Erich Müller

Yeah that is what I was thinking, 911 cheap nuh uh. And yeah I have had the conception that VW's aren't the greatest cars but they have progressed and the Jetta is a decent lil car. Porsche in no doubts of my mind would be so fun to drive and they are one of the best car companies out there, neck and neck with Ferrari and Lamborghini in my personal world. But pay to play, I think my tokens would run out and my game time would be up rather fast if I got a older Porsche. Even to really really splurge and get a mid to later 90's Porsche I couldn't afford to keep when it did break down. But I'll have to go see a real Porsche mechanic and ask some questions if I am really serious about a 80's 911.

I don't suppose you lot could recommend me a differant car if I decide not to go with a Porsche? I may add I have looked at literately every single vehicle out there except Ferraris, Lamborghinis, Lotus and those..I did take a quick look at the NSX but once again out of my league now.

Sonic dB

Go with the 911. You will not regret it. I just bought an 86 Cabriolet for well less than $20K, its only got 65K miles and is in very good condition. Its exhillarating to hear that engine roar from behind you... the car handles like a dream...its really worth paying for and there arent any other alternatives that will provide this driving pleasure in the same price range.

There are deals to be had if you look for them.

UDPride

Ive been looking for months and havent seen any 86 cabs for less than 20K in great shape w/65,000 miles. Not even close to that price in fact. Everywhere Ive looked, espec. locally, they are 25K and above.

Here are some prices in the Rennlist classifieds:

87 Cab, 66K miles - $25,000
86 Targa, 44K miles - $26,900
86 Targa, 29K miles - $26,900
86 Cab, 49K miles - $26,900
85 Coupe, 84K - $22,900
87 Cab, 55K - $26,500
88 Cab, 79K - $26,500

Granted asking price and selling price are two different things, and I must admit I dont know 911s as well as I do 944/951s, but I think you got yours at a firesale price few people are going to come close to duplicating.

Peharps the hard core 911 guys here can shed some light.

Hetmann

911s are not cheap to maintain properly. Even if you do the work yourself you still need parts, tools and consumables. They get SUV mileage too.
911s maybe cheap in that they have bottomed on the depreciation curve. You can buy one, drive it and then sell it for about what you paid. But, you will have to pay the freight while you own it.

cmoss

Yup, these puppies can get expensive. Here are some prices

Tune up: $600-800
Oil $150
Synchros/Clutch $3000
Parts are $$$--in general...

If you're on a tight budget I would NOT recomend buying an older P-car as a daily driver. I loved my SC more than life itself, but I was not using it as a daily driver.

Get something practical--like one of the new Celicas.

Get a P-car for fun. These are the best of all TOYS and should (IMHO) be thought of that way.

Chris

Sonic dB

Well, I had my 86 Cab checked out today. It inspected well, with most things needed being minor. The biggest thing is the clutch that will need replacing soon: estimated $2500 (ouch)

First time major service will be $1000, but this covers alot.

These numbers dont make me happy, but considering I paid $17K for the car...it could be worse. <img border="0" alt="[cheers]" title="" src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" />

nut11

I just purchased my 85 carrera coupe for $19 K with 62 K on it. It is in excellent shape all around but needs a new a/c compressor ($600 - $1000?). Where can you get a pure sports car for that kind a money? The new Nissan 350 Z is great for $30 K but what will it be worth in 5 to 10 years. The 3.2 carrera gives you the Porsche badge plus indescribable engine noise, Jolie looks, virtual lock steering, glued road feel, a prickly heat acceleration rush and incomparable aura. One only goes around once. Get one.

86NOH2O

Buy a Porsche. You'll almost pee your pants every time you go out to the garage and see it sitting there. Especially the 3.2 Carrera's, the design hasn't lost an ounce of beauty. The way it will hold value will totally offset any maintenance costs, which should be all you get hit with if you do a PPI. Prices are down right now with this economy. People are getting great buys that will disappear once people can afford toys again.

Sonic dB, even with the $3,500 for clutch and service, you still got a good deal if it's real clean. Only 1,986 cabs (US) were made in 86', got the updated interior and my wrench says he does hardly any engine rebuilds for that year. enjoy!

Sonic dB

Does the $2500 clutch seem a little high? From what Ive seen around here and other places, it can run in the $1500-1800 range, so I was a little surprised to see that estimate. This guy is the best in this area though... What do you think?

cmoss

There are a couple of idependents in my area. Their costs range from $75/hr to $90/hr. This might be some of the reason for the disparity you see.

