Should I buy this? (UPDATED)
08-21-2002, 11:40 PM
#1
Racer
Thread Starter
Should I buy this? (UPDATED)
Have a chance to purchase a 1985 911 Targa in very good interior/exterior condition, it has approximatley 200k miles(carfax)on it and poor service records but doesn't have anything wrong as far as I can tell, I will get an inspection, but want to know where I should go from here...The actual mileage will be listed on the title as UNKNOWN b/c it was replaced by the owner and only shows half of this...they want $13,500 for this, but I'm not sure if I should even consider it for anything above $9-10k...I'd like to wrap up this deal in the next few days, so any help I can get from you guys the better... 
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08-22-2002, 12:58 PM
#4
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The price would have to be very right, otherwise I agree with MarkY, I'd walk. If you think you might ever want to resell it, you'll have to take unknown mileage and poor service records into account, too. I would want to do a Carfax (www.carfax.com) on it, which may help with the mileage.
08-22-2002, 02:02 PM
#5
Racer
Thread Starter
forgot to mention that the carfax stated about 200k on it but the odometer says 100k with a 3 month gap in between...I've noticed that almost everyone wants $24k for an '85, so I figured I'd have some room to play with, I don't think that the $13.5k is a good buy though...
08-22-2002, 02:32 PM
#7
Have it checked out, you may have a sucker-deal or the deal of a lifetime. Compression test is a must with 200k+ on the odometer.
I bought a 84 Carrera with 200k on it back in April (we have most of the documentation going back 10+ years) the car is in amazing shape and runs without flaw.
If you are going to be a low-mileage user (under 4000/year) and you are somewhat handy, a high-mile car can be a great bargain. Buy the wrong car and the repairs can quickly exceed the savings (or even the purchase price). Clean/low mile 911sc or 3.2 Carreras change hands for $20k+.
For reference, my car was on Ebay for $14,600, I struck a cash deal for $12,000 and haven't had to put a single $1 into repairs/parts the car since.
I bought a 84 Carrera with 200k on it back in April (we have most of the documentation going back 10+ years) the car is in amazing shape and runs without flaw.
If you are going to be a low-mileage user (under 4000/year) and you are somewhat handy, a high-mile car can be a great bargain. Buy the wrong car and the repairs can quickly exceed the savings (or even the purchase price). Clean/low mile 911sc or 3.2 Carreras change hands for $20k+.
For reference, my car was on Ebay for $14,600, I struck a cash deal for $12,000 and haven't had to put a single $1 into repairs/parts the car since.
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08-22-2002, 02:39 PM
#8
[quote]Originally posted by zzopit:
<strong>Have it checked out, you may have a sucker-deal or the deal of a lifetime. Compression test is a must with 200k+ on the odometer.</strong><hr></blockquote>
I disagree. I wouldn't spend a dime getting this car checked out. Too many holes including no records, a broken odometer, etc. Do yourself and you wallet a favor and forget about this car.
<strong>Have it checked out, you may have a sucker-deal or the deal of a lifetime. Compression test is a must with 200k+ on the odometer.</strong><hr></blockquote>
I disagree. I wouldn't spend a dime getting this car checked out. Too many holes including no records, a broken odometer, etc. Do yourself and you wallet a favor and forget about this car.
08-22-2002, 04:41 PM
#9
Rennlist Member
If I were really interested in this car, I would be willing to check it out further. There are missing records, so even before a PPI, I'd contact previous owners to try to solve the service mysteries. You mentioned what "they" were asking for the car, so I assume that it's with a dealer or used car lot. I think I would let this one go if contacts with POs did not satisfy my curiosity about the service history. If "they" say there is no way to trace the POs, they are not telling the truth, and may have something to hide.
BTW, some (not most) may be *asking* $24k for '85s, but I'll bet darn few are getting that much, and they would have to be in almost mint condition. Still, if this car checks out in terms of both missing history and PPI, it could become a great deal. Just be very careful; it's a jungle out there. Good luck.
BTW, some (not most) may be *asking* $24k for '85s, but I'll bet darn few are getting that much, and they would have to be in almost mint condition. Still, if this car checks out in terms of both missing history and PPI, it could become a great deal. Just be very careful; it's a jungle out there. Good luck.
08-22-2002, 07:02 PM
#11
There is a car here in Arkansas that I almost bought but I couldn't get the price down quite far enough. It is an '84 targa, guards/black in very nice shape cosmetically and excellent mechanically (the ONLY issue is a slight oil leak on a line <I think> 
I could have bought it for $14k and that was a month ago. I'll bet you could get it for around $13k now and it only has 114k miles. I'd leave the mystery machine alone if it were me.
I could have bought it for $14k and that was a month ago. I'll bet you could get it for around $13k now and it only has 114k miles. I'd leave the mystery machine alone if it were me.
08-23-2002, 04:04 AM
#12
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If $13K is what you've got to spend, find a lower mileage well cared for SC. Why spend good money on a high miles, sketchy records car? There's always another car out there...
08-23-2002, 10:19 AM
#14
Racer
Thread Starter
well the jury is out and they have spoken...I will wait as suggested...thank you for all your help...like many of you mentioned, this could be a money pit, seems to me that I may have seen that Tom Hanks movie, I better run...
08-25-2002, 08:10 PM
#15
Racer
Thread Starter
Well I found a MUCH better PCAR, just doing the haggling right now...Here's the info: 1983 911SC, Guards Red (repaint b/c of fading), 138k miles, $12K in receipts from the last 2 years, rebuilt tran, new AC, major serices done...here's where I'm at right now, they asked $14,900 and have only gone down to $14,500, I will need to ship this too ($750-1000), this does seem like a good deal, I just "hate" this car-negoiating business part...any tips (go for it, good deal, ask them this, etc.) KBB is roughly $13k on this but I see many models MUCH higher than this...need some of the rennlist brain to help me out on this one... 
Many thanks,
Kevin
Many thanks,
Kevin