Realistic 1985 911 Carrera Values

[kneedragger302]

I am looking to see where the Values are at for a Very nice 1985 Porsche 911 Carrera. Its a Sunroof coupe, 5 speed, 108k miles on it, runs perfect. Pwr windows, pwr seat, a/c, cruise...etc. Brown Copper Metallic with brown interior. Some maintainence records but I would not classify it as a fully documented history. By driving the car, one can definetly tell its a well taken care of car, being solid driver with no rattles or funny noises. I am looking for a realistic value...not to be confused with the Craigslist 20k car, or the excellence 28k clean value. I am going to sell the car as other prioritys are on my plate right now and would like to free up the cash. Car is in Wisconsin. Please let me know what you think...I apprecitate your input.

[tonythetarga]

IMHO it will likely be under the 20k mark. Your biggest hurdle may be a buyer looking past the brown/brown color scheme and buying on mechanical condition. No offense intended and hopefully none taken.

[Zeke]

15K for a no hassle and reasonably fast sale. 20K cars sit for months w/o selling. I've been keeping track. Just bought an '80 SC Targa (white over tan) for a friend with under 90K miles and in pretty nice shape (meaning needing about 2K in work to be very nice) and paid 6K. It didn't even need a tune up, but did it anyway.

If you put 1000 into the car before selling, you will most likely get 1000 more. So, just sell it.

[kneedragger302]

Thanks for your replys guys. I guess I was gonna put it on craigslist for 14k, and for a fellow pelican I am gonna ask 13k as I would rather sell it to a porsche enthusist so I am a bit lower than what your guys are thinking. Keep your eyes and ears open if anyone is looking for a nice car. I am gonna take some decent pics this week if anyone is looking for a nice car at a good price.

[bondavi]

What about special editions/cabrio's?

[kneedragger302]

I dont kow much about "special editions" or "cabrio's" but I know that the factory "Turbo Look" car seem to be bring substantually more than base model carrera's.

[rpmoore2]

I have a totally different perspective - watching the market for the past 2 years and my own 911S Targa with a 3.0 Euro motor to compare to.
Your advantages
1. I think coupes are more popular than targas.
2. A Carrera will get a much better price than the older SC and especially my 911S
3. Engine management improvement
4. Body for the Carrera is nicer
Possibly disadvantages with your car
1. Lack of full history in any car especially if a motor with 100+K hasn't had a top end rebuild. Right away I think I have a top end to do.
2. Clutch age
3. Transmission rebuild
4. Interior condition and how original it looks. How does it clean up.
5. Color - black interior in excellent condition
6. Any rust in the usual spots

I saw a 1983 911 SC just recently sell for 22,900 in Chicago with just over 20,000 miles. I know someone who picked up a 1983 911SC as well in the Milwaukee area with 16,000 original miles and bought it for 25K a year and a half ago.

I work with someone who picked up a Carrera cabriolet for 10K and ended up spending 8K to fix it up.


Bottom line prices will be all over the place. Have you taken it into a Porsche specialist like Fabson in Cedarburg for an opinion.

[rpmoore2]

Take all the photos you can. There are so many cars on the market right now to compare with from what I can tell. Plus if you really think the car is only worth 14K, then in my mind an inspection is worth something to draw in a perspective buyer.

One thing I realize now, after owning my car for over a year, there are only $20K Porsches. You either spend that much to make them better or you buy an original one with low miles for $20K. The bottom line from a buyer's perspective -its hard to make a well-used one original again unless you are really mechanical and handy, and lots of $$$s.

The market is probably also smaller this year due to the economy and selling it now is not the best. I have never seen 911s sit so long.

If I only waited a year to buy one myself. A good 911 Carrera was not available for 13K to a Pelican member.

[the]

Brown on brown 85 with 108K miles, $12-$14K seems about right if the car is in very good condition.

[Joe Bob]

Ahem.....every 84-89 is a carrera. Unless it's an "S" model and even then there's not much of a diff. Be advised some azzhatmarkettingjerkoff decided to dilute the name.....up until 84, a real Carrera was sumting special....big "C" as opposed to the little "c"

I have a guy next to my office, that I once asked how he liked his 84 911....he sniffed and said...it's a Carrera....okkkkkeeeeddoookey.....step away from the pipe.....no it ain't, tiny penis guy....

It is a nice ride, 3.2 engine are typical German engineered and long lived...but Americans can kill anything with deferred maintenance....

Valve guides...head studs are not just a 2.7 or 3.0 engine problem....the dreaded DME issue...not expensive unless you have an idiot for a wrench...you, or the one you hire....the early model years had the 915 trans.....has an issue with an exploding 2nd gear.....later MY had the G-50......gnarly bad boy improvement....just that upgrade I would look for....bag the early ones unless the PO did a rebuild and did a bearing plate upgrade.

[gregwils]

There is not much information to provide and accurate estimate, but I am with rpmoore2. I think $12-14k is light. Values are all over the map, because the cars conditions are all over the map. I don't agree that by driving the car you can tell it is in good condition - will it need brakes soon, clutch, how is the oil consumption, have hoses, sensors, injectors been replaced, etc. If you take the car to a mechanic to fix what is broken, I would suggest $14-16k. If you can demonstrate that you consistently evaluate the car's condition and invest in new parts, then I would be $16-19K. $12-14k says "i need new valve guides, brakes, clutch, and possibly shocks". If that is the case, then maybe your range is correct.

The 'carrera' doesn't buy you special performance, but the motronic system was a measured improvement over the CIS system and you gain about 25hp over an SC. It is worth a premium. Also, Porsche did not make an S model for years '84-89, although '87-'89 had a few additional horsepower.

[kneedragger302]

Well, I am going to take some nice pictures and get them posted. I ended up kinda "finding" the car a while ago and with a no start condition which was a simple dme relay and knew that upon buying the car. I really did not need the car but took it anyways and have been driving it for a while but just really dont "love it" as I have so many other things going on right now and would perfer to have someone who has the time to enjoy it to own it. Thanks for the input and it will be in the For Sale section in the next week or so.

[jwetering]

Originally Posted by mikez

Ahem.....every 84-89 is a carrera. Unless it's an "S" model and even then there's not much of a diff. Be advised some azzhatmarkettingjerkoff decided to dilute the name.....up until 84, a real Carrera was sumting special....big "C" as opposed to the little "c".

That's my beef too man. Even my 996 C2 has a Carrera badge. As much as I like the car...it ain't a Carrera.

The GT3 should have been the Carrera.