My 911SC hunt continues

[BoxerBill]

So I keep circling back to two (beautiful looking) cars. One is a 1980. The other is a 1983.
They both ‘seem’ like nice cars, but here is my concern:

Each of these cars is being sold at a dealership. And both of them have been on the floor for a very long time. What is wrong with them?! Why have they not been snatched up? One is listed with a ‘reasonable’ market price. The other is listed as ‘negotiable’.
Are these cars just dealership “bait lures”?
Trying to figure out if it’s worth traveling to two different states to check these out.

[OsoMoore]

You probably can't know until you drive them. Are they open to test drives, and/or PPI's?

[BoxerBill]

Yes, I certainly know that I can't really "know" until they are driven and PPI'ed. (I assume dealer would allow a drive and inspection, if they actually want to sell the car).

It just seems to me that, for as long as these two cars have been on the market, that a fair number of people would have checked them out by now. And yet, still they sit.
The fact that they are being sold by dealerships make me feel suspect as well. (maybe unjustified).

[Bill Douglas]

Tell us more about the 1983. A health check from an independant who knows what he's talking about would be worth it. Including a head stud check. '83's are a good year.

[tcar]

If you're in the US, the '83 is a better year for the SC.

[Jack Stands]

If you just bump your search for a 1984 - 1989 Carrera, you'd get the better Motronic system for not much more money. However, a PPI and test drive would be best for any car of this vintage.

[sugarwood]

This is not meant to be critical, just observational. The OP is not ready to buy a 911. You can tell from the tone of his post. When he is ready, he will know what he wants, and the price range that is fair for the car in question, and be ready to pull the trigger. When the right car comes, and you are ready, you drive 3 hours, if need be. He is not there yet, so the many unknowns dictate his inaction. Keep shopping. Try to drive a few. Get a sense of pricing. You might need to travel to get a chance for a test drive, as these are rare cars compared to a used Sentra.

Why are those not sold? Could be price, season, color, location, lots of variables.
You are not the only one who doesn't want to buy from a dealer. Unknown history and high asking price.

[kjchristopher]

Originally Posted by BoxerBill

So I keep circling back to two (beautiful looking) cars. One is a 1980. The other is a 1983.
They both ‘seem’ like nice cars, but here is my concern:

Each of these cars is being sold at a dealership. And both of them have been on the floor for a very long time. What is wrong with them?! Why have they not been snatched up? One is listed with a ‘reasonable’ market price. The other is listed as ‘negotiable’.
Are these cars just dealership “bait lures”?
Trying to figure out if it’s worth traveling to two different states to check these out.

Where do you live?

[BoxerBill]

KJ: I'm in NY (and sometimes H.B. {hello fellow South Bayer :-)
Sugar: I know exactly what I want (but nobody ever really gets exactly what they want) The issue is what am I willing to accept. I also know what price I'm willing to pay, for what.
In any case, I think I stated in an earlier post I'm looking for an SC 1980 or later. I have a long list of criteria that I hope to check off as many check boxes as possible. But of course they will not all get checked (no one would expect them to)
Frankly, my concern is; that these cars are getting harder and harder to find, and one can only 'wait for the right car to come along', for so long. So, to your point of "observation". Yeah, I'm anxious.

[kc911s]

If your search is that narrow you may never find the exact car you are wanting. These are still used cars- and with any used car you typically have to take best available.

[MARISOL78sc]

Post the links to the two cars at the dealership. You will get a ton of honest feedback, likely somebody here who could take a look or knows a shop to do a PPI.

[BoxerBill]

Jack S. Yes I was also looking at Carreras 84-86ish. But just decided to keep narrowed down to the 3.0. But, you know; Still keep my eye open.

[wrxnofx]

Are there any air cooled P car shops in your neighborhood? If so, stop in and tell the person what you're looking for. They may know a customer who is putting theirs up for sale. That's what I did and that's how I got mine.

[bgyglfr]

Why only 80+ SCs? Seems like an arbitrary requirement to me. If you want an SC, why not look at 78-79? Many will say those are the best years for SCs because of the big port heads and lack of unnecessary electronics in the CIS system. Not saying 80-83 are bad, it just seems odd to exclude 78-79.

[Dpmulvan]

I agree with Sugarwood lame post!! You sound like a drama queen, plenty of cars for sale, you have a long checklist but you narrowed it down to an 80-83 sc ??? And your getting anxious?? About buying a car ??? Sounds to me like you've been watching the velocity channel way you toooo much (probably that munchkin bottom feeder Wayne C) Go do some research, withdrawal some cash and buy a car. Your getting anxious about buying a Porsche lol. Couldn't imagine how anxious you would be if you lost your job, had your housed foreclosed or had nothing to eat.

