Buying my first 911, but what about parts availability?

[echobase]

Hi, I'm new to the forum and pleased to join you. I am now researching and seriously considering purchasing my first 911 - either an SC or 3.2. I intend to find a solid car that requires no immediate work done. I'd like to drive and enjoy and properly care for this car for the next many years, and understand that even with a sound car the cost of ownership may not be trivial. But I'd like to get a sense from you all what the parts availability situation is like for these '78-83 and '84-89 cars as of early 2013. Forgive this naive question but are we in or soon to be in a situation where obtaining critical original parts becomes so difficult that the only parts available are after-market parts that may or may not be up to Porsche specifications? What is the general quality of the after-market parts out there? How concerned are you all about the long-term viability of your cars? How long until I feel like I'm living in Havana or Tehran where I have to get creative and somehow manufacture my own parts to keep my car going?

Cheers.

[rusnak]

I have no idea where to get Porsche 911 parts in California.......wait....what?

[KNS]

Take a look at the website you've just joined - lots of parts available right here!.

Many parts are still available but as the years go by obscure items become NLA (no longer available). As time passes more and more parts are being rebuilt rather than replaced outright. For cars as old as these Porsche does an outstanding job keeping us supplied with the parts we need (if only they were a bit less expensive...). It's not like trying to keep a 1979 Lancia running, the support is actually pretty good.

Used parts are also a great place to find something no longer being made - check out the classifieds here.

[db_cooper]

Never had a problem with 911 parts..the exception being the early cars. If you are looking at any later 911s, SC or Carrera..I don't think parts will be a problem. Very active owners community and 97% of 911's sold in the last 25 years are still on the road and are still being driven.

Porsche 911 Named Most Reliable Sports Car By J.D. Power | AutoGuide.com News

How long until I feel like I'm living in Havana or Tehran?

Don't get me started..I already feel like I'm living in Havana or Tehran since 2008..except we can find parts for our cars.

[GaryDG]

Hi and welcome!!

I own an '83 sc Euro version since '85. I don't see a significant problem getting parts. Our Host: PP, private parties, eBay, local auto parts places, this forum offer a wide variety of OEM and/or aftermarket parts.

My view is that it is not like owning a new Ford, where parts are abundant. For me it is a project. Porche's are a different deal, and we like um a lot (Jim Carey)!

These cars are not new so as issues come up you either need to take the time to research and implement to best solution personally, which this forum is the best at helping us do so, or take it in to a qualified shop (contact your PCA rep or query this forum to find qualified ones).

Best of luck and enjoy the forum!

[mpetry]

Pretty much any repair part is available, which is one of the great reasons for owning a collectible 911 over, say, a Lancia or BMW E9 coupe, for that matter. If you want a rear window for a '73 BMW CS, you might have to buy a complete junker car!

Pelican is excellent and they have almost everything. Then there's the owners network and used part ads here on the board. Lastly, there are 3 or 4 really great auto recyclers, specializing in Porsches - EASY and Parts Heaven on the west coast, Foreign Affair, Carquip, and DC Automotive cover the rest of the country. Not to mention Stoddard and Zims, and specialty restorers like North Hollywood Speedo.

Parts are surprisingly inexpensive compared to modern cars. In fact the only "collectible" cars with a better support network are probably the Mustang and the Corvette. Lots of these cars were built, 1000s are still on the road, and 85% or more of the parts are interchangeable from 1966 - 1989.

[AVDCAV]

It boils down to cash availability! Parts are easy to come by.
Most of the time . By the way Is your dash in good condition ?

Wanna sell it ,,,

[Kidasters]

78 to early 89, parts are pretty easy to get. Prices vary - but between getting some bits off of those in the scrapyard and new part availability, you should be OK.

The tough cars to get parts for, in my opinion, are the 964's. Because the earlier version was built so long, and there is so much part interchangability, it's way easier. When I had my 964, there are some parts that are really hard to come by - even though there is some sharing with the 993.

[80-911SC]

go to the top of the page and click new parts catalog ... might give you a hint ..

[Jdub]

Your greatest worry for an SC or Carrera will be not purchasing crap repro. parts. Example: thanks to the wisdom of this 'Board we all know the correct Turbo tie rods to purchase that do not rot in a year. We are also aware that genuine Goetze parts for our transmissions may be scarce.

Point is that, on the whole, you will have no worries getting the parts - none. These cars are too valuable and so the aftermarket too lucrative to ignore. But do some simple research on vendors just to avoid obvious issues.

[redturbo911]

Either one will be pretty easy to get pats for. Dont rush into anything and make sure you do your research.