What makes a car a "keeper"?

Most of us have bought and sold some very nice cars. Newer models are always faster and have updated technology, but some cars hit the sweet spot and stay with the same owner until circumstances force a sale.

Some enthusiasts are serial buyers and sellers, and get bored fast.

The question came to mind when I bought my Porsche 964 in September. It's been a one-owner car since it was delivered in 1993 for $74K. 28 years and apparently nothing else tempted him.

So... have you found a keeper? What makes it so?

 

My S2000. I bought it new in 2003, back then I was debating between buying an older sportscar either a 308 or 911 and buying a new one since at that time I had never bought a car brand new and being a car guy wanted to experience that at least once in my life. I made the final decision by deciding that I could always buy a used 911 or 308 but wouldn't always be able to have the option to buy a new S2000. Eighteen and a half years later and I have never regretted my decision, my S is all original and has never been damaged and I could never replace it.

 

S2000 is a good example. I don't think there's really been a replacement -- high revving, two seater convertible sports car. The MX5 is nice, but maybe lacks the edge of the S2000.

And the 308 and air-cooled 911 are also potential keepers, because Ferrari and Porsche can no longer build cars with those proportions or technologies. Probably impossible due to smog and safety requirements, and IMHO these were high points in design. You can buy many cars that are faster and outhandle them, but you can't really replace a 308. You lose a lot of the drama and mechanical character. I could say the same about the Jaguar E-Type and F-Type...

 

I agree. Overall it was a tough choice. I had spent close to 2 years trying to get the S2000 and had given up being frustrated with dealing with the Honda dealers and had found a 91 C4 that I was negotiating on and it's a long story but in summary I walked into my local Toyota dealer to buy some parts for my truck and they also have a Honda franchise so I popped over to the Honda side just for the heck of it and evidently it was meant to be as I talked to a saleswoman there and she agreed to all my requests and my car was ordered that month which was April built in May and I got it right off the truck in June. Fast forward 9 years and I added a used Ferrari to my fleet so all in all I can't complain although I still hope to own a 3x8 and or 911 some day.

 

“So... have you found a keeper? What makes it so?”


Beauty (looks, sound, etc) and provenance (race history, preferred era/affinity, unique story) build interest.
Positive test drives lead to purchase.
Exemplary long term driving experiences (analog, handling dynamics, engaging, responsive) and community makes for a keeper.

Street-registered 355 Challenge car. Own 8+ years and going strong. 3 more months till I break current ownership tenure record (911SC, which I raced/drove everywhere).

 

I think if there is a car you want that is basically irreplaceable, that makes it a keeper. I had a 2006 S2000 for a decade, and absolutely loved that car, but recently bought an Apex Blue CR delete version of the S2000. With only 21 made in total, I think it is basically irreplaceable. That makes it a keeper. My other fun car is an Alfa 4C spider in Rosso Competizione. I guess it is replaceable, but there are only about 180 or so in the US with that color, so pretty rare. If I were to sell one of them it would probably be the Alfa, but my guess is I will keep both until the gasoline is not for sale anymore.

 

'73 BMW 3.0 CS

It was my father's.

 

I consider both my cars a keeper....until they are not (ex. financial or health issues):

1999 Lamborghini Diablo Roadster MOMO Edition
2005 Ford GT

1. They are keepers because of the driving experience, which is superior to newer cars that they might be replaced with. And I don't wish to own anything earlier anymore

2. They will never be recreated because of changes in laws and manufacturer goals.

3. They are visually stunning to look at from every angle

4. They were icons in their time, and legends now

5. They have a rarity that modern exotics don't have. Yeah, they made 4,000 FGTs but compared to 20,000 458s and Huracans still rare, and with the demand of FGTs there are only a couple handfuls for sale at any one time. The Diablo OTOH is rediculously rare, only 142 worldwide for a single design year car, no more than 2-3 for sale at any one time

6. Value, I am up more than $100k on each car, most of the increase occurring prior to the inflation spike

 

Can’t get more irreplaceable than that. And good taste in cars.


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Great list, probably because I agree with all of it.

