VroomGrrl

Hello all, I've been lurking awhile and finally signed up a few days ago. Lots of great info here, and it's helped me make my way through the 911 shopping experience to what I hope will be success. Be thankful I wore out "the other forum" with my myriad questions and changes of direction during my search

The vent: I am so excited, I am completely intolerable! Tomorrow morning, we fly out to Houston, pick up my Porsche, and drive it 600 miles back home. SQUEEEEEEEE! Really. Intolerable! I can hardly stand myself!

The car: 1988 911 coupe, Grand Prix white/black leather. 148K miles, 2 owners, and the 2nd whom I'm getting the car from is a retired Porsche mechanic. He's got maintenance documented for the life of the car. It's almost all stock - he pimped up the stereo, put a strut brace in the front and spacers in the back. I had a PPI done by a mechanic who came highly recommended by the PCA out there, and it passed my specs with flying colors. Meaning it has some cosmetic issues which I can live with (especially as the price fairly reflects them). Most important to me, the engine & drivetrain are solid and overall the car has been well maintained.

Here she is:


Several more pics at the tail end of this goofy video I made.

The driver: OH MY GAWD! I'm a bundle of nerves and excitement. I have never driven one of these cars except my recent test drives, and I pray the learning curve is kind to me. I'm a long-time manual transmission driver (until the last few yrs) and have really enjoyed test driving other late 80s 911s closer to me the past few weeks. But I'm basically hopping into a car I've never driven and taking off on a 600 mile drive home. That said, I'm sooooo looking forward to it! I love a road trip, and am tickled that my husband is able to come with me. He's a great navigator and all around awesome road-trip partner in crime.

Um, yall help me out here. Do I have to let him drive??? Every time it comes up I laugh it off. But I think I will be expected to surrender the wheel at some point during the 2 days we'll be driving back (I may even want to take a break?). I am working very hard to get my head around that. I used to get high marks for "shares well with others" but...my Porsche? I'm just not feeling it yet

Actually I'm hoping he will be comfortable enough for the ride back - he's a biiig tall man, 6'4" 275, built like a linebacker. Please tell me he won't have his knees folded up under his chin the whole way! (he'll try to use that to guilt me into letting him drive!)

OK. End of squee. Time to pack and hit the sack and before I know it it'll be time to head to the airport and and and and......

I'll post photos from the trip early next week. Thanks in advance for letting me mess up the joint with my giddiness!

Brads911sc

Welcome to the forum. Great looking car. As someone from Houston, I hope you enjoy your stay. Loved the video. Enjoy your car and have a safe trip back...

Brad
83 SC Targa

Alpine 88

My only question is why you'll split a 600 mile drive over two days.

Don't worry about your husband being uncomfortable. I'm 6'4"/220, although not exactly like a linebacker, and I'm quite comfortable in my car, which is almost identical to yours (Fuchs are black, whaletail). Plenty of legroom and the seats are as comfortable as any I've sat in. I've done 8 hour rides and you get out feeling fresh.

Bring a radar detector. These things are cop magnets.

Congratulations.

old man neri

You'll have a blast. When I bought my 911 I had never driven one at all and I had a 800mi drive from one country to another with customs to deal with. It was a blast. Don't forget to take all sorts of goofy pictures.

My only recommendation is to do a quick search on what the temperature gauge really means. When it is fine and when it is over heating, just in case.

-matt

VroomGrrl

Re: splitting up the drive - when I was planning on going alone, I was going to drive a straight shot back home. But since my husband is able to come, we decided to make a fun weekend road-trip out of it. We've plotted out a slightly longer route, leaving the interstate in New Orleans (where we will probably spend the night) and taking US 90 which runs along the Gulf coasts of LA, MS and AL. That's one of our favorite drives, and we love all the little towns along the way, even (especially?) post-Katrina. Once we get to Mobile, we'll pick the interstate back up and head north to home.

No radar detector as of yet - I'll have to rely on my Spidey-senses

VroomGrrl

Thanks, Matt. I guess I'm not the first to do this crazy thing!

