I feel depressed, Oppo...

"JasonStern911" (JasonStern911)
03/08/2016 at 22:38 • Filed to: None

A Porsche 944 S2 Cabriolet came up for sale on Craigslist. They’re pretty rare, and I’ve always loved the 944 and miss owning a convertible, so I e-mailed the owner. As luck would have it, he had the car at my preferred independent Porsche mechanic.

So I checked out the 944S2, but unfortunately, it required too much work/time/money to get it into reliable daily driver status. I’ll probably regret passing on it 10-20 years from now when the 944s start appreciating, but oh well.

I’m depressed. Not because the 944S2 didn’t work out, but I came across what was formerly my Boxster in the parking lot:

What did they do to the paint? Tacky pink stickers? Is that a Honey Boo Boo license plate holder?

The seats were cheaply reupholstered - but still reupholstered. Why are there leopard skin seat covers on it? Fuzzy dice? How did they do so much damage to the paint? A bulging skull license plate frame?

And to top it off, it likely has a blown motor. And with the car in that condition and used 986 motors going for over $5k, it’s getting parted out and whatever is left crushed.

And now I just sit here, looking at the pictures stunned. How could they do so much damage to a perfectly running, well maintained car in just over 3 years?

Hats off to the guy that color matched and painted the hard top for me. Even they couldn’t mess that up, apparently.

That 986 didn’t deserve that life. It would have been better off at least letting me blow it up autocrossing or taking it to the track, which I never got a chance to do.

Never should have listened to my girl. Never should have sold it. :(

DISCUSSION (25)

Chariotoflove > JasonStern911
03/08/2016 at 22:42

Wow, what a mess. I’m sorry.

TheHondaBro > JasonStern911
03/08/2016 at 22:43

I know how you feel. Even though the SC400 was in poor shape, driving it left a pretty lasting impression on me. I want one so bad now, and I’d even go for the broken one at this point just because I can get it for so cheap.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > JasonStern911
03/08/2016 at 22:43

I’m the kind of guy who’s just happy to see my stuff still running (because I drive shit that’s barely running). But this would upset the hell out of me.

smobgirl > JasonStern911
03/08/2016 at 22:44

Ouch. :(

I feel a smidgen depressed every time I see my old Civic sitting dead in the neighbor’s driveway, and I'd given it up for dead when I sold it to them. This is much sadder.

Shmevans > JasonStern911
03/08/2016 at 22:48

If it is basically scrap then offer the dealer whatever the scrapper might give and take it back! At the very least you can pull it apart yourself and tinker. Best case scenario, you rip off all the frills that only slow you down and complicate things (A/C, etc), replace the gaskets and it’s all good to take to the track (for it’s eventual Viking funeral). Worst case you get to find out what’s under the skin of something that gave you joy and part it out to enthusiasts. Like an organ donor doing some good after they’re gone.

Vicente Esteve > JasonStern911
03/08/2016 at 22:52

I felt similarly when I saw what was once my mint looking VW Cabrio both stanced and filled with stickers from its new owner.

Die-Trying > JasonStern911
03/08/2016 at 22:58

looks like they ran it through a robo wash a ton to hurt the paint so bad.

gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > JasonStern911
03/08/2016 at 22:58

How is the paint so messed up? super polishing job which removed the clear coat.

Sam > JasonStern911
03/08/2016 at 23:16

How long have they had it? Because holy crap that paint is bad.

CAR_IS_MI > JasonStern911
03/08/2016 at 23:19

Are you in Vegas?

Nauraushaun > JasonStern911
03/08/2016 at 23:26

So sell your girl

itranthelasttimeiparkedit > JasonStern911
03/08/2016 at 23:38

I feel you on the boxster man, I loved mine (only car I have kept for more than 2ish years I think). My 99 at least died a warrior’s death when I flipped it on the highway =p My wife’s 2000 was a lemon that spent every month in the shop (literally, for 11 months before I sold it) so it deserves whatever hell on earth it ended up in.

