Baltic Blue 1989 Porsche 930 Coupe

This is how I like to see a car presented. Especially when the asking price is fairly high. The text provides details on the seller’s ownership, the current mechanical state of the car, and any details that most buyers would be interested to know. That is followed by a large array of pictures showing both exterior and interior from a distance and then close up. We get the details and we get the full view. Could we ask for more? Of course we could, but there is enough here that any interested buyer will have the necessary information to feel like further investigation will be worthwhile. Or, if you wanted to jump right in, I think you’d probably feel pretty confident in doing so after little more than a phone call to the seller.

So let’s look at what we have: a Baltic Blue Metallic 1989 Porsche 930 Coupe, located in Texas, with Cashmere Beige interior and just 35,313 miles on it. I do not need to tell you how desirable an ’89 930 is and finding one in this condition and with this mileage just raises the bar even more. Oh, and the color is pretty rare too!

CLICK FOR DETAILS: Baltic Blue 1989 Porsche 930 Coupe on eBay

Year: 1989
Model: 911 Turbo
Engine: 3.3 liter turbocharged flat-6
Transmission: 5-speed manual
Mileage: 35,313 mi
Price: $155,000 Buy It Now

1989 Porsche 911 930 Turbo Coupe – Baltic Blue – 35k Miles – Dozens of Photos

This beautiful 1989 Porsche 930 is part of a 60+ car private collection in Austin, Texas.

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I acquired this 930 in 2012 from Park Place LTD in Bellevue, WA. I had been looking for a 930 for more than a year – specifically a 1989 car with the 5-speed G50 transmission – and I knew the second I saw this car that I’d be bringing it home to Texas. Park Place had been servicing the car for years and had previously sold the car to its current owner in 2005 so they were very familiar with the car. It had recently come back to them on consignment and, according to them, the car was a “Microsoft car”. A quick Google search reveals the previous owner to be in the tech industry, with homes in Palo Alto, CA and Camano Island, WA, and Park Place has a long history of selling exotic cars to Microsoft executives, so I believe this to be true.

Until my purchase, the car had always been a Pacific Northwest car and when I acquired it the odometer showed 34,059 original miles. Under my care the car has seen limited but regular use and today the mileage stands at 35,313 miles. Both the car’s West Coast ownership history and mileage can be verified by its Carfax report, a copy of which is available to interested parties.

The car is stunning in its factory Baltic Blue over Cashmere color scheme and is mechanically 100% sorted with more than $10,000 in recent work performed by Bob Jones of Jones Autowerks in San Antonio, TX. The car is factory stock with the exception of an upgraded K27 Turbo and a Nakamich in-dash CD player. The Porsche COA shows the car was optioned from the factory with a Limited Slip Differential, Electric Sliding Sunroof, CD-2 Compact Disc Player, an Amplifier System, and the U.S. Standard Emissions package.

While I am an avid car-guy, I’m not a dealer. This car is part of my personal collection and under my care it received regular and meticulous service as does every car I own. It is offered for sale today only because I own dozens of vintage Porsches, with more on the way, and I need to make some room. In my opinion, this car is one of the finest ’89 Turbos available anywhere. I would not hesitate to drive this car across the country tomorrow. Along the way, I’d stop by a few tracks just for fun and I’d do my best to find and enter a local car show (which I would win). The car is just that good.

Following is more detailed information.

Mechanicals:
The car starts, stops and drives exactly as you would expect from a car of this quality. The clutch is strong, the car brakes easily and in a straight line, and it runs cool with excellent oil pressure even in the 100+ degree, Texas summer heat. It accelerates with authority courtesy of its legendary, turbocharged motor and the G50 transmission shifts flawlessly making this car truly a joy to drive. The engine and transmission are, of course, numbers matching and original to the car.

After seeing the car for sale at Park Place, I schedule a PPI (pre-purchase inspection) with Chris’s German Auto Service, one of the most respected Porsche specialists on the West Coast. The results of that inspection showed the car to be an excellent, low-mileage example but also showed an issue with the engine. Specifically, the leakdown test showed excessive leakdown on cylinder #3. I was disappointed (obviously) but when I spoke with Chris about the results he told me, “This is one of the best ’89 turbos I’ve seen. If I was you, I wouldn’t want to lose it”. And he was right.

I negotiated a discount on the price, shipped the car to Texas, and hoped for the best.

