Guys,
What really makes a Ruf a Ruf?
I'm tired of seeing guys brag so much abt a car having a Ruf VIN or Porsche VIN. Today if I were looking for a 930 turbo, I'd grab Geoffrey's car over a "RUF" 930 turbo. Why? Well for a lesser amount, I get a very well tuned car with phenomenal performance and a reliable engine. What more can one want. I rather pull away from another super car in Geoffrey's car than to be behind it in a Ruf. Dont get me wrong, I love Ruf conversions and I love my ride but I'm just tired of seeing buyers looking for "genuine Ruf's". What is a geniune Ruf? One with a Ruf VIN...well keep reading below and be surprised.

I remember seeing abt a year back over at the Ruf Germany website under the cars section for sale. They were selling a Ruf 930 turbo. Hmmm ok so it's a genuine Ruf with a Ruf VIN? Not! Apparently it was just another Ruf conversion like mine with the same specs as what they offer for the BTR package. It had a Porsche VIN and NOT a Ruf VIN but Ruf themselves were marketing it as a Ruf. Believe it or not so isit a Ruf or not? If the manufacturers themselves could market that car as a Ruf, I do belief thats enough to put a Ruf badge on it.

Just thought I'd share this with you guys.

 

A documented conversion is as real as the Ruf vin IMHO.

 

Rob,
Well put, I share the same sentiments.

 

That's interesting, Sameer. I was always under the impression that a "real RUF" was one as you described - a car with a RUF VIN. Maybe it extends to cars wearing a regular Porsche VIN that have been updated by the actual RUF factory??? Maybe in the early days, RUF didn't always have their own VIN???

 

It's just semantics.

If Ruf gets the car from the factory they modify it and give it a Ruf Vin.

If you send your car to Ruf and they modify it, they can't change the Vin since it's already been titled and registered.

Both are Rufs. I've seen threads were people have had Ruf techs come to America and do they work even.

Matt

 

Matt,
You hit the nail on the dot. And from what I gather, Ruf did'nt have VIN's for their earlier cars when they first started with the BTR conversion. I maybe wrong on this one.

 

RUF is a manufacturer, they build the car piece by piece which allows them to build any package they want. Take for instance their new 997tt, they get the 997 body, 996tt engine, tune it to their specifications (RUF Brain, not Porsche brain), add suspension, cage, interior, etc. The car IS a RUF manufacturered vehicle.

A RUF conversion is a Porsche with aftermarket RUF components. While they may be the same parts as used in RUF Vin, the car is still a Porsche with RUF parts.

Does it matter??? Not to me, however, you will find that RUF Vin cars hold their value longer than Porsche Vin cars.

And when you are talking about the 930s, these cars are so old that the state of the art technology RUF was using at the time has been replaced by much newer, better technology. This allows someone to build a car in some ways better than RUF did 20 years ago.

 

Sammer,
I also though you had a real RUF car!!!
It's a nice car though.
Take care,
Leandro

 

If there was a dictionary w/"Ruf" in it...I'm sure it would say a vehicle manufactured by Ruf...because Ruf IS A MANUFACTURER.

...then you'd look up "manufacture" in Webster's which states...The process of making wares by hand or by machinnery....the act or process of producing something....to make from raw materials by hand or by machine...etc.

I think we can all agree that when you start w/a body in white and physically build the vehicle then assign it a Vin#...that fulfills the definition of "manufacture"

....also look under Biographical Names in Webster's see "Ford, Henry" (1863-1947) American automobile manufacturer

I don't see what all the fuss is about. You either have a car that was manufactured by Ruf from a body in white or you have a car that was manufactured by Porsche and then CONVERTED (definition of convert....to alter the physical nature or properties...to change from one from or function to another...to alter for more effective utilization!") by Ruf.

So if you have a Ruf Vin#....its a Ruf
If you have a Porsche Vin#...its a Porsche

...pretty easy...what does your registration say?

The only place this even matters one bit is in the mind of the owner, the purchaser and the insurance company.

 

The dictionary would also say: RUF. Last name of one of the greatest Porsche Enthusiasts who’s together with his family, co-workers and the Porsche factory, manufactured the fastest, finest and most admired sports cars in the world.

 

Yes, it could say that. But IMHO if Ruf layed their hands on the car, and it is documented, then why wouldnt the car be a Ruf? As I stated before, Ruf cars are great, but I wouldnt pay the amount you are asking for your car. Not that I couldnt afford it, but I look at performance. In a technical aspect, the Ruf technology as Geoffrey has stated, is out of date. Unless you are a collector, the Ruf badge 930's arent worth their price tag. Modified and tuned 930's similar to Geoffrey's or Stephens are the pinnacle nowadays.

 

Technology has come a long way and that I have to agree with you'll 100%

 

Ask Ruf....they'll explain it to you. If it has a Ruf VIN; it's a Ruf...If it has a Porsche VIN; it's a Porsche. If it has a Porsche VIN and Ruf parts (a big range of options here based upon the owner's pocket book and preferences) it's a Ruf conversion. It sounds like Sameer's car is a full "Ruf conversion"...the technical note being it started it's life as a Porsche, not a Ruf...therefore, to be technical, it is still a Porsche. To say that on the ealy cars they never gave it a Ruf VIN and still called it a Ruf is moot.

 

So it all pours down to 3 categories:

Ruf: Ruf VIN
Ruf Conversion: Porsche VIN with substantial Ruf mods and documents to show
Ruf Wannabe: Cheapo with Porsche VIN

 

Its as clear cut as this...

A "Ruf car" is always one that we have built by hand. It has the Vin and is not a Porsche, never was never will be.

A Ruf conversion is a porsche with Ruf upgrades. And has the Porsche Vin and is a Porsche.

Thats about it.

all the best
adam