Cheapest way into 911 ownership
Discussion
Sadly need to sell the AC Schnizter as I am getting an X3 as part of a new job, so I fancy getting a cheap fun car (max £7.5k) to keep me happy at weekends.
I fancied a 968 or 944 but Jess thinks they are horrid so has suggested a 911 of some sort.
I have seen a few at this money but have no idea what I am lookig for!
Cheers
Chris
I fancied a 968 or 944 but Jess thinks they are horrid so has suggested a 911 of some sort.
I have seen a few at this money but have no idea what I am lookig for!
Cheers
Chris
968 is a very good choice IMHO, great poise and balance, and a lot of fun on the bends. 236 Bhp + 6 speed box and performed almost as well as the 911 of the day. Engines are strong too. Dark coloured cars still look contemporary. Possible weak spot is the gearbox I believe the same unit as the Audi S2 of the day and pin bearings can fail on high milers.
I think the 968 uses the Getrag 6 speed, different to the Audi sourced box in the 944 and without the usual maladies.
IMHO a very decent 944 S2/Turbo can be had for your budget, a tatty very high mile 968 coupe might just be within reach, but any 911 is likely to take up your weekends in home maintenance rather than driving pleasure. From what I've seen decent 911SC's start around £9-10K.
>> Edited by Buster44 on Wednesday 23 February 08:51
IMHO a very decent 944 S2/Turbo can be had for your budget, a tatty very high mile 968 coupe might just be within reach, but any 911 is likely to take up your weekends in home maintenance rather than driving pleasure. From what I've seen decent 911SC's start around £9-10K.
>> Edited by Buster44 on Wednesday 23 February 08:51
This might be an option, but still outside the £7.5k budget.
www.pistonheads.com/sales/detail.asp?i=36851&s=79
www.pistonheads.com/sales/detail.asp?i=36851&s=79
DO NOT DO THIS!
Once long ago I owned a very old, very cheap, and very loveable 911. But the purchase price PALED into INSIGNIFICANCE with the cost of maintenance, repair, oil consumption.
Don't get me wrong - I have some very, very happy memories. But I paid a LOT of money for a car that I was actually able to use very little.
Either spend more - or consider something else.
For 7.5K there are a host of amusing cars out there to put a smile on your face at the weekend. Why not try looking for a well used but not abused Caterfield of some sort.
Once long ago I owned a very old, very cheap, and very loveable 911. But the purchase price PALED into INSIGNIFICANCE with the cost of maintenance, repair, oil consumption.
Don't get me wrong - I have some very, very happy memories. But I paid a LOT of money for a car that I was actually able to use very little.
Either spend more - or consider something else.
For 7.5K there are a host of amusing cars out there to put a smile on your face at the weekend. Why not try looking for a well used but not abused Caterfield of some sort.
Blimey have you messed up badly at work? the X3 as a company car is a bit of harsh punishment whatever you did 
Cheapest posible way in is a LHD 2.7 lux. But there is a reason for that- they are slow & the 2.7 in that form doesnt have the best reputation for relibility.
An SC is about the best to look for & £7.5K 'could' bag a decent RHD, tho you would have to look very carefully & there is a heck of a lot of dross out there that coudl easily cost several times the purchace price to get propely sorted.
Cheapest posible way in is a LHD 2.7 lux. But there is a reason for that- they are slow & the 2.7 in that form doesnt have the best reputation for relibility.
An SC is about the best to look for & £7.5K 'could' bag a decent RHD, tho you would have to look very carefully & there is a heck of a lot of dross out there that coudl easily cost several times the purchace price to get propely sorted.
If LHD is acceptable (I have a LHD 996TT and have no issues with LHD in the UK) try...
http://tinyurl.com/53ddy
Cyrus
>> Edited by domster on Wednesday 23 February 10:11
http://tinyurl.com/53ddy
Cyrus
>> Edited by domster on Wednesday 23 February 10:11
Chris, I'm not sure you can buy/run a decent 911 for what you'll get for the Schnitzer. You are looking at 10-12k entry really, as the cheaper LHD 911s may need sorting out. I know a decent 964C2 in the trade that may be available for that kind of dosh and won't need much spending on it. But it will still be a grand or so more a year than the Schnitzer to run, I should think. So if you'll need 13k and the BMW is worth 16-17k, why bother? You've spent shedloads on the Schnitzer, it's really unique, mega bling (the way you like it homeboy) and handles like a dream. You'll need to spend another 2k with Andrew at Car Limits when you put your arse in a 911 as well.
The 968 makes sense, but my guess is the Schnitzer will make it seem boring. You need 10-12k for a CS and even though a Sport is less, good ones cost nearly as much and they aren't that cheap to sort it you get one that needs its cams/belts/waterpump/PASpump doing.
