New Owner 1986 Carrera-(Mecum Video)
06-17-2014, 01:17 AM
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New Owner 1986 Carrera-(Mecum Video)
Background:I have wanted a 911 since I was 14 and after a 15 year wait, I finally picked up my first one at the Mecum Auction in Seattle this past weekend. I always said I wouldn't buy a Porsche until I owned a house, and had all the other life things squared away first. There were numerous times I wanted to pull the trigger on a 996TT but am glad I didn't as being patient led me to be in a MUCH better spot in life to be a proper owner.
I have been looking hard at 964's recently, and set my budget at around $35k or so. I had a PPI on one 2 weeks ago, but ultimately decided against it. My plan was to just keep waiting and find the right car, but when I saw that there were going to be a few 911's at the inaugural Mecum Auction in Seattle, just on the other side of the state, I had to go.
Well...
Notice my Dad in the background going totally APE S***, as I think he was just as excited to see me finally get what I had worked so hard for.
The Car/Purchase:The car is a 1986 Carrera 3.2, Iris Blue, 148k miles out of Arizona where it spent most of it's life with a PCA member. No real mods that I have discovered yet besides a Turbo steering wheel. The car is in spectacular shape cosmetically for 28 years old with that many miles on it, so I pulled the CarFax, liked what I saw, and set my limit at about $19k for the car. If you watched the video, you see exactly how long that lasted, and I ended up getting the car at hammer for $23k.
This is WAY more miles than I was looking for, but when I saw it, I just got the feeling that I was going to want to drive the heck out of it, and the higher mileage almost added a level of relief knowing that this would be a car I could drive guilt free without worry about what adding miles is doing to the value. Honestly being my first P-car, fulfilling a dream, I can't imagine that I will ever be in a spot that I would want to sell it.
Next: This is where I want a little bit of your help on deciding where to go from here. Obviously I spent quite a bit less than my budget, leaving me in a spot where I can throw a little money at improving driveability and reliability.
My goals with this car are for 95% street use, club drives, etc so I want it to be sensible for driving around town, but it also won't be my DD so I am not as concerned with AC fixes and the creature comfort type things as of yet. I have never driven another 911(Besides being a valet in Vegas, 3 minute drives don't count) so I don't have anything to compare it to but here are my thoughts so far:
And So It Begins.. My plan is to take her into the local Independent to have them do an initial Oil/Filter Change, and I want to have them do a compression check/leak down to set a baseline for what I can expect with this engine. Sadly I don't have ANY documentation although I am sure it exists and will be trying to track down, so I seriously don't have a clue and the engine could have been rebuilt 5k miles ago for all I know.
From there, my initial impressions are that the clutch may need some work(?), and the suspension feels good and tight, but feels about what I would expect a car of this age to feel like, lots of vibration on highway, and just a bit tired. Also, the front bushings seem to be quite squeaky driving, and if I push up and down on the front of the car, it sounds like a old motel bed squeaking away.
Knowing the basics that I told you...If you had $5k initially to spend on sorting things out, what would you do first?? If the inspection comes back not so pretty, then obviously all the money will go into getting the engine solid again, but lets assume it comes back OK..
-Suspension-Full setup? Just dampers? If I am needing to replace some squeaky bushings would it make the most sense to just upgrade to all new shocks/struts, etc?
-SW Chip- Is this smart to do on an engine with 148k? It seems like it could really help smooth out the power across the RPM range.
What would you do?
Thanks in advance and I am excited to be a contributing member once I have a clue what I am talking about!
Kevin
I have been looking hard at 964's recently, and set my budget at around $35k or so. I had a PPI on one 2 weeks ago, but ultimately decided against it. My plan was to just keep waiting and find the right car, but when I saw that there were going to be a few 911's at the inaugural Mecum Auction in Seattle, just on the other side of the state, I had to go.
Well...
