Talk me out of selling my 911
 

I thought I'd be doing more track days. I thought I'd have more spare time to just take day drives. Maybe my priorities are just different than they were then, but it seems like I'd rather be out backpacking, or visiting my aging parents, or brewing beer, or sailing, or any of the other myriad activities that the PNW has to offer.

It's a 1999 996 track rat with good fundamentals -- PO used it as a daily driver, carried his dog, and someone broke the back window once. He wasn't really a "car guy," and wasn't even capable of troubleshooting a bad ground strap on the battery. I fixed the niggling problems, put in a cage and what-not, and I've made a handful of track days, and it's A BLAST to run ... but I just don't feel like I'm running it enough to make it worthwhile. I mean, I commute and run errands in it once a week to make sure things are still moving smoothly, but ... I'm just not driving it enough to make it worth it.

It's paid off, and the insurance isn't bad at all (it's not my primary car), so the cost to keep it in the garage is minimal. But then, I could free up ~$20K in capital to use for something else (a replacement for the daily driver, most likely) and reduce the amount of parking that I need to have.

Thoughts? Am I crazy?

Dan

I think you should sell it and send the proceeds to MMMickey.

Hahahahahahahahah

ROFLMAO

To me it sounds like you should sell it. It's not like it's a classic air cooled car that's appreciating or going to be more and more difficult to buy if you decide you want another.

Crazy?...No way. The track rat and DE thing wears off pretty quickly...At least it did for me. Wheel-to-wheel racing holds your attention span much longer, but that means truck, trailer, spare wheels, angry wife, and results in adjustments to your retirement expectations.

When I left racing for good in 2013 I sold the race car, truck, and trailer and built my street legal track rat expecting to keep doing DE and TT events. After a year I was the same as you and found myself doing more surfing, travel, golf, etc. Within 18 months the track rat was gone and I never looked back. Track rats are just OK on the track, and terrible on the street. Let-er-go!

Life moves on, enjoy your new hobbies. If you change your mind later you'll be able to find another 996 no sweat.

Life and it's priorities change. This time we get on earth isn't a dress rehearsal. Let me clue you...there is life after Porsche ownership, and it is good.

What these guys said. Sell it for a fair price knowing you can always get another one or something else.

Any reason why you don't just daily drive it? My last 996 was a year round DD for over one year, they are even good in snow with the right tires.

996's aren't irreplaceable if you get bored. I'm on the fence with my aircooled car only because I know that I'd not likely afford another if I had an itch.

True enough, and I've considered it, but it's pretty impractical. Living in the PNW means my DD should really be comfortable driving on pitted gravel or dirt roads; I'm likely to replace the E46 BMW with something that has a bit more ground clearance and AWD. That and the fact that I've done the harness/race seat/cage thing means the back seat isn't usable and it's ... well, it's much better at the track than on the street now. I suppose I could convert it back, sell the cage, and so on, turn it back into a DD.

I'd feel *really* bad taking my 911 out to a trailhead for a weekend of backpacking, though. I mean, I feel bad enough taking the 200Kmi Bimmer out on some of these roads. Doing that to a 911? Oh, man, a piece of my soul is burning in Porsche hell just thinking about doing that.

Sometimes you gotta say "Fark it!" and just do it. That's what I did to sell my SC last year. We needed the money in the bank more than I needed the toy so my situation was different. I still needed to make that final decision to do it. One Saturday evening I did and there was no turning back.

I miss it but intend to get another 911 in time. It will be pumping water but it will still be a 911.

Dan you are waaaayyy too young to worry about a car, any car.

I don't like to see cars sit. I will be selling my 560SL in the near future because I decided to take on another business opportunity that has me on the road again. I am going to get a Jeep or something similar to take the commute pressure off my truck, something used and reliable I can beat on for a few years.

Has much as I enjoy the Mercedes - it is great - it sits more than I thought it would, sometimes a few weeks between drives. It is really too nice a car to put into heavy rotation.

So, sell your Porsche, let your life unfold a bit then find another. I have never regretted selling a car.

Best of luck. Next time I am in Yakima or Wenatchee I'll give you a shout.

996 track rat? im interested .....

$20k?

air cooled cars should not be sold. they take up little space, often bought when they were much cheaper, always cool...always missed when they are gone!

Sounds like you're ready to sell. If it was a nice air cooled car I'd say don't. I sold my '84 and miss it dearly. It's the only car I've ever owned that I'd like back.

Nothing is forever .....

996 isn't worth getting sentimental about. If it's mostly sitting, then I'd say launch it.

Thanks for all the insights, everyone. Look for a new thread in the "for sale" section, coming soon. :)