Wealth is obtainable?!?!?!?!

[davewindsor]

How many times have you actually tried it and have you ever been burned from an authorized dealership doing the inspection? You think they are going to do a sloppy, unthorough job? Or the dealer’s not gonna accept your credit card?

They’re going to point out everything that’s wrong with it including stuff like recalls that were never done that’s not part of the inspection with price estimates so they can try to get more work from you. They don’t make money off inspections. If something sounds odd, an experienced Porsche mechanic will know it right away and tell you you need this or that and how much it will cost. You make him aware you want the parts changed in the luggage bay so he can explain to you what’s wrong with them when you get there. Then you go through the list with the mechanic and ask them what must be done and what can be deferred for a year or two. It’s in their financial self-interest to do a thorough inspection. No?

[quote author=REIER link=topic=49851.msg245557#msg245557 date=1308608635]

[quote]
If it were that easy everyone would get a great running car without being taken.

[REIER]

I would look for a local car if I were starting out with Porsches. Forget the long distance stuff unless you have someone that really knows these cars in the same area the car is in.

I was going to stick to local anyways, just wanted to get a better perspective on your long distance transactions. I only like to deal with people I trust in situations like these.

Thanks for the tips! :beer

[REIER]

How many times have you actually tried it and have you ever been burned from an authorized dealership doing the inspection? You think they are going to do a sloppy, unthorough job? Or the dealer's not gonna accept your credit card?

Never tried it, I only have cars inspected, I want to purchase LOCALLY, by mechanics I know and trust or I do it my self if I am familiar enough with a car. And yes, they will be more then happy to take my money, reason why I don’t use a dealer.

They're going to point out everything that's wrong with it including stuff like recalls that were never done that's not part of the inspection with price estimates so they can try to get more work from you. They don't make money off inspections. If something sounds odd, an experienced Porsche mechanic will know it right away and tell you you need this or that and how much it will cost. You make him aware you want the parts changed in the luggage bay so he can explain to you what's wrong with them when you get there. Then you go through the list with the mechanic and ask them what must be done and what can be deferred for a year or two. It's in their financial self-interest to do a thorough inspection. No?

We are talking about a 30+ year old car with a straight six German air cooled engine. This isn’t your typical chevy cavaliere here. If I’m putting down any money on a car of this age, I want to make sure it is mechanically sound and has been well taken care of. I’m not gonna risk taking over someone else’s problem and having to shell out 10 grand for an engine overhall because some dealer wants to sell me some 87 point inspection (what ever that means) B.S. by some guy I’ve never met and his employer can tell me “It’ll be 500.00 VISA or Mastercard Mr. sucker”
The dealer will never make a dime off of me after the inspection since it’s an “out of state guy looking for an inspection”

[davewindsor]

@REIER post:23

I want to purchase LOCALLY, by mechanics I know and trust or I do it my self if I am familiar enough with a car.

That wasn’t your original question. You asked how to handle it long distance because you don’t trust the seller’s sales pitch. I don’t think anyone is in disagreement here that it’s better to purchase LOCALLY or that it’s a good thing having it verified by a qualiified mechanic:

“Also, how did you handle the mechanical inspection process for cars long distance? I’m not gonna trust some guy saying his car is the best car since the Delorean from back to the future, unless I can verify it with a trusted mechanic.”

[fdjake]

REIER,

You are absolutely right about Porsche dealer inspection services. These air cooled 911’s are now 30+ years old…The average age of a Tech in a Porsche dealership???

25

These older air cooled Porsches are becoming a special breed. I can also tell you that ALL Porsche techs get paid a flat rate…The dealer has a book which has how many hours in takes to replace a water pump on a 2009 Cayenne…If the book says it takes 3 hours to do it, that’s all the dealer pays the tech…The Tech makes money when he learns to do that water pump change in 1 hour instead of the 3.

Most tech do not like doing PPI’s (Pre-purchase inspections) on older Porsches because they make NOTHING on them compared to a parts replacement service.

