Should I sell my 981s?
Discussion
I'm having a real dilemma and so would like to ask the audience.
I have a manual 981s that I bought nearly 2 years ago. It's one of the last of the 981s, and I bought it as the 718 was just coming out.
I use it several times a week on my fairly short commute and at weekends and adore it. I've kept the mileage pretty low and it still does everything I want from a car. I do also have an old Land Rover for a different type of fun and have use of whatever my missus has at the time. And bikes.
But my commute is about to get much longer and I just don't want to put that many miles on it. I could of course, it's just a car and designed for driving, but I've been careful to keep the mileage low, partly for the resale value and running costs (which are eerily low though) and partly out of some kind of warped mechanical sympathy.
Now, it's one of the last of a dying breed these days - 'proper' N/A flat six, 'proper' manual gearbox etc. I'm sure in 20 years it'll be worth more than I paid for it, but it's now starting to depreciate a bit and I'm not sure I can justify sticking it in the garage for most of the time while it ages slowly.
So, 2 main options. Keep it for nice and buy something duller for the commute. Which will also involve much placating of wife who thinks that my current 2 cars and a bike is already too much.
Or sell it and buy something fairly nice (but practical) for the daily grind.
Option 3 would be to just man up and use it every day I suppose.
I really don't want to sell, I adore the thing. It's basically my perfect car. But it'll cost me money to just keep insuring and servicing it while I watch it depreciate.
What to do?
I have a manual 981s that I bought nearly 2 years ago. It's one of the last of the 981s, and I bought it as the 718 was just coming out.
I use it several times a week on my fairly short commute and at weekends and adore it. I've kept the mileage pretty low and it still does everything I want from a car. I do also have an old Land Rover for a different type of fun and have use of whatever my missus has at the time. And bikes.
But my commute is about to get much longer and I just don't want to put that many miles on it. I could of course, it's just a car and designed for driving, but I've been careful to keep the mileage low, partly for the resale value and running costs (which are eerily low though) and partly out of some kind of warped mechanical sympathy.
Now, it's one of the last of a dying breed these days - 'proper' N/A flat six, 'proper' manual gearbox etc. I'm sure in 20 years it'll be worth more than I paid for it, but it's now starting to depreciate a bit and I'm not sure I can justify sticking it in the garage for most of the time while it ages slowly.
So, 2 main options. Keep it for nice and buy something duller for the commute. Which will also involve much placating of wife who thinks that my current 2 cars and a bike is already too much.
Or sell it and buy something fairly nice (but practical) for the daily grind.
Option 3 would be to just man up and use it every day I suppose.
I really don't want to sell, I adore the thing. It's basically my perfect car. But it'll cost me money to just keep insuring and servicing it while I watch it depreciate.
What to do?
Option 3 - keep it and drive it everyday. Series 981 cars are brilliant as one car to do it all.
That said - now that your are thinking selling and imagining that you'll save money or that it will be cheaper - this will probably borrow away in your head until you finally give it and do dispose of it... only to regret it sometime a few weeks or months later and then realise you probably can't afford to get back into one or you can't find one of the spec you like at the price you are willing to pay.
Cars depreciate - pretty sure you didn't expect free motoring when you bought it.. so what's changed? Should be a nice surprise when you really thing you've had your time with it, rather than a expected or intended result.
That said - now that your are thinking selling and imagining that you'll save money or that it will be cheaper - this will probably borrow away in your head until you finally give it and do dispose of it... only to regret it sometime a few weeks or months later and then realise you probably can't afford to get back into one or you can't find one of the spec you like at the price you are willing to pay.
Cars depreciate - pretty sure you didn't expect free motoring when you bought it.. so what's changed? Should be a nice surprise when you really thing you've had your time with it, rather than a expected or intended result.
TDT said:
Option 3 - keep it and drive it everyday. Series 981 cars are brilliant as one car to do it all.
That said - now that your are thinking selling and imagining that you'll save money or that it will be cheaper - this will probably borrow away in your head until you finally give it and do dispose of it... only to regret it sometime a few weeks or months later and then realise you probably can't afford to get back into one or you can't find one of the spec you like at the price you are willing to pay.
Cars depreciate - pretty sure you didn't expect free motoring when you bought it.. so what's changed? Should be a nice surprise when you really thing you've had your time with it, rather than a expected or intended result.