Still can’t wait until I can get another one though. Kind of hard with 5 cars + toddler + motorcycles right now though

My bird IS the word > JasonStern911
03/09/2016 at 00:40

This is why I will take my cars to the grave. Driving my trans am, that will probably be sooner rather than later.

Even if you never wash your car, how do you fuck up paint like this? did they mistake acetone for a cleaning solution?

Conan > JasonStern911
03/09/2016 at 01:04

It can go the other way too. My I6 swapped Dodge Dynasty is apparently still running well after ten years. I’m glad I sold it to who I sold it to.

JasonStern911 > Shmevans
03/09/2016 at 01:55

I only sold it because it hit over 100k miles and I moved on to a 996... It’s just bittersweet because there are vehicles I took great care of and undid most of the previous owner’s faults, and there are cars I admit that I didn’t love and just kind of lived their lives out with at least some respect. But there is no reason when I sold that 986 that it shouldn’t have hit 150k miles with even a competent driver driving aggressively. Even issues like the IMS bearing had metallic oil drain plugs to try to give some heads up given rational service intervals.

But as much as I loved it, I can’t justify saving it. Porsches can easily become money traps. Even the 944S2 owner that let his car deteriorate sitting in hopes that it would appreciate had good intentions. I don’t have the means (mostly mechanical aptitude, but also cash) to go on restoration projects. I’d be better off using my efforts into preserving the Porsche I do own.

JasonStern911 > Conan
03/09/2016 at 01:58

I feel you. The subsequent owner of the RX-8 I spent an embarrassing amount of time fixing Mazda’s problems on probably spends his days on internet forums claiming how RX-8s get a bad reputation and all you have to do is change the oil once a decade and they’re great cars*.

* = until the apex seal pops, then who cares about years of trouble free ownership

JasonStern911 > Sam
03/09/2016 at 02:04

3 years 2 months. full disclosure - I saw it on the local craigslist, so it probably has had 2 owners since I purchased it. and the clear coat was starting to fade on the rear bumper. but hat tip to /DRIVE CLEAN, I was able to keep the car looking respectable.

the best explanation I have is that owner #1 stripped all of the wax I put on it off and then let it sit in the sun for his tenure, completely destroying the paint. and then owner #2 (or 3) put stickers on it because a neglected high mileage Boxster is the perfect car for a teenager. sad.

JasonStern911 > CAR_IS_MI
03/09/2016 at 02:04

Reno

Sam > JasonStern911
03/09/2016 at 02:10

Well, at least it’s going to be put out of it’s misery, I guess...

JasonStern911 > itranthelasttimeiparkedit
03/09/2016 at 02:13

That sounds pretty similar to my situation.

The only way the 944S2 made sense was because it was so rare. I’d love to buy another lower mileage 986 or an early Z4, but I know I’d be doing so out of extravagance (or, equally douche “track car, brah”) rather than any practical reason. But counter-point, life is short...

JasonStern911 > Sam
03/09/2016 at 02:14

Never thought of it like that. Well stated.

Eggplant > Shmevans
03/09/2016 at 02:17

If it’s only the engine that’s toast, then it’s time to get it back, and swap in a Subaru engine.

Stef Schrader > JasonStern911
03/09/2016 at 02:19

Any woman who tells you to sell your stuff without a darn good reason is full of it, IMHO. It’s your car! While I realize that I’m commenting on a situation I know no details of and do not need to know the details of (as it’s none of my business), my gut says you should’ve done donuts on her lawn and kept the Boxster.

Poor Boxster. :( I would love to 914-swap a engineless shell and enter it in LeMons, though. Someone, do this.

Elumerere > JasonStern911
03/09/2016 at 08:49

I’d be better off using my efforts into preserving the Porsche I do own.

Smart move. Also, the 996 might increase in value over time.

Jdrentarol > JasonStern911
03/09/2016 at 09:37

944 S2 Cabriolet? Rare? Hah, I saw 4 at C&C February!

BTW, I love the 944 too. 944 fanboys for life.