Kardos

I came to the conclusion that we (930 owners) are a dying breed. I came to this conclusion because of the following: I need to sell my car because I will go to Europe for a couple of years. I put it on Autotrader.com and on Ebay. All the people who were interested are over the age of 40, but rather 50.
Unfortunately many of them who were interested didn't know what this car is all about. I guess they heard about it when they were young but couldn't afford and now they want to try it out. But they don't know how to drive the car, they have no clue why and how this car was built.
Because I am from Europe and a full blooded Porsche enthusiast I know a little more than the average person. When I look at my car I think of all the technical innovations that made Alain Prost Formula One champion more than once in the Mclaren-Porsche race car. The same innovations made the Porsche team win the Paris-Dakar rally in the mid 80's even after the car broke down in the middle of the desert and they had to fly out the factory mechanics to fix it. The car was leading the race by 8 hours(!!!), took the machanics to fly and fix the car 16 hours, and still won the race by 6 hours!!!!
It was a kind of common saying, that wherever Porsche goes to race it will win it in 2 years. In the first year the enginers learn what they have to improve to win it and in the second year they they win it. One of the reason Porsche dropped out from the Formula One in the 80's was because they didn't find it challanging any more.
Anyway, it is kind of sad, that less and less people knows about these, and Porsche(the company) doesn't really do much to improve the image. In the 80's and early 90's when young kids thought of a pure race car it was the Porsche. Now???????? Who knows.

Brent 930

I hear you, I basically knew nothing about Porsche before I bought my car 2 years ago. All I knew is it was a car that really interested me since I was little and the legend of performance. Basically all I knew was performance, the car needs to be driven fast, alot of maintenance and costs alot (all of that is true). After 2 years I know more about my car than just about anything else in life. Though I still don't know about the history of Porsche anymore than I did before. So I went from your economy car to a real sports car in one shot. Since I didn't have much knowledge of performance from the start I'm blown away by the whole thing (70's technology, WOW). What I'm getting at is like you said most people have no clue what kind of car this really is and what it can do. I try to tell people but they don't get it and that you can drive these old cars hard unlike others.

Your going to have to wait for that special person who has a clue to what the car is and can appreciate it or like myself and take the plunge from hear say. Even then if your trying to get some money from your mods then it will take that person who already knows. In any case these cars are getting squeezed out since you really can't drive them the way you want with all the people and traffic. Then with less land available there are less tracks which is the only real place to run them yet every year higher hp cars are hitting the market. Something has to give but I agree were a dying breed, just live it up so it can be a life time memory.

Brent

BrianKeithSmith

I remember when I realized that I wanted a 930. I was reading an article in Car and Driver and I was 15 or 16 and the article was titled "All Bow Down". The article was actually about a DP935 that a guy took to his high school reunion. I must've read that guy's article 100 times I think.

That's when I learned what it was all about, and that's when I knew what I wanted. And I'm only 33... Bought the car off eBay when I was 29.

Brian

JBH

You know...I was thinking exactly this same thing when I was looking at classifieds for 911s and asking myself who would buy a 20 - 30 year old car? Yes it has a great history, but why buy something that is so out of date in terms of style and performance when there are many other brands with better performance and a more modern appearance? Most teenagers and young adults are not spending their waking hours thinking about owning a 1980s 911 or 930. They are looking at the Lotus Elise, Subaru WRX, Honda S2000, Nissan 350, Corvette, Viper, etc.

It's hard to argue with the logic. If you are going to go out and spend 40 large, which would you rather have - a 1989 930 with 30K miles or a new Lotus Elise? Or for $30K+, a 2003 WRX or a 1990 911? My point here is that the world has changed such that the choice for performance cars has broadened enough that Porsche is not the obvious choice it once was.

So the answer to your question is yes. The 911 and 930 owner are indeed a dying breed. Buyers of these cars are going to be older adults that can't afford the new Porsches, but still want to experience the mystique they dreamed about when they growing up.

Fear not, in another ten years or so those 911s and 930s will be classics and perhaps collectable - that's a whole new crowd of buyers.

jay72

It seems that real and true turbo enthusiasts are getting rare. Growing up in a family that always has had Porsches I have what I call a 'healthy obsession' with Porsche turbos and Porsche racing history since I can remember. I am 32. This is why I own a mint '79 930 and am about to purchase another 930 a factory 1989 slantnose cab.

