Best car for 10K?

[Corey_NYC]

Greetings all.

I知 new to this forum and also new to the wonderful world of the 911. I知 looking to purchase a 911 and have about 10K to spend max. From what I致e seen thus far, buying a used 911 can be an exhausting experience; buy the wrong car and you値l end up paying for it for years to come. So I pose this question to the list: What is best way to purchase a good quality car that will be both mechanically sound and a good value? Thanks in advance for all of your assistance!

[GB83SC]

Welcome.
My advice would be to wait and save about 4K more, that should by you a nice 79-83SC that are some of the most reliable cars around. If you find a 10K car it is likely to need paint or mechanical work that can add up very fast. Have a good PPI done and try to find a car with few owners. Take your time!
Have fun in your search.

[thrown_hammer]

You will probably be looking at a 1974-1977 911. Get a pre-purchase inspection at a reputable shop. In your price range you will probably find a good driver a little worn around the edges. Welcome to the board.

[Eugene at Pelican Parts]

Originally posted by thrown_hammer
You will probably be looking at a 1974-1977 911. Get a pre-purchase inspection at a reputable shop. In your price range you will probably find a good driver a little worn around the edges. Welcome to the board.

I'll second that. Pre-SC is your main target. Aim for a purchase price of under $8000 and use the rest to spruce it up. Will this be your daily driver in NYC?

[rickeolis]

I personally think that it is an easy choice. Bruce Anderson, who writes Porsche books, and sponsors Porsche racing says to buy the newest model you can for your budget. Given that, I think you should be able to find an SC in that price range that hasn't been abused too much.

An earlier car would fit the bill too, but anything before 1974 (guys please correct year if I'm wrong here) had no galvanic rust protection added to the body panels as the car was built, so rust is a real problem. Also, the mid years (74-77) had issues with head studs pulling out or breaking. Most have been dealt with by now, but not all. Anyway, SC's have more power than earlier cars, though some say they are not as raceworthy on the track. (Flame suit going on)

You might also get real lucky and find a mid-eighties Carrera for that price, but have it checked out (PPI) first for sure.

Enjoy the search, and be patient.
-Rick-

[thrown_hammer]

Sc's break studs. Mid year ('74-'77) pull them. Most mid year cars have the proper updates. Look for pressure fed tensioners, receipts for updated and timecerted head studs, pop off valve, 11 blade fan, aux. oil cooler. i would buy a nice mid-year over a ratty SC. Overall condition is paramount. Happy hunting. You have come to the right place. I haven't been in the market but an SC may be in that $10K range right now.

[masraum]

Galvanized bodies were '76/'77. The 2.7L cars could have engine problems. Early cars can/will have rust. You may be able to find an early SC for 10K, but you'll have to wade through several with problems before you find one that won't need some investment. 10K is a tough budget for 911s unless you are capable of doing lots of work yourself or you can afford to have stuff fixed.

[Corey_NYC]

Wow, what a quick response
To answer some of the questions. No, it will not be a daily driver in NYC. It will be a second car to be stored during the winter. I will use it for trips to the NJ shore, about 50 miles one way during the summer month. I like the 80's SC's best and most likely would prefer a coupe to a targa or cab. Is 10K too low for an SC? If I have to, I'll wait a bit and save a bit more for this project. Anyone have any leads on a good car? I don't mind going as far as CA for the right one.

Thanks!

[bigchillcar]

There are three basic 911 generations that most of us in the up to about 20k price range consider: the 'early' cars without impact bumpers: '65-'73, next the mid-year cars '74-'77 and the SC model '78-'83 with slightly wider fender flares.

Engines:
early cars - 2.2 and 2.4L carbed or mechanical fuel injection. These can be modded well for performance, high revvers.

mid-year - 2.7L with continuous fuel injection (CIS). This injection offers the best 'all weather driveability', but there's less in general to be able to do to improve CIS stock performance.

SC cars - aluminum 3.0 engine with CIS considered 'bulletproof'. tough, long lasting motor. Little difference in performance from mid year, as engine got bigger, car became heavier.

Most important consideration is buying good condition, irrespective of year. you'll find newer cars in horrible shape and early cars that are immaculate. Best bang for the buck are the mid-year cars. They can be bought the cheapest, because thewre were problems early on with pulled head studs due to the use of a light magnesium case in an engine that ran hot because of increased emission requirements (thermal reactors). this gave the car a bad rep, but by now most of these have been updated anyway. you can easily find this car under 10k. i'd look for one in the 5-7k range and keep a few k back for maintenance, etc. i paid 6.5K for mine (literally stole it - i wouldn't take twice that today, but i've put several thousand into it myself. I can answer any questions you have about mid-year cars, '74 is considered the best of the bunch.

