Anyone ever sold their air cooled and not regretted it?

[kyngfish]

Considering capitalizing on the market to sell my 86 and maybe get an Evora. I’m just never going to be able to have a huge collection of sports cars.

On one hand I know that having an air-cooled 911 is pretty unique and if I offload it, I may never be able to get one back easily. On the other, I don’t want to be so precious about it that I never get to experience owning another type of car.

I’ve been thinking about it for a while, and having a more modern sports car has some advantages. I can daily it more easily, especially for the wife. And if I want the analogue experience, there are other ways to get there. Caterham being near the top of my list.

That said, every time I think about selling the 911, I drive it and the thought pretty much disappears.

[Reiver]

All my life I've had sports cars...started Brit years ago as many did Austin Healey, even a Saab Sonnet, Maserati (selling that in 78 hurt) TR3, Lotus...etc, but I've held on to my 911 longer than any of them and doubt I'll ever sell it...put it in the will/trust for a special person.

[BLACK3.2]

I sold my 87 to buy a 90. I love my 90 but I really miss the sound and smell of my 87. Given how hard that transition was, I’d never think of not having an air cooled.

[70SWT]

Anyone ever sold their air cooled and not regretted it?

No. I wish I could have held onto all of them, and put them in a warehouse somewhere a la Jay Leno.

I particularly regret selling my viper green 72 911E with a 2.7RS clone-engine. Seemed like the thing to do at the time...

Like you said, driving them solves the urge to sell. Letting them sit around in a non-running state creates the urge.

[wildthing]

Originally Posted by kyngfish

That said, every time I think about selling the 911, I drive it and the thought pretty much disappears.

And there's your answer. Just get a Camry for a DD to keep the wife happy. And then eventually get that Caterham...

[dsfnctn]

You can search my history and see that I have owned a lot of the run of air cooled
Porsches. Part of the enjoyment for me is the constant fiddeling . I went from the PCA cocourse crowd and then into the DE crowd. It was at that time I decided that I wanted to Race in PCA Club Racing. I started with a 944. About a dozen 944's later I cant tell you how much I enjoy those cars and dont miss the 911. I would like a 996GT3 though

[kyngfish]

Originally Posted by wildthing

And there's your answer. Just get a Camry for a DD to keep the wife happy. And then eventually get that Caterham...

I have several DDs, check my signature. That isn’t the question.

[chrismorse]

Here we are, a bunch of focused porsche-phyles. Many of us have had several and the occasional blasphemous dallying with another brand - perhaps, even the dark side, (american iron, not watercooled :-)

no matter which car, for the vast majority, we all regret getting rid of a car we were enthusiastically involved with it - even, $!0K+ tranny rebuilds and bouts with the tin worm. It is easy to remember the good times and disregard the difficulties.

I would love to have any of my porsches back: 66 911, 55-56 speedster hotrod - looked like someone painted it with a hammer, but it was a TTOD machine, 72 hotrod 914 and currently/forever, my dad's 74 911 coupe.

I'll sell the 77 308 before i think about selling dad's car - but then, i'd have regrets about the 308 as well.

The short answer is, "Don't Sell It"

chris

[kyngfish]

Pretty much what I expected. I wonder what answer I’d get in the lotus forums

[faapgar]

In 1988 I went through a divorce.Some what nasty.I had 31 air cooled cars that had to be sold to settle.Because I was a racer and my license to drive was not worth much 25 cars were in my wifes name.All good cars.At least 10 were 356 cars with original paint and low mileage.Asi es la vida.Ciao Fred

[porsche930dude]

Get the evora. put the 911 in storage for a little while and see how it goes. A 911 isnt the greatest car ever. despite what the majority on the forum will tell you. Even if it were you would never know if you didnt experience anything else. I had a stock 89 nissan 240sx before my 911 and it was more fun to drive. I dont regret it just miss it occasionally. Mostly because i know it was wrecked after i sold it. I dont see an evora being more practical just different.

