Design/Re-sell Debate

Hey everyone. I have a combo aesthetic/re-sell question. I'm sure there is one right answer, so feel free to just weigh-in, from one Porsche lover to another. During Covid Quarantine I came into money through a parent's death and got my dream car, a Porsche (attached). I looked for specifically a 987.2 post 2009 for months and one came available near me that looked pristine. At the time, flush with inheritance, I thought, this will be my starter Porsche . I'm sure to resale this Cayman S and get an older 911 at some point. Then, as many said would happen, I fell in love with this car's handling and driver's comfort. However, being honest, I never liked silver cars. I'm sure some of you might feel the same. I love my car. Love it. Just wish it was a different color. Here's the thing. Mine is completely original parts. Not a single modification besides the tires and it was lowered when I got it. I was raised in a classic car collecting family and I just had "original" burnt into my mind for what matters when it comes time to sell a vehicle. Now, years later, I haven't come into more money. I am about where I was financially. My family dynamic works with our other cars and my two seater for drives once or twice a month. Not able to buy a second sports car ( 911 for example, muchless a fixed up older one). But I MIGHT someday want to sell my Cayman S to help get the amount I need for a car over 80 or 90k. So it's not like re-selling is out of the question someday. I'm comfortably middle class and would like to move to rural mountains in about five years, to which most of my financial planning is focused. So here (finally) is my actual debate: I have been toying with the idea of a wrap or painting over the car. I have always loved the Gulf Livery color combo or the Martini combo (attached). What I've heard: If you don't have the money to buy the car of the dreams, you don't have the money to pay thousands for a perfect wrap and then again to have it removed for re-sell. This car is for the driving and life is short. Get the car wrapped or painted and enjoy your 987.2 (with about 40k miles) for the rest of your life. One of the premises of the debate is that repainting would trash the resale value. But is the 987.2 ever really going to fetch prices over 50K? Another is that wrapping needs to be done so perfectly and taken off so professionally, that the cost is not worth having a colorful car. Then there is the design/aesthetic element: Do you think it would look weird to have Gulf Livery colors/stripe on a Cayman S ? Or do you feel there is a value to the original silver that I am not considering enough? Open to thoughts, openings, rants, whatever. And thank you in advance for those of you who engage.

Hi @drshorter - Here are a few points via a hot take: I originally had a 2005 987.1 in Arctic Silver with a grey interior. The silver and grey was never my thing. That alone? I eventually decided to sell it. Get the car you want. Don't try and cosmetically dress up something to make it better. You'll never be happy with it. Consider a cross-grade, where ideally you'd make even money. Find out what 987.2 car/color-scheme you really want, and sell yours on. Save the cash until you're ready to buy the 987.2 of your dreams. I've done the classic car thing twice. It's awesome. But you'll need a lot of time (and likely money). 987s aren't the ultimate asset. However, they're incredible cars. If you're only driving twice a month -- consider driving something you'd be so passionate about that you'd be driving more than that. Read the gazillion threads on here about the 98X vs 99X. Ask yourself why you want another car. I've done wrapping work and artwork. It's fun, but arguably adds little to no financial value to a car -- especially when it's done to your exact taste. Yes, a lot of guys are die-hard stock in the P-car community. Keep that in mind if you make any changes. Drive what makes you happy. Not what marketing tells you. Again, none of this is gospel. But it sounds like you're trying to improve something that you're not satisfied with and may never be satisfied with. Take some time and think about what you REALLY want and go for it. Just my two cents -- from having largely been in your exact same situation (down to the silver car color). Cheers.

I'd say hell yes....search gulf livery 987. But I think you should do the hippie version Martini.

Wrap it.

Wow! That hippie Martini is crazy cool. And I hadn't seen this Gulf one before. Thank you for the inspiration.

If color is the only thing that bothers you about the car- wrap it (pay to have it done rignt). If you drive it so little and it is garage kept it will last along time (5-7 years). If you want to sell it after that- take the wrap off. If there are other things that bother you- save up and buy the right car- or sell it and put the money towards something that will make you happy. My two cents.

Such a great response. Thank you. Yes, the driving two days a month is a shorthand for an already long post. Yes it's garaged. And I'm in LA so driving actually isn't that fun unless I'm out of the city and in the canyons, which is heaven. Literally that's my happy place. But that's more like a three hour minimum trip to make it worth it cuz it's bumper to bumper to get out of the city a bit and then I can let it go. So the family duties, my creative projects, and the eternal and internal debate of whether I should keep the miles low and rock chips minimal for resale all have it so I take it out 2-3 times per month in the summer and not at all from November to March (too much gravel or snow deterrent on the canyon roads).