Sloane Russeck

Bernard

Could you give some details about your 930 you're selling? and maybe a picture or two.

Kardos

Here is link to Ebay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...480402125&rd=1
Here is a link to Autotrader.com:
http://www.autotrader.com/findacar/r...=used&x=38&y=9

The only reason I am selling is because I am leaving for Europe soon. I spent 5 months to find this car. I am not happy to sell it.

Bernard

Ok, thanks. I saw it on autotrader last week. Very clean but the miles are a little high for me. Good luck with the sale of it.

UDPride

All very good points. Im not sure that owners are a dying breed though.

I think of all the Porsches in the last 40 years, the 930 is going to have the longest and most promising future. Give it another 15yrs and its going to be the 356 Speedster of the 1970s and 1980s.

How many other cars can you own that are 15yrs old and still worth half -- sometimes more -- of the original MSRP completely stock? Most new cars depreciate 50% between 36 and 48 months. A 930 isnt about investing i just going fast, its about investing in a story and a history of a car that pretty much rewrote the book of the world of superexotics.

I'll leave it with this: Im not sure theres another car in the Porsche lineage since the mid 1970s where theres a universal agreement among all Porsche enthusiasts -- from 996TT owners to craptacular rusted out 924 owners -- that one car pretty much defines the essence of what every Porsche should be in terms of character, performance, raw Porsche feel, and an ability to have a car with obvious weaknesses that end up being some of the reasons why its so coveted.

Every 911 Turbo after the 930 that Porsche built is -- on paper -- a superior car in almost every way. Theres just no two ways about it.

The thing is though, ask Porsche enthusiasts about a particular model and they will have gripes. Like "Well the 965 feels a little soft," or "well the 993 lacks soul," or "well the 996 isnt even air cooled and lacks conventional 911 lines." Ask someone about a 930, and the tone is completely different. The answer is more or less, "Now thats a Porsche from the first screw to the last," or "Thats a car that rips" or "That car changed everything". People even argue over whether they'd want other types of 911s in their driveway. Whens the last time someone said they thought a 930 wasnt Porsche enough to own. in their driveway.

Finally, go to the poster store and find some chicks posing with 911 Turbos. Dare I say which kind of 911 Turbo they are usually undressing with. The 930 baby. So I think the market is there for 930 buyers, you just need to be patient. The smart ones already know. I dont know why I brought up chicks and 930s. Im hoping it somehow backs up my argument.

I think in terms of breakthrough cars at Porsche, you are looking at 356 Speedster/Coupe, 550 Spyder, 911S, 930, 959, Carrera GT company. Everything in between has been a derivative? Im sure Im forgetting a couple. 914s/944s/928s notwithstanding.

Last930

Any logic that brings together Chicks and 930's is ok in my book!

mikemdd

One other thought to consider is that these cars may be the last ones that can be wrenched by a "home mechanic". While there are lots of complaints about CIS, I still say as long as you have proper fuel pressure, no vacuum leaks, and have not bastardized the original system, it is pretty simple to work on. Getting parts is pretty easy. For the post-930 generation, I'm not sure that 15 years from now the average home mechanic will have the know-how and equipment to work on faulty computer chips, electronic controllers, engine management sensors, etc. etc. Understand I'm not saying these are bad cars....only that they may not have the longevity of the "old" porsches that can be tinkered on with by the average person.

mikemdd
1987 930
1981 911SC
5 other cars

SoCal Mike

Thanks for bringing back a long forgotten memory. I loved that article!

Although I love my 930, someday I'll get/build a DP. I need to have a coupe too!

motorhead

UDPRIDE

motorhead

I agree we are definetly not a dying breed and absolutley on the opinion of UDPRIDE with the 993 and 996's! I'll take my 800HP 930S any day!

Red Rocket

The 930 is a car of classic lines. These lines ended with the 964. The look of Porsche stayed the same for over 30 years until they change with the 993 which lasted five years then changed again with the 996 and now the 997 is a change again. The older cars are of a timeless design. Granted the newer car are somethimes faster but you can still beat a GT3 with a 1987 930 with a few mods. Ask me how I know ;>)
Don