Porsche Used Car Advice

BUYING YOUR FIRST PORSCHE
As one of the first sports cars that could be enjoyed on all Australian roads without breaking, Porsche has become the holy grail for many Australian car enthusiasts of all generations. Two-times 911 owner, Joe Kenwright looks at the reality of used Porsche ownership.

HISTORY
An evening's scrolling through the hundreds of Porsche ads on CarPoint can soon have you salivating. You will find a good selection of used 911s for the same price as a five-year-old Commodore. Or a 928 supercar for the same money as an older HSV ClubSport. Or a 944 for the same money as a Toyota Corolla. So why wouldn't you buy your first Porsche?

It all depends on what you want it to do. Not everyone buys a Porsche to drive on the open road. And not everyone who can afford to buy one, can afford to look after it.

Because Porsche ownership is such a personal thing, I am not entirely neutral in this matter either.

I have owned a 1973 Porsche 911E 2.4 with factory Recaros, forged alloys, sunroof and rear wiper in the most beautiful navy blue. It was almost new and shared a garage with a VW Superbug from the same era. I can't remember any other car that delivered such a buzz from the day I picked it up. Yet when I revisited an immaculate example of the same model several decades later, I found myself wondering what all the fuss was about. To afford it, I placed a lot of other things on hold which in retrospect was not so clever.

It's not uncommon for some Porsche owners to drive the latest model but to live in a bedsit so they can afford it. I never reached that point but be prepared: Porsche ownership can be addictive. Treat it as a reward for getting some basic financial building blocks in place and you can't go wrong. The ads are littered with non-runners at giveaway prices because their owners just can't afford the latest repair. Porsche bills can quickly run up to five figures if an engine blows or the body is rotten.

Because I was so happy with my 1973 model, I couldn't wait to get into a near-new 1979 Porsche 911 SC with factory front and rear spoilers, sunroof, forged alloys with Pirelli P7s, factory Recaros and air-con in Guards red. Despite its new condition and pin-up poster looks, it was a disappointment. It had lost the sharp mechanical feel of my earlier car and was slower. I sold it after a Mazda RX-7 Turbo company car seemed to do most things better. Australia provided advance warning of Japan's slick new sports models but Porsche HQ ignored it. Australian Porsche sales collapsed taking the much-loved Hamilton's organization with it. This explains the relative shortage of good locally-delivered 911 examples between my 911SC and the first of the 993 series.

After I confronted the big parts costs, this is the second thing I learnt about Porsches. Later is not always better. Like many Porsche fans, I left the fold during this era and have only since come back to take a closer look after the 993 and the Boxster arrived. So strap yourself in for a highly personalized, very subjective look at why you might or might not buy your first Porsche if you have up to $60,000 burning a hole in your pocket.

IT WILL MAKE YOU LOOK GOOD
That's the third thing I learnt. Driving a Porsche makes a statement and not always a good one. In the '70s when I owned my first 911, most people shook their heads in sympathy because you were silly enough to spend so much money on a flash VW. The fact that a Porsche made no sense to most drivers was a perverse part of its appeal.

By the time I owned my second, the looks were rather more sinister. As they peered into the driver's seat, was I the one who ripped off their building society funds or supplied their daughter her last fix? Porsches became a symbol of conspicuous consumption for owners who carefully cultivated a look of not giving a toss as they spent other people's money. Ending up with a neglected yuppy repo is still a problem.

Porsche ownership still has an aftertaste of that era so be ready for it if you are expecting instant kudos after buying a Porsche. It ensures that any Porsche attracts more than its fair share of vandalism so forget it if you don't have secure parking. My solution to stress-free Porsche ownership was to always own a second car and keep the Porsche out of sight.

For certain owners, a Porsche is still more important as a badge of wealth, than a purist sports car. There is an industry in updating old Porsches to look like something they are not. Even Porsche does it with their own Turbo body upgrades. At first, old 911s had to look like a Turbo. Later, there was a rush in making old 911s look like a 964 or 993. If looking good for the least amount of money is your bag, stop reading now and start scrutinising the wide selection of early 911 examples under $30,000 that look like a Turbo or a 1989 964 C2 or even a 1994 993.

Be aware that it no longer makes sense to transform a perfect, original early 911 into a late model 'look-alike' and halve its value for no reason. If it has been in a big hit or written-off or was a rusty import, it can actually be cheaper to repair it with fiberglass copies of later model panels. It can also be very difficult to determine exactly how these late model 'look-alikes' left the factory if the drivetrain, interior and exterior details no longer tally with the body ID. They can be still be good buying but only if the makeover has been done well. Some imports have also been converted from left-hand drive.

Their future worth depends entirely on finding another buyer who wants an old 911 that looks like a newer one. As all pre-1997 911 examples start to blend into the same earlier look, upgraded exterior details may soon cease to be an advantage. The cost of returning a lookalike to its original specification so you can find a buyer may not be worth it. Already, owners of early 911s that were painted red to hide psychedelic 1970s colours are respraying their cars in the original colour for optimum resale.

If you are into making a statement, the Porsche 944 and 928 are not always seen as the real deal, although both are outstanding cars and better than the 911 in many ways. Even Porsche had to drop the idea of replacing the 911 with either of these.

