True confessions of an idiot with Porsche fever...

[LeeH]

Here's the Reader's Digest version of what happened today:

Ad in paper: 1984 911 50K original miles, exc. etc, etc, $9800

I called and it's a young woman selling the car for Grandpa's estate. She says the phone's been ringing off the hook since 6:00 a.m. and I'm the first person she's talked to... the answering machine got the rest. She'll "let me" buy the car since I was the first person she talked to.

I go flying 45 minutes to the other side of town and the first thing she says when I get there is that it has a salvage title and, by the way, the title says 1974. But SHE thinks it's really a 1983. The car looks pretty good, but does not have a 3.2L engine. I'm not sure if it's a 2.7 or 3.0 by looking. A/C controls are NOT 1974. Seat belts say 1981. She convinces me that the title office made an error on the VIN. I get a little over excited since I've been "between Porsches" for >2 years and leave a deposit. Reality (and embarassment) sets in on the way back home. Thankfully, when I called her with the biggest case of buyer's remorse known in history, she agrees to mail me a check for my deposit. SOMEBODY SLAP ME!

[tight as a bull's ass]

SLAP!!!

just kidding

I went through a similar condition. Saw a 1974 Carrera coupe in the paper for $11,000
"156K miles,rebuilt engine, excellent condition.
you will not find nicer for age, car looks like a 91 or 92."

I went and saw it, out of curiosity. It was a 74 alright, looked pretty original. The car was rusting in at least 2 key places, the top where the sunroof should be was completely faded to white from original color, and the engine was leaking like a seaf.

Moral of the story, dont believe everything you read.

[rstoll]

On the other hand.....I was at a friend's place of business one day, I was telling him about the 944 I had just bought for my son. His daughter was sitting back in his office, overheard our conversation.. She butted in and said she had a Porsche in her garage and it was in her way.. didn't know what it was, just that it was a Porsche and it was just taking up space. Well, my son and I drove out to this exclusive, gated, golf community and lo and behold under the kiddie pool, the tricycles and the golf clubs was my 1983 SC. I started the car up, took it for a rather spirited run, wrote her a check for $6500.00 and drove it home. Sometimes you have to make a move.

[tmctguer]

there's always someone out there who tries to make us all jealous......... ;-)

[LeeH]

Holy cow! Your story reminded me of the Porsche ad from the 80's titled "The Dream" I think. It gave a brief scenario that you were driving down a country road and ran out of gas in front of a farm. The farmer takes you to his barn to get some gas. Under a cover is a Speedster in mint condition. The farmer explains that the car belonged to his son who was killed in the war. You ask him is he would be interested in selling it and the farmer replys,"Would $500 be too much?"

[Adam]

I remember a story about some Australian guys who travelled to the U.S. to purchase Muscle cars for restoration. They followed up a lead on an old Healey and found an elderly couple who were interested in selling the car (to the right people).

It was a Healey (BJ6?) fitted with a 350 Chev and had been pampered and dusted and run regularly since the son who owned it was killed in Vietnam in 1970. After that, the parents had built the car into his bedroom, like a shrine to remember him by. Every few days, the mother would come in and dust down the room and the car. Every couple of weeks, the father would come in and start it up and let it run for a bit.

Victor & Paul (my friends-of-friends) were amazed. They actually bought the car and then had to carefully knock out a wall of the house and support the roof while they carefully pulled the car out. They had to get builders in to re-brick up the place and repaint the plaster etc. etc. The parents were moving into a retirement home and couldn't sell the house with a Healey in one of the main bedrooms.

Paul still corresponds with the couple who sold it to him.

[82sctarga]

I answered an ad March 1990,1969 Mach 1,428/ the owner was killed,brother was storing car in garage and had to move.Car was rust free,perfect interior.I pay 2950. almost 12 years later after a paint job an rebuilt motor it is appraised for $41,000. You just have to make the effort, never know what you will find.

[ebradway]

There's a country song, "Riding with Private Malone" by David Ball about a guy finding a '66 Corvette in a barn for $100. I don't care much for country music, but this song was pretty good.

My story:

I was in the process of moving to Boston. I had sold everything I owned that wouldn't fit comfortably in a small studio apartment, including my Mazda minivan. I intended to live downtown and take the T everywhere. The Friday before my brother came to pay me for the minivan my boss offered to match the deal I was made in Boston but I'd already promised to sell my van to my brother.

