Sold my car of 31 years.

[Juggular]

Do you feel sad about letting it go? 

I just sold my first and only car of 31 years.  (Our "younger" 18 year old Subaru is my wife's car. We don't need 2 cars since our work is only 1km away.)  From last week, I own no car (aside from bunch of Tamiyas).  I made 3 cross country trips in this car.  From the west coast to the east coast and back, then to the east coast.  Did I Christen it? I might have. (...what I mean by that, for the sake of family friendliness, is spritzing it with holy water. Well, that actually sounds worse...lol...)  Good memories.  

Above was taken after I just bought it.   

The tires left grooves on the driveway!  I did not know that 1900lb (900kg) car could sink tire prints on the driveway.  It's been sitting here for over 6 years. I suppose private driveways are not built as thick as highways.  One tire was almost flat, it wouldn't roll, so it got dragged away.   

Future archeologists can find out what kind of tires humans used at this time...lol...

Maybe I should fill the void by building Dynahead I haven't touched yet.  

 

[MadInventor]

That's some record, to own just one car for 31 years.  

 

[87lc2]

@Juggular are you in Pennsylvania?  License plate on the tow-away truck looks like a PA plate.  If so wherabouts?  I'm in Bucks County, just north of Philadelphia.  

Anyway - That must be tough to do...The longest I've owned a car is my 87 Buick and I've had it since 2001.  It's never going anywhere, my daughter and I will restore it (again) when she's old enough.  I drive so much daily that my drivers usually get scrapped from rust with 2-300K on them when I'm done due to the awful road salt they insist on putting down up here...That stuff should be illegal.  

[Snappy1]

I am sad just reading this.....

how many miles did you put on it?

It is a shame it didn’t leave under its own power.

I for one would not have been able to let go

Build a Dynahead, then jump it off the ramp left by the tread on your driveway 

[svenb]

I've three cars that I've had for 19,27 and 29 years! 

[Juggular]

7 hours ago, 87lc2 said:

If so wherabouts?

Literally the next county, Montgomery!  

6 hours ago, Snappy1 said:

how many miles did you put on it?

It is a shame it didn’t leave under its own power.

107,000 miles. (172,000km)  That's not much for a 31 year old car.  But the commute was less than a mile. And I didn't drive at all for the past 8-9 years.  

It might have fired up just fine.  It started without a hitch about 4 years ago.  I just kept the battery out.  But the rubber seals for the hood and the trunk were exposed to elements a bit, and they were crumbling to dust.  Hopefully, brake lines wouldn't be doing the same.  Brakes worked as it should when pulling out of the driveway. 

 

[Superluminal]

This might be a daft question.....what was it? I really dont recognise it, im pretty sure its not something they had a UK model of (especially as a three door) unless there are some fairly radical cosmetic differences between US / European models.

[TurboRSR]

1 hour ago, Superluminal said:

This might be a daft question.....what was it? I really dont recognise it, im pretty sure its not something they had a UK model of (especially as a three door) unless there are some fairly radical cosmetic differences between US / European models.

After some "investigation" I found out that it's a Toyota Tercel Coupe (4th gen).

At least in Norway the 2nd gen was the only Tercel that was ever sold here. 

[Saito2]

I don't know if I would have had the strength/willpower to do what you did. I've been through over 50 vehicles in my time, but I'm a car guy and that was part of the hobby. My first car was an '84 Pontiac Fiero SE my dad bought new, put 100,000 miles on and then handed down to me with a blown engine at 15. By 16, I had a new engine in it a put another 146.000 on it for a total of 246,000 of relatively trouble-free motoring. I was forced to part with it when I moved out of my first home and it left me feeling a bit dead inside. I still miss it nearly 15 years later.

I still have my deceased father's '86 Corvette which has been in the family for 33 years. With the price of gas and runaway inflation, there is no reason to keep it, but I can't part with it. I'm impressed with your ability to let yours go, but am also sad for you. They may just be objects that we can't take with us but while we're here, they can also be time machines, taking us back to easier/simpler times and the adventures shared together. 

[Robert5000]

Godspeed and good luck, to both you and your former car! This can't have been easy. Super impressive that it's the only car you've had for such a long time! 
My first car was a 1970 VW 1600 fastback that I got in 1996. It was my daily driver for three years, after that it's been sat in the garage and seen less than 50 kilometres of use each year, but I could never sell it. 

[Willy iine]

@Juggular Wow, I remember those cars when new.  Tercel, right?  Right after the full model change from the more flat/blocky shape.   