Well cared for 944 Turbo for 7k, stripped out and caged for track use, perhaps? Or keep the Schnitzer and pimp out Jess.
The 968 makes sense, but my guess is the Schnitzer will make it seem boring. You need 10-12k for a CS and even though a Sport is less, good ones cost nearly as much and they aren't that cheap to sort it you get one that needs its cams/belts/waterpump/PASpump doing.
Well cared for 944 Turbo for 7k, stripped out and caged for track use, perhaps? Or keep the Schnitzer and pimp out Jess.
That car seems pretty good value to me - I don't recall seeing Porsche logo seats like that in a 911 of that age, but could be wrong...
Sounds like Don bought a lemon - easy to do, whether it's a 911 or 944 or 928 or...I think you get the picture.
Get an inspection done if you aren't confident about what you're looking at...this goes for a 944, 911, 928....you get the picture.
I wouldn't touch a 2.7 with a bargepole personally unless it was a Carrera.
I do know where there's a nice lhd 3.2 cabriolet for sale at 10 though.....
Sounds like Don bought a lemon - easy to do, whether it's a 911 or 944 or 928 or...I think you get the picture.
Get an inspection done if you aren't confident about what you're looking at...this goes for a 944, 911, 928....you get the picture.
I wouldn't touch a 2.7 with a bargepole personally unless it was a Carrera.
I do know where there's a nice lhd 3.2 cabriolet for sale at 10 though.....
cyrus1971 said:
If LHD is acceptable (I have a LHD 996TT and have no issues with LHD in the UK) try...
http://tinyurl.com/53ddy
Cyrus
Cyrus, you may find www.tinyurl.com indispensible for posting mobile.de links.
hughjayteens said:
I fancied a 968 or 944 but Jess thinks they are horrid so has suggested a 911 of some sort.
Chris
steady on!!
assume Jess is significant other. options include
1) ignore Jess - its your car
2) spend £24 on eye test for Jess
3) point out that good 944 leaves pleny in budget for fine wining and dining, whereas 7.5K for 911 leaves you in the garage late every night with a silly torch strapped to your head and weeping, skinned knuckles. Oh, and no money
LOL - thanks for all the replies chaps! The ACS has been valued at £19k (and is going in for it's third magazine feature next month so will hopefully sell off the back of that) but the new job is going to mean a house move soon so any vague thoughts of spare cash have been thoroughly extiniguished!
OK - I think I can concede that a 911 for Focus money is not the best idea she has ever had.
Am erring towards a 'sensible' fun car like a 306GTi6 or similar and then joining Track Sense to get my kicks!
Iggy - the X3 will be completely 'free' so I am not in a position to grumble really (have ordered it with sports suspension and 18s so when combined with the run-flats will ensure that the ride is as jarring as on my current steed!!) - it is also the ideal vehicle for the job in hand so I see it as an investment of sorts!
Thanks again all!
OK - I think I can concede that a 911 for Focus money is not the best idea she has ever had.
Am erring towards a 'sensible' fun car like a 306GTi6 or similar and then joining Track Sense to get my kicks!
Iggy - the X3 will be completely 'free' so I am not in a position to grumble really (have ordered it with sports suspension and 18s so when combined with the run-flats will ensure that the ride is as jarring as on my current steed!!) - it is also the ideal vehicle for the job in hand so I see it as an investment of sorts!
Thanks again all!
poorcardealer said:
get yourself £9K together and go look at some £11K 3.2 Carreras, find one you like and bid £9K, eventually a seller will bite...the market is a little slow at the minute.........dont expect a gem for the money, but it should be respectable
I agree, but expect to pay £5000 at it's next service if you want it 'right'.
7.5 is just not enough budget to buy a 911.
SimonHarrod911 said:
I agree, but expect to pay £5000 at it's next service if you want it 'right'.
7.5 is just not enough budget to buy a 911.
Maybe not, buy £9k is. I don't understand why these horror stories get around. A compression test and leakdown test will tell you what the state of the engine is (or a simple drive if you've enough experience of the cars) a crawl under the rear will tell you how oil tight the engine is, what condition the exchangers and exhaust and rear oil pipe are in.
A test drive ought to show you the state of the synchros.
A good nose around the extremities of the wings, points where the bumpers meet the bodywork, a look in the fuel filler, the edges of the sunroof aperture, around the windscreen base, bottom of the doors, doorshuts and a thumb on the sill plates will give you a pretty good indication of the state of the bodywork.
All of this save the engine checks can be carried out by you. If it passes yuor checks, then pay for an inspection.
If you follow the above, I can't see you getting any £5k bills. Granted, if the engine tests show up broken head studs then you might as well get a top end rebuild at the same time. If the test drive shows up worn synchros you may decide to get a gearbox rebuild. If there's bubbling around the panels you will consider having bodywork done. The sum total of all of this work will, indeed, exceed £5k.
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