huma

hi i drove a 1978 911sc , the car's paint was alittle weathered, right rear corner panel had been back into in a garage and had a poor repair ( bad paint job) i am looking for a daily driver so i dont really mind this. the car drove well except that in 2nd, 3rd gear the car seemed to lurch (lunge) alittle. any know what this could be, i am going to have a ppi done just wondering in advance if anybone had any ideas what this could be. does it mean this is a car to stay away from. there are 66,000 miles on the car, shifted nice, had no flat spots on acceration, just lunged alittle. wife is giving me hell about this car , i dont want to end up with a money pit. the inside looked ok. any thoughts are greatly appreciated. thanks .

the asking price is $9400.

Bill Gregory

Not answering your question, however, if you haven't already, you may want to read the 911SC FAQ on tech.rennlist.com

Curt911

seems a bit high to me...

82Targa

Could you give a bit more detail on 'lurching'? The car surges forward in these gears? Does it not engage smoothly? Not sure I understand.

"wife is giving me hell about this car , i dont want to end up with a money pit. " Ummmmm....well, I certainly don't want to discourage you, but I think I would feel bad not stating the obvious: Porsches cost money to maintain. You will not enjoy the car if you live in fear of driving it.

That being said, you are on the right track with getting a PPI done. Things that are a MUST to check out: 1) Get a leak down test to determine how things look on the top end. 2) Have the mechanic check that tranny. A rebuild can set you back a couple grand. No all trans problems require a rebuild, but if your mechanic is in there, count on at least a $1000. 3) Check and see if the shocks are toast. This is an easy fix, and you may be able to do yourself, but its still going to be $500+ ($800 installed).

My last bit of advice........DON'T LOSE YOUR OBJECTIVITY. There are plenty of porsches out there. If the situation, the car, the owner, if anything does not feel right, move on. I looked for a solid 6 months before I came across my car, and I am glad I waited.

82Targa

Geez....I forgot. What about the paint? A 911 is not cheap to paint, and if the car looks like crap, you not going to be happy. My car (as you can see on the left) cost me $11350. More about it here: http://www.networkoracle.com/porsche.htm

huma

i am having trouble opening the fq for 911 i can open the others any ideas to why i cant open it ? thanks

JCP911S

Huma...my 2 cents... a 911 is an emotional thing.... if the car does not make you go "ahhhhh" you are probably looking at the wrong car... the defects are not going to fix themselves... as you own the car, they will just get more obvious to you... it will cost way more to make the car right than to buy the right car in the first place....if you look you can get a really nice looking car for a few $K more.... IMHO you will know the right car when you see it.... also don;t let the low mileage sway you... a well maintained SC with 140K is better than an iffy car with 66k miles

If you wouldn't marry a woman becasue she's "probably good enough"... then don't buy a Porsche that way.

I give my advice for free because I know what it is worth

huma

thanks for all your help , i am thinking carefully about making the right move, i have been doing alot of research, learning alot, and i dont want to make a bad choice. i will own one one day but i will take the time to make sure it is the right one. happy driving to you all.

Mysterytrain

66K ?? I doubt that very much. What does the engine and interior look like?

82Targa

I second that. I find the 66k milage very suspect. Why is the paint weathered if it only had 66k? Smells very fishy.

82Targa

I second that. I find the 66k milage very suspect. Why is the paint weathered if it only had 66k? Smells very fishy.

DustinTarditi

x2... You can find plenty of SCs in decent shape - especially if you're "just" looking for a solid driver car.

I'd take notes and keep looking - having the support of the S.O. makes ownership MUCH smoother, BTW - these cars become lifestyle (if all goes well).

I had an SC vetoed (actually 2) by my wife... I kept looking and my '74 Targa fell into my lap... it was about 1/2 what I was expecting to spend, but it had a ton of documentation, great PPI results and drives smooth... PLUS my wife loves it. Score!

huma

the interior looked pretty good. the steering wheel was alittle ripped at the seam but overall it was ok for a 28 yo car. the engine ....i am not mechanically inclined, it looked ok not real dirty or anything.

Dan Cobb

I quit reading after you said the paint was rough.
I'll say this one more time...
It is certainly cheaper and easier to repair or replace a transmission, top end rebuild, brakes, or whatever else may be 'wrong' with a 911 than it is to do a 'proper' body /paint repair.
At least once the mechanical portion is done right, you will have a good car, if you spend all your $$ on the car, plus paint, you may end up with a pretty 911 that sits in your garage.
+++

r911

I agree. You don't say where you live, but unless it in Outer Mongolia (crappy roads anyway) you can surely find a better car for that price.

The engines on these cars are expensive to repair and you can't tell their condition by looking. Say that over & over to yourself everytime you go to look at a prospect car. These are not rare cars - take your time and get a good one. Good Luck.