1989 Carrera 3.2 to 718 Cayman GTS 4.0?
Discussion
I've had my 3.2 for 17 years and its not going anywhere - I've had modern Porsches along the way amongst other quick stuff and there remains something unique and wonderful about it.
..part of that wonder is also how bulletproof it is - as long as you keep the rot away and keep up with maintaining it you can drive it anywhere with complete confidence. The Cayman is an excellent car but it has an impermanence about it that contrasts starkly with the anvil like build quality on the 3.2.
..part of that wonder is also how bulletproof it is - as long as you keep the rot away and keep up with maintaining it you can drive it anywhere with complete confidence. The Cayman is an excellent car but it has an impermanence about it that contrasts starkly with the anvil like build quality on the 3.2.
ettore said:
I've had my 3.2 for 17 years and its not going anywhere - I've had modern Porsches along the way amongst other quick stuff and there remains something unique and wonderful about it.
..part of that wonder is also how bulletproof it is - as long as you keep the rot away and keep up with maintaining it you can drive it anywhere with complete confidence. The Cayman is an excellent car but it has an impermanence about it that contrasts starkly with the anvil like build quality on the 3.2.
Its interesting but when I drove a 997 GT3, it felt just like driving my 3.2 It needed the same delicacy in transferring the weight to kill understeer and bringing it backwards to make the most of the traction out of a corner..part of that wonder is also how bulletproof it is - as long as you keep the rot away and keep up with maintaining it you can drive it anywhere with complete confidence. The Cayman is an excellent car but it has an impermanence about it that contrasts starkly with the anvil like build quality on the 3.2.
Just faster.
Gary C said:
Its interesting but when I drove a 997 GT3, it felt just like driving my 3.2 It needed the same delicacy in transferring the weight to kill understeer and bringing it backwards to make the most of the traction out of a corner
Just faster.
I’d agree with that, I had a 997 GT3 and loved it - the benefit of the 3.2 is that you can do it at speeds that would merely maim rather than kill !Just faster.
Oh, and the ride is much better.
ettore said:
Gary C said:
Its interesting but when I drove a 997 GT3, it felt just like driving my 3.2 It needed the same delicacy in transferring the weight to kill understeer and bringing it backwards to make the most of the traction out of a corner
Just faster.
I’d agree with that, I had a 997 GT3 and loved it - the benefit of the 3.2 is that you can do it at speeds that would merely maim rather than kill !Just faster.
Oh, and the ride is much better.
I guarantee if you buy the newer car you will after a week or two feel like your driving just any other car albeit a very capable one.
Modern Porsches just don’t have the character of the aircooled cars although I would consider a cheaper 987 boxster/Cayman to blatt about in as a very good compromise.
A well sourced sorted one will give you 90% of the smiles of the GTS for very little money..probably 18 months worth of the depreciation on the GTS..
g7jhp said:
What's the spec of your 3.2 Carrera?
It's guards red with the black 16in Fuchs wheels, G50 manual, 91k miles, cream leather interior with red piping, elec sunroof, black interior roof lining, all original apart from a new cat-back exhaust system recently (the original exhaust failed the most recent MOT because of a hole the size of a golf ball in it; I suppose not bad for 34 years old), full service history which I've read a few times and is fascinating. My late father was the third ownermany thanks to all of you for your replies - it's definitely given me food for thought and has made me appreciate just how well-regarded these 3.2 Carreras are, so cheers 
I went to a local Porsche meet on the weekend and got chatting to one of the members who asked "has the top-end been rebuilt? Any 3.2 Carrera that's still on the original top-end the closer it gets to 120,000 miles has done well" - never heard of this before
he came across as very knowledgeable but wasn't sure if he was chatting rubbish? I thought these engines were bullet-proof if maintained regularly
I went to a local Porsche meet on the weekend and got chatting to one of the members who asked "has the top-end been rebuilt? Any 3.2 Carrera that's still on the original top-end the closer it gets to 120,000 miles has done well" - never heard of this before
he came across as very knowledgeable but wasn't sure if he was chatting rubbish? I thought these engines were bullet-proof if maintained regularlyThey are, although everything needs looking after eventually. If it’s not burning oil then it’s absolutely fine - the top end eventually needs doing but it’s not at some arbitrary limit - many go way beyond 150k. It’s also not a terminally expensive thing (a few months Cayman depreciation).
