rumatt

Hi all. Looks like a great forum you've got here. I've been reading this board for a while now trying to figure out if a Porsche is in my future, and unfortunately I'm coming to the conclusion that it is not. I'd LOVE to hear others opinions regarding what you would do if you were in my situation.

I originally thought about a used Porsche 911 because:
- I currently drive a 2003 BMW 330i, and although it is nice, I'm craving something more raw and sporty. The plan is to give the 330i to the wife and buy myself a used, but more fun car.
- I have an 8 mile commute, so I don't need a comfy highway cruiser.
- I have a job where nobody cares if I'm late occasionally (ie, breakdown is not the end of the world)
- My wife can drop me off on her way to work when my car is in the shop.
- I plan to start autocrossing
- I don't know much about fixing cars, but I enjoy learning. I've been reading the DIY guides for changing brakes on the 330, even I won't need to do it for the next 3.5 years! (free maintenance plan).

The obvious concern is money. I'm fresh out of grad school so I have a comfortable salary, but very little saved up. The most I'm willing to allocate for the car purchase is about $450-500/month. I COULD go more, but I'm not willing to because I'm trying to build savings. If you were in this situation would you totally give up on the idea of a Porsche? If things went wrong, I *would* be able to pay for it. I just wouldn't be happy about it.

I've been looking at '87 Carrera's with the idea of spending around 20K and budget $1500/year for maintenance. But I would be pissed if I ended up needing to dump $7K worth of repairs into it in the first couple years. Since since I'm not willing to accept this, I think I'm giving up on Porches. I'm considering something more boring, like a '98 M3.

For those still reading, what would you do in my situation? Thanks!

lewis9113.2

Rumatt
Porsche's are the best enginered cars ever......just get a good one from the outset. Same applies for any car so go the Porsche.
Ensure you maintain it, ie fix problems as soon as they arise.
I have an '87 cpe. It's isn't driven every day but when I do drive I make sure it gets up to temp. Constant cold starting and stopping is not good for them, you will tehn have long term problems.
Regular oil change is vital. I do mine twice a year or every 3000mile.

James

GrantG

Rumatt - You sound like a great candidate for a Porsche to me! 911's are very reliable and not too bad on the checkbook if you don't have upgrade fever or buy a car without carefully researching its history and current condition. $1,500/yr is plenty is you buy a nice car upfront (which $20k will certainly allow).

-Grant

hoffman912

porsches are great cars, and they have different strokes for different folks.. a model for any kind of personality, and or budget. youve just got to find your model, what suits your style, and budget, and most importantly when you find the right type or you, you have to find the right car. as the rest have stated when you find one thats properly and well maintained, you cannot go wrong.

Ben Lovejoy

The bad news is that, with any used car you can expect to have to spend money on sorting stuff out in the first year, and with a 911 the chances are that the total costs won't be trivial.

The good news is that 911s are fundamentally well-built and reliable, so once sorted, they should stay sorted provided that you maintain them properly.

My advice would be to view around $3000 as a held-back part of the purchase price. Expect to spend that in the first year, and after that you should have something which is reasonably affordable to run.

Ben

eddychan

Rumatt,

One thing I have noticed is that 911 will hold its value and virtually NO depreciation at all. The BMW or Mercede will lose a lot in value in comparison.
The only thing is that you have to realise that you are getting a over 10-15 year old car and you should anticipate DIY jobs and Porsche is a lot more complicated than other cars....
Having said that, after 18 months of the ownership of a 91-C2. I thoroughly enjoy it and the magic is still on, what fun and the noise of that 3.6 Boxer engine is just wonderful...
Have a good think about it, I know you will not regret it.

Eddie

texasgooner

Just BUY one!!!!!!
You'll not regret it....
....unless you buy a 'dud'

texasgooner

... or 3.2

Doug&Julie

If you buy it right, the '87-'89 911 sound perfect...

DO IT DO IT DO IT DO IT!!!

