Does anyone know the results of the Monterey auctions?i know a 914 1.8 went for big money, but I think a 914-6 was also being auctioned that weekend. Actually would like to see all the Porsche results.

84k

A. 1.8. Went for. 84. K.

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?sho...12837&st=33

Gotta love the lowest monthly payment...

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Look at it this way y'all, the values of all our teeners just went up!

Re: the 1.8, I wouldn't get too excited. The unicorns always bring high bucks but seldom drag the rest of the breed up.

It seems that there is finally some love for Porsche's bastard love child with VW. The 1.8 certainly was a 'unicorn' with such low mileage, but the -6 was a honest result. Did anyone see that car in person?

Not sure why this is a good thing. Unless you are looking to profit off of your 914, all this would do is increase the cost of ownership. Parts go up, insurance goes up, repairs go up, ect...

Of course I'm coming from the side of not owning one, and at this rate I probably never will, but my appreciation of the 914 will never go away and will continue to live through this great forum and the people here.

I'm right there with you, and I'm an owner of two 914-4s. I was too late to the 911/964 parade, then too late to the 914-6 parade. I managed to stumble onto these at the right time.

There's no value to a true enthusiast for these rising prices. It benefits the collectors/investors/flippers. Just wait for the bubble to pop.

Chalk me up as another not so enthusiastic about 914 price rises. I don't think it does a lot for the hobby—other than maybe save some cars that would've been allowed to disappear. My 914 is an emotional/sentimental object, and so it's not for sale and thus the rise in values only means parts, insurance, etc. go up. With 356s and early 911s, it means they have become "event" cars rather than cars I still see out on the road randomly. Something is definitely lost there.

And six-figure sixes and near-six-figure fours are a reality I can't quite wrap my head around. Really? A 914 1.8 that costs more than a Ferrari F355? Or a niiiiice 996 GT3, maybe even with 3,000 miles on it? Or a high-mileage Ferrari 550 Maranello? Or a nearly new GT4? C'mon. Yet I am not sure a correction is coming. The early 911 market has felt like a bubble to me for about a decade, yet it has only gone one way with a few soft spots for "just okay" cars along the way. I think Porsche has maybe eclipsed Ferrari in terms of desirability, and the air-cooled cars have a huge advantage in terms of ease and cost of ownership. They were simple cars, and Porsche made a lot of them—and a lot of parts. The 914 finally appears to be following the minted 356, recently minted longhood 911, and even more recently minted 912.

With all that said, I think we are a very long ways away from the point where 914s are unapproachable. There are far too many dog-eared but save-able (translation: accessible) 914s out there, and there are still budget-minded ways to keep them on the road. And this, I think, is a very good thing.

I don't think you will see the parts cost go up. A good thing is that now it makes economic sense to restore them. So you will see more on the road. More parts will get made.

Right now you can buy good one for less than a Kia econo-box. Yes the prices on these have been depressed for some time. They have stated to get noticed. I would look at it as a sign to find your bliss. If you want to own one, do it. Only now if you buy one it may not just be a money pit but an investment. It'll sure be worth more than the kia when it's driven off the lot!

Did they serve drinks before the auction?

It reminds me of when the appraised value of our house increased by $60K in the first six months after we built it. Our friends kept saying that it should make us happy. I'd ask why, since we hoped this would be the last house we'd ever own. Until we sell it, it just means higher taxes for us.

I see two good things about values rising. One is that it's nice to have a rolling piggy bank in case I ever need a rainy day fund. The other is that it is easier to justify the $ I'm spending to restore the car. Other than that, there isn't much upside that I see.

Even the much-unloved 912 and 912E are bringing good money, sometimes close to comparable-year 911!!

Probably too late for the 928GTS and 944S4, but jump on those early 924s, 928s, 944s, and 968s as the next ones in line...plus, they're good cars.

