Enthusiasts Blogging Our Favorite Classifieds
The late production Porsche 968 Cabriolet we featured in mid August is back up for sale, having no takers last time around. Ever wanted to own the ultimate expression of the front-engine, four cylinder Porsche? Here’s your chance. Let our resident guru and fellow 968 Cabriolet owner, Pablo, walk you through the finer points.
To me it’s always a bit interesting to talk about people’s motivations in getting a particular car, especially so when that car is a classic. For example, consider my Audi GT versus a Quattro. These days, if you can find one a mint condition Audi GT will set you back around $6,000 – $8,000 for the very best examples we’ve seen. However, that amount may get you a wreck of a Quattro, but likely not a particularly drivable example. In terms of driving experience, the GT is out of the box 90% of the Ur-Quattro experience for 90% plus of the time. Brought to a show, many non-Audi folks could probably not tell them apart. Yet, in terms of value gap, the iconic Quattro far outstrips the classic GT. We see it in other areas, too – for example a 73 911S versus a 77 911S, a E28 535is versus a M5, or even a 325is versus an M3. If you’re smart with your money, choosing the lesser example may not get you the headlines, but stretching your budget to get into a less serviceable iconic car is not likely to bring you more happiness, only more headaches. Take the two 2002s we have here; a freshly rebuilt, ready to roll 2002Tii and a somewhat tired, restoration ready 2002 Turbo:
It’s a weekend of black 911s for me and I have no problem with that. While they can sometimes seem generic, or even boring, there are few things I enjoy more than seeing a freshly cleaned, well-maintained, black sports car. Other colors are certainly more exciting, but I find few to match the seeming depth and beauty. Maintaining that appearance is a pain, but it’s definitely worth it. Here we have an example that could certainly pass as generic, but when you pause to take everything in you really begin to see the depth of the 993’s fantastic curves. With 69,067 miles this 1997 Porsche 911 Carrera Coupe is the ideal sort of candidate for someone looking to own a 993, but without concern over increased mileage spoiling the car’s value.
It’s always fun to see what the creative engineers can come up with out there. The guys at CG Motorsports clearly wanted to show their building skills, so they went a roundabout way of making an E36 DTM-style M3 tribute, albeit in show/street-car guise. I will admit to a guilty love of wide-bodies, though this love is confusingly matched with a distaste for wings and overdone wheels. These guys took the basic-but-capable 318is and stuck M3 bits all over, including some body parts, suspension, transmission, and engine. Add a DTM-style widebody kit, and you’ve got a tuner’s show car! They’re selling it in a way that sounds like more trouble than it’s worth – offering the chassis and body alone, or with all of the running gear and additions – that just makes me scratch my head harder. Taste and selling tactics aside, it is a clean FrankenBimmer that, at least to me, has some potential.
My unbridled love for the S38 makes me want to put it in every BMW. While my dreams for an S38-powered E30 may have to wait, if I really felt like looking like an 80s drug dealer, the M6 is an amazing big coupe. They look both dapper and menacing in black, while the interiors always look extremely plush. The back seats look like they should be children’s beds. This example comes passed down from an old man’s estate to his Alzheimer’s home, and it looks exceptional inside and out. 106k miles seems to be the time many owners of classics like this pass on stewardship. With no reserve, this could be a great buy for some serious 80s M Power.