Quadcammer

if you don't think people are tracking 308s/328s/348s, you are sorely mistaken.

Axeman

This is really turning into an interesting thread!

ACSGP

Sorry to hear about your car Guy, but it does sound like an emotional response to a bad situation.

To be fair, the 964 is as good as the care the owner gives it. Sounds like the previous owner was a genuine good guy, but not really an enthusiast. If you really love the car, it won't be sitting around with low mileage. Believe that this has created the problems with your car, and a PPI would have been good.

The greatest wear occurs during start up, and it's exacerbated if this happens only occasionally where no oil has circulated for some time.

I hope that once your car is rebuilt, and you take it out and wring it's neck, you will then come to understand what a 911 stands for. It's not for wafting around, and the engine loves to be used hard.

swmic

Boy, I have not seen a thread grow this quick on the 964 forum for a long time. This guy really got the natives riled up! Someone buy this car from the guy for a song and enjoy it!

Amber Gramps

Guy, you didn't seriously think owning a Porsche was going to be worry free, did you? Dude?

....$14,000 rebuild? x 100 I could replace your entire car for that kind of money.

Silvertarga

Assuming the OP's premise to be correct then I LOVE JUNK

PChar

Did you knew the engine was in the rear before you bough the car,.. if so you didn't really get wiser based on your comment...

Get it done and sell the car, Porches are not for you, you already had a predetermined notion that it was bad engineering,.. you can buy a very decent Vette for low $20 K, with great performance. A car for the common,...

$4800 for engine reseal,.. this should have been a red flag,.. Homework is key

Have you ever drove one before you bought yours,...Driving several cars, not just the first you see would have helped tremendously in crafting a sound opinion....!

Again, this comment only shows your lack of judgement, and the choise you made in buying a Porsche was obviously wrong.


My 2 cents

swftiii

Guy,

Great start, huh? Well, now that you are off to a good start, let me add some friendly advice...Search is your Friend. There is so much incredible information and data available to you in the history of Rennlist, I suggest spending some time reading and researching about these character packed automobiles/hobbies.

Like others have said, before making any rebuild decisions and/or even selecting a shop to do the work, you need to evaluate and define how you want to use the car. Once you know that answer do some research on modifications and what they really mean to longevity, performance, comfort, etc.

If you are set on doing the engine rebuild, I would stay close to stock and look at upgrading some of the materials where appropriate (like valve guides). I would not do the lightweight flywheel unless you are planning on tracking the car, and in all honesty I wouldn't even do the clutch unless it is original and/or was showing signs of wear. I wouldn't even consider the 3.8 conversion as you are now asking for a significant increase in the cost of the rebuild and it will hinder your ability to sell if that's what you ultimately decide to do...any of these 'upgrade' options your wrench is suggesting aren't $100 increases in cost...

Another something you should consider as you are building out your car, is the condition of the suspension. The suspension can really transform these cars and if the shocks are the originals you are running around on the springs only and the handling will be very poor.

Enjoy the learning and if you open your mind you will find these cars really are unique but absolutetly awesome...what other car can you run on the track in stock form for hours and hours and just replace fluids, rubber, and brake pads/rotors...great engineering.

-Skip

raspberryroadster

i enjoyed my 964 ownership....good drive, nice looks BUT
...take exception to your comments re italian cars. since the late 90's the italian cars have matched up dependability with design quality.
after owning 2 bmw's thru 1997 - 2001 both disappointing in terms of interior & overall drive quality - in succession i had an alfa 147 (2L, selespeed)
& 2 yrs later swapped into a used alfa 147 GTA (3.2L, 250hp ). both outstanding cars. where germanic cars tend to be "heavy" feeling the alfas are the opposite - light/nimble.
alfas never a leak, dependability - better than the beemers & costs of maintenance much less the beemers. added bonus was the quality of interior detailing, leather & sound system (bose).
....now that fiat has a position in the usa i do hope alfa makes a return there.
the new alfas will erase the history they had way in the past & deliver a delightful package (looks/power/fittings) at a price point much lower than the bmw.
the fiat 500 (especially the abarth edition) will be an outstanding commuter car (on the streets here for going on 3 yrs - better than a mini).
....considering car purchase now that we are back....(but not rushing as costs are so high especially in the capital) & while may consider a late 80's 911 as there are so many quality examples around..... a late 90's alfa gtv coupe would be so much quicker/more dependable.....at much less the price.

The Brewmeister

Me too. Especially junk that wins!

ACSGP

Actually, if someone had driven a 911 all their life, the FWD (or even some RWD) cars would be extremely dangerous as the understeer would cause the car to plough straight ahead into the bushes and not round the corner.

mlambert890

This is a life lesson. These stories surface with every high end car as they age. I call this "baller on a budget" syndrome. Thats not meant to be a sleight, it just is what it is.

What some people seem to fail to realize is that exotic parts dont get *cheaper*. And as a car ages, you need *more* of them.

Some seem to think you can "get away with something" buying these cars "for a steal". Reality is that often the person driving the pristinely maintained classic sports car has *far* more resources than the guy in the brand new one. Why? Because the brand new one is on a lease, getting written off, and can be traded before the first repair bill.

I want to have sympathy for folks who think they can scrape together their last $20k and somehow fulfill a dream and then (Im sure this is part of the plan) sell it at a profit once its done, but reality is that if someone can find a forum to bitch, they can find a forum to do research.

I love the Ferrari F355. Thats my personal dream car. But I know I cant afford the maintenance. So instead I bounce between NSXs and Porsches. Not a bad consolation prize. Did I *buy a Ferrari* and learn the hard way? No. I read FChat.

Anyone who comes here to bitch and moan has only themselves to blame since they *should* have spent time here learning about real cost of ownership, risks of a 20 year old car, "worst case" costs (like total rebuilds), real world performance (these cars are aging - you buy them for the experience, not to stop light race the latest 900HP pickup which can probably give a 997T a run for its money at the red lights), and the magic of getting PPIs, leak down tests, etc.

Chalk it up to an expensive lesson and be thankful you got $4k back from the original owner.

Marc Shaw

Ha! The thread is already epic.

Marc

clutch-monkey

i bought my 964 turbo last year (all of 24,000 miles on the clock..) and subsequently drove it to sydney, 2000km round trip. turns out it was well overdue for an oil change and the old gearbox seal had been broken off into the gearbox itself.
neither issue showed up in the inspection (well i guess i should have checked the oil myself) , but on the flip side neither issue actually caused any problems - fixed the gearbox seal and clutch last week, and the oil was a non issue after the next service obviously.
all in all the car has been bullet proof, so i'm guessing here that the OP just ****ed up and didn't do his homework.

edit: in all actuality it is turning out cheaper to run than my jeep grand cherokee (not sure if that was a lemon, or just plain ****.. )

ozmatt964

This thread is making me laugh, especially in reference to all the other great engineering marvels out there! Keep it coming.