Here’s why…You call the nearest Porsche dealer and ask how much they charge for a PPI??? They quote you $500…The problem is it takes a LOT more time to do a proper inspection on these cars than $500 will cover. Just doing a leak down test involves removing all spark plugs, pumping compressed air into each cylinder and then measuring the pressure drop in each cylinder. That’s NOT going to be done by a Porsche tech at a dealership…TOO MUCH TIME…That tech can make 4 times that doing a brake job on a 997.

The easiest way to check out an old air cooled Porsche in your area is to join the Porsche Club of America (PCA) if you really like these cars and plan on buying one, the local members can tell you which local shops do a good PPI. The smaller shops cater to these older cars, most are owned by older, factory trained Porsche mechanics who went out on their own to service the cars they spent years working on at Porsche dealerships.

Being a mechanic is a ball breaking job. It REALLY wears your body out. ESPECIALLY Porsche’s. German cars DO NOT come apart EASILY. Most of the really smart technicians end up out on their own.
If they’re honest and do good work the word will spread very quickly among Porsche Club members.

The other advantage of joining PCA is you will have access to hundreds of members cars. In a lot of these cases, members have spent THOUSAND$ of dollars on their cars and at some point decide to sell inorder to move into a different Porsche. These cars can be SUPER BUYS and be a joy to own.

REMEMBER THIS…

It is FAR CHEAPER to buy a well cared for 911 with great service records that the seller wants top dollar for, than it is to buy a cheaper car that needs major service.

Spend the money and get a good car. They are increasing in value every year and they are a BLAST to drive.

One last thing…To the member here who sent me a private message telling me to read the BIBLE so I would know what comes after this life…

I’ve read it…The words YOU WILL RECEIVE A NEW PORSCHE FOR USE ON TWISTING MOUNTAIN ROADS appear no where in that book. So as a result…I’ve purchased mine HERE on planet EARTH where I KNOW what I’m getting.

I figure it like this…IF they’re handing out KEYS to new Carrera’s when I get up there…I won’t have to sit through the DRIVER EDUCATION VIDEO because I already know the cars!!! :beer

Maybe I’ll get to take St. Florian (Patron Saint of Firefighters) for a ride in a 911 GT3!!!

[REIER]

That wasn't your original question. You asked how to handle it long distance because you don't trust the seller's sales pitch. I don't think anyone is in disagreement here that it's better to purchase LOCALLY or that it's a good thing having it verified by a qualiified mechanic:

Correct, that wasn’t my ORIGINAL question TO fdjake, it was my ANSWER to your question about ever buying a car long distance and having a dealer doing a “87 point inspection” (that just makes me laugh every time I type it, it just screams marketing B.S., and gullible people like your self eat it up like cotton candy at a carnival…LOL.) Again, I have only bought cars locally and have had them inspected by trusted mechanics “I” know, or have done it my self. Got it?

So now that my original question TO fdjake:

Also, how did you handle the mechanical inspection process for cars long distance? I'm not gonna trust some guy saying his car is the best car since the Delorean from back to the future, unless I can verify it with a trusted mechanic.

should not seem so “unbelievable” at this point thanks to our in house Porsche expert, fdjake, for exposing your misguided logic, inexperience in this particular subject, and gullibility in thinking that a “dealer” is going to really take the time to make sure someone is getting a pristine 30+ year old Porsche for a small “inspection fee” and really go over a car properly.

Maybe in your world you encounter many business people who are honest and really do what they say (I doubt it), but in MY world (earth) many people just don’t do business as ethically as I want, so I try to keep them honest. Business people are in business to make money, most of the time they will do what is good for business, and aren’t into the business of providing charity. A Porsche dealer is in business to make money and will do what ever is best for “Its” business to make money, so that includes using a “coined phrase” such as “87 point inspection” that make people feel all warm and fuzzy inside, and get people to hand over their money.

Here’s a home work assignment for you (this should keep you from trolling the forum for a while and trying to start arguments with posters) go do a bit of research on purchasing a USED Subaru Impreza STI and look at how many people have gotten taken after having them “inspected by dealers.” I’ll give you a little tip, kids buy these cars new, install performance parts on them and beat the living f%!#& out of them (many times they have been in major collisions) and then sell them to unsuspecting gullible people, after a few years of hard use, stripping off all the performance parts and dealers completely missing what was done to them. These sellers know exactly what few things dealers look for and they cover them up well. So the sucker who ends up with the car, ends up having to replace trannies, engines, suspensions etc. costing big $$$.

