jclanin

Hi all,

I sold my 993 about 18 months ago (heavy sigh). It was my DD and with a newborn in the family it just wasn't cutting it. I now have an '03 BMW 540i6 as my DD - love it.

But I'm looking to getting another 911 as a 2nd car as soon as I can. I've always loved the 85-88 year range and have driven a few. I have about $20K as an initial investment for this car and will look to purchase in the next 4-6 months.

I'm finding prices all over the place; from $13K for a very high mileage and tired car to a $30-$35K for a fairly pristine example.

Realistically, what kind of car (condition, reliability, etc...) am I looking at for around $20K? I'm a DIY guy and would want a straight, clean car but not a garage queen.

I know this is very open-ended, but I'm just looking for some initial advice from folks that have owned and cherish these cars.

thanks!

JC

BlackSpyder

I will try and help based on my own recent experience.

I just purchased a 88 3.2 with 105K in what I think could be discribed as good condition. Had a good PPI with no major problems to correct. Paint and body is 8.5 out of 10 and interior is a 7 out of 10. The car seems mostly original in nature from my limited knowledge (It has been lowered and has a SSI/Dansk exhaust). She runs great and is a hoot to drive

I paid 18,500

I would think with a 20K budget, some patient searching and some good luck you can find a nice car.

regards,

Mike

Adams

First off, what a blooming gorgeous car. Love the color.

I think your mileage, condition, price advice is dead-on with what I've seen. With good records, the mileage is of trifilng concern.

Many, many posts on here about what to look for, what to pay to correct, et cetera. Yet for general guidelines your price range and search should yield a good example.

Minor advice from this end: Don't blow your whole budget on 'the' car. You WILL find some mods, improvements 'stuff' you want to do. It's gonna happen, period. Have fun looking!

ivangene

nice car for that price and a DD my 86 which just rolled 170k miles....I would condider it a great driver and 1005 reliable for the little over 1 year I have had it...

I paid nothing for mine, I just gave the owner my old car.... direct swap

whalebird

Spectacular car you have there spyder. I would say your post sums it up pretty good in terms of what to expect.
JC, your lament for the 993 will never go away, but a good late 80s vintage will come close in some regards and maybe exceed it in others. 20K is happy hunting grounds for these cars; you could probably buy a great example today, forgo the PPI and never have a problem. There are just to many very nice cars out there to choose from. The caveat here is that you are not in a hurry which means you can search for the right car, get a PPI and have the time of your life with your new 911.
I suggest looking below the radar for a private owner transaction...maybe a referance from your local PCA club members or here on Rennlist. Cars on Ebay and on the used car lots are not always what they seem.
Good luck and stay tuned here for the guys who own these cars to chime in.
Disregard the 915/G50 debate for now.

BlackSpyder

[QUOTE=Adams;8531566]First off, what a blooming gorgeous car. Love the color.
Thank you...I really like the color too!

[QUOTE=whalebird;8531783]Spectacular car you have there spyder. I suggest looking below the radar for a private owner transaction...maybe a referance from your local PCA club members or here on Rennlist. QUOTE]

Thank you.... and I think you give good advice about where to look... I bought my car from a local PCA member, it was listed on the local PCA site for sale.

ClaylG

You should be able to get a nice example for $20k. I have an '87 3.2 that I will be selling here in the next few months and my price will be around $20k. I'm curious as to why the 86-88 years appeal to you since there are some fairly large differences between the 86's and 88's.

whalebird

Yes, there are differences, mostly minor. Many who know these details claim an 86 is the choice vintage.

jclanin

I have a good bit of homework to do on model year differences for sure... Mid to late 80's have always been a favorite of mine though.

Shoot me a PM with some details on your car when you're about to list it if you don't mind.

ClaylG

1987 was the first year of the g50 transmission and hydraulic clutch. I consider those to be substantial improvements.

whalebird

In terms of performance, not really an "improvement". I too like a hydraulic clutch, but a decent 915 trans/cable clutch is a fine shifting car. Different? a bit. Improvement? not so much to rule out any other Carrera. My advice would be to drive multiples of each 911 made, then start narrowing the margins. Many people come to the conclusion that the Carrera is a superb car regardless of transmission. This includes the SCs as well. The method a in which a 911 begs to be driven suits a 915and G50 alike. They are both bulletproof gearboxes.

vracer

$20K should get you a very good car. I looked at a very nice '89 120K mile Targa in Feb. It is still for sale at $21K OBO.

audi328

Curious, if I may ask: I always thought the big divide was between 86-earlier and 87-later cars (as regards the gearbox), and I'm not trying to get into that discussion here, but when considering 911s between 86-88 what subtle differences would make one consider an 86 the "choice vintage"? (I realize that may be a very subjective question).

Honestly, I'm about to go look at an 86 that looks really nice, haven't checked it out yet but it may be a contender, and I've mostly limited my search to the 86-earlier cars because of price...as the saying goes, buy the best you can afford...most G-50 cars have been a bit above where I've wanted to go in price, but I feel I can comfortably swing a nice 86-or-earlier Carrera or SC.

What about an 86 makes it a choice car for some?

Audi

Ed Hughes

To clarify, the Carrera series ran from 84-89. All are 3.2 Motronic engines. 84-86 had the 915 trans. 87-89 had the G50 with hydraulic clutch. Yes, the G50 was an improved trans-but it isn't perfect either.

The 915 trans is no slouch, and it is folly to overlook a wonderful 84-86 Carrera, should you find one.

ked

we're talking about very similar cars around a quarter-century old.
don't get too hung up on MY & spec - physical condition, ownership, maint, records, accidents, originality are qualitative factors that override minor yr-to-yr variations. price is mostly biased towards condition, w/ an advantage to the later cars ("Anderson's Law").
but easy for me to say... I got lucky on those aspects AND a yr ('87) & spec (silver / marine blue, no spoilers) that appealed. study / drive / be patient / enjoy