GlenL

All the bombast aside...

It's hard to make money selling parts if you value your time. The typical arc is that guys come upon a neglected "field car" and then check out the 982I website. OMG! They get good money for used parts. They also have professionals taking them apart and all the parts they sell are in good condition with a solid money-back guarantee.

Then the car comes apart and most of the parts are ugly. No one will pay you top dollar because they don't know you and don't trust you. There are certain valuable parts on the cars for collision repair but they have to be cherry. For example, "Good fender, repairable dings" isn't getting $200 and it's expensive to ship.

The final phase is the parts are tucked back into the shell and the thing is towed away. You're out 20-40-80 hours of work and have netted $1000.

Good idea: Buy it and use it for a parts car for your real car. Sell a few thing to locals.

Better idea: Buy it and fix it.

Best idea: Ignore it and buy that car you really want

z driver 88t

Wow Jim, me too. Who knew we were such cheap bastards? Getting OT but personally I bought an early car so I knew I could afford to treat it the way it deserved. I would have potentially gotten in over my head if I had gone for a "needs work" S4 or GT, vs a perfectly maintained 16V that I just needed to stay on top of.

Anyway, as for parts, it really all depends. You just never know what someone will need. There are a few items like AC fan comes to mind I picked up on EBAY just becasue I happened to find it the exact week my AC fan died. There have been a few instances like that and it wouldn't take many sales to recoup your investment.

At the same time I've seen NOS (new old stock) OEM 928 parts on EBAY for pennies on the dollar just sit unpurchased, most recently 5 sets of lower ball joints and one clutch master cylinder. So its very hit and miss. If the car happens to have any performance upgrades that you may not be aware of that would make if more sellable. But really its a crap shoot as to how long it would take to actually sell the stuff, I think not because OB owners are cheap - just because there is a fairly small market of shade-tree mechanics restoring old 928s to working condition. So the market just isn't that big.

dr bob

There's a self-reinforcing effect where someone buys the car of their dreams for a bargain price, be it early or late. Then the 'fixing' begins, usually starting with better wheels/tires. Then with stuff that keeps their cars from starting or running right. Then on to maybe brakes. Then maybe to deferred maintenance, last because the major budget has been blown on the purchase and those really nice wheels and tires. Last because it's hard to mentally justify putting several $thousand more in invisible recovery costs into a car that was just purchased for a few $thousand, and migh bring a $thousand more in the same market from which it was just purchased. The effect isn't limited to purchasers of early cars by any means, it's just that you can reach the last steps of the process earlier on an older car where there is more deferred maintenance to be done to a car for which less was paid for initial purchase. It doesn't make the early car owners cheap, it makes them practical a bit sooner.

So long as there are under-$1k cars sold that "just need a transmission", the phenomena will continue. At some point, the supply of those cars will dry up as they are either restored or parted. When that happens, the market for the early cars will go up, with fewer examples available. The nicer examples will sell for a lot more than the mediocre ones, hopefully some reflection on the actual costs involved in keeping one nice or restoring one to nice.


I'm one of those who drives their garage queen regularly. Reality is that it's a nice car to drive. I try to stay better than current on maintenance stuff, and everything on mine works perfectly. Am I a stuck-up Porsche snob? I don't know. I just drive it, keep it cleaned and well serviced, and enjoy driving it. I couold have purchased a new Taurus or Accord for the same money when I bought it. It wasn't a tough choice. I do plan to get at least as much as I paid for it when sale time comes around, so it has to be in good condition.

jeff spahn

Wow. I never really think about what year someone's shark is. They have a shark. That's cool. OB, so what. GTS, so what. Is it one of the coolest cars on the road (next to say the Lexus LFA with that sweet F1 engine sound), sure is!

4drgl

Isn't a 928 a 928 whether it's an OB or a GTS??? It still makes it a Porsche correct??

My opinion... parting out any porsche for any reason other than frame damage, accidents, rust, blown transmissions.... is just dumb....

BUT on the flip side you need a good parts base/suppliers to keep the others on the road and some cars must be sacrificed.

Yeah I'm an OB owner and I bought it simply for the fact that I..
A. Absolutely had to have a Porsche, my preference was 928 or 911.
B. Didn't matter what condition as long as there was ZERO frame damage (ie, accidents), and zero rust.

