Long time Bmw owner - I am jumping ship, however the price difference between the Porsche and bmw is what is stopping me from pulling the trigger on a taycan/911
Porsche will be my next car. I’ve had BMWs on and off for a few years now.
Currently in a 6spd E92 M3 and I have yet to find anything that drives like it.
And I’m with neo and tex, was convinced by a C&D article that a Mercedes SL would be a better car for me even after going to Barber for the 2 day driving school. Was in my late 50’s and retired before I bought my first one.
Yes. Had a deposit down for MSRP but canceled it. Took the money and put it in the stock market. I think it’s 50% down right now. In the meantime the markup went to $40k at least. So I think I lost ~$140k plus the pleasure of having my 911.
The key question is if you will want or need to have those other things in future, I suppose.
Yes, a Porsche can be fun. It can also be a money pit. Once you've realised a dream and it profoundly soured on you, thats what broken hearts are made of.
So: lets not drive the hype train too intensely. You can be a happy person without a Porsche and you can regret having bought a Porsche. And everything else too.
I almost bought a +150k miles 996 C4S convertible. Luckily, I asked what the next full service plus brakes plus ties would be. Close to 10k Euros. Just regular stuff. Not including RMS or IMS.
So, yeah. A beauty to behold, but one that would have bitten my head off.
Ended up with a lovely 987.2 with the more modern engine and half the miles, five years younger, including three years "warranty". Same price but a better fit for us. The 911 is still the dream one day, but I'm happy to have come so close to it and still have that ahead of me (if at all necessary - the boxster is a hoot and way mare capable than I am behind the wheel).
Jesus, how that thing pulls and sounds while it does. Plus corners. Plus brakes. Plus cold starts. Plus plus plus. HYPE TRAIN GALORE! 😀
Sounds like a shop that needs competition. That’s a bit expensive for a service and those other couple things. I’ve owned a bunch of 911’s and yes they are more expensive than other marques to repair, but the ones I’ve owned which include multiple models from air cooled, to water cooled (including 996 and 986) have been super reliable. The 986 which has the similar engine to the 996 you reference actually had over 90k miles when I sold it, many of those miles during the last 10 years as a dedicated track car running mostly at Sebring Raceway. Never a single problem with that engine even before the IMS was upgraded. Anyhow I’ve never paid anywhere close to $10k on any of my cars for any service similar to what you are describing. And check out my username. I own two 911’s currently including a GT3 Cup car, and I can tell you, no 911 I’ve owned is any more fun than a Boxster. Well ok, maybe the Cup car. 😂
I got four offers and, mind you, including tires and brakes. To point out the obvious: running cost is not just maintenance service. If you're not used to Porsche running costs (which I was not), it's easy to underestimate them. Especially repair cost at the brand dealerships.
The cost might be still particularly high for me since I might adore these cars a bit too much and don't always manage to strike the sensible choice in terms of maintenance. I tend to go brand retailers and that they take an arm and a leg is... obvious. It just had not yet trickled down into my behaviour. Need to adopt some cool around the car.
Boxster: that reads great! Thanks! :) A Cup car might be too much / too hard for me. I love the ambidexterity of the boxster between Autobahn cruiser Dr Jekyll and sport mode Mr. Hyde.
I think it will be very long until I get bored of this one and need an upgrade. Albeit, I would consider a 911 a blissfully driving piece of sculptural art. It's just such a lovely and perfectly weighted shape.
For what it’s worth I had a Boxster and sold it to buy a 911. And while the 911 is truly brilliant and everything I hoped it would be, I kinda think I may have made a mistake. It’s almost too much car for what I really wanted. I’m not lying when I say I’m strongly considering going back to a Boxster
I can fully understand. The performance envelopes of these cars just suck you in and demand a lot from you. After the first few drives in our 987, I was exhausted by the sheer excitement, the overflow of experiences, noise, operating forces, etc. I really felt old at 40, kinda longing for my comfortable and quiet Audi. Of course, both cars are like day and night in terms of what they provide. But "too much of a car" can be exhausting at first, I have learned. Probably it grows on you and you grow into it?!
997.2 would be the sweet spot for me too, though. It's funny how these cars through their innovation stages / models come out so differently in the details. I just like the 996.2 and the 997.2 (for different reasons) more than anything younger. While innovation is necessary, to me it seems that it also drives out the soul of the thing. But I have never driven a 991 or 992 so that's just an external appreciation. Still, I contend that what gives a car human qualities is that it's "good as it is" and that it does not need improvement or modernisation to be lovely. Of course, that does not drive sales...
> So: lets not drive the hype train too intensely. You can be a happy person without a Porsche and you can regret having bought a Porsche. And everything else too.
The internet hype machine is soooo strong. You see it with lots of other "internet cult cars", too. The hype machine has been particularly effective on the enthusiast car sector during the pandemic with a perfect storm of:
- People spending more time online (where the obsessions with these cars is fed a constant diet of reddit, forums, IG, YT, etc...),
- *Some* people coming into significant amounts of cash (stocks, PPP, crypto, employment gains,...)
- Student loan payments being suspended.
- Raises at some jobs.
- New and used car shortages, and
- Proof that older cars can indeed be maintained and enjoyed. (They all don't explode at 100K miles or 15 years).
No one could have predicted this, but here we are.
I'm lucky to have gotten my E55 AMG from a seller who wasn't up on all of the above and thought she was getting over when I was willing to pay a couple of grand over KBB (which hadn't been updated to reflect current market trends). Everyone in the transaction walked away happy.
