holy911

I'm looking hard into becoming a Porsche owner. My dream 911 is: All Black, Targa, whale tail.

I prefer the '87-'89 since those had the G50 tranny and were the last of the 911 body that I like. The 964 is okay, but the 911 "does it" for me. I guess since I grew up in the '80s, that's the 911 that defined Porsche for me.

Please share your experiences, heartaches, problems, victories, loves, hates with your 911s so I can be better educated about what to look for in my first Porsche.

I'm in N. California, San Jose. So for anyone that lives in this region, please direct me to good mechanics. Thanks in advance folks.

DRACO A5OG

Not a 87-89 but my 85 is my choice, with my M&K Pre-Muff, K&N and SW Custom 964 Chip. I can keep up with the 87-89 with G50.

Targa, what can I say but be patient and find one, you will love the dual personalities. Yes Top issues aside, minor adjustments and proper front seal you will be golden.

Factory Turbo tail, most do not like it but so what it is your choice.

My baby is a Marble Grey (white), Targa with Factory installed Turbo Tail and lovin it.

Love the 80's station on the radio

Best wishes Brother!

rmurph

87 Cab, love it. Have owned it for 7 years. Put in a rollbar last yr to do track events, now lowered and corner balanced as well. Holds its own on track. It is not a daily driver, normal maintenance issues, change oil every 3,000 miles. Best of both worlds. Drive and enjoy!

diamondcarrera

Thats a from me, bets car Ive ever owned! Had mine six years and still puts a HUGE smile on my face every time I see it.

old man neri

Get a book called 'the used 911 story' by Pete Zimmerman. It will explain the model line and things to look for in each year. It will also explain the PPI process which could potentially save a lot of heart aches.

Other than that I still love my 88 targa. Some days I wish it were a coupe (days where I can't have the top off) but that's life. It's a blast to drive with the top down. If you do get one with a whale tail make sure it also has a chin spoiler. Also make sure you have money set aside for whatever will pop up.

-matt

TroyN

It's not a 87-89 and not even a Carrera but it's the right color and w/ a tail. I was not a big fan of the Targa but really like mine. This is at a recent DE in Pueblo CO. Good luck in your search.

holy911

Great guys,

Thanks for the words of wisdom and victories. I dont intend to race mine, it won't be a daily driver, I'm a decent weekend mechanic but have never worked on Porsches, and my budget is about $20k. I've seen a few advertised out there for about $20k with under 100k miles. Not seen in person or driven any yet.

What's a "chin spoiler"?

Just last nite, I ordered the "Used 911 Story" from Amazon. Intimate bedtime reading material for sure.

Should I really hold out for one with the G50 tranny vs. the older tranny? I thought I read that the G50 is much more reliable.

Please keep the advice coming.....

diamondcarrera

The chin spoiler sits at the front of the car and wraps around the vallance or whatever the right name is for the bit at the front that the number plate sits on, as old man neri rightly says - there should be a chin spoiler when you have a tail fitted - its a case of both or none - if the tail was deleted at the factory there will not be a chin fitted, if there is a chin spoiler then at some point in the cars life the rear decklid has been swapped from one with tail to one without...... good luck in your search - it took me 4 years!

Steely

First let me congratulate you on your very good taste! (And I only say that in a non-biased manner, never mind the fact that I own an '87 Targa too)

I am a very new owner and recognize the need for maintenance - and I probably share your level of mechanical experience, but I've been busy making a list of little things to buy and do. That said, some of the advice I got was to be prepared to set aside some funds for maintenance first, and then upgrades later, but this is up to you. I found I had to get rear rotors, and this was just after an emergency fan belt replacement, in order to get her to pass state inspection. I was financially ready for the unexpected here, but I was bummed it didn't come up on the PPI. Study the PPI too, you'll know exactly what you are getting and paying for.

I had the same considerations you have, and I was able to score a beauty with fewer than 100K miles for under 20K. Other than what I mentioned above, she was well cared for based on the rest of the PPI results and the records I was given. She was chipped, had the exhaust upgraded, regular maintenance, a new clutch, and some other things tended too. And, I love the way she drives, looks and sounds. Good luck and happy hunting!

+1 on Pete's book too.

