Thinking of my first Porsche..........

[volvos70t5]

Having owned a few performance cars in my time, I find myself at the ripe old age of 34 looking at a Porsche.

The 964 is the only style I like. I can'r garage it but it would be tucked away nicely on my drive when not in use.

I'm not that keen on a cabriolet and can't be doing with the hassle of lifting roofs off and on.

I have no mechanical skills whatsoever so will need a good local specialist to fettle it. I reckon there is one close to me that will fit the bill.

Budget-wise probably 18k-ish.

Any ideas where I start?

Thanks

[danww]

long list of specialist websites here, mainly dealers:

www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=217148&f=48&h=0

[softinthehead]

have to say you appear to have done most of the hard work already, in that you are clear about your needs, your wants, your budget, what you will and wont accept and how youre gonna look after it. the rest is easy (!). identify an independent specialist whom you can get to do an inspection. You might want to purchase adrian crawford's guide to buying a 964 (online book, its not expensive and very helpful) just to refine your knowledge. also visit Hartech's website for a good online resource on the pitfalls and joys of all the 911 models. then its simply a matter of trawling the specialist sites such as
autobahn, hartech, shirleys, 911virgin, specialist cars of malton, 911 sport, paragon, portiacraft, the list goes on. Indies have a range of prices and lengths they go to in preparation, ranging from simply wiping the tyres clean to strip down/rebuild. there are a few who are well known for obsessional attention to detail. they are more expensive but you pays your money....
Speak to a few indies and if you like the cut of their jib, leave your name and contact details, and be prepared to bite quickly (but carefully) if the right car comes up. EJoin the POrsche Club GB and trawl their classifieds too. PCGB has a higher proportion of people who look after their cars well. and trawl the websites daily. good hunting

edited twice for spelling!

>> Edited by softinthehead on Friday 4th November 11:56

>> Edited by softinthehead on Friday 4th November 11:59

[leeme3]

Always worth getting hold of the Paul Frere book - Porsche 911 Story: The Entire Development History. It's available via amazon:

www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/1859608396/qid=1131105631/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_8_1/026-6467001-1437261

Doesn't really have buying tips but covers all the variants of the cars in so much detail that it really is a bit of a 911 bible!

Agree with all the comments about independent specialists - you'll find a wealth of comments (both positive and negative) about most of them on here. Best thing is to visit and see what you think yourself. Make sure you drive several cars before settling on one particular vehicle - at that age they are all different and some are mutton dressed up as lamb whilst others look nothing special but are mechanically sorted and with a bit of TLC can easily be stunning. Good luck and have fun!

[volvos70t5]

Thanks, guys, for the advice and encouragement.

I'd also appreciate comments from current 964 owners about how easy it is to live with one of these cars day to day.

Thanks

[hoges11]

Have an 89 C4 with 100k on the clock which also sits on the drive under a cover. Looks great (Forest Dark Green Metal., lowered, speedline wheels, Teardrops, ex Porsche and 911 World project car)and turns heads whenever I drive it. Its lively and such fun to race round in on short or long trips. Never had any problems with it and starts reliably wether I leave it for 5 minutes or 5 weeks, all the major items have been long done. Mine is LHD, saving around £3-5k from your target price and also having right hand drive cars I really dont notice any difference and happiliy jump from one to the other without a problem (I actually prefer the drving position on the lefty). I have two kids 8 and 5 and we can happiliy go out as a family in it and by using the front and rear seats I get my clubs and big electric trolley to the golf club every weekend. The front boot is fine for the weekly shop. I love it so much Im looking to trade up to a 964 Turbo if I can just get used to the idea of parting with it. I would say go for it and youll be hooked. If you do come across a drop dead gorgeous Forest Green C4 in great nick and end up buying it please make sure you look after her, I cant bear the thought of her going to a bad home.

[Graham L]

Mine is very good, but I don’t use it all the time, but still do about 11k miles a year. They’re hard work in traffic, in my opinion, the clutch is fairly heavy and being air-cooled they will get warm. Ventilation is pretty lame, and the inside looks old, even if the outside is relatively timeless.

They will go through a set of rear tyres in 8k miles, and fronts in about 15k, and new shoes are about £650 a set. Services aren’t too bad at around £350 ish for a 12k/1 year one, but parts and labour are expensive.

There are a few common issues with 964’s – but most will have been corrected a long time ago, you need to look for a replacement dual mass fly wheel, and it needs to have had a vent kit fitted. Make sure all the bulbs work - they can be disconnected to mask warnings, and get a PPI done. Common changes to std are fitting cup wheels and replacing the flag mirrors with teardrop versions.

They are a huge amount of fun – I absolutely love mine to bits, it sounds fantastic, looks brilliant and goes like hell. Try and find a local owner to take you out in one – if you don’t find someone on here you could always try rennlist.com which has a pretty decent 964 board.

[gmk666]

Following on from danww's post, another list of dealers can be found here.

www.911-classified.com/members/independ.html

[volvos70t5]

Thanks, again, for the comments.

Is a Porsche a realistic car to be able to use all year round, do you think?

[Graham L]

IMHO yes - i know lot of guys that use a 964 all the time. Apparently a C4 is particually good in the snow...

[hoges11]

Use my coup all year round without a problem. Wouldnt fancy a cab in the winter or rain but just from a visbility/ misting up point of view. Most Targas have the ability to leak.

[volvos70t5]

Thanks LA, I need to finalise a couple of things first.

[softinthehead]

los Angeles said:

I'll put you in touch with a trusted specialist 911 consultant who will identify your ideal car very swiftly - usually within a week. If you like it he can even do the deal and deliver it, paperwork the lot.

Hmm...who might that be - the famous AC?