OK, I'm looking at another car to buy. I have way too many already, so I might sell one.

Question to you guys: which would you sell, and which would you keep:

Car 1) 1974 1.8. FI. The car is EXTREMELY clean. It retains it's original silver color. It was a one-owner car before I bought it. I have all paperwork, including sales slip, from the day it was new.

Here's the problem: In 1998 it was in a front-end accident. These cars were worth nothing then. It was fixed at a very high end shop. I have all of the receipts for the work that was done. But, the car has salvage title.

Car 2) 1973 1.7 FI. The car is very clean, but not quite as much as Car 1. It was originally Alaska Blue but was painted in 1986 to turquoise (not a Porsche color). The paint is in very good condition, but by no means was it done by a high-end place. I'm guessing Earl Scheib or similar. Clear title.

Many of you have seen both of the cars.

Which to sell and which to keep, and why?

Put the rivieras on the silver car and sell it.
Someone will love it, keep the clean titled car. And keep the nice wheels.

Except for the wheel swap...not a fan.

Sell the blue one because of the wheels, exhaust and mirrors.

Put. Them both for sale and see which one goes first.

After reading your signature I think you should sell both of them, and a few more of the Porsches and go find a nice six.

Cuda - You make no mention of which one is better mechanically.

Or put it this way....If you had to drive 500 miles up the coast and needed to get there without delays, which one would you take?

Didn't the blue one breakdown in Arz. during the Route 66 run.

Which one is the funnest to drive. I like the blue one & the suggestion to swap wheels

Sell the Salvage Titled one. You have most of the bugs out of the blue one. Or keep the silver car and and do a Suby conversion.

+1 Keep the Blue car, swap rims, exhaust, and change mirrors. Turn the grey car in to a six

I try to maintain both of them to high standards. Yeah, the distributor crapped out on the blue one on the Route 66 tour (Warren, if you read this, don't think that I have forgotten that I owe you a new distributor).

But, replacing a distributor is minor. I spare no expense to keep my cars maintained.

The silver car has no rust at all, other than typical surface rust on the exhaust system. The blue car has a few small rust holes through the trunk that have been treated (painted) many years ago and have not spread. Personally, I love the Riviera wheels. Makes it look like a Hot Wheels car. Everyone has Fuchs. Boring.

One thing that I always think is insane: people rebuild a rusted piece of crap in their garage around a VIN tag, and it's worth a fortune. But a car with minor damage 20 years ago, that was fixed by an extremely high-end shop, but resulted in salvage title, is given a huge black eye. Insane.

The car I'm looking at is a six conversion (water-cooled). Ever since SoCal Andy (where has he been lately?) gave me a ride in his six, I've been hooked on that. I love cars that are original, but I also love the fun of the power of six conversions. Plus, I have a hard time selling cars.

OK, next question, yeah, the dreaded "what are they worth?"

Id keep the silver one. Mostly because the minimal rust and that you know its history.

I would keep both and buy another one.

Not everyone, apparently ...

Both look very nice but I like the one without the 'Stang mirrors.

Cuda911, PM sent.

If by "which one to keep" you mean really keep, I would vote for the silver one given what you said about condition. If the crash damage was fixed, who cares what the title is? You're keeping it so what does that matter?

^^ Yeah, I hear you. But when I look at the crazy money people are paying for 356's and other old air-cooleds, I believe that the 914 is also poised to massively increase in value.

Hence my struggle... a super-original and excellent condition car with salvage title, vs a "good" car with clean title.

I think I'd like to hang on to the car that has the potential to increase in value the most.

Trick question, you don't sell one, you just buy more real estate to house more.
You could increase the height of the garage, get 2 lifts and have room to spare!

"One thing that I always think is insane: people rebuild a rusted piece of crap in their garage around a VIN tag, and it's worth a fortune. But a car with minor damage 20 years ago, that was fixed by an extremely high-end shop, but resulted in salvage title, is given a huge black eye. Insane."

I agree, it is insane.
I think it plays with peoples minds, but it shouldn't. Especially with 914 prices on the rise.
Have you ever watched Graveyard Carz or any other restoration show?
Those cars are so far from original, but they're beautifully done and you never hear what they sell for or what people pay for the work but its huge money.

