tincob

I'm considering two Guards Red 87 targa's as my first 911. I have not had a PPI done yet.

Both have had done:
- brakes and pads
- newish tires
- clutch and flywheel
- repaint in good condition
- targa top refresh

A. 90K miles
- SW chip
- Fab speed muffler, pre-muffler install/cat delete
- 16x7, 16x8 refinished Fuchs upgrade
- Front strut support bar

B. 160K miles
- top end and rings done @ 155K miles
- SSI heat exchangers
- Performance exhaust

Option B is about $2K cheaper as a starting point. I haven't gotten down to hard negotiations yet.

Option A has some nice upgrades but a top end looms in the future. Option B is more stock but has had the top end and ring job done.

Before I spring for the cost of a PPI, does one look to be a better option? Thanks for your help and advice.

ricster

I say go for the 87 Targa

Really hard to say, you are there and I am here..which one did you like better?

Adams

I'm saying 'A'. Top end may not be the ticking time bomb you presume, PPI will tell. The 70k fewer miles are - to me - worth WAY more than the 2grand. Many, many things on these cars can eat up that gap in a hurry.

I'm also liking the 7s and 8s on the car, to about a 1500 diff in its favor anyway, so IMHO, the better choice.

User 4221

I'd go option-A.... Lower miles and nice uprades. If it runs to 155k before needing a new top-end, then you get 65k miles of solid motoring.

Also, at 160k miles, you are looking at re-doing a lot of things like transmission rebuild and chassis work like bushings, etc that can easily digest the 2k price delta.

As Bruce Anderson says, buy the newest, best maintained example you can afford.

Good luck.

Jay Gratton

Without seeing them or hearing about the PPI, I would go with Option A. Also, the mileage wouldn't scare me as I know nice 3.0 and 3.2 well over 200K and going strong.

ivangene

pics?

A is my first choice without pics

redridge

Having a nice top is nice, but you won't be using it much. Go with the lower miles... Depending on ppi... That rebuild may be ways down the road.

ivangene

BLAH, what an ugly color

blake

It is really going to come down to the PPI... Honestly, I'd pay for a PPI for both cars - then look closely at those data points to make the decision

Good luck. Driving 911s in CT rocks... One of my favorite parts of the country (and where I was raised)

-B

masterdave

I know a guy from NY that has a red targa that looks exactly like that one I hope he is not selling it.....

As for the rings in car B over car A this is what i will say about these engines, I once read an article about a Porsche rally driver who drove his personal 911 to 550,000 miles with out a rebuild, just proper oil changes, garage kept and good care.

Any way, car A looks great, but in the end of the day i would go with the 87 Targa. Here is why the targa is the best Porsche they ever made.

I love speed and race cars and what not, when i set out to buy my 911 all i wanted was a hard top 84-89 911 with the whale tale (a 930 is the true dream). But then I remembered, im only 20 and i dont have 90K for a pristine 930. I ended up (after a great deal of self debate) with a 78SC targa (i really did not like the targa when i set out looking). Every thing was in good shape and the car ran nice.
I was never much one for convertibles I always found them to be super noisy, BUT NOT THE TARGA. I like to say its a convertible with out all the pit falls of a convertible. Its not super noisy or windy when driving which makes it quite comfortable. In turn the ladies will love it because there hair will flutter in the wind but not go every where.
Now for the real reason, girls love looking at stars, targa tops come off, with out a top on a car you can see the stars, with out all that wind you can complement the lady on how nice she looks in the moonlight and she will hear you, its a vintage Porsche so she knows you have style and all the while you are having a great time driving the car. So really what I am trying to say is that the 911 targa is the greatest pickup line of all time.

If you manage to get it in time...
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsc...ekend-run.html
and if you dont, come buy, there will be many people to talk to and many cars to see for reference.

Best
Dave

tincob

Oil consumption of about 750~950 miles/quart in line for a 911 of this age?

ivangene

I would hope for over 1k/qt......950 might be about right...750 if on track

GothingNC

I vote for B

Recent top end and SSI's plus $2,000 less

theiceman

I'm gonna second the 87 Targa , but i say go for the red one ..

500

Try to get a handle on how good/thorough the top-end job was... it can vary quite a bit.

At 90K, I would not assume that a top-end will be needed that quickly... Of course, it may, it is a little hard to say. Most Carreras will "need" one before 200K, many before 150K, but at 90K, you MAY still have quite a bit to go. Plus, if you get to do the top end (or have someone do it) you can make all the choices. My worry is that someone selling only 5K after a top end may not have gone for the most thorough of jobs... or maybe they did and didn't think they would sell so soon...

Most important thing (outside of a PPI) is to get up close to and drive these cars. You may find that it becomes much clearer at that point.