 New to the 914 world..., Any advice for an 18 year old kid just getting started? |
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| pacmariner |
 Aug 18 2008, 02:39 PM
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#1
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Newbie  Group: Members Posts: 3 Joined: 18-August 08 From: Bainbridge Island, WA Member No.: 9,435 Region Association: None  |
Hello all, I'm brand new to the magical world of the 914. I've always been a fan of them, and it APPEARS my dream is about to come true. I've found one locally, and am going to look at it in a few days. Its a 1975 1.8. I'm not a motor head, and was hoping to get some advice on what to look out for, or for signs of danger...
I look forward to getting to know people... Thanks, Kyle[i] |
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Replies(1 - 19)
| turnaround89 |
Aug 18 2008, 03:05 PM
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#2
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 671 Joined: 17-May 08 From: Rockford, Illinois Member No.: 9,067 Region Association: Upper MidWest |
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First piece of advice, is use the search function. the problem areas of the 914 are covered extensively here. Lots of smart and very helpful people. I am 19 and just bought a 914 about a month ago, blast to drive and you get lots of looks from everyone! The longs, hell hole, and battery tray are the ones people look for for rust issues. Does the car run or is it a project? |
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| rufio0205 |
Aug 18 2008, 03:07 PM
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#3
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Member Group: Members Posts: 134 Joined: 9-September 07 From: Orlando, FL Member No.: 8,099 Region Association: South East States |
QUOTE(pacmariner @ Aug 18 2008, 04:39 PM)  Hello all, I'm brand new to the magical world of the 914. I've always been a fan of them, and it APPEARS my dream is about to come true. I've found one locally, and am going to look at it in a few days. Its a 1975 1.8. I'm not a motor head, and was hoping to get some advice on what to look out for, or for signs of danger... I look forward to getting to know people... Thanks, Kyle[i] Here is some advice from an 18 year old who bought one at 17 and has only driven it for a week...and it has been a year... Look at one with someone who has experience with them. Look over the car really closely for rust. Drive the car, feel the transmission out. Inspect beneath the carpets for rusty floors. Inspect the trunk and battery area for rust. Don't be fooled by "pretty" paint jobs...IMHO the better the paint job the worse condition the rest of the car...Make sure you have ample time and money to spend and invest into the car. If you are looking for a DD make sure it is a legit DD...I thought mine could be a DD but to this day it is not....still. even after $4k into it... Don't be intimidated by this advice, take it and learn from my experience...Don't jump in unless you have resources, time patience, and a good base to start off of. Cheers, let us know how things go thomas |
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| PeeGreen 914 |
Aug 18 2008, 03:07 PM
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#4
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Just when you think you're done...wait, there is more..lol Group: Members Posts: 10,219 Joined: 21-September 06 From: Seattle, WA... actually Everett Member No.: 6,884 Region Association: Pacific Northwest 
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(IMG:style_emoticons/default/welcome.png) Where is it located. Maybe one of the local guys can go with you to look at it. Search for articles on the hell hole and longs. Rust is the worst thing on these cars. Great to have another local teener.
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| Cevan |
Aug 18 2008, 03:22 PM
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#5
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 1,079 Joined: 11-December 06 From: Western Massachusetts Member No.: 7,351 |
Let me be the first to say: (IMG:style_emoticons/default/welcome.png) [Edit: There were no responses when I started typing.]
