons:
- feel like I will regret selling this car for the rest of my life
- just another schlep with a water-pumper
- will go from owning a car that is currently appreciating in value to one that is depreciating
- everybody knows I have tinkeritis. turning nuts and bolts is therapy for me. Won't be doing that stuff with car that is also a DD.
- future projects that were on the radar with the SC (3.6) go out the window

[timchar]

Tim, short answer-NO DO NOT SELL 911, NO MATTER WHAT!!! I'm on my way to work otherwise I would elaborate more. You are a classic "air cooled guy", you will NEVER be happy with a water pumper Porsche. I regret on a daily basis that I sold my 86, the sellers remorse was excruciating. I purchased another one right away. I quickly realized tinkering and especially driving my 911 was the best stress release ever for me....I'm sure you are not much different...You have many options, please nothing hasty.. Will check back later..Tim

[Justin@Athens]

I say option two. Shoot us an exterior pic of the garage, and area where you are considering pouring the pad. Everybody likes the utility of a truck. That is why I have a key for my neighbors.

[lsf911]

If you can afford it, Option 2b and keep the truck and all your toys. A time period of 5-7 years is worth the cost of a small workshop even if you never recoup the money. You will be enjoying what you have for those years which is worth a lot more than money in the bank. Keep your SC.

[seafeye]

Investment wise, a 911sc isn't going to let you down. But a 2008 Cayman S would be a better car all around. Let's be real, you will never use the rear seats of a 911. Why not get use out of a front and rear trunk? 30 years of technology advances make the newer cars a real blast to drive.

[tirwin]

No worries. Not making any rash decisions. Weather will need to warm up a little before I could pour a parking pad.

My daughter is turning 16. Found her a cherry Honda Civic for a first car. Strange thing is I found it this week on-line at a dealership that specializes in luxury cars. The place had several 911's and a Cayman on the lot. They had a silver 991 on the showroom floor and we were sitting next to it while we were waiting for them to bring the Civic up to test drive it. There was this long, awkward silence. My wife was staring at the 991 and I was pretending not to notice. Finally she says "they really are just beautiful, aren't they?" Is that wife code, for "buy it"? I am so confused.

[sugarwood]

You have 4 cars and 2 garage spots.
What exactly is the problem with parking 2 cars inside and 2 outside?
Can you clarify your actual problem more clearly?

Why would you sell the truck if you use it constantly?
Just park it outside.

I assume you park the SC in one garage spot.
Even parking the SC outside is better than selling it.
If you park it on a lift, I bet you will pretty much never use it again.

[Tippy]

Originally Posted by seafeye

Investment wise, a 911sc isn't going to let you down. But a 2008 Cayman S would be a better car all around. Let's be real, you will never use the rear seats of a 911. Why not get use out of a front and rear trunk? 30 years of technology advances make the newer cars a real blast to drive.

What? That car is straight up lame.

A Cayman over an SC?! Hell no!

[M.D. Holloway]

If you were warned that a class 5 twister was headed your way - you have 20 minutes to get all you cherish together and get the heck out, what would you take? Keep the SC, sell everything else...

[bgyglfr]

Don't do it. The new ones are faster, nicer, more comfortable Etc. But the are NOT the same as an air cooled 911. Not even close!

[tirwin]

Another variation of option #2 I had not considered is keep the truck, daughter parks under 911 on lift.

Now the main reason I didn't consider that before is I figured the idea would go over like a fart in church with my wife and daughter. But makes he most sense, but wimmens is involved here and you can't always be sure that sense comes into play where wimmens is involved.

[tirwin]

Originally Posted by Justin@Athens

I say option two. Shoot us an exterior pic of the garage, and area where you are considering pouring the pad. Everybody likes the utility of a truck. That is why I have a key for my neighbors.

Yep, good idea. I will post pics in a bit.

[FastCarFan]

Rent garage space.

[seafeye]

Originally Posted by Tippy

What? That car is straight up lame.

A Cayman over an SC?! Hell no!