I really wouldn’t worry about it.
I really wouldn’t worry about it.
ettore said:
They are, although everything needs looking after eventually. If it’s not burning oil then it’s absolutely fine - the top end eventually needs doing but it’s not at some arbitrary limit - many go way beyond 150k. It’s also not a terminally expensive thing (a few months Cayman depreciation).
I really wouldn’t worry about it.
Very nicely put.I really wouldn’t worry about it.
Update:
On the weekend I went to my local OPC and talked ‘sell on behalf’ and the process; much better than I thought – flat fee of NZ$10k (£5k) plus VAT all up and that’s it. (I’m in New Zealand).
They also had a 993 Carrera 2S out back being prepared for SOR. It was all fairly positive.
I said I would get the stone chips on the front bumper sorted, paint correction all over, fully detailed inside and out and will be in touch.
I also went to another independent dealer down the road who only sells rare enthusiast cars over £50k and they said they would sell on behalf for the same rate of NZ$10k (£5k) plus VAT. They asked me how much I thought the car was worth, I told them “well it’s insured for NZ$xxxxxx but ultimately it’s what someone is willing to pay… how much do you think it’s worth? What would you advertise it for?”
And they kind of ummed and ahhed and then low-balled me a bit by NZ$30k / £15k and said the air-cooled market has softened slightly recently(?) on pre-964 stuff. Fwiw, a Carrera 3.2 here recently sold for £5k less than my ballpark figure and it was two years older, black on black and had 30,000 miles more than mine… I told them that and they didn’t say anything.
Maybe they weren’t so keen on it taking up showroom space for potentially a couple of months or longer… which is understandable if they can move their own stock on quicker, plus these uncertain economic times and the next few months are going to be VERY interesting to say the least. They did seem very honest in the sense that they advised me to hold fire for a few months and wait to see how the market goes then get in touch if I’m still keen, because i might not maximise the sale otherwise. Which is fair enough
On the weekend I went to my local OPC and talked ‘sell on behalf’ and the process; much better than I thought – flat fee of NZ$10k (£5k) plus VAT all up and that’s it. (I’m in New Zealand).
They also had a 993 Carrera 2S out back being prepared for SOR. It was all fairly positive.
I said I would get the stone chips on the front bumper sorted, paint correction all over, fully detailed inside and out and will be in touch.
I also went to another independent dealer down the road who only sells rare enthusiast cars over £50k and they said they would sell on behalf for the same rate of NZ$10k (£5k) plus VAT. They asked me how much I thought the car was worth, I told them “well it’s insured for NZ$xxxxxx but ultimately it’s what someone is willing to pay… how much do you think it’s worth? What would you advertise it for?”
And they kind of ummed and ahhed and then low-balled me a bit by NZ$30k / £15k and said the air-cooled market has softened slightly recently(?) on pre-964 stuff. Fwiw, a Carrera 3.2 here recently sold for £5k less than my ballpark figure and it was two years older, black on black and had 30,000 miles more than mine… I told them that and they didn’t say anything.
Maybe they weren’t so keen on it taking up showroom space for potentially a couple of months or longer… which is understandable if they can move their own stock on quicker, plus these uncertain economic times and the next few months are going to be VERY interesting to say the least. They did seem very honest in the sense that they advised me to hold fire for a few months and wait to see how the market goes then get in touch if I’m still keen, because i might not maximise the sale otherwise. Which is fair enough
A44RON said:
Update:
On the weekend I went to my local OPC and talked ‘sell on behalf’ and the process; much better than I thought – flat fee of NZ$10k (£5k) plus VAT all up and that’s it. (I’m in New Zealand).
They also had a 993 Carrera 2S out back being prepared for SOR. It was all fairly positive.
I said I would get the stone chips on the front bumper sorted, paint correction all over, fully detailed inside and out and will be in touch.
