1987/911

[Salty Springs]

This my first post but have lurked for quite a while.Have been looking for a mid to late 80's coupe for several months(started looking for a 930, but have decided I was over my head)I have located an 87 Carrera that is body wise in beautiful shape,all original no mods,no rust,all gauges,windows etc work fine,needs new seat covers.Clutch is slipping and needs replacement,AC is complete but isn't working.Motor runs strong,new brakes.All that can be repaired but the 245,000 on the odometer is hard to fix.Asking 12K. Walk away or go for it???Thanks in advance for all your help.
Dave
Have been a Porsche lover since I saw Mark Donahue win Road America in the 917/30 The most awesome race car ever.But this would be my 1st!

[christiandk]

Canīt go wrong with 12k if the car is original and has documentation!

Unless there are serious issues - buy it!

[SilberUrS6]

Originally Posted by Salty Springs

This my first post but have lurked for quite a while.Have been looking for a mid to late 80's coupe for several months(started looking for a 930, but have decided I was over my head)I have located an 87 Carrera that is body wise in beautiful shape,all original no mods,no rust,all gauges,windows etc work fine,needs new seat covers.Clutch is slipping and needs replacement,AC is complete but isn't working.Motor runs strong,new brakes.All that can be repaired but the 245,000 on the odometer is hard to fix.Asking 12K. Walk away or go for it???Thanks in advance for all your help.
Dave
Have been a Porsche lover since I saw Mark Donahue win Road America in the 917/30 The most awesome race car ever.But this would be my 1st!

That's actually a few thousand dollars of work, if done by others. $12k would be my absolute top end on that car.

[gethelp]

i said 8k tops IF they cant do their own work. clutch valve job bushings and AC is 5k EASILY if hiring someone. sad but true. plus when in there theyd fix.....lol

[Matt Monson]

The engine has never been rebuilt? If so, that price is about right. If it was rebuilt once before then that price puts you a little ahead.

After the clutch is sorted, start setting aside $2500-3000 a year to properly tend to its needs and hope that the engine lasts until you have a little cushion built up because when you need to redo it it is going to cost you 5 figures to do it right.

[Salty Springs]

Thanks all.The car is all original with all the docs,he even has the original window sticker & all receipts.I have not seen the car but have talked to the seller at length.He had a slight parking lot accident in 2009(a slight dent and a cracked lens) he opted to have the car repainted at a cost of over 8k. I believe he told me the car had all the upper motor work done by the 2nd owner.I am not a mechanic by a long shot but good with my hands(retired carpenter/contractor)so I will do a lot of the easier stuff.Color is Granite Green Metallic and very sharp.Wife says I need something to do/just not sure this is it.
Dave

[thepenguin99]

The color sounds nice. Assuming it was a quality glass out job that is worth something over mediocre original paint in my mind. You can't fix that odo and it will haunt you when it comes time to sell. If you get lucky with the motor/trans you would be sitting about even, maybe slightly ahead, money wise after sorting the seats and clutch IMO. 15-16k (after clutch and seats) for a nice looking G50 driver sounds pretty good. If the leakdown numbers are good and it shifts like it should I might have to go for it.

[techweenie]

It will be your car forever if ownership starts at 245K miles.

For whatever reason Porsche people avoid 200K plus mile 74+ cars. Not something I agree with (having bought a Carrera at 227K myself) but willing buyers will be few. Things you don't think about too much start to go at 200K, like rear wheel bearings and axles.

Are you willing to own the car for 10 years and potentially part it out instead of selling complete when you're done? If so, go for it!

[thepenguin99]

Originally Posted by techweenie

For whatever reason Porsche people avoid 200K plus mile 74+ cars. Not something I agree with (having bought a Carrera at 227K myself) but willing buyers will be few.

I wonder how long that will last if the SC/Carrera prices continue to increase. I know they aren't jumping up particularly fast but we all know they are increasing. At some point, the lower mileage cars are expensive enough to where you create a new market for high mileage ones. Particularly well cared for high mileage cars.

[techweenie]

Originally Posted by thepenguin99

I wonder how long that will last if the SC/Carrera prices continue to increase. I know they aren't jumping up particularly fast but we all know they are increasing. At some point, the lower mileage cars are expensive enough to where you create a new market for high mileage ones. Particularly well cared for high mileage cars.

It's a perfectly rational theory that people should come to overlook high miles, but when people buy cars they desire but do not need, rationality rarely enters into it.

[Salty Springs]

After reading all these posts and checking a few prices my feet are getting cooler(but not cold)I was very enthusiastic originally.Seller was very firm on his price/I am thinking of sending him a link to this board to show him the reality of this transaction.Also to be up front and let him know I am not sneaking around behind his back(Rennlist User) Any more Positive (or negative)comments will help.And Mr.tech wiener (and all others)your comments) are very helpful.
Dave

[Mehoff]

if you don't want it I'll buy it as a parts donor for my '88 race car (seriously; I would drive the living s%$t out of it and stuff it in the hauler on race weekends in case something broke at the track). A running, driving G50 Carrera for $12k is obscene.

Let me know immediately if you pass.

[Salty Springs]

Sorry for the mispelling Mr techweenie,I did it from memory/once you hit 60 CRS kicks in.Mr Mehoff you have just warmed up my feet again.
Dave

[techweenie]

Originally Posted by Salty Springs

Sorry for the mispelling Mr techweenie,I did it from memory/once you hit 60 CRS kicks in.Mr Mehoff you have just warmed up my feet again.
Dave

Mr Techweenie understands. Mr Techweenie is 64. :-0

[Matt Monson]

Salty,
As I mentioned in my pm to you I would roll the dice on it. If the motor goes and you can't afford or don't want to pay to fix it there are several of us who would take a car like that off your hands for only a few thousand less than you paid for it. The financial risk here is pretty marginal, especially with a top end rebuild on it. That solves the valve guide concern.

[Salty Springs]

Well I did pull the trigger.This is the car being hauled to North Carolina from outside Atlanta for clutch replacement.
Dave

[Mike80911]

Car looks nice love the color. Just a quick word of caution. You should never haul a 911 with a tail backwards the draft gets stuck under the tail and could cause you a lot of damage.

[Salty Springs]

Actually the clutch is one of many fixes.
Needs:
AC work
The distributor shaft pull out with the rotor will, try to work around this.
New oil hoses and crank sensors(those aren't cheap)
New seat covers
On & On
This was sold to me as a rust free car,but upon close inspection we found frame rust under the battery area,very disappointing,and needs to be addressed.All words of wisdom & encouragement are welcome.
Dave

[Salty Springs]

Thanks Mike.We thought it would be better for weight disribution.It did bother me to watch the tail vibrate in the wind,won't do it again.