[REIER]

@fdjake post:25

REIER,

You are absolutely right about Porsche dealer inspection services. These air cooled 911’s are now 30+ years old…The average age of a Tech in a Porsche dealership???

25

These older air cooled Porsches are becoming a special breed. I can also tell you that ALL Porsche techs get paid a flat rate…The dealer has a book which has how many hours in takes to replace a water pump on a 2009 Cayenne…If the book says it takes 3 hours to do it, that’s all the dealer pays the tech…The Tech makes money when he learns to do that water pump change in 1 hour instead of the 3.

Most tech do not like doing PPI’s (Pre-purchase inspections) on older Porsches because they make NOTHING on them compared to a parts replacement service.

Here’s why…You call the nearest Porsche dealer and ask how much they charge for a PPI??? They quote you $500…The problem is it takes a LOT more time to do a proper inspection on these cars than $500 will cover. Just doing a leak down test involves removing all spark plugs, pumping compressed air into each cylinder and then measuring the pressure drop in each cylinder. That’s NOT going to be done by a Porsche tech at a dealership…TOO MUCH TIME…That tech can make 4 times that doing a brake job on a 997.

The easiest way to check out an old air cooled Porsche in your area is to join the Porsche Club of America (PCA) if you really like these cars and plan on buying one, the local members can tell you which local shops do a good PPI. The smaller shops cater to these older cars, most are owned by older, factory trained Porsche mechanics who went out on their own to service the cars they spent years working on at Porsche dealerships.

Being a mechanic is a ball breaking job. It REALLY wears your body out. ESPECIALLY Porsche’s. German cars DO NOT come apart EASILY. Most of the really smart technicians end up out on their own.
If they’re honest and do good work the word will spread very quickly among Porsche Club members.

The other advantage of joining PCA is you will have access to hundreds of members cars. In a lot of these cases, members have spent THOUSAND$ of dollars on their cars and at some point decide to sell inorder to move into a different Porsche. These cars can be SUPER BUYS and be a joy to own.

REMEMBER THIS…

It is FAR CHEAPER to buy a well cared for 911 with great service records that the seller wants top dollar for, than it is to buy a cheaper car that needs major service.

Spend the money and get a good car. They are increasing in value every year and they are a BLAST to drive.

One last thing…To the member here who sent me a private message telling me to read the BIBLE so I would know what comes after this life…

I’ve read it…The words YOU WILL RECEIVE A NEW PORSCHE FOR USE ON TWISTING MOUNTAIN ROADS appear no where in that book. So as a result…I’ve purchased mine HERE on planet EARTH where I KNOW what I’m getting.

I figure it like this…IF they’re handing out KEYS to new Carrera’s when I get up there…I won’t have to sit through the DRIVER EDUCATION VIDEO because I already know the cars!!! :beer

Maybe I’ll get to take St. Florian (Patron Saint of Firefighters) for a ride in a 911 GT3!!!

I appreciate the great tips and backing up my gut feeling on what I partially already knew. I really didn’t think you were going for that “87 point dealer inspection” :rolleyes when you bought those 911’s long distance.

Based off of my research, I know these are more sophisticated then your typical Ford 300 straight six (love that engine, have it in my F150 and is almost bullet proof) so I need to know what I’m getting my self into before handing over my $$$. And as you said, it takes time just to do a compression test on one of these, it takes me 15-20 minutes to do a compression test on a Honda civic engine, so again it’s like comparing watermelons to pineapples.

