[green95ss]

Hi all,

I have 2 cars that I have to choose between (if I could afford to keep both, I would). They are COMPLETELY different cars for completely different purposes.

Car #1: 1986 Buick Grand National. I have fully restored the car and it is in MINT condition. You don't see many of these left, and especially in this condition. The car is really fast in a straight line, but it smells like gas (no cats) and shift quite hard. Not the best vehicle to take the family out in to a show, cruise, etc. I do enjoy driving it a lot, and it was my dream car as a mullet-equipped high school student.

Car #2: 1987 Porsche 911 Carrera Coupe. It is a gorgeous car in a color you don;t see too often (Venetian Blue). I am in the process of restoring the interior, and the car runs great. My wife and I both have a blast driving it and she is actually getting into the possibility of doing a DE event. The thoughts of high maintenance costs and potential engine rebuild in the future scare the hell out of me, though.

Both cars are a blast, but in different ways. I have only had the Carrera for a little while (but my wife has always wanted one). I haven't taken my 1 year old out in it yet, but she is looking forward to it. The main problem is that it has 136K and I'm guessing the engine will need a rebuild within a few years or so--that's the prospect that scares me. I am quite mechanically inclined and work on cars mostly myself, but I have arthritis and may find rebuilding an entire engine physically difficult. I do like the fact that of all of the "toy" cars that I've had, this is the first one that my wife has gotten into. She will not be able to drive the car much for the next few years, realistically, as she will (Godwilling) be pregnant soon.

Financially, I will make some money if I sell the Carrera as is (it runs great, doesn't leak, and uses 1qt/800 miles), as I got it for a very reasonable price. I will probably lose a little on the Buick right now. On a yearly basis, it seems that the average maintenance bill for most owners is around $100/month.

I am posting this on the Turbo Buick board that I am also part of to see what their ideas are (to try and get a balanced opinion).

Thanks,

Guhan