I am flying out to see this in person on Friday:

https://www.cargurus.com/Cars/inventorylist...sting=173550779

What are your thoughts? Looking at $8200

Looking good and reasonably priced!

Should check if it has a motor in it before flying

It is the most desirable year for a 4 cylinder - provided it is a 2.0L and not a 1.8L.

Is your goal a near Concours car - if so this isn't it. Do you want a fun driver - then this could work.

Condition is everything - there must be a reason there are fiberglass rocker covers - a great place for rust. Have them take them off for inspection.

Also the usual suspects - Hell Hole...

It is a 2.0. I had Glenn from here on the forums go and check it out and test drive it. He said it was pretty much in order. Original FI still intact.

Not looking for a concours car, just one that I can drive and slowly fix over time. The troublesome spots include the jack point on the passenger side, both sails seem to be "crunchy", driver door jamb has a little bubbling at the bottom.

I'd look very carefully. . any dealer who would say "Low MIles" on this car isn't thinking clearly. . the question is = does it really have 121000 or 221000 miles or more ? also looks like everything was sprayed with water to make it shiny Why ??.
I would want to peek under the front hood seal in the lower corners and the rubber cowl to body seal as well as all the usual spots. .
The given is "914's have rust". . . .

Additional photos:

with Dave, & will go further!

Regardless of Glenn driving it & confirming it has a 2.0 engine in it - you should call PCNA's COA dept. with the VIN & tell them that you're looking to buy it & need to confirm if it's a real factory 2L, since there are so many transplanted 1.7s out there (BTW 73 was 1.7 not 1.8 for the smaller motor). Have the dealer take a pic of the engine case number stamped next to the oil filler cap, so you can give PCNA both the VIN & case # over the phone. Hopefully they'll be helpful, especially if you say that you'll get a COA if/when you buy (good "future value insurance" for you anyway on a 2L).

Next - I get the willies when I see a dealer wit too many published untruths -

1. As Dave says - this is certainly NOT a 24K mile car, but 124-224K. miles, & wear on the gas pedal bears that out!

2. There is NO way it can be "CarFax Guaranteed" since you cannot even get a CarFax for any of the older VIN cars per-1980s sometime!

Understood that you want a DD, but there are several condition factors which cause me to wonder if there are more rust & other issues with this car -

1. Note the FG Rockers concern discussed above for rust at the longs to check (they or PO also used the wrong type for the GT Flared cars - not the flat FG rockers).

2. The bumper tops are both wavy, so they're rusted out inside - & who spends the $ to repaint the car, then slap those old things on there, when you have now 4-5 sources for nice repro bumper tops!? I mean really - somebody spent some $ for a hood badge, Euro front TS lenses, rear spoiler & reflector with remote rear trunk latch, etc., etc. - & then doesn't change the bumper rubbers!!??

3. The car is in Chicago, so it's probably lived in salty roads rust belt states, so you really need to look closely at all lower surfaces inside & out - under carpets/pads, spares, into nooks & crannies for any signs of rust - including the hell hole & bubbles on top & around the chrome trim pieces everywhere.

4. I've seen that odd seat insert material somewhere where somebody was asking about if it were stock (it is definitely not - but was probably what the local upholstery shop had on hand whenever the seats were recovered - & a 24K mi 914 won't need the seats redone either), so someone else may have looked at the car from 914world, & you can look in the posts & maybe even contact them before you spend money to fly to Chi-town.

Everyone is saying to be cautious, cuz a cheap 914 can most easily turn into a very expensive one, if it has loads of hidden problems with rust, etc.

If you do go to look it over, then take Jeff Bowlsby's 914 Inspection Form printed out with you to go over this car with a fine tooth comb.

http://bowlsby.net/914/Classic/zTN_Gen_914CAF.pdf

Also, I would put this one at no more than #4 Fair Condition in the Hagerty value chart at the link below - assuming that it does check out as a factory 2.0 & no rust issues are found:

https://www.hagerty.com/apps/valuationtools...Porsche-914-2.0

You could do some advanced research to get prices for your repair of the bumper tops, correct steel rocker covers, a Dansk 2L Banana muffler, correct seat upholstery or kits, & any other needed parts & repairs, etc. to use as bargaining chips to get them down to your $8200 for their asking price - assuming it's a real factory 2L with no major rust nor mechanical issues.

If it's a 2L transplanted into a 1.7, then it's probably way overpriced even at $8200, but you can check me by using the Hagerty link to revalue it as a 1.7.

