Drove Three Cars Sunday (75 S, 81 SC, 85) Feedback?

[JR Indy]

In my search for my 911, I drove three cars on Sunday...a 75 S, a 81 SC, and an 85, all Targas.

The 75 S had ~42k miles, asking price ~9K. Engine had all recommended upgrades. The car had previous rust repairs around door and front fender headlamp area. Paint was bubbling and cracking in these areas. Floor pan was solid, rest of body seemed good. The rust did concern me. Interior was good, 25th Annervisary indicator on dash.

Ran strong, shifted well. Felt very tight, nice driver.

The 81SC had 101k miles, asking price 12.5K It had aftermarket tail, front spoiler, and wheels...wheels had spacers. I mention this because there was some "play" in the rear driver side wheel, that's right I could feel the slop by hand. Driver side mirror was not attached well, didn't investigate completely. Rest of the exterior had minor chips and dings, nothing major. Interior was in very good condition, seats had been recovered. Engine ran strong, shifted well. Front end seemed very loose around 60MPH, vibration went away around 65. Felt a bit sloppy, did not do further investigation. Maybe minor, maybe ???

The 85 had 101K miles, asking price 15.5K. Exterior was in good condition, minor dings and chips. Interior had warped dash and warped rear deck panel. Otherwise in very good condition. Ran very strong and tight. The best driver of the day.

Just a few quick notes, no plans for a second look at any of the three right now. As I said in a previous post I would prefer a coupe. Though I must admit, the targa did have that extra fun factor. All were very fun to drive, but none said "Take me Home".

Comments encouraged.

[clay1g]

"All were very fun to drive, but none said "Take me Home". "

If they don't say "take me home", then walk away. There are plenty of cars out there asking you to.
Clay
87 coupe

[NapTownSpeedy]

Well at least it's fun to drive someone else's car.

Since none were close to warant a PPI, keep plugging along. There will always be more to look for.

You might consider subscribing to the Porsche Market Letter (PML). It is a good resource, with some tech articles. Gives you some good market data countrywide.

For PPI I would suggest either Euro Motorworks on the Northside or Black Forest Motors on the Eastside.

Good luck and happy hunting.

[nostatic]

In my search I tended to shy away from cars that had been modded, unless it was something "approved" (pop off, tensioners, etc). The SC sounds problematic. The '85 sounded pretty good...fair price, good driver. What extra money would get you is lower miles and better condition interior (straight dash and shelf, etc). Any of these cars have service records?

It's probably good to drive a targa or two to figure out if you want to go that direction. But if you are now set on a coupe, I wouldn't waste any more time looking at targas...unless you are on the fence.

[JR Indy]

I had some follow up questions to post.

I noticed the warped dash and rear deck on the black interiors of the 75 and 85, while the tan interior of the 81 did not have any warping. Is this consistent with other owners? It seems obvious that the black would get hotter, etc.

The 75 appeared to have been rust proofed since there was black plastic plugs on the door jambs. Any feedback?

Anyone know fender replacement costs for the 75?

Each owner had records. But I wouldn't consider any of them to have been Porsche fanatics.

I don't have plans to take a second look at any, but would appreciate feedback for my education.

[Superman]

Targas are excellent cars but I'm a coupe man and I see some real benefits. In my area it rains and that's an excellent reason to drive a coupe (daily). Coupes are also stiffer and lighter. So if you're fon the fence, fine, but if you want a coupe, find a coupe. Keep looking. You'll know it when you see it. I'd also agree that the thing to look for is a 'clean' one. One that has been unmolested. No goofy wiring connections, no electrical tape, no aftermarket stuff. No mirrors unattached. NO RUST, and I mean NO RUST. A car that has been kept in excellent stock working order, broken parts replaced, recommended upgrades done (tensioners especially if its an SC or older). Real Fuch wheels with good tires. Factory spare, tool kit and jack. You can find all that at a good price.

[nostatic]

In your budget there is no reason to even look at a car with ANY rust. If you had your heart set on an early car it might be different, but in the mid $teens, you can find either an SC or Carrera that shouldn't have any rust. You could also find a 2.7car from '76-77 that should also be rust free (but it should be significantly less money).

At some point you will likely have to compromise...either you'll have to pay a bit more for a nice car, or you'll have to accept a bit less-nice car. The "finds" do happen but you have to be patient...and at some point you might just figure you've found one that does it for you and jump.

If you have a digital camera, you can post photos of cars you're looking at here...most people will chime in and critique the car. There is no substitute for actually driving the car, then getting a PPI though...

[rickeolis]

I like where Bruce Anderson suggests buying the newest one your budget will allow. You said the 85 ran the best, and it does have the newest and most modern equipment, so to me this would be an easy choice.

Then again, that's just between these 3, I would test more, and wait for more choices, or that one that will say "I'm the one."

[Early_S_Man]

Did you 'discover' the loose wheel before or after your test drive? Driving a car with such a problem is NOT a great idea!

In the future ... perhaps a little more caution should be observed!

[nostatic]

I think BA's quote is more along the lines of buy the newest and best example you can afford. He then goes on to say if you have $10K, it is better to buy a good SC rather than a beat 3.2.

In the $15K range, you should be able to find a very nice SC, and if you're lucky, a nice early 3.2 car. For that money there are also plenty of ratty SCs and Carreras. But alot depends on how picky you are.

[JR Indy]

I discovered the loose wheel/spacer during and after the drive. The initial check of the car before the drive did not uncover this even though each wheel was tested. I was surprised to see the spacers to be honest.

I agree with the rest of the feedback, again, just trying to educate myself further before I buy. I'm not in any hurry to make a purchase, just getting a good understanding of the market.



Thanks for the feedback and advice.