Time To Move On

No material possession is worth having if it doesn’t serve you.

One last picture

I’ve liked cars as long as I can remember. A neighbor two doors down from where I grew up had a Porsche Speedster in his garage that needed to be restored. I have vivid memories of seeing that patinated bathtub-shaped car parked in the garage bay. I always wondered why he didn’t fix it up and drive it?

Another guy in my neighborhood had an old Mustang that sat on blocks in his garage for years—and if I had to guess I’d wager that it’s still sitting 20 years later! I can recall having conversations with older guys as an adolescent about the cool cars they had when they were younger. I was always confused as to why they had cool cars then and not when they were older with more resources. They would usually respond to me with something like, “You’ll understand when you get older.”

I’m now older and I completely understand why my neighbors had old cars sitting in their garages, and why they sold their cool cars when they grew up. I sold my Porsche 911 last week after seven years of ownership. I thought letting the car go would be difficult but it was actually relieving. 

The Porsche 911 has been my favorite car for most of my life. My aunt owned a few when I was a kid. She probably influenced me the most without realizing it. The shape and sound of those cars is like nothing else. So when I finally bought my 911 in 2017, it was a dream come true. I purchased the car from an online classified ad. I could barely drive a manual transmission. My brother let me use his old Ford Focus for practice. It helped but I lacked the skills to get the most out of a classic Porsche.

I purchased the car and then did a cross-country road trip with my dad over Father’s Day weekend. To this day, it’s the most epic trip I’ve ever taken. It was spontaneous. I didn’t know if the car would make it (but it did). And I had hours of conversations with my dad that I hadn’t been able to have for years. The trip was perfect.

I had no kids when I purchased my 911. My wife and I were chugging along with our lives, not even certain if we’d have children. Three weeks after I acquired my 911, we went to Mama’s Boy in Athens for a nice casual breakfast. I remember the day well. I miraculously found a spot right up front and got to park my car there so I could see it out of the window. During our breakfast my wife informed me that she was pregnant! I was overwhelmed but felt I made a mistake by buying such an impractical car.

My oldest son was born the next year and we made the 911 fit into our lives. I was driving the Porsche daily and loving it. I was also quickly learning just how expensive these cars are to maintain. The car was in the shop about every six months for some age-related issue. But I wasn’t phased because my son and I were enjoying the car. I’d take him on long drives on the backroads during Sunday afternoons while my wife was at work. I’d pack a bag with food and supplies so the baby would be taken care of. Those were magical afternoons that I’ll never forget.

We got to know a lot of the local car enthusiasts by attending Cars & Coffee. I made great friends through the ownership of the car. Automotive enthusiasts like to be around fellow car-degenerates regardless of their favorite brand! People knew me as the Porsche Daddy because I’d roll up to a meet with my baby in the back and a stroller up front.

This lifestyle became increasingly difficult to maintain as my other two children entered my life. I tried my best to enjoy the 911 with the boys but it became impossible with the arrival of my third son. I ran out of seats and room for the kids. So, my 911 became a commuter car. And like any commuter car, it started to show wear from daily duty.

I was hit in the rear by somebody while stopped at a light. Everyone was fine but it led to a two-month battle with the driver’s insurance company. A year later, I was hit by a piece of construction material that damaged my car’s front bumper. On top of these incidents, one of my sons left several scratches on the paint and I always found a bike or toy leaning against the car. 

All of these small incidents kept adding stress to me. Why? Because my dream car was slowly becoming a nightmare. Everything finally came to a head when the clutch went out while I was driving home from work in May. After a $250 tow and two hours spent waiting, I was done. The fun was over and the 911 had to go.

Not how I wanted to do the last drive in my 911.

I let the frustration of the events subside until I could make logical and rational decisions. I debated fixing the car but after I was quoted from multiple shops a repair bill in excess of $6,000, I knew the 911’s time in my life was short. The opportunity cost was no longer worth it.

I listed the car as it was on Facebook and I made it clear that the buyer would need to bring a trailer. Within three hours of listing the car, I had a deposit and buyer. The guy who bought it was cool and I know he’ll be a good caretaker of the 911. I was fine to see it go but my oldest son cried as he watched it being hauled away. That was the hardest part because he has known the car his entire life. The feeling was awful at the moment but I knew I did the right thing.

I’m now part of the “used to” own club. I can honestly say that I understand what those guys in my neighborhood were talking about years ago. I have my own story that I can tell to younger guys, and hopefully impart some wisdom. 

Through my ownership experience I’ve learned about myself, made some great friends, had memorable experiences with my friends and family, and lived out a childhood dream. But I’ve learned the most about the true cost of ownership. What you pay for something doesn’t mean you’re done paying for it. Maintenance is a reality with any car—especially a classic German sports car. There’s always taxes to be paid and insurance premiums. All of this becomes a real drag, especially when you’re working to invest in your future.

No material possession is worth having if it doesn’t serve you.

Despite what some of my friends and family think, I’m at peace with my decision because I have one less burden to worry about. I have more time and money to invest in the things that actually matter. Despite my son’s anguish about the 911 leaving, he hasn’t mentioned it since and just loves playing with me. He loves me regardless of the car I drive. Me being present is much more important to him and me.

And chances are, I’ll likely own another Porsche 911 when the time is right.