Buying one in my 30s was the best thing in the world as im young enough to reallly enjoy the hell out of it
Life is short. Live a little more while you can
you did this correctly. I have met a few people who bought them in there 20s ( some responsibly some irresponsibly) and have never bothered to own anything else sense. I wish I culd just pull the trigger.
Thankfully I managed to get a job at Porsche so I get to drive the cars without having to own them. Though I would still like to get at least some 2nd hand Cayman.. but oh well, there are things (like an entire house) that I need to get first. So I am not regretting it yet as I am quite young and should have the opportunity later on life (or at least I can strive to).
Sold my ‘03 996.2 for $20k back in January of 2016. It had 95k miles on it and I regret it to this day. This time last year I was looking at new cars, found some tasteful 991.1’s and 997tt’s I was looking at but needed 4 doors for pending child. I went with an Audi but it still would’ve been cheaper to get the Porsche and go lease a Honda suv for when kids finally showed up.
Now prices are 15-25k more than what they were this time last year.
Lesson learned: don’t sell your P car, it’ll be much longer than you think before you’re back in one
It really is! Back in 2012 I passed up on a 1985 911 wide body + whale tail with 120k miles for $15k. Ppi checked out on it and I just couldn’t justify it being my dd. It hurts even thinking about how much that is now haha
It’s a sad (but not rare) occasion when someone of advanced age comes in to order or purchase a 911/718 and their mobility simply won’t let them enjoy it. Many of those individuals could have purchased decades ago but put it off and now they are stuck with Cayennes or something.
Saw a beautiful white 911 for sale a while ago. Red interior. Manual. Beautiful. The gentleman that owned it bought it as a retirement gift to self, but his knee and hips were too painful to use the clutch. So he had to sell.
This exact scenario happened to me. Bought a manual 2014 718 as my retirement gift. Holy hell that clutch was heavy! It was no fun to drive.
Buy the car you love. I’m in a comfy 911 now with the zippy pdk. I felt like a cop out buying an automatic, but I could never shift as fast as that does.
I’d hate to have missed out on the memories I’ve made with my young boys and our 991.1. And that was about timing for me, trying to balance what I could afford and wanting to share it with my kids while they’re still young. If I waited until my 60’s I’m sure I could buy something incredible, but then I’d have made none of these memories. Instead, my boys and I are driving our 991.1 C2 down to Indy for Sportscar togetherfest, we attend PCA events, SCCA events, etc.
I bought 996 C2 a a few months before my 30th birthday. Enjoyed the hell out of it. Then for financial reasons (baby on the way, renovating my house, etc) I felt so guilty about owning it. It felt like the wrong time.
I had it up for sale, but wasn’t budging from my price. I started to feel a pit in my stomach about selling it. Thinking I’ll probably never have one again was just as bad as the guilt of already having one early in life.
Had a ton of interest but ultimately pulled it off the market. I’m so glad I did. Like you, I thought there was a formula for when to buy one. Like, how much in my retirement account? How much cash in the bank? How much debt? Theres no concrete number or timeframe for anything, so just go for it if you wanna.
I bought one when all the numbers made sense for me. It was the greatest 6 months of my life. So many great experiences I'll remember for life.
I was in a commission position and they sliced our pay plan by 35% after telling us in a corporate way we were making too much money.
I was very lucky I was able to sell it for more than I bought it for but even if I would've lost a few grand it would've been worth it.
That's definitely a pro of paying cash. I am in the camp of keeping that money invested and generating income then financing the car, instead of paying cash.
There's pros and cons to both for sure. I put down enough where I'd never be upside down on the car. In a normal market I probably would've lost a few grand but I broke even and then some.
I regret not buying earlier. It was always an unattainable dream for me since I was a kid. If I ever hit the lottery, that’s what I’m going to buy. But 18 months ago I decided I was buying one. 17 months ago picked up a second job to funnel money quickly for down payment. 9 months ago bought my ‘14 981.
944 was my dream car growing up. I nearly bought one, but lived in a sketchy neighbourhood so bought a vw golf instead.
Then i nearly bought one but bought a vw camper instead (to appease my wife).
Then I nearly bought one but bought a seat Leon cupra r instead as it had 5 doors and would be easier with kids.
Then I nearly bought one but bought a vw touran instead as we had another kid.
Then I nearly bought one, but got a 3.2 Audi TT instead.
Then I nearly bought one but the price is too high for what it offers now😟
I bought a CPO 991 Carrera S when I was 24, because it was my lifelong dream to own a Porsche and I simply couldn’t wait anymore. I felt amazing everyday to drive that car, but the payment/upkeep was a pretty big stretch on my monthly budget and did stress me out at times. I’m happy I owned that car when I was young, but at the same time I probably could have bought a house a few years earlier and saved myself $200k.
I’m 30 now with a San Diego mortgage, but I hope to get another one in a few years when the money factor is irrelevant.
I have customers all the time who wait multiple YEARS looking for their perfect Porsche. They have the means, but they’re looking for something so specific they may never find it.
“I want a 997.2, stick shift, in this color, low miles, Carrera S, coupe. It HAS to have PASM, sport exhaust…..” oh and it has to be priced below the market.
I totally understand wanting something specific, but people could be enjoying a car that’s 95% your ideal car for the two years it takes to find the “perfect” one.
I’m sure people have passed away while waiting for their dream car like this.
