Distraught

[fairsider 0]

I sympathize with you, Gent. I have had the same dillema. I've had my 240SX since it was new in 1993. It's never been out in the winter (and for that matter in much bad weather at all) and I've babied it, but I desperately wanted a Smart so I bought one. The 240 is my fair weather car, while the Smart gets me around town and to/from work. When I moved from a house with a garage into a condo, I had to rent another spot to park the two cars, and had to start taking the battery from the 240 out to plug it in in our unit to keep it charged during the winter months.My partner (who owns yet another vehicle) just rolls his eyes ...If it was me, I'd grab the Porsche... and ignore all good advice to the contrary

[IMSMRT 0]

I'd keep the Porsche no doubt about it. Sell the smart and get a cheap beater car for the winter.

[ARTZ 0]

The smart car is a good winter car. At least for me.

[CanadianTurbo 0]

My Dad is picking up his new ride on Thursday and I sure hope one day he wants to give it to meGood call on trying to push the choice back a bit, then you can find a way to keep both

[B Tisshaw 0]

Blood is thicker than anything on the planet. sell the smart.Drive the Porsche and connect with your dad on every shift. He loves(d) it and so will you.I bet you can even argue that dollar for dollar, the Porsche is the same as, or cheaper to maintain and fuel. God forbid, the Boxter is also in a different league when it comes to a potential resale.Do it for you Pop and do it for yourself, I bet if cash and sweet memories permit, a smart will be available down the road somewhere. 2 cents worth.

[Gent 1]

Good points gang, thanks. Keep your fingers crossed for his driving test. I'll keep you all posted on the outcome (when it happens).Cheers,Ian

[Duck 16]

You only live once. Keep what you like driving. If you really like the smart, you'll miss it every time you get in the boxter, even though you're making someone else happy. That's no way to live life, IMHO. You have to look after yourself first, because if you're not happy and secure in your decisions, you can't help anyone else.

When I moved into my condo, yeah there was the possibility for me to "inherent" ugly old furniture that I hated. I said no, I wanted to pick my own stuff - my parents respected that (they actually suggested I might NOT want the stuff, before I told them that I wasn't interested in it), and we're all happy. We have so much crap to clear out of my grandparents' houses that we realised a long time ago that material objects make up so little of who we are as people.

-Iain

[MikeT 744]

Good points of course, but Gent likes a turn of speed, so the Boxster should be right up his alley. I'm sure "liking driving/owning the car" won't be an issue....

[Gent 1]

Yeah, I smile when I see my smart, and I really enjoy driving it; but, everyone says I have a big stupid grin on my face when I drive the Porsche, and omg is it fun to drive.Jay Leno once said (about a different car): "This car is so much better than you are. I am probably not physically capable of taking this car anywhere near its limit. It's a bit like me trying to have sex with an aerobics instructor. I'd be totally exhausted and out of breath while she'd just be looking at her watch."- That comment is what I think about when I drive the Boxster.Funny story: The first time my father let me take out the Boxster for a test drive, Laura came with me. I was having a blast, and so was she. I could SWEAR she had seen the Jay Leno episode where he delivered the line above. Seriously. I thought she was there, and knew the quote.I said (in my best Jay Leno voice): "This car is so much better than you are..." I didn't even finish the quote before I realized the temperature in the car had dropped 40 degrees. :DHoo boy. I finished the quote and rapidly began trying to get her to remember the Jay Leno garage episode where he delivered the line.Thank god she has a sense of humour.edit:schpelinge

Edited March 19, 2008 by Gent

[jackblack 0]

sell the smart. Have fun in the Porche. Don't worry about it.

[yolanda 0]

Have you considered which will appreciate or depreciate in value over the years? I don't know how smarts will fare but don't porsches get more valuable a decade down the road? What about finding a suitable storage site for the boxter and get it cleaned and tuned for storage and just put it away till the smart's too old or you have a young one to benefit or make some other decision like selling it? Then if you really really want to drive it, it's there for you even if you only put on a temporary license for the day.

[Gent 1]

I might be able to negotiate my way into a higher paying gig soon. If that happens, then I'll definitely be putting alternating cars into storage for 6 months at a time. It's really just that I'd like to put the money against my mortgage instead of tying it up in a second vehicle.A second car feels like wasteful luxury at this moment, but keeping both would definitely make me happy. Keeping the Porsche is probably option #2. Heck, it might be 5 years (or more) before this decision happens - provided he does well on that re-testing.At that point, my nephew might still be making overtures for the ForTwo. He is 14 now, but he thinks my car is pretty cool (there is hope for the future!)

