Porsche purchase advice and RoW cars

[jowjup]

Another newbie question. Looking for a Porsche to add to the collection but want one that is practical for everyday use during the fair weather season up here in Montana (I have plenty of impractical old british cars to fiddle with and I don't need another project). People I've talked with have stated the 911 SC coupe is the car that best fits the bill. They say engines are bulletproof, parts are plentiful, and there is a good internet support group. I do like the cars specifications and lines but outside of black or tan, the interior colors are not very attractive. I could be pushed towards a cabriolet but don't really care for the targa. The newest ones being 1983, these are still cars a guy can work on without expensive equipment so that is comforting. Anyway, the prices seem somewhat reasonable but I've noticed that there does not seem to be the interest in the RoW cars. I assume this is because someone has imported a car, had it EPA/DOT certified and replaced the km calibrated speedo/od with a mph unit and wala, the car now has bogus mileage. Being in Montana, there isn't a Porsche shop for 300 miles so the internet is my sole source for cars for sale. So, what to look for and what to watch out for? I know abbout the PPI but some of the cars I've been interested in are already at Porsche shops so the PPI is likely biased. Anybody got some pertinent advice for a newbie? Also, for better or worse, there are no emissions issues up here.

[racer]

I think you need to establish a budget, and then tac on another 10-20% of that budget for improvements/repairs. SC's are bulletproof.. but they are also 25 years old. Nearly as bulletproof are the 3.2l Carerras (1984-1989).

Perhaps less bulletproof, but imensely more practical for 3-4 season use is a Boxster. Yes its a convertible, but heated seats make up for that. Plus modern dynamics and safety features. Plus, if you compare the Base 986 (1997-2004) they are very close to the SC/Carerra models. Find an S with 250hp, 6 spd and larger brakes and it will be superior to the older 911s.

SC's are $9K-20K... Carerras are $10K-25K.. Boxsters are $12k-25K (for the bulk of 986 versions with "S's available between $17K and 30K))

ROW is no big deal IF you also get the federalization paperwork. I had an RoW car for years and it was "no big deal", plus it was lightly optioned and a bit lighter than US versions.