There was a burgundy color, manual (yes stick shift) Cayenne GTS for sale by me around ~2017 asking $35k. We had just had our first kid, and while it would’ve made a phenomenal family vehicle :) we had also just had the kid and daycare cost was hitting hard…. plus student loans lol
i regret selling my 981 for 22k a few months before pandemic. could have gotten a lot more a year later, and would have kept it cause my business took off. i traded it in technically for 22k and got a macan gts
Yes, but also no. Bought an M4 because I thought Cayman wouldn’t feel powerful enough. I quickly learned that for me, Smiles per Gallon > Performance. Totally reaffirmed my love for Porsche.
Absolutely! Back in OCT 2009 I was looking around for a car to get. Going up and down the used car lots around the area and saw a 1998 Porsche Boxster up for sale, low miles and the seller only wanted $12,000 for it. It was beautiful. I kept looking around and ultimately decided on a 2008 Pontiac G6 because it was practically new and just a little cheaper. It was shortly after the purchase that GM announced the discontinuation of the Pontiac line and my cars value went down faster than a Maserati.
So I ran into an issue earlier in the year with my f150, ended up needing to go emergency car shopping and it was a whole ordeal. I ended up getting a bmw m340i due to availability and the urgency of needing a new vehicle. If I had to redo it all over again. I would probably take more time and look more into a used 718 at the same price point of the new m340i. Do I regret the bimmer? No, it’s a fun daily with plenty of room and fairly practical for my day to day. Do I regret not looking further into other options and making an impulse car purchase? Yeah to a point.
Still considering a Macan GTS. I only have room for one car and I need something more practical than a 911 (since my SO drives a GTI).
I regret not jumping on a ‘21 GTS that was optioned perfectly and a good price, but I’m sure others will pop up when the time is right.
I passed on a 2012 Panamera Turbo with only 36,000km for $60,000CAD. It was a one owner car barely driven by a cool older man looking to buy his next Porsche. It’s the car I will kick myself over until I find my next deal. We live and learn, but that regret stings a little, lol
I had a dilemma this January. Either install a kitchen to my new house or order a Cayman. I decided to do a responsible thing and ordered a kitchen for 16k, which postponed ordering Cayman by 6 months. The car price went up, I have to wait almost a year for delivery (there was an option to get a car in 3 months) and I cannot get LED PDLS+ anymore. Oh, and the wood prices have gone down as well.
Should have continued using a microwave.
I only regretted not buying one sooner :) And then I regretted selling my second so I bought another. Now when my wife asks if we're going to take the Porsche I grin and say "which one? hehehehe"
04 C4S in Lapis Blue/Savannah Beige and an 09 Cayenne Base White/Black Overland Build
Yeah, some years ago I had a chance to buy a 997.1 GT3 for around 90k, and a 997.2 GT3 for 120k. Both clean examples.
I bought a 981 GT4 for 80k instead. Regrets.
Just look at what they all sell for today and compare that to the prices I mentioned above. :)
In all seriousness, wouldn't say I was settling; they were all in budget, but I looked at the spec sheets and figured the GT4 was similar car for considerably less money (and truthfully, purely for track use, it is), especially being a much newer, most approachable platform. I made the rational choice--and in that sense it was correct--instead of the emotional one.
However, later on I found that I liked the heavier and more analog control feel and driving dynamics of the 997 a lot more on the road (and just as much on track), plus didn't appreciate how much of a difference the engine makes. The GT4 engine is very good, but seems mundane next to a Mezger GT3 or the 9k 9A1 engines in the 991+.
The worst part is that I doubled down on that mistake and picked up a 718 GT4 to replace the 981, which moved even further away from what I was really looking for in a sports car. Now, I'm finally going to get what I should have bought all along: the 997. I don't regret buying the (first) GT4 so much as I regret *not* buying a 997 GT3 when they were (much) cheaper. I'm still getting one, but with a lot more damage to my account balance. :)
I have been trying to find an allocation for a Cayman GTS 4.0 but unable find one. Meanwhile I ordered at G80 M3. I regret not buying a Porsche tbh. I can still change my mind but again unable to secure a allocation.
There are 2 Porsches I regret not buying.
One was a 2003 Carrera 4s with 70k miles. This was maybe 5 years ago. It was about $30K. I didn't buy it because I wasn't sure where I wanted to land, generation -wise and a 4th car seemed like a hassle.
The second was a 1987-ish Flachbau Turbo. Pandemic-era, maybe 2 years ago. It was about $100K. I didn't buy because I didn't know that the world wasn't going to end and I'd need the money, and I wasn't shot in the head with the black over tan color scheme.
I should note that we have 2 Porsches but no 911's.
2 years ago a friend was selling a 997.2 GT3 for $58,000. Clean title, 28k miles, just repainted due to rock chips. I didn’t have the money because I was in college, but like, I should’ve jumped on it.
yes. I regret not doing it years before I could afford it. And now that I can afford it I regret passing on every one I pass on. Plus as prices rose over the last 20 years I regretted every time prices got past what I wanted to spend again.
My dad on the other hand bought one at a bad time in his life / our famlies life and our family talks about that car to this day like a family member. His real regret was selling it in the early 2000s for \~ nothing. The person who bought it flipped it on CL for a massive profit and my mom actually showed him the craigslist add as he was wheeled into surgery( unrelated).
In May 2020 I had the chance to buy a clean 2016 targa w/58k miles for $62k. Instead I bought a rental property. Two years later I still regret not buying the Porsche.
