11 replies to this topic

[speyer911]

I am the proud owner of a 914 fixer and I am now looking for my next Porsche. This time a daily driver which will offer the best combination of fun, reliability, practicality and economy. I understand these are all relative values. I live in NH but will be moving to MT for work in the summer. A Black 94 manual, coupe in listed in NH by a small second hand dealer VIN: WP0AA2960RS820150. The asking price is 9K. I looked at it briefly (my wife was with me). It showed some age: paint chips bend grill (curb check?) back bumper has a bad repair with flat black pain over it. The car is registered to the dealer and was owned by a "friend of a friend" who "loved the car" Timing belt was replaced recently, but service record exist. I would love advice on the matter. I am usualy a very dispassionate and rational customer but Porsches are my weakness. The price seems good except for the risk of buying a money pit. Thanks in advance for the help!

[rxter]

Check out the posts in new buyer section for tips.

Bottom line is that $15K can bring you a pretty nice example. $25 will get you concurs quality. $9K will probably need 5 to 10 to bring it up to snuff. Its a typical pay me now or pay me later thing. Of course this is a much different car than the 914. You've got a go-kart there. This is more of a well sorted GT that you can drive hard and it will behave for you. What is similar to the 914 is that there are not a lot of these out there and if you want a good one you will need to be a bit patient, lean on your community here, and be willing to get on a plane.

Good that the timing belt was changed. How about the balance shaft belt and the cam guides? Again - check the new buyer's guides for a good rundown of what to look for.

Good hunting.

[Rap]

Welcome, patience and research will serve you well!

[Blau]

Run away from that NH car, fast. There are a lot of shady things about it and that's why it's been relisted on craigslist every 3 days for the last 4 months. Mileage issues, among other things. There's a thread about it on another forum (it starts with Renn and ends with List). Google search "Anybody know this car? Black on black '94 six speed coupe in New England" and the thread will pop right up.

I would open your search outside New England, you'll find something reasonable in good shape if you wait. There's a Porsche meet in Hershey, PA in April and there will most likely be some 968's for sale there too.

A PPI from a mechanic with knowledge of the 968 is VERY important with these cars.

Good luck!

[tamathumper]

Welcome to the fold, even if you're only "in the hunt".

I'm with Blau regarding this particular car, and you should plan on seeing a few more "rats" before you find the one you really want. $15K will get you a perfect car, and anything under $10K has to be thought about long and hard, as the maintenance will get right back up to $15K and very possibly well beyond.

[hot968]

Have patients it takes time to find a 968 you really like and has good maintenance records and a good price. I am looking at a car now that I know is a money pit, needs mechanical work already before I buy it and yet I love the car! . Don't let that happen to u! ha, ha

[bombfactory]

I'll agree with the posters above. You should be fairly safe, maintenance-wise, if you look in the $15k range. Two years ago I thought I'd 'save money' and bought my car for just over nine grand - it had the color and options I wanted, and was local, so I jumped on it maybe a bit too quick. Close to ten grand in repairs, cosmetics and stereo later, I'm only kinda sorta getting close to sorting this car out. They can be huge money pits (of course, everybody's budget is different, so ymmv) if you buy the wrong one, so be careful!

Edited by bombfactory, 01 March 2012 - 08:46 AM.

[tamathumper]

Good points bombfactory. As a general rule, I plan on a minimum of $3K per year in maintenance. The first year it will be more like $5K as you get it sorted.

[speyer911]

Thanks for all the input. So tempting to gamble on it but I will be patient and wait. The mileage mystery is scary.

[Blau]

I'll have to drop by your neck of the woods on my way up to VT sometime this spring/summer when I have my car back...

[speyer911]

Drop me a line when you'll be passing by.

[Scott Collins]

speye911,

Yep - $2,000-3,000 per year on maintenance is about right. Even at that rate, where I am now, I still need to replace the stereo, front batwing (front apron) (front apron), driver door handle, paint the car except for the left side that was painted last summer, repair a slightly bent right rear rim, and replace the driver side a-arm with bad ball joint. Of that entire list, the only thing getting done this month is the a-arm with bad ball joint, because I like a car that goes where I want it to go.

If you are the kind of person that loses sleep at night because your rear wiper arm motor makes too much noise and you count the days until it fails while surfing the web for your replacement motor online while you should be working, you will definitely be in that $2-3k per year group like many of us here.

Best of luck - there are good cars out there, wait for one of those. IMHO.

Cheers!

-Scott