911's

[scottH]

At last, I've found a site that has useful information - from what i can tell !!!

I know that it's probably been covered before, and feel free to tell me to look through the pages if it has but...

..I really want a 911. The problem is that apart from talking to people who want to sell me one, or reading in WHSmiths, I have found it difficult to find answers.

I am ideally looking for a 911 around the £12k mark - from looking around I figure this will get me a nice '87ish 3.2.

however,
(1)I want to use the car for everyday use, circa 12miles pa. - is this a stupid idea for a car of this age?
(2) what's all this G50 speak - some say that its best to go for a car with the G50 gearbox, others say that it doesn't really make that much difference.
(3) If it is used as a main car - is the bank manager going to be writing me letters?

(4) What should I be looking for when looking at the cars? I know that an inspection by a specialist is a must however there must be a few tell tale signs which say 'walk away'

i'd better write too much more however, it would be appreciated if someone could spend 5 mins pointing me in the right direction.

If it matters, i'm in the Gloucestershire area so anything local is even better.

Thanks and merry christmas

[rich 36]

Scott hi, with about 12K to spend, at this time of year should get you into 3.2 quite ok, G50 is the
dog-leg gearbox, or on an earlier SC 911, you should get a normal box look for ease of selecting gear from cold,including reverse, any flappping about of stick may be just bushes, so get it examined by a porsche specialist first, older models may use a bit of oil this is either leaking under engine=normal or with smoke again cold, might be valve guides, again not the end of world, but should be looked at.
Try rennlist on line, for advice if you can't get it here this week, hey and good luck
Richard

[henry-F]

The G-50 gearbox wasn`t a "dogleg" gearbox, it`s a normal box. The reverse gear is to the left and up, the 915 gearbox it replaced had reverse to the right and down. Nothing wrong with the earlier 915 box but in theory the G-50 box will take less "effort" to change gears.

The reality is that given these cars are so old now you really need to view each car on it`s own merits. There will be plenty of crud to trawl through and my advice would be to find yourself a good specialist you feel comfortable with and let them hold your hand. But then I`m bound to say that aren`t I. At least you avoid being led astray by blind men !!

Keep smiling and enjoy the hunt.

Henry

[woolfie]

I have recently bought one, read my last posting and ongoing discussion on the 3.2

My view would be budget from £12k thru to £18k as your target min - max price. More the spend the better you are going to be; any posting will tell you to buy on quality and not mileage. Don't worry about the gearbox, i have now got used to the 915 on mine, just took a few journeys.

woolfie

[rich 36]

For those of us unable to run to a luxury car, the 'dog-leg' 50 box, has gears an arrangement which a novice might find a bit odd, to operate, with some people the novelty of owning a Porsche, is lost when they progress further up the ladder and aspire to a glorified frontera
Meanwhile For those of us at the car-boot end of the range, we look forward to seeing what you find Scott.

[dazren]

Er Rich I thought that first gear on a G50 box was where it normally would be, ie left and up. A dog leg box would have 1st gear left and down ie where normally 2nd would be. I'm with Henry on this one I'm not aware of any road 911SC or Carrera 3.2 coming with a dogleg box.

DAZ
(PS - I have driven an E30 M3 and 190E 2.5/16 Evo2 with a dogleg first and it is easy to get used to)

[williamp]

IMo I like the dog-leg box. When eovertaking, its nice simply to ram the lever forward into 4th and go, rather then pull back, move sideways, then back again.

Simple thing, but it's pleasurable...

[domster]

WTF is this talk of the G50 being a dog-leg box? - it isn't, full stop, end of story ...

Like Daz, I have used a dog leg box in an E30 M3 and first gear really is in an odd place out on its own, but the G50 has its gears in a traditional layout. Sure they can arse about with reverse on boxes, but please keep this dog leg talk to a minimum as it confuses the issue

IMHO, the feel and 'throw' of a G50 box is much nicer than a 915 (in the earlier 3.2s). It doesn't crunch as much either Try them both and make your own mind up, but for my money I'd go for the G50.

Anyway, the 3.2 is a good choice for your budget.

Happy xmas to all, BTW.

[toby tucker]

Scott

there's a '87 3.2 Targa up for sale in the 'Tried & Tested section of January's edition of 911 & Porsche World.

It gets a good right up for a 114k mile car and is are priced right on your budget of £12.5k ( if you like Targa's)

Toby

[general faff]

interesting thread as I am in the same position loking for a 911 around the 10-12k mark.

My big question is on the handling, myth or urban legend?...what do people who drive them think to SC's / Carrera's for handling under normal use, and when being pushed, as i will probably end up on a track day at some point?

cheers

[rubystone]

I've got a 1970 vintage dogleg box hanging about in the garage if you want to fit it to your purchase and I'd be more than happy to take the G50 in exchange for it - straight swap too...and I know of a nice SC too - smokes a little when warm (as they all do) and just needs a couple of valve guides replacing - Halfords quoted me a couple of hours' work to do them - not the end of the world though.

[scotth]

What about actually using the car as a main car i.e approx 12-13 k pa? or is it best to have purly as a 2nd car?

[domster]

You can use one as an everyday car with appropriate maintenance. Remember that it is useless for casrrying 2.4m planks of wood if you go to Homebase tho'!

[rubystone]

Dom's assumption is, of course, based on his RS experience. Dom - if he buys a Targa or Coupe with Sunroof, notonyl can get fit 2.4 metre lengths of sub-standard kiln dried wood into his car, but he can also find room for the pseudo wood flooring for the downstairs loo too.



Happy New Year BTW!

[domster]

You are indeed right Mr Piper. I was making the assumption any right minded individual would purchase a coupe only

Happy new year to you too, squire.

D