Renovate 1989 911 targa or buy new one?
 

I have a 1989 911 Targa which is a great car but it has some rust and is noisy for sure. It's also 30 years old and has 113,000 miles. I bought it well and would love to keep it but am afraid that if I don't renovate soon, I'm going to deal with rust issues that will be more profound. It seems a decent renovation (it has a crack on the dash and one on a door panel, and really needs some attention) will cost at least $50,000 and I don't know if it's worth putting that kind of money in. I figure I could sell it (or just keep it) for close to $50,000 and buy and 2015 or later 911 Turbo 4S for $115,000, which isn't as cool in terms of the vintage look but is a lot less effort to drive, goes faster, and has all the new stuff.

Suggestions? Also, anyone know of a good renovation place (I'm in Colorado)?

Thanks!!

Mark U

Mark, I'm not sure a 3.2 that needs 50K worth of "freshtoration" would sell for 50K. Good luck. Only you can tell if you want a vintage car that you actually have fun driving it vs a modern day Porsche in which you do less and less driving.

I agree... probably more like a 30-something car.

Suggested Garages?
 

Actually, I'm just guessing about the cost of the restoration. I'm assuming that when you start the project, you'd get there pretty quickly (unless I could do it myself). I really don't know, but I'm pretty sure about the value of the car in today's market, within five or so thousand. I put about $12,000 into it a few years ago so it has a new clutch, new shocks, etc... and everything works. It's a bit of work to drive, but not that big a deal.

I guess my first step is to find a reputable place to get a quote on "frestoration." Suggestions??

Thanks,
Mark

Check this:

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/19...a-3-2-targa-2/

Anyway, my question still stands. Can anyone please direct me to a reputable renovation specialist to get a quote? Thanks for answering THIS question.

define " restoration"

I think just get some quotes on rust repair / paint and go from there.

Mark, PM me. I can talk to you about the slippery slope of restoration and who in Colorado one might go to, depending on your location. As to the fun factor of a modern Porsche versus a vintage Porsche, many of us have both. They are all a blast to drive, just different.

Rich

^^^^ This....... besides the hidden issues you will find when getting into a "refresh" the time element needs to be considered. This type of project can go on, it seems, for ever, even though a shop promises a "short" time frame. Selling, then buying a later model Porsche is kinda like "turnkey" - just get in and drive and not worry about when, and how much, it will take to get your old car back in shape. Of course, you DO loose the connected driving experience! Good Luck!

Driving my '07 cab4 and my '67 911 racecar are equally fun and 'connected' experiences, just different. Born 40 years apart, both are outrageous fun.

Rich

Setting aside the word restoration for the moment, because it can mean different things to different people, I might suggest you approach the car in terms of the systems that are OK vs the systems that need work. For example if the engine and transaxle are OK but you know the targa top needs to be addressed, maybe have some brake issues, driving lights not working, and some stereo issues. You can create a list fo projects to address from there, prioritize, and start completing each project one by one. This can help keep you from being overwhelmed by the needs of the entire car as you focus on the needs of an individual system. Do as much of the work yourself as you are comfortable with and act as the contractor for your car when farming out projects you can not tackle on your own.

You can decide what condition you would like your car to be. Using Hagerty's system 1 = Concours (national concours level like Monterey, Amelia Island, etc,), 2 = Excellent (no visible flaws, no mechanical needs. You could proudly take this car to a cars and coffee, local PCA concours, etc. This is what most people tend to think of when they speak about restored cars), 3 = Good (everything works, some visible flaws due to wear, age, milage. Many people ENJOY owning a car at this level), 4 = Driver (some items may need repair, visible flaws due to wear, milage, etc. The driver may have maintenance needs).

Back to the ugly word, restoration. As other's have stated a true restoration, making the car as good or better than the day it was new, is a black hole when it comes to time and money. If you have a shop involved the scope creep can lead to double or triple the original estimate and unless the car is very special it will be next to impossible to recoup the investment and you may end up with a car you do not enjoy driving because it has become so perfect and flawless. When restoring a car it is so easy to fall into the trap of "While we are in there...". While we are in there we may as well upgrade the entire suspension system and brakes, While we are in there we could get an extra 100HP from this engine. While we are in there we could replace the original vinyl with leather. We all want a beautiful car and it can be difficult to resist temptation and say no to these "While we are in there" type of upgrades.

I've done my own cars and I've worked with reputable shops are on cars. Both have their pros and cons and both can be rewarding. Having a car you enjoy looking at and driving should be the goal. The choice is yours, just be sure to go in with eyes open.

Thanks all for your insight and replies. It was really, really helpful and made me realize that I love the car and will keep driving it and work on it an an "as needed" basis.

Mark

Ftw !!!!!!!

Perfect. I like your plan. Just fix the rust as deferred maintenance on rust is never good.