[Dang 0]

A second car feels like wasteful luxury at this moment, but keeping both would definitely make me happy.

Look at this way. You have one 4 seater. It just happens to be spread over two cars.If you're really struggling with the decision, give the Porsche to me. It's the kind of sacrifice I'm willing to make to help out a fellow smartie..... Later! Dang

[B Tisshaw 0]

OK now this is getting complicated....Aerobics instructors are as a group, or subset of the fitness obsessed overachieving, caffeine amped type A lunatics, are by definition all....nutz.To keep up with a looney toon spandex clad drill instructor during bedroom aerobics is just plain unrealistic, at least for most of us.We bought smarts to save precious energy, not to expire while expending every ounce of our own.oh yes, go Porsche.

Edited March 20, 2008 by B Tisshaw

[deezle 0]

If you're really struggling with the decision, give the Porsche to me.

You're second in line, Dang.Actually Duck touched on a very important point: Our chosen means of transportation (walking, biking, motorcycle, transit, SUV or type of car) all are a big reflection of our personalities and world view. It's a bit like clothing and grooming---it gives others an indication of who we are and what our philosophy is.. I couldn't drive a Hummer any more than I could get a pink mohawk hairstyle. I'd rather walk than drive most SUV's, even if it was a gift with a full tank of gas. Same with a Camaro. If a person feels uncomfortable with the image of one's vehicle---they won't be happy with it for very long.

[Gent 1]

That's true. Also true that if you don't enjoy driving the car, it will only get worse. I was startled at how many people bought a smart based on it's looks without getting behind the wheel.

[yolanda 0]

You're second in line, Dang.

Actually Duck touched on a very important point: Our chosen means of transportation (walking, biking, motorcycle, transit, SUV or type of car) all are a big reflection of our personalities and world view. It's a bit like clothing and grooming---it gives others an indication of who we are and what our philosophy is.. I couldn't drive a Hummer any more than I could get a pink mohawk hairstyle. I'd rather walk than drive most SUV's, even if it was a gift with a full tank of gas. Same with a Camaro.

If a person feels uncomfortable with the image of one's vehicle---they won't be happy with it for very long.

Ironically, I have had a pink mohawk hairstyle. If I used enough gel and wasted the time I'd still have a pink mohawk, but as it is, it's a blonde and pink iroquois. LOL

Additionally, when the hummer first came out and was still a go-anywhere survival vehicle worth millions, I lusted after them. you could move in and live in one of those babies and nobody could take you down! Or at least that's how it seemed. The ultimate survival vehicle for the apocalypse. All it is now is an incredibly ugly gas hog with a hefty price tag.

People tell me my smart suits me. I'm a quirky cute small woman, a bit weird around the edges but congenial and friendly enough. The smart car is quirky, cute, and small, a bit weird around the edges, but congenial and friendly enough :-)

I've always had a fascination with microcars. I used to dream of owning a

messerschmidt

or Nash Metropolitan.

I was in love with VW bugs and the original austin mini, and a variety of other sexy little cars. The smart was a natural evolution of this fascination and I'm so very delighted to find a microcar that has all those lovely amenities, not just a little steel and glass cage with a putt-putt motor!

A mechanic friend once set me up with a boat-car. A cutlass oldsmobile 4 door with fenders out the yin-yang and enough room for a pimp party! I'd told him I wanted an econobox and he kept assuring me bigger was safer and little women like me needed to be swathed in sheets of steel out there on the big bad roads. I hated that thing so passionately I mentally killed it, the motor which had been just fine seized up in 6 wks (I didn't abuse it, it just died) and I returned it to the guy. *why* I was so desperate as to take that thing is a story for another day :-)

You gotta feel at home in your ride, it's that simple.

[Gent 1]

The Messerschmidts are awesome little cars.

[MikeT 744]

Especially the KR500.

[Gent 1]

Especially the KR500.

I don't know the 500 - can't find pics of it either. It's not that Messerschmidt 2020 concept vehicle is it?Found a rocket Messerschmidt plane that made me chuckle...

[MikeT 744]

It was a highly tuned 500 cc version with 4 wheels. Maybe it was not "KR" (Kabinenroller) but rather a T-model. T 500?

[Gent 1]

Aha - TG 500!

Edited March 23, 2008 by Gent

[yolanda 0]

Cool, I started a messerschmidt thread, LOL. I also like the various microcars so small "a woman can carry them by the bumper." but truly, these old things were the horror show in traffic that people mistakenly assume about our smarts. :-)

[MikeT 744]

Watch the spelling: it's Messerschmitt, not knife-smith!

[Gent 1]

lol Porsche!