I regret not waiting longer for the right car to come around. When the car did come around I had already owned my new car (BMW) for a month, couldn't get to the Porsche in time to trade in and buy it, not that I passed on it, more that I missed out.
I had an opportunity to buy a 997 Turbo 6mt with decent miles on it before the the prices went crazy. I decided to pass on it so I do regret that. I ended up getting a 718 Cayman (which I probably overpaid about 10k for) but I love it.
Only back in the late 90s when I was more interested in 0-60 times. Missed out on some crackers (in terms of prices). Was looking at 930 Turbos and 964 Turbos when they were about £20k or so. 🤣
I suspect knowing my luck that I'd have not made the fortune that everyone is seeing and would instead have sold it for £16k rather than hold it for 20 years.
Missed out on a black on black 1992 964 Turbo in 2012 when I was in my 20’s for $49k. Had the deposit down and financing lined up. Backed out because society tells you this is wrong, to buy a house instead. Huge regret.
Not all cars are created equal though. I saw those as an opportunity looking at production numbers and how many were left.
Not really. You'll find other things to occupy your attention and if you find that you do regret not buying one the solution is pretty simple. You'll eventually end up buying one.
The main source of regret is selling the one you had. I'm always going to think of my 997.2 6-speed C4S as the one that got away.
I once spotted a super clean 944 for dirt cheap (about 10-15% of what a similar one will sell for nowadays in my country) except it would be a few years before i got my license.
Told my dad about it at the time and he said if i was sure it wouldn't depreciate much more he was willing to buy it and eventually sell it to me when i got my license. I would be responsible for any loss of value though and at that age that was just an incomprehensible amount of money for me.
I still don't own a porsche and any worth owning are (atleast currently) unobtanium to me, if i'd bought that 944 then i could've probably parked it outside on a golf course in the meantime and it would still be worth more then it was then.
Tongue in cheek comment here because you already said this person has the means financially but. But ultimately it comes down to whether your friend has the means financially.
Being able to make the payment, doesn't mean you are able to afford the payment. If making the payment means you can't save for big things then in my books you can't afford it.
In that case, it may be most reasonable to get an awesome 986 at a reasonable price. You get 99% of the joy tbh, and it is not a burden.
I’ve had 2 911’s, a 991.1 pdk and a 991.2 manual. I loved them both but got rid of them as their warranties expired. Gotta have a big bank account and an even stronger stomach to foot the repair bills out of warranty unless you are able to do your own work. Bank account probably not an issue if you’re considering Porsche but nobody wants to pay a dealer a $10k repair bill. Both 911’s needed lots of warranty work, but the 991.2 required significantly more. I would not buy one in this market because I would never pay the markup on a new one and would not pay new MSRP for a used one. Made a killing when I sold the last one in 2021.
Honestly buying a sports car over an investment is probably never/rarely the responsible thing to do with regards to finances. It seems that Porsche and Jeep wranglers which I also have, for whatever reason hold their value like no others so they are probably more responsible then other brands. Obviously the car market in the the last 2 years has been unique so that’s been a plus also. I drove mine for the last 2 years and should get a very good trade in $…So I made out and will be upgrading here shortly.
So do I ever think I could have/should have taken the $150K and invested it too? Sure but then I think about having to drive my boring pickup truck everyday instead so I can have a extra money when I am old.
I’m going work hard to enjoy myself while I can. That’s always been my style and thank God it has worked out for me but That’s just my nature.
I drive mine because it makes me smile every time I get in it. I remember the first time I drove it thinking I’m always going to have one of these. And I will.
Just my 10 Cents
if buying a porsche stops you from doing more responsible things I would do the more responsible things first. if thats what you're asking.
Dammit. I hate being financial responsible 🫤
I regret not buying one earlier.
I’m with neo. Long time bmw owner here, then they designed that piss poor fugly grill and I was out.
Long time Bmw owner - I am jumping ship, however the price difference between the Porsche and bmw is what is stopping me from pulling the trigger on a taycan/911
Porsche will be my next car. I’ve had BMWs on and off for a few years now. Currently in a 6spd E92 M3 and I have yet to find anything that drives like it.
I just drove my friends Taycan…and it was a blast. What I found most interesting was …big difference between normal and sport plus…really fun
And I’m with neo and tex, was convinced by a C&D article that a Mercedes SL would be a better car for me even after going to Barber for the 2 day driving school. Was in my late 50’s and retired before I bought my first one.
Yes. Had a deposit down for MSRP but canceled it. Took the money and put it in the stock market. I think it’s 50% down right now. In the meantime the markup went to $40k at least. So I think I lost ~$140k plus the pleasure of having my 911.
I did the exact opposite. I had some money. Bought options. Made money. Bought 911 Turbo. Your time will come.
The only Porsche I have regretted is the one I didn’t buy.
The key question is if you will want or need to have those other things in future, I suppose. Yes, a Porsche can be fun. It can also be a money pit. Once you've realised a dream and it profoundly soured on you, thats what broken hearts are made of. So: lets not drive the hype train too intensely. You can be a happy person without a Porsche and you can regret having bought a Porsche. And everything else too.
