[PeteKz]

Ya want "sage advice"? Sheesh, I better get off the stage and wait for John or Neil or Henry to jump in...

Nah, here goes:

What is your budget and where are you located?

1. It's easy to fall in love or lust with a 911, so first advice is DON'T buy the first one you look at! Spend the next 6 months or so going around and looking at many of them. Test drive them, see how they compare. Develop your knowledge. For that reason alone, rule this one out.

2. "There's no such thing as a cheap Porsche." You will pay up front for a good one that is well maintained and sorted, OR you will pay on the back end to make it so, and usually end up spending much more. Know your budget, then buy the best one you can find in that range. With this car, you are going at that backwards.

3. Correcting a bad paint job is expensive and a lot of labor. Forget about $10-15K. And forget about doing it quickly. I would not touch this car for that reason too. If someone threw an "Earl Scheib" paint job on it, what else did they cut corners on? What is that paint job hiding? Short answer--lots. Almost certainly hiding body work, otherwise why repaint the car with only 98Kmi? No sensible person would do that. Do you want to buy a used car from a non sensible owner?

4. Engine "rebuilt" at less than 98Kmi? Why? There are a number of 911's with "rebuilt" engines at or before that mileage. I still don't know why, because the SC and Carerra engines are very durable. Thus, usually, something went wrong--what was that? Did the owner cheap out on the rebuild? Was the car in a crash? Given the paint job, my strong guess would be "yes." All rebuilds are NOT the same! That's true for American iron V8's but even more so for 911 engines, which are much more complex. If he doesn't have receipts for about $20K for the rebuild, discount that claim.

I could go on with the critique of this car, but let me back up a bit and review your choices.

78-83 SC: At this point in the development, the bodies are all galvanized, and much less subject to rust, however, at this age, if the car lived in the salt-belt areas, it could still have rust lurking. The engines are aluminum cases, which are much more durable than the magnesium cases of the earlier cars. 3.0 SC engines are about the most durable Porsche ever built. 915 transmission. Budget 45-55K for good driver cars that don't need anything done soon.

84-86 Carreras: Externally almost identical to the SC series, except for some special editions and options with wings, etc. The engine grows to 3.2 liters and gains the Motronic engine management system. Car gains about a hundred pounds. Power, efficiency and drivability improve. Same 915 transmission. Look for the limited slip differential too. Add $5k to your budget.

87-89 Carreras: Externally almost identical to 84-86, except for special versions or options. Same engine. Car gains about 50 more pounds. Big change: G50 transmission which shifts much better, IMO. You should drive several of these to compare to similar mileage 915's. Maybe you think it's a better experience, or maybe it doesn't matter to you. If you want the G50, add another $5K to your budget. Make sure the transmission has the limited slip diff too

Brakes and suspensions are all pretty much the same and interchangeable. Lots of aftermarket support, so prices are relatively reasonable. The exterior trim bits and interior parts are stupid expensive, so you want to make sure all those parts are in good condition, or the price reflects what needs to be replaced. Seat covers and carpets are available from many suppliers, reasonably priced and not hard to DIY.

Last advice: Even after you think you have developed your understanding, when you find a car you are serious about, get an independent PPI by someone who specializes in air-cooled 911's, as HarryD also advised.

Walk away from this one.

Off the stage, PK