I think my biggest fear is indeed not having the chance to have something like this again. And the chances of ever finding another 981 like mine are very small. It took long enough to find this one!That said - now that your are thinking selling and imagining that you'll save money or that it will be cheaper - this will probably borrow away in your head until you finally give it and do dispose of it... only to regret it sometime a few weeks or months later and then realise you probably can't afford to get back into one or you can't find one of the spec you like at the price you are willing to pay.
Cars depreciate - pretty sure you didn't expect free motoring when you bought it.. so what's changed? Should be a nice surprise when you really thing you've had your time with it, rather than a expected or intended result.
You're right about depreciation of course, it's an inevitability. I suppose my thinking there is that I could probably sell now for a pretty negligible hit, and it's cost me nothing to run for 2 years.
Interesting though that there's been a unanimous vote to keep and just drive the thing. Can't really argue with that.
I chose option 1 when this happened to me.
Don’t think it has saved me any money (probably cost me loads more actually) but it has allowed the 981 to continue to feel special as it was getting frustrating driving it every day.
The only thing I would change is to buy a cheaper commuter car rather than brand new 330d.
Don’t think it has saved me any money (probably cost me loads more actually) but it has allowed the 981 to continue to feel special as it was getting frustrating driving it every day.
The only thing I would change is to buy a cheaper commuter car rather than brand new 330d.
Option 3 all day long. In fact, I'm surprised you're even debating it with yourself. Clearly you love the car. Just ask yourself "what would the 8 year old version of me do?" If the answer isn't to drive the thing as much as possible, I would be very surprised.
As a point of reference, I alternate my daily commuting between an E90 M3 and a 987 Cayman S and do at least 350 miles each week. The M3 is on 65k miles and the 987 is on 102k miles, all under my ownership. Enjoy the car!
As a point of reference, I alternate my daily commuting between an E90 M3 and a 987 Cayman S and do at least 350 miles each week. The M3 is on 65k miles and the 987 is on 102k miles, all under my ownership. Enjoy the car!
n4aat said:
I chose option 1 when this happened to me.
Don’t think it has saved me any money (probably cost me loads more actually) but it has allowed the 981 to continue to feel special as it was getting frustrating driving it every day.
The only thing I would change is to buy a cheaper commuter car rather than brand new 330d.
Something like a 330D is what I might choose for option 2, but if I keep the 981 then it'd definitely have to be something a lot cheaper. Possibly even something as cheap as possible.Don’t think it has saved me any money (probably cost me loads more actually) but it has allowed the 981 to continue to feel special as it was getting frustrating driving it every day.
The only thing I would change is to buy a cheaper commuter car rather than brand new 330d.
Still, I like your thinking
Stunters said:
Option 3 all day long. In fact, I'm surprised you're even debating it with yourself. Clearly you love the car. Just ask yourself "what would the 8 year old version of me do?" If the answer isn't to drive the thing as much as possible, I would be very surprised.
As a point of reference, I alternate my daily commuting between an E90 M3 and a 987 Cayman S and do at least 350 miles each week. The M3 is on 65k miles and the 987 is on 102k miles, all under my ownership. Enjoy the car!
You make a good point. As a point of reference, I alternate my daily commuting between an E90 M3 and a 987 Cayman S and do at least 350 miles each week. The M3 is on 65k miles and the 987 is on 102k miles, all under my ownership. Enjoy the car!
Maxym said:
Get rid of the bloody awful LR. Or the wife.
Wife first. I love that Landy. It's funny actually, Porsche discussion is constantly centred on electric steering, electronic aids, the numbing of a pure driving experience. And yet I present you with a pure, unadulterated, rear-wheel drive car with no electronics at all, not so much as power steering or ABS (not so much as any working dashboard tbh) and it's denigrated! It's a wonderful car to throw around a country lane, and possibly the easiest car to control a slide in ever made!
dan_ps said:
Keep it for nice and buy something duller for the commute.
Mine is worth far less, but when my commute changed and I didn't want to use my 996 every day, I bought a cheap E46 Compact for the commute, which turned out to be a brilliantly cheap and reliable car, and the 996 stayed special. In the past I've always found that driving my "nice" car every day quickly makes it a "normal" car.If you do that, and bide your time a little while the dust settles, you can then...
dan_ps said:
...buy something fairly nice (but practical) for the daily grind.
...as well 
Ady128 said:
The obvious answer is: use the Land Rover. I've a Cayman GTS for pleasure and a 19 year old Fiesta for commuting. Simples
I do use the Landy for commuting now and then, and it's great, as long as I remember the noise-cancelling headphones. Not sure about 60 miles daily though. I do need to actually arrive more often than not.Gassing Station | Porsche General | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff