...and it sold. 

"Eric @ opposite-lock.com" (theyrerolling) 04/21/2018 at 19:10 • Filed to: An Infinite Well of Sadness and Regret

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They were so impressed with it and happy that my wife offered it to them...

A picture from the day I got it home...

I did tell them that you never know how reliable it’ll be, it isn’t a young car, and reminded them of the things to know about it.

I’ll miss that car so very much. It was possibly my favorite car I’ve ever owned, even though it wasn’t my only car for very long and I feel like I didn’t drive it that much. It is still the high water mark for luxury comforts in any car I’ve owned. My FoST is nice, but it’s not on the same level.

Here’s hoping that they take as good of care of it as I did and love it like I did.

I’m crying right now. Please post pictures of cars you’ve sold and wish you hadn’t so we can all commiserate.

Update: I’m noticing that I may not be alone in loving cars that are just a little quirky and/or that you put some love into caring for.

LOREM IPSUM > Eric @ opposite-lock.com 04/21/2018 at 19:15

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Yeah, thanks a lot honey... mutter mutter mutter

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > LOREM IPSUM 04/21/2018 at 19:24

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I have to admit that she was right at some level. It doesn’t mean I won’t cry for a while, but something happened recently and we really did need the money. A permanent solution to a short-term problem that would have been resolved in a couple weeks anyhow... Damn you, IRS.

fintail > Eric @ opposite-lock.com 04/21/2018 at 19:25

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Shit, I was hoping you could scare them off. Happy wife, happy life, I guess. But at the same time, I got 99 problems... I’d park my fintail in my mom’s backyard and let it rot before I’d sell it to a fb person needing a car.

I sometimes have seller’s remorse about my W210 E55, and even the miled up W126, but as these were DDs and I knew I had to sell them on to be able to experience a different car, I know it was time for a change. At the same time, when the cars left my watch, I hoped to never see or hear about them again, as I was pretty sure I’d be disappointed in their fate. Never saw the 126 again, saw the E55 in the wild about 2 years after I sold it, still looking OK. Haven’t seen it in ~4 years now, I hope it’s OK, but in the long run, I guess that’s not my problem.

DipodomysDeserti > Eric @ opposite-lock.com 04/21/2018 at 19:30

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I wish I never sold any of my Subies

Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle > Eric @ opposite-lock.com 04/21/2018 at 19:35

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Sorry to hear. I sold both of my old Germans a while back and miss them both. Sold them for different reasons and at different times. Sold the 944 to buy my Boxster engine and the E34 because we were moving across the country. I especially loved the E34, it was loud and ridiculous, and imperfect and I loved everything about it. I got it for $1,000 and did all sorts of deferred maintenance and every time i got it off the jacks, it just got better. I really want to get an E28, E34, or even, I think an E36 to get some of that experience back. Maybe someday I’ll get the 996 back on the road and I’ll forget all about them but for now, i miss them a lot.

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > fintail 04/21/2018 at 19:54

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It has been a long time coming in some ways. If I had a garage spot for it, I would have fought her on even offering it up. It’s really a pretty cheap hobby compared to things I could be into, ranging from drinking through some seriously ridiculous crap; $50-200 in parts and a weekend afternoon every couple months just to give me a little variety so I could dote on my toy. The most expensive part was the registration and insurance, really.

She was right financially (although she had ulterior motives - she always kind of disliked the car), but as I said in another response, it is a permanent solution to a short-term temporary problem.

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > DipodomysDeserti 04/21/2018 at 20:00

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That DL/GL/Leone rustles my jimmies more than the others, but I know that Subarus are all quirky and therefore very endearing like my LS... *hugs*

DipodomysDeserti > Eric @ opposite-lock.com 04/21/2018 at 20:02

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That wagon was a 4wd manual too. Got it for $800 from the original owner and sold it a few years later for $2,500.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > Eric @ opposite-lock.com 04/21/2018 at 20:05

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Now you can buy that pristine manual one I found for sale the other day.

WilliamsSW > Eric @ opposite-lock.com 04/21/2018 at 20:05

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See now this is why I haven’t sold a car in 18 years.

That sounds like it’s a great car, hope the new owners care for it like you did!

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > DipodomysDeserti 04/21/2018 at 20:14

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While it wasn’t mine to sell technically, my Dad bought me a ‘78 BRAT to learn to drive in. I still miss that thing.

fintail > Eric @ opposite-lock.com 04/21/2018 at 20:17

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Sitting outside isn’t doing the car any favors, but it also won’t be aided by going to neglectful ownership.

That’s how I justify my fintail - better use of resources than smoking/drinking/gambling it away, or playing Russian roulette with bikes, or buying piles of home electronics, etc. Being single, I only have to justify it to me - in the past I’ve dealt with jealousy issues in others regarding cars, or those only wanting the cheapest thing possible, so I can understand. Most expensive thing for me is storage.

When will you drag home a new toy?

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > fintail 04/21/2018 at 20:37

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Probably not until I have a place to keep one. Right now I only have the two garage spaces, so it’ll need to wait for a different house or fewer cars. I intend to locate a first gen Tesla Roadster or possibly a Lotus (probably Evora) when I finally get a chance to get another toy to tinker with.

It’s also frustrating because I have another hobby I really like to participate in, but there’s nowhere nearby in the area to do it. So I have a closet full of stuff that she also wants me to get rid of because I don’t use it, but I only don’t use it because I have nowhere to do it. I guess I’ll just pour money into my computer setup so I can do that hobby virtually...