The Car/Purchase:The car is a 1986 Carrera 3.2, Iris Blue, 148k miles out of Arizona where it spent most of it's life with a PCA member. No real mods that I have discovered yet besides a Turbo steering wheel. The car is in spectacular shape cosmetically for 28 years old with that many miles on it, so I pulled the CarFax, liked what I saw, and set my limit at about $19k for the car. If you watched the video, you see exactly how long that lasted, and I ended up getting the car at hammer for $23k.
This is WAY more miles than I was looking for, but when I saw it, I just got the feeling that I was going to want to drive the heck out of it, and the higher mileage almost added a level of relief knowing that this would be a car I could drive guilt free without worry about what adding miles is doing to the value. Honestly being my first P-car, fulfilling a dream, I can't imagine that I will ever be in a spot that I would want to sell it.
Next: This is where I want a little bit of your help on deciding where to go from here. Obviously I spent quite a bit less than my budget, leaving me in a spot where I can throw a little money at improving driveability and reliability.
My goals with this car are for 95% street use, club drives, etc so I want it to be sensible for driving around town, but it also won't be my DD so I am not as concerned with AC fixes and the creature comfort type things as of yet. I have never driven another 911(Besides being a valet in Vegas, 3 minute drives don't count) so I don't have anything to compare it to but here are my thoughts so far:
And So It Begins.. My plan is to take her into the local Independent to have them do an initial Oil/Filter Change, and I want to have them do a compression check/leak down to set a baseline for what I can expect with this engine. Sadly I don't have ANY documentation although I am sure it exists and will be trying to track down, so I seriously don't have a clue and the engine could have been rebuilt 5k miles ago for all I know.
From there, my initial impressions are that the clutch may need some work(?), and the suspension feels good and tight, but feels about what I would expect a car of this age to feel like, lots of vibration on highway, and just a bit tired. Also, the front bushings seem to be quite squeaky driving, and if I push up and down on the front of the car, it sounds like a old motel bed squeaking away.
Knowing the basics that I told you...If you had $5k initially to spend on sorting things out, what would you do first?? If the inspection comes back not so pretty, then obviously all the money will go into getting the engine solid again, but lets assume it comes back OK..
-Suspension-Full setup? Just dampers? If I am needing to replace some squeaky bushings would it make the most sense to just upgrade to all new shocks/struts, etc?
-SW Chip- Is this smart to do on an engine with 148k? It seems like it could really help smooth out the power across the RPM range.
What would you do?
Thanks in advance and I am excited to be a contributing member once I have a clue what I am talking about!
Kevin
06-17-2014, 01:27 AM
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Oh and I forgot to mention she leaks a bit, mostly from the engine on the drivers side, about 4-5 pea sized drops after a drive, and then dead center in the back, one grape sized spot after a drive. This doesn't bother me too much yet, but maybe spending the money to have the engine all tuned up and resealed would be the route to go? Or would that be Overkill if the engine tests come back normal?
06-17-2014, 02:08 AM
#3
Three Wheelin'
Kevin- congrats! I am local to you and would be happy to help you out with some of your questions. I own a few 3.2's and know them well. PM me if I can be of help. Love iris blue!
Blue is the best color.
06-17-2014, 12:25 PM
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This is where service records are valuable, you didn't mention any so I assume they didn't come with the car? I'd start with the mechanic doing a full PPI evaluation, so you know everything you might have to deal with, and then prioritize.
My highest priorities would be safety issues. For example, fuel lines are a known issue on these cars, they are now approaching 30 years old, the rubber parts can fail, so replacement is recommended. You can either pay the $$ for porsche replacements, or remove the lines and have a shop replace the rubber bits, then reinstall.
Also, without records, who knows how diligent the previous owners were about maintaining the brakes, by now your calipers could be loaded with debris, and your flex lines due for replacement.
After that, there are things like alignment / steering, CV joints, clutch cable.
How old are the tires? Check the date code on the sidewall, they might have good tread, but if the car has spent the last decade as a weekend driver, the tires might be ancient and need immediate replacement.
Maintenance catch-up at a minimum would be all fluids and filters, and a valve adjustment, then work on getting it running good. Ignition components (plugs, wires, cap & rotor, coil) are the usual first things to check, because after that, a lot of these cars have a combination of air / vacuum leaks, failing sensors, and electrical gremlins (e.g. bad grounds) that contribute to making the car idle and run poorly. A good mechanic will have the expertise to properly troubleshoot (not just throw parts at it) with diagnostic instruments.
