tcabler

Got a question guys. I'm looking at a 964 with 93,000 miles on it from a dealer who got it from a collector who has only driven it 100 miles from 2005 to 2010. The engine got a complete rebuild at 73,000 miles back in '01 and clutch was replaced around that time also. Dealer said the collector owner didn't have to get a rebuild but just did it anyways eventhough it was a small inexpensive leak to fix. But back to my point. Is this lack of miles over a 5 year time span pretty bad for a 911. I thought that good 911s were supposed to be driven regularly. The owner was a collector so it sounds like it just sat in his museum/garage. The car looks flawless and I like that it has already had a rebuild and clutch replacement. Any and all advice is appreciated. Thanks.
-Steve

mrmandmman

Get a PPI.

Amroth

My dad got our C4 while he was selling land as part of the deal. It wasn't driven for 9 years. It was a money pit. Now it doesnt matter, so much has been put into it so there is no turning back.

But if I could go back in time I would warn my dad to stay away... and get a well-maintained one!

From experience stay away from it, unless the PPI comes out unusually good. Also I would check condition of all the rubber and oil lines... good luck...

hawk911

I know a guy... he;'s on here occassionally that has a VERY low mileage '90. Completely oringinal, with the cell phone and everything. The question is always if people are willing to pay what he wants, or if what he wants is really just too much...

Arrowhead

There is another thing to consider. Mileage rollback, speedometer change etc. When looking at an auto's histery I see obvious discrepencies all the time. I see auto's showing a couple thousand miles after the first 5 years. Alot of times these are lease returns with mileage rollback. As a kid growing up I witnessed mileage rollback among high dollar cars, especially Mercedes. If you were in the know there were guys that would come to your house and change mileage on your car in the driveway. You could put 100k on a mercedes, roll it back to 20k and never know the difference. This is not to say this is what happen to this car but it happens all the time.

Laker

The car has 93K. It's not like it has 23K. Does the dealer think the car is worth more than another car with 93K that has been driven regularly? +1 Amroth

SKM

The low miles in the past 5 years would not concern me if the PPI results are acceptable. These cars are very well built and very hardy.

campoj2

I bought a 90 with 47k on the clock, the guy drove it 300 miles in 3 years of ownership. The engine leaked like a sieve, I had to drop some serious cash to fix the engine. I bought the car for $14k and sold a year later for $23.5, I would have kept that car if it were a manual transmission.

Be leery of the rollback, if the car did not undergo any state inspections/emissions and was not registered on a regular basis, carfax would not have the resources to provide accurate mileage data. A shady dealer will know what do next. Couple this with the fact that you can buy a speedometer on eBay for about $150 and you have your perfect storm.

If the work was done at a Porsche dealership, contact the dealership and give them the last 6 of the VIN and see what they say. I would think of a "collector" car being something unique and exotic (RS, Turbo), crazy build number or options that you typically don't see on your standard 964. I would also expect the mileage to be lower on a "collector" car.

What quantifies this as a collector car?

PNine64

I bought my car 2 years ago with 32K miles that I could follow with carfax and paperwork. It was driven very rarely in the years before I took possession. I could say it was owned by a collector...or an enthusiast that had a few cars (as "collecting" appears to be what happens around here). The engine has not been rebuilt, it doesn't leak and it doesn't burn oil (abnormal amounts at least). You always read the "you must drive these things" perspective...and this may be true...but it doesn't mean that a car that hasn't been driven won't be a great fit for what you are looking for.

Read what you can. Post lots of pics for these guys to rip apart...er...critique. See if you can have someone go with you that has been around these and doesn't have an emotional attachment (or "awe struck" with this "Porsche'). And of course, get a PPI. This is a normal and accepted practice and if they don't like it then you should not buy from them. You may know all of this already but it is worth saying for others that might be getting ready to make the leap. Good luck!!

Frank 993 C4S

Simple - have a look at the car and if you like it get a thorough PPI. Don't believe anything the dealer says. Solely rely on the PPI and documentation presented to you. Make sure the car has been stored correctly and maintained during storage (check that the fuel and that the tires are still good) and that required State/Emissions inspections have been performed.

Two data points:

1) My 3.6 Turbo was considered a museum piece before I bought it and covered all of 3 miles in the 5 years prior to my purchase. Turns out that it was not stored correctly and became a nightmare that took me over 6 months to sort out. I drive the car about 1000 miles a year with some storage periods lasting 6+ months and it does not use or leak a drop of oil - ever.

2) My RSA started leaking around the timing chain covers when I store it for extended periods of time. Replaced the gaskets last Fall and no problems since.


+1

springer3

Where was the car stored? Humid storage conditions risk a moldy smell in the interior, and internal corrosion in the mechanicals. In dry storage, a car can last for decades and still be fine (witness the 917 that was recently brought back to life after 30 years).

Bearclaw

A full rebuild at 73K because of a "small inexpensive leak"??? I have a car with 73K and a small, inexpensive leak, and a rebuild sure as hell isn't on my radar screen. Somethin' ain't addin' up here. Either the PO is a boob, or has more money than sense - or both. OR there's more to the story.
I think I'm missing something here... what makes this car so attractive (other than it looks "flawless")? I don't see the "100 miles in 5 years" being a terrible black mark, if it were maintained and stored correctly - and without talking to the owner, you really don't know. But 93K miles is nothing special. There are a lot of nice 964's out there, if you look a little bit.
Did I miss the asking price? Unless this is an absolutely screamin' deal, I'd move on.

Streetfighter

My two cents is that is not really a low mileage car, even at 73k. 911's as with any sports car needs to be driven regularly. While its nice to see garage queens, seals etc. will wear out faster due to irregular use over a 911 that has been cared for with regular driving and maintenance. My opinion as others have mentioned is have a PPI done. If it comes back with a lot of issues you know why.

Frank 993 C4S

Or maybe the dealer is just making stuff up?

Bearclaw

!!!!!!!! They DO that ?????!!!!!!!!!