:beer

[davewindsor]

@REIER post:26

That wasn't your original question. You asked how to handle it long distance because you don't trust the seller's sales pitch. I don't think anyone is in disagreement here that it's better to purchase LOCALLY or that it's a good thing having it verified by a qualiified mechanic:

Correct, that wasn’t my ORIGINAL question TO fdjake, it was my ANSWER to your question about ever buying a car long distance and having a dealer doing a “87 point inspection” (that just makes me laugh every time I type it, it just screams marketing B.S., and gullible people like your self eat it up like cotton candy at a carnival…LOL.) Again, I have only bought cars locally and have had them inspected by trusted mechanics “I” know, or have done it my self. Got it?

So now that my original question TO fdjake:

Also, how did you handle the mechanical inspection process for cars long distance? I'm not gonna trust some guy saying his car is the best car since the Delorean from back to the future, unless I can verify it with a trusted mechanic.

should not seem so “unbelievable” at this point thanks to our in house Porsche expert, fdjake, for exposing your misguided logic, inexperience in this particular subject, and gullibility in thinking that a “dealer” is going to really take the time to make sure someone is getting a pristine 30+ year old Porsche for a small “inspection fee” and really go over a car properly.

Maybe in your world you encounter many business people who are honest and really do what they say (I doubt it), but in MY world (earth) many people just don’t do business as ethically as I want, so I try to keep them honest. Business people are in business to make money, most of the time they will do what is good for business, and aren’t into the business of providing charity. A Porsche dealer is in business to make money and will do what ever is best for “Its” business to make money, so that includes using a “coined phrase” such as “87 point inspection” that make people feel all warm and fuzzy inside, and get people to hand over their money.

Here’s a home work assignment for you (this should keep you from trolling the forum for a while and trying to start arguments with posters) go do a bit of research on purchasing a USED Subaru Impreza STI and look at how many people have gotten taken after having them “inspected by dealers.” I’ll give you a little tip, kids buy these cars new, install performance parts on them and beat the living f%!#& out of them (many times they have been in major collisions) and then sell them to unsuspecting gullible people, after a few years of hard use, stripping off all the performance parts and dealers completely missing what was done to them. These sellers know exactly what few things dealers look for and they cover them up well. So the sucker who ends up with the car, ends up having to replace trannies, engines, suspensions etc. costing big $$$.

hate imports, so you can keep your homework and shove your Subaru rice box up you know where because I have never owned an import and never will.

And FDJake didn’t contradict me on the inspections. I said the dealership doesn’t make money on inspections, they make money on the repairs. Jake said they don’t make money on the inspections, the experienced mechanics make money on the repairs like when they change a fuel pump in one hour and bill for three because the book says it’s a three hour job.

Personally, I get the inspections from the dealership and get the work from a small garage and the small time garages always came out with a lot more repairs that didn’t need to be done when I get the report from the small time garage. I’ve even had the small garage do the inspection and then the dealer do the inspection on the same car and asked if the other stuff was needed and they looked at it and said I’ve got some more years out of it. The dealers do a great job finding what really needs to be done imo. If I need something done, I get the inspection from the dealer and then take it to the small garage with the lower flat hourly rate or a local private mechanic I know from one of the local car clubs. The system has worked for me so far and I’ve owned dozens of different domestic cars.

[fdjake]

REIER,

That Ford straight 6 is probably THE BEST motor ever made by a car company!!! I’ve had F-150’s with that engine and they still ran dead quiet with 400K miles on them. BULLET PROOF MOTOR!

As for those air cooled 911’s…

It’s a complicated motor in some ways, and in others very simple. The one thing that is undeniable is the COST to rebuild that engine…Figure $10,000 to properly rebuild a 911 engine into anything reliable.
That sounds shocking at first, but here’s the deal…There are TON’s of these cars out there, purchased by people who are no where near as savvy as you. They buy them WITHOUT knowing anything about the costs, and they eventually PAY!! It gets to the point where some of these folks literally HATE the sight of their cars. They hate them because they see their MONEY and their MISTAKES…THESE are the cars you can get great deals on!!!

Your Subaru analogy is PERFECT!!! And that’s EXACTLY what happens to uneducated buyers.