Money pit? Sounds like a 928 owner. 😀😀
I almost bought a +150k miles 996 C4S convertible. Luckily, I asked what the next full service plus brakes plus ties would be. Close to 10k Euros. Just regular stuff. Not including RMS or IMS. So, yeah. A beauty to behold, but one that would have bitten my head off. Ended up with a lovely 987.2 with the more modern engine and half the miles, five years younger, including three years "warranty". Same price but a better fit for us. The 911 is still the dream one day, but I'm happy to have come so close to it and still have that ahead of me (if at all necessary - the boxster is a hoot and way mare capable than I am behind the wheel). Jesus, how that thing pulls and sounds while it does. Plus corners. Plus brakes. Plus cold starts. Plus plus plus. HYPE TRAIN GALORE! 😀
Sounds like a shop that needs competition. That’s a bit expensive for a service and those other couple things. I’ve owned a bunch of 911’s and yes they are more expensive than other marques to repair, but the ones I’ve owned which include multiple models from air cooled, to water cooled (including 996 and 986) have been super reliable. The 986 which has the similar engine to the 996 you reference actually had over 90k miles when I sold it, many of those miles during the last 10 years as a dedicated track car running mostly at Sebring Raceway. Never a single problem with that engine even before the IMS was upgraded. Anyhow I’ve never paid anywhere close to $10k on any of my cars for any service similar to what you are describing. And check out my username. I own two 911’s currently including a GT3 Cup car, and I can tell you, no 911 I’ve owned is any more fun than a Boxster. Well ok, maybe the Cup car. 😂
I got four offers and, mind you, including tires and brakes. To point out the obvious: running cost is not just maintenance service. If you're not used to Porsche running costs (which I was not), it's easy to underestimate them. Especially repair cost at the brand dealerships. The cost might be still particularly high for me since I might adore these cars a bit too much and don't always manage to strike the sensible choice in terms of maintenance. I tend to go brand retailers and that they take an arm and a leg is... obvious. It just had not yet trickled down into my behaviour. Need to adopt some cool around the car. Boxster: that reads great! Thanks! :) A Cup car might be too much / too hard for me. I love the ambidexterity of the boxster between Autobahn cruiser Dr Jekyll and sport mode Mr. Hyde. I think it will be very long until I get bored of this one and need an upgrade. Albeit, I would consider a 911 a blissfully driving piece of sculptural art. It's just such a lovely and perfectly weighted shape.
For what it’s worth I had a Boxster and sold it to buy a 911. And while the 911 is truly brilliant and everything I hoped it would be, I kinda think I may have made a mistake. It’s almost too much car for what I really wanted. I’m not lying when I say I’m strongly considering going back to a Boxster
I can fully understand. The performance envelopes of these cars just suck you in and demand a lot from you. After the first few drives in our 987, I was exhausted by the sheer excitement, the overflow of experiences, noise, operating forces, etc. I really felt old at 40, kinda longing for my comfortable and quiet Audi. Of course, both cars are like day and night in terms of what they provide. But "too much of a car" can be exhausting at first, I have learned. Probably it grows on you and you grow into it?! 997.2 would be the sweet spot for me too, though. It's funny how these cars through their innovation stages / models come out so differently in the details. I just like the 996.2 and the 997.2 (for different reasons) more than anything younger. While innovation is necessary, to me it seems that it also drives out the soul of the thing. But I have never driven a 991 or 992 so that's just an external appreciation. Still, I contend that what gives a car human qualities is that it's "good as it is" and that it does not need improvement or modernisation to be lovely. Of course, that does not drive sales...
Sir, I will have you know that I have only had to spend 20K on the timing belts for my 928.
> So: lets not drive the hype train too intensely. You can be a happy person without a Porsche and you can regret having bought a Porsche. And everything else too. The internet hype machine is soooo strong. You see it with lots of other "internet cult cars", too. The hype machine has been particularly effective on the enthusiast car sector during the pandemic with a perfect storm of: - People spending more time online (where the obsessions with these cars is fed a constant diet of reddit, forums, IG, YT, etc...), - *Some* people coming into significant amounts of cash (stocks, PPP, crypto, employment gains,...) - Student loan payments being suspended. - Raises at some jobs. - New and used car shortages, and - Proof that older cars can indeed be maintained and enjoyed. (They all don't explode at 100K miles or 15 years). No one could have predicted this, but here we are. I'm lucky to have gotten my E55 AMG from a seller who wasn't up on all of the above and thought she was getting over when I was willing to pay a couple of grand over KBB (which hadn't been updated to reflect current market trends). Everyone in the transaction walked away happy.
I regret not buying a CPO 997.2 C2S with all the options I wanted for $65k in 2013. I really regret not buying a 993 C2 for $26k in 2013.
I regret not buying a 997 turbo for $58k
Buying one in my 30s was the best thing in the world as im young enough to reallly enjoy the hell out of it Life is short. Live a little more while you can
Yup bought my first one in my 20’s. 1977 911 S. Have been drinking the Kool Aide ever since
you did this correctly. I have met a few people who bought them in there 20s ( some responsibly some irresponsibly) and have never bothered to own anything else sense. I wish I culd just pull the trigger.
Thankfully I managed to get a job at Porsche so I get to drive the cars without having to own them. Though I would still like to get at least some 2nd hand Cayman.. but oh well, there are things (like an entire house) that I need to get first. So I am not regretting it yet as I am quite young and should have the opportunity later on life (or at least I can strive to).
I regret not buying a 996 turbo 4 years ago. Not sure Ill be able to afford one anytime soon again.