GL with your new chapter in life without a car!   

 

[87lc2]

12 hours ago, Juggular said:

Literally the next county, Montgomery!  

 

 

Wow, small world!  I never thought there was anyone even remotely close to me on TC.  @Saito2 is a few hours west, but you're right next door.  Let me know if you ever want to get together, guess I would have to drive to you   

 

[87lc2]

9 hours ago, Saito2 said:

My first car was an '84 Pontiac Fiero SE my dad bought new, put 100,000 miles on and then handed down to me with a blown engine at 15. By 16, I had a new engine in it a put another 146.000 on it for a total of 246,000 of relatively trouble-free motoring. I was forced to part with it when I moved out of my first home and it left me feeling a bit dead inside. I still miss it nearly 15 years later.

 

I've owned many American cars but never a Fiero.  Have always secretly wanted one but never acted upon it.  So in your honest opinion how good (or bad) are they?  On paper they seem ideal, a simple American mid-engined sports car.  Have never so much as ridden in one, but would love to at some point.  

[Saito2]

14 hours ago, 87lc2 said:

So in your honest opinion how good (or bad) are they?  On paper they seem ideal, a simple American mid-engined sports car.  Have never so much as ridden in one, but would love to at some point

I've extensively daily driven 3 of them over the years. All 2.5 iron duke 4 bangers and all stick shifts, 4 and 5 speeds. I would very much like to have a V6 at some point but I think those days are over unless I part with my 5.0.

Personally, as a commuter, they are great. Fantastic fuel mileage and great handling. They have 4 wheel disc brakes and manual steering, which, while heavy in parallel parking maneuvers gives great feedback at speed. Despite the big center console (the gas tank resides there in the middle of the car) the interior is not cramped at all for my 5'10" frame.

I positively love their handling. I wouldn't say they are super light or nimble feeling like a 1st gen MR2 but they a planted and surefooted. For their size, I never found my Fieros to get blown around on the highway like my old AC VWs did. As a kid I wanted a muscle car so bad (I bought a Nova next as my first personally purchased car) and the Fiero was abysmally slow with only 92 HP on tap. Still, with good torque from the big 4 and learning to row gears quickly, it was possibly to beat the straight six powered cars most of my friends had in high school.

The '86 Corvette my dad had (and now mine) features the Z51 package which was supposedly the cat's behind when it came to handling. While that car stuck like glue, I never had the confidence in it like the Fiero. I always felt safer diving deeper into corners at higher entry speeds with the Fiero. Go straight for the apex in a hairpin, yank the wheel over 90 degrees, and the little Fiero would hunker down and snap around the corner as easy as you please. I went into a turn too hot from time to time and just got some understeer. My most ****htening experience was a fresh pothole/dip that came out of nowhere, mid-turn, and unsettled the car. Its the only time I felt a mid engine car lose composure and blessedly I didn't over react or death-grip the wheel. I loosened my grip and let the wheel dance in my fingertips until the car sorted itself out.

I remember being at a dealership parts department with my dad when he still had the car and a salesman said "when are you going to trade that old car in and get a new Pontiac?" My dad replied, "When you make another car like that (pointing back at the Fiero), we'll talk". I could go on for pages but I'll stop now. Sorry for the derailment.

[87lc2]

Thanks @Saito2 I was always curious about the handling.  Obviously they're underpowered, but I always expected they would handle quite well.  I see them from time to time for reasonable money, but never seriously considered buying one.  I'm currently looking for another toy and do have a spare Supercharged Buick motor in the garage from my old Regal GS, wonder if it's finally time to get one and swap it.  I've seen the swaps done without too much trouble and I'm sure it'd be an interesting project.

Interested to hear the comparison to the Vette.  Have driven plenty of those and other than the dump truck ride I always thought they handled great.  If the Fiero inspires even more confidence that would be impressive.  

Anyway - thanks again and back to the thread, sorry for the tangent. 

 

[Mad Ax]

Wow, that's a long time to own a car.  I've felt sad at having to let cars go before, but never owned one that long.  Worst was probably when my parents sold their '83 Land Rover 110 County, we practically grew up in that car and travelled all over in it, but we can't have had it more than 10 years?  I was in my early teens at the time.

Still, much as you love your first car, I'd rather have the Ford parked next to it ( '89 F150..?)