I wish there were more places to participate in group hobbies here. SoCal had so many more things you could do if you weren’t just into outdoor activities like hiking or biking...

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 04/21/2018 at 20:39

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How much was it? Gah, don’t tempt me!

Although I don’t know that the V6 would give me the same feeling. The sublime burble of the V8 was just something that really suited that car, in spite of the silly automatic transmission.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > Eric @ opposite-lock.com 04/21/2018 at 20:44

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$6k https://oppositelock.kinja.com/mothertrucker-1825351690

fintail > Eric @ opposite-lock.com 04/21/2018 at 20:48

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It’ll be interesting to see how early Teslas age in another 5-10 years, and how people use DIY measures to keep them going. Can’t boot her car into the driveway? :)

What’s the other hobby, like indoor rock climbing or something? You’ve probably been here long enough to know there’s not much social scene around anything. Local car culture shows that a lot.

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > DipodomysDeserti 04/21/2018 at 20:49

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That wagon shows some serious love that I can feel, so it doesn’t surprise me that you sold it for more than you bought it.

I have a buddy that drags old Subarus out of the forest and returns them to working order with similar love. If I still lived near him, I might go help him wrench as an outlet.

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > fintail 04/21/2018 at 20:57

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I suspect we’ll be able to keep them alive. I wouldn’t even care that the pack is shot, because my first project would be replacing the pack... That’s also when they’ll be worth buying, because they’ll hit the bottom of their value.

Electric indoor off-road R/C racing. The closest indoor track is in Tacoma and it’s just not worth driving that far and suffering traffic to race. There’s one way into Marysville that is outdoor, but I also don’t have anything really suitable for serious outdoor racing (plus it kind of sucks; I’m a prissy indoor racer that likes to keep his cars spotlessly clean and tear them down to clean/lube/replace everything between races).

It is mind boggling how little social anything there is here. It’s no wonder nobody can make friends here when there’s basically nowhere to hang out with a consistent group anywhere outside bars and churches.

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 04/21/2018 at 21:00

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I sold mine for way too little. Definitely worth more...

ihm96 > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle 04/21/2018 at 21:02

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I just picked up an e34 530 like two months ago to replace my broken clownshoe as a daily and it’s been amazing. Such a good car. The 944 looks sweet too

DipodomysDeserti > Eric @ opposite-lock.com 04/21/2018 at 21:04

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Yeah, the Northwest is filled with Subies. The old Subarus are hard to find out here. It’s unfortunate, because we don’t have to worry about rust. They last forever as long as you keep oil in them.

That was my first project car. I replaced all the engine gaskets, polished the paint, and performed all the required maintenance. She had 230k or so miles on her and still ran like a top. Put straight pipes on her too which sounded amazing with the little boxer engine.

random001 > Eric @ opposite-lock.com 04/21/2018 at 21:23

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I can’t post a picture of it. I might cry again. My 02 Z06. I loved that car for 9 years, longest I’ve ever had a car...

The feels....

fintail > Eric @ opposite-lock.com 04/21/2018 at 23:07

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No doubt handy people will be able to rebuild the batteries, too - not me though. That and I am not in love with the styling of the sedans, and don’t pine for a low roadster.

The “Seattle Chill” is more than just the dating scene, it is the PNW state of mind, and has existed for a long time. The lack of social activities isn’t new, locals have always been this way. I think it is a combination of northern/central European aloofness, and the often dreary weather keeping people in their homes.

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > fintail 04/22/2018 at 00:13

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I have started theorizing that the issue is deeper and less the people than it is the reason they were/are here. The culture here is deeply driven by employment and the otherwise ephemeral nature of life. People come during booms, don’t expect to create lasting relationships, then leave.

I forgot that I did notice one other social activity that seems popular here: Gaming, specifically board games.

The only thing beyond work I’ve participated in here where I’ve seen a consistent group of people in the same place at a scheduled time is my HOA meetings.

I believe the built environment is ultimately a reflection of the culture...

Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle > ihm96 04/22/2018 at 01:02

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How did your clownshoe break? Is it fixable? Man I love clown shoes.

530i, nice! I had an auto 535i and always wished I’d had a 530i with a stick. The M30 is bulletproof but the first year e34s had lots of different parts than the later models which made life a little harder than it had to be.

fintail > Eric @ opposite-lock.com 04/22/2018 at 01:14

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I think the employment aspect may be a big part - people are working long hours, and have stupid commute times. No doubt many don’t want to go out again after they finally get home. I am often in the same boat.

LJK0916 > Eric @ opposite-lock.com 04/22/2018 at 01:59

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I miss my LS, it was the least reliable thing I’ve ever owned yet it’s still my favorite. Too bad a Toyota Venza forced it into an early death.

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > LJK0916 04/22/2018 at 02:31

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Ouch, that hurts. But the fact you’re still here is a testament to how safe these cars are... How many miles did yours have? Mine had a mix of being old yet having very low miles.

ihm96 > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle 04/22/2018 at 16:04

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It’s fixable but very expensive. They had subframe/trunk floor issues where the welds pop and it happened to mine so she currently isnjust under my car cover. The 530 is awesome, not that fast but sounds awesome handles well and has some small cosmetic issues but only 64k miles and a beautiful interior

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Eric @ opposite-lock.com 05/03/2018 at 10:18

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Them feels...