Wazoo

I've owned two '87 Carreras (the Targa is now for sale, btw)

Here are some actuals from personal experience over the last 7 years. Mind you, I did not dwell on cosmetic paint stuff on my cars because I used them as daily drivers in the spring, summer, fall in Michigan and year around when I lived in Seattle for 3 years:

About $6-700 every 2 years for valve adjustment. Another $200-$300 for something unusual every year that I don't have time to tackle (with wife, two kids, coaching soccer, hockey, maintaining yard, working, sleeping, etc.) like broken power locks, window regulators, that sort of thing. These things break occassionally, but not often and a good shop will handle quickly and relatively painlessly. Then other maintenance items, figure another $300-$500 ever two years (brakes, several oil changes/year). Unless of course, you bought a beater car. There's ZERO value in buying a beater...unless you're Bruce Anderson, and do the work yourself, you'll be in deep financially with a shop. In fact, if you have a beater, I recommend buying a shop ;-) See below...

Tires...well, depending on how you drive, rear tires every 3 years (or sooner ;-) ) depending on mileage and whether you like to hang the tail. Mine lasted at least 3-4 years. Fronts less frequently.

You can do your own oil changes and minor stuff, depending on how talented you are. I'm a moron and I swapped mass air flow sensors out of my car, changed oil and fixed minor things here and there.

The thing to guard against is buying a car with some serious problem. Bent valve, cracked head, bad clutch and/or synchros at a "discount." Those are the expensive items. Thousands, and thousands plus the car is not usable for a long time...just more trouble than it's worth, imho. Make sure you have someone check the car out and that you are buying a well-maintained vehicle (receipts)...unless you really, really know how to drop an engine or transmission, I wouldn't mess with a problem car. It can get expensive.

Also, before you buy it, ask about recent maintenance. If you buy a car and it will need a valve job soon, you just spent an extra $6-700.

Good luck! And keep an extra $1k around just in case...

gerry100

Hey Nut11, you don't need AC in Albany - open the sun roof.

We're here for a good time, not a long time.

nut11

gerry100: I wholeheartedly agree!!!

Ed Bighi

Actually, I think these things are relatively cheap. In my experience, the sc and carrera are probably cheaper than the majority of other european cars as far as maintenance. I would not even compare them to Asian or American because those cars are somewhat like bic shavers. Disposable. For evidence go to a junkyard. While some parts in a 911 can cost a lot of money, they don't go very often. Repairs as in rebuilds, even though very costly, can last decades instead of years. Lately, I have found that a lot of parts for the sc and carrera are pretty cheap in comparison to a lot of other cars. Rotors are a good example. Not only that, 911 rotors seem to last a much longer time than with other cars I have owned. Not to mention these cars are generally very straightforward to work on. Especially when compared to most newer cars. While I cannot consider a 911 cheap to maintain, it is definetely economical in the long term. Lack of depreciation helps too. What does not help are the upgrades which are always tempting. But all in all, there are cars more reliable than an sc or carrera 3.2. Though not by much. But I have not found anything even remotely as durable. And that durability is one of the reasons I always make the same recommendation to future 911 owners. Never buy one for the short term. There are many reasons to support this theory. First, short term ownership will not let you fully enjoy an expensive repair. Anything repaired in a 911 will last a very long time. Second, the long term durability of a 911 will not be realized in the short term. While you might get one year with a lot of little annoying issues, the next five or six years might reveal no problems at all. Third, the lack of depreciation can only be fully realized over the long term.

As far as my 911, I don't really spend much money on the usual stuff. Rotors, even though I am at the track every other weekend, last forever. Pads I change twice a year, but they are cheap. I use metal master, because even though there is better out there, they are chaep enough that I throw them away half worn. I go through a lot of tires, but I do see the track a lot. Besides, tires are expensive on anything. Especially if you drive a moving road block (SUV). My clutch has been in there since 95. Tune ups? What is a tune up in an sc? For me it is changing the oil every 3k. And maybe the fuel filter and plugs every couple of years. Heck, since 92, I have only changed distributor caps twice. And this is my daily driver/track car. I don't have a maintenance schedule other than oil changes, valve adjustments and brake fluid/pads in my car. If I hear a weird noise, or something does not work, then I'll repair it that day since I am picky. But other than that, I don't spend a fortune on it. Certainly a lot less than I would have to if I subjected a lesser car to the same track time mine sees. For comparison, get an early 80's Corvette, or even a Honda for that matter, than take it to the track every other weekend and redline it on a daily basis and see how it compares. Then one can see how cheap a 911 is. Mine has around 210,000 miles without a rebuild and has been tracked since 95 without any major problems.

John Liu

Why not look at a late-eighties 944 or 944 Turbo (951)? They are definitely inexpensive to buy (&lt;$10K), offer excellent handling, have nice clean looks, and in many ways are better cars than similar vintage 911s. 911 people sometimes say the 944/951 is more expensive to service but I would doubt there is any big difference for routine maintenance. And they are real Porsches - check out a Porsche club autocross and you'll see 944 / 951s doing very well. You should probably spend some time on the 944 and 944 Turbo board to get opinions.