[HadesM3]

Been dreaming about getting an 87-89 Carrera or 964 C2 coupe for years. However, the prices have gone crazy over recent years. I want something old school, raw, analog and something I can go into the garage to admire.

Do you guys think prices will come back down to reality?

The other concern I have is the cost of maintenance and repairs. Does anyone have a 3.2 or 964 that could shed some light on the average cost to maintain? My brother has a 993 and 928 and he spends $3-5k each time his cars go into the shop. I've seen one invoice that approached $10k. I thought owning an M3 was expensive, but classic Porsches seem much higher. Is this representative of old sports cars?

I would look for a clean and well maintained example, but maintenance/repairs scare me. This would be a weekend car driven maybe 1k miles annually.

Thanks!

[roastbeef]

they are going to be the cheapest in the coming months.

[c1pher]

Honestly, prices will only go up for good examples the older and rarer they become.

[Flacht3]

Always hard to tell with air-cooled.

So much of it depends on the previous owner(s) and work already done. It's mostly about age with these cars...odds and ends start to fail and you may never know exactly what you're getting into but that's also what many owners love about these...the constant tinkering and wrenching.

I would guess $3-4k a year on average, with the occasional surprise visit that may cost 2x that every few years.

[dgoldenz]

Originally Posted by c1pher

Honestly, prices will only go up for good examples the older and rarer they become.

X2, supply and demand. There’s never going to be a new supply and the existing supply will dwindle over time as cars get wrecked or taken out of service.

Do a lot of reading on Rennlist. I doubt anyone here will give you all of the info you’re looking for. Every model will have its own maintenance issues and quirks to be aware of.

[P1]

Unfortunately, here in the US, getting older German cars worked on is likely not going to be cheap.

[clutchdj]

There is no such thing as an old Porsche. Well, sort of. Valve covers (lower) always leak oil in that model year range. Older Porsche’s hate to sit. Anything pre 993 is going to require valve adjustments because race car. Those 80’s & early 90 engines have mechanical lifters the require valve adjustments. It is not a DIY job unless you are a tech. 993’s and on have hydraulic lifters however the motors do sound just as glorious as the 964’s pre 996.

BTW they will all stink like oil pre water cooling.

Believe it or the not, the leather Porsche used in those years was so rich, once you’re in the cabin you don't really smell oil anymore. Whatever you buy, make sure the car has the under tray attached. Most owners remove them on the summer for better airflow and put it back on during the winter/salt season.

They don’t really break, (engine or gearbox) but they are labor intensive (cost) when it comes to proper care. Def do all your research on rennlist and pelican parts.com You’ll find most of what you need there, less any burble tune info.

[RM7]

Originally Posted by HadesM3

The other concern I have is the cost of maintenance and repairs.

That's kind of a non-starter for an older car. You will have costs, you will need to address things. If you are mechanically inclined and have access to some decent tools and lifts, you can usually do most of this yourself, or at least enough to offset the cost of the bigger stuff that you cannot. IME, you don't buy a 10+ year old car and expect to not have to do anything. The plus side is that some of these older cars are simpler, but the minus side is mechanical wear and that means fixing stuff. Personally, I look at a car and do a bunch of research, find the common issues, see what the remedies are, decide whether I am willing to do the remedy or perform the actual maintenance myself. Older cars will not be cheap. But competent mechanics can usually make the most out of them and you can have a good vehicle.

Foreign/sports car maintenance will not be cheap at any shop. It just never is.

I had a nice Mercedes 4matic 320 (great engine, so smooth), but some sort of HVAC actuation system was dead and fixing it was a 3K job to remove most of the front interior and replace the actuators. Was a nice car, rode nice, did awesome in the snow, was it worth it? Kind of. The defining factor is if you really like the car. Then it is worth it.

Also agree with the above about not letting cars sit. Cars that run more frequently are more reliable and better IMO.

[Murf993]

On my third year with a 96 993. I bought the car from Pfaff just outside of Toronto, I think they are the largest Porsche dealer in North America. They had history with the car, and had spend $20,000 in repairs to make it right to sell. New breaks, tires and clutch plus some tuning as I recall. The car had 75,000 miles on it (originally from Texas) and was in decent shape. They gave me a one year warranty and a well sorted car. I think that was a smart way to buy some peace of mind. I am 100 miles away from Pfaff so I found a local guy who was the head mechanic on a Canadian Porsche racing team, all he does is Porsche....he will give you shit if he thinks you're not taking care of your car. He knows his stuff and doesn't charge Porsche dealership rates. So far I've been lucky and haven't had to spend more than $2K per year in maintenance. I have him do the oil change and give it a quick once over once a year.

They are a great car, and certainly worth it if you like driving something that isn't full of nannies. I'd say they will continue to go up in value but with this whole Covid19 thing who knows what things will look like economically in the near and not so near future. I think my car has gone up by $5-10K since I bought it, but it's difficult to say.

Good luck

[DGTLM2C]

Originally Posted by Murf993

On my third year with a 96 993. I bought the car from Pfaff just outside of Toronto, I think they are the largest Porsche dealer in North America. They had history with the car, and had spend $20,000 in repairs to make it right to sell. New breaks, tires and clutch plus some tuning as I recall. The car had 75,000 miles on it (originally from Texas) and was in decent shape. They gave me a one year warranty and a well sorted car. I think that was a smart way to buy some peace of mind. I am 100 miles away from Pfaff so I found a local guy who was the head mechanic on a Canadian Porsche racing team, all he does is Porsche....he will give you shit if he thinks you're not taking care of your car. He knows his stuff and doesn't charge Porsche dealership rates. So far I've been lucky and haven't had to spend more than $2K per year in maintenance. I have him do the oil change and give it a quick once over once a year.

They are a great car, and certainly worth it if you like driving something that isn't full of nannies. I'd say they will continue to go up in value but with this whole Covid19 thing who knows what things will look like economically in the near and not so near future. I think my car has gone up by $5-10K since I bought it, but it's difficult to say.

Good luck

any pix? pls provide.

[Murf993]

Originally Posted by DGTLM2C

any pix? pls provide.

With the Turbo Twist wheels is when I got it from Pfaff, and then a more recent pic.

[HadesM3]

Thanks for the feedback guys!

[martin mustang]

With many now doing a Singer mod, snatching and converting more an more of the air cooled ones, I guess this may push prices up as less of them untouched will be around. I hope I am wrong am also looking for 964 with a manual gearbox.

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by roastbeef

they are going to be the cheapest in the coming months.

Off the subject,I was wanting to ask about the front splitter on the M3,I haven't seen something like that before on any road going M.

[roastbeef]

Originally Posted by M5theonlyone

Off the subject,I was wanting to ask about the front splitter on the M3,I haven't seen something like that before on any road going M.

It's just a gt4 style lip sir.

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by roastbeef

It's just a gt4 style lip sir.

Thank you.

[roastbeef]

Originally Posted by M5theonlyone

Thank you.

.