Reunited and it feels so good

[uncle_scott]

*Sorry in advance that this is so long, but for me retelling this story has been worth it.

This is a story of buying a dream car, selling a dream car, and then buying said dream car back.

I bought my 1984 911 in 2012 while I was in Grad School at the University of Utah. I had told my wife that I would buy my dream car as a present to myself for finishing my Master's Degree. Well, the right car popped up at the wrong time, and I bought it anyway while I was still in school. I had the car for just over a year as I finished my degree. I drove it every day including through the Utah winter, and I loved every minute of it. When it came time to pay my student loans back reality hit, and I realized that I was not going to be able to make all of the payments I had obligated myself to. It was a sobering moment, and I knew what had to go. I sold the Porsche...

I immediately regretted it.

In fact, I text the guy I sold it to just a couple of weeks later, and the car had already changed hands to a friend of his who reportedly "loved it a lot, and planned to keep it long term." I was sunk. The car was gone and I knew that if I were to replace it in the future that particular car would not be the car for me.

Over the next two years my wife and I were fortunate to see career growth and job changes where new opportunities opened up. The Master's Degree was a worthwhile investment. We also bought a new house with a third car garage. The time was right to fill the space with a project car of some sort. The Porsche 911 market had gone nuts in the time between selling my car in 2013 and 2015, so I had no intentions of actually being able to afford to relive my dream of an air-cooled 911 to tinker on, but like many of us, I would check the classifieds in a number of websites nearly every day.

Then it happened...my car popped up for sale locally.

The next morning I immediately called the auction house that had MY car listed for sale, and they told me that the car was already sold and they couldn't release the selling price or the buyers information. Lost again, I was disappointed that I was so close and yet so far away.

Then it happened again!

MY car showed up on the Pelican Parts BBS for sale in Grand Rapids, Michigan at GR Auto Gallery. Again, I nervously called the next morning after seeing it posted, and I was greeted by Jeff, a friendly salesman who told me that a contact had been made on the car from an interested overseas buyer. I was not going to lose the car again, so I made a full price offer on the phone right then (not actually knowing if the bank would finance me...). The offer was accepted, retainer money was paypal'd, and I was a nervous happy man. (Let the record show that during all of this my extremely supportive wife was cheering me on hoping that I could get the car back).

Three weeks later, and the car arrived (arrived yesterday 8-9-2015). I recognized every bump, bruise, and character building rock chip almost as if no time had passed. Excitement and anxiety flowed through me as the car was readied to be driven off the transport truck. The key went in the ignition, and as it turned we heard the familiar clunk of a dead battery, absent of the roar that I knew this particular flat six air-cooled 3.2l should sound like. The truck driver and myself were able to improvise by using two ratchet straps to pull the car backwards up the hump of the car carrier far enough that I could gingerly wheel it off backwards.

The car had arrived back home.

We tried twice to push start the car, but couldn't get it going fast enough to make any sort of real attempt. My wife and I left the Porsche, and I called my brother to see if he would help me with a tow. We got back to the car with a tow strap and my brother's industrial jumper cables. We tried for 20 minutes to jump the car with no luck. At that point I began pulling the relays, wiping them down, and talking really sweet to the car in hopes that it would come to life. As if it heard my requests, one by one the car's systems clicked to life. First it was the fuel pump, then the engine turned over once, and then it fired. The car roared to life. I drove it home under its own power, parked it in its new home, and spent the next few hours of the evening pouring over it to see what had been done, and what there is to do. The laundry list of "to-dos" is long, and I am more than happy to know that the car will finally be mine long-term, and I can finish what I started with it three years ago.

[ninelevenick]

Wow, what a great story! Like love the first Porsche will always hold a special place in your heart. You are fortunate to be able to relive that.

[SiberianDVM]

Great story and I'm really happy for you.

(In January, I bought back my 1st sports car, a 1970 240Z, that I had sold to a "collector and restorer" in 2000. He had let it sit out in a field for 15 years. I have a lot of work to do.)

[gtc]

Cool story. I remember seeing you sell it (I was thinking about buying it) so I recognized it when it came up for sale in Michigan. Nice to see you get it back again.

[Oh Haha]

Great story! My SC left for Europe a couple of weeks ago. As soon as it rounded the corner on the truck I had seller's remorse. I'll have another 911 but I will never have THAT one again.

Enjoy the crap out of it now!!

[quattrorunner]

Great! saved from the euro buying machine. Keep em here. Good job

[Bergo]

Awesome story, glad you got your car back

Sad to think of what the price difference was between you selling it and rebuying it

[KNS]

Great story! I remember telling you not to sell it, so glad you got it back. I would love to have my first Porsche back (a 1980 911SC), I'm sure I'll never see it again...

[Tippy]

Congrats!

[jwakil]

Glad to get your car back. I'm sure you paid 3X what you sold it for, considering how the prices sky rocketed right after 2012. That garage pic is awesome. Wish I had a 3 car garage.

[impactbumper]

Same thing happened to me, but i ended up in a dofferent car. Congrats and enjoy it in good health. These cars are special!

[tirwin]

I enjoyed reading the story. Did you post about buying it the first time? I think I remember that. I may be biased but black coupes are the best. I would be lying if I said the thought of selling mine hadn't crossed my mind but there is just no way I could. Too much blood, sweat and tears. Good on you for getting the same car back.

[uncle_scott]

Thanks for the responses everyone. Yes, I had posted about this car prior to buying it, and then I had a thread about it while I owned it. My for sale ad is still archived as well with all of my asking price changes while the prices were still reasonable. I don't fret about what I paid to get the car back...that is the cost of the choices I made. At this point, I am just happy to have the car.

[G50911]

great story! i too was able to locate my first car (1967 911). it was my dads and he gave it to me in high school. 20+ years later it's now in my garage.

my restoration starts this winter

[eleblond]

Great story, thanks for sharing. If I ever had any thoughts of separating myself from my 1986 930 (those asking prices have been getting crazy over the last few years!), they are now gone!

[uncle_scott]

The car is now registered, insured, and being driven. I took it out for about 50 miles today. Warmed it up, and then tach'd it up. I Love these cars, and I'm so happy that it's back in my garage. I'm going to run it around, tune it up, and then hopefully pass safety and emissions and get the license plates on it. More to come...

[David Borden]

Contrats... .wonderful story, and clearly meant to be. Best part was your supportive wife. You are a lucky man sir!

[timchar]

Congrats, I'm very happy for you. I sold my black 86 coupe almost 2 years ago. After taking a deposit I had major sellers remorse. Before the buyer paid the remainder I told him I'm having second thoughts, he said he'd sell it back to me for 5K more, I said, that's ok, I made an agreement and stuck to it. Life's a learning lesson. Tim

[Cairo94507]

Great story. Congratulations and many happy miles.

[vintagecarlover]

Move the truck outside immediately!! Wife's car to current and smaller space and scoot your car to the left as it needs a lot more love than the other too and more space. It's like dr phil says, what were u thinking (parking in that smaller space)? LoL