einreb92

I have loved Porsches since I was a teenager and now find myself on the 50+ side of life and feel the need to make my dream come true while there is time. I have read alot and widely and I have driven one or two p-cars in search of a car I can love and call my own. The problem is I don't know which to buy. In my neck of the woods (Phila), there seems to be a plethora of Targas for sale and believe it or not, the asking prices are all about the same for very, very clean examples: $25k. The mileage is roughly the same on both cars (~75k). I learned that I did not want to deal with the 915 tranny, so at least I've made some progress and limited my search to 87-89. Should I also be looking at other years? What models/years should I avoid? There are many '99s for what I want to spend, but that makes me wonder if something is wrong with that year. I've been told to stay away from turbos as they require more expensive maintenance. I found a gentleman with a beautiful 1988 911 in Fla, but he scared me off when he spoke of valve guide wear on the left side. As a teacher, I don't need to go 100 mph but would enjoy having a car I can drive when the weather is nice that will not nickel and dime me to death or leave me in the lurch for want of expensive fixes. Help! Thanks in advance and sorry about the long post. BTW: $25k is my absolute limit and black is my absolute color choice.

Amber Gramps

Welcome to Rennlist. Your dream car is out there and can be had within your budget. I would take the '88 over the 915 cars and the '99MY. I love my '88. You will find us all bias though. Something about the older cars just rocks the old bones.

Daniel Dudley

Condition is the primary factor, after you decide what kind you want. You will need a Pre Purchase Inspection. Get a copy of the book The Used 911 Story, by Peter Zimmermann. Better to read it now.

The 87-89 911s are great cars. I don't think you are making a mistake, if you get a well loved one.

KC911

Welcome to Rennlist! I'll second what's already been posted...your car "is" out there, and your mission is now to find it without making a decision that you will regret later. Lose the "desperation", and take your time...spend several months educating yourself here and on Pelican (particularly for the older 911s) and reading Pete's book while searching and evaluating various cars, and don't fall in "love" with the first one! Nothing wrong with a well sorted 915, but you can find a "very nice" 87-89 driver for your price (even less), but save a few thousand for the items that will potentially need attention. They're fantastic cars and virtually bullet proof IF you get a good one, but they're all 20 years old now, and things like rubber bushings will need attention if it hasn't already been taken care of. I HIGHLY recommend buying one from an enthusiast (like you find on these boards), and steering clear of "dealers". BTW, the targas that you mention, at that mileage, probably aren't that great of a deal unless the cars are virtually perfect. Search far & wide, nationwide (lots of cars in CA) and good luck! The search is part of the journey, and fun...have at it!

Keith
'88 CE coupe

justinsrx7

Hi einreb92,

I have a 1978 911 Turbo-look Cabriolet that is black with a tan full leather interior. It has a 3.2 engine with about around 63k miles on it. I am thinking of selling and the car will be in your price range. Have a look and PM me if you are interested in more details.

ked

welcome...
a) do more research, including driving as many examples as possible (this will enable you to tell **** from shinola quickly & clarify whether you want a 996 or not). when you have a nominee, do deeper research on THAT particular car (service & owner history, ins claims, etc etc).
b) if your total budget is $25K, don't spend much over $20K.
c) get some local expertise (PCA chapter) on your side, to learn more & to source an expert for the PPI.
d) take your time & enjoy - the next 6 mos should be a good hunting season.

djk_wff

Good luck with your search and then the driving ...

I recently completed mine. Lucked into a '88 Coupe and absolutely love it while driving it daily. That is when the weather is nice!

If you could find a car in CA, the drive back would be memorable, take a week+ and do things that you did or couldn't do, as if you bought it new!

You should be able to find a very nice car in the '87-89 era within that $$ range, probably a bit less.

84_Carrera

There is absolutely nothing wrong with a 915 transaxle, providing it's well maintained, the shift bushing & coupler are in good shape, and it is operated properly. It's lighter, and it's less expensive to maintain / rebuild I think.

When are you looking to purchase? You can find better deals before people put their cars away, especially with everyone selling their toys due to the economy. Don't be afraid to go outside of your area too, you can find cars all across the country. I bought mine from an acquaintance in Michigan & drove her home to Rhode Island in '04. Folks are so worried about road trips in these cars, but really, if they're good examples, they're pretty bulletproof. I did a 1700 mile round trip excursion to Dayton in a weekend this summer... no worries.

Look to Peter Zimmermann's book, he's also on the boards here & Pelican Parts. Pete's book has some great info for the 1st time buyer, it's a great condensed version of all the opinions & history you might find here.

Don't be afraid to toss out here what you're looking for (Coupe, Targa, Cab, colors, turbo / non, flares or narrowbody, options, modifications, how you plan to drive her, mechanical ability - do you want a mild fixer to save money, etc.). It'll help folks to point you to a more ideal car for you, and might even spark someone's memory that "oh yeah, so & so's selling theirs, that might be a good match".

Best of luck!

Jaws911

I bought mine as 50th b-day present to myself, so perhaps I can relate - and , I say, without a doubt -DO IT! This car (chosen w/ just a modicum of care) won't let you down...& you will love it.
But I'm going to suggest that, once you get it - take one more step - join PCA and do a DE - and then (& only then) will you really get to drive the Porsche that you bought...

einreb92

Thanks all for the encouragement! And Justin you sure have a beautiful P-car. I have to pass up the offer (unfortunately) 1. because of the distance...it would be expensive to get it here; 2. because I really am partial to the G-50 tranny.

