Peter, perhaps best to research the possibilities of engine failures on early 996 & 997 up to 997.2 before splashing the cash, as there may be some degree of gambling involved than one might initially imagine..? On the other hand a 996 or early 997 could work out wonderfully well, there are those who have owned them over many years and swear by them... The write up at the time of the launch of the 996 proclaimed it to be superior to the 993 which it replaced, though today try buying a 993 for the advertised price of the 996 you posted details of..?
Howard, good to read your interesting response, also good to note that someone might find some interest in aspects of my rambling... (-:
I think I can tune into your preference for boat over car, as I have a friend who has a similar preference, all be it he likes his cars too..(-:
I was also very fond of my Moody. I guess once you have sailed through a bit of weather knowing full well that your survival is/was entirely dependant on your vessel and your handling of it, as you watch that first green wall of water rising above the bow and marching forward over the fore-hatch, heart in mouth as the water wall heads along the deck towards you.... until the bow finally brakes free and out of that first big wave.... Confidence restored in the old girl`s ability to keep you safe, definitely creates a rather strong bond. That experience was not taken from some book or magazine, it is one I will ever remember, and was experienced on the return from my first trip out to the Western Isles in the seventies, while homeward bound rounding the Mull of Kintyre, which is perhaps not the best stretch of water in which to face a bit of a blow..?
Mrs Luddite greatly enjoyed our fair weather sailing for a number of years and could take the rough with the smooth, though when I bought the Mog, she decided enough of Summer holidays when she returned home bruised from being thrown about the cabin etc, thus she thought to arrange a trip to France in the Morgan which had potential to be reasonably adventurous, and with the prospect of warmer holiday weather, perhaps even a sun tan thrown in too boot..!
Yeah well, prior to buying into the idea of Morgan ownership I had researched both on the MSCC DG and eMog all relative to Morgan "foibles," some even on on new out of the box cars ...thus the idea of depending on a rebuilt Morgan to carry us all the way to and around France, seemed to carry a degree of risk almost the equal of rounding the Mull...though perhaps not quite.. (-: Kevin, the former owner and restorer of my +8 obviously did a grand job of the nut and bolt rebuild, as the old Mog got us to France and back with next to no foibles making themselves evident, thus just a bit like the boat, I suspect a degree of bonding took place betwixt man and machine, in that the Mog took us to France and back home again safe and sound.
Such was the degree of confidence in the Morgan after the trip to France, that I was confident enough to force a smile when Mrs Luddite suggested that she might be a little more adventurous in planning our next year`s holiday trip, to Los Romanes in Andalusia..!!! The old Mog once again took in it`s stride... (-:
My guess is that dependant on ones involvement with that which others may regard as some kind of symbol of status, the owner, who for a number of reasons might have engaged in some degree of bonding with the boat, car or whatever might cause others some degree of envy... I guess that is THEIR problem..?
It would seem that I perhaps a bit like you Howard, I on occasion struggle to justify to MYSELF, the ownership of that which spends much of it`s time hidden away in my garage, perhaps providing some degree of pleasure as garage art, more than required transport..?
The C4S was the last car Mrs Luddite drove not long before she passed away, and that she really driving it, taking delight in telling me just how well it suited her small frame compared to other cars I had owned and she had driven over the years. So once again I suspect I sense a degree of bonding with that machine also..
Owning a sports car can be expensive and in a few short miles... If Ferrari is of interest, you might learn a bit if you care to beam up this chap as he has experience of the marque.
I can semi regularly flip and flop between thinking of trying to sell either or both, followed by justifying my thinking on keeping a couple of what for me are valued by way of a sense of achievement in ownership in my garage that may have a market value far in excess of the price I paid for this property in the 70`s...! I guess as ever, some degree of relativity may be best applied.... The potential threat hanging over one`s head for the possible costs involved in future health care, or old folks home fees...!!!
