Fantor

Hi:
I am new to the Porsche world and am looking at buying my first 911..:-) What do you guys think of this eBay 911sc Item number: 220354708145 ? I know it's not worth no where near the buy now amount. However, I was wondering if it's even worth offering a few thousand for it considering the mileage and listed problems it has, not to mention any possible hidden/unknown problems. Any input would be great.
Also, if I go take a look at the car what other Porsche type problem things should I be looking for above and beyond the normal car inspection stuff.


Thank You: Fantor

Brads911sc

The experts can weigh in. Ill tell you my story... its all i know... I have an 83 SC and work on my own car. Paid 13k. Was listed for 16k. EurocarWerk (PCA-LSR endorsed for doing Pre-DE inspections) here in Houston did the PPI. Said it was the cleanest 3.0 Litre he had seen in years... It was dry, with no major issues on the PPI.... I have owned it two years now. SSI's/Dansk exhaust (old exchangers had some rust), Ignition switch, New AC system (cant do without AC in TX), Targa Top restore from CarsInc, New Clutch Kit/Cable, Valve Job, new Pirelli tires.. dropped anoth 8k in parts and tools and I do the work myself. Havent touched the brakes or suspension where I could easily drop another 3k without changing it from stock. and this was work done to "the cleanest 3.0 litre he had seen in years..." Are you going to work on it or pay to have it worked on? Are you looking for a track car? street/Stock car? Daily driver? Weekend use?
A rule of thumb is that every 911 is a 20k car. Id say that is true if you do your own work and are only paying for parts. If you are paying a well regarded shop, then Id say every 911 is more like a 25-30k car...
That ignition switch is $650 plus installation. A Valve adjust is $400+. I had the AFM adjusted on mine, and it was $200 for the adjustment. CIS is tricky and you could easily dump 2k into your fuel issue. You could spend 3k before you even do an oil change. Can easily drop 2,500 on SSI's and SS Exhaust.
In my view... Id rather find a clean car for 13-15k, drop another 6-8k in things I want (SSI's and DANSK Exhaust and Rennair AC was NOT required)... than to buy a "project" for 7k and spend all your money getting it safe and have no money left over for the SS Exahust or Rennaire System... or whatever you want to do to it to make it your own...
Just my .02. Major issues tend to be pricy on these cars... and in the end, I want to be able to drive mine without worrying whether it will leave me sitting on the side of the road...
At the very least have a good PPI done so you have a list of all the major and minor issues. Its a few hundred and well worth it...
Good luck and keep us posted.

83 SC Targa
08 Accord
72 911 T (Sold)
74 914 (Sold)
73 911 T (Sold)

wwest

The smog pump is missing as is seemingly the engine compartment heater blower.

'78 was the initial year of the Porsche "wide-body" of that era.

theiceman

Well This does look like an interesting one. I would be licking my chops on this one for sure. Sounds like the guy is truely disclosing what ne knows , but when you look at what he has done it seams to mount to practically zero. Mind you if the FD and WUR have been replaced, those are not cheap bits, but it sounds like it does not run well cold and someone has been shotgunning a little. I think the other CIS components could be had off ebay or other parts suppliers at a fraction of retail . But it must be said I do ALL my own work and this would be very pricey car to fix to have a mech fix it up .

I do find the pictures of very poor quality and you can tell nothing from them. i think first I would want 100s of pics of everything.

The 3.0 litre is a solid engine when sorted. As mentioned this is in fact a " wide body " when compared to previous version narrow body cars of 77 and earlier. it is not however a "turbo look " widebody that some may refer to . This is good news because the body is original , not hacked with bits of fiberglass stuck on or metal welded on after the fact.
I would definitely have it taken for a PPI to tell you what else it needs. if you are able to view the car local then do it .
oil leak and seapage aren't that uncomon and it would not put me off , but a quarter of a million miles with no documented history of a rebuild might. The PPI for a car with this millage better include leak down and compresion check because if it needs a rebuild, you could easily buy the car over.
To buy a car like this and pump money into it so you can sell it .. well ..... you see the results , it is now on ebay , That would be an expensive proposition. But if you are very mechanically inclined and are looking for a project , it may be worth while.

