What car do you regret not purchasing?

[MWS]

I was curious as to what cars others here have passed on purchasing that they really, really, really regret now? I'll start things off...advancing up my list would have been in '85 I passed on a '73 911 Targa, followed in '86 by a '67 MG, but my number one had to be an '66 Austin-Healey 3000 mk3 that I could have picked up (in 1987) for under $4000. Guess I could also say that when looking for a Boxster, I could have picked up the SE, but it was a manual, so I passed. I had also almost purchased (new) the last model year of the RX7, but ended up backing out because I feared the maintenance cost of a rotary engine...ironically a decade later I bought a Boxster.

This year I looked at and passed on a '02 Ferrarri... guess I am working on future regrets. LOL.

[Badboybox]

I had a chance to buy a low mile 1986 mustang SVO in 1990 for $3,500.it was super clean.i was only 18 at the time and could not get the money in time before it sold.

[Badboybox]

But I did eventually get a 1988 Mustang convertible GT.LoL.

[Quadcammer]

a red 959 for sale for about $425k. recently sold for more than twice that.

[Twin headlight Ernie]

I'm a motorcycle guy and missed out on a 1971 Moto Guzzi Ambassador with a sidecar rig. It was local, priced very reasonable, and looked great in the pictures. The timing was bad. I really didn't have room for it and was going through a divorce. Looking back I really should have had a friend of mine store it for me until I had my new garage finished. I did find two BMW project bikes instead since then so it all worked out.

[JBauer]

Its been a few years ago but 1970 Boss 302 for $10000. and 1971 Boss 351 for $11000 plus others. Both were decent and needed little work. Had too many projects at the time. 😠

[BoxsterSteve]

For me it was a pistol grip 4 speed Drag Pak 383 ‘70 Super Bee... for $1000 back in 1988.
It needed a full restoration, and included all the sheet metal, NOS decals, the entire interior and a rebuilt engine and transmission needed to put it right again.
I shoulda bought it and stored it until I was ready to spend the time needed to restore it.

[kk2002s]

Originally Posted by BoxsterSteve

...For me it was a pistol grip 4 speed Drag Pak 383 ‘70 Super Bee....

I had a 70 SuperBee 383 magnum. Plain as Plain could be with 3 speed auto.
Man could that thing move. Chirped the tires on the 1-2 shift

Never really had the opportunity to buy anything great after getting married, house, school.
After college my wife and I bought a new 1987 6 cylinder camaro with 5 speed manual. She talked me out of the Z-28 - I regret that.
Never go into a dealership and make that kinda decision on the spot. I paid way to much for the car I bought

Most fun car I have ever owned - my current 02 Boxster S. It took me 30+ years to finally put a Porsche in my garage

[bockster75]

I was 20 years old with a baby and wife and was shopping for our first house. I came across a chiropractic student selling his home after graduating. He bought the home complete with a 1974 AMC Javelin AMX all original with less than 30k on the odometer from the previous owner. He was an Italian gentleman and had zero interest in the bulky American car and never drove it. He said it was free with a respectable offer on the house. I wasn't interested in the house but realized this car could be bought for pennies before this guy left the area. I know it was only an old Javelin but I probably could've made a nice profit had I not been 20 YEARS OLD WITH A BABY AND A WIFE HOUSE HUNTING. Especially now that I see what these guys can do with one... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9RmNdhmjSqk

[Paul]

In 2012 I was offered a one owner 1997 993 Turbo that was in Concours condition with 40K miles for $73K. Bought my one owner 996TT for a lot less instead.

[Pdwight]

I was offered one for 3 grand in 1975....and it was not in too bad condition. Also passed up a 1957 Chevy for $350 when I got my license in 1972...but it had been butchered

[rexcramer]

I passed on two different 912's over the last 25 years. Still want one.

[78F350]

"What car do you regret not purchasing?"
None really come to mind. My regrets are for the cars left behind when I returned to the USA from military tours in Germany. My first tour ended in '89 I had a BMW 1802.
Not mine, but like this:


Second tour in the late 90s I had a VW delivery truck, Beer Wagon (and a variety of cars). It's diesel engine really labored going uphill, but it was a fun versatile ride, complete with a canopy for the bed.
Actual car:


I'd love to have either one of those again.