Join the PCA…It’s filled with great people who are HAPPY to share their knowledge with new or potential buyers. You’ll learn a TON about these cars and REALLY appreciate how OVER BUILT these older air cooled Porsches are. These cars were literally HAND BUILT, the engines are like swiss watches, and parts are designed to be REBUILT over and over. They DO NOT build cars like this anymore. At some point in the future, these GEMS are going to really move up in price. Look at E-type Jags…I LOVE these cars, but they are GARBAGE compared to a PORSCHE 911 of the same vintage.
E-types now command $100,000 +++ for excellent examples. The cars are STILL a pain in the ass…The LEAK every fluid on earth, the electrical systems SUCK, and even restored, they are NOT reliable. 911’s by comparison, will hand an E-type it’s ASS on a twisty road, RARELY if EVER break down, have electrical systems straight out of a PANZER TANK, and they CURRENTLY sell for $13,000 to $20,000 for a really nice unrestored, original car!!!

HUGELY UNDER VALUED (IMHO)

Get 'em NOW, before the HERD reads about it in the WALL ST. JOURNAL when they hit $50K and the STAMPEDE really starts!!! Here’s how this works…These cars will quietly work their way up to $50K and at some point, some DOPE at the WSJ will do a story about how his friends 911 has out performed his 401K…At that point IT’S OVER…Every NIT WIT with a checking account will be OVER PAYING for these cars.

And ole JAKE will be UNLOADING to ALL OF THEM!!! (of coarse I’ll keep some really nice ones for myself) I’m up to 13 as of today!!!

Think I’m kidding???

Even CRAP E-types needing complete restorations pull $40K today…

So that 911 with the blown tranny I grabbed for $3000 last week with a PERFECT body and INTERIOR will be sold to some DOPE for a LOT more than I paid for it a few years from now. It’s sitting in a storage unit right now next to it’s brothers and sisters.

I look at this along the same lines as investing in ANTIQUES…You buy them, they SIT somewhere, and at some point if you know what your doing and take care of your ANTIQUES…Your ANTIQUES will eventually TAKE CARE OF YOU!!! The difference HERE is…I can park my ass in a Colonial Era Rocking Chair or a 1960’s RECARO bolted to a 1960’s 911T and have a LOT more fun in that PORSCHE than that rocking chair!!!

Think this is a JOKE???

Take a peak at EBAY under Porsche 356 FOG LIGHTS and look at several sets of original Marchal Fog lights selling for $1200 a set!!! Or original “banjo” style Porsche steering wheels from the same era going for $2000. It’s already happening in the 356 Porsche market…The NEXT car to hit INVESTMENT GRADE will be air cooled 911’s. WATCH…It’s happening right now…It just takes TIME for the HERD to catch on!!

It has already happened to Ferrari’s… Lambo’s are right now blowing through auction estimates at well over $100K for Countache’s that wouldn’t pull $50K 4 years ago. That’s a 100% return in 4 YEARS.

Buy 'em like you buy REAL ESTATE…A a BIG DISCOUNT…Then DRIVE 'EM!!!

[John_in_NC]

Ha, it’s funny you mentioned the fog lights. I was just looking at those a few nights ago. I wanted some yellow ones to go on our 356. I couldn’t believe the price for them!

[ozm11]

I guess I can enjoy my car now with peace of mind if I drive off the mountain knowing where I will be going hereafter

[fdjake]

John,

Try this guy…

www.taillightking.com

Look under Fog/driving lights in the left side column

He sells a really sweet vintage yellow 4 3/4 inch fog light that is a dead ringer for those Marchal/Hella/Bosch units but they cost $70 brand new!!!

Order the mounting brackets for a Vintage VW beetle and, you can install those fogs on the front bumper bracket and never touch the front bumper of your car. the beauty of these suckers is you can remove them anytime and NO ONE would ever know they were there. Not a mark on your car!! AND…These are the EXACT same brackets Porsche used to mount those lights back in the day!

I just ordered a set for the Beck Speedster along with some leather hood straps and chrome headlight grilles. I’ll send you some pics when I get everything installed.

If you need the part number for those fog lights it is…C364001UP

[fdjake]

@ozm post:31

I guess I can enjoy my car now with peace of mind if I drive off the mountain knowing where I will be going hereafter

I didn’t mean to offend you…All I’m saying is this.

