Should I buy a 911 that has been tracked? Help!

spsfiend · 10-25-2008, 10:05 PM

Hello, I am looking for my first Porsche. I found a 911 that I am very interested in buying however it has been used almost exclusively as a track car. It has been very well maintained but I am wondering if I should keep looking for one that has not seen track abuse.

I appreciate your feedback!

Regards

Pazuzu · 10-25-2008, 10:13 PM

What year?

Are we talking a 2005 that was tracked for 2 years, or a 1978 that was tracked for 30 years?

jorian · 10-25-2008, 10:20 PM

A well maintained track car is a good car - better than an average street car with suspect maintenance. Guys who go the track often can afford to repair things.

Dcam49 · 10-25-2008, 10:24 PM

It depends on what you're looking for. IMHO a car that has seen the track has been much more carefully cared for since the owner normally is more concerned with safety and the overall maintenance of the car. I looked at a couple of cars before I bought mine, low mileage and clean but the owners didn't have a clue as to what they owned, nor did they take as good of care of them like a tracked car would be cared for. Tracked cars in my opinion could be a good thing. Getting a good PPI would be required, as always. A street only car may have been driven more gently, but it may also have been neglected too.

dtw · 10-25-2008, 10:25 PM

Really need to know the year of the car, and a list of the mods that have been done to the car, to be able to discuss.

porschenut · 10-25-2008, 10:27 PM

A 911 that has been tracked regularly and maintained really well is probably the best car you can find.

JohnJL · 10-25-2008, 10:46 PM

Have a ppi done.

DanielDudley · 10-26-2008, 03:06 AM

Every car has it's own story, but driving 911s hard doesn't particularly stress them, if that is what you are asking. I myself like cars with some add ons, so a track car is a good candidate for me. Other people like a very stock car.

The thing is, a low mileage 911 that has been driven on short hops, and never really warmed up or had it's legs stretched can need a head stud or valve guides before 80K. A good higher mileage car with a track history could have had continuous maintenance and run like a champ for another 80 to 100K, with routine maintenance. In either case, a top end job could cost 5K, and a full rebuild 10K, a tranny or clutch 2K, shocks, brakes, etc. a couple of bucks, so a Pre Purchase inspection is a must.

A good 911 will hold its value and be easy to maintain. It will be a good driver from the day you get it. A poorly maintained 911 could cost you a few bucks to a lot of bucks right off the bat, leading you to question Porsches and your sanity on a daily basis.

Spend a little time getting to know these cars, and find a really good 911 mechanic in your area. There are a lot of 911s out there, so don't feel compelled to buy the first one you see, unless it has a gold plated provenance, and comes strongly reccomended. Even then, don't jump the gun. Good feelings can be very short lived. A good Porsche can last a lifetime, even on the track.

chrisp · 10-26-2008, 03:59 AM

Track car is better assuming it's had maintenance and servicing. I agree that the average track car has more maintenance done to it and is therefore a better car. Most street cars are driven with service only done when there's an issue. A track car will most likely have had all wear items replaced.

In my experience tracking a car helps sorts it out. A car that has been tracked 2-3 times will only have the most serious issues brought to light (clutch, engine, bakes, etc). A car that's seen a season or two has had almost every nut and bolt touched.

charleskieffner · 10-26-2008, 03:59 AM

first and foremost where in the hell can you drive the car at its full potential on the street??? pin it on a on-ramp, 120 for about a minute on the freeway?????

i wouldnt hesitate at all buying a "tracked car", i know its been driven to redline. thats what they were built for.

get a PPI and see whats up.

amazing thing about track......................after 10 minutes YOU WILL KNOW WHAT DOES AND DOESNT WORK. highway speeds are a mere fly turd to what the vehicles potential is all about.

diverdan · diverdan's Garage

I like crisps analysis regarding "sorting the car out." I think he is on to something. Others seem to confirm and I totally agree.

Diverdan

ted · ted's Garage

A track car should have lap times to back up the price.
But many times race cars are sold when owners get behind on service.
Track car paint can include sandblasted front ends.
Track car can also mean not street legal, wipers, turn signals, horn...
If you want a track car could be a good deal but if you want a cherry as the factory made it 911 then keep looking.
Post some photos, price, lap times.