Dave Thomas

Rumatt, I bought an '88 Carrera two years ago and I've never looked back. I was also considering an M3. Some responses:

"more raw and sporty" - you're definitely on the right track. Stay with the '89 or earlier Carreras. They've got almost all of the character of the early cars, with a much better gearbox.
"8 mile commute" - not the best choice, as the engine won't even be warmed up in that distance and you don't want to run a cold engine to redline. But then you'll find yourself looking for excuses to take long drives.
"breakdown" - not going to be an issue, any more than with any other car. "87 to '89 Carreras are very solid, durable and dependable if properly maintained.
"autocrossing" - good choice, although many other cars would be better choices, like a Miata or a new Mini. 911s really shine at higher speeds.
"maintenance" - you'll be able to learn to do the basics yourself.
"$450/month" - should definitely be doable, if you can get someone to do a loan on a 17 year old car.
"big maintenance bills" - this is why you absolutely have to get a PPI on the car. Use the PPI to negotiate the price down if needed and spend the difference on any needed repairs. This way you start off at square one. That being said, the only money I've spent on my car has elective - wheels, chip, exhaust, etc.

I think you're the perfect candidate - go for it!

DGaunt

Get the 911. There really is nothing like it.

Buy the most car you possibly can, it is cheaper in the long run. 87-89 is a good choice as stated above. Get a thorough inspection done at a Porche shop chosen by you. Cut no corners in the research stage. Remember 2/3 of the value of the car is under the rear window.

I also agree with the assertion that you should budget for sorting in your purchase price. Even if little is wirng, you will want to do something with it.

Last, life is short, go for it!

rumatt

Hey, thanks for all the responses! When I saw how long my post was I figured nobody would even read it.

I think my plan will be to hold off buying anything in the short term, but keep reading and drive some cars to get a feel for which model is for me (god I feel guilty doing that when I know I'm not a serious buyer yet, but I don't know what else to do. I try to pick on dealers rather than private sellers). By this fall or next spring I'd more knowledgable be more comfortable financially as well.

I am definitely concerned about the 8-mile commute though. Do you think that's total torture on the car? I have a '94 Honda Accord I could use as a beater, but who wants to drive that daily.

One specific question: despite searching, I've been unable to figure out the story with limited-slip differentials and the 87-88 Carrera's. Did they come with one from the factory? The lack of an LSD is a peeve of mine, although not a deal breaker.

Dave Thomas

My understanding is that LSD was an option but most cars had it. If you burn rubber and get 2 streaks, you've got LSD.

mamoroso

rumatt

I agree with everybody here.... but be carefull with the $1,500 you are thinking of budgeting on annual expenses. Porsches are very expensive towork on. Period. Even if u buy a perfect $20k '88 ( I talk for experience here) there is always something that can go wrong or that you want to upgrade. The latter (which you do not budget before you buy the car) is what really screws you in the end. If you want to autocross you'll see that you are going to buy the new hill-toe pedals ($185), maybe get the blistein susp ($500), upgrade oil cooler ($1300), new clutch (on a 90k miles car you'll have to do it before autoXing) is another $1500, valve adj ($300).... It adds up quickly.
But i'd follow Ben Lovejoy's advice an have $3000 to allocate to fixing up the car the way you wanted just after purchase.
Good luck with your decision... If you decide to go for one, you'll never look back and the 911 will stay in your heart forever

ked

Rumatt, I have an '87 & am quite happy & have had good fortune with it. However, these cars are now pushing 20 yrs. old. Getting a good one & applying it dual-use may run at the ragged edge of your monthly budget, not to mention surprises. I don't think there is a way to ensure that you won't face a 50/50 chance of needing (or wanting!) to put in $3-7K in one fell swoop in the first 3 years, even with a solid PPI going in.

An alternative might be to acquire a nice, late model 944 already set up as a dual use car (autocross / DE upgrades done by a previous owner). This could get you going on-the-cheap & you could get out of it in a few years w/o taking a beating, while immersing yourself in Porschedom. Thence you could move onto an old 911 or whatever suits you.

Maybe I'm just conservative, but building up a cash reserve is worth considering while making the career transition AND enjoying a sports car. On the other hand - the 911 is a 911 & there simply is nothing quite like it, & that will always be true of the classic years. Good Luck!