Every single corner of this PLANET has people that believe THEIR version of “heaven” or the “after life” is the RIGHT ONE.

I think there’d be a whole lot less killin’ an mamin’ if instead of arguing over WHAT COMES AFTER, we all just worried about how we treat each other HERE!!

Enjoy your time HERE folks because whatever waits for us later…DOES NOT include Porsches and mountain roads. So if you LIKE those things…Get 'em while you’re HERE!!!

[REIER]

hate imports, so you can keep your homework and shove your Subaru rice box up you know where because I have never owned an import and never will.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh…yes a rice box would be too “whimpy” for you. You just LOVE riding around in that 1981 red TRANS AM with that big FLAMING bird on the hood you get to hug every night before putting her away wispering “daddy loves ya.” OH YEAH, GIT ER DUN!! And I’m sure you are the envy of the block riding around in it while sporting that fashionable mullet and pink tank top. No back yard keg party is complete with out you!!

Oh, and I’m sure you’ve got the GRAND DADDY of all bumper stickers on it
http://wastetimepost.com/Beer-Helping-Ugly-People-Get-Laid-Since-1862.html

And FDJake didn't contradict me on the inspections. I said the dealership doesn't make money on inspections, they make money on the repairs. Jake said they don't make money on the inspections, the experienced mechanics make money on the repairs like when they change a fuel pump in one hour and bill for three because the book says it's a three hour job.

Now you’re just reaching for straws. The whole point of your post was to point out that by going to a dealer it would fix my whole delema of buying a 30 year old porsche long distance, now you want to turn this into a dealer not making money from an inspection? You just don’t know when to quit, do you? For once, why don’t you just admit you have no clue what you are talking about…I think everyone would respect you much more at this point. :flush

[REIER]

@fdjake post:29

REIER,

That Ford straight 6 is probably THE BEST motor ever made by a car company!!! I’ve had F-150’s with that engine and they still ran dead quiet with 400K miles on them. BULLET PROOF MOTOR!

As for those air cooled 911’s…

It’s a complicated motor in some ways, and in others very simple. The one thing that is undeniable is the COST to rebuild that engine…Figure $10,000 to properly rebuild a 911 engine into anything reliable.
That sounds shocking at first, but here’s the deal…There are TON’s of these cars out there, purchased by people who are no where near as savvy as you. They buy them WITHOUT knowing anything about the costs, and they eventually PAY!! It gets to the point where some of these folks literally HATE the sight of their cars. They hate them because they see their MONEY and their MISTAKES…THESE are the cars you can get great deals on!!!

Your Subaru analogy is PERFECT!!! And that’s EXACTLY what happens to uneducated buyers.

Join the PCA…It’s filled with great people who are HAPPY to share their knowledge with new or potential buyers. You’ll learn a TON about these cars and REALLY appreciate how OVER BUILT these older air cooled Porsches are. These cars were literally HAND BUILT, the engines are like swiss watches, and parts are designed to be REBUILT over and over. They DO NOT build cars like this anymore. At some point in the future, these GEMS are going to really move up in price. Look at E-type Jags…I LOVE these cars, but they are GARBAGE compared to a PORSCHE 911 of the same vintage.
E-types now command $100,000 +++ for excellent examples. The cars are STILL a pain in the ass…The LEAK every fluid on earth, the electrical systems SUCK, and even restored, they are NOT reliable. 911’s by comparison, will hand an E-type it’s ASS on a twisty road, RARELY if EVER break down, have electrical systems straight out of a PANZER TANK, and they CURRENTLY sell for $13,000 to $20,000 for a really nice unrestored, original car!!!

HUGELY UNDER VALUED (IMHO)

Get 'em NOW, before the HERD reads about it in the WALL ST. JOURNAL when they hit $50K and the STAMPEDE really starts!!! Here’s how this works…These cars will quietly work their way up to $50K and at some point, some DOPE at the WSJ will do a story about how his friends 911 has out performed his 401K…At that point IT’S OVER…Every NIT WIT with a checking account will be OVER PAYING for these cars.

