RoW 911's

wurls · 10-08-2009, 12:40 PM

Are RoW 911's less desirable in the U.S. than a U.S. spec car? I live in Canada, have a RoW Carrera 3.2, and want to consider selling my car in the U.S., and was just wondering about the desirability factor for the US market.

Any thoughts...appreciated.

logan2z · 10-08-2009, 12:56 PM

Funny this subject should come up now, because I've been looking for an '80s Carrera for a little while and just yesterday came across two RoW cars here in California. I'm sure others more knowledgeable than me will chime in but, from my perspective, these cars are somewhat less desirable due to the potential difficulty getting an RoW car to pass emissions testing. In fact one of the owners I spoke to recently had to jump through some hoops to get his car to pass CA smog. I'm sure buyers in non-smog states would have less of an issue with these cars. There may also be the issue of a US buyer having to do some work to properly federalize the car according to DOT regulations, but I don't know exactly what that would entail. Frankly, I'm not sure the benefits of an RoW car (higher compression, more HP, etc.) outweigh the hassles, at least here in CA. I'm personally confining my search to US spec cars.

Oh Haha · 10-08-2009, 01:08 PM

I agree on the emissions testing being a potential problem.

For me, I lucked into my Euro Spec.( I just wanted a 911 and didn't know much about the differences.)

IMO, a ROW 911 is truer to the way the cars came from the factory in Germany.

euro911sc · euro911sc's Garage

Outside of the emissions factor I would prefer ROWs for the little extra bump in hp/tq. for the most part, throw a good cat on one and you can meet emissions specs or your car is so old it does not qualify anymore. The obvious exception is the peoples republic of Kalifornia...

-Michael

javadog · 10-08-2009, 02:21 PM

If I were in the market for a 911, I'd pay a premium for a ROW car, provided it didn't have any rust or corrosion issues.

JR

SpeedracerIndy · 10-08-2009, 02:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oh Haha

I agree on the emissions testing being a potential problem.

For me, I lucked into my Euro Spec.( I just wanted a 911 and didn't know much about the differences.)

IMO, a ROW 911 is truer to the way the cars came from the factory in Germany.

Ditto!!! I looked as several SC's in the area until I found mine, and jumped on it BECAUSE it was ROW.

Lighter, more power, lower suspension, etc...

I really think the only thing you have to worry about is how well a ROW was federalized. Some people think that cars are driven harder and in poor weather more frequently "over there" and could be more prone to rust. I have not noticed this on mine however.

Granite · 10-08-2009, 02:46 PM

I think there was some lingering negative feelings about ROW cars because of the lack smog and the possible slide of hand that might have taken place when they were brought over. I for one like the extra horse power and the smaller rear bumpers. I am not sure but most of the ones I have seen did not have A/C as an option.
I picked up my 78 Euro SC for a good deal and have been very happy with it.

Steve

ShakinJoe · 10-08-2009, 03:19 PM

Row!!

Derrick B. · 10-08-2009, 05:45 PM

To me RoW is a definite plus. If the car has been in the US for many years, the emissions/legal issues should have been sorted long ago. I love the smaller bumperettes and the side marker lights. Extra power is the icing on the cake.

RoW rules!

wowzer911 · 10-08-2009, 05:55 PM

I also lucked into a ROW car, not knowing the difference at the time.
Being a 74 emissions is not a factor.

logan2z · 10-08-2009, 06:29 PM

OK, you guys are making me want one

I found a very nice '84 RoW Carrera coupe in CA. As I mentioned, it recently had an issue passing smog here in CA and the Euro DME had to be replaced with a US-spec DME and an O2 sensor had to be added. That would seem to imply that the car hadn't been properly federalized before the recent smog attempt, wouldn't it? I'm just not sure what sort of future headaches I'd be in for owning a car like this in California. What sort of things do I need to look out for to make sure it was federalized correctly without any hacks?

AndrewMac · 10-08-2009, 07:24 PM

I have a 78 SC Targa since 2002 driven daily for several years. In maintainig it and having to source parts it can at times be frustrating. I've found it at times difficult to find the proper specs for various parts. For instance some of the fuel injection bits are a little different like the size of the accumulator inlet. Odd things like that. From what I've read valves seats and pistons are different. But it's nice that everything with the interior is manual and it rides and steers differently than my 1981 US spec SC.

I don't have to worry about smog tests here in Nebraska. I just run without a Cat and headers.

Canada Kev · 10-08-2009, 07:34 PM

I love mine. It is just as it was in Switzerland - no federalization mods whatsoever. Mind you, it is older than the 15 year rule. But i live in Canada, so maybe it's not so much of an issue here. It did pass Aircare in Vancouver, however.

billybek · billybek's Garage

All ROW cars are not created equal. ROW cars that originated in Japan have similar HP/ Torque numbers as North American cars.

rllevin · 10-09-2009, 03:39 AM

There are some definite possible issues with ROW cars that have been federalized. True mileage is rarely known since these cars started with a metric speedo and have a new mph one put in when they arrive here. If they've had their emissions controls altered to meet US requirements the quality of the work and the possible effect on engine performance have to be considered. Side impact bars are put in the doors--sometimes in a butt ugly manner. I believe some cars were even raised in height to meet impact bumper standards. A lot depends on the year of the car and when it was brought into the US.
Bottom line is there's a lot to look for when considering a ROW Porsche.

tharbert · tharbert's Garage

I was under the assumption that the car had to meet US specifications as it was imported. After that, Customs could care less. Hacked or not, I don't think there's anything other than smog that you need to alter to "meet specifications" once you have title in the US.

ROW911SC · 10-09-2009, 04:18 AM

I've had my '81 (w/ cat) since '86, and have been regularly passing NJ inspection all those years. Yes, it had side impact bars installed, but the engine has been trouble free.

Miro · Miro's Garage

Please excuse the noob question, but what does "ROW" stand for?

javadog · 10-09-2009, 04:51 AM

Rest of the World. In other words, not built for the US.

JR

javadog · 10-09-2009, 04:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tharbert

I was under the assumption that the car had to meet US specifications as it was imported. After that, Customs could care less. Hacked or not, I don't think there's anything other than smog that you need to alter to "meet specifications" once you have title in the US.

It wasn't US Customs. All they wanted was import duty. It was the EPA and DOT that had to be satisfied. Once a car is in, they don't really have the means to check the cars. It's not like they are driving around looking for violations. Some cars got converted properly, some got converted half-ass and some didn't get converted at all. Smog inspections are a local-jurisdiction thing. Some cities and states have them, others don't.

JR