Jeff Jones

Hi,

Some years ago I bought, rebuilt with my father and had a lot of fun with a 78 911 SC Targa. I sold it years later out of necessity and always missed it. I know Targas aren't for everyone but I absolutely love them. Fast forward far too many years and seeing the new 2014 Targa come out has me longing for the fun of that old 911. As tempting as the 2014 is I don't want to put that much money into a car and I also want to be able to work on it, track it a bit and I just have a thing for older Porsches.

Let me get to the point. I started looking at the used 911 market and have honed in on the 87 to 89 3.2 Targa. Very close in appearance to my old SC with a better transmission, a bit more power and a few modern niceties. What surprised me is that for what seems like similar age/equipment/miles/quality, etc. there is a huge range of prices. The Auto Gallery has a 87 and 89, both with an asking price of over $46K. Most other similar cars are in the $27K to $32K range.

Any advice from fellow enthusiasts about my choice of model/year? Any good sources of cars other than the usual suspects like autotrader, ebay, etc? Other than insisting on a full PPI, any other advice on particular issues with these models?

I appreciate any advice or experience you have to share.

Amber Gramps

Dealers are looking to double their money and are taking advantage of the 50th anniversary of the 911. Keep an eye open because good deals are out there....especially if you don't mind doing some of the work after you own it. Mine, well, she's a beast.

Welcome.

Hunt3R

Your best source of used car listings are the classifieds here on Rennlist and on Pelican Parts website.

You can get a good idea of value on Hagerty's website: http://www.hagerty.com/valuationtool...ort?vc=1327246

Jeff Jones

Thank you for the info and for the links. I hadn't found Hagerty's site and that is very helpful. I did find a similar site thefuelist.com but it doesn't differentiate by condition.

I'm looking at two cars so far and will likely have a PPI done for both to help me determine if there is any justification for the more expensive car, other than the fact that I would prefer the black interior and white gauges.

http://www.trimmotorcars.com/invento...a-Fort-Mill-SC

http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-s...69525421&Log=0

Thanks again,
Jeff

theiceman

50 G for a Targa seems nuts to me ... but hey .. means my car is worth more now right ?

LjH

I am biased but I believe Porsche got it right in 86. The motronic 3.2L is very dependable. Yes it has a 915 box, but by 86 it was fully sorted and unless you want a track car it works just fine. The car is also a little simpler to repair than the later cars. I am not convinced the later cars are worth the added cost.
good luck with your search.

Jeff Jones

The dealer that wants $47K for that car is out of his mind, it won't sell for anything close to that unless someone skips their research. Avg. price seems to be in the $27K to $35K range and I don't see anything really special about that car to justify the asking price.

Thanks for the advice on the 86...I'm not exclusively looking at the 87 to 89 range but that is my first target. A perfect earlier car could pull me in easily

Amber Gramps

The 915 tranny cars are the better car to many enthusiasts. You have far more suspension and body mod options (at a much lower price point) and the car is lighter. I love my LSD G50, but can't stand the Tbar drop outs that look so funky when the rockers are off. Just don't rule out '84 - '86 based on the 915.

theiceman

That is the correct attitude. Dont bypass an otherwise excellent car because it has a " 915" A lot of us love the 915 as it is from a time when you had to learn how to shift gears

KurtF

Jeff I have a nice 84 Targa Red/Black that I would be willing to sell in your target price range (around 30). Millage on mine mid 80's, run great, very clean. No AC. My mechanic went through it and I invested 3K recently in tires, brakes and oil return lines. I was intending to use it as a DD but found another classic 912 thats going to need my attention.
My advice, this is the second 3.2 car I have owned. They are very reliable and once a few issues are sorted out they go and go and go!! Don't overspend for a low milage example, I have friends with these cars pushing 300k, no problems. Condition is more critical and avoid rusty ones as you can be assured they were not cared for.
Also the G50 vs 915 argument comes down to character vs. convenience. I wouldn't make it a deal breaker either way. Within a few days driving you will acclimate to either box.
If you are interested in speaking to me about my 84 or have any questions feel free to contact me. DrK.cda@gmail.com

Tacet-Conundrum

Also, don't forget about car condition along with mileage.

Are you looking at a number 1 collectors car, or is that car in the add still a DD that is near a 3.5 that will require work? So many variables to take into account with options too. And remember with Targas, notorious for letting the rain in if not looked after.

Jeff Jones

Thanks for the advice and reminders about condition vs miles. There is a great looking red/black 86 for sale that is tempting me but I'm still after the white/black 87 if the PPI checks out and the dealer comes down to a reasonable price. There is also a 88 white/blue that has a really low asking price but I'm not sure about condition yet and the dealer hasn't returned my calls due to the long weekend. There is a $20K difference in the asking price which would give me the room to have some fun customizing.

The car I buy won't be a collector. I'll likely want to get interior and exterior in top shape, have some fun customizing and drive it on sunny days and the occasional non-competitive track day.

Cheekybird

PM if interested....67,000 mi

Ed Hughes

A car listed for sale needs to have a price, per the rules^^^^^^

JCP911S

Unfortunately, 3.0 SC/3.2 Carrara are starting to become "collectable", so prices are rising. Dealers are asking stupid prices for low-mile cars, which, in fact are not always that desirable to own.

They are also coming up on 30 years old, so some are in major need of repair, and others beautifully maintained.

When well sorted they are very robust and economical to run, and when neglected, are horribly expensive to repair.

IMHO, buy one like you'd look for a wife... take your time, do your research, go for quality, and you'll get a car that will make you happy for the rest of your life.

I'd recommend that you join PCA, look for a privately sold car, and buy the owner, not the car. A small premium paid for a really original and well maintained car is well worth it in the long run.

These are really great cars.