Cash for clunkers for my 89 Targa???

John Leaman · 08-09-2009, 04:24 PM

So,
My Wife says as a present for me, I can go buy a new car. The present was for making it back from a year long deployment to the sand box. Ok I'm good with this so we make an appointment with a Tacoma Porsche dealer. We go out today and they had the 2009 I wanted. Took it for a test drive. Loved it , asked for a eval on my 89' Targa 148000 miles. Not perfect, it's 20 years old but in pretty good shape. Does not smoke on start up, 1 qt per 1k miles, interior very nice. So they go take a look at it. They don't even start it or drive it. Come back and offer me $6000.00 for it.... Not quite what I was expecting. I asked them if they had any idea what it was worth being a 89 g-50 and they said they would whole sale it. The could have flipped it for15K in about a day. I'm reasonable, told them all I wanted was 10k for it. No go at all. Am I out of touch. I may not be the brightest lamp on the stop light... but no joke... 6 grand? Anybody feel free to calibrate me.

Break Break. Keeping with the tech form theme, where can I get the seal for the car side of the Targa top? I couldn't pick out which one I need on here and any suggestions on someone to intall it up near Bremerton/Seattle/Tacoma?
Thanks
Cheers
JR

mickey356 · 08-09-2009, 04:44 PM

When I was younger I worked at a car dealership (MB, Toyota). There were many cars that would come in that they just didn't want to bother with. It's not that they were bad cars it's just that with miles, year, etc.... they only appealed to a specific market and thats not what they want on their lot. You can always get more for a car if you sell it privately VS trade it in. $10K for your car is probably a great deal, just not for them, especially if they offer a 30 Limited Warranty on their used stock. An 89 w/148K could be a potential disaster.
When I was looking for my car I went by our local Porsche dealership and they didn't have anything on the lot older than an 02. There were a few sitting in the back lot. Probably waiting to go to wholesale.

WilsonTC · 08-09-2009, 04:47 PM

Umm...it's a car dealer (having "Porsche" in their name doesn't change anything). What did you expect? I'm surprised they didn't offer $4500.

86 911 Targa · 07:31 AM

JR,

There was a presentation on our local TV regarding the "Cash For Clunkers" program.

It would appear that the motors in these "trade-ins" are permanently seized by injecting
glass in the cylinders, and the cars are subsequently "crushed".

As for your/our Targa top, there are more parts to this thing than a Swiss watch.

Before you spend big $$$$, have you determined the location of the leak?

Is it just a window(s) adjustment?

I adjusted mine-no leaks.

Do you have a Bently manual?

I have the factory manual/schematics & P/N's for the top.

There are several great threads on this subject.

pm me as required.

Good luck,

Gerry

motorcop · 08-09-2009, 05:00 PM

First and foremost, thank you for your service to my country. Now, sell that good old 911 privately and get what you deserve for it, then go make whatever decision you need for your next car.

redranger · 08-09-2009, 05:17 PM

Welcome Back Safely!!! Agreed with what others posted, your car is the mid to high teens privately, though it could take some time to get that.

As for your top, I'd contact Dan at carsinc in NJ, he's the authority on Targa Tops.

fintstone · fintstone's Garage

Welcome home! Thanks for your service.
Don't let them cheat you. Unless it is a total wreck...$10K would be a great deal for someone! I know I would be interested.

Por_sha911 · Por_sha911's Garage

First of all, I hope you negotiated a reduced price on the `09. Otherwise, they were giving you nearly 0 for your trade in.
Second, most stealerships don't know what to do with an air-cooled car so they just wholesale it off. You could do far better if you just sold it via autotrader, Excellence or Panorama magazines. It takes more time... Also go ask a local P-car indy repair shop if they know someone who would like a nice referral fee to help you sell your car...

MOMO3.2 · 08-09-2009, 06:23 PM

There was a thread on here a couple years ago where a Pelicanite's wife traded his 993 in for a new 996. The "friendly" sales manager gave her something like $20,000 for the car. It was about a $30-35,000 car. The Pelicanite was furious when he found out the "friendly sales manager" bought the 993 himself!

I don't recall how that one turned out.

Mike

bondavi · 08-09-2009, 06:31 PM

Okay, had to ask... *WHAT* 2009 car is making you do this?

C4C is a joke, especially at Dodge where they're increasing over MSRP for their crapboxes to take some of the Chrysler rebate-matching money. I know because my bro in law went in for a lowly Caliber SXT and they would not sell for lower than $3k above MSRP! Needless to say we left, with me giving the bird.

gregwils · gregwils's Garage

Like flintstone said, "thank you for your service".

If it were me, I would put the car on eBay with a $10,000 starting price and no reserve. Or, start @ $1 and note that the reserve is $10,000. My guess is that it will move.

group911@aol.co · 08-10-2009, 09:35 AM

Sorry but I think just about any 911 gets too good a mileage to qualify for the clunker program.

sbrown.nw · sbrown.nw's Garage

The Kirkland Infiniti dealer sold my used BMW E36 328i sedan for me when I found a private buyer ready to purchase. This was helpful around two areas:

1. You get to deduct the amount you sell your used car from the total purchase amount for tax reasons.
2. The dealer can offer financing to the buyer.

Scott

ZAMIRZ · ZAMIRZ's Garage

You won't be able to sell it in a day for $15K. Should be easy to move at $10K though.

Dantilla · 08-10-2009, 06:05 PM

The Tacoma dealer is the closest one to me, but If I was going to buy a new Porsche, it would be from Barrier in Bellevue, or more likely Spokane. Spokane would be the most fun drive back home. I've talked to one of the guys in Spokane a few times about the Cayman.

The Tacoma place has no enthusiasts, and usually has the showroom floor full of Audis instead of Porsches. I used to get a few parts there, but the last knowledgable guy they had left a few years ago. They no longer stock anything for "vintage" Porsches. I get far better service from Pelican.

LakeCleElum · 08-10-2009, 08:34 PM

John - Thanks for your service to our country. You deserve a new P-car if that's what you want.....Like Dan sez, go to Spokane to buy.......If you want more for your '89, PM a few of us here, myself included. It will go to a good home and you'll get way more than the dealer is offering.......Good luck.......

Hugh R · 08-10-2009, 08:41 PM

It's just a vehicle to them. They'll bundle it with another 100 cars and auction of the lot. It's not your car, it's a commodity, or at best, a cost of doing business to them to get you to buy another vehicle. My son's 2000 GMC Sonoma, the local Toyota dealer offered $1,000 on trade in, we sold it private party for $5,000.