Roy Rabold

This is my first time on this board. I am a 944 owner for the last three years. I would like to have a 911 and have found a 1984 Carrera with 145,000 miles on it for $19,000. It has all the service records and was always maintained at a Porsche dealer. From what I can tell there are no leaks and there is no smoke upon starting. It is guards red, black interior. Sunroof with a/c, etc. Would this be a good buy or is it too much for this age car? I have looked at used Boxters at this price which are a alot newer. Would I be better off with a newer Boxter?

J. Brinkley

Buy what makes you happy, spend money on what you want.
But i believe there isn't a 915 carrera on earth with over 100k miles worth more than $15k

Thats just silly

Amber Gramps

Jerry are you sure about that? I have seen very nice examples and some that yes, are rather used up, but I would so much rather have any 911 over a boxter that I can't see how they even came from the same company. A well tuned and cared for 3.2 of any year is well worth the $20K we have been paying. Some are lower, now in the $18,000 range and some clear up at $32,000. Get what you love, and what moves your soul. No point in taking just any old used boxter when nice carreras are still out there. good luck in the hunt.

flatsixnut

^ what he said...I will also add that there are SC's out there with over 100,000 that are worth that money and then some.

To the OP...just dont jump on the first 911 you see. This may or may not be the car for you.
https://rennlist.com/forums/showthre...ter+Zimmermann

TroyN

Yup, sounds pricy, where are you located?

911vet

I haven't driven a Boxster, but I think I'm safe in saying that it's a completely different animal than a 911. I was a passenger in a Boxster recently. It seemed modern, comfortable, easy.

Those are NOT adjectives that describe a 3.2L 911. But here are some that do:
Unique, enviable, exhilerating, smile-maker!

If you want a car that is similar to other cars you're likely used to (i.e. one with a/c that works, power brakes, power steering, ABS, air bags, modern electronics) then you want a Boxster.

I gladly sacrificed all those things for what a 911 offers. And that is not something I can put into words. But whatever it is, it puts a smile on my face.

$19K for an 84 w/ 145K miles might be a little high. Then again, every 911 is a $25,000 car. You can put the money into it up front if it's in great shape or later in repairs if it isn't. Or both if you aren't careful. So make sure whatever you pay, you've got something left for the inevitable repairs and upgrades you'll want to make.

Bought my 87 one year ago w/113K on it. Paid $16,700. I felt like I stole it.

I've put about $5000 in it and that was doing a LOTof the work myself (work I didn't do were the biggest expenses -- $2600 clutch and $1000 fuel lines).

The usual advice: Drive several 911s because each one is different. Get a PPI done on any before you buy.

And my best advice: don't hurry, but don't wait.

RAJU

$ 15 K , max .

VroomGrrl

I'm pretty new around here myself, but I will ask you what I was asked when I was deciding "which car" - what do you want to do with the car? As 911vet noted, an older 911 is completely different from a modern Boxter so it depends what you want the car for. If you're ready to sacrifice creature comforts for the more raw, connected, smile-making feel of the 911 go for it - if it'll drive you nuts to have wussy AC, no power breaks, no power steering, and a real feel-the-road drive, then you may want to go for a newer car such as a Boxter. Personally, I was going for the older feel and I love the look of the older 911s so I got an 88 911. If you shop around a bit, you will get a feel for the prices.

old man neri

Ya, boxster/911. My dad owns one. He's only let me drive it once, coincidentally it was the day before I brought my 911 home. He wanted to try mine out....

In every measurable sense the boxster is superior; better handling, more comforts, bigger engine, new technology....etc yet I still would prefer my 911. Someone once put it 'One is the space shuttle and the other is a rocket sled; you pick'. My dad when he drove mine describe it as a lot more 'raw' but I doubt he would choose it because he would prefer something with more comforts such as A/C, cupholders, warranty..etc.

Just my 0.02CAD rant.
-matt

Ed Hughes

That's probably close to "all of the money" for an '84 with 145K, but it isn't outrageous if it truly is as nice mechanically as you state, and if the interior and exterior condition are what you'd expect.

I've been shopping around for another 911, and prices are pretty darned strong on Carreras. Whether that changes in the next few months with the economy remains to be seen. I hope they continue to increase in value, and we all make enough money to pay for them.

tone40

rides.

I really enjoy what each has to offer.

I may regret saying this on a 911 forum, but if I had to have only 1, it would be the Boxster S. The sophistication of the suspension is amazing, comfortable when desired yet harsh enough to handle twisties at least 25% faster than my lowered 911 with Bilstein Sports. 250 hp vs 217 hp. Not to mention the top down environment.

Don't get me wrong, there are times when only the 911 will do. I wish the S had the exhilarating sound of the 3.2 and the same road feel.

For those who have not experienced a drive in one, do not judge too soon. Somehow get an aggressive test drive and then decide.

18" Fikse wheels. Ocean Blue metallic.

Rick K

It depends on what you want to use the car for...

If you want a nice weekend driver that might need a little love to get to concourse condition, then maybe (depending on if the condition is as described, confirmed by a PPI). But you will need to look carefully at the recent work done to the car. A stock 84 w/ that kind of mileage will most likely need new shocks, probably suspension bushings are shot, tie rods, etc. These cars should be point and shoot when driving, there shouldn't be much slop.

Tranny - Typical slow shift from 1st to 2nd w/ a 915, but otherwise gears should feel pretty good (if the car was beaten on/short shifted, you will feel that). Clutch should have a good tight feel to it.

Engine-wise, how is it on cold starts (it should fire right up)...if not, engine temp sensor, O2 sensor, vaccuum leaks - all could be potential issues. How is it WOT, smooth run through the RPMs? For 19K on a car w/ that many miles w/o having the engine addressed (again, I don't know if it has or not) - I would want to see almost perfect leakdown results.

For reference, I payed that much for an '86 w/ a documented top-end rebuild, full tranny rebuild and lots of suspension goodies (that had a bunch of DE days on it so it was just ok cosmetically).

Be smart about what you want the car for and understand what potential issues could be lurking. Just my 2cents worth.

Ed Hughes

The problem with Boxsters and Caymans is that they do not fit tall people or those with long legs. So they are off my list of choices.

Peter Zimmermann

Roy: If I might, I humbly suggest that you consider the purchase of my book (my signature) which contains a 12-page discussion of Boxsters that might be an eye-opener for you (only in the 8th Edition). Others have posted that the asking price for the Carrera is all the money, and that's probably correct. But, and that's a big BUT, if the car truly has no deferred maintenance it could be correctly priced. If a PPI discovers that it needs synchros, or whatever, then the price must be reconsidered.

Peter Zimmermann

Ed: I had a real awakening about Boxsters a couple years ago. I'm 6'3", 215, and Boxsters built up until '04 were not my cup of tea. Then I had the good fortune to spend a lot of time/miles in an '05 Boxster, which is the first year that Porsche moved the pedals forward, moved the roll bar more than an inch toward the rear, and lowered the seats further into the car. Seemingly tiny differences, but after driving the 987 S with 6-speed manual, I didn't want to get out of the car. It was simply a spectacular experience!