Considering selling, looking for advice

[Carlisabadman986]

Hello all,

I am currently faced with a dilemma which many of you have prob faced and many porsche owners before us have gone through. I am expecting my first child. My 01 has been my daily driver for 5 years and I have loved it. Has been very good to me and has not cost me much outside of routine maintenance and a few minor repairs. My wife bless her heart has given me the ok to keep the car but we both agree I need something that will be able to transport all three of us. I see two options,

1. Keep the Boxster and get into a cheap daily driver. Look for a reliable accord or comparable car. Pedestrian but reliable fitting my needs. Budget would prob be around $10K

2. Sell the boxster and get something sporty that will still work to move the wife and the baby. Would have the extra money from selling the Boxster and would most likely spend more since it would be my only car. Total budget including trade $$ would be roughly $25k. Something like a GTI or WRX or even a FRS/BRZ ( jalopnik did a story years ago and the final verdict was it could work with a baby)

I have thought a lot about the pros and cons to both, if I sell the 986 how far along in my life will I be before I get something that will bring me as much pleasure? With 100k on the odometer is now a good time to move on? Etc etc

Any advice or wisdom anyone can share would be greatly appreciated as well as any recommendations on what vehicle I should look into if I go with option 2.

Thank you

[Porsche9]

Baby and wife equals no FRS/BRZ. Try fitting any of the stuff that comes along with a baby and getting the child in and out of a baby sit would be interesting. I won't list everything because I don't want to taint the positives of having a child.

A GTI and WRX are much more practical for your situation but still fun as long as you get a manual. A $10k used car too me is not what I think of something reliable that I want to take my family in.

I feel your pain. I sold a Carrera when my family needs changed but they grow older and then I bought a Porsche again.

[78F350]

If you have been good at keeping up the maintenance on the Boxster and you like it as a daily driver, it is probably worth more to you than what you would easily get for it.
If you get a sporty 2-door car, it will probably get old having to put the baby (all too soon toddler) in the back. I'd highly recommend a 4-door. Also, babies need stuff, lots of stuff, and more of it every week. Make sure you have room to load it all up and that it won't be a pain to load/unload for the wife. My son had a 2 door Accord when my granddaughter was born and later moved to a 4-door V6 Passat. He didn't miss the Accord at all.
There are lots of good, safe and reliable baby-toting machines out there for $8-10K that should be great for the utility and extra space you will need. Get one that makes your wife happy. ...and keep driving your Box.
Cheers on the new addition

[Shred]

You can get a very reliable used Toyota Prius for 10k. They go on for 200+ miles and are so cheap to run.
My 165k miles only just had its first water pump changed! Had a 300$ repair and everything else works perfect.

[Shred]

Will a 996 be able to do such a job?

[Gforrest2]

If your Boxster isn't an "S", I'd keep it, because you're not going to get very much for it. And as mentioned above, you're going to want a 4 door. I bought a BRZ in February and while a baby seat will fit in the back, getting in an out will grow old fast. I'd go with a Prius like Shred says. JMHO. Good luck and enjoy fatherhood.

[Steve Tinker]

Its not getting just the baby in, but in a few months you will need to transport things like a push chair, a large bag of "stuff", blanket, soft toys etc, etc. So a 4 door car with a large opening for the pushie & stuff is mandatory.
Keep the Boxster - your going to need the extra 4 wheels for light relief. Please don't ask how I know....

[VGM911]

It's hard to beat a 4-door VW Golf for practicality...you'll appreciate that every time you have to access the back seat and the trunk (you'll love the hatchback feature).

If you want to go a bit more upscale, a used Audi A3 Sportback has the same advantages of 4 doors and a hatchback. It's also built on that same VW Golf platform, but is somewhat more luxurious.

With both cars, I'd recommend AWD if you live in a region that experiences that pesky white stuff (troublesome snowfalls).

Good luck, and let us know what you decide.

Oh, and by the way, keep the Boxster if you can swing the car insurance and don't need the money to buy the VW/Audi.

[nicecar]

In the frunk next to the amp. is a small shelf or cubby that holds a gallon of milk perfectly. You cannot get rid of the box because you will have nowhere to put the milk that you will continually be going to the grocery store to get as well as feminine hygiene amongst other things. You will not need more room for these trips because you will be gladly going by yourself and taking the long way.

[thstone]

Sell the Boxster and buy a $25K 996. Works for many people with a baby.

Check out this link to read what other 996 owners with baby's have to say.... 996-updated-baby-seat-thread

[Chuck W.]

So much depends on your finances. When we had our kids there was no way I could afford to have a third car or a sports car. It was kid haulers and Toyotas .... until they were grown. If you can afford to keep the Boxster and buy a third car to haul the kids in, do it.

[Porsche9]

Originally Posted by thstone

Sell the Boxster and buy a $25K 996. Works for many people with a baby.

Check out this link to read what other 996 owners with baby's have to say.... 996-updated-baby-seat-thread

I did it with a 964. Worked until my daughter head started to touch the glass. Until then her elementary school friends in the car line were jealous.

In full disclosure the wife had a Grand Cherokee to handle baby/kid hauling duties.

[BIGJake111]

Keep the box. Buy an old Mercedes diesel wagon.

Your driveway will be stylish, reliable, German, and petrolicious.

(A 10k car can be plenty reliable just don't buy something too new.)

Edit: a lot of this depends on what your wife drives.

(Also I would suggest a cayanne v8 test drive if your up to the fuel cost.)

[Beer]

Babies don't stay babies. They will out grow the car before you know it, especially when baby #2 shows up. The perfect combination for me has been a Porsche weekend car and a mid-size SUV. That way I have plenty of room for extra people and room for light hauling, plus Dad's fun car.

YMMV

[Carlisabadman986]

Thanks for all the input guys.

Wife drives a 4 runner so we have a very practical and large other vehicle. The running joke for a few years was when we had kids I would have to upgrade to a 911. I think that along with the FRS idea have to go out the window.

[Fintro11]

I am 27, I have 3 step daughters and 1 7 month old daughter. We kept our boxster and she has a Tucson ( I refuse to drive it ) works out pretty well for us. I bought the air bag switch off eBay and use a booster set when ever one of the little ones wants to go for a boot.


When you were little did you want to have a boring family car or be the kid where his parents have a sports car?

[morgal48]

Don't have a clue where prices on old Cayenne's are. Wife had an '08 S. Grandchildren always said "make it sound like a sports car, Nana". She did. Fun. Fast. Towed an Airstream NJ to TX. Certainly not as agile as any sedan, but...

[mikefocke]

My experience said to me there is a time in life for a roadster.

For me it was pre marriage (Alfa, Alfa, 914). And then once the kids were done with college and the finances were secure (986, 986S). In between it was utilitarian cars. Not chosen to please or impress.

I once calculated a mini-van had over 100k miles just in back and forth to college trips.

But the upside was the finances once the bills were paid. Now I can afford to buy any car I want and that makes sense or appeals at the time.

Did I miss the toys? Really when I was commuting to work and then directly home to relieve the primary caregiver, not much.

And when she saw me looking at the ads she said "Stop looking, just go buy one". I did.

[Pdwight]

Originally Posted by Chuck W.

So much depends on your finances. When we had our kids there was no way I could afford to have a third car or a sports car. It was kid haulers and Toyotas .... until they were grown. If you can afford to keep the Boxster and buy a third car to haul the kids in, do it.

+1 agreed.................

[FauxDiablo]

Sell baby, keep Boxster. Winning.