In todays ever changing automotive world there seems to be a new model entry almost every year. It’s either a new “crossover” vehicle that has supplanted the still popular SUV or electric cars and now electric SUVs and there doesn’t seem to be an end to this flurry any time soon. Even some of the mainstay vehicles have had name changes or created some new iteration of, i.e. the M3 Coupe is now the M4! However, there are still a handful of cars that have never wavered and have stayed true to their heritage since inception. It can be argued that the Porsche 911 is the most iconic of them all as for more than fifty years it has stayed true to its mission and form.
Porsche is synonymous with high performance and their 911 sports cars are the vehicles most associated with the Porsche brand even today as they now build sedans, SUVs and crossover vehicles. So it should come as no surprise that one of the most desirable cars amongst men and boys is a 911. Its silhouette is iconic and despite modernization and evolution for the better it still delivers legendary performance and there is no substitute for the cache the Porsche brand brings.
So here’s the good news, a 911 of any vintage is still one of coolest cars on the planet to drive and own. The bonus is that they are also fun to drive and the later models deliver supercar performance that rival some of the sexy Italian models costing two to three times more. But can you afford one? I once said this about an iconic Italian auto brand, “the model I really want I can’t afford to buy and the model I can afford to buy I can’t afford to maintain so I just can’t afford one no matter how I spin it”. That is not the case with a 911 as long as you keep an open mind about what you can actually afford there’s one for you!
The first thing you need to decide and determine is what is the purpose of this car and how will it be driven. Will this be your primary mode of transportation, a “Garage Queen”, project car or weekend toy? This will be the most important decision to make as it determines which 911 you focus your chase on. It also makes the chase nearly as fun as driving it as you will soon learn much about the vehicle and the marketplace for these cars.
Since there is over fifty years and multiple generations of 911s to choose from you must come to grips within yourself in knowing there is a difference between pre-owned, used, restored and a project car.
Here’s how I categorize them:
Pre-Owned – This category of 911s are going to be the newest and can be driven daily if you choose. The current body style 911 is known as the 991 to the Porsche geeks. They can be as new as something recently coming off lease making it a 2-3 year old car but some are slightly older. This car will be easy to finance and considered new by many, as it will likely be under the original new car warranty. If it is a CPO (Certified Pre-Owned) car or “Porsche Approved” you will have an extension of the original warranty and that will give you two additional years of worry free driving. While pre-owned can be as new as 1-3 years old the previous generation 911 also known as the 997 to Porsche geeks will also fall into that category. Their model year starts in 2006 so now we are talking a car that is ten years old. The last model year for the 997s was 2012 and some of those cars still have really low miles and can qualify for Porsche’s certified pre-owned program called “Porsche Approved” as previously mentioned.
Used – These are typically newer and can range from a one year old car to a ten year old car. The difference between used and pre-owned is the condition of the vehicle. In my opinion used is exactly that, used! These cars have high miles and might have been driven hard and maybe not given the best care but still good cars. These cars can be diamonds in the rough and with a little TLC transform into beauties or they can become money pits on the road to respectability and some never get there.
Restored – These cars are usually much older and were restored to their original state or close to it. Because of their age they are harder to be financed, but not impossible. Their price will vary depending on the vintage. As an example, all 911s built before 1999 are experiencing unprecedented appreciation as they fall under the “air cooled” category. The air-cooled reference speaks to how the engine in the car is cooled as opposed to the modern 1999 cars and after being water-cooled. Any of these cars that are nicely restored will fetch a pretty penny and you can expect asking prices no less than the mid thirty thousand dollar range with the more desirable models exceeding six figures.
Projects Cars – While these certainly will require the most work they can also be the most rewarding by allowing you to customize based on your needs and budgets. The big drawback here for many will be time and then money. Depending on the car, you might be able to drive it as the project progresses versus having it sit somewhere waiting for completion. Mods can range from exterior and interior cosmetics to full-blown engine modifications.
There’s a lot to think about and even more cars to see. Start locally and don’t be afraid to expand your search outside of where you live. I strongly recommend doing online national searches so you can get a sense of what is out there and refine your search from there. Always do a pre-purchase inspection if buying an older car or one that is not at a Porsche dealership. Lastly, drive the car before buying it. If the car is not local you should at the very least know how a car of the same model year would drive. If you only get one thing from this reading you should walk away knowing the key thing is to drive the car. Whether you are a driving enthusiast looking to carve some back roads up or just a poser looking to cruise the boulevards in your city or town driving these cars gives you a sense of what you are getting into. There are many generations to choose from and a 911 can accommodate many different budgets so you should feel confident that there’s a 911 Porsche out there with your name on it. Porsche’s marketing slogan from years gone by was, “Porsche, there is no substitute”. Drive one and you will understand.