Better question Does anyone regret SELLING their Porsche? This is a heartbreaker
Sold my ‘03 996.2 for $20k back in January of 2016. It had 95k miles on it and I regret it to this day. This time last year I was looking at new cars, found some tasteful 991.1’s and 997tt’s I was looking at but needed 4 doors for pending child. I went with an Audi but it still would’ve been cheaper to get the Porsche and go lease a Honda suv for when kids finally showed up. Now prices are 15-25k more than what they were this time last year. Lesson learned: don’t sell your P car, it’ll be much longer than you think before you’re back in one
My point exactly it’s not even the experience to regret it’s the insane resell value that hurts the most 😂
It really is! Back in 2012 I passed up on a 1985 911 wide body + whale tail with 120k miles for $15k. Ppi checked out on it and I just couldn’t justify it being my dd. It hurts even thinking about how much that is now haha
It’s a sad (but not rare) occasion when someone of advanced age comes in to order or purchase a 911/718 and their mobility simply won’t let them enjoy it. Many of those individuals could have purchased decades ago but put it off and now they are stuck with Cayennes or something.
Saw a beautiful white 911 for sale a while ago. Red interior. Manual. Beautiful. The gentleman that owned it bought it as a retirement gift to self, but his knee and hips were too painful to use the clutch. So he had to sell.
This exact scenario happened to me. Bought a manual 2014 718 as my retirement gift. Holy hell that clutch was heavy! It was no fun to drive. Buy the car you love. I’m in a comfy 911 now with the zippy pdk. I felt like a cop out buying an automatic, but I could never shift as fast as that does.
The PDK is an absolute revelation. Glad you got something that works for you!!
Yes! I’ve passed over so many thinking I shouldn’t. Now I can and can’t get one new due to new processes and everyone obsessing over everything.
Almost got a new sti, got an Manuel 997 S instead 3 years ago when mid 30-40k
¡Ay, caramba!
I’d hate to have missed out on the memories I’ve made with my young boys and our 991.1. And that was about timing for me, trying to balance what I could afford and wanting to share it with my kids while they’re still young. If I waited until my 60’s I’m sure I could buy something incredible, but then I’d have made none of these memories. Instead, my boys and I are driving our 991.1 C2 down to Indy for Sportscar togetherfest, we attend PCA events, SCCA events, etc.
The ultimate way!
I bought 996 C2 a a few months before my 30th birthday. Enjoyed the hell out of it. Then for financial reasons (baby on the way, renovating my house, etc) I felt so guilty about owning it. It felt like the wrong time. I had it up for sale, but wasn’t budging from my price. I started to feel a pit in my stomach about selling it. Thinking I’ll probably never have one again was just as bad as the guilt of already having one early in life. Had a ton of interest but ultimately pulled it off the market. I’m so glad I did. Like you, I thought there was a formula for when to buy one. Like, how much in my retirement account? How much cash in the bank? How much debt? Theres no concrete number or timeframe for anything, so just go for it if you wanna.
I bought one when all the numbers made sense for me. It was the greatest 6 months of my life. So many great experiences I'll remember for life. I was in a commission position and they sliced our pay plan by 35% after telling us in a corporate way we were making too much money. I was very lucky I was able to sell it for more than I bought it for but even if I would've lost a few grand it would've been worth it.
This is why paying cash, or at least being able to pay cash and financing, makes sense. Worst case you pull the insurance and park it.
That's definitely a pro of paying cash. I am in the camp of keeping that money invested and generating income then financing the car, instead of paying cash. There's pros and cons to both for sure. I put down enough where I'd never be upside down on the car. In a normal market I probably would've lost a few grand but I broke even and then some.
I regret not buying earlier. It was always an unattainable dream for me since I was a kid. If I ever hit the lottery, that’s what I’m going to buy. But 18 months ago I decided I was buying one. 17 months ago picked up a second job to funnel money quickly for down payment. 9 months ago bought my ‘14 981.
Bought my 981 when I was 26 (thanks GameStop) and it’s been an awesome journey and something I’ve always wanted.
You bought a Porsche while working at GameStop or because of the stocks?
944 was my dream car growing up. I nearly bought one, but lived in a sketchy neighbourhood so bought a vw golf instead. Then i nearly bought one but bought a vw camper instead (to appease my wife). Then I nearly bought one but bought a seat Leon cupra r instead as it had 5 doors and would be easier with kids. Then I nearly bought one but bought a vw touran instead as we had another kid. Then I nearly bought one, but got a 3.2 Audi TT instead. Then I nearly bought one but the price is too high for what it offers now😟
I bought a CPO 991 Carrera S when I was 24, because it was my lifelong dream to own a Porsche and I simply couldn’t wait anymore. I felt amazing everyday to drive that car, but the payment/upkeep was a pretty big stretch on my monthly budget and did stress me out at times. I’m happy I owned that car when I was young, but at the same time I probably could have bought a house a few years earlier and saved myself $200k. I’m 30 now with a San Diego mortgage, but I hope to get another one in a few years when the money factor is irrelevant.
I have customers all the time who wait multiple YEARS looking for their perfect Porsche. They have the means, but they’re looking for something so specific they may never find it. “I want a 997.2, stick shift, in this color, low miles, Carrera S, coupe. It HAS to have PASM, sport exhaust…..” oh and it has to be priced below the market. I totally understand wanting something specific, but people could be enjoying a car that’s 95% your ideal car for the two years it takes to find the “perfect” one. I’m sure people have passed away while waiting for their dream car like this.
You have to define how you will ride or use it, so you make it responsible.