[Bill Douglas]

Now is the time to do research/due diligence/be "anxious". With a bit of extra work Bill is not falling into the trap of buying someone else's rust bucket or broken head stud motor. He sounds like a very smart buyer and the particular cars he has narrowed it down to look very nice.

[kyngfish]

It's pretty simple dude. Check for rust. Check the rubber. Check suspension. Check for leaks. Check brakes. Make sure all gauges work. Check wiring and plugs in the engine bay. Get a PPI. If you can't get a PPI make sure the price has enough wiggle room for a top end rebuild - between 5 - 8k. Less if you know your way around a wrench.

I'm not sure how you expected any other advice me than "go check out the car" or "pay for someone to look at the car."

It's not like the cars are that complicated. Wheels? Ducktail? Whale tail? Coupe? Vert? You're coming into a forum specializing in the car you want and playing coy with the details. Good luck with that.

[bhmkv]

Originally Posted by wrxnofx

Are there any air cooled P car shops in your neighborhood? If so, stop in and tell the person what you're looking for. They may know a customer who is putting theirs up for sale. That's what I did and that's how I got mine.

This. And join the local PCA. Classifieds section may have a different selection. List your location on forums. Many people only want to deal with local people. I sold Fuchs recently and only wanted to meet in person.

[tirwin]

BoxerBill,

A little advice, if I may.

Sounds like you need someone to tell you what you already know yourself. If a car at a dealership is sitting, it could be one of a few things.

1) price is too high

If a dealer overvalued the car on a trade-in or auction acquisition, they will eventually rather move the car at break-even or slight loss rather than let it sit. I suppose they might think the car is worth more than is, but not super likely. Most dealers just want to keep moving inventory. It could be your lucky day.

2) appealing to the wrong market ('classic' car at a newer car lot)

Maybe the folks coming through the place are looking for their next economy car and an old Porsche is cool to look at but not something most customers are interested in. Not super likely.

3) The car has issues. Other people have looked at it and come to the same conclusion.

Any car can be the right car at the right price. Maybe it needs more work than the people who have looked at it are willing to do. That is for you to decide.

4) It has no known history. A bit of a crapshoot but with a good inspection you can somewhat reduce the risk. Can you get it at the right price though?

My advice. If the cars you're looking at are close to what you want and worth considering then call the dealerships and talk to them. Ask about history and if they would be willing to have a PPI done by the shop of your choosing. If they won't then you have your answer -- move on.

If you're not buying local and you're not comfortable with your knowledge level then you need to do two things. First, you need be able to ask enough of the right questions over the phone to decide for yourself whether it is a car worth pursuing. Second, if it is worth pursuing you will need to find a reputable shop that is familiar with these cars for a PPI. You may invest some time and effort in a car that has issues but then it will be up to you to decide if you can negotiate the right price to make it worthwhile. Or you keep looking. Better to have done due diligence up front and avoiding problems you don't want.

In my experience, the people who are perpetually looking at cars fall into one of two categories: 1) they look forever because they don't have a clear definition in their mind of what a 'successful' purchase is or 2) they really aren't committed to the idea.

#1 can be fixed through educating yourself. Is it a concern of over-paying? Is it a concern of buying a lemon? Concerned it will be too expensive to maintain? If you can finish the statement 'I am worried about buying THIS car because __________ .', then you have a problem that can be solved. It may not be the result you had hoped for, but it is a conclusion. If you can't finish that statement then you don't have a tractable problem on your hands and you will search forever.

#2 is a personal decision. Can't help you there.

Happy hunting!

[wrxnofx]

I can't speak for the OP, but for me I was worried about buying a lemon and making an expensive mistake. Having never purchased a vintage car before, this was uncharted/unsure territory for me. I did a ton of research, but there is no substitute for experience here. It's not like there are that many cars in one's area that you can check out and get more comfortable with the nuances of what to look for or compare against. This is where the PPI comes in. But I surely understand the OPs trepidation. That's why I ultimately went directly to a local shop and asked if he knew of anyone looking to sell a G50 911 coupe. It wasn't "exactly" what I wanted, but I'm in the game and it's mine. And it's the best decision I ever made.

If/when I buy another 911 I'll be WAY more comfortable, and more willing to take on a little bit of a basket case.