Does matching numbers really matter to most people ?
 

Does the engine number really matter to most people ? or if I ever decide to sell how much will effect the selling price ?


Another 92 965 was produced 7/15/1991 VIN Ending in NS480089 trans # G50/52 2000621 Engine# 61NO0563

My 965 was produced 7/30/91 VIN ending in NS480098, my car is G50/52 2000754 engine # 61NO0729


Another one produced 9/20/91 VIN ending NS480239 trans #G50/52 2000847 engine# 61NO0772

Looks to me that both my engine and Trans where produced in the right time frame my car was produced, I'm sure that it's not matching numbers, but matching dates , if that really matters

I think the first thing that makes a difference about the numbers is if the car advertised as all original.
of course this has more meaning as the car gets older and the price gets higher.
if you are looking at an "all original" 70 911s and the price reflects it, the engine better match.

when I bought my 930 I did not look at the engine numbers. for me, its not that the engine may not be the original as much as if it was hidden from me or I was lied to.
I was told my 930 had 3.4 RUF P&C' and a LSD. it I did not. I don't think I was miss lead on purpose, I think the PO thought that is what was in it.

My thoughts...

If you had a very rare car, or a very early car, then yes, I would be more keen to look for a matching set (chassis, engine, trans).

But on a mass produced car, to me, it would not matter one bit.

like I said, it depends on the price and the car.
here is a prime example.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-cars-sale/938304-fs-1967-911-a.html

with a collector like this it matters as far as price. with a matching engine a car like this can get premium price and/or it can make it sell faster.

as far as something like a 80 SC with a case with no engine number (engine has been replaced) I would be curious as to who did the engine and how long ago and whats in it

I often wonder how many car owners purchase a Certificate of Authenticity and do not even verify if their car is in fact matching number. ?

This is what I suggest the OP do instead of assuming his engine isn't original to the car. Things were not sequential in production and one cannot assume anything about it based on a serial number.

I don't care about matching numbers. I'm not a collector. Im glad my bumblebee is matching, but only because I would like to sell it sometime soon. None of my other cars matter. Some are and some aren't.

I don't have the means to buy cars as investments, so until then i'll buy a non-numbers matching hotrod any day and drive the sheeeit out of her! :D

I think it is clear on most relatively unmolested cars that numbers matching has a value to it, and when you sell, you are passing on that value in the increased selling price, so it isn't a cost, so much as wash in the end.

It's kinda like a salvage title in that you can buy it cheaper, but it will be cheaper when you sell, so as long as you don't overpay for the privilege of numbers matching, it doesn't matter.

The PO of my car purchased the COA and gave it to me. I still haven't checked to see if anything matches. Don't care...

As an example, on Corvettes the chassis VIN is stamped on the engine. Matching numbers on those cars is a big deal because of this as as one might expect has a big impact on value.
On 911's this does not appear to be the case. In the examples given, everything looks random.
If the engine and tranny serial numbers aren't on the COA, how would you know that they are or are not original to the car?
Does anyone know if that info was on the Cardex for the older cars?

I believe the Kardex is the source of the info for the CoA on the older cars, so if its not on there, it doesn't exist.

I believe it only matters on low mileage collector cars that live in heated garages and travel by trailer to the auction.

Nervous, squeamish people who have little faith in their ability to judge condition of a car use #'s as a tool since they have little else to go on. They will hopefully also get a PPI's and maybe a car dealer/flipper to hold their hand through the sell.
These same people judge a car by how clean and shiny it is and the number's matching and date code numbers. The car can be a total POS but if it is clean and shiny and has a lot of neat numbers it is great to a lot of the population.
So yes, it hurts resell to not have matching numbers.