[mikester]

In California smog checks will not be your friend. I know with the pre-84 models - the SCs that smog checks suck. Expect regular tune-ups to meet emissions requirements.

Mine was an '81 and to be fair a previous owner (by my understanding at least) has swapped out the US CIS components with some European versions and so the car had great power but was smog check challenged. Always a 'gross polluter' always needed to be tuned through smog and ultimately that is the reason I let it go - got tired of that.

Now - in CA I would look at a 996, Boxster or Cayman without hesitation and I'm in the same price range as you and considering coming back into the fold myself in the next year or two. I would be interested in hearing about the smogability of the 84-88 models as I do like the look but I like the round-eyed water coolers too plus I like the modern stuff in them and the fact that they are quite good on emissions standards with some models even being PZEV. Makes selling my green minded wife easier.

993s are the pinnacle in my eyes though - lots of other folks too based on the price.