Can you really buy a useable 924 for under £1k

[popov123]

Following on from the Wheeler dealer programme where he bought and tinkered with a 924, and, quite a few private 924's being available for around the grand mark -

Do you guys think that you can reasonably expect to pick up one of these appreciating classics up for banger money and it actually be 'OK' as a general hack???

I have a friend who would love to join the porsche owning fraternity following the arrival of my 911. I was half tempted to look out for one myself as a general everyday runabout.

Your opinions greatfully received.

[dern]

I'd imagine it's down to the individual car and whether you expect it to run for long periods without needing money spent on it.

I bought an old 944 and it's done 10k miles in a year but I have needed to put new shocks and bushes on it and I'm waiting for some new driveshaft cvs to replace my recently collapsed ones as I write this and it'll need valve guides done at some point... if you're good with spanners then you may get away with it but if you aren't I wouldn't bother.

Mark

Edited to add: just seen you've got an old 911 so it'll be more of the same I expect but the 924 may have been cherished less (not that cherished means it'll be reliable obviously).

>> Edited by dern on Wednesday 24th November 20:44

[popov123]

Cheers Dern,

I dont think anyone should honestly expect an 'older' car to just run without some kind of mechanical intervention / fettling along the way...You can of course buy an old hack and run it into the ground but that wasnt what I was getting at with the 924 idea.

Having thought about this, Im now thinking its probably a bad idea to encourage my friend in the direction of a Porsche as he is bound to neglect it, and the poor thing will wind up in scrap yard a lot quicker than perhaps it might have done otherwise - much like every car he has owned thus far...

As you spotted, I have an older 911 so realistically my own budget is probably spoken for
I do like my toys though...

[dern]

I dread to think how much mine would have cost to rectify quite simple stuff at a specialist/dealers so I think you may be right if he isn't on the ball with the spanners... mine's sitting on the driveway at the moment waiting for new driveshaft cvs to be delivered - old cars eh?

Your 911 looks lovely by the way

Regards,

Mark

[hugh924]

Definitely yes!
I bought a 924 two years ago for £1000 (from a trader) and it has been fairly reliable and cheap to run - total cost to get it through two MOT's was £4.99!
I am running it as a mid life crisis second car for 3000 miles per year - probably too old to use as a main 'get you to work every day without fail' car but a lot of practical fun for not a lot of cash.

[popov123]

dern said:

I dread to think how much mine would have cost to rectify quite simple stuff at a specialist/dealers so I think you may be right if he isn't on the ball with the spanners... mine's sitting on the driveway at the moment waiting for new driveshaft cvs to be delivered - old cars eh? Interesting, I really should get someone to show me how to handle a spanner or two - Im sure it would save me a bundle in the long run and give me much more confidence and enjoyment from the whole experience. Your 911 looks lovely by the way Thanks Mark - I do try and keep her looking well - sadly as per my other recent threads, I appear to have been a little over keen with the bucket and sponge and soaked something under the whale tail and landed myself with some lumpy running. Fingers crossed my run in to the local specialist tomorrow will confirm its just a new dizzy cap and nothing more sinister required. Cheers - Dom.

[dern]

popov123 said:

Interesting, I really should get someone to show me how to handle a spanner or two - Im sure it would save me a bundle in the long run and give me much more confidence and enjoyment from the whole experience.

It's mostly about having the right kit and the confidence to use it. I started out helping my father in law do some stuff on my early cars (old citroens) and then started building up tools and doing more stuff myself. Ten years on I do enjoy doing the work myself although admitedly you probably wouldn't get that impression if you walked in mid swear session

Mark

[popov123]

dern said:

popov123 said: Interesting, I really should get someone to show me how to handle a spanner or two - Im sure it would save me a bundle in the long run and give me much more confidence and enjoyment from the whole experience. It's mostly about having the right kit and the confidence to use it. I started out helping my father in law do some stuff on my early cars (old citroens) and then started building up tools and doing more stuff myself. Ten years on I do enjoy doing the work myself although admitedly you probably wouldn't get that impression if you walked in mid swear session Mark

I bought a herald 13/60 conv some years ago which needed putting back together. I figured it would be a great way to learn a little more about basic mechanics, and as they are so easy to work on, would be a good starting point for a novice such as myself. Unfortunately / fortunately (depending on how you want look at it), my girlfirend's (at the time) dad was quite into his cars as well and had plenty of time on his hands, so he finished putting it back together and had it running and ready for mot before I'd even laid a spanner on it... I didnt complain and just drove the thing but it didnt teach me much - other than how to re-attach the throttle pedal cable very quickly at traffic lights

I still toy with the idea of going on a basic mechanics course, but my shift work patterns dont really allow me to attend anything on a set day basis like that.