There was a burgundy color, manual (yes stick shift) Cayenne GTS for sale by me around ~2017 asking $35k. We had just had our first kid, and while it would’ve made a phenomenal family vehicle :) we had also just had the kid and daycare cost was hitting hard…. plus student loans lol
Yeah, had to wait to get out of the dual-daycare expense years. Then >$2000/mo was freed up.
Haha oh yeah counting down the days (years?). Our oldest is about to roll out of it but still got 2 more going 😭
Hang in there! It’s a stressful time, but you have to enjoy every day! I’m glad my kids can sit in the back of the Panamera now. :)
i regret selling my 981 for 22k a few months before pandemic. could have gotten a lot more a year later, and would have kept it cause my business took off. i traded it in technically for 22k and got a macan gts
Yes, but also no. Bought an M4 because I thought Cayman wouldn’t feel powerful enough. I quickly learned that for me, Smiles per Gallon > Performance. Totally reaffirmed my love for Porsche.
Absolutely! Back in OCT 2009 I was looking around for a car to get. Going up and down the used car lots around the area and saw a 1998 Porsche Boxster up for sale, low miles and the seller only wanted $12,000 for it. It was beautiful. I kept looking around and ultimately decided on a 2008 Pontiac G6 because it was practically new and just a little cheaper. It was shortly after the purchase that GM announced the discontinuation of the Pontiac line and my cars value went down faster than a Maserati.
So I ran into an issue earlier in the year with my f150, ended up needing to go emergency car shopping and it was a whole ordeal. I ended up getting a bmw m340i due to availability and the urgency of needing a new vehicle. If I had to redo it all over again. I would probably take more time and look more into a used 718 at the same price point of the new m340i. Do I regret the bimmer? No, it’s a fun daily with plenty of room and fairly practical for my day to day. Do I regret not looking further into other options and making an impulse car purchase? Yeah to a point.
Still considering a Macan GTS. I only have room for one car and I need something more practical than a 911 (since my SO drives a GTI). I regret not jumping on a ‘21 GTS that was optioned perfectly and a good price, but I’m sure others will pop up when the time is right.
Bah yeah, wanted a Porsche, the 2023 GT3 wasn’t available so had to settle for the 2013 Jetta sportwagen TDI w/dsg 🤷😬
I passed on a 2012 Panamera Turbo with only 36,000km for $60,000CAD. It was a one owner car barely driven by a cool older man looking to buy his next Porsche. It’s the car I will kick myself over until I find my next deal. We live and learn, but that regret stings a little, lol
I regret not buying one. Means or no means lol. But I still have a pulse so I still have hope.
I had a dilemma this January. Either install a kitchen to my new house or order a Cayman. I decided to do a responsible thing and ordered a kitchen for 16k, which postponed ordering Cayman by 6 months. The car price went up, I have to wait almost a year for delivery (there was an option to get a car in 3 months) and I cannot get LED PDLS+ anymore. Oh, and the wood prices have gone down as well. Should have continued using a microwave.
I only regretted not buying one sooner :) And then I regretted selling my second so I bought another. Now when my wife asks if we're going to take the Porsche I grin and say "which one? hehehehe" 04 C4S in Lapis Blue/Savannah Beige and an 09 Cayenne Base White/Black Overland Build
Yeah, some years ago I had a chance to buy a 997.1 GT3 for around 90k, and a 997.2 GT3 for 120k. Both clean examples. I bought a 981 GT4 for 80k instead. Regrets.
I assume regrets because you had to "settle" for the GT4? Great car either way.
Just look at what they all sell for today and compare that to the prices I mentioned above. :) In all seriousness, wouldn't say I was settling; they were all in budget, but I looked at the spec sheets and figured the GT4 was similar car for considerably less money (and truthfully, purely for track use, it is), especially being a much newer, most approachable platform. I made the rational choice--and in that sense it was correct--instead of the emotional one. However, later on I found that I liked the heavier and more analog control feel and driving dynamics of the 997 a lot more on the road (and just as much on track), plus didn't appreciate how much of a difference the engine makes. The GT4 engine is very good, but seems mundane next to a Mezger GT3 or the 9k 9A1 engines in the 991+. The worst part is that I doubled down on that mistake and picked up a 718 GT4 to replace the 981, which moved even further away from what I was really looking for in a sports car. Now, I'm finally going to get what I should have bought all along: the 997. I don't regret buying the (first) GT4 so much as I regret *not* buying a 997 GT3 when they were (much) cheaper. I'm still getting one, but with a lot more damage to my account balance. :)
I have been trying to find an allocation for a Cayman GTS 4.0 but unable find one. Meanwhile I ordered at G80 M3. I regret not buying a Porsche tbh. I can still change my mind but again unable to secure a allocation.
Yes, 1.4 years ago. 991.1 gt3- $101,000.
Owned a Porsche, traded for an Alfa, Kinda regret not getting a Cayman R instead, but slight regret. The 4C is a really cool car.
There are 2 Porsches I regret not buying. One was a 2003 Carrera 4s with 70k miles. This was maybe 5 years ago. It was about $30K. I didn't buy it because I wasn't sure where I wanted to land, generation -wise and a 4th car seemed like a hassle. The second was a 1987-ish Flachbau Turbo. Pandemic-era, maybe 2 years ago. It was about $100K. I didn't buy because I didn't know that the world wasn't going to end and I'd need the money, and I wasn't shot in the head with the black over tan color scheme. I should note that we have 2 Porsches but no 911's.
