968 questions

[DAS914]

Have the opportunity to purchase a 1995 968 cabrio with approximately 30K miles. Asking price is $27,000. My question is what mechanical problems should I inquire about?? What upgrades/preventative maintenance should be/have been done ie. timing belt, etc. And finally, is the price reasonable? The car has original paint and 1 owner.
Thanks, Mike

73 914 2.0

[Z-man]

According to Excellence Magazine, (April 2002 issue), the values for a '95 968 Cabrio are:
Poor: $19,579.00
Good: $22,261.00
Excellent: $29800.00.

If the car is in excellent condition, it sounds like it's in the ball park, price-wise. Given that it has only 30k miles on the clock, it better be in excellent cond!

Given that the car is 7 years old, if the PO hasn't changed the belts/gaskets yet, you would be wise in doing so if you purchase the car.

Inherent problems: Timing Belt: if this snaps, the valves will crash into the pistons, since these cars are interference engines. Not a good thing. Even though the car has only 30k miles, make sure you get the timing belt inspected to ensure it's in good condition.
Cam chain tensioner/guide: if the guide goes, the lease damage is bent valves (at $90 a valve and 16 valves, well, you do the math!) This device usually needs to be replaced after about 100k miles, so you should be ok with it for a while. (I had mine replaced in my 944S2: it broke apart as my mechanic was taking it out!) Clutch: these were known to have problems: do a search here, and for r&p (something and pinion) that are problematic on this car. The Variocam system had some various issues, but I don't know any specifics.

Hope this helps!
Good luck!
-Zoltan.

[thamlin000]

I agree with everything Zoltan says, but I think $27k is too high. 97-98 Boxsters w/ under 50k mi go for about that.

[PorscheG96]

Originally posted by thamlin000
I agree with everything Zoltan says, but I think $27k is too high. 97-98 Boxsters w/ under 50k mi go for about that.

Well put.

[MAS]

Hey guys... he's posting from Canada, and probably in Canadian $$$. If so, that means he paid under $20,000 US for the car.

-MAS

[MAS]

Also, I should add, that the prices Excellence quotes are for the US. Many of these cars (in particular the 968) are far rarer in Canada than the US. For example, in British Columbia where I'm living... there were exactly 2 (count 'em...2) 968's that I know of that came up for sale within tha past year. They were both above
$27,000 Canadian (one well above).

I'm not saying that these cars are worth this much, but I am saying that this is the way it is in some places. If the cars are scarce, the prices reflect this.

-MAS

[MAS]

While I'm on the topic (rant, rant )...

When I bought my 924S last year, several people on the Porsche boards (not necessarily here), told me that I could have got the car for a slightly lower price. However, there was one hitch... in my general area, there were *no* other 924S's for sale. None. Finallly, when another 924S came up in Vancouver, the dealer priced it several *thousand* dollars higher than the price I paid for my car. Some choice!

So it's great talking about car prices, when you have the luxury of a few actual cars to choose from!

-MAS

[JGriff]

Originally posted by thamlin000
I agree with everything Zoltan says, but I think $27k is too high. 97-98 Boxsters w/ under 50k mi go for about that.

Yeah, but the early Boxsters put out much less power than a 1995 968. (I believe that they even put out less than my S2.) If I recall correctly, I believe that they put out 197 hp.

Granted... there isn't much sense to paying more than what the market demands, but relatively speaking, if you could get the 968 for a good price (i.e. haggle down a bit), it may very well represent a better bang-for-the-buck than an early Boxster.

Jim

[scottmandue]

If you are looking for 968 info here is a good site to check out.

http://63.136.85.109/forum/default.asp

RANT WARNING!!!

I know where MAS is coming from about prices... Blue book is way low... PCA,POC is high... Ecelence seems to be right on (IMHO)...
Enough to make you crazy! And then there are so many variables to consider, low mileage, single owner, all service records, astronomical price! Same car, many owners, high miles, some service records, LESS THAN HALF THE PRICE OF FIRST CAR!

And then you have all combinations of the above so trying to figure the price starts to look like calculus!

Then you go to the internet where people are bragging about some incredible deal they got... people who picked up a 968 or a 944 turbo S in good condition for under $10K... and everything you look at is over $15K!!!

rant, rant, rant!

Sorry, I feel better now...

[41V]

that ip is for 968.net! what a let down

DAS914: that car may be a real find. But you forgot to mention a few details... is the color combo is white with blue interior with tip or triple black with 6speed. Obviously, all else equal, these cars will be worth way different amounts.

You really want to start a 968 vs boxter debate??? I'm still dizzy from 968 vs S2 !!!

[scottmandue]

Originally posted by 41V
that ip is for 968.net! what a let down

Sorry...
but the folks over there at 968.net have extensive discussions about the service issues of the 968, i.e. the pinion bearing and variocam.

Seeing as DAS 914 asked "what mechanical problems should I inquire about?" I thought it might be helpful rather than have a bunch of redundant posts here.

[Z-man]

To add a little more fuel to the 968 vs. 986 (Boxster) debate:
The early 2.5l Boxster had some major mechanical issues regarding leaks and engines goin' south. If you are looking for a Boxster, look for a 2000 or newer model, with the 2.7liter 215 hp engines. So, if the price is similar between a 968 cabrio and an early Boxster, I'd opt for the 968. Just a personal preference.

And regarding pricing a 968: all of the guides, including Excellence gives just a basis to start with: nothing is absolute. However, the 968 cabrios are still holding their value well. Personally, I don't have the cash for a 968 cabrio, and would rather have a coupe version of the car (better suited for track).

I have a 944S2, at it's 85% of the performance of a 968 at half the cost, but let's not go there again!

That's my $0.42.
-Zoltan.

[JGriff]

Originally posted by Z-man
I have a 944S2, as it's 85% of the performance of a 968 at half the cost, but let's not go there again!

Ditto... I'll raise a glass to that...

And more power (and reliability?) than an early Boxster...

Yikes... if the Boxster folks read this thread, we'll really have a debate on our hands...

Jim

[Bob's944]

Lemme add to the fuel... Boxsters are a dime a dozen here... well not really, but they are lots and lots of Boxsters around this area. 968 Cab's are still a rare head turner in comparison.

[PorscheG96]

Originally posted by Z-man
I have a 944S2, at it's 85% of the performance of a 968 at half the cost, but let's not go there again!

[wolfrpi]

$27,000 for a 968? Unbelievable!

[MAS]

"$27,000 for a 968? Unbelievable!"

Um... to repeat what I posted earlier in slightly different words:

Guys! This is an international board. Don't assume that everyone is talking US dollars. The guy who posted this is Canadian posting from Ontario. I could be wrong, but before you lay into him about the price he paid for his 968, you might want to find out what "dollars" he's talking about here.

He's most likely meaning Canadian dollars, which roughly translates into about $18,000 US.

-MAS

[41V]

968.net is an awesome site with worthy forum, I got a little too excited when I saw a link with an ip and was hoping for somebody's homegrown site with something new, maybe a few gig of pics, my bad!

[PorscheG96]

Originally posted by 41V
968.net is an awesome site with worthy forum, I got a little too excited when I saw a link with an ip and was hoping for somebody's homegrown site with something new, maybe a few gig of pics, my bad!

That's exactly what went through my mind, too.

[scottmandue]

Again, sorry guys I just cut the IP out of the address bar and pasted it here... I also would like to find a website with more 968 data! I have noted that the 944 garage site on tripod is down/gone... bummer, that is where I got most of the information about the 944 before I bought mine (and before I discovered this site)