Matt Cooke

I'm Boulder and I found this one just down the road from me in Denver.
Its a Guards Red 1989 C4 with 75,400 miles, for $37,000

This would be a driver fun car for me and my first Porsche. I am no mechanic. I was close to pulling the trigger on a 996 TT but some friends with older air cooled 911s have convinced me to consider the air cooled side.

I envision driving it for fun in the mountains and doing what I need to to make it closer to great shape.

Anyway, what do you think? Thanks all.
http://glenshelly.com/sales/1989-porsche-911-c4-coupe

911Jetta

That car looks like it's perfect for what want. Very nice ad too.
Schedule a test drive to see if it's what you want.

Big plus that it's been serviced at the same places over the years, they know the car...

canuck964

Look like really good ownership history.

Pilots tend to be very detailed oriented people and that car looks like it has been properly taken care of.

Off topic but that dealer has done a fantastic job in their ad for the car. I want to take a copy of it just in case I ever want to sell my car. Everything from the write up to the photos just first class.

MTR

Seems like a very fair price based on a good PPI. I'd say go for it.

cscrogham

Ad is nicely done. Note that '89's didn't come with airbags if that is important to you, and the car has been repainted after being damaged so check that out. Also, become educated on what "oil leaks" means in reality before buying, but looks like a nice car overall and is fairly priced.

nowata

Pilots, being the highest form of human evolution, are a good group to buy a car from. Looks like a winner if it's what you want. I respect the honesty displayed by the disclosures in the descriptions. Go log some hours in that baby!

Matt Cooke

Thanks guys. You all see things that I don't b/c you know these cars

Please keep the thoughts/comments coming!

I'll call them today and maybe go look at it this weekend. I have never driven one to be honest... Just a bit nervous but I think it could be good. It does not have be perfect just fun and hopefully some speed.

I could get it worked on over the winter, or just slowly get it where I want it.

C4inLA

But, What's with the license plate? Check his plane for proper ID.

Norse_man

hurry up and buy it before someone else does.

bweSteve

Do all the 964 C4 Front Ends sit as high compared to the rear?
This one looks slightly higher in the front. I'm just wondering if any of the hits or damage that this car has seen, is requiring front suspension alignment to get the castor/camber/toe correct?

Might want to have them put it on a alignment rack too,... especially since {when reading through the ad} the seller's representation is that they cannot find documentation on the front end work (accident there too?).
Here is the phrase they included: "The hood does appear to have been repainted at some point, but I have no record of why. "

At this price, you really can't go wrong if the PPI comes back solid.

Good Luck!!
=Steve

creaturecat

looks like a great car. i would want to confirm the sources of leakage. esp. the one that hits the heat exchanger.
appraising the cylinder head sealing status is a must. as well.

-nick

Likely as good a specimen as you will find, unless you come across something similar that has had a well-documented engine top-end job. Still, dripping and smoking oil leaks would be a no-go for me as a driver. Who wants a smoking car when you're at a stoplight? If it's dripping oil because of the no-head-gasket early design, then it's a $3k+++ repair. But if the major drips are from anywhere else, then the repairs drastically reduce into the hundreds range. That item would be my big concern.

Highlights-
very original
8-way power and heated seats are rare
the '89 cars a little lighter without the airbags and the simpler lower dash
appears to have been loved, tailpipe isn't sagging from old motor mounts, the front "smile" is straight, interior looks very good for the miles, and cold a/c are very good indicators

Lowlights-
the dripping/smoking oil issue
driver fog light glass is cracked
missing cig lighter is odd, given it's so easy to replace
early cars had a different rear shock and aftermarket replacements can be tougher to find

Definitely take it in for a ppi, and be sure to check the date codes on the tires. Good luck!

bweSteve- that's the wonderful US ride height. Amazing isn't it?!

Mikar

Regarding ride height, my 1990 C4 used to have an indentical ride height until I had the 26 year old suspension renewed with Bilstein B6s.

bweSteve

Thanks Nick & Mikar, for the ride-height clarifications.

related though, the real reason I keyed in on ride-height front end, was because of the mysterious front end re-paint, given the car has complete history, only 2 owners, with the current ownership at 21 yrs.
Why would it have a hood re-paint (& owner & broker not know about it), yet as Nick mentioned, they couldn't be bothered with replacing a plastic tow hook cap & cig lighter?

Plus the rear paint "blend" after the rear qrtr accident is a tough thing to do on Indischot Guards Red. That red changes color a lot after that many miles under the suns uv.

Anyway, seems like we all agree that at this price, it is DEFINITELY a car worth pursuing!!
=S

Porschenut_Lee

This! You can't waste time deliberating on a car this nice after posting on a public enthusiast forum!

I sincerely hope that no one reading this thread buys it out from underneath you.