NewYorkBuck
Do not read this title
Ok all - I need some advice on a rather major purchase and Im looking for some input. Next month, I will be moving to a new place that has a garage, so I will be making a car purchase within the next month or so.
Here is my quandry. In short, the car that Im looking to purchase is a Porsche 911 Turbo, either of 1997 or 2002 vintage. I like the 993 styling, which explains the '97, but the 996 is such a good car I would consider the earliest edition thats not the first year, which is the '02. Both of these cars, esp the '97, were the cars that I used to dream about. Kinda like the girls in Playboy - the stuff you dreamed about but could never have. The reality for me is now I can have it. It's one of the fastest production cars ever made, handles like its on rails, and brakes like an arresting cable on a carrier. Also, few rides this side of a Ferrari are better head turners. Thats the good news.
The bad news for me is the obvious. Those of who are familiar w my posts by now probably have a pretty good idea that Im a relatively cheap bastard. Eg, for the last five years since I graduated from B-school, I have saved roughly 65% of my take home income. The damn thing is going to be a $60k-$80k purchase, which is quite the shock for someone used to saving so much. This is not to mention the added expense of maintenence (ching) and insurance (cha-CHING). It all adds up to a nice piece of change. Adding on top of this is the worry of every time that I need to park the thing that someones kid is going to open their SUV door into my side panel. Another consideration is that this will be my only ride (I have only one garage space), and will therefore need to bring it out when I have to in all conditions - rain, snow, whatever. I know its not good to let a car sit, but I dont think bringing it out on salted roads is the best idea either.
The rational side of me is telling me just to go out and get a VW Golf or something for like ten grand and call it a day and never have to worry about it. The more I think about it, the more traction that this idea is getting. But the devil in me tells me that I am a 37 year old man with no wife or kids, and I can hear it right - "Hey - you could be dead tomorrow - then what good is all that $$ of you dont spend any of it?"
My question to all of you is - if you were in my shoes, or if you have been, what would you do?
Please advise. Thx!
Here is my quandry. In short, the car that Im looking to purchase is a Porsche 911 Turbo, either of 1997 or 2002 vintage. I like the 993 styling, which explains the '97, but the 996 is such a good car I would consider the earliest edition thats not the first year, which is the '02. Both of these cars, esp the '97, were the cars that I used to dream about. Kinda like the girls in Playboy - the stuff you dreamed about but could never have. The reality for me is now I can have it. It's one of the fastest production cars ever made, handles like its on rails, and brakes like an arresting cable on a carrier. Also, few rides this side of a Ferrari are better head turners. Thats the good news.
The bad news for me is the obvious. Those of who are familiar w my posts by now probably have a pretty good idea that Im a relatively cheap bastard. Eg, for the last five years since I graduated from B-school, I have saved roughly 65% of my take home income. The damn thing is going to be a $60k-$80k purchase, which is quite the shock for someone used to saving so much. This is not to mention the added expense of maintenence (ching) and insurance (cha-CHING). It all adds up to a nice piece of change. Adding on top of this is the worry of every time that I need to park the thing that someones kid is going to open their SUV door into my side panel. Another consideration is that this will be my only ride (I have only one garage space), and will therefore need to bring it out when I have to in all conditions - rain, snow, whatever. I know its not good to let a car sit, but I dont think bringing it out on salted roads is the best idea either.
The rational side of me is telling me just to go out and get a VW Golf or something for like ten grand and call it a day and never have to worry about it. The more I think about it, the more traction that this idea is getting. But the devil in me tells me that I am a 37 year old man with no wife or kids, and I can hear it right - "Hey - you could be dead tomorrow - then what good is all that $$ of you dont spend any of it?"
My question to all of you is - if you were in my shoes, or if you have been, what would you do?
Please advise. Thx!