Ryan

[Corey_NYC]

By the way - what is a PPI? What exactly does this inspection consist of?

[Eugene at Pelican Parts]

Originally posted by Corey_NYC
Wow, what a quick response
To answer some of the questions. No, it will not be a daily driver in NYC. It will be a second car to be stored during the winter. I will use it for trips to the NJ shore, about 50 miles one way during the summer month. I like the 80's SC's best and most likely would prefer a coupe to a targa or cab. Is 10K too low for an SC? If I have to, I'll wait a bit and save a bit more for this project. Anyone have any leads on a good car? I don't mind going as far as CA for the right one.

Thanks!

I think 10K max is too low for an SC. 10K min is right in the ballpark. SC's can be had for anywhere from 8-13K nowadays, but the price highly reflects its condition. Bargains are hard to come by but keep your eyes open.

[Corey_NYC]

I found this listing here in NYC. What do you guys think?

http://www.gullwingmotorcars.com/moredetails.html?56328636&sitecode=gullwingmotorcars

[bigchillcar]

Well, I think its definitely look worth checking out. Maybe the SC guys will chime in...pretty pic from this angle.
Ryan

[callipygian911]

it sounds like you don't mind waiting or travelling for "the right car." this is definitely a great attitude to have if you want to find a magnificient car. as rickeolis mentioned, it is even possible to find a carrera (84-89) for around $10K. these came "bulletproof" out of the factory: no upgrades needed (although i've heard that there was a bad batch of 87-89's which exhibit premature valve guide wear, but the danger zone ends at 60K mi) after looking for a year, i personally discovered a beautiful carrera that i stole for $9800, in excellent mechanical and aesthetic condition. the seller let me have it so low since it will be needing a tranny rebuild sometime over the next few years, but these only run about $2K. only surprise: it needed a wheel bearing replaced too. patience pays.

[Groesbeck Hurricane]

PPI is Pre-Purchase Inspection. Don't buy a 911 without one from a reputable location. Do a search on this site to see who people have used in the past.

Like everything else, you will be most satisfied and better off to find the best example in the newest vehicle possible. An '84 for 10K with lots of problems is not as good a buy as a '74 for 10K that is immaculate. You will spend less for the better example in the long run. Take you time and ask questions. People here are very helpful. Look at several, drive them, sit in them. You will get a better idea of what you want that way. I would also suggest having $2K set aside in an interest bearing account just in case. Ya never know when you want to upgrade something or replace something. Most of all, enjoy!

[GB83SC]

I would prefer buying a Southern car because you are less likely to get into rust issues. If you end up with a NE car make sure you check real close for rust!!

[bigchillcar]

If you want to find a pampered car, I'd recommend asking the guys on the board. Most of us are fanatical about our cars and want to see ownership transfered to likewise people, I'd venture to say even at the loss of a few bucks. We're a pretty honest group. People with lots of postings probably aren't going anywhere and would fall into a bad light if they totally screwed you on selling you their car. Check Pelican's classifieds or post a thread asking.
Ryan

[nostatic]

If you are on a budget, don't look at dealerships. And in fact, with a few exceptions, the older 911s at dealers are either grossly overpriced or very suspect cars.

First rule in 911 hunting: be patient. Many here looked for over a year. Great car, low price, find it fast. Pick any two.

For any purchase, I think you should have $2-3K left for after purchase fixes. So if you only have $10K, you really should be looking to spend $8K max on a car. That would put you in the high miles SC category, and also in the mid-year models. You might be able to find a well sorted 74-77 car that would be in your budget. For an SC, you'd have to be willing to accept one with some "issues", and be careful to get one that didn't have multiple hidden problems.

[Schuey]

Originally posted by Corey_NYC
I found this listing here in NYC. What do you guys think?

http://www.gullwingmotorcars.com/moredetails.html?56328636&sitecode=gullwingmotorcars

Corey,

Get the PPI and see if they have records on it...if so, jump on her...

Kevin

[qcwang]

Hi Corey,

I am new to the world for 911's also. I am on a very steep learning curve thanks to the wonderful people on this website. My start was with this article which is from Bruce Anderson's Porsche Perfromance Handbook. This website also has great info about purchasing 911's. Hope this helps.

http://www.enthusiastcars.com/main/generalinfo/bruce911.htm


Quincy
83 SC
Fountain Valley, CA