New or Old cars - how do you decide?, 914 owners are in a unique position Options

[dion9146]

This question really has a couple of purposes, and I know if nothing else I'll get opinions out of you guys. After 18 years of 914 ownership across three different cars, stock, race, and highly modified street, I find myself constantly looking at other P-cars these days. Call it boredom, needing something different, whatever, I'm getting close to selling the little red beast.

But back to my question, and forgive me for maybe thinking out loud on this topic. I'm having a debate with myself, and I need other neurotic car nuts to chime in. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)

I consider the 914 to be one of those 'tweener' cars. Old enough to feel like an old car, but still modern enough to feel, well, modern too. I've grown up with old cars my entire life. I enjoy restoring old cars. In 1983, my first car was a 1952 Ford custom, and so it started. But....career, kids, and life in general don't allow a lot of time to work on cars these days, so I'm grateful for having a bulletproof teener that I can generally just get in and drive whenever I want. But, I still find myself looking at older cars - almost picked up a restorable 356 a few months back, I have this thing for early 912s, etc. Restoration costs aside, there is something magical about a restoration that I enjoy.

Then.....I have lots of friends with newer iron. A nice newer Boxster S or 997 would do the trick. I'd still have that reliability I enjoy, and I actually like the newer designs. A friend of mine just picked up a 2005 911 with the aero package, wheels, etc. The car is sweet, and he picked it up for a heck of a deal.

So at the risk of getting a bunch of 914-centric responses, which way do you lean - new or old? By the way, this isn't really a performance question. I know I will give up a lot by getting rid of my car, but for me that's not what it's about anymore.

Dion

OR

[Scott S]

There is nothing I enjoy more than morking on a car that does NOT have to get me to work in the morning.

So many people are so completely clueless and disrespectful of other peoples cars/property that even if I ever did have 10 million in the bank, I would still have a reliable, non discript, plane jane, air conditioned daily driver (probably a truck) that I can park pretty much anywhere at any time without worry.

If I was driving a toy/fun car everyday, I think it would actually make it less of a thrill to drive. I love looking forward to that great day where the DD sits at home (even for an hour or so) I pull the top off of the car and dissapear for a bit. Kinda like Christmas. If Christmas came everyday, it would just be like any other day.

I still cant believe my Dad commuted everyday from Newport to downtown LA in his 914-6. I know traffic was less back then and AC was still a luxury - but still. I would be way to much of a wuss.