[wildcat]

Being neurotic isn't necessarily a bad thing either, its how its managed. And Contentment IS relative. Some people are never content... its what drives them for better or worse, which can be self destructive. I like my car clean too, but I don't obsess about it. Too many others things to deal with. So I do what I can when I can and am content to leave it at that.  I work on my car too, and I get dirty and I don't particularly like that aspect of it, having been a jet engine mechanic.  I prefer doing computer animation which is "clean", but I have to deal with thousands of files and the organization of them and its messy.  And I can spend hours organizing and not getting anything else accomplished, so I'll compromise with a relative chaos, where I can get the stuff done, realizing that when I archive the files it'll be orderly and they'll be deleted after they're off loaded anyway.  You can spend a lot on animation equipment too... and its not subject to the vagaries of environment, but its always changing... new hardware, new software and more to learn.  It was my education on this endeavor that convinced me to find a car that fits the 968 and for the time being I don't see anything close or comparable up to 60k and I wonder if even that would do it.  The new corvette?  The jag F-type convertible?  Really? Not for me.  And there's another aspect I like about the 968. I'm 59 and if I went out and bought one of these cars, the perception might easily be that of an older man suffering or compensating his age.  The 968 is a car that looks like it has aged with me.  Young in spirit but aged like a good scotch.  Suits me just fine. B)  

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[flash]

everyone always has choices.  you can change jobs, locations, spouses, or any other component of your life.  there is no situation where you cannot make whatever change needed.  it is only the will to do it that stops you.  i have walked away from 3 careers, countless relationships, and even wrote off my parents, all because they did not fit what i wanted in my life.

 

as for measuring success or failure by a car, that was not my point.  my point is that success is measured by your ability to have what you want, or achieve your goals.  we live and work to build that ability.  at a certain point, it is expected, and should be, that you get to a point where you know what you want, and achieve it.  for me, it's having and enjoying some of the finer things.  it is not wrenching on a car.  i pay people to do that.  for me to do it, it costs a LOT more in value of my time, than paying somebody else.  when i do it, it's only because i can't find anybody else to do it.

 

as for the car, i have a certain level of expectation of feature, performance, comfort, and appearance.  the 968 no longer measures up to my expectations, and never will, no matter what i do to it.

 

back to my 968, the bolts came in today.  i'm just about to go down and try again to get the top working

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[Kim]

I'm just trying to figure this out.

 

1. Flash wants a new car - $170K. If he can afford it, go for it. He's not the only person here who could also do this if they wanted. His choice. People buy cars every day.

2. Flash wants to sell his 968 - makes sense to me. He'll get for it what it's worth and not a penny more - or he won't sell it. I understand. Most of us never recover all our costs.  But the fun of driving and ownership have value. So the "loss" is attributed to "enjoyment". As Long John Baldry said "The Thrill is Gone".

3. Flash seems to need to justify the purchase to all of us, and we seem to expect that from him - no he doesn't and we shouldn't. It's his business, not ours. I don't even need to hear about it.  Its just a car for sale. And 991 T4Ss are not THAT rare. I don't care about the reasons. I like new cars too. And I always make up  LOTS of reasons to justify them.

4. Success, failure, turfing out the family, making big bucks - we can't all do it. We don't all do it. We don't all want to do it. It comes at a cost and can deliver big rewards - at least if you define them in accordance with your own logic.  But if it turns your crank and you've got it you may as well spend it.  Cars, houses, whatever. Somebody always has more than you. Or at least I think so.

5. For all of us, "You can't always get what you want, but sometimes, you might find, you get what you need". A need might just be a want that won't go away.

 

So - suggestion from Bugtussle. Can we talk about something else?

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[Rap]

Sure we can Kim. Nice to have you back. Let's talk about Wildcats mid life crisis. Some might say a car is cheaper than a broad. I haven't found that but no complaints cuz the car doesn't talk back. It just gives enjoyment and costs money.

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[flash]

kim - 

 

1 - yup - my choice - very subjective

2 - yup - i no longer get any enjoyment from driving the car

3 - it's a discussion platform here - discussion is expected - i don't need to justify it, but it's fine to discuss it

4 - success is defined by the individual.  for me, it is achieving specific goals.

5 - uh - no - this thread is about me selling my car.  if you want to discuss something else, see a different thread.

 

back on topic - i got the top back in power mode today.  not as quiet as i remember, but it goes up and down under power.  i'll fix the G@! mod tomorrow, and install the hood light switch.  then it's time for detailing and delivery.  one last drive first to anaheim chasing the X5 to drop it off for lowering.

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[wildcat]

As for me having a mid-life crisis, I find that rather amusing, I'm not the one buying a Targa... I bought the 968 a few years ago, I have a different philosophy about cars and most of this banter has been about our respective philosophies... nothing wrong with that.  B)  

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[flash]

nothing at all.  driving is one of my pleasures.  i don't think of driving cars as transportation.  i think of driving them as the activity.  it's not about the destination, it's about the journey.  we bought the i3 for transportation.  we bought the X5 for utility and comfort.  the targa is the toy.  it is intended to replace the 968 with a car that is more advanced and does what the 968 does but better in every way.

 

so, today i detailed out the interior, removed my personal items, reinstalled the spare, compressor, tool kit, owner's manual yada yada.

