Britzky9

Found an extremely low mile (under 20k mi) '85 911 coupe for sale...spoke with the owner a couple of days ago. Good guy, is selling off his collection due to retirement and is moving. Sent pictures of documents...and this is what has raised concerns.

The 15k service was done in...1991. The car has been driven less than 3,000 miles since. He said he drives it "about 4 times a year", and these were not long drives.

From the pictures, the car is impeccable, but, should I be worried about the lack of miles driven in almost 30 years?

Beyond compression test and leak down, what else could possibly show for problems from a lack of use? He put new tires on it recently.

I would use the car sparingly, but probably about 600 to 1,000 miles a year.

Any guidance would be appreciated.

Thanks!

raspritz

Not being driven would factor into the price, balanced against the premium for the very low mileage. Driving it occasionally is OK. Driving it never is quite different. The other day I saw an original early speedster that hadn't been driven in over 20 years. It looked good superficially, but putting it up on the rack things were quite different. The estimate to get it safe and driving was at least $10,000. A car that is driven occasionally and stored well should be OK.

Britzky9

Thanks! The car wasn't abandoned, but I am just not used to seeing such low annual usage.

Hoping to get it on a rack within a week or two...and anticipating it is equally as spotless underneath as it is everywhere else.

proporsche

what is this picture you are posting????

racngrn

If that is the pedal box of the car you are considering, it's pretty impressive. Champagne interior I would say. My 85 has that interior and is pretty nice but hard to not see some degree of carpet wear from cleaning alone. Love to see pics.

Britzky9

An example of the interior condition of the car...

Britzky9

Yes!

Keith Guidus

More pic's? Occasional driving is fine. How much?

Britzky9

One more pic...but...I am very superstitious as it comes to this stuff, and we've only spoke once on the phone and a bunch over e-mail...waiting on more info, pics from underneath (he's taking it to a local shop) and I have yet to make a definitive offer.

The original post is more about what to look for as it relates to seals, gaskets, head bolts...for a car in this dynamic.

wildcat077

Don't get detered because the car hasn't been driven much ...
I bought my 89 12 years ago with 123,000 kms , it's only showing 141,000 as of today !

Ever since i started racing a 944 five years ago, i haven't had time to really enjoy my 911 like it is meant to be, anyhow the car
isn't for sale so eventually i will make up for lost time.
Do get a thorough PPI like suggested and take it from there !

Cheers
Phil

Britzky9

Thanks, Phil! This is "not much" and then there is "not at all". Yes, PPI for sure.

dday930

For what its worth-
I just inherited a 1986 Cab with 9850 miles on it. My dad never drove it. The prior owner put 2500 miles on it in 26 years.
There's one service record from 2 or 3 years back when my dad had some plugs and oil changed.
It drives like a DREAM! Absolutely perfect. I had it out 3 weeks ago, and it was begging for red line in every gear.
This car hasn't had any real driving in 30 years! Lack of use - sure. Has it effected anything - nope!
Are service records really going to make or break the deal? If it's clean, solid, and runs well, then you get what you pay for. Get PPI if you want it looked over before hand, if you're not that handy yourself or know what to look for. IMHO, a Carrera engine with 20k miles is just barely broken in- I think you'd be wasting money on a compression and leak down. But that's just me.
The only thing with cars like these that have been around for 30+ years, check to see if there are leak (active leaks)- Test drive it, and if it runs like it should, then buy it! Maybe check for any critter issues. These cars tend to get stored for long periods and mice can find their way in unexpectedly. Check the wiring looms in the dash (from front truck), smugglers bin, nooks and crannies in back of things in engine-

Britzky9

DDay! Thank you! Exactly what I was looking for! Sorry about your loss.

Ironically enough, the one service record that he sent was from 1991 and the 15k service where it seems leaks were addressed:

AC Leak, Transmission leak and Cam Line leak. So I believe but have not confirmed it has been dry ever since. PPI will help here.

He's away till mid-Nov, so I've got time to collect questions.

Thanks!

theiceman

jesus 10K miles ?? that thing must be worth a fortune....

sounds like in the old sloan cars category days , ridiculous low miles and ridiculous high price.

aircooledpurist

So for what it is worth last year I purchased a polar silver full black leather interior '95 993 with just 17,000 miles. One owner, an 83 year old gynecologist who drove the car less than a thousand miles a year. He had impeccable records that showed me exactly how the miles went on the car.

The car has been perfect. There was a tiny rust spot at the base of the windshield the size of a dime that has been repaired and a new Porsche windshield installed. I have done a few elective, reversible mods (goldenrod, SSK, Fister II exhaust, springs, shocks, RS motor mounts, a Steve Wong chip which transforms the '95's and some fresh pilot sport tires) The lack of miles has not hurt the car one bit. It looks and runs as though it were a perfect 2 year old car with 17 thousand miles. It now has 20,500 miles and I am fully intending to drive it anytime and as often as I want. It is a hobby car, but it is going to get driven. The only thing I changed out due to age was the two rubber gaskets on the outside door handles that were cracked and partially missing.

I would definitely buy another low milage air cooled Porsche.