A Conversation About Cars

The other day, my husband was chatting with some people he’d met through their shared love of cars, and the conversation apparently turned to this idea:

“Setting aside the financial side of things, choosing when to sell a car is harder—and causes more heartache—than deciding to buy one.”

That’s what they said.

Of course, buying a new car can involve plenty of deliberation: Which make, model, trim, and options should you choose? Buying used can be just as challenging. Sometimes the car you want, in the specification you want, simply doesn’t come up for sale, leaving you checking used-car listings for months. But apparently, selling can force you into an even tougher decision.

That’s because even if you have your eye on another car, it’s hard to part with the one you already own. You know you’ll regret selling it, so in the end, you can’t bring yourself to let it go—and decide the only answer is to add another car to the garage instead. That’s why selling can be harder than buying.

I wonder if people with other hobbies, like watches or bags, feel the same way. Maybe when you truly love something, you agonize over what to buy and choose carefully—so letting it go is just as difficult.

I’m the sort of person who usually needs only one of anything. I tend to keep using the same bag or wallet until it’s worn out, then replace it. But now that I think about it, I don’t put much thought into buying those things, either. Maybe that’s why I don’t feel particularly attached when it’s time to replace or throw them away.

The Hard Part of Letting Go of a Porsche

I said to my husband:

“It’s a pretty luxurious problem to have—finding it harder to sell than to buy. But I can see why, when it comes to the cars we have at home: the 911 GT3 Touring, 981 Boxster GTS, and 911 (964 C2). I think you’d regret letting go of any of them. Personally, I’d want you to keep the 981 Boxster GTS no matter what. You just can’t get that sound from the latest Porsches.”

He replied:

“Yeah. Selling any of them would be incredibly hard. And out of the three, I don’t think I could ever let go of the 981 Boxster GTS.
It’s not about whether we can afford to buy a car or not. The difficult decisions involved in buying a car and selling one are fundamentally different.
When you’re buying, you’re thinking about the present: Which car should I choose? What options do I want? But when you’re selling, you start thinking about the future: Is now the right time to sell? Will I regret letting this one go? Will the next model be better?
With a Porsche in particular, a car that isn’t especially sought-after today could become popular and be considered a classic down the road. That makes you think twice. It’s a lot like deciding when to buy or sell stocks.”

Everyone sees things differently, but I suppose there are certain perspectives you only gain once you’re part of that world. One thing’s for sure: the deeper you get into cars as a hobby, the more there is to get hooked on.