What are your thoughts - 1991 911 CAB 5-Speed

[ItzaMe]

Hey everyone,

I've been busy with life lately but back at it again with another funky car with funky history.

I found this car yesterday and bought a flight to go buy it Friday. I have 24 hours to cancel my flight.

1991 911 Cabriolet with 111k miles - for $28K - with a slight catch

The somewhat bad:
- Minor accident reported in 1996, and in 1999, TOTAL loss reported 2008
- Non original wheels (will come with OG wheels but will need tires)
- Non original seats ($2k for a set if I'm a savvy shopper?)
- Non original steering wheel ($500/$600 online with airbag)
- Bolt in roll cage (can be removed)
- White gauges (can be reversed back to black faces)
- Does not come with any history or paperwork

The good:
- Less than $30k
- Sounds like it runs well
- Owned since 2001
- Still has most of it's originality

I just found out the total loss history this morning which is a bummer because I was ready to pay 25/28 for it but now I'm having second thoughts.

My plan is to try to get it for low 20's due to this finding, ideally 18-20K cash

I see motors selling for 20-30k alone so I figure it's hard to lose on it for that price.

Let me know your thoughts!

Pics to come later.

Thanks,

Mar

[NYNick]

Find out what happened, exactly, to have it declared a total loss. Structural issues are difficult to have fixed correctly and relatively easy to fix poorly. Lots of red flags here with 2 accidents and a Total Loss.

On the other hand, I love Cabs and a 964 Cab would be very cool. Be careful.

[Shagasz27]

Hmm I think that’s right

[ItzaMe]

Originally Posted by NYNick

Find out what happened, exactly, to have it declared a total loss. Structural issues are difficult to have fixed correctly and relatively easy to fix poorly. Lots of red flags here with 2 accidents and a Total Loss.

On the other hand, I love Cabs and a 964 Cab would be very cool. Be careful.

The owner had a stroke so his son is in charge of the sale. Not much info on the accident besides that it was 'minor' and they put the money into getting wheels and other upgrades. I have many years of salvage experience so it is verrrry common for cars to be deemed totaled for minor and easy-to-fix damage. They seemed to be straight shooters and the car does look super clean for it's age. Overall, still not a 28k risk I'm willing to take.

I do love the 964 Cabs too but it doesn't look like this one will be mine. Oh well, I believe someone will be getting a cool car - for the $

Pics coming. Look past the ehhh wheels, paint is very fair.

[ItzaMe]

Carfax shows damage to the right rear side. From pics - repair was good enough to not spot imo without obviously looking underneath @structure. Hood is popped open.

[Marine Blue]

The trailing edge of the doors are protruding on both sides and worth investigating further to make sure the frame is straight.

With zero maintenance history you either have to get a PPI or assume the worse regarding its mechanical condition. Suspension alone could be a few grand or more depending on what it needs. Shift linkage may need work, the top may need work and last but not least the engine could need work at that mileage.

Are you planning to do the work yourself or sub it out? It’s pretty easy to throw some serious money at these cars to get them running well and fixing previous issues.

The bummer is the total loss, regardless of it being minor or major that record will follow the car and will reduce the resale value significantly. If you intend to keep it a long time or do something unique with the car then so be it but if its a short term purchase I’d say lowball or walk away.

[MIAdragon]

They won’t budge off the 28k?

[Rick Brooklyn]

Dear Lord those wheels. Someone who puts those wheels on a 964,. I'd .expect the frunk to contain body parts.

[ItzaMe]

Originally Posted by Marine Blue

The trailing edge of the doors are protruding on both sides and worth investigating further to make sure the frame is straight.

With zero maintenance history you either have to get a PPI or assume the worse regarding its mechanical condition. Suspension alone could be a few grand or more depending on what it needs. Shift linkage may need work, the top may need work and last but not least the engine could need work at that mileage.

Are you planning to do the work yourself or sub it out? It’s pretty easy to throw some serious money at these cars to get them running well and fixing previous issues.

The bummer is the total loss, regardless of it being minor or major that record will follow the car and will reduce the resale value significantly. If you intend to keep it a long time or do something unique with the car then so be it but if its a short term purchase I’d say lowball or walk away.

I had the exact same question about the edge of the doors. During a FT call, I asked him to verify and it's actually just some trim on the edges that you'd see on older cars that 'protects' the edge from dings etc - so there are no gaps or issues with that.

If I were closer, I'd definitely get a PPI to see if there is anything major that was needed. The lack of history sucks as well as the total loss but from just the appearance of the car, it seems to be very solid.

I would do most the work myself as I usually do but anything major mechanical I wouldn't be able to do right now.

I got the price to 27k - not terrible but not worth the risk for me at this time.

[ItzaMe]

Originally Posted by MIAdragon

They won’t budge off the 28k?

They could do $27k so not much better.

If it was local and I had the chance to do a better inspection then maybe I'd consider meeting somewhere in the low $20's

Originally Posted by Rick Brooklyn

Dear Lord those wheels. Someone who puts those wheels on a 964,. I'd .expect the frunk to contain body parts.