 

i'm headed down in a few minutes to detail the engine and engine bay.

 

tomorrow she goes up in the air so i can polish out the insides of the wheels, clean the undercarraige, and detail the suspension.

 

then, she's off to the paint detailer and then to the showroom

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[Big Carl]

So I cant figure out why anyone looking to spend $70K on a toy would ever consider a heavily modified 20+ year old car with no collectible value?

Its going to be a pain to upkeep, a pain to insure, a pain to replace, and then a pain to sell. Heck, even stock parts are becoming harder to find, let alone one off customization.

Its a loosing endeavor no matter which way you look at it.

 

Considering these factors, and the other cars in that price range, you could get something much more desirable (think Porsche 930, rare, fun, collectible).

 

I'm not bashing Flash's car in any way. Its an awesome example of what could be done with our beloved 968; but I personally would pay more for a nicely maintained low mile M030.

 

I would say $30-35K is more realistic.

 

Flash, I wish you luck in your sale, and I truly hope you prove me wrong.

My $.02

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[flash]

normally, i would think the same way.  however, a turbo replica went for over $60k, and had none of the features this car has.  there are other cars out there with no features, and are priced at over $30k.

 

this is a very unique car.  not to toot my own horn, but the provenance of this car carries with it a lot of value.  for better or worse, i am probably the most well known person in the 968 world, at least in the last 10 years or so, and having developed as many things as i have, owning the largest 968 aftermarket company in the world, and the largest and most active 968 website in the world, brings with it a certain amount of confidence in the car.

 

as for collectibility, these cars are getting more and more rare, and prices are on the climb.  even haggerty puts a concours clean car at well over $30k

 

$70k is probably high.  the only reason anybody would pay that is to get financing through the dealer.  that is available with both of the showrooms i am looking at right now.  it's the same as using home depot to paint your house.  they are 30% more than anybody else, but when you can put it on their credit card, and defer the interest for 2 years, it starts to make more sense.

 

we'll see what happens.  i'm not all that wound up about the price.  i'm not inclined to give the car away, but i'm also not inclined to hold out for every last dollar either.  i'm emotionally over the car, and ready to move on.  having it at a showroom removes me from the equation, and makes it a lot easier to let it go.

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[ds968]

Its going to be a pain to upkeep, a pain to insure, a pain to replace, and then a pain to sell. Heck, even stock parts are becoming harder to find .02

All but the insurance part - it's a piece of cake to insure and it's dirt cheap for a collector value up to $ 100 K. Mine is insured for an agreed value of $ 50 K , with little or no driving restrictions and my annual premium is less than $ 200, for the physical damage component . The liability is under my regular policy.


And although I do agree with the other PITA factors, they are no different than what you would face with any other comparable car in that $ 70 K price range ( Ferrari 355 , or 550/575 , or a first generation AM Vantage S , or several other sexy vehicles like that ) Perhaps even more so than the perils of buying arguably the most unique 968 on the market .

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[lbpesq]

  the targa is the toy.  it is intended to replace the 968 with a car that is more advanced and does what the 968 does but better in every way.

 


 

 

There is at least one characteristic of the 968 that the Targa will never approach (and one that I personally value):  The 968 can lay claim to being the ultimate red-headed step child Porsche.

 

Bill

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[flash]

lol - yeah - and i kind of liked that.  the older targa had a bit of that too.  911 guys really hated it.  not sure if the new one will lay claim to it or not.

 

dropping it off at the paint detailer tomorrow morning.  from there it goes to the showroom.  i don't think i will see it again after that

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[flash]

there is something inherently wrong with spending $1000 on a car you are selling, but that's what i am about to do.  the detailing and wheel cleanup is going to run a grand.  she'll be pretty though

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[wildcat]

If I was going to do it, which considering "reality" is out of the question... this is the one I'd do.  I've seen that Targa top and it looks more scary than the 968 Cab.


Maybe I should show you what I mean....

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[wildcat]

 

  The 968 can lay claim to being the ultimate red-headed step child Porsche.

 

 

And I really like the other red-headed step child...

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[flash]

i'm having second thoughts about the showroom concept.  while i don't relish the idea of showing the car myself, and i really don't have the space to store it once the remodel begins, the idea of having to put together all of the items that would be needed for the salesmen to do their job is daunting.

 

it's funny, because i'm not stuck on a price tag.  i just want closure.  targa or no targa, i don't want this car anymore.  i'd love for it to land in the hands of somebody who would appreciate it though.

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[MLB]

Flash, if you're planning to take some quality pics of the car (especially with a pretty backdrop) after all the detailing is done, i would love to have acess to copies for my garage poster wall...the ultimate 968 and all that

--michael

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[flash]

that's another component of the process that i was hoping to avoid, but given that i would likely end up having to do a lot of the work anyway, even through a showroom, i may end up doing that part too, and thereby keeping the price down

 

i just want the thing out of my life now

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[wildcat]

The 911 Cab is sweet and if you bought one I'd getting bragging rights.  B) (yeah I know this guy bought one... loves it!) Just kidding not really my style but it amuses me to think so.

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[flash]

can't stand the new cab.  ass is way too big.

 

so, being as anal as i am, i'm not taking it to the detailer tomorrow.  there are a couple of small things i want to do first.

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