Rice

You'll be fine working on it yourself. Most things you can do yourself except may be top end and rebuild. You never know what you may need to buy for the car since it is 20 yrs old so have extra money or an extra car. It sounds like you have the extra car for when you decide to work on it. I have let friends and relatives drive it and they love it. My is almost a daily driver since I drive it about 4X a work. It is truly fun on cool days and I get plenty of looks. You will have a blast and mine is an 87 and I wanted the G50.

I would recommend going out and driving every Porsche in between 84-89 that is for sale within your area of living. Don't worry about price yet or if it is targa, coupe, or convertible. Just get a feel of the difference in how these cars drive. I have found that one might sell a $14K and it is sh*t while there is one for $14K that is awesome. Good luck!

dshepp806

Never cared for the Targas, preferring the Coupes. I like the G50 much better than the 915. I've an '89.

Again: it's a matter of preferences...go taste them all,..then decide.

Best of luck,

Doyle

holy911

Just test drove a couple of P's yesterday. It's been awhile since I drove a manual so there was a bit of a learning curve.

1st: '85 Targa, 171k miles. Not bad driving actually considering how many miles it had. Not a screamer either. A bit of grinding when downshifting, esp. 2nd to 1st gear. Kinda notchy feeling upshifting 1st to 2nd, missed a few shifts. Other gears okay, not great. I guess that's the 915 tranny showing age. I wont buy this one due to the high mileage and his high asking price ($11,3k) considering how many out there with lower mileage and not much more $$.

2nd: '02 Targa, 35k miles. BIG diff. Faster, smoother, easier to shift. MUCH more refined as I expected. BUT it just doesn't have that look I like. Asking way over my budget ($37k).

Another one I'm eyeing is an '87, only 32k miles, but asking price is way up there at $31k. It's a Cab, blk, whale tail. Nice in the pictures, but again, over my budget. Hopefully, I'll get to test drive this one soon.

And yet another one was at the P dealer. 1996 Cab, 38k miles. Dark Blue. Clean. Asking $39k. I wanted to drive it but since I knew its over budget i didnt want to waste the salesman's time. Maybe he wouldn't have minded.

jpyles

Wow, you're really sampling a wide array! Good for you - that's how you will be able to decide for yourself what your $$$ vs. performance vs. maintenance vs. enjoyment curve looks like. It's different for everyone.

That said, the 87-89 cars are within your budget and will not depreciate much (if at all) as long as they are kept in good shape. The maintenance will be higher because they are 20+ year old cars, and even with low mileage examples, things are going to wear out. However, these cars were built very well and I am always amazed at how well they weather the years and miles. Big ticket items are clutch replacement, top end rebuild and suspension rebuilds. Brake rotors are $100, pads are $40-80, plug wires are $120-220. Again, Pete's book will give you all the details.

The G50's are very robust, and the shifting is smoother, in my opinion. Porsche developed the G50 to handle future power increases many years after 87, so in the Carrera it is quite sturdy.

Targas and Cabs generally go for a little less than Coupes, but the real factor nowadays is condition. The mileage is a factor too, but don't be scared off by something with a little higher miles if it has all of the records indicating that regular maintenance has been done. Of course, a good PPI is invaluable and you shouldn't pull the trigger without one.

Enjoy the hunt - it can be a lot of fun (as I think you're already noticing). Take your time and wait for the one that really stands out for you. And use the board - we love helping other people spend their money!

911Dave

So, you didn't want to waste the salesman's time but it's okay to waste the other guys' time?

I understand your desire to drive a variety of cars, but I don't think you should be wasting anyone's time by driving their cars when you KNOW you won't be buying them. As a seller I would be royally pissed off if you test drove my car when you knew you had no intention of buying it.

You should only be test driving cars that are serious candidates for purchase.

holy911

Yeah, I know what you mean about wasting folks time, especially fellow 911 aficionado's like us. If this guy comes down in price, I may drive it. We'll see.

Coupes usually more than Cabs and Targas? That's a good thing in my favor then. Between the Cab and Targa, I'd rather have a Targa. For me, it's more convenient, less problematic, faster, more cost-efficient. Those motorized versions and power lock issues are scaring me away. Plus a thief only needs a sharp knife and they're inside in seconds.

Hmm, no Cab then. Targas only...