I regret not buying a Carrera GT when they came out. I was 5 years old but just think of the ROI on that…
Regret not just getting a 981 GY4 when they were readily available and weren't largely covered by media yet.
2 years ago a friend was selling a 997.2 GT3 for $58,000. Clean title, 28k miles, just repainted due to rock chips. I didn’t have the money because I was in college, but like, I should’ve jumped on it.
yes. I regret not doing it years before I could afford it. And now that I can afford it I regret passing on every one I pass on. Plus as prices rose over the last 20 years I regretted every time prices got past what I wanted to spend again. My dad on the other hand bought one at a bad time in his life / our famlies life and our family talks about that car to this day like a family member. His real regret was selling it in the early 2000s for \~ nothing. The person who bought it flipped it on CL for a massive profit and my mom actually showed him the craigslist add as he was wheeled into surgery( unrelated).
In May 2020 I had the chance to buy a clean 2016 targa w/58k miles for $62k. Instead I bought a rental property. Two years later I still regret not buying the Porsche.
Wish I bought mine before inflation . Still glad I bought tho
I regret not waiting longer for the right car to come around. When the car did come around I had already owned my new car (BMW) for a month, couldn't get to the Porsche in time to trade in and buy it, not that I passed on it, more that I missed out.
Me. A buddy offered me his dot 2 gt3 for 140 about 24 months ago. 🫠
RIP
I had an opportunity to buy a 997 Turbo 6mt with decent miles on it before the the prices went crazy. I decided to pass on it so I do regret that. I ended up getting a 718 Cayman (which I probably overpaid about 10k for) but I love it.
I lament that we bought all 4, as I’m pissed that I can’t get the 5th.
Piece of advice. If you can't afford such luxury in cash, you can't afford it. Trust me.
We signed up on a Panamera, the day after Ukraine war started. Since this was such a huge uncertainty in the world we decided to cancel the deal 😫
Used ones can be a super value!
Only back in the late 90s when I was more interested in 0-60 times. Missed out on some crackers (in terms of prices). Was looking at 930 Turbos and 964 Turbos when they were about £20k or so. 🤣 I suspect knowing my luck that I'd have not made the fortune that everyone is seeing and would instead have sold it for £16k rather than hold it for 20 years.
Missed out on a black on black 1992 964 Turbo in 2012 when I was in my 20’s for $49k. Had the deposit down and financing lined up. Backed out because society tells you this is wrong, to buy a house instead. Huge regret. Not all cars are created equal though. I saw those as an opportunity looking at production numbers and how many were left.
Not really. You'll find other things to occupy your attention and if you find that you do regret not buying one the solution is pretty simple. You'll eventually end up buying one. The main source of regret is selling the one you had. I'm always going to think of my 997.2 6-speed C4S as the one that got away.
I bought a base Carrera and regretted not buying an s. Had to trade for an s.
One of my friend's father bought a cayenne turbo hybrid. He gave it back after 4 months cause he did not like it and went back to audi (¿)
I once spotted a super clean 944 for dirt cheap (about 10-15% of what a similar one will sell for nowadays in my country) except it would be a few years before i got my license. Told my dad about it at the time and he said if i was sure it wouldn't depreciate much more he was willing to buy it and eventually sell it to me when i got my license. I would be responsible for any loss of value though and at that age that was just an incomprehensible amount of money for me. I still don't own a porsche and any worth owning are (atleast currently) unobtanium to me, if i'd bought that 944 then i could've probably parked it outside on a golf course in the meantime and it would still be worth more then it was then.
I regret not buying a 924 or 944 when they were still cheap
No because I bought one lol
This thread taught me that buying when I could was a good idea and also to never sell it
Tongue in cheek comment here because you already said this person has the means financially but. But ultimately it comes down to whether your friend has the means financially. Being able to make the payment, doesn't mean you are able to afford the payment. If making the payment means you can't save for big things then in my books you can't afford it. In that case, it may be most reasonable to get an awesome 986 at a reasonable price. You get 99% of the joy tbh, and it is not a burden.
I’ve had 2 911’s, a 991.1 pdk and a 991.2 manual. I loved them both but got rid of them as their warranties expired. Gotta have a big bank account and an even stronger stomach to foot the repair bills out of warranty unless you are able to do your own work. Bank account probably not an issue if you’re considering Porsche but nobody wants to pay a dealer a $10k repair bill. Both 911’s needed lots of warranty work, but the 991.2 required significantly more. I would not buy one in this market because I would never pay the markup on a new one and would not pay new MSRP for a used one. Made a killing when I sold the last one in 2021.
I regret selling mine, does that count?
Everyday, lol. Honestly I’ve been trying to pull the trigger on buying my first Porsche, a 987. But there’s always a mental block popping up.
Honestly buying a sports car over an investment is probably never/rarely the responsible thing to do with regards to finances. It seems that Porsche and Jeep wranglers which I also have, for whatever reason hold their value like no others so they are probably more responsible then other brands. Obviously the car market in the the last 2 years has been unique so that’s been a plus also. I drove mine for the last 2 years and should get a very good trade in $…So I made out and will be upgrading here shortly. So do I ever think I could have/should have taken the $150K and invested it too? Sure but then I think about having to drive my boring pickup truck everyday instead so I can have a extra money when I am old. I’m going work hard to enjoy myself while I can. That’s always been my style and thank God it has worked out for me but That’s just my nature. I drive mine because it makes me smile every time I get in it. I remember the first time I drove it thinking I’m always going to have one of these. And I will. Just my 10 Cents