Letting Go of a Beloved Car

I often see comments on YouTube and social media like “I regret selling my 981” or “I can’t let go because I love the engine sound too much”. So recently, I wrote an article titled Regretting the Sale of a Porsche 981 Boxster/Cayman, which received quite a bit of feedback.

In that article, my husband mentioned,

When I started driving the GT3, its incredible performance made me think, ‘Maybe I don’t need the Boxster anymore,’ even if only for a moment. But after about six months, I came to appreciate the Boxster’s charm all over again. I’m glad I didn’t rush to sell it back then.
So even if you feel like ‘It’s time to let go of your car,’ it might be wise to take a step back and wait for about half a year before making a decision.

After sharing this, I received a comment on the blog:

Your advice to wait six months even if you want to sell is very helpful. By the way, did your husband ever regret selling his GT3?

My husband bought a 911 GT3 Touring (991 late model) in May 2019. He owned it for about two years and sold it at the end of March this year. I thought, “Hmm, now that I think about it… I wonder if he really doesn’t regret it,” so I asked him, “Someone asked me this question: It’s been two months since you parted ways with the GT3—do you regret it?”

Do You Regret Selling the 911 GT3?

He replied,

Well… sometimes I do feel like driving it again, but so far, I don’t regret it. That’s probably because I didn’t sell it impulsively—I thought about it for months before deciding. Honestly, the GT3 was a bit too much for me, and I rarely had the chance to drive it daily. I kept thinking, ‘Should I sell it? But I ordered it with so much care, I love it, and if I let it go, I’ll never experience that thrill again. Plus, it’s a rare Touring model…’
But then I thought, ‘It’s a waste if I keep owning it but hardly drive it. It might be happier with someone who can enjoy it more regularly.‘ So I was convinced and sold it.

That makes sense… Although he sold the GT3 at the end of March this year, he had been thinking about what to do with it since last fall. He also said this:

Also, with the GT3, if I ever want one again, I believe I can buy it again.
The 991 late model GT3s are still available on the used market, and the new 992 GT3 Touring package looks like it will be released soon. From what I see on YouTube, the engine sound seems great, and the performance has definitely improved. So if I want a GT3 again, I just need to save up and I can get a car with a feel close to the 991 GT3.
But with the 981 Boxster GTS, it was designed before the current noise regulations, there are very few of them, and mine was a left-hand drive manual. If I let that go, I might never get another one, so I think I’d really regret selling it.
So whether you can buy a similar car again or never get it back… I think that difference is huge when it comes to regret.

I see… Letting go of a beloved car involves emotional, financial, and timing considerations, so it’s understandable that it can be a tough decision.

Finally, the person who left the initial comment wrote, “Choosing a car is often compared to love, but maybe people who regret selling are those who keep holding on even after the breakup, haha,” which made me laugh.

I also want to be like the 981 Boxster GTS—someone who inspires the feeling of ‘I absolutely don’t want to let go, and if I do, I’ll never get another chance’ (laughs).