I bought her... I then PUSHED it home 2 blocks... and proceeded to troubleshoot and tear apart... I have rebuilt one vw jetta and sold it for parts money for the porsche, stripped a passat and sold it for parts money, and have completely built up an 86 4 drgl jetta gl, and am now considering selling it for parts $$ to complete my OB 928.

I shy'd away from the 32 v and later cars simply for the fact that I know they are more expensive mechanically and I am unwilling to have a Porsche in my garage that is anything less than jawdropping, hence why it was gutted nearly in the first week.

I have received criticism from people "oh its not a 32v or a 5 speed", really who gives a crap anyway. I wouldn't take a brand new honda over a Porsche anyday... and to be completely honest... I'd rather ride the bus than own a new cookie cutter car, and have to pay maintenance and insurance on something that looks like everyone else's car.

HP went up in later years, as did maintenance costs, and curb weights... So whether it's a 78 or a 95. Why does anybody really care? just b/c (for example) an 80 US auto "sunroof delete" is less desireable "To own" for resale value than a 95 GTS 5 speed. That does not mean that it is a ford festiva...

I would rather rebuild my 80 from ground up, than deal with the oil consumption problems of a GT or GTS motor. When my 80 is running I will know for an absolute fact that she will give me many many more years of service. If my t-belt ever slips... least I know I don't have to tear the engine apart to replace valves and inpect pistons, rings and cylinder walls.

I have been extremely picky and choosy as to what I have replaced... to keep costs down... I have rebuilt many of my own parts, I do all my own work, from hand sanding every last godforsaken spot weld on those friggin doors, to laying down the 3rd coat of gloss. Powerwashing the belly of the beast was another absolute prime moment of enjoyment. But I couldn't afford to do that with a GTS right now.... It's not in my budget. So am I cheap... Absolutely but I bust my *** making up for every last penny I saved working it off in labor to the car.

It's amazing how fickle the Porsche community is.

I resent the fact that some consider OB owners cheap.. and yes I see a couple rolling around town that fall deeply into that category.

I will buy parts off of cars that are local to me simply for the fact I can drive to go see and inspect and only have to put fuel in my ride. For all the other maintenance items I buy from our vendors "UNLESS" I need it now today... because I tend to be a spontaneous person by nature.

rant over.

Landseer

Its not that fickle. No worries.

Our local PCA guys seem to like all the cars, including the rescues

Mike LaBranche

What you said, Chris. I love the 'old' 2-valvers... hell, they're all old at this point, right? Simple, fast, fun. The rescue process is a great hobby if you're patient and resourceful. Keeps me out of the bars...

Charley B

Huh? (sounding like Marmaduke)

LUCKYJACKASS

Forget about buying what you want, or can afford to maintain and drive...If you aren't driving what is the elite model, you are just a peon and should stick to picking fruit. Those born with silver spoons in thier mouths will always look down their noses at those of us who weren't. Why aren't they driving new 911's?

I think I will sell all my vehicles, buy a Prius, and spend what's leftover on a new wardrobe of Ed Hardy clothes so I can fit in with the trendy class of douches.

Charley B

Let the class wars begin.

Keyboards and self rightousness at 30 paces.

EspritS4s

This thread is great! Keep piling it on

jheis

Here's my experience. Converted my '82 to S4 brakes and front suspension a couple of years ago.

I've been running an ad on craigslist fairly regularly for over two years trying to sell my "take-offs" and other accumulated spare parts. In two years I've managed to sell exactly 1 set of new upper A-arm poly bushes, 1 pair of Weltmeister front springs, 1 pair of rear bumper pads, and 1 pair of used rear brake rotors(!).

If you're going to part it out, count on dealing with 10 craigslist flakes for every person who actually shows up.

James

Landseer

Nice 968, BTW.

jwillman

Holy Crap! Why didn't someone tell me I was suppose to by new wheels and tires before I did the brakes

EspritS4s

Hey! I drove a long long way to pick up that 968 (nearly to the Canadian border) Unfortunately, it was in a little rougher condition than advertised; however, I had driven too long to walk away from the deal. The resulting funds will all be going towards my '87 though, so it's for a good cause.