[911SauCy]

Originally Posted by porsche930dude

Get the evora. put the 911 in storage for a little while and see how it goes. A 911 isnt the greatest car ever. despite what the majority on the forum will tell you. Even if it were you would never know if you didnt experience anything else. I had a stock 89 nissan 240sx before my 911 and it was more fun to drive. I dont regret it just miss it occasionally. Mostly because i know it was wrecked after i sold it. I dont see an evora being more practical just different.

I'm genuinely interested in why you felt a 240sx was better than a 911sc? I have always thought they were really cool, but never had the opportunity to drive/experience one?

That said, I continue to get ridiculous offers for my Targa, but I can't think of what, for the same money, could replace it while being better. Speed (mine hauls), feel, smell, rear engine/handling, timeless shape, how it's built, etc. etc.

[911SauCy]

Originally Posted by faapgar

In 1988 I went through a divorce.Some what nasty.I had 31 air cooled cars that had to be sold to settle.Because I was a racer and my license to drive was not worth much 25 cars were in my wifes name.All good cars.At least 10 were 356 cars with original paint and low mileage.Asi es la vida.Ciao Fred

Ugghh, dust in my office, getting in my eyes...

[Matt Monson]

I sold my 86 Carrera to a member a couple years back. I don’t regret it one bit. I got 2 cars with the money, a 914-6 conversion racecar with a twin plug 2.8 and 916 conversion gearbox AND a 23k mi 1996 WRC championship commemorative WRX called a V-Limited, that I imported from Japan under the 25 year rule.

[Drew001]

I'm probably going to sell my '87 in the near future. It's just too small - no one sees you in LA traffic. I've got a BMW i3 for daily commuting and running around town. I love the i3.

[porsche930dude]

Originally Posted by 911SauCy

I'm genuinely interested in why you felt a 240sx was better than a 911sc? I have always thought they were really cool, but never had the opportunity to drive/experience one?

That said, I continue to get ridiculous offers for my Targa, but I can't think of what, for the same money, could replace it while being better. Speed (mine hauls), feel, smell, rear engine/handling, timeless shape, how it's built, etc. etc.

I didnt say it was better. Just more fun to drive. I could beat on it without a care. It handled better aswell and felt more nimble and lighter. Extremely forgiving and progressive. I cant trust the 911 around a corner nearly as much. The 240 I could blast in at any speed i want and as long as i was paying attention id come out the other side in the right direction. The 911 i dont know if its going to understeer or snap oversteer so i have to take it easy. If it had a little more power it would have been better. Thats why everyone swaps them. But then they make them into drift cars I dont know if thats better or worse but im more of a backroad bomber even hitting dirt roads occasionally. It sounded great to me at the time anyway. Like a crotch rocket which suited its character. I didnt want to spend any money on it to make it nicer because it is just a japanese car. Like you say it didnt have the looks and quality of a porsche or other high end brand. I went with a 911 because it was the cheapest and easiest to get semi exotic car that was obtainable. It checks most of the boxes I just now know that other cars give more driving pleasure. A lotus is on my short list aswell. Id love an esprit but I think it would be alot like the 911 where an elise might be more fun to drive like the 240. I have a 914 but its more like a flatened beetle than anything else. I know because i had one of those too.

[RNajarian]

My beautiful 1983 SC Cab was T-Boned by an uninsured motorist. It was totaled. In hindsight I should have taken the salvage title, get it fixed and drive it.

[dad911]

Sold them all, no more, no regrets.

[Coastr]

Lots of cars drive better, though any 911 which is swapping between understeer and oversteer probably needs suspension attention.

Very few cars combine the build quality, iconic shape and fun factor like the Ac 911. I look at newer 911s from time to time but the fisher price interiors and modern car complexity give me pause.

Just go out in the garage and slam the door a few times. They don’t make them like that anymore. I’d take an old Benz fpr build quality but none of those are sporty (in the price range, anyway)

[kyngfish]

Honestly I’m not inclined to sell. I love the car and every time I get in it I’m grinning while I drive. I’m really just wondering if I’m being too precious about it and if I’m missing out. I bought my car in 2015, so closing in on that seven year itch I guess.