Buying (well, swapping) advice - Page 1 - Porsche General - PistonHeads UK

Not totally sure,but I think it looks (as in appearance) quite nice. But that is a total CRUISE Porsche,,,,1988 3.2 Carrera is a fine car,but all the money has been spent on a body transformation...Why? was it in a smash? Standard engine would have 231 bhp as standard with brakes & suspension to match. Brakes were improved with the next 964 model,,where the 993 model after that had the better rear suspension. So it's got Nitrus.......what about brakes or suspension ????....A tuned Porsche would go in the direction of Big reds (brakes) & on this model Bilstein suspension. I think this is a bit of a posers car,which is fine,it won't appeal to a Porschphile which along with being lhd could make it difficult to sell. For a price guide a good say 70k miles lhd 3.2 cab would not sell for any more than £14-15k and that would be tops on a sunny day. This car would certainly turn heads in an intruiging way,but would be outdriven by most later Porsche.

I'm afraid I would steer clear as the vehicle may be a lot more difficult to sell on at a future date than a standard vehicle. DAZ

So if a genuine 3.2 Cab would be worth about 14-15k, I suppose that a conversion might be worth a little less? I don't know how many miles this has on it, as the guy didn't say, but I would think 70k would seem reasonable for a car of this age. I think I would probably remove the nitrous kit, as drag racing isn't really my bag Also, as you say, power is one thing, handling and stopping are more important (to me anyway). I guess it all comes down to what sort of deal is offered. If it's a realistic deal, would it be worth going for anyway, just as a sort of introduction to Porsche ownership? Thanks for the input guys. Much appreciated (along with any more advice you may have). James

I agree with DAZ, all thats "shiny isn't gold", looks nice but what's under the surface, history, accidents, how is the handling affected by all the mods etc.etc. How much is it & what else could you get for the money ???????????????????

As an introduction to the Porsche marque,this would not be a fair representation,I wouldn't like to imagine what a shot of nitus has done to the running gear.About the best thing for you on this car would be take the G50 gearbox and use it as a basis for another Ultima.Having said that it would surely be a hit with young cruise babes!

Errr.having seen the site my advice would be under no circumstances consider this car. That's probably terribly unfair. But so what.

I was actually considering it as a car for my wife. Not sure how she would take to being eyed up by the cruise babes First thing would be to remove the nitrous, and investigate what had been done to the suspension and probably put it back on standard springs.

He wants to PX it against my Ultima. My car is up for 22,500 GBP, so I'm guessing from what you guys have told me, he would probably have to come up with about 10 grand to add to the car.

Agree with all of the above. Try a 993 carrera. You'll see...

Yep, that 911 stinks. Buy a proper tidy original one. You can get some nice models for 15 / 20k. No need to stoop to that shoddy level.

My 2.4E was originally fitted with Nitrous (I took it off and sold it to a 944 owner!!!). Nitrous Oxide is extremely corrosive I understand, and consequently eats into castings. My car needed an engine rebuild - new crank and two new cams, pistons and valves. I believe that the nitrous was the major contributor to the need for such an extensive rebuild - the cam profles had been rounded off for example. Equally Nitrous puts an enormous strain on the cooling system of a car and since the 911 engine is enclosed and relies on oil and aireflow for its cooling I'd be concerned about the impact on the longevity of the engine. Finally, even with a multi stage kit, the thump in the back is still pretty major and this strains gearboxes too. The G50 is a stronger 'box than the 915 and I guess this car is fitted with one. And ultimately, this car is a GJOBers car if you ask me, which limits its resale marketability. Edited to remove incorrect reference to dealership >> Edited by rubystone on Tuesday 6th May 14:44

James for £33k you could consider a late 993, early 996 or a much newer BoxterS all simply GGGGGGreat cars, I know they won't offer the Ultima's grunt, but these cars are about the overall, handling, feedback, sound, package. If it's just MAX. grunt you are after save a boatload of money & buy a chipped SupraTT or an earlish Nissan GTR. Happy shopping !!!

Actually, I'm not after that at all. I'm just trying to sell the Ultima, and this guy offered me his car as a part exchange. Not really knowing much about what to look for in a Porker, I thought I'd ask the experts. I'm not actively looking to buy one though. I thought it might be worth a punt as a short term car, and it would free up some of the cash I have tied up in the Ultima. A Porsche has been something I've toyed with the idea of a few times over the years, but not as a first car, or a major investment. It would be my wife who used the car while we had it, and she's not really a major speed freak. When I have the time for racing again, I'll probably build myself another car, like I have done in the past. It's part of the fun, and you get exactly the car that you want. James

That guy's been trying to flog that nitro beast on one of the other Porsche forums. One look at the website would suggest to me that it's rather more XR3i than 911. It's stuffed full of seriously unecessary speakers and amps and bass tubes and all of that type of rubbish. No doubt it will go like a rocket but as others here have suggested you'd be much better off with a straight original unmodified 911 of any vintage. No disrespect intended to either the current owner or others who are into the whole Max Power scene but I wouldn't go near that car if you paid me ! Jamie

The words 'bargepole' 'touch' and 'wouldn't' come to mind. You can do a lot better. E

Jamie, where are these other Porsche forums you speak of? It would be good to find .so that I can keep away from cars like this.

The guy with the nitro 911 has popped up on the 911uk.com forum leading to a debate on the merits of nitro vs engine wear etc. Jamie

Is he keeping the plate?

I need a bit of advice, and I figure that you lot are probably the best qualified to give it. My Ultima Mk4 Sport is up for sale www.pistonheads.com/ads/detail.asp?i=8045≻=LH96&s=188 and I've been offered a 911 (with a few conversions) in part exchange. The car I've been offered is here: www.sussexcarz.com/cars/porsche/Porsche.htm Now, I don't know a lot about Porsches, never having owned one, but I'm looking for a bit of advice about whether what has been done to it is good, or bad, and whether it'll sell on a few months down the line if it turns out not to be my cup of tea. Who knows. Some of you might even know the car, or its owner. All input would be gratefully received. Also some idea of the value of the car would be useful. TIA James