On a buget is the 3.2 ora 964 a better bet. Both can be had for around the same price. And I was wondering would I actually be better off paying the extra bit of repair cost for the 964. All opinions welcome. Thanks

 

As per Bruce Andersen, try to buy the newest car that you can afford. Yes, the 964 engine does have some issues, however, you can weed some of those problems out by asking for documentation. I'd take a 964 over a 3.2 car anyday. Have owned them both. More torque, and better creature comforts. You also need to realize that added safety features that the 964 brings to the table.

 

Richards,

Tell us what your plans are for the car. Will it be an everday driver or fair-weather car? Do you prefer concours or the track? Do you like to do your own repairs or leave that to the professionals? How important are creature comforts to you, i.e. ride quality, climate control, etc?

I think once people understand your requirements, they will be better-equipped to point you in one directions vs. the other. Fair enough?

 

I'd like it as both I'm in the army going to buy on leave. Creature comforts less important, power very important, price marginally important but I don't have anything, but the car to spend money on. I'm only 19 though and insurance might be outragous.

 

and I'll leave mech work to the pros

 

Based on your comments, I'd advise you to get a 964. It's a monster and feels great at high speeds.
In terms of budgeting, you might be able to get a decent one for around $20,000, but you will definitely need $2,000-$3,000 in reserves in case of a major repair. Remember, these Porsche shops charge $75-$100/hr for service (in the US at least), so ownership is not cheap. For a well-maintained vehicle with extensive service records, expect to pay somewhere between $24,000-$30,000. Anything under $20,000 is probably a gamble. Finally, don't buy any car without a pre-purchase inspection carried out by a Porsche specialist--you don't want to rush this thing.
To paraphrase Dennis Miller, that's just my opinion, I could be wrong.

 

I had an '88 coupe for 6 years and have had an RSA ('93 964) for 5 years. At identical price and condition (could that happen?), the 964 gets my vote hands down. It is noticably more comfortable, more powerful, and, except for things like twice the number of spark plugs and bigger tires, the maintenance costs I experienced were very similar.

Well, this is the 964 forum.

 

I just went throught the exact same buying process and posted this response on the 911 Forum:

I looked pretty hard for an '88-89 Carrera and found very few if any out there with less than 60K miles for $20K. Targas seemed undervalued and cabs commanding a $3-4K premium. If you are open to 75K+ miles, the market loosens up a bit, especially if you are willing to travel to get the car and color is not a big deal.
I hear that if you are willing to wait (e.g., 4-6 months) you might find exactly what you're looking for, but it is not easy. I found that all the talk on this board, among others regarding the '88-89s have kept the prices north of $20K. I ended up getting a good 92 C2 with 75K miles for $22,500. I determined that if the price was the same and the condition the same, I would go with a car 3 years newer, especially come resale time. Maintenance will be more with the newer cars, but the trade-offs will be a more powerful engine and safety features (ABS, airbags).

 

what about an engine north of the 100k mark could I still get some good use prior to needing a rebuild.

 

I've owned both a 3.2 and now a 964. If you are very interested in power, the 964 definitely offers quite a bit of tangible power increases (not just minute stopwatch or 'on paper' increases) that you can feel. The 3.2 cars are wonderful, but the 964 really pulls quite a bit more than the older cars.

If you find a well maintained 964 with over 100,000 miles, I don't think you should have too many major problems. These 3.6's seem to be pretty tough motors. Remember, low mileage cars have their own set of problems too. Condition is everything. Have any 911 you are looking at, regardless of miles, checked out by a Porsche technician.

Good Luck,
Jay
90 964

 

If I had to choose between two equally-priced vehicles, one with 75K miles and no service history and the other with 100K miles and complete records, the decision would not be all that simple. At those miles, you need to verify that the car was well-maintained otherwise you could end up buying someone else's headaches. So, yes, a high-mileage car might be a viable option provided it comes with some serious documentation. And again, you should get it checked out by a Porsche specialist--especially a car with more than 100K miles.

 

Hi richards_04,

It's a noble ambition, but maintaining a 911 (especially paying a pro to do it) will be very difficult on entry-level enlisted pay. That's besides paying insurance and making payments. May be wiser to wait until after you've gained your Army skill and gotten out, earning a lot more money in the private sector. Unless perhaps you're getting help from a family member with your purchase??

Regardless, best of luck to you! <img src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" border="0" alt="[cheers]" />

 

Joey

I would rather have a 100k miles car with full history than a 25k miles car with no history. People always overestimate the value of low miles....better for me so I can buy a higher miles car more cheaply!

Christer

 

Agreed. I'll take a high-mileage car which has been babied its entire life over a neglected toy any day! Those are the real treasures.

 

Maintenance on 964 does vary a lot -- I'd much rather have the maintenace bill on a C2 than a C4 -- the whole brake bleeding thing is really different between the two models, and yes, using the hammer does make a difference. In my case, for example, I want to track my car 3+ times each summer. By PCA rules, I need new brake fluid every summer (can't be older than 90 days), and heck, the safety feature of fresh brake fluid is kind of nice. So, I'm looking at a $200+ brake bleed every year. Keep that in mind, but get the 964 anyway -- it kicks a**. And I'm not looking forward to getting a new clutch put in......

I may be wrong, but I think a smart, mechanically minded person could maintain a C2 if they needed to, but a C4 is an altogether different story.