Erich Müller

I'm sorry but I am sure this has been posted a million times before; non relative but I use to post here when I was interested in the Boxster.

It turns out a 911 from the 80's is something that easily fits my price range but I am curious as to will a 911 be expensive to maintain and repair? I am looking for a general idea and I thought about talking to a mechanic to give me some prices but where better to go then true porsche enthusiasts. I am a pretty big fan of Porsche as they have been in the family before so I am sort of brought up with them as the one true blue blood sports car. What do I need to know about these beasts, I want one as a daily driver but I am really unsure if I could afford to keep it if the repairs on high..I know buying a older car will cost a bit to fix up and I have the cash for that if needed but is it worth it..

I'll probably have more questions if the thread developes. Thanks a ton for your time though; an aspiring Porsche enthusiast.

Jay H

It's been my experience that repairs and maintenance for 911SC's or 3.2 Carrera's might run around $1200 - $1500 per year. This figure also depends on what kind of condition the car you buy is in and how much of the work you can do yourself.

A good rule of thumb is to have $2000 in the bank over and above what you spend on purchasing a older car to have as a cushion for repairs that will come up.

Good Luck!
Jay
<a href="http://www.jays911.com" target="_blank">90 964</a>

Bill Gregory

If you haven't already, you may want to read the 911SC FAQ on tech.rennlist.com

jerrykrug

go to <a href="http://forums.pelicanparts.com/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=8" target="_blank">http://forums.pelicanparts.com/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=8</a>

ask your ?'s there. 911sc seem to be the least expensive/bulletproof

HarryD

It's not the maintance that hurts (not much more than my older Ford) but the overwhelming desire to upgrade at the same time. Add the fact I use the car for Autocross and sometimes it is hard to say what is maintenance and what is upgrade.

Erich Müller

Thanks for the bit of input, I really have no mechanic experiance or knowledge at all, just basic stuff that any common person would know. I say this now but I don't have a desire to upgrade a classic blue blood, lol well I sorda hope not..wouldn't want to butcher such a beautiful piece of art. I have briefly looked through the FAQ and shall take another gander, but any ideas how the cost of a new clutch, tune-up, oil change, brakes and that stuff would compare to a 7th gen (00-03) Toyota Celica would be? I also read on here to keep away from a certain 911..the 1.6 liters or something like that?

d230

Vampyre - I'm not sure there's a bad 911, and I am sure there are no 1.6 liter 911s. Some hold together better than others. Case in hand is the 3.0 SC 911 as compared to the 2.7 911. The 2.7 doesn't seem to last as long as other engines Porsche has produced, a great factor of that being the heat generated throughout the magnesium case used for the 2.7. That doesn't mean the 2.7 is a "bad" engine, it's just not as invincible as a 3.0 or 3.2. There's a lot of information on the plights of the 2.7 and greatness of a 3-liter or 3.2. I suggest you check prior threads.

While $2,000 is a nice number to keep around for repairs, I find $500 is more than adequate. Why? There's one thing a 911 needs and should get every year - a valve adjustment and an oil change. Valves are at their best when they clatter. These symptons are easy to detect, too. If you hear no clatter from the engine, the valves might be too tight; therefore an adjustment is needed. If the oil is dirty, it most likely needs changing.

You can of course learn how to do this yourself, and the car will cost you nothing but gas money.

CN

Hey Vampyre

Where in Canada are you located? If in the T.O. area, I know a few good resources for you to tap. Let me know if that is of interest.

Jay H

Vampyre:

Here are some approximate costs for the items you asked about:

Tune up kit (plugs, air filter, fuel filter and oil filter) ~ $60. Plus 11-12 quarts of oil per change.

Belts: $10-15 each (1 fan and 1 A/C)

I paid ~ $1500 for a new clutch on my '86 3.2 about 3 years ago.

Brakes: Depending on what is needed, $200 to $600 or more, give or take...

Hope this helps,
Jay
90 964

Schuey

the 911SC (78-83) is the most bullet-proof 911 out there IMO, I wouldn't get anything older than this b/c of rust issues (unless I was buying a documented restored early 911)...also there are NOT a ton of mods for the 911SC vs. the 84+ (these can be chipped, MAF, etc.) so you won't be tempted as often (believe me you will)

memmo911

I recently purchased a 82, 911SC, 3.0 liter I might have paid a little bit more then what I would have expected but the car is in great shape. The main thing with any engine is to keep the oil clean. I figure every 3K to 4K miles, need it or not, this will help keep the engine cooler and prevent any unnecessary engine wear. I don't think you can figure on how much to put aside for repairs per year. I think the only sure thing is to buy a Porsche in good to very good condition, and perform your every day maintenance just like any other car.
If you buy a Porsche in poor condition, expect to put some money into it

Erich Müller

Hm well I talked to some older guy and he is said to be a mechanic whom has worked on Porsches, VW's and BMW's for quite some time and he tried to tell me the 911 is "Cheap." I don't see how that is so and says I should go for a new or maybe a slighly used BMW.

gerry100

You wanna play, You gotta pay.

Porsches aren't cheap, but compared to how much fun they are they are a great value(IMHO).

My '94 Vette("sunday driver") cost me about $3400/yr including everything (ins,deprecieation, gas,oil, maintence etc).

I expect my '86 Carrera to be less, mainly due to less depreciation. I know the cost per mile will be less because I want to drive it more than the Vette.

Of course, I may never know because I may never sell.

memmo911

BMW's is a nice car, but not as much fun as driving a PORSCHE !

sschmerg

Woah, that mechanic thinks a 911 is cheap!? The 80's 911s were mostly hand-built! They're way better quality than anything BMW has put on the road in the last 20 years IMO. What, does he think a VW is better than a Porsche too?! I owned a VW Rabbit at one time -- now that was a cheap piece of crap!! Today's VWs are not much better.

-Sean