The pre-Audi Lamborghinis are iconic and also feel like they came from a small workshop rather than a giant corporation. There’s some of that as well in ‘70s and ‘80s Ferrari. Porsche was bigger, but you can tell they were cash-strapped in the early ‘90s. Some odd ergonomics that a cash-rich company would have redesigned a decade sooner.

On the value, I think that follows from the other points. There are a lot of 458s, but it’s not the same experience as the 328. I regret selling the 328 - rare color, magical drive, and probably much more expensive now. Plus, everyone knows it’s a Ferrari, no fender shields needed.



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Definitely - My 1995 F355 GTS - I worked my way through various Corvettes, Camaros, TAs, and even a beautiful 997 911 but I can recall the day I walked into our local Ferrari dealer with my dad (was a regular thing we did) and saw a brand new 355 - Always dreamed of a 308 from the Magnum days - then a 328 from Beverly Hils Cop II - then a Testarossa from Miami Vice etc. etc. but the 355 just blew my mind. At that point it was only a dream but it stuck with me. When I was in a position to actually/possibly own one I searched endlessly and walked away for various reasons - then magic happened and a well-known and respected original owner traded his 355 in to procure a new model - I knew the car and knew the owner so didn't even look at or drive the car - I just contacted FoD and said it was sold. Traded in my Porsche and a Ducati and the deal was done. I recall driving by the dealership over the weekend knowing the Giallo 355 was MINE come Monday - Already had a poster and 1:18 die cast model so it was meant to be.

My girlfriend says I will be buried in that car - which would be a waste of an amazing car so no - but I sincerely hope nothing ever occurs that would force/cause me to part with it. The car has brought many years of joy and been part of many celebrations as well as helped through challenging times. To this day every time I see it/start it/drive it/detail it my heart flutters. Despite having owned a 360 and a (yes it was white...) Testarossa and currently owning a 458 Spider, 911 GT3 Touring and Plum Crazy Hellcat Challenger the 355 is still my "keeper" and if push came to shove would be "the one" I kept at pretty much all costs.

Good thread - I am sure there are countless stories - Jerry Seinfeld has a term called "dead guys car" which he applies to certain Porsches in his extensive collection - meaning he/you would keep the car until you die - fitting for this thread.

Cheers

 

Great post Scott. I too would always go and look at cars with my Dad, when I was a teen he would bring me to our local Porsche/Audi/BMW dealer and as an adult I would take him to look at cars. One of if not the best part of my Ferrari ownership was when my Dad came up to visit me and I tossed him the keys and we went for a ride.

 

Sounds like my list of favorite Ferraris. F355 wears yellow better than any other Ferrari, IMO.

 

Thank you very much! She is definitely a keeper and agree on the yellow on 355s - just something "fits" iMO -
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That's awesome Rob - Must have been a great and meaningful experience! Unfortunately my dad had passed by the time I achieved my Ferrari ownership but I am sure he is smiling down on us. A lot of my work ethic in my younger adult years was honed/reinforced by my dad reiterating that "if you work hard and are loyal someday a Ferrari might be a reality" - seemed cliché at the time but turned out to be true

 

I have a couple of (voluntary) "keepers", both older vintage, one will turn 65 and the other 90 years old next year.
Having wanted each since my mid-teens, found and bought both in my twenties (over 30 years ago) and currently have no intentions/plans to sell either.

My '16 daily driver is somewhat involuntary "keeper" due to being one of the last of its kind, i.e. direct/identical/suitable replacements no longer being produced by any manufacturer (last ones were made in '17), so I'm "forced"(?) to & planning keep it as long as possible.

OTOH, there’s nothing made in past 40 or so years that would interests me enough to pursue ownership, let alone long term, i.e. "keeper", but then again, I’ve always been a consummate antique/classic/vintage car guy and tend to regard all modern cars/vehicles with same lack of interest, be it a KIA SUV, LaFerrari or Ford pickup truck.

 

Heavy philosophical questions for the petrol head this holiday week, Jon..

I think there are two classes of "keepers" in the car world. The first are cars that are "complete" packages. And here I don't mean cars that do everything well. Rather, cars that fulfill their owner's expectations. They may not be the fastest, best in the corners, or most usable, but the way the car does "what is should" means that the owners either needn't look, or when they do they don't see any reason to change.

