1987 Porsche 911

I bought a 1987 Carrera Targa on EBay about 6 weeks ago. There were some things that were misrepresented (relatively minor) and some long overdue maintenance items that I got to pay for. Oh well, that's what happens when you see a silver 1987-89 targa on EBay with 2 hours left to bid and you have to have it. The alternator and fuel lines (combined repair cost: $2,500) are a known issue for this vintage of Porsche so to some extent "you pay your money and you take your chances".

In spite of some slight misrepresentations and omissions, combining the purchase price with the money I have spent on repairs still puts me right a bit under fair market value for a nice car with under 70,000 miles. I have really enjoyed driving the car and expect to own it for a long time --- I think it is a real keeper. Everyone has their preferences for year and model, but the 87-89 models are the last of the original 911 design (next was the 964) and they have a real primitive appeal while still being somewhat realistic for day to day driving. They have no power steering, so you feel every bump and crack in the road and the brakes are firm but very effective. Oh yeah, the ride is pretty stiff too, so get off the poorly maintained freeways and find a nice windy country road to have some fun finding what this car is all about.

The build quality was pretty darned good back then and the original paint even 21 years later still looks better than many brand new cars. The interior is nice and old fashioned so you can almost imagine you are driving your car back in 1965 when these first came out. Reviewers griped about the ergonomics, but if you are into old Porsches, you grow to love the weird little handles sprouting up from the floor between the seats to control the heat, the switch tucked in above the gauges to control whether the mirror switch on the door controls the left or right mirror and the little knob between two other gauges to control the interval of the intermittent wipers. The way the door latch clicks when you open it makes it sound like a very solid and expensive car.

Of course, the whole point of these cars is the driving, and here there really is no substitute. Not that there aren't other fast cars that handle well, but these are really different and have a feeling all their own. The engines are very torquey, but have a nice bonus kick once you get to 4,000 rpm or so. The sound is fantastic and very distinctive, whether throbbing and woofing at idle or letting out a muffled roar at 5,000 rpm. All the gears and timing chains and things make a whirring, whining mechanical roar that is uniquely Porsche. You gotta love 'em.

Car is in great condition. Runs and performs as if it were new. Rebuilt engine and all work has been already done to it, leaving me with none of the typical 1980's Porsche's problems. Small cosmetics blemishes but nothing that cannot be replaced. Fun to drive as well as great performance out of a 22 year old vehicle.

The vehicle was in perfect condition as the seller had described. I couldnt be happier with my decision and feel very comfortable recommending this seller to other buyers! Thanks again for making this experience easy and safe!