Let me also be the first to say look out for rust. Mechanically these car are pretty tough but the bodies were not treated at the factory like cars today and they rust. Some rust alot. Do a search for rust and you'll see what to look for. See if the owner will remove the rocker covers (or at least the screws on the bottom edge) so you can look behind them. Check the area around each jack post and behind them. Probe them with a screw driver. A common rust area is underneath the battery in the engine compartment. Acid from the battery, washed down by water from above, eats the metal. Bring a flashlight. Poke around in that front passenger side of the engine compartment. Inside, push the seats foward and pull up the carpets and look at the area where the floor meets the firewall and where the floor meets the sill. Another common rust area as water gets by the rear window seal. A '75 1.8 liter engine should have the Bosch L-Jet fuel injection system on it. Take alot of pictures when you go look at it and post them here. |
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| Justinp71 |
Aug 18 2008, 04:14 PM
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#6
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 1,583 Joined: 11-October 04 From: Sacramento, CA Member No.: 2,922 Region Association: None
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In addition to all of the above mentioned rust areas, also check below the headlights, I think the headlights have to be up to see the area below it. I used to think mine was rust free until I spoted some there, but its not a crucial area. If its reasonably rust free, then check to see if the car has everything and the engine and trans feel smooth. Im not sure how good it works on the 914's but I heard that you can put a dollar bill at the exhaust and if the valves are bad, in the engine, the dollar bill will get sucked in. (buyer used this once on a old truck I had and the dollar bill actually went into the tailpipe with the motor running) Some of the weather stripping can also be expensive, so keep that in mind aswell. But the good thing is you can buy almost any of the original parts for these cars... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) Oh and incase your wondering you can backdate your bumpers... (I did) Good Luck! |
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| turboman808 |
Aug 18 2008, 04:47 PM
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#7
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Advanced Member Group: Members Posts: 2,718 Joined: 31-January 06 From: North Jersey Member No.: 5,505 Region Association: North East States |
QUOTE(rufio0205 @ Aug 18 2008, 01:07 PM) Here is some advice from an 18 year old who bought one at 17 and has only driven it for a week...and it has been a year... Look at one with someone who has experience with them. Look over the car really closely for rust. Drive the car, feel the transmission out. Inspect beneath the carpets for rusty floors. Inspect the trunk and battery area for rust. Don't be fooled by "pretty" paint jobs...IMHO the better the paint job the worse condition the rest of the car...Make sure you have ample time and money to spend and invest into the car. If you are looking for a DD make sure it is a legit DD...I thought mine could be a DD but to this day it is not....still. even after $4k into it... Don't be intimidated by this advice, take it and learn from my experience...Don't jump in unless you have resources, time patience, and a good base to start off of. Cheers, let us know how things go thomas Have to second that. I bought a triumph spitfire when I was 18 and had no money and didn't know anything about cars. I had to sell it and lose alot of money. 914 isn't nearly the money pit a spitfire is. Wait how much is that new transmission Chris? But just try and use common sense. Of course if we did that none of us would have these cars. |
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| PanelBilly |
Aug 18 2008, 04:53 PM
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#8
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914 Guru Group: Members Posts: 5,808 Joined: 23-July 06 From: Kent, Wa Member No.: 6,488 Region Association: Pacific Northwest
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Ask for a second opinion. There plenty of people in this area who would be happy to look the car over for you. We'd rather all see you going into the project. And these cars are projects!
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| Joe Bob |
Aug 18 2008, 05:06 PM
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#9
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Retired admin, banned a few times Group: Members Posts: 17,427 Joined: 24-December 02 From: Boulder CO Member No.: 5 Region Association: None |
Tell us where you are, you can get help....free, mostly get them beer mony and they are your friends for life. Problem is....getting rid of them.
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| PanelBilly |
Aug 18 2008, 05:11 PM
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#10
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914 Guru Group: Members Posts: 5,808 Joined: 23-July 06 From: Kent, Wa Member No.: 6,488 Region Association: Pacific Northwest
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Beer money, hell no! I want a full dinner.
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| r_towle |
Aug 18 2008, 05:31 PM
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#11
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Custom Member Group: Members Posts: 24,579 Joined: 9-January 03 From: Taxachusetts Member No.: 124 Region Association: North East States
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38 year old cars are great second cars, not great Daily drivers.
They break down...everything will break. If you spend a year driving it and fixing it, finally getting to touch every sub system and every wire...then it becomes dependable...until something else breaks. Rich |
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| swl |
Aug 18 2008, 05:56 PM
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#12
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 1,409 Joined: 7-August 05 From: Kingston,On,Canada Member No.: 4,550 Region Association: Canada |
QUOTE(r_towle @ Aug 18 2008, 03:31 PM) 38 year old cars are great second cars, not great Daily drivers. They break down...everything will break. If you spend a year driving it and fixing it, finally getting to touch every sub system and every wire...then it becomes dependable...until something else breaks. Rich (IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif) These cars are a great learning experience. If you want to know how a car works the 914 is great place to start since they are really uncomplicated. Good community to help you through the process too. Just don't get reliant on it. It is going to break - and you will fix it - it just may take a little time. Take advantage of the northwesters before you buy. They've all been through it and know where to look and how much work it will take to fix it. |
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| azbill |
Aug 18 2008, 06:07 PM
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#13
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Member Group: Members Posts: 455 Joined: 26-July 04 From: Glendale, Az Member No.: 2,403 Region Association: Southwest Region |
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/welcome.png) Get all the help you can listen and take the advice. The most important thning get a job that pay lots of money (IMG:style_emoticons/default/av-943.gif) It will be an experience that you will not forget the fun and grewat people.
