While the comparison rarely makes sense in reality, as we continue to see prices for early 911 Turbos escalate I always wonder how often they are viewed relative to a modern Turbo, which even in their most basic form exceed $150K. A new 911 Turbo clearly will have much more power, be much more refined, more luxurious, and come with a wide array of comforts and conveniences that an older Turbo will not. Add to that the basic psychology surrounding purchasing a new versus a second-hand car and, as stated, the comparison begins to make less and less sense. We’re generally dealing with very different buyers, shopping with a very different purpose. Still, I can’t imagine there aren’t some buyers who might consider, even if only briefly, whether new or old is the best option. So, what about character? Are the many rough edges of an older Turbo, those rough edges that made these cars unique even amongst the rivals of their period and which have been largely covered over in the new Turbos, worth the potential headaches and inconveniences that will come with a high-strung vintage vehicle such as this? It is these rough edges that give many cars their personality and make clear to any driver exactly the sort of machine he or she is piloting. Of course, we can ask this of almost any car, but when a second-hand car begins to easily slip into six-figure pricing, they become a much tougher sell for those actually desiring to drive the darn things. There’s too much potential value tied to keeping these cars in the best possible condition. That tends to put us with the choice of a new Turbo, whose value will plummet but which can be driven without much of that concern, or an older Turbo which could increase in value but may have to spend its life locked away in a garage in order to insure that value. As I continue to see newer Turbos on the road and write about older Turbos for sale these digressions keep coming to mind. Maybe if I came across a 930 on the road I could achieve some clarity. So, here we have one such example of an early 3.3 liter Turbo: a Black 1979 Porsche 730, located in Georgia, with Tan interior and 49,357 miles on it.
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1979 Porsche 930 on eBay
Year: 1979
Model: 911 Turbo
Engine: 3.3 liter turbocharged flat-6
Transmission: 4-speed manual
Mileage: 49,357 mi
Price: $110,500 Buy It Now
This is a well taken care of and well maintained, rust free, 1979 Porsche 911 Turbo. The history of this car is greatly documented with plenty of service receipts, hand written notes, and sale agreements between previous owners. It has been confirmed by the Porsche Cars North America that this is a matching number’s car, and the Certificate of Authenticity is arriving soon. The original window sticker is also included.
VIN# 9309800256
Engine# 6890199
Transmission# 7790473
Paint Code# 700 (Black)
Mechanically and performance wise, this 930 is absolutely right on. The engine has been completely rebuilt in December, 2014, and everything runs like a clock. The most recent notable service is from May of this year. That included a new alternator, replacement of front wheel bearings and seals, replacement of front brake calipers and pads, and resealing transmission pivot plate and slide valve.
The car has had one re-spray and the factory matching black paint is in a fairly nice condition. There aren’t any dings nor scratches anywhere on the car, with the exception of some minuscule rock chips on the front bumper and on the rings around the headlights.
The interior is absolutely gorgeous, and has been updated with great looking Recaro seats in tan color and black carpets. The second owner also installed a Clifford Alarm and upgraded the sound system with a new radio, that included subwoofer with amplifier.
General description:
Little over 49,000 documented miles
3.3 liter fuel injected turbo charged engine
Manual 4 speed transmission
B & B exhaust system that greatly enhances the car’s performance
Original factory Fuchs alloy wheels
Recaro seats
Clifford alarm & power door lock system
H-1 headlights
Electric sliding roof
Power windows
Air Conditioning
Heated outside mirrors
Fog lights
Headlight washers
Rear window wiper & defroster
Manuals
Tools
Window sticker
These early, pre-80’s Turbos are becoming extremely collectable, and with the ’76 & ’77 Turbos hitting the $300,000 mark, it is of no surprise that the remaining ’78 & ’79 models are starting to disappear from the market.
This car is a great driver and an impeccable investment.
This 930 presents very well both inside and out and I find it particularly striking for some reason. It’s black so it won’t necessarily stand out to a significant degree or attract your attention through unique color contrasts, but it still looks good. It possesses all of the menace that we typically associate with a black 930 while also providing a more refined looking interior through its contrasting Tan leather and the addition of some nice Recaro sport seats. Regarding those, I would assume those approaching this car as an investment would feel more comfortable having the original seats available (though I could be mistaken about that), but these Recaros look in very good shape and should have decent value on their own. They also provide a purposeful and elegant look to the interior. The asking price seems more or less in line with where we’ve seen many of the earlier 930s priced, but if the sharp rise in value for these cars is any indication it’s a fairly reasonable ask that could show a nice return down the road.
-Rob
