1987-88 930 What its worth?

cotullaguy · 07-02-2004, 02:28 PM

I am looking to buy a 930...so, now I am looking for advice on what a 1987 and a 1989 both with about 87k on them is worth being both are in very good condition. 87 has extensive records and the 89 does not although both have checked out by mechanics with leak down tests...

both have some nice upgrades..

I guess I am looking for ballparks...I know many will say that it is worth what one guy is willing to pay another but I am looking for more specifics than that...Kelly blue book says they are worth $22k but no one with a nice will sell for that price...

let me know.

Thanks

skipdup · 07-02-2004, 07:19 PM

cotullaguy- disclaimer: I've never owned a Porsche. However, I too have been searching for the "right" 930 for several months, doing as much research as possible along the way.

The October 2003 Excellence Market Update states the following:

1987 poor 18,725
good 25,202
excel. 33,738
1989 poor 24,473
good 27826
excel. 37,250

- with a 10% - 20% premium for very low mileage.

Some folks on this board have stated that Excellence is an "owners" mag, so prices are high.

I'm very impressed with the magazine. I'd recommend subscribing.

- Skip

Sonic dB · Sonic dB's Garage

Actually the Excellence prices are a little low...when compared to what people are asking on Ebay, Auto Trader, Rennlist etc. Owners always tend to overprice these things... what would be most interesting is what people are actually paying.

75'930cab · 07-03-2004, 10:13 AM

I would use Excellence as a guide for prices. Like Sonic said there prices are usually lower then the market.

rich22 · 07-03-2004, 10:48 PM

Take note of the difference between their "good" and "excel" prices. A very nice one should go for about halfway between those two prices, imo. To pull their "excel" price it should be a concours winner.

cotullaguy · 07-04-2004, 07:18 AM

Ok..lets get specific:

is $32k too much for a 89 930 red 5 speed with 87k on it? car checks out mechanically but has few records but carfax is clean....

any ideas...have you heard of any deals going down on any similar cars lately and how much someone paid?

rich22 · 07-04-2004, 03:15 PM

That is a good price for the buyer, imo, for an 89 with no substantial work needed.

cotullaguy · 07-04-2004, 03:50 PM

Rich22,

thanks for the advice as the members on this board seem to know what is really going on in the Porsche world.

spooldup · 07-05-2004, 11:34 AM

I feel that the excellence market report is about 5 pages too short.I do agree with the other posts here that the prices are too low.Their are too many things to consider when looking at the report they have:A Porsche in my area with "low miles" 1986-89 is under 40k, in areas where these cars are driven more than 6mo. a year low miles is probably under 70k.Condition,take an 86 930 in their report-poor condition$20,720 what do they consider poor? their is no detail so consider this-if its almost $21grand,leaks,needs paint&misc mechanicals their is no way you could get it to excellent condition for their $31,538 price.To keep this short try the prices with anything listed as fair or poor cond. be it a SC,Carrera,actually anything and see what it cost to get the car to the next level on their chart and you simply can not do it.Think about what I said about needing more pages in detail on the market report and I figure 5 more pages should be about right. By the way dont be lead into the "turbos wane" that was on the cover of the Oct 2003,it has been obvious to me&my buddies for years that Mr Anderson does not like turbos unless its a 951.No offense here I love all Porsches and have had many different models but his 914 comment "its amazing how these cars keep making new friends"no kidding do ya think it might be because they are mega thousands cheaper to park in your garage and work on?If you find a nice 930 they are worth the money as I have had 3 and now I have a 965,911sc and 944na.As I said I love em all so this was not a jab at 914 guys just wish the report was covered by individuals that own&drive each model not just someones opinion or favorite models.

jdevil325 · 07-05-2004, 04:22 PM

I've bought a bunch of these cars in the past year so here is my 2 cents! Try & get to know the present owner, age, job etc. How many other cars does he have? I found when looking for my 930 that the typical owner was "younger" & drove probably a bit harder than most 911 types. Most of the 930's I looked at had had their motor/turbo massaged. Not an issue unless originality is important and that all of the related parts were also upgraded.
Pricing these is again a matter of personal interest as well as geography. As one of my learned associates mentioned, 87k is a lot less in mileage for an area where the car is used 12 months than somewhere like St Louis where the driving season is a lot less.
I read Excellence & the Porsche Market faithfully from cover to cover. But when it comes to buying I also import what I've learned directly from the seller. It is not a perfect science. I typically budget $3-5k over the purchase price in order to get the car "correct", but then I am a perfectionist, even if it is a driver.
Here is a listing of my purchases & their prices.