You're welcome! There really are no wrong answers, TBH -- it's about what works best for you. FWIW, you're certainly not alone. I have a 981 Outlaw 3.8L that's really a show car and a summer car only, where I'm a bit more on-the-fence about lower mileage and condition -- it's squarely an asset. In contrast I also drive a 260K+ 987.2 year round (in the snow and ice) where I'm far more relaxed about dings -- and extra mileage is actually a huge bonus! Ask yourself what you really want to do. Boston is bad where it takes a solid 40 minutes to get to amazing driving country, but 3 hours sounds crazy and not fun. Anyhow, I get it. If doing a wrap will make your 987.2 your ultimate car, then go for it! But if it'll only get you part of the way there, I'd stand pat. If there are no financial pressures to sell it, in that case, take good care of it and see where you're at if/when you move to the country in five years. My gut says you want something different, and you like (but may be bored with, as many of us are loathe to admit) but don't really love the color scheme. Start thinking about what will fire up your own engine. Finally, putting on Martini livery would look great -- but you certainly don't have to do the entire car. In that case, I bet you'd be out 2K tops! You'd have to look into it. BTW - Check out this new thread RE: older 911s and my response there: https://www.planet-9.com/threads/in...-very-used-911-but-unsure-of-the-possible-hellish-scenario-id-be-in-for.257760/ Again, there really are no wrong answers. Art and design appreciation is subjective, and follow your gut on this. Plus, if money isn't much of an issue, you can always change things up.

Not sure if it has been done before, but I've always wondered if the James Dean "Lil' Bastard" livery has ever been done on a Cayman . Somewhat similar rear hips. It would requie minimal wrap and still add a little character. Just a thought.

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I did see the other thread. And you are convincing me. TBH, when I got my cayman s, it was quarantine. I was gardening and making essential oils. I thought I'll get a car and spend hours in my garage like my dad did with his old Triumphs. But then I got the cayman s (thinking it was my first Porsche), and did the work for a year. I didn't have small enough hands. The costs. The cussing and throwing of tools. It dawned on me, I'm not at all like my dad and do not have the time (now that we're out of quarantine) to spend weekends hunting down parts and paying for them, and fixing up my car. So then why would I get an older 911? What I really love is the go-cart feeling and the driver responsiveness of this 987.2. And the pristine condition, cold AC, great sound system. Well, now I am talking myself into just making the car I love look wise.

I like what foodbiker mentioned. If you want to keep the car then go all out. If you can spare it, Life is too short not to enjoy your car the way you want to. I did custom coilovers upgraded the brakes and custom decals and made my car my own. enjoy!

@RSchwerer - You know that I'll always argue that Racing Yellow and Guards Red are the fastest colors anyhow. Yes, I'm from the school of thought that being seen is safer, and ideally I don't drive like a clown where LEOs will pull me over. @drshorter - Wrenching isn't for everyone, TBH. However, you are catching me at a point where although I'm in my '50s and I've wrenched for 30+ years at this point, I'd like to do a little less wrenching and more driving/riding. Much of my wrenching has been DIY so I could afford to drive/ride the vehicles I want. If you're so inclined, one can certainly learn to wrench enough to work on your 987.2 to maintain it. I have found that generally speaking, vintage cars (generally speaking) will demand your attention. I'll surely continue wrenching ideally for years to come, but it's about balance. Also, you could certainly learn to do some wrapping yourself -- just as I did. I originally thought about the "Lil'Bastard" thing but it was never my style.

Decals, wrap, paint pens... Do whatever strikes your fancy. Make the world brighter. At least one of my 718s will be an art car by April. All the cool kids are doing it! A list of the all-time great Porsche art cars PORSCHE 911 4 GTS — NIKA ZUPANC

So true. And these links are great!!

I wanted a bright Orange or bright Green Lotus initially. When a 987.1 S with a 3.8 FSI engine popped up I jumped on it. Arctic Silver was “ok” at best, and I was quite dubious about Brown leather interior. Black Alcantara would have been my choice. Both colours have grown on me. The Brown leather interior matches my favorite A2 jacket, and despite not being my first choice Arctic Silver Caymans look great. Depends on your priorities, but I just spent A$10k on rebuilding/updating the suspension. I wouldn’t consider spending that to change the colour.

Hi, I had a 77 911 targa and over the years I repainted and essentially made the car look like new, not concours. I did add physical items that made the car more what I wanted and still fit in. Front spoiler, Carrera tail, and deep dish rear wheels that were 15". My point is that the car looked right, not out of place. A knowledgeable P person would know that those adds were not specific to the year. Last year I sold it after owning it for 28 years. The buyer didn't want the Carrera tail, so I removed it and put the oe decklid back on for him. My advice is to only do the visual mods that make you happy without going too far. Adding Martini stripes would look good on a silver car. I'd it were me, I would not wrap the car.

I wouldn't assume that you couldn't sell the car wrapped for a good price. Just go through the ads of available 987s out there; there are not usually many to choose from in vivid colors. Sure, the person who wants a bone stock car would pass, but there are plenty of people who like cars that stand out as unique. Wrap it up!

Did yours come with the Porsche stripe across the sides? I wish mine had something like that at least.

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