Ever sell a car and regretted selling it to this day?

orconn · #1 (**permalink**) 09-09-09, 01:06 AM

I had a lot of cars, most of them I either grew tired of or fed up with, but there were two cars I regretted selling right after the sale and wish to this day I still had them. Having had some cars that have proven to be classic or at least minor or major icons among collectors (Jaguar E-type, Lamborghini 350 GT) one would think I would have missed one of those cars. Truth be told the only two cars I have really regretted getting rid of were my Alfa Romeo 164S and my 1976 Seville.

The Alfa, which I owned for over nine years, was the best all round car I have ever owned. Super for running around L.A. streets, fun through the twisties of the Hollywood Hills and the Angeles Crest Highway and completely comfortable and competent for long trips on the interstates. Truth be told I wouldn't have gotten rid of it if I could have found service, that I trusted, here in Virginia. Replaced by a Mercedes CLK ..... a thoroughly boring piece of German engineering.

The Seville was my favorite car up till I got the Alfa. By today's standards it might not be that impressive, but in 1976 and for several years to come it was an American car you could be proud of. It wasn't fast, but it had a strikingly good looking body, it was a mangeable size and the fit and finish and materials were better than any other American car of the time. It was very reliable, ran well with the fuel injection system (remember we had just come through the poor running era of the early '70s) didn't rattle, like most two year old or younger American cars, and was great to drive in the city and on the Freeway. My clients liked to ride in her long after the notchback Seville was out of production. I kept her in tip top condition and her paint and upholstery stood up very well as she was garaged day and night. I sold her to a friend for $8500.00, which was a lot of money for a 9 1/2 year old car in 1985, and regretted seeing her go the very next day.

**I~LUV~Caddys8792** · #2 (**permalink**) 09-09-09, 01:08 AM

What did you do for work? You've always had the nicest cars...

I regret selling the S. It was a necessary evil though. That was an amazing piece of machinery, but terribly expensive for a 22 year old to own.

77CDV · #3 (**permalink**) 09-09-09, 03:18 AM

The only one of my past cars that I really wish I had back was my first car, but it was stolen not sold, so that doesn't count. All the rest were nice while I had them, but deeply regret selling them? Nah.

ga_etc · #4 (**permalink**) 09-09-09, 05:14 AM

I regret selling my '95 Thunderbird. It was a good car, but the car itself isn't what I regret. It is who I sold the car to. I still kick my ass over it.

caddydaddy · #5 (**permalink**) 09-09-09, 09:44 AM

I miss my '76 Fleetwood Brougham with the EFI 500 and TrakMaster ABS! That was a sweet car. It's in Germany now.

Sandy · #6 (**permalink**) 09-09-09, 11:34 AM

I regret selling my 1976 Imperial Crown St. Regis Edition Coupe. I ordered it in 1975 - Day after Thanksgiving. I put every single option offered on it and dressed it in black, with the heavily padded 3/4 black roof and cranberry red combo of velvet & velour upholestry. I had it 2 years, at which time it had 4,000 miles, only. It was flawless prestine, showroom perfect.
One sad day I am at a red light, with a Dodge Dart sedan in front of me, with two very elderly ladies in it. Suddenly they THOUGHT that the light had turned green, and pulled forward, about 3 feet. Then someone in the car realized that it had not turned green, so the driver began to back up. When she was like 4 feet from me, I beeped my horn. She continued to back up. I beeped again, check my rear view mirror. I could not back up, Toyopet was 3 inches from me. Whacko backed up until she hit me and busted the fiberglass body strip that went down vertically between the twin grill sections.
Then, the passenger accused me of hitting them !!
I took it to a local body-shop. They called me that day that it was done. I went to see it. Nice and perfect job.
I told them I could not drive 2 cars and I'd go home & get someone to bring me back & I'd be back in less than 90 minutes.