Goofy pictures? CHECK.

And I've asked the seller to do a couple of things for me before we take off with the car: a) take me for a spin with him at the wheel so I can get a sense of the kind of "driver input" the car has had over the past 10 yrs, and b) give me a little mini-tutorial on the guages & controls.

I love how nobody is even hinting that I should share the wheel!

old man neri

I did this all on the road, I think it wasn't until 300mi that I realized the car had cruise control. The headlights were very very poorly aimed yet I didn't know it was a simple thing to aim them, it took me a few min in a parking lot to figure out how to open the hood, I learned the hard way that the wipers had to be replaced, learned the hard way as well that visa freezes my car if I use it in a different country without tell them ahead of time (that actually sucked), the list goes on. It was a very fun trip and I really got to learn the car that way.

Amber Gramps

You are gonna love that car. It's more of a time machine that anything else.

ked

VrmGrl,
It is worthwhile to ride as pass in a car new-to-you on a road trip. Your perspective about the characteristics of its behavior is enhanced as an observer. You might find it easier to make notes of issues that are revealed & items you plan to address. It is also easier to isolate & attend to interior rattles. It is great way to read the manual thoroughly to really learn about the car & understand how things are supposed to operate (except the HVAC controls - they are forever a mystery).

If you are heading North from Mobile on I65, a good radar detector is highly advisable. State troopers hang out N of Montgomery, S & N (esp where it starts 3 lanes after the construction in town) of Bham, around Cullman (usually just to the N side) & near the TN state line. Traffic moves pretty rapidly, 80mph is typical.

& enjoy!

psychoideas

G'day and welcome from the boys 'Down Under'.

I like the vid on the tube. Well done.

I could be wrong but I think that colour is called "Rubystone" or "Rubystone Red"

Here it is on an RS.

Hope you have fun on the trip!

dshepp806

The MOST key driving item of mention is gauge awareness. I find myself frequently eyeballing the temp gauge......one could be a bit too comfortable having driven' newer, water cooled cars. I assure you: heat is the enemy ($$$$), so watch her carefully (while watching everything else, of course).

Do ask the PO about any gauge inaccuracies (what is considered "normal" for the car),.....these speedos typically read a bit higher than the actual speed (my experience)...I'd suggest NOT speeding (which will be impossible to do), as a ticket won't make the experience enjoyable....Radar detector is in order, for a small piece of mind, but don't get too comfortable. The detector is very capable of alerting you to the Lasers,...an alarm signaling you that you just got a ticket!!!!!

Have the PO go over the toolkit and it's use (esp. fanbelt, tire changes, etc.). ID any spare parts onboard (esp. fuses)..AAA card inhand.

10:1 says you end up doing this trip straight through (as Alpine mentioned).

Congrats,..be safe,..enjoy.

Best,

Doyle

JABSEA

Also, don't look at the oil gauges. Car warmed up, level spot, engine idleing, use the dipstick. I'd check before you go and 4-500 miles into the trip just to see how consumption is going.

justinsrx7

And just an FYI, the dipstick is actually under the oil cap (ie, you fill the oil and check the oil from the same opening.

tone40

Ask the current oil to replace the oil and fliter before the trip (if not done recently).

Verify the oil viscosity that has been used. Bring an oil funnel and a spare quart of oil. Adding oil to the tank can be messy.

Make sure that you know how to open the fuel door and rear hatch.

Verify the tire pressure settings that the p.o. used and check inflation.

As others have said make sure that you have an extra alternator belt and have the owner's manual (in case the belt breaks, there are directions on how to replace).

Ask the owner is any fuses blow regularly. Have spares, if necessary.

Have a great trip. I hope that the A/C blows cold for you.

911 Rod

If your alternator is faulty. A long trip will usually push your battery over the edge. Give the battery a sniff after a couple of hours. Watch for flickering dash and headlights.
Has anyone mentioned having the phone number of a flat bed "just in case"?