Lol car body parts or real body parts o_O

[NYNick]

[QUOTE=ItzaMe;11797910]They could do $27k so not much better.

A $400 PPI for a 91 964 CAB @ $27K sounds like a worth while investment to me. If it comes out clean, the car could be worth much more. Many TL's are being driven daily.

[MIAdragon]

Originally Posted by ItzaMe

They could do $27k so not much better.

If it was local and I had the chance to do a better inspection then maybe I'd consider meeting somewhere in the low $20's



Lol car body parts or real body parts o_O

Looks up north. If it was local Florida I’d look at it.

[dg567]

Saw it on Facebook Saturday night, but with the salvage history its a pass for me. Think it was in Queens or on the Island.

At this price its worth it in parts alone, you see 3.6s listed and being sold for 30k. You won't get hurt, but I'm not sure if its worth the headache if it comes to parting it out, though.

Cabs are cool, a lot of guys hate them, I don't. You get a lot of car for the money. I've done well with the few cabs I've sold in the past, I sold a tip 90 cab for good money this spring to someone who had to have it for his wife. In fact I just bought a one owner 97 tip cab yesterday.

[Racerbvd]

Originally Posted by ItzaMe

They could do $27k so not much better.

If it was local and I had the chance to do a better inspection then maybe I'd consider meeting somewhere in the low $20's



Lol car body parts or real body parts o_O

I'd expect to see amps, lots of amps..

[Xest27]

Perfect

[MIAdragon]

Originally Posted by dg567

Saw it on Facebook Saturday night, but with the salvage history its a pass for me. Think it was in Queens or on the Island.

At this price its worth it in parts alone, you see 3.6s listed and being sold for 30k. You won't get hurt, but I'm not sure if its worth the headache if it comes to parting it out, though.

Cabs are cool, a lot of guys hate them, I don't. You get a lot of car for the money. I've done well with the few cabs I've sold in the past, I sold a tip 90 cab for good money this spring to someone who had to have it for his wife. In fact I just bought a one owner 97 tip cab yesterday.

Agree, looks like it’s sold. Probably a good pickup for whoever bought it.

[ItzaMe]

[QUOTE=NYNick;11797995]

Originally Posted by ItzaMe

They could do $27k so not much better.

A $400 PPI for a 91 964 CAB @ $27K sounds like a worth while investment to me. If it comes out clean, the car could be worth much more. Many TL's are being driven daily.

90% of the car's I've dealt with in my life have been salvage/TL so I understand.

My daily '16 TDI Passat is rebuilt title and so is the '02 S2000 I just finished.

I would have still picked up the car if it wasn't for me and the wife looking to buy our first home.. in the worst market of all time.. inflation.. ETC lol

I had to be home on Sunday as well for a wedding so didn't have time to really have any hiccups.

My plan was leave work today at 4PM --> flight at 6:30PM --> See car around 8/9PM and head out in the morning 8 hour drive home.

At low 20's I told him I'd still be game but at 27k - I'll let someone enjoy the car.

Originally Posted by dg567

Saw it on Facebook Saturday night, but with the salvage history its a pass for me. Think it was in Queens or on the Island.

At this price its worth it in parts alone, you see 3.6s listed and being sold for 30k. You won't get hurt, but I'm not sure if its worth the headache if it comes to parting it out, though.

Cabs are cool, a lot of guys hate them, I don't. You get a lot of car for the money. I've done well with the few cabs I've sold in the past, I sold a tip 90 cab for good money this spring to someone who had to have it for his wife. In fact I just bought a one owner 97 tip cab yesterday.

100% agree - I saw the motor's listed on eBay for 25-30k and my cousin was asking me to buy it just for the motor but again, bad timing and shouldn't be adding to the collection currently.

[Matt Monson]

Originally Posted by ItzaMe

I would have still picked up the car if it wasn't for me and the wife looking to buy our first home.. in the worst market of all time.

Not even close. Mortgage rates during Reagan were twice what they are today. And in all but the most smoking hot markets it’s moving from a seller’s market to buyers market with days to sell way up, and offers over asking price largely a thing of Covid times.

[fisher22]

Originally Posted by Matt Monson

Not even close. Mortgage rates during Reagan were twice what they are today. And in all but the most smoking hot markets it’s moving from a seller’s market to buyers market with days to sell way up, and offers over asking price largely a thing of Covid times.

I'm with you Matt!
Back then my first house had a special introductory (discounted) adjustable rate mortgage (ARM) of 12.7%! AND I WAS HAPPY TO GET IT.
The cap was 5%, so if rates went up it would have capped at 17.7%, but they went down very gradually every month. I never felt the need to refinance because at any point in time over 30 years the fixed was more than my adjustable.

Crazy.

[Ralph3.]

LOL, 13 3/4% in 1984 on a 30 year fixed rate. Felt lucky to be under 14%