I also went to another independent dealer down the road who only sells rare enthusiast cars over £50k and they said they would sell on behalf for the same rate of NZ$10k (£5k) plus VAT. They asked me how much I thought the car was worth, I told them “well it’s insured for NZ$xxxxxx but ultimately it’s what someone is willing to pay… how much do you think it’s worth? What would you advertise it for?”
And they kind of ummed and ahhed and then low-balled me a bit by NZ$30k / £15k and said the air-cooled market has softened slightly recently(?) on pre-964 stuff. Fwiw, a Carrera 3.2 here recently sold for £5k less than my ballpark figure and it was two years older, black on black and had 30,000 miles more than mine… I told them that and they didn’t say anything.
Maybe they weren’t so keen on it taking up showroom space for potentially a couple of months or longer… which is understandable if they can move their own stock on quicker, plus these uncertain economic times and the next few months are going to be VERY interesting to say the least. They did seem very honest in the sense that they advised me to hold fire for a few months and wait to see how the market goes then get in touch if I’m still keen, because i might not maximise the sale otherwise. Which is fair enough
That feels very soft to me!On the weekend I went to my local OPC and talked ‘sell on behalf’ and the process; much better than I thought – flat fee of NZ$10k (£5k) plus VAT all up and that’s it. (I’m in New Zealand).
They also had a 993 Carrera 2S out back being prepared for SOR. It was all fairly positive.
I said I would get the stone chips on the front bumper sorted, paint correction all over, fully detailed inside and out and will be in touch.
I also went to another independent dealer down the road who only sells rare enthusiast cars over £50k and they said they would sell on behalf for the same rate of NZ$10k (£5k) plus VAT. They asked me how much I thought the car was worth, I told them “well it’s insured for NZ$xxxxxx but ultimately it’s what someone is willing to pay… how much do you think it’s worth? What would you advertise it for?”
And they kind of ummed and ahhed and then low-balled me a bit by NZ$30k / £15k and said the air-cooled market has softened slightly recently(?) on pre-964 stuff. Fwiw, a Carrera 3.2 here recently sold for £5k less than my ballpark figure and it was two years older, black on black and had 30,000 miles more than mine… I told them that and they didn’t say anything.
Maybe they weren’t so keen on it taking up showroom space for potentially a couple of months or longer… which is understandable if they can move their own stock on quicker, plus these uncertain economic times and the next few months are going to be VERY interesting to say the least. They did seem very honest in the sense that they advised me to hold fire for a few months and wait to see how the market goes then get in touch if I’m still keen, because i might not maximise the sale otherwise. Which is fair enough
Hard to say but if in A1 condition I'd put that car up for £65,000. Condition everything.
https://911virgin.com/listings/911-3-2-carrera-cou...
https://911virgin.com/listings/911-3-2-carrera-cou...
Gary C said:
Makes me wonder what mine is worth
1989 3.2 in red (carmine red, there is a book by Tony Corlett somewhere that states they didn't do the Carrera in guards red, but I don't know if that's true)
31K miles
FPSH
Officially it's India red but to me it looks identical to Guards so that's what I tell everyone it is.1989 3.2 in red (carmine red, there is a book by Tony Corlett somewhere that states they didn't do the Carrera in guards red, but I don't know if that's true)
31K miles
FPSH
Guess yours is worth the same as mine, 1985, one previous owner,
27K miles and FPSH
Not that it matters as I've had it since 2012 and not selling.
Sounds to me like the OP should keep it and most agree
IMI A said:
Hard to say but if in A1 condition I'd put that car up for £65,000. Condition everything.
https://911virgin.com/listings/911-3-2-carrera-cou...
£65k for that is strong money considering it's got over 30k miles more than mine and a less desirable colour combo...https://911virgin.com/listings/911-3-2-carrera-cou...
A44RON said:
IMI A said:
Hard to say but if in A1 condition I'd put that car up for £65,000. Condition everything.
https://911virgin.com/listings/911-3-2-carrera-cou...
£65k for that is strong money considering it's got over 30k miles more than mine and a less desirable colour combo...https://911virgin.com/listings/911-3-2-carrera-cou...
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