And ole JAKE will be UNLOADING to ALL OF THEM!!! (of coarse I’ll keep some really nice ones for myself) I’m up to 13 as of today!!!

Think I’m kidding???

Even CRAP E-types needing complete restorations pull $40K today…

So that 911 with the blown tranny I grabbed for $3000 last week with a PERFECT body and INTERIOR will be sold to some DOPE for a LOT more than I paid for it a few years from now. It’s sitting in a storage unit right now next to it’s brothers and sisters.

I look at this along the same lines as investing in ANTIQUES…You buy them, they SIT somewhere, and at some point if you know what your doing and take care of your ANTIQUES…Your ANTIQUES will eventually TAKE CARE OF YOU!!! The difference HERE is…I can park my ass in a Colonial Era Rocking Chair or a 1960’s RECARO bolted to a 1960’s 911T and have a LOT more fun in that PORSCHE than that rocking chair!!!

Think this is a JOKE???

Take a peak at EBAY under Porsche 356 FOG LIGHTS and look at several sets of original Marchal Fog lights selling for $1200 a set!!! Or original “banjo” style Porsche steering wheels from the same era going for $2000. It’s already happening in the 356 Porsche market…The NEXT car to hit INVESTMENT GRADE will be air cooled 911’s. WATCH…It’s happening right now…It just takes TIME for the HERD to catch on!!

It has already happened to Ferrari’s… Lambo’s are right now blowing through auction estimates at well over $100K for Countache’s that wouldn’t pull $50K 4 years ago. That’s a 100% return in 4 YEARS.

Buy 'em like you buy REAL ESTATE…A a BIG DISCOUNT…Then DRIVE 'EM!!!

I agree, It’s only got about 86k on it (it’s a 1996, last year they made those trucks with that engine) and it has never let me down. I’ve worked it pretty hard with those low miles. I’ve pulled all kinds of things with it and it seems to have more torque then some V8’s! I know a lot of mechanics who cut their teeth off these engines. All I gotta do is keep the frame from rusting and it should last a long time.

It's a complicated motor in some ways, and in others very simple. The one thing that is undeniable is the COST to rebuild that engine....Figure $10,000 to properly rebuild a 911 engine into anything reliable. That sounds shocking at first, but here's the deal....There are TON's of these cars out there, purchased by people who are no where near as savvy as you. They buy them WITHOUT knowing anything about the costs, and they eventually PAY!! It gets to the point where some of these folks literally HATE the sight of their cars. They hate them because they see their MONEY and their MISTAKES......THESE are the cars you can get great deals on!!!!

Exactly my point in asking the questions to begin with, I don’t want to be the last guy standing when the music stops. I’d rather try to find a car that’s already had the work done and the seller needing the money, than the car needing the work.

Join the PCA.....It's filled with great people who are HAPPY to share their knowledge with new or potential buyers. You'll learn a TON about these cars and REALLY appreciate how OVER BUILT these older air cooled Porsches are. These cars were literally HAND BUILT, the engines are like swiss watches, and parts are designed to be REBUILT over and over. They DO NOT build cars like this anymore. At some point in the future, these GEMS are going to really move up in price.

I’ll certainly look into it, I enjoy knowing as much as possible especially if something like this is an investment. I’ve wanted one of these cars since being a teenager. I still have the Porsche car magazines I used to buy and drool on. And I want to point out you've been correct about quite a few predictions so far and you sure do know your cars.

[fdjake]

Thanks for the kind words.

I would put an ad on craigslist in your area. Something like:

WANTED: Air cooled Porsche 911’s…CASH BUYER 555-555-5555

You’ll be surprised how many calls you’ll get.

Another option is to run an ad on www.pelicanparts.com

This is top notch Porsche parts retailer that has a great web site. Put an ad on there looking for a local 911. TON’s of PCA members and hard core Porsche owners scan that website everyday. All you need to do is find a local guy at the right time and you can end up with a really nice, well maintained car!