Well, when I got back I notice the Imperial had been moved and turned around (in hopes that I would not eye-ball it again. I did. The entire passenger side had been KEYED! Taillight to front door, but not the front fender.
I showed them.
A woker from inside, knowing what happened came out to me and told me the truth. The shop owner liked the car, and wanted to take it for a ride. He had to go down to down-neck Newark (NJ) to pick up some papers for his printed, so...he took my car. When parked on a Newark street in a bad area, it got keyed. I told the owner. He said he'd spray the side.
He pianted only the quarter panel (all 8 feet of it) and the door, but not the front fender. It did not match ! The part he painted had orange peel in it. I showed him that. He said "It's not a new car". I said it was perfect after you installed the twin grills, and the fiberglass downward strip. He said he'd do it over & do the front fender, too. He did it. It was much better. It was not perfect as it had been. I kept the car, but it never stopped bothering me as, in the evening, under man made lights you could still se the mis-match. I kept it for 4 more years, Finally one day it got tjhe best of me and I traded it in on the then new 1982 Imperial Bustleback Coupe.
In 1982 that bodyshop also went out of business. GOOD. I really miss that car, it was THE BEST car I ever owned until my 1993 Sixty Special, that I still have, now with 9,921 miles on her, now in heted winter storage, and very safe. The 60 Special is a great fantastic car, but the 1975/1976 Imperial was better in every way, except for resale value.

96Fleetwood · #7 (**permalink**) 09-09-09, 11:55 AM

I regret selling my 1986 944 Turbo and 1989 944 S2. They were amazing daily drivers and weekend track cars... just too expensive for a then college student to maintain.

I most likely buy a 968 in the future and make it a weekend racer

I know I will regret selling my '96 Fleetwood.. but I feel it is time to move onto the next adventure.

**I~LUV~Caddys8792** · #8 (**permalink**) 09-09-09, 02:04 PM

What is the next move?

hueterm · #9 (**permalink**) 09-09-09, 02:08 PM

I'd consider it, if it fit in my garage............................

JimHare · #10 (**permalink**) 09-09-09, 09:11 PM

The only car I ever really regretted selling was my Primrose Yellow 1973 Jaguar X-KE convertible in August of 1975. I was a poor dumb ex-college student, working two jobs, living in a rooming house my dad owned, rent free. Then I went and got married, and decided to go back to college and get the degree. Turns out the finance company wasn't keen on a 22 year old taking their car from West Chester, PA to Sacramento, CA, especially since I wasn't working. Sold it for $500 more than I paid ($7,000 to $7,500), owned for about 15 months, drove it every day. Never a problem. They go for what, about $60 grand now?...

inurok · #11 (**permalink**) 09-09-09, 10:29 PM

Sure too many time to remember. Damn it sucks being poor...

ga_etc · #12 (**permalink**) 09-09-09, 11:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by inurok

Damn it sucks being poor...

Understatement of the century...

**Ranger** · #13 (**permalink**) 09-09-09, 11:38 PM

Wish I still had my '73 Eldo and my '69 Road Runner (Beep Beep).

orconn · #14 (**permalink**) 09-10-09, 12:57 AM

I wouldn't want it back, but I sure enjoyed it while I had it. My 1983 Volkswagen Scirocco Wolfsburg Edition! Bought it on a wim, and just enjoyed the heck out of it. The car had great, almost Recaro seat, a neat 5 speed, no power steering, good brakes, a manual sunroof .... and within its limits a lot of pep. The car became the car of choice, beating out my '76 Seville and my wife's Peugeot 505S, for weekend running around. It was a car that when you got behind the wheel that just made you smile and put you in a good mood. Mine was bright red with black leather seats and black interior. My wife learned to drive stick on the car, and once she mastered the manual transmission it was all I could get her to let me drive. My son finally out grew the back seat and the Scirocco's day became numbered. after six years of ownership it went to live with my mechanic ( a dyed in the wool anti-Volkswagen guy) came to love the car as much as I had. He owned it for ten years ..... and when I talked ot him in California last year he said the new owner was enjoying the car just as much as we all had. Funny when you realize these all were people who drove Jags, Astons, Lotus's and all kinds of sports and luxury cars ..... and all got a happy smile from the fun little Scirocco!

hueterm · #15 (**permalink**) 09-10-09, 01:14 AM

I still have my first car, the '70 GP, which is a multi-year restoration project -- but I'm glad I have it.

I also drove a '77 and an '83 GP while in high school and college. I'd like to have a sharp, black '77 now. The '83, not so much.

I loved my '92 Toronado, and I'd love to have it now -- it would be great for all of the driving I have to do. I also liked my '99 GP GTP, which also would be good to have now.

I liked both Avalanches, but the EXT is far better. The Roadmaster, I liked -- but it didn't have the LT1, so I don't really long for its return.

The Riviera, I wish I still had -- simply because if I hadn't gotten rid of it, I wouldn't have bought the ETC, and then not spent so much money in getting it fixed.....