ChkbookMechanic · ChkbookMechanic's Garage

As others have said, without knowing the car (year, type, etc) it is hard to make a recommendation. But, chances are someone who has taken their car to the track is probably very proactive in its maintenance and probably also has the records to back it up.

A tracked vs. non-tracked car isn't really an issue for me as long as I can see their service histories and get a PPI or poke around under the car.

stormmaster · stormmaster's Garage

I guess I am from the other camp....I have had both....my street car is just as well maintained if not better than my street/track car was. From pure cosmetics standpoint, most track cars are lacking....My current street only car is not a concourse contestant...but a very nice driver. In my opinion a well maintained Porsche is a well maintained Porsche. I have owned Porsches for over 30 years off and on....My best suggestion is buying a car from a Porsche enthusiast that knows about his car...preferrably one that does much of his own maintenance and a car that has complete documentation of that maintenance. Buying an older Porsche will cost you money...every year Porsche has its inherant issues. PPIs are great....but they are not a gaurantee. You might also want to find somebody close to you that is knowledgable about the particular year Porsche you are interested in and take them with you when looking at particular cars.

GothingNC · 10-26-2008, 06:15 AM

Depends on what youtr purpose is.
If yout are looking for a DD, a vehicle that has been tracked and taken care of will be fine or better then a garage queen. Most of the carbon woutld have been blown outt, fluids (oil, brake,tranny) changes more frequently and oil leaks taken care of before the tech inspection.

Mine was tracked by the previouts owner almost three years ago.

Has some of the usual road rash on the lower front valance and a few stone chips.

Like other have pointed out, check out the service history and have a shop perform the PPI.

Good luck

VaSteve · 10-26-2008, 06:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spsfiend

Hello, I am looking for my first Porsche. I found a 911 that I am very interested in buying however it has been used almost exclusively as a track car. It has been very well maintained but I am wondering if I should keep looking for one that has not seen track abuse.

I appreciate your feedback!

Regards

I echo what all these guys are saying. A bunch of track time will certainly shake out what needs to be fixed. I assume in this case that "track car" means a car that's been gone over, maybe had some upgrades in suspension, maybe a little rough cosmetically both inside and out but otherwise sound. I typically park my track car between events with the track pads in it, the rubber marks on the hood and the tech stickers on the glass.

None of this I would consider abuse, but if you were considering a show car, this is the typical treatment we give our tracks cars here. There's a lot of events in our track season.

But, if you might visit the track one day, you may want to consider this car. I have seen the pattern here....buy an unmolested car, spend cubic dollars fixing all the deferred maintenance and then go the next step and turn it into a track car.

Figure where you are on the continuum. If I was to do it over, I would have bought a coupe and built a track car out of it...

jhynesrockmtn · 06:58 AM

This may have been pointed out already but what do you plan on using it for?

I have a well prepped track car that's suspension, wheel & tire combo, seats, rollbar and alignment setup make street driving it to work a pain in the bu*&. It's cosmetics are lacking as well. Sandlbasted front end. It also takes the brakes a bit of warm up to bite. But it's well maintained and I'd drive it across country if my kidneys could take it.

I also have a much more stock SC that's seen several track days but is my daily driver and also well maintained.

If you want a daily driver you'll take to the track occasionally don't buy someones track dedicated car with stiff torsion bars, race seats and roll bar. It may look cool and be well maintained but you'll regret it after an hour on a Sunday drive.

Zeke · 10-26-2008, 07:02 AM

Jerry nailed it. Track or no track, what is the set up? If you plan on tracking about the same amount as the PO, then he saved you a lot of money if it's set up properly. If not, then your new ride could be a hard one.

VaSteve · 10-26-2008, 07:10 AM

That brown Targa is the perfect example of what I'm talking about. The PO (Charlie) bought a pristine car, spent a ton of $$ rebuilding it and upgrading it and then tracked it. I don't think he had any ideas of tracking until after he got it. I teased him since I never saw the roof off.

EarlyPorsche · 10-26-2008, 08:20 AM

Honest answer: no. 911's are not like Ferrari's and Lamborghini's in that they were made in relatively HUGE numbers. If you don't have enough money for a better one just wait it out, when the time comes you will have enough for the right one. If its simply the car you like, but you aren't tracking it, get one that is stock and keep it that way. If you are tracking it then I guess you know the answer but I also don't think you would have made this post.