How useable is a 3.2 carrera (circa 84 year)?

[Inspectorclueso]

I'm tiring of more modern cars...don't want or need the tech, depreciation and insurance is irritating and hence starting to look at a relatively modern classic. However, it must be useable, not every day, but if I go to the garage and want to use it, I'd like it to work and whilst I don't mind a good tinker, I don't want to be fixing it every weekend. I'd also like it to feel relatively quick if I push it, but having said that, I'm fine if it needs to be 'worked', it's one of the points of appeal Vs modern stuff where crazy speed is to easy.

Weekend / evening use, pub runs, road trips with friends a few times a year and driven fairly hard. I do expect to maintain it of course.

What are your views of the 3.2 (84 to 89), 930 turbo and possibly the 3.0 SC. Do they fit the bill, or would I be disappointed ?

Any views appreciated, though of course, I know I also probably need to try one......

[Inspectorclueso]

Just looping back to this, thank you all so much for the replies so far.

I went along to Brightwells yesterday as they happened to have a 3.2 and a 930, so it was good to look at both. It's certainty a 'shock' getting into these after a modern performance car, I currently have a 2016 M4.

My initial thought was that either seem driveable, i.e. I can at least get in and get relatively comfortable unlike many of the other classics there. A Healey 3000 had a torturous driving position ! But I also concluded, I'd be disappointed to spend a reasonable about of money on an average car, if I was going to go for this, I'd want to go for something really tidy / already restored.

I'm in no rush and I'm finding the process of looking at a few classics super interesting. For info, others on the list in the £25k to £80k range are:

E-type (couple only, I can't get comfy in the roadster due to leg room, pre S1 4.2, but would consider S2)
TVR Griffith (I have had a Chimera before)
Alfa 105 series - I like the relative simplicity, but again would want one that is completely done body wise
And on a tangent, a 612 Scaglietti - I have two boys that love road trips and know this would hit that brief
I did also get into a Lotus Elise yesterday and the driving position felt bang on, but I know it's a very different car.

Interested if anyone else has comparisons of the 911 to the above, albeit very difference cars I know.

[Inspectorclueso]

stinkyspanner said:

I'm also taking a first tentative look at buying an air cooled 911, not as a daily but a usable classic. The 3.2 Carrera at Brightwells looked like the kind of thing I'm after, was it any good in the flesh? Obviously that's at the cheaper end of the market, and I'm equipped to fettle old cars but I don't really want a total basket case. I made that mistake with a 'cheap' 944 years ago *shudder*!

I went to look at this (the 3.2) and an e-type that they had. I'm no expert but I did see some rust spots on it (base of windscreen), it had interior parts missing and needed a decent tidy up / TLC. As you say it was also v high miles at 198k, though I'm not a fan of super low miles either.

I think it went for high £30's in the end, so not far off £45k when costs added. I concluded I'd personally rather pay £50k to £60k and have one that I can just enjoy and maintain, not fix to start with...

I've seen a few more come up on car and classic last week or so that are circa £50k that seem decent. Let us know if you do continue the hunt, always good to compare notes. I'm going to look at a few over the next couple of months to get a feel for them and what's good, not etc...