Also, ignore their +10% for AC - it's a wash in most cases, & was never offered as "factory air" - but as either of the factory approved & dealer installed DPD or VPC ACs for 914s (also other aftermarket ones).

PS - From the pix you've added above while I was typing, it's got definite rust issues - the question is how deep - & the hell hole repair may not have done it all properly which could just be a new tray+support with POR over the rusted wall - can't tell from pix inside, but last 2 pix of jack support & underside indicate a rusted out longitudenal, & who knows what else hidden under the underbody coating! More rust is growing elsewhere too - e.g.: the pic behind the door handles is always rusting from inside up-n-out due to the factory foam inside, so it's never simple surface rust - I know, I've redone mine 3x since 1975! !

Hopefully you have a pic of the engine case number to call PCNA COA to verify if it's a factory 2L - otherwise, I'd keep looking if it were me on a 2L into a 1.7 car.

Good Luck!
Tom
///////

Too much rust for $8,200. Shop around more in drier states. Why rush?
gg

Great deal, looks like they are throwing in $100 worth of Armor All.

You'll spend $10k fixing the rust and you might end up with a $11000 car.

Getting the best car on the front end will always be cheaper than a fixer upper.

When it comes to rust repair it's a lose/lose situation.

If you contact Porsche and order a COA (cost $110), they will confirm or deny Vin & Engine number right away over email while the cert is being processed.

Sara Edie
Porsche Specialist, Porsche Contact Center
Porsche Cars North America, Inc.
One Porsche Drive
Atlanta, GA 30354-9817

Phone: 1-800 PORSCHE (1-800-767-7243)
Fax: (800) 322-2436
Email: coa@porsche.us

Even as a 2.0 car, based on the photos of the underside, make sure that you get the car up on a lift with the rocker covers removed before going any further as well as getting an independent PPI to evaluate mechanical.

Tom T - thanks for the in depth opinion. I am 2nd guessing my trip to Chicago to see it.

So I see a lot of people on here saying the same thing "Why rush?", "Don't be in a hurry" I have to ask, if I never ask opinions about a potential purchase and am not in a hurry to buy, will I ever buy? What is the point in looking to buy if I'm not actually going to buy?

Sounds like my story. When you find the right one, you will know. Educating yourself is part of the process to find the best car out there for the money.

Check this one:

https://losangeles.craigslist.org/sfv/cto/6174960499.html

Maybe a quick fix mechanically and cosmetics to follow as time and $ allow if its a solid CA car.

It's way overpriced as it sits, so perhaps negotiable enough to buy in the $8k range. My seller was asking $12k and I acquired it for $8.5K.

Just a thought.

Looks like your going to be surprised when they remove those rockers. If you can't do the rust repair yourself, it along with body and paint is very expensive. Look at some of the build threads that started with rust buckets. Pm those members and ask questions..

The picture of the car straight from the rear seems to show the passenger side is a lot lower than the drivers side. That might indicate a rusted out long/suspension console under the hell hole.
I think you have gotten a lot of good advice to proceed with caution. By all means proceed but check everything and walk away if the condition is not as claimed or you can't get them down to a price that is correct for the condition.

Would a dealer really sell a car with that low mileage for that sort of money ?.....don't think so.
That rust is only the tip of the iceberg IMO,those area's shown are hard fixes afterall.
If I lived it the US I would be buy a car off 914world,my purchase was from a known person in the Porsche/VW community in my country,I felt safe there.
I have little trust in dealers,our government has tightened up on them but theres still those that rip people off.
Keep looking.

Looks like the one jack point is pretty gone. Makes me very suspicious about how much rust is in the longitudinal around it. Which leads to questions about the integrity of the suspension console.

The bubbles in the paint near the sail panel are either really awful body work starting to fail, or rust coming through from the underside. The stuff in the corner of the door frame might also be coming through from the back, or might just be some surface rust.

If you're traveling for cars, might be better to look farther afield and find something more solid. It will probably save you money in the long run.

If you were local and didn't want to travel, I would suggest looking at it and trying to get the price down to where you wouldn't lose a huge amount by fixing it. But you're not local, so I think it's probably not worth bothering with.

--DD

Thanks all. That was what I needed. I cancelled my trip and got my deposit back. The search continues.

Rust. They're showing you the best of it. The pass door side handle recess is pretty suspect to me. You know they're not going to give you a peek behind the rockers. Unless replaced i'm will to wager the heat exchangers are rotten. Smart move flying in. Be prepared to turn and walk away.

Even if you don't buy this car, checking it out will add to your experience and make you a smarter shopper for the future.

Pleased you went that way,really the best move,good luck searching your car is out there.