Bill |
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| type47 |
Aug 18 2008, 06:11 PM
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#14
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Viermeister Group: Members Posts: 4,254 Joined: 7-August 03 From: Vienna, VA Member No.: 994 Region Association: MidAtlantic Region |
upgrade the brakes and suspension and learn how to drive a "momentum" car before you go for the high hp Raby motor.
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| reverie |
Aug 18 2008, 06:16 PM
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#15
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 783 Joined: 14-March 03 Member No.: 427 Region Association: None |
Is it one of the 914's on Craigslist?.. neither of those ads mentions the rear suspension console/ dog ears/ longs, which are prone to rust and can be expensive to fix. It is crucial to get an opinion from an experienced 914 owner.
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| Spoke |
Aug 18 2008, 09:39 PM
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#16
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Jerry Group: Members Posts: 6,985 Joined: 29-October 04 From: Allentown, PA Member No.: 3,031 Region Association: None
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QUOTE(rufio0205 @ Aug 18 2008, 05:07 PM) Look at one with someone who has experience with them. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif) I paid 1.5x for my first 914 compared to my 2nd 914 and the 2nd 914 is 1000x better than the first. There has to be someone locally experienced in 914s to go with you. Reading what to look at just doesn't make up for the experience of owning a 914 and knowing what to look for. |
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| McMark |
Aug 18 2008, 10:15 PM
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#17
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914 Freak! Group: Retired Admin Posts: 20,179 Joined: 13-March 03 From: Grand Rapids, MI Member No.: 419 Region Association: None |
Two things:
1. Don't look for 'bolt on horsepower'. It doesn't exist. Focus on a nicely running car, not a drag racer. 2. The more you save on the initial purchase, the more you'll spend on repairs (x2 or x3). Spend more now, save more later. Oh and one more, HAVE FUN!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/welcome.png) |
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| Gint |
Aug 18 2008, 10:46 PM
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#18
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Mike Ginter Group: Admin Posts: 16,075 Joined: 26-December 02 From: Denver CO. Member No.: 20 Region Association: Rocky Mountains  |
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...with what he said... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/welcome.png) |
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| AgPete139 |
Aug 19 2008, 12:10 AM
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#19
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AgPete139 Group: Members Posts: 90 Joined: 12-February 08 From: Houston, TX Member No.: 8,701 Region Association: South East States |
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I just joined around Februrary, and these guys & gals are great. Smart people and willing to give advice...Did you expect so many responses so quickly on this thread? :-) I'm 24, and have a project myself. You will be surprised at the cost of some of the parts. The car is surprisingly easy to work on once you get a feel for it. Like they said, look for those rust areas and use the "search" tool to view older threads. Pelicanparts is THE best source for special Porsche tools and replacement parts for your 914. http://www.pelicanparts.com/catalog/shopca...144_catalog.htm The Haynes Repair manuals are helpful, and some people have the original Porsche shop manuals as well (though pricey - $300+) I would vote to get a strong running teener. Get a friend or a good car guy to go with you. Someone not knowing what to look for in these older cars can easily overlook problem spots. |
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| Elliot Cannon |
Aug 19 2008, 03:02 AM
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#20
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914 Guru Group: Retired Members Posts: 8,487 Joined: 29-December 06 From: Paso Robles Ca. (Central coast) Member No.: 7,407 Region Association: None 
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When you buy the car and start driving it... three things.
1. An auto club membership with extended towing priveliges. 2. A cell phone with you at all times. 3. A credit card. Don't let us scare you away from the car. I have two of them. Drive and love them both. Threaten to sell at least one of them but can't bring myself to do it. You can get lots of help here. The people here are very knowledgable and are very willing to share that knowledge. Don't hesitate to ask for help. Cheers, Elliot PS (IMG:style_emoticons/default/welcome.png) |
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