Once last thing…

Buy this book…101 projects for your Porsche 911 by Wayne Dempsey (the owner and founder of Pelican Parts!). The book is in paper back and includes literally every single system on a 911, projected repair costs for those systems, do it yourself detailed instructions for these repairs and COUNTLESS detailed color pictures. I guarantee it will be the best $30 you’ll ever spend on a Porsche. You’re a gearhead like me so YOU’LL LOVE all the details!!! The chapter on buying used 911’s by itself is priceless.

Happy hunting!!!

[John_in_NC]

@fdjake post:32

John,

Try this guy…

www.taillightking.com

Look under Fog/driving lights in the left side column

He sells a really sweet vintage yellow 4 3/4 inch fog light that is a dead ringer for those Marchal/Hella/Bosch units but they cost $70 brand new!!!

Order the mounting brackets for a Vintage VW beetle and, you can install those fogs on the front bumper bracket and never touch the front bumper of your car. the beauty of these suckers is you can remove them anytime and NO ONE would ever know they were there. Not a mark on your car!! AND…These are the EXACT same brackets Porsche used to mount those lights back in the day!

I just ordered a set for the Beck Speedster along with some leather hood straps and chrome headlight grilles. I’ll send you some pics when I get everything installed.

If you need the part number for those fog lights it is…C364001UP

Awesome thanks again for the advice FDJake! I’ll look into this first thing in the morning. Have you seen this video? It is what inspired me to buy fog lights: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Du59JXG-gIU

I’m with you on the 911SC’s and value. But even if it doesn’t, I still can’t believe how much car I got for 13K! Nothing better than downshifting through busy Bar District nearby, and watching all the heads turn. It sounds awesome! I don’t care if they go down to 5K in value. I love driving my 911 more than any car i’ve ever driven before, and that definitely includes the 356. Thanks for introducing me to them.

[fdjake]

Great Video!!! Love the look.

As for the SOUND of an air cooled 911???

N O T H I N G like it in the automotive world. Part turbine, part race car, ALL GOOD!

What you described is no longer available from Porsche at any price…OVER ENGINEERED, OVER BUILT, QUALITY!!!

At some point in time…The rest of the automotive world will catch on. By then it’ll be too late for anyone that isn’t rich. As prices rise you’ll see LESS and LESS of these cars on the road. It’s a shame really. BUT…There’s a window of opportunity here. You were smart enough to grab a really nice example of not ONE but two classic Porsches. They are BOTH great investments.

[jmd_forest]

I had a 69 911T for a while many years ago and it was an absolute BLAST to drive. I bought it in pieces out of some guy’s garage who got in too far over his head. I spent a year of weekends rebuilding the engine, carbs, and reinforcing the body where it had rusted away. With a new coat of “arrest me red” paint it was a beautiful specimen. Had a 68 Jag coupe also and fdjake’s assessment is right on the money, compared to any Porsche the Jags are just a problem waiting to happen.

The early 911s and all the 356s are prone to serious rust problems so that is something to be aware of when doing you due diligence. I’ve always wanted a 356 but the ones in my price range were always horrible rust buckets.

Although they don’t hold up as investments, Porsche 944s, especially the turbo, are one hell of a car. You won’t win any races (except maybe with a chipped turbo unit) but they are still strikingly beautiful, handle like a dream and can be bought for practically pennies. My 16 year old son and I bought am 86 944 NA in rough shape for $500 and spent 9 months of weekends together teaching him mechanics and bodywork putting it into near perfect “daily driver” condition. For a total of $2500 he had the coolest car at school. What never crossed his mind but what Dad knew was it was a underpowered 4 cylinder built like a tank that you couldn’t pile a bunch of kids into.

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh196/jmd_forest/Porsche%20944/pc240025.jpg
http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh196/jmd_forest/Porsche%20944/pc240027.jpg
http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh196/jmd_forest/Porsche%20944/pc240024.jpg

[fdjake]

The 944 is WAY under rated…Great handling car, perfectly balanced!! Back in the day, Road and Track called the 944 THE BEST handling car sold in the USA.

Brilliant choice for a father/son project car!!!

For those of you looking for a used 911…stick to the 1978 and newer cars with fully galvanized bodies…Rust isn’t as big of a problem in these cars.