Daily Driver in Southern CA - 915 or Carerra?

[Mark021]

The guy who said to "enjoy the hunt" must have been a glutton for punishment.

I'm attempting to keep in good spirits here but I think "the one(s) that got away are beginning to haunt me like ghosts. Ive been looking for that elusive G50 Carerra Coupe with around 60K miles on it with as much work as possible done to it (clutch/valves/brakes/suspension, exhaust, etc) for right at around $20K.

I KNOW THEY ARE THERE BECAUSE I'VE SEEN THEM.... I know I wasn't hallucinating... really!

I've been wondering about the 915 cars, 82, 83, 84, 85, IN order to increase the possibility of finding a "well sorted out" example in my price range. I've been lead to believe that the G50 cars are statistically the most sound for what I am looking for "lowest maintenance and most reliable overall for a daily driver (maybe 50 miles a day, 5 days a week) if it is kept in good shape.

Can a pelican or two enlighten me as to why I should not fear and possibly even embrace the idea of an immaculate 915 car over a slightly less immaculate G50. The type of driving I would be doing would be predominantly in town 45 to 50 down flats and some turns with a few miles jumping onto freeways and hitting 70 to 75 for 5 or 6 miles before backing off and back down to large winding suburban streets.

Thanks again for any feedback... I'm getting edgy, it seems like most of what I'm seeing out there are cars that just do not appear that special for very special asking prices or cars that look decent with 250K miles on them... I mean come on, can anyone really say that the car with 250K on it isn't just plain tired in many ways that a new clutch and a valve adjustment are not going to address?

Thanks in advance.

[gestalt1]

i don't think you are being un-realistic at all. carreras are not long hoods and with 964 and 996 cars around $20k i don't see why a great condition carrera shouldn't be in that price range. carreras will be cheaper to maintain than a 964 and later car - they are far less complex. the debate over 915 over g50 i don't think is that important. an excellent 915 car i think is better than a less good g50. the 915 is not a bad trans if properly maintained. neither is as good as a honda if you want a slick shifter.

[spuggy]

Originally Posted by Mark021

The guy who said to "enjoy the hunt" must have been a glutton for punishment.

You need to chill and enjoy life. Maybe even stop looking completely.

Then "your" car will pop up and smack you in the face when you're least expecting it - and not even looking. Least, that's how it worked for me.

Can a pelican or two enlighten me as to why I should not fear and possibly even embrace the idea of an immaculate 915 car over a slightly less immaculate G50.

Because a 915 transmission in good condition with a WEVO coupler can be a source of great joy. Really. My professionally-rebuilt one is. Fits the car well.

It still isn't a Honda (or a 951, for that matter) shifter. It's still derived from a 60's racing gearbox. If you want a Honda shifter, buy a Honda.

I mean come on, can anyone really say that the car with 250K on it isn't just plain tired in many ways that a new clutch and a valve adjustment are not going to address?

Maybe, but how much impact there is depends entirely on how it's been used & maintained over those 250,000 miles. And whether that's right for you only you can answer.

My car had 230,000 when I bought it, and I've put over 20,000 on it since.

[tshore]

It depends on your daily drive. As the owner of an '86 Carrera with a 915 with typical issues (1st gear syncrho doesn't, 2nd gear is balky), I find the car is a joy on the open road, but stop and go traffic is no fun. It's also noisy, which can be wearing over time and distance. As a recreational vehicle that has a surprising amount of utility, it's great. As a daily driver, over months or years...maybe not so much

[gsjohnson]

Over 60 Days. Looked at 15 cars locally and couldn't find the car I wanted. I flew to 2 different cities and lined up 3 cars for each destination to inspect. I finally found the car I wanted 2 weeks ago. I paid a little more than I planned, but I got the car I wanted.

[aigel]

I would consider throwing your 60K mile wish out the window. This is now a 20+ year old car and much of the issues it may have, like suspension bushings and oil leaks, will not even be directly related to mileage. I would allow higher mileage cars with good maintenance records into the search. This is especially a good idea since you will put a ton of miles on it as soon as you get it. Only if you plan on keeping it a Sunday driver, I would recommend a 60K mile car.

George