WOMEN AND PORSCHES
This is the fourth point I learnt. Blokes talk about Porsches with such reverence that some women anticipate an amazing magic carpet that transforms road travel. Most expect something like a Jaguar XJS. What they get usually, is a car that is unbelievably noisy, a ride so harsh that you can feel each tyre cross a gumleaf on the road, and depending on driver, a feeling that this could be the last trip they ever take. And if they need fresh air to counteract nausea from the cornering forces or acceleration, most early 911s only deliver a trickle.

By 1973 standards, my first 911 with its factory wheels and baggy tyres was well ahead of most sports cars in the ride and handling department. It was also fun to drive and with its relatively low levels of adhesion, supple ride and smooth acceleration, it was gentle on passengers. My girlfriend at the time loved it. Later models with low profile tyres tend to tramline and bump-thump badly which does nothing for passenger comfort. Even male passengers hated my second 911. By 2005 standards, a 1980s 911 can feel primitive.

Even if they come to terms with the rest of the car, you can understand why so many women say no thanks when most 911 drivers struggle to coordinate the delay in a 911 throttle, gear change and clutch. An increasing number of women realize they are better off in the driver's seat and buy their own Porsches.

HELPFUL HINT
If you must drive a 911 manual and you want to see your passenger again, watch their upper body in your peripheral vision as you accelerate and change gear. If your passenger's head is being thrown forwards and backwards each time you change gear, you'll soon be driving solo.

A 1995 993 RS ready for competition is quieter and more refined, rides better and is more passenger friendly than virtually any roadgoing 911 before it. This highlights the gap in pre-1994 911 models. If owning an early 911 requires the support of a female partner, staying with the standard wheels and tyres is a good starting point. Most women will tolerate the 928 because it's quieter and the more common auto can be quite smooth but some will complain about the ride around town. The ride/handling balance of the 944 is a good compromise between the two.

I have found the only Porsche that gets a consistent female vote is the Boxster which can now be found under $60,000. I have driven three different examples with a cross-section of female passengers and they have all loved the effortless feel, the restrained noise levels, smooth ride and absolute feeling of security. But what they all value most is the power roof that can be closed up at the instant they have had enough of being exposed to the elements. For many drivers, these qualities dilute what makes the best Porsche 911 models so special. It is at this point that you need to decide whether you are buying a Porsche for your needs as a driver or the mutual enjoyment of a regular passenger.

If image matters, the original 911 shape can be seen by some women as yesterday's Porsche or a hairshirted old car for tossers trying to recapture lost youth. Even Porsche was forced to counter this with the 996 series while building in extra levels of comfort, space and refinement. Yet the purists who drive prices in the used market, place a premium on certain older models. Chasing an image in a car can be futile as it can also change overnight.

A PORSCHE FOR ROAD AND CLUB USE
There is a very clear hierarchy in Porsche models determined by their success in club competition. If it's important for you to be competitive, choose the model that best suits your style of driving and budget.

The cheapest and fastest club racing entry ticket used to be a pre-1973 small bumper 911 upgraded to 1973 Carrera RS (157kW) specifications. After keeping my 1973 911E in mint, original condition, I was shocked to see it later as a highly modified, stripped-out road racer. These pre-galvanised body shells were much lighter and more agile than later cars but they can be hiding extensive rust. Because prices for a pre-1973 911 in original condition have climbed so high, this is no longer a cheap entry into club competition unless you buy an existing car that has already been converted.

The rare big bumper pre-1976 Carrera 2.7 (157kW) and Carrera 3.0-litre (149kW) are also favourites hence their big dollar price tickets. So effective is the Carrera 3.0-litre that serious club racers will convert an unwanted Sportomatic into a manual if they need to.

Porsche 911 power outputs then took a big dive from the first 911SC (134kW) with new emissions laws. It is not unusual for a pre-1984 911 SC to be upgraded for competition when the rest of the driveline is better than earlier 911s. A 1977-83 911SC with its galvanised body and an upgraded engine from a later model may in fact be today's cheapest and most reliable combination of road and track car.

Although 911SC outputs later went up, they did not advance until 1984 with the Carrera 3.2 (170kW) upgrade. This 1984-85 Carrera 3.2 is still highly sought after and resale has barely dropped in almost a decade. By 1986, the Carrera 3.2 was pegged back to 152kW with the switch to unleaded fuel.

The 964 Carrera 2 from 1989 was boosted to 186kW and the rare 964 Carrera RS (191kW) is a serious track mount but a harsh and noisy road car. The ultimate early 911 is the rare track version of the 993 Carrera RS (221kW) and is priced accordingly. The last 1996 993 Carrera (212kW) with Varioram and six-speed manual but with the standard, lighter body, not the heavier S, is also highly competitive hence its skewed pricing over other 993 models. Only an early base 964 Carrera 2 will come in under the $60,000 budget after 1989.

Although the various 911 Turbo models are quicker than the non-turbo 911 models, they don't always work better as a track car. It is best to consult club experts before committing to a 911 Turbo for competition. Later 944 Turbo models and the lightweight 968 CS are also very effective club competition models and well within the $60,000 budget. The last 928 GTS models when specified with the rare manual transmission can be very fast with 257kW and 500Nm despite the 928's extra weight but generally sell for over $60,000.