At some point in time, surely all of us have promised ourselves a cheap Porsche of one sort or another. Whether it was daft Top Gear challenges, clocking a ratty 911 still going after many decades or being offered a Boxster for the price of a supermini, temptation has never been far away. And your own concerns about running costs easier to dismiss.
But then the past decade or so happened, and put paid to a lot of those plans. Air-cooled cars went from unloved to almost unobtainable, stripped out specials finally became sought after and the market even decided to show the 996 some love. The cheap Porsche game has changed pretty dramatically, yet there are seemingly one or two good ones still out there - you just need to know where to look.
Yes, it's a Porsche 924. Best van engine joke wins a prize. We all know that bad reputations are easily won and much harder to shift than good ones, a problem that's seemingly afflicted the 924 for a very long time. Because it's always been viewed as the runt of the litter, a perception not helped by the 944's arrival with a similar look and more power.
Now look at it, though. The 924 is a very light, very pretty, manual, rear-wheel drive Porsche, one that's aged pretty well given it went out of production a third of a century ago. Yes, it won't have all that much performance, but then its handling limits won't be stupidly high, either. And with so little scope to actually drive fast on British roads, where better to watch the world pass (slowly) by than behind a pair of pop-up headlights and a Porsche steering wheel?
This 924 appeals not just because of its Guards Red paint and original (14-inch!) wheels, but because it's been with one family (and just two owners) ever since it was acquired. A Christopher Green bought it new from Roger Clarke Porsche in 1984 and drove it until 2011, when it passed to his son Morgan. In all that time it's covered 109,000 miles, or a smidge over 3,000 miles a year. Though servicing is said to have been less regular the past few years, there are plenty of main dealer and specialist stamps, as well as useful work completed recently - the cambelt was renewed last summer and the Continental tyres are said to be brand new. It would seem there's nothing to prevent a new owner hitting the road straightaway.
For £6,995, the car surely boasts a lot of classic Porsche charm for not a great deal of money. It isn't perfect, but it is eminently usable, and surely that's more desirable at this end of the market. A classic Porsche is desirable because of the driving experience as much as anything else, and there is no reason not to put more miles on this one. And although a 924 that's almost 40 years old is going to require diligent upkeep, you'd have to hope that the bills on an 1,100kg, four-cylinder Porsche might be a little less frightening than those on more powerful, heavier cars. Look, it even has wind up windows - one less thing to worry about already...
SPECIFICATION | PORSCHE 924
Engine: 1,984cc, four-cyl
Transmission: 5-speed manual, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 125@5,800rpm
Torque (lb ft): 121@3,500rpm
MPG: N/A
CO2: N/A
First registered: 1984
Recorded mileage: 109,000
Price new: N/A
Yours for: £6,995
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