Its a tough call on which one you should sell because they are both fantastic cars.
The blue one is gorgeous. Maybe that is the one to sell and hang onto the silver one until prices on these gets to the point that the salvage title becomes less of an issue or maybe even becomes moot, which i hope and believe it will one day.

Steve

Wouldn't sell either.

The object is to accumulate them not liquidate....

I think the salvage title is worthless. I want a silver 914

Hmmm, sell me the turquoise 1.7, keep the silver 1.8 for yourself. I'm not a follower of the originality/authenticity/collector crowd so I'll go for it! Though not a Porsche color, it is era correct IMO, i.e. a color they could have used...

Though I've never had a 1.8, seems from what I have read a 1.7 is more desirable, plus it's a '73. Oops, I'm making an argument for you to keep it and not sell it to me.

Seriously, I think it boils down to what are your goals with these - potential appreciation over the years, or just having a car that brings a smile a to your face regardless of value in the future?

As for the 914 market going up and being the next the 356. Well, I agree it is creeping up, but the 356 was an iconic car for Porsche, the 914 was a stepchild and almost 42,000 more 914 type IV's were produced (76,000 vs 118,000). Also keep in mind 356 production spanned 18 years versus 6 years, thus the 356 should stir a lot more memories/emotions in a larger audience. But who knows where the market will go, if we knew we'd all be rich...

Sell both and get a flared 6. Seems like that's what is missing from your stable.

Thanks for all the input, guys!

Before I posted this thread, I was discussing this conundrum with Sara, and she said to post here and see what you all would say. I told her that I would get a mixed bag of responses, and I was right! Anyway, I need to wait for the seller to get back in town.

Keep the Silver car, since it is already sorted out .
But swap the following parts from the blue car:
Chrome bumpers, Euro indicators and Air dam.

Tuff call, if it were me,no matter what people say. I would not like a salvage title car. These 914 are not 356's. I guess they could be if you were to wait another 60 years. Most likely, between now and then, the car will come up for sale. Unless you pass it on to a family member.
Good luck.

Mike,

The `73 1.7 is both the least power /4 of all due to the CA emissions (68 HP IIRC), has known rust issues, & has been molested from original. The 73 1.7s are the resto mod fodder for that reason.

The 74 1.8L has better power, L-jet, 2 owner & original - ignore the swap the non-original hairbrained ideas on that car, & keep it AS IS original - IF you must sell one....

.... then work on a way to clear out the Salvage title - which clearly doesn't apply to value at this point (the PO should've wangled a way to not put it salvage with his insurance back then anyway - doofus). I know there are ways to do so legally.

Check with Donna Leek 530-320-5708 pro.reg.service@gmail.com in CA to see what she knows (she advertises in Pano & Pando & your SDR magazine + Dave W. toolguy knows her), but it may involve registering it out of state to do so (not sure on that), or at least going to a new plate - but the salvage title would've changed it from the original blue/gold plates already anyway.

Hopefully we'll see you & Sara at our OCR Concours at Mile Square Park in Fountain Valley on June 18th with one of the 2 (changed from Dana Point due to lack of water/dead grass).

PS - go to the Hagerty site for their valuation section to get values & trend charts on both cars.

Good Luck!
Tom
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Any pics of the repaired areas? Any waves/ripples in the trunk?

This is an easy one...

Which car means more to you on an emotional level?

I assume you bought these cars because they spoke to your motoring heart...not your investment account.

The fact is that neither of these cars is likely to make or break your retirement. When and if 914 values rise, the difference between them probably won't be more than a few thousand bucks.

If you can't keep them both, keep the one with the most memories. That's a guaranteed return!

I'll take the silver one!

A lot of great replies and I'm sure you've had plenty of PMs from people wanting to buy one or the other. As for value, I'm guessing you already have an idea of what you want for them.

If you're not sure what to list the one you decide to sell at and you want to maximize your potential return, an auction is your answer. BaT auctions seem to do well...

Personally I think it would mean more to offer at a "fair" price to a member that will care for the car as well as you have over the years, but that's just me.

