What does one get with a sub $20K 911 purchase?

[Chuey665]

Hello all! My first post on the board.

To cut to the chase: What condition of a car can one GENERALLY expect if a 1980s 911 Carrera or even a 930 is purchased between $10,000-$20,000?
The blow are examples only:
https://www.usadscenter.com/1987-Porsche-911-Franklin-182676

Hot Classic Deals

Initially I'd like a car that is drivable, fun and reliable to a point. (Not dying on the interstate on date night with the wife would be a good start)

I have my eyes on 3.2L G50 '87s & '88s. I am willing to do work such as rebuild the engine, interior etc.... learn to weld, for wide body mods... Its not going to be a racer or show car. I'd like to, over time, put on turbo fenders & paint it one year, rebuild the engine another year, put a turbo on (hence the G50 tranny), do the interior.

More of my back story for those that are interested:

In my past life, I was an F-16 mechanic in the Air Force for 10 years, built new ones in Texas as a supervisor. I worked on my '06 V70R. I'm comfortable with my mechanical abilities and problem solving skills. I will be stretched, I know that!

This was reawakened when I discovered "Homebuilt with Jeff". He inspired me to try something similar. (Yes the Aussie building the orange 911 seemingly alone on youtube.) I have joined PCA as a test drive member and have even been to a few Rocky Mountain Region PCA gatherings.

Its kinda a childhood dream, rolled in with a midlife crisis and accepting the reality that a 911 is actually cheaper (perhaps) there building a Vans RV-8 aircraft ($100K) , buying a hanger ($20-50K) to keep it in and fly it 20 times a year with 100LL fuel being $8-10/gallon times 7-10 gallons an hour burn rate when flying!

[Dmitry at Pelican Parts]

Hello and welcome to the forum! We have a very knowledgeable and helpful community, so you picked the right place. Other members will chime in with their expertise - the two links you posted seem to be quite below marketplace, so it makes you wonder how reliable the car is to begin with. At your price point, an SC is your best bet, but it'll likely require a lot of work at that price. I'm attaching a link to our site's DIY tech articles so that you can look over some of the guides to start familiarizing yourself with the car and its mechanics. Please let us know if you have any questions or if we can assist with any part needs. Welcome!

https://www.pelicanparts.com/911/911tech_articles.htm

[juanbenae]

with all due respect you really need to study the market some as a 10-20k 911 was 15-20 years ago. for a decent car that will not cause heart & head aches you'd likely have to triple your low end and double your upper end to find something. a g50 good car can not be had for much less that the 35-40k neighborhood in today's market.

I can appreciate your mechanical skill, but even with you doing to the work a top end is gunna be nearly 10k and a full split case rebuild around 15K. spend the money up front because getting a clunker up to snuff usually is more expensive than starting off with a good example.

[juanbenae]

did not look at the links until DM posted his comment. those two cars are not indicative to the current market. I would expect them to have been wrecked at some point and may even posses salvaged titles.

[faverymi]

To answer your question:

A roller. With some interior parts. Maybe

[Matt Dillon]

Originally Posted by Chuey665

Hello all! My first post on the board.

To cut to the chase: What condition of a car can one GENERALLY expect if a 1980s 911 Carrera or even a 930 is purchased between $10,000-$20,000?
The blow are examples only:
https://www.usadscenter.com/1987-Porsche-911-Franklin-182676

Hot Classic Deals

!

Obscure websites, no doubt both are scam ads. It’s good bet the real vehicles are online somewhere for sale at triple those prices.

[NYNick]

Ha!

Felipe himself has seen my son and his $20k 3.2 G50. Are they hard to find? You bet. Are they wrecks or require a lot of work? Yup! Are they out there? Yup. And can turn out to be real bargains.

You just need to be very, very careful. Almost any sub $20k 911 will throw up many red flags. Doesn't mean it's a POS or can't be fixed. It just means that it's got stuff wrong; maybe REALLY REALLY wrong with it that could coast you tens of thousands of dollars.

Or not.

You have to be VERY well informed and very well advised before the purchase. You need to get educated, in a hurry, before you take the plunge into this realm. Get educated.

It's doable, but dangerous. Tread carefully my friend.

[wayner]

How about a sub $20k water-cooled 911??

[Mehoff]

Originally Posted by faverymi

To answer your question:

A roller. With some interior parts. Maybe

^This.

Only way you're getting an '87-89 Carrera for sub-$20k is without the motor and trans.

If you're planning to rebuild the engine and tack on turbo flares, look at the '76-77 911s. You'll be able to find a tired version for your budget.

[Mad Max]

A 911 that will need one of everything.

Iffy ones start at 30k and up.

Buy a rust free roller 6K to 15K and start from there.

Motors by themselves run 4K plus rebuild.

Good luck and keep us informed.

[mgar88]

To dog pile on here, neglected, damaged, and/or poorly maintained cars rarely have just one problem (i.e., motor needs a rebuild--but everything else is great!). Cars with singular problems tend to be repaired by the owner. (Owners tend to not toss our an otherwise healthy car for a single problem, even if its a big one).

This means that cars you may see for $20k often require a vast array of "love." I've read this somewhere else on here, I'm sure I am remembering it slightly incorrectly, but: "There is no such thing as an inexpensive Porsche. You either pay now or later"


Not to say deals and miracles don't happen. Surely you may stumble upon the right estate sale and snag a gem at $20k. I hope you do!

[Matt Monson]

You can get a nice 944, Boxster or Cayman.

[faverymi]

You can buy a 1974 911 for 12k

Legit it's real

[faverymi]

https://providence.craigslist.org/cto/d/74-porsche-911s/6472895334.html

[Toast54]

Originally Posted by wayner

How about a sub $20k water-cooled 911??

https://oklahomacity.craigslist.org/cto/d/1999-porsche/6467665351.html

Those are available too
Local..no affiliation

[Matt Monson]

Originally Posted by faverymi

https://providence.craigslist.org/cto/d/74-porsche-911s/6472895334.html

Front pan under battery box is rotted. There’s $5-6k rust work for a start.

[Chuey665]

Thanks Dmitry. I have been lurking for months trying to figure out how to do this. I have been looking at your website a lot lately!

[Chuey665]

Juan, I do know the 911 market has been all over the place the last few years. some suggest its loosing steam. But tell that to a seller....

I also agree...you get what you pay for. On a rare occasion one might get lucky and buy a sweet ride from the proverbial old lady that only drove it on Sunday to Church and back.... I appreciate the feed back!

[Chuey665]

Originally Posted by juanbenae

did not look at the links until DM posted his comment. those two cars are not indicative to the current market. I would expect them to have been wrecked at some point and may even posses salvaged titles.

Thats why I am asking!

[Chuey665]

Originally Posted by Matt Dillon

Obscure websites, no doubt both are scam ads. It’s good bet the real vehicles are online somewhere for sale at triple those prices.

I worry about that too. I have yet to get a response from the few I reached out to.