When the car arrived back home, I immediately brought it to Bob Jones at Jones Autowerks in San Antonio, TX. If you’re from Texas, or anywhere near, then you probably know who Bob is. Suffice to say that Bob is universally recognized as one the finest Porsche mechanics in the country. I asked Bob to go through the car, treat it as if he owned it, and to cut no corners. More than 2 months and $13,000 later, Bob gave my car back to me in perfect running condition. The work he performed included new Mahle pistons, rod bearings, rocker arms, new valves, recutting valve seats, a regrind of the camshaft, a new clutch, and more. I also asked Bob about replacing the K27 turbo with a stock unit which he disagreed with (“It’s a better turbo. Why make the car worse?”). He did go through the complete system for me, disassembled the wastegate and replaced the diaphragm, and machined the pressure pipe and turbo housing for a perfect assembly. A copy of the final invoice from Jones Autowerks showing the details of the work performed is available to interested parties.

Recently (less than 100 miles ago) the car was brought to Steve Henry at Eagle Racing where he performed a 4-wheel alignment and installed a brand new set of Pirelli P Zero Trofeo R Tires.

The end result? Everything you would imagine. And more. This mechanical condition of the car will not disappoint.

Please note: The air conditioning is blowing “cool-ish” at best and has not been charged in years. I generally drive the car in the fall/winter months so I haven’t bothered to look at it (a common excuse when you own more than 60 cars). The new owner should assume the AC system will require service.

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Exterior:
From every angle, the car presents beautifully in its original color of Baltic Blue (paint code LM5P). The finish is glossy and smooth with no dents or significant scratches or dings, just the slightest patina in the form of a handful of minor rock chips and the like. If you’ve ever heard good cars described as “10-footers” and great cars described as “5-footers” then this car is a 1-footer.

When I bought the car, I believed the paint to be 100% original and the consignment inspection report reads “paint appears to be all original”. I recently measured the paint with a meter and I now believe that the car may have had some paint work performed in the past as my meter readings exceeded 10 mils. Regardless, the paint is excellent and you wouldn’t suspect the paint is anything other than original if I didn’t tell you. I have been completely through the car and it shows absolutely no evidence of any prior damage. The gaps are perfect and the Carfax is clean. If there has been paint work, it was most likely due to rock chips or other cosmetic issues.

The glass on the car is excellent and all original with the exception of the front windshield which showed some light road rash so I had it replaced with correct, German Sigla glass ordered from the dealer.

The trim, seals, emblems, and lenses are all as-new. The wheels are beautiful showing only the slightest patina.

Best of all, the Baltic Blue really sets this car apart. Only a small number of 930’s were produced in this color and you’ll most likely never see another. This car creates a scene wherever it goes and the photos truly do not do this car justice.

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Interior:
The interior of this 930 is absolutely beautiful and exactly what you’d expect from a low-mileage, investment grade car. Upholstered in Cashmere leather, with dark blue contrasts including the dash and headliner, the effect is a beautiful compliment to the Baltic Blue exterior. All spects of the interior, including the carpets, seats, dash, doors and headliner, are in outstanding condition resembling more a car that is 27 months old as opposed to 27 years.

The interior is 100% original and unaltered with the exception of a Nakamichi in dash CD player chosen both for its incredible fidelity as well as its understated good looks. The original CD-2 stereo will also be provided to the new owner.

I’ve taken the time to provide multiple, close-up photos of the interior from every angle. Please examine them closely and pay attention to the details. Yes, the big things like the seats, and door panels all look excellent. But look even more closely at the small things. The interior details of this car are among the best I’ve ever seen and will exceed your expectations.

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For me, finding the right home for this 930 is as important as getting the best price. If you have any questions, or would like to discuss this car in more detail, please feel free to contact me. In-person inspections and test-drives are welcomed and encouraged but please do so before clicking “Buy It Now” or committing to a purchase.

I have a clear and correct Texas title for this vehicle in my possession. Transportation and delivery of this vehicle is the responsibility of the purchaser. I’ll happily assist in any way I can. I’ll accept payment by wire transfer, cash or certified cashier’s check. A $500 non-refundable deposit is due upon agreeing to purchase with the balance due within 3 business days.

With last weekend’s auctions all pointing to a continued diminishment of the air-cooled 911 market this doesn’t seem like the best time to sell an ’89 930, but I guess circumstances have forced the issue for this seller. All things considered the asking price here isn’t too bad, though it certainly is high. Everything needs a starting point though.

The condition of this 930 is fantastic. It looks great throughout and in every regard is what we’d expect from a collector car owned by an avid collector. It sounds like it received a fairly extensive service upon purchase five years ago and has covered only about 1K miles under its current ownership. So the mechanical condition should be good. The only area where we could quibble is with available documentation. We aren’t provided any among the many pictures and other than maintenance performed while he owned it, we aren’t told much about its previous ownership history or service records. I think that is the area that will determine where we ultimately value this 930. If there’s plenty of documentation, including much of the original documentation, then I could see this price making a lot of sense. It’s an ’89 in wonderful condition and in a rare color. There’s a lot of value to be had with that sort of car. But without documentation I’m not so sure. It’s still a great example and highly desirable, but in an uncertain market it might hang around for a while.

-Rob