My highest priorities would be safety issues. For example, fuel lines are a known issue on these cars, they are now approaching 30 years old, the rubber parts can fail, so replacement is recommended. You can either pay the $$ for porsche replacements, or remove the lines and have a shop replace the rubber bits, then reinstall.
Also, without records, who knows how diligent the previous owners were about maintaining the brakes, by now your calipers could be loaded with debris, and your flex lines due for replacement.
After that, there are things like alignment / steering, CV joints, clutch cable.
How old are the tires? Check the date code on the sidewall, they might have good tread, but if the car has spent the last decade as a weekend driver, the tires might be ancient and need immediate replacement.
Maintenance catch-up at a minimum would be all fluids and filters, and a valve adjustment, then work on getting it running good. Ignition components (plugs, wires, cap & rotor, coil) are the usual first things to check, because after that, a lot of these cars have a combination of air / vacuum leaks, failing sensors, and electrical gremlins (e.g. bad grounds) that contribute to making the car idle and run poorly. A good mechanic will have the expertise to properly troubleshoot (not just throw parts at it) with diagnostic instruments.
06-17-2014, 01:09 PM
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i saw you win this auction on tv - good for you. i was curious of the mileage knowing it hammered at $23k. you had that crazy Mecum bidding agent - can't remember his name - but he's insane. hope it all works out well for you in the end.
06-17-2014, 11:42 PM
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All good advice and thank you!
I think at this point I am probably getting too far ahead of myself and need to figure out where I truly am at with the car before moving any further. I will post back once I get the inspection done and go from there.
Thanks again!
Kevin
I think at this point I am probably getting too far ahead of myself and need to figure out where I truly am at with the car before moving any further. I will post back once I get the inspection done and go from there.
Thanks again!
Kevin
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06-18-2014, 08:55 PM
#9
Instructor
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Seems like you made a good buy. I would take Nathan up on his offer. He has had many 3.2's and is a good local resource. bets of luck and fun with your new investment.
06-19-2014, 02:43 AM
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Congratulations on a beautiful car and what a fun way to buy it! See you on the road.
06-19-2014, 11:21 AM
#13
Instructor
Congrats! I dig the iris blue.
I'm a few months in to my first 3.2 as we'll and love it! Still some small stuff to sort on mine, like a similar squeak from the front suspension and re-alignining (or deleting all together) the sunroof.
Look forward to another active member on the G car board.
PS very nice of Nathan to offer counsel. He's very knowledgable when it comes to these cars and can surely recommend a good shop for inspection/work.
I'm a few months in to my first 3.2 as we'll and love it! Still some small stuff to sort on mine, like a similar squeak from the front suspension and re-alignining (or deleting all together) the sunroof.
Look forward to another active member on the G car board.
PS very nice of Nathan to offer counsel. He's very knowledgable when it comes to these cars and can surely recommend a good shop for inspection/work.
06-19-2014, 01:02 PM
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Thanks again all! I certainly hope to take Nathan up on his offer. He lives a couple hours away so I will have to figure out if I can make it down there, wedding season is not exactly fun for a 29 year old when EVERYONE is getting married.
"Fix" #1 is happening today, blew the fuse for Sunroof and Windows, and through searching it looks like it is supposed to be a 25amp fuse, but a red 16 amp is what was in there. I am hoping the problem was just someone using too low amp fuse and not a bad ground somewhere, but we will see I guess.
When I came home from a business trip last night, pulling up to the garage door and opening it up was one of the best feelings ever!
"Fix" #1 is happening today, blew the fuse for Sunroof and Windows, and through searching it looks like it is supposed to be a 25amp fuse, but a red 16 amp is what was in there. I am hoping the problem was just someone using too low amp fuse and not a bad ground somewhere, but we will see I guess.
When I came home from a business trip last night, pulling up to the garage door and opening it up was one of the best feelings ever!