The next day, carless and carefree, I was riding with a friend to go for a hike. I saw a burgundy 911 on the side of the road with 'For Sale' in the window. I had my friend stop so I could look at it. I called the number and made an appointment to drive it the next day. The guy told me he wanted $9000 for the car. I wrote down the VIN and other details and researched on the web when I got back from hiking. According to the web sites the car, an '86 targa with 167K miles, was worth about $18K. The title checked out according to CarFax.

So the next day I meet the guy. He starts her up and we talk while the car warms up. He says drive it as long as I like and bring it back here and just leave the key on the rear tire! He also had me leave the targa top on the side of the road! I drove the car for about three hours and was on my way back to drop the car off. He said he was there with another potential buyer. I told him I wanted it and would leave a deposit. He said I had 24 hours to come up with the cash. The next day I took the car over to a garage for a PPI - nothing too bad. The shop owner about feel out of his chair when I told him how much I was going to pay for it.

Of course, I've learned a few other things about the car since. But it has been a joy. I've put almost 15K miles on it since February.

[pohsche]

Here is my story. I have created a pretty unique portable screen printing machine that I sell on the Web and to people who see me work. One of my clients who lives in Buffalo, gives me a call a couple years back and tells me that his first machine has done so well for him that he would like to purchase another one. We get to talking and he sheepishly asks me if I would consider trading a machine for his 1977 Carrera 3.0(with 72K,that he had owned for 11 years) for one of my machines. He explains with all the new work that he has and the fact that he only brings it out of storage for 2 months a year because of the weather, it really made sense to trade it for something that would make him more money. After I picked myself off the floor and got my breath back, I asked him if he was sure, because this car was his life for all those years. I told him to think about it for 2 weeks and if he really wanted to make the deal, I would help him out (nice of me, Huh). Well I got the call, packed up and drove from Phoenix to Buffalo, rented a dolly and it has been in my garage ever since. What do I sell the machines for? $5495!!!! However it has worked out well for him too, as he presently has 4 machines and works all over the Northeast area.

Alan Poh

[beepbeep]

When i saw a add for my 81' 930 i went to see it.

Car had a severe leak that poured oil onto heat-exchangers resulting in smoke-screens. One of bolts that owner plugged smog-holes jumped out...resulting in car sounding like a motorcycle. Exhaust gaskets were shot too...and couple of exhaust-studs were missing.

Of course, i recognized "tell-tale" oil-pressure switch leak.

So i kept my cool and said to him: "this is really bad...i would probably need to rebuild the engine"..."it pours oil from engine!" ...

waited him out for few weeks and gave him "now or never" low-bid which he took. (guy was daytrading and went back few weeks before). I also got a extra set of 16-inch Fuschs with new Pirelli's together with worn-down superwide 285's on mag-wheels.

So i bought it and drove it home.

Changed one oil-return pipe, helicoiled all exhaust pins, changed oil & filters and of course, oil-pressure switch.

Voilá:

Nice leak-free 81' 930 for 14000$

P.S.
Then i had missfortune with wheel bearings that kept dying on me...but that was something that could happend to anyone.

[drwest]

to find my 79SC I took a more conventional route. Took out an ad in the local Denver classifieds "Looking for 911 in need of work or restoration". Had several calls on very interesting cars. I was able to pick up my 79SC coupe for $3500. The PO kept telling me on the phone that I would not like this car due to the clear coat pealling up...Please! Its a outstanding car!

[Oldporsche]

I know a lot of urban ledgends about the purchases of vehicles.
As a matter of fact, my wife just yesterday told me of the Tracy Ball song. She got the year of the Corvette wrong, possibly intentionally. I have a '61 that needs to be restored.

This thread seems to be going towards can you top this one!

Well here's mine. Many years ago, I agreed to rebuild a motor for a customer's '74 Targa. He left his car at my home. He didn't contact me for 7yrs. By then, I had sued him for storage, by publication, and owned his car.

Good luck,
David Duffield

[pwd72s]

"1972 PORSCHE 911S COUPE. Irish Green w-light brown all leather interior. Tinted Glass, 5 speed limited slip differential, Michelins with Koni shocks, Fog lites, QI headlamps, AM/FM radio. 7,800 miles. Never raced, mint condition. $10,895 or best reasonable offer. Aft 8 PM. 753-**** Corvallis." THis is a copy of the ad as it appeared, June 1974 OREGONIAN. I drove to Corvallis, 15 miles from my home, dickered a bit, and bought the car for $9,300. Could place the same ad today...only the mileage would have to change. Now it's 48,000 miles. And some say long term love affairs can't be found in the classifieds!!