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The vendor of right this moment’s Nice Price or No Dice 911 claims to have purchased the automotive to show their children easy methods to drive stick. Whereas we’re considering that bit of wonderful parenting, let’s additionally think about if this Porsche is price its asking value now that the youngsters have discovered their lesson.
When Physician Frankenstein determined to “make a brand new good friend,” his aim was to discover a method to lengthen life, not beginning an abomination. Equally, the proprietor of the 1998 BMW M3 Dinan convertible we thought of yesterday had maintained and upgraded the automotive within the try to increase its life, all whereas build up a considerable 187K miles on the automotive’s fundamental bits. With that in thoughts, a $23,000 price ticket was seemingly an excessive amount of to bear, because the Bimmer fell in an enormous 95 % No Cube loss.
There’s an enormous distinction between modding and easily sustaining. Yesterday’s M3 was a first-rate instance of the previous, whereas this 2003 Porsche 911 Carrera 4 seems way more just like the latter. The rationale behind all that upkeep, each preventative and energetic, could be very intriguing. The vendor claims that it was all a part of the method of instructing their children easy methods to drive a stick shift.
Now, earlier than all of us go high-fiving the vendor for educating their children on such a vanishing talent, let’s think about the usage of a 315-horsepower all-wheel-drive six-speed convertible sports activities automotive as a studying software. That’s like an A.P. course for the lesson.
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As noble a goal as teaching the fruit of one’s loins to capably operate a manual transmission might be, the seller offers an equally honorable gesture in wanting the car to be mechanically sound prior to its sale. To that end, the seller had a new clutch installed after school let out and the kids were done with their three-pedal curriculum. Other work on the car included a new multifunction stalk unit, a replacement IMS bearing, “all the plastic oil lines” (probably meaning the AOS hoses), and, according to the seller, “every important part you can think of.”
Now the 142,000-mile 911 is said to be well sorted and, overall, aesthetically solid. What’s described as a revitalized interior features carbon fiber trim that’s a bit of an acquired taste, although that extends to the steering wheel which is an OEM bit. The leather does look decent and the car wears WeatherTech mats in the footwells to protect the carpet.
Above all that is a top that is claimed to work as it should (including all four windows) and to be weathertight.
On the downside, the ad does note a cracked tail lamp lens and the availability of only one key. More concerning, though, is the admission that the door glass doesn’t drop when closing, with the seller explaining that the handle needs to be held up while shutting the door to prevent interference with the top seal. In an attempt to alleviate concern, the seller claims “Apparently this is normal for cars this old. I have the new door switch. It just needs to be installed.” The window-dropping mechanism is, in fact, controlled by two switches, one on the door handle and another in the door latch mechanism. Neither is terribly troublesome to replace, but the door latch is very expensive ($400-$500) and there are two of them. Clever monkeys might try reflowing the solder joints in the door latch switch for a cheap repair, but there’s no guarantee that will work in all cases.
Okay, enough of being a Negative Nellie. Those minor (and possibly one major) annoyances aside, this does look to be a pretty solid 996 C4. The title is clear, the tires have only about 2,000 miles on them, and the car just recently passed its California smog test. Those are all big plusses. What might all those pluses and minuses reasonably add up to?
Well, in the case of this ad, that’s a $23,500 asking. As you might be aware, 911 prices are bonkers these days as everybody and their conjoined twin seemingly wants one. The 996 is the least-loved fruit of the 911 family tree, but it’s coming into its own as well. This is on the low end of 996 prices, but that’s a bit owed to the mileage.
What do you think? Is this 911 Carrera 4 worth that $23,500 asking as it’s described in its ad? Or, does offering a price like that make this a teachable moment?
You decide!
San Francisco Bay Area, California, Craigslist, or go here if the advert disappears.
H/T to Don R. for the hookup!
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