85 Carrera & Daniel: I purchased that book and another one I found on line and it has helped alot but he repeats certain portions when it comes to the 90s cars without being very helpful in the same way as he did with the 80s cars ie "Terrific cars. No problems."

I currently have a new Honda 4dr, a 98 Acura Integra and a '67 Skylark COnvertible. The car I am looking for wouldn't get many more miles than the Buick per year ( about 2500). And like the Buick, I am not planning to drive it in inclement weather. For years I thought I needed to have a cab, but I also like the coupe. Most of all, I love big butts (on cars of course so the turbo look really grabs my eye. The car in FLA is a steel body 1988 turbo-look. It will probably be gone by late this week, but I don't want to hurry even though it is beautiful and seems well cared for. It has a tail which I can take or leave...preferably leave. I have some mechanical ability and can do small things but have never worked on a foreign car before. So I'd like a car that requires little of me other than oil change, polish and drive. In terms of time line, I'm ready to buy now and maybe get a few miles in before winter rears its head here in Philly (Go Phillies!) The problem with buying cars out of state is that I'd be buying someting I haven't driven even though I would require a PPI. If it is too far, I'd have to consider having it trucked here and that adds $$$ to the experience. BTW: Do you think $18.5 is a good price for that '88 with 120K and the slightly leaky valve guide? (I did read up on this phenomenon). My wife argues that a car with that many miles will be even harder to sell for anything close to what I paid should I decide to move on at some point. Your thoughts?

Doug: I do love the classic look but wonder if the 90s series might be a bit more "comfortable" in the long run. "Can't lie: I love some power steering! By the way, does anyone know what it takes to take off a "tail?"

Jaws: I'd love to join PCA but right now they limit me to Quest status because I do not yet have a car. In fact I found that FLA 911 in the Mart. The owner said I shouldn't freak out about a slight valve guide leak, but the motor has 119,000 on it. Am I right to be wary?

butzip

Stop looking and call me 860 849-3421 I have your car!!

Brgds, Peter

Brett San Diego

The 87-89 Carreras are arguably the best of the classic 911s to own for the long run. They are the last and most developed of that classic body style. Their values may not drop much more before bottoming out and going up. All depends on the economy, which isn't a good thing right now perhaps... If you could wait another few months, you might find a better deal, if the economy continues to stagnate.

I have to ask about your comments on the Florida 1988 911. You've used the phrases "valve guide wear" and "valve guide leak," which leads me to think you're unaware of the exact issue. Valve guide wear is a known issue with the 3.2 L engine. It is noticeable by blue smoke from the exhaust when lifting off the throttle at higher RPM (high vacuum in the intake). You say the owner knows there is valve guide wear on the left side. How would he know this? One typically cannot determine which guides are worn except by tearing apart the engine and measuring the guides. An expert mechanic may be able to pinpoint guide wear by doing a wiggle test of the valves with just the valve covers removed. Is the owner relaying a diagnosis from his mechanic? Is it a good mechanic? Is there oil smoke from the exhaust?

One typically uses the word leak to describe oil dripping on the ground. Valve guide wear doesn't lead to a leak onto the ground. So is it really valve guide wear that we're talking about here? Or, is the issue simply a valve "cover" leak on the left side? If it's just a valve cover leak, it's no big deal. Buy the car (well, so long as everything else checks out to your satisfaction). New valve cover gaskets are cheap ($40-50). However, getting new valve guides installed is not cheap (complete top end rebuild, probably around $5000, maybe more). Big difference. Give us some clarity to help your decision.

Good luck shopping. Now may be the best time ever to shop for old 911s with a nose-diving economy and winter just around the corner.

Oh, and very good advice from Ked to spend only about $20-21,000 on the car and save the remainder for repairs and refurbishment in the first year. You'll need it.

Brett

butzip

The 915 in this car is perfect the clutch is perfect it drives and looks like a 2 yr old car no leaks what so ever not a dent or scratch in the original paint clean car fax everything works perfectly I have the title in hand $1500 tune up just done I can give the details over the phone 59,826 original miles immaculate. I can even personally deliver it to your door.

KC911

Just my .02 again. We've all been talking about how great these cars are IF you get a good one, but if you don't perform your due dilligence, and get a bad one (and they're out there) it can easily end up costing you $8-10K+ more than you bargained for and you will NOT enjoy the experience. Soooo, please slow down, take a deep breath, and think about your Phillies, and not pruchasing a car asap . I personally would never buy a 911 that I had not inspected (although some do) and driven, but that's just me (even if it means hopping on a plane for a round trip "look see"). I flew 500 miles to purchase mine, and if it hadn't checked out, I would have hopped back on the plane, but instead I drove her home with the biggest grin imaginable. IMO, worn valve guide = top end rebuild sooner rather than later (depending upon the oil consumption rate). Good luck with your search!

Keith
'88 CE coupe

butzip

Or better yet buy a car that needs nothing

I am not dealer and like everyone in this great forum, am willing to lend my advice to help you find the right car. Even if it's not this one

Brgds, Peter