ZCAT3

The falling dollar means exports will be more expensive. This means P-car parts will go up in price noticeably in the next few months. So, let's buy a bunch of used 993s at the current bargain basement prices and start parting them out for a profit. Hell, with the prices on some of the higher mileage 993TTs you could be in the black after parting out only half the car. Who's in?

Jim Morton

Bill:

I think you are on to something ! All we need is a cutting torch and a "Sawzall". With all of Kim's spares, we might already have a starting inventory...

Ya know, if we get know far and wide, just maybe we can land a spot on Monster Garage with a chopped 993TT made from our own junk that dismantles other 993's as its trick, sort of a black widow theme ! We can then compete with those water pumper boys on the cable channels...

Yahoo !

Mike in O.C.

You fail to take into consideration that the more 993's taken off of the road for parts, the higher premium you'll pay on future 993 purchases.
Hey, not a bad idea. Manipulate the 993 market to the point that our own personal 993's become priceless.

Bob D.

Hey, former longtime 914 guy here. Nobody knows the "Porsche + Sawzall" equation better than a 914 guy!

I'm in!

Jeff 993TT

Hmmm... If we could find a high mileage, questionable title TT for around $35K, that might work out very well.

Anybody have leads on auto auctions, etc?

ZCAT3

I am only half joking - based on current pricing, the number of 993s made, and the inevitable increase in parts costs, I really do think someone could make money doing this.

Jeff 993TT

Actually, it's kind of funny that you mention this, because I've been testing the waters with going into a different career more and more recently.

However, I don't know about a used car parts business. Maybe fun for a hobby, but I think it might be hard to actually make money.

Jim Morton

Bill:

Also, only speaking half jokingly, when my dot-com, dot-bombed, I made quite a nice living for a couple of months parting out high mileage or wrecked BMW "real" M cars. They too were failing in price and still in a niche demand. I see 964's and 993's in a similar light right now as I think your post seriously suggests.

Two issues follow the idea. One, it takes about two days per vehicle to dismantle and catalog the valuables. Two. You need to be able to effectively filter the good stuff and know when to flush the junk.

Also, "Sawzall" blades are not cheap. Neither is welding / cutting gases. The first few cars are fun. Then it is just hard work.

One needs to be really "scrappy" to make any money at this stuff. However, the net has made it much more viable ! As I parted the cars, it was amazing to see how wide spread the stuff got shipped out to. You gotta think internationally too !

Movong forward...we just have to find the cars. Kim ???

TomF

My childhood friend made his fortune in used auto parts and retired at the age of 30. He flies around in his sea-plane like Jimmy Buffett. Don't underestimate the parts business... I sure don't- especially when my buddy flies past the window of my office!

Cheers

ZCAT3

Well Jim, what do you think? I have seen a few clean mid-mileage (60K) 993TTs go in the mid 50s. The engine alone on that car is worth $25K.

Kristoffer

Where have you guys been. Guys have striping 993 & other cars for parts for many years. It just isn't a long term business ever since the cops got involved <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" />

steve_eo

There is a 97 Turbo on Autotrader.com $29500 is the ask price. There was also another one by the same dealer (was a Turbo S) for the same price. I don't know how many parts could be had or even if the engine is in the car. I couldn't evaluate the engine at much over 20K since they do sell for that fairly commonly.

I have a few basic questions:
1) What is the size of the potential market reachable via the web for 993 used parts? How is this market size achieved?
2) What size of this market do you realistically expect to achieve?
3) What would be a good selling price basis for the parts? Is 50% of dealer price reasonable?
4) Why just 993s? Market seems pretty big for Boxsters/996.
5) There are a few companies that do this now...would you want to take away their market share? If so how would one plan this?
I'm only asking these questions because I'm a bit curious/interested. I have no backround in the car part business....but it might be fun. And I'm looking to get into something. I live in Canada so I might become the 'Canadian Distributor' of the '993 parts bin company'
Boy I've got a ton more questions if this actually generates enough interest....
-Steve

steve_eo

Here is the link to the Autotrader ad for the turbo...

<a href="http://www.autotrader.com/findacar/vdetail.jtmpl?car_id=104359581&dealer_id=105539&car_year=1997&make=POR&d istance=any&max_price=35000&model=911&advcd_on=n&end_year=1998&min_price =" target="_blank">http://www.autotrader.com/findacar/vdetail.jtmpl?car_id=104359581&dealer_id=105539&car_year=1997&make=POR&d istance=any&max_price=35000&model=911&advcd_on=n&end_year=1998&min_price =</a> &first_record=51&certified=n&address=90210&search_type=used&advanced=n&s tart_year=1994&=&color=&cardist=2339

Arthur Del Mundo

Great idea, but probably not something if you already have a full time job. Worse if you have wife and kids. I had a friend who tried to do it part time. Time alone to dismantle, catalog, market, pack, sell parts is very time consuming. Eventually he lost his job anyways due to the the SF Bay Area .com fallout, so he eventually did get the full time to do the used parts. He mainly did hondas and acuras, and now he has shop in Sacramento that is doing pretty well. He makes 5 times more money than he did in his .com start-up. If you do this, you'll really have to dive right in and do it full time.