914 value

[SteveStromberg]

I have been looking every day in the L.A. Times for 914's for sale the last one I saw was in November, It was a 74 that need a clutch and was priced at$3000.00. This tell's me that these cars are very rare.I have seen only 4 914's driving in The L.A. area in the last 3 months.Steve

[Jim T]

914s rare in So. Cal.? No, not really.
You're just looking in the wrong place. The LA Times ads are expensive and run for only a short time, and tend to be used by owners of late model cars only. You won't find ads for too many old, inexpensive cars in the LA Times.
Now, if you check the right places, you'll see plenty of 914s for sale in So. Cal. Like AutoTrader, the Recycler, the Pomona Swap Meet, etc.
Also, if you rephrased your question to say "It is rare to find a *great condition* 914 for sale" I might agree.

[mejulihn]

Wishful thinking, Steve, but I like your optimism. Basic economics determines that the value of any commodity is directly related to both demand and availability. While the availability will certainly diminish over time, demand is probably not increasing sufficiently to drive higher values very much. A marketing guru would attempt to "create" a market by developing more demand. For example, lets say a philanthropist wanted to create an annual 914's-only cross country race with fabulous cash prizes. With lots of marketing, that might increase demand for the venerable 914 that we all would love to see. That having been said, I would think that LA would be a "target rich" environment for restorable 914's. Maybe someone is hoarding them?!!

[campbellcj]

Ummm Steve -- I don't know where in L.A. you refer to, but here in Santa Monica I see 914's all the time. Typically one or two a week, sometimes more.

They ARE getting a bit harder to find, nice ones at least, but not "rare" IMHO. These are mass-produced cars!

[Special K]

I live in the St. Louis area and have only seen 2 in the last 14 years, and I own them both. One I imported from Kentucky (the resto), and one I bought from a guy out here (the rusto). I like the fact that they're rare, although it does make it a challenge finding parts locally (Praise be to the Internet). Really only one shop out here that deals with "aircooled" anything, and most of their goodies are for the Type I. I have heard rumors that there's a salvage yard around here that has some "Porsche" parts, but any metal that sits outside exposed to this climate rapidly turns into a pile of iron oxide.

Kevin Jung
'73 2.0L (the resto)
'75 2.0L (the rusto)

[JmuRiz]

If you want a bird more rare than that, try a rust-free '73 2.0 on the east coast. When I found mine I snatched it up Don't see too many of them driving around D.C.

Nathan
PS: I also have the cool Ravenna color to boot

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'73 2.0 914

[SteveStromberg]

I check the cars in the Recycler they are for the most part junk. I surf down at Topanga and watch the car show drive by on the weekends and the number of 914 that have driven by is very few last, Thursday I saw a yellow one going north it was the first one I have seen in weeks. The cars you see in Santa Monica were they driving or parked as I am only counting car's I see on the Road.Steve Ps I forgot to add that the Porsche for sale section of the L.A. Times is the longest of any make listed.

[This message has been edited by SteveStromberg (edited 04-04-2001).]

[deckoffa]

I live in Hollywood, CA, and see maybe one every week. Actually, it's probably the same three or four cars simply passing by on a rotating basis, but once in a while I'll see one painted a color I haven't seen in some time. A couple are junkers, and a couple are slick. Mine is somewhere in between, or at least it was until a hit and run driver put a big scrape in the side while it was parked on the street a few weeks ago.

[campbellcj]

Steve - you are right that a lot of the ones I see are parked, not driving. There is a pretty nice silver 5-lugged /4 that I pass on the way to work, but he is apparently not on the Pelican/Rennlist boards (I even left a note once). But I'm still pretty sure I see more than one driving per month. And I only drive 7 miles a day on normal work days...I will keep my eyes peeled and do a non-scientific count.

Maybe it's that pesky D-Jet keeping them all side-lined and off the road??? bwwaahahahaha (evil laugh...)

Another strange thing: I just read that Houston TX is one of Porsche's largest markets in the U.S. but I was just there recently for 3 days and I only saw ONE p-car of any kind (a Boxster of course.) The weather was perfect too. I know Houston is a big place so I 'spose I wasn't in the "Porsche sector".

[SteveStromberg]

I Just saw a Bone White 75 drive by my corner. Never saw this car before,The Gal driving must have been heading over to the nearby Mall. Steve

[TimW]

914’s are rarely seen here in Milwaukee, the ‘burbs actually. In fact, I’d be really surprised if I didn’t know, or know of, just about every 914 in the area (about 7 of them).

[Tiramisu]

I live on a small island in Washington State and there are four 914 owners including myself of a total population of about 6000.