[NWarty]

@JuggularI spy Oregon plates

[Juggular]

10 hours ago, NWarty said:

@JuggularI spy Oregon plates

lol... you guys are all like Sherlocks. Yep, I was in rainy Orygun where nobody owns an umbrella.  

 

[jonboy1]

54 minutes ago, Juggular said:

lol... you guys are all like Sherlocks. Yep, I was in rainy Orygun where nobody owns an umbrella.  

 

You know for years I've thought you lived about 5 miles from me in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, UK  

[berman]

That is an amazing effort. I sold my Orthia a few months ago, that I owned for what would have been 20 years this December. Bought it as a stock 2 litre automatic, changed it to a manual and then it snowballed and i modified it beyond belief (cage, EK9 manual rack, 98spec ITR gearbox w/lsd, rear disc conversion, racetech seats, removed interior-abs-srs etc, Type R head, Forged pistons, rods, Baffled sump, ECU etc etc etc). Only managed to do 65,000 km's total in the time i owned it (5000 on motor). It was always garaged until the last 2 years, and it was deteriorating outside. Sold it 5 minutes after listing it to another enthusiast. I used to really love that car, but unfortunately I wasn't sad to see it go. I put the money from it towards painting my C1500 which had recently been hit by the neighbours kid.

 

[Re-Bugged]

I can cover a few points here @Juggular, but with various vehicles not just one as you have.

Firstly having to part with a VW Beetle that my Dad & restored together was sad. It was a great project and was mine & my wife’s daily driver for many years, even after we had 2 kids. It unfortunately just wasn’t viable to bring it with us to Australia when we emigrated.

The longest car we have had (and still own) is a 2006 VW Transporter Crew Van. We both enjoy driving it, it’s so comfortable and handy, we don’t have any plans to part with it in the foreseeable future. It had 40,000k’s on it at 4 years old when we bought it and now has 165,000k’s on it.

As for a longest I’ve owned a ‘vehicle’ that would be a bicycle. 
I bought a Raleigh Maverick MTB when I was 15 with my own hard earned money. I turned 50 this year. Although it’s not actually in my possession, I left it with my Dad who was still using it to go fishing up until recently, when a spoke snapped and a bike shop refused to repair it because it was over 10yrs old! Dads just going to buy a spoke and do himself to keep using it. So technically it’s still in the family and no money changed hands so I still ‘own’ it. It has my name and postcode stamped on the frame to prove it 😉

Lastly I thought of you when we hired a car in Texas to get back to Jackson Mississippi this year because of the number plate..

[NWarty]

7 hours ago, Juggular said:

Yep, I was in rainy Orygun where nobody owns an umbrella.  

Nope. Not an umbrella here in Washington either

[Saito2]

Sorry to bring this up again, but @Juggular, how did you do it (selling your car I mean)? I've brought the issue of parting with my late father's Corvette up awhile ago and with current times and likely futures, there is even less reason to keep it. Honestly, there is no real logical reasons to keep it (although I can formulate some). I'm more motivated to sell as I've been dealing with long term depression for some time now and have lost interest in many things in life. While this is a double edge sword as I may come out of it and regret letting it go. At least I'm not pressuring myself to sell it to make room for another car I'm lusting after. Its honestly for downsizing purposes. I've tried breaking it down:

Logically keeping it:

-I know the history of the car and its been very well cared for. 

-So far it doesn't cost me anything other than insurance.

-It handles fantastically with the Z51 package

-Its automatic and my knees aren't great. This could benefit me in the future.

-I don't need the money (yet).

Logically not keeping it:

-Early C4 Corvettes aren't my favorites. They are hopelessly "stuck" in the mid 80's style-wise. Not timeless.

-It will cost money in the future. Tires alone, are getting older and that's a lot of cash to spend. I don't have it. The way the US has been going for decades now, I'll never have it. The middle class I was in is gone.

-I could use the room to finally store my Fox Mustang inside.

-I hate working on it. I find C4s loathsome to tinker with.

-I hate automatics when I can still drive stick. All my other cars are stick.

-In addition to being money vampires, I have more cars than I need or have time to attend to. Its beginning to feel like being a slave to one's possessions. I hate that.

-Gas isn't going to get cheaper, at least not the way it used to be here in the US. It's not the most fuel efficient thing I own.

-Money made could go into making the Mustang better.

-I do have the MGB we restored together although it doesn't nearly the memories the Corvette does. My dad got lung cancer shortly after finishing up the B.

