hamah

What it really is is a car that was $80K 20+ years ago and has the maintenance costs of an $80K car today ... out of warranty ...and with a resale value of $20K

But you won't have more fun and if you could pick it up for $10-12K, spit polish it after throwing a few $K at it for cosmetics and interior (remember this assumes a reasonable PPI) you won't loose a dime and will likely make money if it turns out to be a money pit.

hawk911

those are the gremlins I'd worry about most.

pcarfan944

Complete 911 parts cars are bringing 8-10k now! A running example that has a few DIY issues for 12k is a steal. I follow the market pretty close and that cab would bring 15-18k on eBay as-is, no doubt about it. When you see 911 prices in a year or two, you'd regret not jumping on that 964 for 12k. Mark my words.

dhc905

Just checked Ebay for some of the things that I know I'll need right off the bat - including rear lights (his had water in them. Quite a lot of water). $1,200 for those lights? Insane.

Earlydays

Ebay is not always the cheapest...check with Pelican, or Suncoast...Porsche is making new rear lights again and center sections as well

dhc905

So guess given that do you think my budget for the lipstick on the pig renovation below makes any sense or am I totally out of it?

1. $600. Replace interior carpeting with aluminum or leave bare. I'm thinking of going this route: http://www.ebay.com/itm/RENNLINE-198...a4e0c7&vxp=mtr

2. $1,500. Replace front seats with something neoprene-ish/not leather.

3. $400. Steering wheel.

4. $1,500. Fix top.

5. $500. Respray front end, where paint is chipping severely.

6. $750. Fix back lights.

Immediate expenditure: $5,250.

6. $1,000. Miscellaneous repairs/upgrades - electrical, mechanical, etc that can be done over time.

I figure I'll start at 12K and ding him for anything the PPI finds (the more the merrier I think). That way, if the car is in fantastic shape, I'll be in for $17,250 with another 1K on the hook for other stuff.

Seem somewhat reasonable?

hamah

Make sure whatever money you drop into it does not actually negatively impact the car's resale value unless you plan to keep it. Aluminum or CF trim pieces are an example of something that is not original and of subjective taste (you obviously like it but a potential buyer might be thinking of dinging you on the replacement costs). The lights on the other hand may not actually add to the resale value but certainly will not hurt it. If you plan on keeping the car for the long term then by all means put in pleather seat covers and fuzzy dice. It's your car after all. Good luck and make sure to have fun moving forward.

dhc905

Funny looking back at my post I really come off as a douche who probably would put fuzzy dice in. I would love to keep the original interior (with the exception of the steering wheel and probably the seats, which need reupholstering anyway). I just figured that given the down to the bone condition of the interior, a minimalist (and actually since the top doesn't roll up, functional) interior would be best suited. Like someone else said, if it were a coupe, it would be cool to turn it into a racer. But being a Cabriolet I think myself, my wife, and any future purchaser is going to look at it with a bit of luxury in mind...

Augustomf

My 2cents. If it is a car you always wanted, go for it. I think the 964 is the last true Porsche, some swear by the 993, but really the 993 was the first new Porsche. I am saying that because I think you cannot lose money with a 964.
If you take this car fix the interior, (don't need to fix the top now), refresh the suspension (new struts and shocks), throw a little paint and you have a very fun car. What you have to make sure is that you have a good engine.

After all said and done you will always be able to get back what you put in this car given the initial price, no other car will give you that. If you spend 20k fixing it and put it pristine you will be able to sell it for 32k, if you only spend 5k and make it presentable you will be able to sell it for 17k. Wheeler dealers stuff.

dhc905

Good news is I'm going to take it in for a PPI.

What do you think about having him drive 30+ miles to bring it to the indie group I want him to do the PPI at? Does having the engine cold reveal a can of worms that may be hidden when the engine is hot?

Also, since I drove it around city streets during my test drive, I kind of want to know if it can drive on the highway. It's going to be about 30 miles of slightly undulating hills to get the car to Walnut Creek, CA...

Thoughts?

Tmistry

I'm not an expert, but I think your PPI will be the same if not better with a warm car. Likely though, the same.

If you drove the car in the city and it felt good, it'll probably surprise you at how it feels on the highway. A PPi is a good idea and you'll have piece of mind, but it's not a guarantee of trouble free ownership and nor is it going to probably be as in depth as you're hoping. Build quality is very high on these cars and I'm betting that you're in great shape at the price you've mentioned.

When I bought my 964 I was shocked at how solid the car is and how it performed at speed.

tfitch03

did you end up getting it?

MJBird993

Maybe he was just a troll?

vagluv

oooo what color is that 991?? link to more pics?

dhc905

No, put it on hold for a couple weeks. In the meantime I found a nice 996 for not that much more money and fully functional. Lost that deal because I've been burning the midnight oil for the past couple weeks and never go around to doing a PPI.

The 964 is back on the docket - will hopefully have the PPI before I leave on a week long business trip on Friday!

P.S. Who would troll by asking whether to buy a busted up cheap porsche? If I were to troll, I'd say I'm considering a '94 RS or something. I also posted pictures etc.