Cars you regret not getting when you had the chance

[Ian F]

How could I forget...

The '97 M3 my g/f sold in 2004 after buying her MCS. Unmolested, extremely clean, never abused, never driven in snow and she would have sold it for $14K (remember: 2004). Unfortunately, I had just purchased my TDI and there was no way I could afford a 2nd car payment. Eventually, a guy on Long Island paid her the $17K she was asking for it.

[JasonC]

I passed this 41 Stude up a few years ago. It was a very soild car, but it was a four door. I often wondered if i shouldnt of bought it and fixed it up and sold it for something i would of wanted in a 2 door...

[ACMF74]

1983 930 turbo in 1997. Just started working and was a little too much for me then. I bought an 88 M3 instead :o

It looked identical excpet it had gold BBS RS wheels.

[M-technik-3]

88 Buick GNX back in 92 for 12k, Was moving to Japan so it had to be pre 1973 to bring a car. I brought a 71 VW Bus with a 2.7 911 engine. Regret selling that in Japan.

[Rigmaster]

Back in ~80-81 a friend and I drove past this guys house on a weekly basis to check out a GT500KR he had sitting in his front yard just rotting away. Guy said he'd take $1500 for it, but we were broke-ass baggypants at the time so we just drove by and looked at it every once in a while.

A couple years later, we found a 57 or 58 BMW 507 in the town where that same friend was going to college. Just sitting in the driveway next to a small house. We drove by many times to check on it, but never were able to find the owner.


Around the same time we went to FL on spring break. We stopped by my aunt and uncle's house to visit and my uncle asked if we could help push-start his car since the starter was dead. We said sure, and went out into the garage to help him push start his '69 427/425 4 speed Vette down the street in front of his house!! Once we got it started, he asked me if I wanted to take it for a drive!!! So, my friend and I hopped in, put the top down and went cruising. A couple months later, my uncle told me he had to sell the car, it just wasn't practical for him to keep it with 3 kids in the family. My friend and I tried to find a way to round up $4000 to buy the car, but we couldn't do it (remember, broke-ass baggypants.......).

My uncle sold it shortly after that, told me that a guy drove up from Miami and paid for the car in cash, mostly $20's.

[MikeDE]

Oh Jeez, the cars I passed on is a sad testimony to my conservative fiscal stupidity and lack of funds...This is depressing.

This ^

Silbergrau E30 M3, 155k mi, clean body & interior. He wanted $9k, this was 2006.

1999...'81(or so) Volve 242gt, silver w/ factory stripes, all original. It was sitting on the side of his house for about 2yrs. I asked multiple times about him selling it, I told him to call me when he wants to let it go. Dickhead sent it to the junkyard a few months later, no call.

2006...90/91(?) GVR4, white. Fresh motor, GC, 550's, yada yada yada, Forgeline wheels, all it needed was a FMIC to make good use of the 16g. ~$7500 IIRC.

[reelizmpro]

In 06-07 or so, I passed on a Macao Blau M Tech convertible for sale on craigslist by the original owner, no accidents, LA car all of it's life, fair shape...all stock. I really wasn't in a financial position to buy it but I could have and when I decided to pull the trigger, it had already been sold. I beat myself up about it whenever I was reminded of how rare these models were but figured it wasn't meant to be.

Fast forward to 2009, I'm browsing the forums and recognize the same exact car for sale! This time with a few mods I probably would have done anyway. Believe it or not, I was still hesitant to pick it up. The price was higher and I really didn't need a 3rd car but I thought it had to be a sign that I should have the opportunity to buy the same exact car again years later. What the heck, you only live once...

[Irish1]

Tragedy

Oh Jeez, the cars I passed on is a sad testimony to my conservative fiscal stupidity and lack of funds. First was a 64 Corvette Split-top Sting Ray a local used car lot was selling for $13,000 in 1974. I passed because it was the last of the drum-braked Vettes and I wanted a 65 with Discs. Then a 365 Ferrari GTB (66?) a friend and I almost bought as in investment for $26,000 in 1978: couldn't figure out where we'd keep it. Then an Isotta-Fraschini on the same Collector's lot: $46K in 79. Clean, but we worried about keeping it rust-free and passed. Facel-Vega in 1980: sitting in a shopping center parking lot for $8,000. Rust in the wheel-wells but the body looked good. A 38 (?) Cord Coffin-nose in 1966 for $500 before I even had a license: not a runner and what was I going to do, park it in front of my poor Mom's house? Last, a 69 Yellow Z28 that was immaculate, 4 wheel discs and other great options. $2800! in 1971. Passed because I was a poor College student. This is depressing.

[Ryan...]

I *just* missed out on a 1991 318is, 5 speed, red, looked minty as hell, 125k miles, $1900. 0 rust, I drove 3 hours to look at it one night, withdrew money at 830am next morning, someone bought it moments before I called the seller. I've been pissed ever since.

[jasonsnoddy]

Schwarz 84 325es, minty, 117k and black interior, 5 spd. $1900. Someone snatched it the day before I could get down there, two days after it was listed.

[rThor432]

I can only think of one (at the moment)--

A few years ago I had the chance to buy a Salmon Silver on Cardinal M3. Decent original paint and very nice original interior. Full red carpet and everything. It was at a friends dealer lot. He was willing to cut me a deal at $8.5k. iirc it was listed at $10k. You cannot touch an M3 in that condition for that price now..

I regretted that missed opportunity until I picked up the '89 I have now. The ///M bug bit and needed to be satisfied..

[Quadrajet]

Back in '88 I had a line on a '64 GTO Convertable for $1800. The catch was I had to get to Wyoming to buy it, just couldn't swing it.

[Click]

86 Bronzit 325es 5MT from last summer, $500. It was some cute college girls car. I'm on the parents insurance so I had to wait on them to buy it/transfer the title. All it needed was brakes. It was sold in the mean time, for the life of me i don't know why I didn't leave a deposit for the seller to hold it for me. Some dude prolly bought it and parted the poor car out.

[5Toes]

1989 Peugeot 505 Turbo Intercooler. The Automatic scared me off.

hahaha bud has one in blue. Same thing

[mrsleeve]

Oh there have been OH SO MANY.

High lights

66 Corvair Monza in need of a light restore

68 Chevelle 396, in need of a restore but was drive able

67 Camaro RS vert all original, in awesome shape needed a rear seat, and new top

69 Fire chicken Vert, in decent shape very little rust.

All of those I could have picked up for less than 5k about 13 years ago.

Those are the big ones I can think of right now, but there have been so many others since then, I have lost track.