[Finnegan]

Originally Posted by 78F350

"What car do you regret not purchasing?"
None really come to mind. My regrets are for the cars left behind when I returned to the USA from military tours in Germany. My first tour ended in '89 I had a BMW 1802.
Not mine, but like this:


Second tour in the late 90s I had a VW delivery truck, Beer Wagon (and a variety of cars). It's diesel engine really labored going uphill, but it was a fun versatile ride, complete with a canopy for the bed.
Actual car:


I'd love to have either one of those again.

I had a '69 (I think?) bmw 1600 as a project car that never got off the ground. Finally traded it for an actually running '72 2002. That was a great car!

[Steelepuls]

1987 Toyota 4Runner, blue with black top, 5 spd, and the bullet proof 4 cylinder engine. You know the first generation version with only 2 doors and the plastic top.

[husker boxster]

A car I always wanted to own but never did was a FI Scirocco (78-81). By the time I could afford one, my tastes had gone elsewhere.

I'd also always wanted a '90 300ZX. My sister had a few of this version and I'm glad I never bought one. Nice car, just not what I thought it would be but sexy none the less.

When I had just turned 16, I was looking for a wrecked 70 Mach 1 to fix up. My dad and I found a nice yellow 351 3spd that needed the front sheet metal put on. Unfortunately it had a tiny dent just above the windshield post and dad thought we wouldn't be able to get to the dent because of inner construction. Sadly, we passed on it, but it was in very nice condition. We ended up buying this one at the start of my JR yr in HS. We worked for months on it, partly fixing the damage, partly changing the color (factory color was ivy). It turned out nice but it had been thru the wringer by several of the previous owners. I think about that yellow Mach 1 often...

Here's what it looked like when we bought it in Sep '75.


Here's what it looked like hrs before I left for prom in Apr 76 (we barely got it done). We later put the trunk stripe and Mach 1 script on the trunk.


Later that summer:

[Rhysd]

While shopping for my first car in 1978 I looked at (and drove) both a 1972 911s and a 1967 Austin Healey 3000. Both were, unfortunately, outside my budget at around $AUD11,000 and $AUD4,000 respectively. I ended up with a $AUD700 1964 VW Beetle!

Then in 1994 my then GF's grandfather passed away and I had the choice of either (or both) a 1973 Mach 1 Mustang or a 1973 Ford Landau - both with the Cleveland 351 V8 in immaculate condition and VERY low mileage. He loved polishing them, looking at them and driving them JUST enough to keep them healthy. Oh, and he had owned them from new!

His wife (not grandmother) was asking $AUD5,000 each for them but for some bizarre reason I thought my Toyota Camry was a much more sensible option - idiot!

For those of you that may not be familiar with the Aussie version of this muscle car, here is an image of a good example of a Landau...

[BYprodriver]

Here is my 1970 T/A I did buy in 1990 for $5,500 best deal I ever made, had 73,K miles when I bought it. I had previously bought one for $500 that needed the engine rebuilt. I parted it out because it had a little rust in the floor panel. I should have restored it.

[RedBluff]

Originally Posted by Rhysd

Then in 1994 my then GF's grandfather passed away and I had the choice of either (or both) a 1973 Mach 1 Mustang or a 1973 Ford Landau - both with the Cleveland 351 V8 in immaculate condition and VERY low mileage. He loved polishing them, looking at them and driving them JUST enough to keep them healthy. Oh, and he had owned them from new!

The Aussie Landau is equal to the NA Mercury Montego GT.
Overall it's a very rare car here in the US. I lived a lot of places in the US and I've never seen one.
https://mmgt.forumchitchat.com/post/1973-production-numbers-information-6239621

[thstone]

Short hood early 911.

Ferrari 308.

Ferrari 360.

The short hood is probably permanently out of reach but the 360 will happen when I stop racing.