The other are cars that have sentimental value. They may have been a loved relative's. Or a project that the owner poured heart and soul into. Or a milestone achievement: getting the car you always wanted.

Some cars fall into both categories. Others just one. Either way, they're cars that the owners keep and lavish care and attention on.

964s definitely fall into that camp. In my case, they're a car I always wanted, but didn't manage to get into before prices skyrocketed.

 

Someone has to tackle life's big questions, might as well be us.

Yes -- you don't focus on the car's flaws, because when get behind the wheel you know and like how it all works and feels. A gated shifter, for example, isn't the fastest mechanism, but it is mechanically satisfying. The Solex carburetors in my '56 Porsche required an elaborate cold start procedure, but tuned properly and warmed up the engine was a jewel. I didn't want an "upgrade" because nothing else provided the same sense of occasion. It felt mechanically right. The 964 is similar -- I go to the Porsche dealer and it's all very nice, but I'm happy to get my own car back.

I also had a 2016 Audi at the time, and it was competent but not a forever car: I don't remember the engine note and doubt I ever opened the hood.

That said, I had an MGB back in the '80s, and it might be a keeper for some guys. To me, it was a poor bit of engineering, and I sold it without regret. The gearbox felt agricultural, and I was never able to trust the car. (Again, British car enthusiasts would probably view it all differently...)

 

Indeed. And so we shall!

"Feel" is probably the biggest car mystery out there. Both why some cars feel "of a piece" and others don't, and why we like the feel of certain cars, but not others. A good friend is madly, passionately in love with E46 M3s. And yet he can't seem to get rid of his E36 M3 because "it just feels right" - a state his E46 hasn't yet found. Another friend has cycled through a 991, Z06 Corvette, E46 and probably one or two cars more looking for some elusive feeling he can't quite capture.

There's some alchemy in it all: it is partly intellectual, partly physical. Like the gated shifter: the "snick" is satisfying, and the solid looking gate and shifter speak to the occasion of what you're driving. Similarly the Solexes: you have to bear with the complicated startup to enjoy the sweetness of the warmed-up and properly running engine.

It's a funny and wonderful thing to chase, and there is no real way of knowing which cars will hit the mark and which will miss. I was disappointed by the E46 M3 when I drove it. Amazing motor. The rest felt rather like driving my sofa. I should be fair here: the question of "feel" is also related to the car's mission. Compared to the Cayman, the E46 felt lackluster on both the track and back roads. But, if I were to consider a daily driven car, I wouldn't be so harsh: the Cayman would be a fatiguing and annoying commuter car.

I suppose we are lucky in that we have found cars we love and that feel right to us. The only downside is that the number of cars that can 'feel right' isn't limited. Sadly, garage space is.

 

They really were operating as a hand built bespoke manufacturer at the time. They were only making 250 cars per year in the late 90s, when Ferrari was making that number of cars every 3 WEEKS..

 

Yellow works on all cars with great design language:

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ABSO-FLIPPIN-LOUTELY!!! Wow - Gorgeous and one of my favorite (someday maybe if right one comes along...) cars I think my Giallo 355 needs a big, bad Yellow Italian cousin

 

It does, you would love a big roaring V-12 right behind your ears with 30,000 feet of headroom.

Funny story, when I went Ford GT shopping a couple of years ago, my wife didn't want me to have a second yellow car (even though yellow on those are one of the best colors). Wives....if only we had cheap divorce attorneys

 

Ha! Too funny Attorneys are like cars though - you get what you pay for - ha! Funny you mention the Yellow Ford GT - I have a good friend to has one and tossed me the keys the other day to move it to his hangar (yeah... hangar) - was amazing even driving it a short distance and you are right - the Yellow w Black stripes is breathtaking - <kicking myself - again> if I only had the means when they were new and sitting on showroom floors for $150K USD -

Cheers

 

I only paid $182k for mine 2 years ago (28k mile car) so reasonably close to that sticker price....great driving car, just can't figure out how FORD did that.

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