 

Then there's the emotional reasons to keep it:

-My dad wanted a Corvette since he was in high school. He waited a long time and this was his first, purchased slightly used before I was of driving age. I loved my dad a great deal and the Corvette featured in a lot of memories. Literally sitting in the car and smelling the old leather and faint smell of the Viceroy cigarettes he used to smoke reminds me more strongly of him than anything else (granted they killed him quite spectacularly in front of me in a hospital bed, suffering from lung cancer). He wanted me to have the car as he knew I like Corvettes in general but was far too poor to own one (granted C4 prices have plummeted since then, but the sentiment is nice). Its a personal time machine for sure.

-Its my daughter's favorite car. Its the first car she would ride in outside of our Chevy Sonics. Strange cars used to terrify her. The two of us went on frequent jaunts through the countryside before gas went through the roof. She hopes to own it some day although I imagine the automotive landscape might not be conducive to that when she can drive. Plus its too dangerous for her unskilled hands at first anyway.

Logically, I don't want it. Its an anchor around my neck that could/will cost me money I won't have. Emotionally (when I'm feeling more myself) I could never part with it. I hate being so nostalgic sometimes.

 

 

 

[87lc2]

Tough decision.  I've been there before and to be honest once its gone you'll probably be relieved.  The memories are in your head, not the car.  Now is the time to sell, even the lowly C4 Vettes are getting decent money these days.  

Just my opinion, best of luck with whatever you decide...

[Juggular]

Some things in life are not about the money.  

If your dad loved it, if your daughter loves it, you've got good memories, and it costs not much now, why not keep it until you can't afford it anymore?  If the transmission slips and the gas price doesn't come down, and you simply cannot work on it, you can say (in your head), "hey dad, I wanted to keep it, but it seems like the universe doesn't want me to. Would you let me sell it? Thank you for all the good memories."  And if he/universe doesn't give you a sign otherwise, sell it then.  In the end, it's your decision. But I think it would help if you ask in your mind.  

Not if you are going to be depressed afterwards, though.  We are at the age when nothing is fun.  The challenges of younger years are behind us.  Most of us would just coast until the retirement.  Some people become a digital nomad.  Some people get a hot car & a hot woman and see if there are consequences.  Most of us just settle down in the lack of challenge. (I picked up sketching for a challenge. The pandemic got me into baking and audiobooks too.) 

I tried this and that to help with the mood, myself. Out of those, vitamin D, omega-3, magnesium supplement and ashwagandha helped. For my wife, omega-3 does nothing, but saffron makes her giddy.  I'm taking saffron for eyes (trying to avoid vision problems).  Some studies say saffron is equally effective as some anti-depressants. Not for me, only for my wife for some reason. 

It's funny how I am at an age where I'd need these supplements at all.  I suppose nobody at our age is as happy as we were when we were splashing mud with our Grasshoppers back in the 80s.  We've seen things. Nothing is new and exciting. I feel bad that you are going through a long term depression, but I'm glad about the fact that I'm not alone. Like somebody said, "be kind, because everybody you meet is fighting a hard battle."  Carelessly happy life exists only in fiction. (Actually they do exist, but such life often creates airheads--not always--. You may not find them charming.)  Everybody is a veteran of a hard life, and we (you) deserve respect for simply making it this far.  

Anyway, my 31 year old car couldn't be compared with your dad's car.  Mine was a daily driver. While I spent my 20s and 30s in it, it was not a family heirloom.  No significant memories in it, except for cross country trips.  And my wife has been talking about getting rid of it for 7-8 years.  So I have been preparing myself for its eventual departure.  You might be doing the same thing.  In the mean time, you can enjoy it more.  I realized that I haven't been watching Netflix much, so I cut it.  Once I cancelled it, I found that I'm watching more for the remaining 2 weeks.  So if you think you'd sell in 10 years, you might drive more.  And after 10 years, if you decide to keep it because you don't like hitting the clutch all the time, nobody's going to stop you either. 

I'm a logical person, but what I learned in my (not quite 50) years on earth is that logic doesn't get you happiness and regret is an emotion too.  I would go with emotions first, logic second (the opposite is true when it comes to financial decisions).  

We also had simple knee problems; popping, tearing feeling with some pains, etc. Especially with the stairs. It's nothing serious, just annoying for a day or two.  After having gone through "frozen shoulders" few years ago, I thought I better find a workout or a stretching method to help with my knees. Then I discovered this knee rotating thing. Only 2-3 times a week made my knees as good as before.  I wish I can find something just as simple for my neck.  Growing old ain't for sissies, but all of us do.