I've owned them all. The Cayman was the most fun I've ever had in a road car. Well close tie between my RS America. But that's long gone. If I had to pick a car for my daily driver, fun weekend car, occasional track car, it would be the Cayman. It's the right size, has the right amount of power and is cheaper than many air cooled 911's.

Just my opinion..

[tirwin]

Originally Posted by sugarwood

You have 4 cars and 2 garage spots.
What exactly is the problem with parking 2 cars inside and 2 outside?
Can you clarify your actual problem more clearly?

Why would you sell the truck if you use it constantly?
Just park it outside.

I assume you park the SC in one garage spot.
Even parking the SC outside is better than selling it.
If you park it on a lift, I bet you will pretty much never use it again.

Wife's car is in bay 1. SC is in bay 2. Truck is behind SC. Right now I have to move the truck to drive the SC. I don't see moving the car off the lift as being much different but maybe it is because it takes longer.

My driveway is a PITA. I will post some pics but it is a steep driveway downhill from the street to the garage. It's roughly a 12° angle, 50' long, 10' of elevation change.

I will never own a house on a sloped lot ever again. One of the worst decisions I ever made.

[tirwin]

Originally Posted by FastCarFan

Rent garage space.

There are a couple of Pelicans that run a place called Oloba Rennsport where I could do that. Great idea and that thought has crossed my mind. Problem is that it's a bit far from me. If the theory is that I won't drive a car when it's on a lift in my own garage holds true, then it's even more so true for a rented space miles away. Then I'm just paying money every month to hold onto a garage queen. That seems wrong too.

Lift pays for itself in 2 years compared to rented space.

[tirwin]

Originally Posted by seafeye

I've owned them all. The Cayman was the most fun I've ever had in a road car. Well close tie between my RS America. But that's long gone. If I had to pick a car for my daily driver, fun weekend car, occasional track car, it would be the Cayman. It's the right size, has the right amount of power and is cheaper than many air cooled 911's.

Just my opinion..

Hmmm... But what if I owned an SC AND a Cayman S?

I'm starting to see where this plan could go...

[Tippy]

Originally Posted by seafeye

I've owned them all. The Cayman was the most fun I've ever had in a road car. Well close tie between my RS America. But that's long gone. If I had to pick a car for my daily driver, fun weekend car, occasional track car, it would be the Cayman. It's the right size, has the right amount of power and is cheaper than many air cooled 911's.

Just my opinion..

That's weird, because I had a tiptronic 996 (I know, what was I thinking?!?!), and my 996 was more fun than the Cayman to me my friend had. It was an "S".

[tirwin]

Originally Posted by lsf911

If you can afford it, Option 2b and keep the truck and all your toys. A time period of 5-7 years is worth the cost of a small workshop even if you never recoup the money. You will be enjoying what you have for those years which is worth a lot more than money in the bank. Keep your SC.

That's a fair point.

Right now, I am estimating the cost of the parking pad at $10k for material and labor. Won't be a straight pad -- will require a block wall and some backfill.

I'm estimating that the extra foundation, backfill concrete, and ~200 sq feet of enclosed workshop would be around $25k. That includes roof over everything and a small heat pump plus electrical.

Add the cost of the lift to both -- let's say $4-5k if I went with new & pro install -- and option 2b is twice the cost of option 2a. $5-6k/year of enjoyment cost.

[FastCarFan]

Originally Posted by tirwin

There are a couple of Pelicans that run a place called Oloba Rennsport where I could do that. Great idea and that thought has crossed my mind. Problem is that it's a bit far from me. If the theory is that I won't drive a car when it's on a lift in my own garage holds true, then it's even more so true for a rented space miles away. Then I'm just paying money every month to hold onto a garage queen. That seems wrong too.

Lift pays for itself in 2 years compared to rented space.

I agree a rented garage is less than ideal...but it beats selling the Porsche! A friend pays $360/mo (I think) to rent space in a storage center (nothing fancy). His is rather large - he has 4 cars in it, with room for 1 or 2 more. You wouldn't need such a large space.