912Driver

I have had my 912 E for about 5 months now and am looking to find out if it is worth the investment keep in mind im 16 and am not looking to make money off the car. all i am trying to do is to have a fun SAFE car that i can depend as well as something that looks nice. question is, is it worth putting the money into fully restoring it?

Doug n Terri

Hmmm, car an investment? Well, except for a few exotics (remember - a Ferrari 250 GTO sold for $10,000,000 and a few years later, the owner sold it for about 3 million.) So with that in mind NO CAR is an investment. Fine art (Rembrandts, etc, AND education, according to Peter Drucker IS an investment - but you can't drive it - so lets get back to your question) For a hundred years we owned a '51 coupe (mostly called a "cute car" NOW if that had been a convertible? $$$ now) and a '69 912. We autocrossed the 912, 2 x Natioanl PCA class winner, Time trialed it - to many first places, then Concours'd it - and won Street and Full class at other PCA Parades. We had a ball!! Sold it for 50¢ on the dollar. But the times we had - - - - SO, yes, only you can establish a value. Keep the car safe, make it so that when you walk up to it you smile - Remember, driving a Porsche is the most fun you can have with your cloths on! Have a ball - and write me anytime. DOUG

ron mcatee

I owned my 76' 912E for twelve years. The most dependable car I've ever owned. I paid $11,500 for it in 1984 and it had 50,000 miles on it. I took meticulous care of it, but autocrossed it and drove it like a 911. I sold it in 1996 with 160,000 miles on it for $11,000, but the car was immaculate and everything done to it as it was needed. It never sat for more than a few days except during inclimate weather (lived in Oklahoma at the time). The buyer I sold it to took it back to Germany with him when the Air Force transferred him to Ramstein. He drove it for almost four years all over Europe and returned to the states in November 2001. He sold the car to his son in southeastern Oklahoma and recent contacts with him indicate he was offered twelve thousand for it due to the condition and originality of it (still has original paint - Chocolate Brown with saddle interior).

If the car is in top condition and meets all your expectations as far drivability, fun, etc., Then keep it. If you are looking for more power and acclereation , as I was, sell it and go to a 911 or a Turbo. Being as you are 16 and in a learning mode, drive it a while and enjoy it. Talk to folks on forums such as this and work toward moving into a newer Porsche in the future. The 912E's are wonderful cars and many times I wish I had mine again. The cost of maintaining it was nothing compared to other vehicles I've owned over the past 46 years.

Spider911
32 years as a PCA member
88 Carrera

craign

I cannot disagree with anyone else on this message. A fun car to drive and not too awful $$ to maintain.

Check out this BBS sight......

<a href="http://www.pelicanparts.com/cgi-bin/vb/index.php?s=" target="_blank">http://www.pelicanparts.com/cgi-bin/vb/index.php?s=</a>

I say keep it and drive it!

Craig

Paul Brewer

16 years old with a 912? You are one lucky guy. I would have killed for a 912 when I was in college.
Drive it, enjoy it, care for it and if you can sell it for what you paid for it, you did great.
As far as restoration, 912's haven't, nor most likely ever will, reach collectable car status. However, by spending wisely and looking for bargains you can create a car that will be the envy of your friends and something that you will be proud to drive and be seen in.

Roland Kunz

Hello

Here in germany pre 68 912 prices are very close to early 911 prices. They got used up and now most parts are nla or only aviable via Porsche.
Restoration from a 912 costs same money like a 911.

Generaly a good Porsche in a good condition and maintained resonable will keep his value, doesn´t matter if you drive it on the weekend or daily.

However a Bug or Ghia is easyer to maintain and the parts marked is more competive and a good Bug will keep the value too. But there are some other nice cars from other brands out there as well.

The trick is always to buy at the point when the markedprice is at the low end and the main parts from the car sold seperate return more money then a complete car. A complete car will not trop to much under that value.

If you need "power" under your right foot then skip any lesser car then a iron V8

Now saefty is a thing... if you have a crash with a 18 wheeler you lose in any mobile including a 18 wheeler too.

Cars are not safe. The saefty is mostly a part of the driving style and the way a car reacts in unsafe/bad situations.

Dependable cars are cars with known history, regular use and some service to the functional important parts.

Grüsse

steve g

I had a 1976 912E for a few years in the late 80s and it was a fun car but taking it to Porsche for service was expensive. I would rather have done it my self but living in NYC at the time didnt allow for too much streetside maintenance since I didnt have a garage either.
This may sound somewhat biased but I would recommend that you look at buying a 924S or 944 that has somewhat greater popularity and is likely to be a more inexpensive daily driver.
Now the really biased part - I have an 87 924S that is for sale and I am interested in knowing more about your 912E.

andyrew

Hey i know what position you are in, im 15, i looked for a 914 and a 912 till i found a(3)914('S), Porsche's are amazing cars, keep the 912, get it running very nicely, put some suspenstion stuff on it, and get it a nice driver, have some fun in the hills, go autocrossing, and youll learn to love it. go to school in it and people will be amazed that you own a Porsche, they dont have to know that its not blazing fast. If it ever gets to the point were you need to repair it and dont have the money the resale value should be fair enought to get a decent car in case you need one. I love these cars and i hope you do too, its good to see we the younger genneration get ahead of ourselfs and buy our dream car and live it up a little. well have fun with the car, just my .02 cents

Scott5

NO - It's absolutely *not* worth the investment if you're expecting to make money back or even break even.

You could do what I did - buy an old K car at auction with my dad and drive it until it dies. For the money - that was a good investment if you look at the money in compared to the miles out.

However - I would have MUCH rather had a 912 and spent/lost more money to have that car as a 16 year old!

Regarding the "fully resoration" part of your question: I don't know how bad your car is, rusty, etc., but I'd be willing to bet that if you did fully restore the car and add up all your receipts ( metal work, paint, rubber seals, headliner, dash cover, and on, and, on, and on...)including the origional purchase price, you could buy a nice solid early 911 that someone else has already spent a ton of money restoring. Usually, you restore a car because you have an attraction/history with that particular car and don't care that it'll cost more to restore it that it'll ever be worth. Nothing wrong with that - I just remember how valuable 16 year old cash is..