While I would read Brads post very carefully and heed his advice as to costs , there are some things you could do on your own.

for example you can do your own valve adjustments, rebuild your CIS, and just about all the other brakes and suspension work on your own with the right resources , you better really know your way around a tool kit.
These cars are not difficult to work on , but diagnosing CIS issues can be a bit of a challenge if you do not educate yourself first.
If you jut saw a cheap Porsche on Ebay and fancy it I would pass. If you are really up for the challenge of a project car I would get the PPI and go from there and decide what you could do for yourself, if you plan on writing checks, plan on writing a lot of big ones.
There was a post somewhere around here on what to look for an a PPI by Pete Zimmermann but I am not sure where it went . but as a real quickie....

Compresion and leak down .. make sure they pass
Head studs, make sure none are broken, should be 24.
check for rust around body particularly at base of windshield.
Check windshield for delamination ( milky colour ) and othe abnormalities. As about oil consumption and try to verify.
Verify cold and hot running ( obvious issues there. )
take an inspection mirror and check door stop where it fastens to the doors , look for torn door metal
check exchangers for rust and completeness ( heating system as a whole ) . Changing exchangers can be expensive and catastrophic if you bust an exhast stud in the head.
check tires. and suspension like you would any other car.
Interior pieces can be pricey check that out to .

Before even going to look at this car I would get a copy of " the used 911 story" By Pete. it is great for photos of exactly where to look at the car for certain issues. i would educate myself long before going to look at my first car .

In the end be prepaed to spend money

All the best and keep us up to date

bu

Brads911sc

Well Written Ice. Couldnt have said it better.

Fantor

Hmm, all very good posts. Thank you very much. My plan is to get a good daily driver. I drove a 911 yrs ago and loved it. Now with the economy in the tank, I figured it would be a good time to buy one. I am so so mech wise. I owned mustangs all my life and could work on them with no problems until the new 2000+ models hit. Why too much computer stuff going on. That’s why I figured an older Porsche would be a bit easier to work on. I'll try to find the “the used 911 story" By Pete before I do anything. Thanks for the tip. If anyone else wants to chime in please do.

Thanks Again: Fantor

theiceman

hey in fact he has usually chimed in by now . somebody better go kick him and make sure he stirs.

Mike S.

I like this portion from the ad...Oil changed when he bought it (2/06)...says it needs an oil change now...3 yrs later.

Gotta love the steering wheel upgrade...

Mike

theiceman

yeah as far as service goes ..... changed the plugs ....

BReyes

Are you looking for more top end performance than eg. a Cobra? Are you looking for 0-60. I haven't looked at the car questioned above, but know I like performance.

Really these cars all depend on their service history. It is costly.

Have you located and visited local Porsche service experts? There were a few experts in my area when I bought my first one. Have you gone to a pca event, eg pca will be at Sebring this week. Lots of cars for sale and shops present. For me it is a valued relationship unreplaceable when getting into Porsche. Better performing vehicle.

When regularly serviced (and upgraded with SSI, 16s, and alignment) SC has impeccable performance. With such a car, I value the technicians work for upgrading vehicle's performance before I get it.

Then you can take it from there

Goodluck.

Regards,

Fantor

Mike the steering wheel upgrade is the BOMB!!!! Not.:-( Looks like I will have to pass on this car. The owner is pretty ferm on his price. I was planning on doing a carb conversion on the engine from motor meiser. So the search continues....

Thanks again for all the input: Fantor

theiceman

ER.. DID YOU SAY MOTOR MEISTER ?

SEARCH ON MY FRIEND.

old man neri

Please follow this advice.

rusnak

omg someone is looking at a Motor Meister engine...not even worth the hassle.

I have been trying to help one of my friends who owns a 911SC. I must say that fuel/ ignition system is complex and it was kicking my butt. I feel so guilty for just hoping that the car goes away.

I am just so jaded on 911SCs right now.

Fantor

Whats wrong with Motor Meiser???