911 Owner's Manuals... anyone priced them lately?

[exc911ence]

I recently picked up a 1979 911SC that was missing the owner's manual. Thinking they'd be cheap and plentiful, I did a quick eBay search and found a bunch. What I also found was that they were priced at insane amounts! The low end was in the $150-300 range but some were priced $500-1000 and one seller was looking for over $2000 for one with some other paperwork with it.

How much?!?

It's just a small book with a cheap plastic ring binding!

I know that the values of the actual cars are going up at a ridiculous rate but the owner's manuals too? Give me a break!

Luckily, I have a mint 1987 Carrera owner's manual in my stash (that I got for free, I might add) that tells me most of what I need to know... like how the cryptic heater controls work... and best of all, it wasn't a grand!

I hope no one is legitimizing these crooked sellers by actually paying this much.

[Alan A]

You don't like the price. Fair enough.

Does that make the sellers crooked? It's not like they are jacking the price after you agreed to the deal. Or charging an extra 20k because they used more Bondo than expected...

[sugarwood]

It's called supply and demand.
A Van Gogh painting is just some cloth and some colored pigment.

[exc911ence]

Originally Posted by Alan A

You don't like the price. Fair enough.

Does that make the sellers crooked? It's not like they are jacking the price after you agreed to the deal. Or charging an extra 20k because they used more Bondo than expected...

Ooh, I see what you did there.

[BlueJaybird]

I just bought one from a Pelican in Florida. Worked out to $100 Cdn including freight. I thought that was about the going rate these days.

[raspritz]

If you don't want to pay the price, don't buy it. I just sold a '67 912 manual in only VG- condition for $200, and the buyer was glad to get it.

[2ndTARGA]

$99.95 at books4cars in Seattle - a great resource for all kinds of literature (no affiliation)

[NYNick]

Geez, tough crowd.

[nathanbs]

Originally Posted by NYNick

Geez, tough crowd.

Don’t forget Nick classic Porsche’s weren’t always expensive so there’s a lot of people that own them that don’t have a grip on the reality of what parts and labor will cost at today’s market

[touringmandan]

Almost all of the owner's manuals are available at the dealer as reprints. The quality is excellent. Between $50 and $75 last time I bought one. (for a '73 911).

[NYNick]

Originally Posted by nathanbs

Don’t forget Nick classic Porsche’s weren’t always expensive so there’s a lot of people that own them that don’t have a grip on the reality of what parts and labor will cost at today’s market

I know a P-shop that literally has file drawers overflowing with these. Also has trailer loads of parts. Trailer loads.

And he'll die with it all. Why? Beats me.

[SalParadise]

I had a '76 911S and 912E manual that I had in the original red cover. People weren't exactly beating my door down when I sold it for $50. It was very clean. Keep your eye out and put up a WTB post. They are out there.

[silverc4s]

Price tools & toolkit’s lately?

[SalParadise]

Originally Posted by silverc4s

Price tools & toolkit’s lately?

I'd say they aren't the hyped prices people are wanting. I had a clean midyear '77-79 to early SC and also 930 kit that did not have the pliers or screwdriver. Everything else was there. I sold it for $320. I thought it would have been worth more.

[Rostami6]

If you wanna sell your 87 book for a "reasonable" price as you put it I am a buyer! Mine is missing. ��

[Sunroof]

Buy it from a Porsche dealer. It will be a re-print, but then, does that really matter?

[JJ 911SC]

Originally Posted by Sunroof

Buy it from a Porsche dealer. It will be a re-print, but then, does that really matter?

Not really since he is going to re-read it a few times