71 911e 22k
80 911sc weissach 25k
89 930 73.5k
88 944 turbo 35k
70 914-6 27k
70 911s 18k
69 911t 25k
73 911s 29k

Those are the purchase prices only, not the dollars still to go. Your situation for 32k sounds good if it checks out. How about the Carfax? How many previous owners? Good records? Will you need to outlay thousands or do you do your own work?
Bottom line, jump in & get wet! There is nothing like owning a special Porsche! And where else will you get to meet a great group of people like those on this board?

cotullaguy · 07-05-2004, 05:19 PM

this is my first porsche...thus, my caution...but, the 930 is the one I have my heart set on for now unless I can be convinced otherwise...

the guy does not have good records but the car does look nearly mint...I am having it tested of course before I buy it and if something is wrong we are back to negotiating those problems...

it has $4000 after market simmons wheels on it that look nice in his case...he does his own work on the car as he is a audi tech....I am not..thus, I need to be careful...

i want to have a car that will keep high resale...but without much hassle...i have another car and will keep it to drive mostly.....

my favorite color is black/beige on this car but it is red/beige...but, my second choice is red....

it has a ruf front spoiler that looks nice too...

carfax is clean and mileage is apparently correct...

mm86911 · mm86911's Garage

I would lean towards the '89 as the 5 spd is a better combination than the 4 spd - I've driven both and I wouldn't think twice about this decision. I also agree that Excellence prices are typically low and the California market must be the lowest in the country. Some of the prices I see "posted" on this board are amazingly low.

75'930cab · 07-05-2004, 06:05 PM

Is this one of the cars you were interested in?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=6433&item=2483155324&rd=1

bob hodges · 07-06-2004, 10:04 AM

That AZ 930 is nice looking.....I am wondering how well the A/C works?

BlkBird · 11-29-2004, 06:36 PM

What did you end up getting?

Rbialkin · 11-30-2004, 11:59 AM

As an owner of a 930, and having 4 very close friends with 930's as well, I can tell you there a number of things to watch out for when buying. They are not cheap to maintain, but very addictive to drive.

Your best bet is to go with the '89 in order to get the G50/50. Mine is an '86 and had the G50/50 installed (thank you Jim Patrick) and I've driven many of the 4 speed cars. The difference in the shifter feel and clutch are significant, not to mention the closer gear ratios in the G50, especially noticable with an unmodified engine.

When compared to a 3.2 carrera, for example, you shouldn't expect the motor to last nearly as long. The valve guides will wear significantly faster because of the higher temperatures especially when driving hard. Clutches don't last forever, and depending on the care it's been given the turbo charger can wear out quickly too.

The best thing to do is have a PPI performed by someone familiar with 930's. Not all qualified mechanics are intimate with them, primarily because they are rare in comparison to NA cars, so make sure you find someone who works on them regularly.

Good luck.

16jake · 11-30-2004, 02:05 PM

My buddy has a very nice 87 with about 100k miles on it that is black on black. He will sell it for about 25k. Email me at
jake@rhscomputers.com

kucharskimb · 11-30-2004, 02:08 PM

i can vouge that this car is as near perfect as you could expect for 15 years old. just amazing...

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/showthread.php?threadid=193736

best of luck
matt

BlkBird · 11-30-2004, 02:36 PM

Remember though the benefits of the G50 transmission in the 89 models. Take it from me - they are fantastic. The car still has all the benefits of the Turbo but it shifts smoother and the gear spread keeps you in the boost range longer.

Trust me. Drive both. You know you want a Turbo (Smart move!) but try the G50 five speed before you buy a four box.

Wayne 962 · Wayne 962's Garage

Quote:

Originally posted by cotullaguy
this is my first porsche...thus, my caution...but, the 930 is the one I have my heart set on for now unless I can be convinced otherwise...

Make sure you drive one for a while before you buy - they are very unique cars. Generally slow off the line, but with a blazing power increase when the boost comes on. Four speed transmissions also annoy some people. All I'm saying is make sure you know what you're buying.

An alternative is the Carrera Turbo Looks. These are the same as the 930s but with the normally aspirated engine (they also have the Turbo brakes and Turbo suspension). I'm a big fan of these cars.

Also, beware of extensively modified Turbo engines. That may significantly shorten engine life...

-Wayne