Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Common Interests porsche 911 older ones..any thoughts?

first car I ever drove was my neighbors 911 turbo it was a 85 or 86... I would kill to own one of those... any year 911 for that matter.

Shaun, as a semi Porsche expert.(cause I have been trying to get one for years,I subscribe to Excelence,follow all Porsche articles, own Hundreds of Porsche collectable models and diecasts,my wife says I can have one IF I get a job, and I am also known around the net as 935mike) let me say GET THE NEWEST 911 YOU CAN AFFORD. A 1986 or newer, 87 even better due to better trans, have it checked out by a mechanic who knows Porsches as repairs can cost THOUSANDS, as parts and labor are $$$$$. I have driven a few and love them but be carefull there are lots of mismosh cars with various year parts,GREY MARKET cars for which parts are scarce or shops won't work on them. Read Excelence mag they speak to this topic frequently. Hope this helps a little, and sorry about the stream of unconciousness.

Not sure if getting the newest one should be the #1 criteria... I still say getting the one with the best service history, regardless of age (remember we're basically talking mid-'80s here), is the way to go. There are plenty of cheap early '90s cars out there that need maintenance attention.

I was thinkin of getting one (track time only) do you know of any good sources for me? I haven't driven one yet (not enough money to be seriously interested). I've read about the chronic waterpump failures, and other various things. If these things are true, it can't be a daily driver (depends on how ya look at it)
-A

Trust me, a well maintained 944 is probably more reliable than an SVT Contour.. I've been seriously been kicking around the idea of getting one for my daily driver/track car. I have a neighbor that has an 84 944 that he bought new back in 1984. It's always been his daily driver, and 18 years later, it's still running great. The specific issues with the cars are easy to find and pre-emptively fix (with aftermarket solutions). But it's not a car that's going to constantly break down on you.. (No, that was my old Alfa Romeo :>)

As for where to get started, try to find a 944 board.. Rennlist and the PCA websites are good resources as well.

People tend to believe that Porsches are unreliable, expensive to maintain, and all that jazz.. The truth is, people drive these cars harder than your everyday car, so sure, some parts will go prematurely. The 911s and 928s are expensive to repair, but the rest of them aren't so bad.. Sure, it's more than a Focus, but look at what you're driving. You have to pay to play.

If leasing is an option, I know there was a great promotion going on in NY a few months back, lease a Boxster for $399/mo, with like $3000-4000 down. The promo might be over, it was something they were doing to move convertibles in the winter months. Nothing beats a new car with a full warranty.

Supertouring Mike makes good points; he also quotes Bruce Anderson, . The August issue of Excellence has a Marklet Update on '74 - '89 911's. The magazine is a great resource. You can also check out Sports Car Market for pricing guidlines. Finally, get a copy of Dean Batchelors book, Porsche Buyers Guide. I have the 1997 4th edition, there may be a newer one out by now. Read it cover to cover, several times. Start reading every thing you can. Cruise the Porsche forums to see the pros and cons of your target model. Understand compression leakdown, G50, chain tensioners, valve wear, and clutches. Find a reputable and trustworthy Porsche mechaninc. Have a detailed inspection done on any car you're considering. Ask the mechanic doing the inspection if he wants you coming to him with the car as a customer - good mechanincs have plenty of work, they are not interested in taking on problem cars.

Do not discount the non-911 variants. Some are very capable performers with great reliability; and they will take the sting out of the hit to your wallet compared to a 911.

If you have any specific questions, please post them here. If I dont know the answer, I have access to it.

At 15K you should be looking at an early/mid '80's SC in good condition with moderate (> 12,000 miles/year) mileage.

Mark - in search of the perfect black 964 with less than 75,000 miles...

You can't go wrong with any of them as far as fun is concerned. The 911SC and 911S from about 72-77 are alot of fun to drive, just get a good look at the floors. Not only do they tend to rust, but the pedal configuration is similar to a VW Beetle; ie, floor-hinged pedals sharing a common pivot shaft.. So when they rust, they all rust together as a unit. Press the clutch and you also apply the brakes. I don't really care for the Targa roof cars, only because the roofline is smoother on the coupes. But they are great driving cars, albeit noisy and hard riding, but who cares. Aftermarket parts availabilty and club support are both teriffic.

you could always be REALLY different and get a 916


With that said I would try to get a 930 turbo of some sort

You can find some really nice cars (although the prices aren't always the best) at the Dupont Registry\'s website

-Pete