Salvage titles scare buyers. I'd keep the silver car with the Mahles, but definitely swap out the bumpers. That turquoise is going to make someone happy.

...and use some of the money from the sale to extend the garage.

Keep the Felt mountain bike!

It would be nice to keep them both, but sometimes that isn't realistic unfortunately. A few years ago I "needed" to clear out the garage to get something new (that at the time I thought I really needed) and sold my "real" '71 914-6. Couldn't ever sell my '71 silver 914 as it was my first car and would never leave the family. Of course now I kick myself pretty much every day...

Bottom line- I don't have a good answer- and you'll be second guessing yourself for a long time anyway...

Good luck!!

What do you want a 914 for?

If it's for driving, keep the one that you enjoy driving more. If it's as an investment, sell them both and buy into a good mutual fund. If it's to make room in the garage, sell the one with a clean title and drive the salvage one.

The clean title will probably bring more money, even if the condition isn't as nice. Both have been repainted (the silver at least partially) so you take a bit of a hit from the originality crowd there either way. With the repaint and the small issues on the blue one, and the repair and repaint on the silver one, I doubt either one will really get into "collectible" territory any time soon.

I'd sell the blue one unless I liked driving it more than the silver one.

--DD

Salvage title kills value long term, as Tom_T pointed out there are some avenues to address that 'maybe.' But knowing the car's real condition outside that stamp on the title (which no one ever sees unless you're carrying the title around with you) the silver car is a better car to keep long term...

Tough call, I'm potentially adding a tail dragging stablemate at my place, the struggle is real

Isn't everyone tired of hearing how the 914 is going to be the next 356.

Well, the reason I bought both of them is that I really love 914s. Always wanted one, since I was a kid. Not for investment at all. But, of course, if they appreciate in value over time that's great. If you figure in the maintenance items I have done since purchasing them, certainly there is no profit to be made.

Both cars have their merits to me: The silver one is so clean. No cracks on the dash even, and the original radio and speakers. Never been a huge silver car fan though. To answer a few questions above, there is no sign at all of the prior damage. The car was repaired nearly 20 years ago. I would think that if there was a problem with the repair, it would have shown up by now.

The blue one is fun because people really like the color, so I get lots of smiles and comments when driving it around. I can't say that I notice any power difference between the two. The blue one "feels"more powerful because of the louder Anza exhaust. The silver one sounds pretty much like a bug or similar small 4-banger.

Sara has said that she may want to buy one of the cars from me. Received a few PMs, too.

Well, this is all preliminary, not sure if I will buy the conversion or not, but I want to start getting my thoughts together on it.

It's all SoCal Andy's fault, for giving me a ride in his car.

Is this a trick question?

I have a salvage title 1974 1.8. And I have spent a lot of time and money sorting it out. Little things and bigger things. Not much original but it's a blast to drive. Every time I put money into it I question whether it's worthwhile but I have come to realize that it's not an investment, it's my summer daily driver. So, it doesn't have its original wheels, transmission, windshield. Even the interior (it's leather for real and it's cool). Right now it's at Brad Mayeur's and it has 944 seat belts put in, an original exhaust (I like 'em quiet), good used engine harness (mine was crispy), etc. etc. So if you have an original looking/running/sorted out car with a salvage title, I wouldn't worry about it at all. Drive it, Keep it!

Paul

And, condition permitting, I'd swap the chrome bumpers onto the silver car.

P

I dont really care so long as you get those horrific mirrors off the blue car.

It's relative really. As I recall, you purchased the silver car at a discount because of the salvage title. From a fun factor, that makes it a real bargain. If you ever went to sell it, it's price would be discounted because of the title, but that's already been built in to the deal by your original purchase. So, you can't lose.

A wise man once told me, "the more you gamble, the less you lose when you win."

Don't know how that applies in this case but I've been itching to put that in a post for years.

Yep, Mike Wills is my Scape Goat. Every time I see him I remind him that he cost me a few thousand by introducing me to the 6 madness. Whose wasser conversion are you looking at?

Keep the silver one. You bought it with a salvage title and didn't seem to care about it then. It's cleaner. Swap bumpers. If the non salvage title car is worth more it's a bonus.