For more random thoughts...I was much dismayed reading a "Letter to the Editor" in this month's Panorama, where some guy said he doesn't really like reading about old cars, he'd prefer the magazine to have more articles on the new(er) cars...like Motor Trend, Car&Driver, Road&Track, et al isn't enough...I attended a local chapter meeting a couple weeks ago and of the 4 dozen-ish cars that showed up I was probably one of four air-cooled cars (and 1 or 2 914s!) Most everyone around me had a newer car, and most were focusing on options and color codes...

Get off my lawn!!!

Greg,

not what we see here, probably more older cars than newer ones at our chapter get togethers. yes lots of newer ones too. but at our last tech session there were a handful of older cars- 74 911, 912, 356. 914 etc older boxster, 944 - you get the idea. might be we have a lot of retired population that like and appreciate the older cars more. We also have an active De group and a bunch of older air cooled 911's, and a local shop that does tons of race prep builds, specialty is air cooled 911 so its easier to fit in somewhat-

Phil

- regarding the auction I was shocked and thought it might take $30k to buy that car- I don't think its indicative of actual values of the average 914 dd.

Just received this today from FLATSIX.Com. I'm guessing that higher $$ are with buyers fee!

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Auction houses have a 10% house fee. Buyers pay it.

Guess the new-vs-old mix may have a lot do to with geography, too. There's a lot higher average income in CT versus, say, NC (or TX, where I'm from). Up here people generally just want to buy it.

But there's still enthusiasts. I stopped for fill-up recently in the 914 and a guy in the next pump with a Cayman S just wanted to talk about the 914. He did me the official color name...lol...

Crap, now I got to eat my words....... Thats if I ever get my 3.2 conversion back from PMS

My 1.8 before and after......
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It's hard to take a car that has been restored to the nth degree and sold at a big auction house and compare it to anything happening in the real world with a normal guy selling a normal car.
The analogy I use when people quote me what a car like this sold for at one of the big auctions and base the price of their car on it is a simple one. I say it's like Paris Fashion Week, if you watch it you will see an Yves St. Laurent gown go down the runway, if you wanted to buy it the cost would be in the tens of thousands. A year later you are at the mall and see a watered down version of that gown on the rack, it's semi-affordable. That what comparing one of these half million dollars cars to a rusty pile in the back of your garage, it's apples and oranges, yes they are both Porsches, but you can't really use the value of one as a basis for the value of the other.
It's like a few years ago I went to the side of a mountain to look at a B Coupe, the passenger's side door had a live snake looking at me, the driver's side had an ant-hill as big a my foot, and under the hood with a family of mice, a true eco-system. The guy said,
"B Coupes are bringing $75,000 now."
I agreed, and it would take $100,000 to get this car there, so do I get $25,000 for taking it?

^ Yes.

A few things, as I've been trying to wrap my head around this result:

1) You might spend $100k on a $5k 914 trying to get it to the level of the 1.8 that sold for $93k, and you still won't get there because it won't be...an original, low-mileage car.

2) The auction world is its own kettle of fish. There's the value of the car. And then there's the mood of the room and whether or not it has the right buyers in it. Translation: The results are interesting, but hardly as indicative as some want us to believe they are.

3) As one friend noted, sure, this 914 1.8 price is crazy in light of a lot of other cars you can buy for similar money, but maybe it's not so crazy in light of what people pay for something else they are nostalgic about: vintage VW buses. And a 914—even a 1.8—is surely a better drive.

Just a few years ago a friend bought a 914-6 for $35,000 when the market was closer to $25,000. I thought it would take many years for the market to move up for him to ever break even on his purchase. I was way wrong on that assumption.

Granted a 1975 1.8 at $93,000 seems way out of line but who knows at some point sooner than any of us might think they might end up in that range.

Jeff B

I really hope these are aberrations. 'Cause if my nice driver-quality '74 2L becomes an expensive collector car then it'll get parked, sold, and I'll get something else fun to drive.

We can only hope the "investors" don't start buying 914's, they have been a real pain in the 356 world. I'm so sick of guy's calling me looking for a Porch 356, but it must be "Investor Class". WTF does that even mean? Do I look like I'm investing right now?

Well looking like a great investment in fun but then I believe that's the case for most of us here!

Was reading that the 914-6 was restored by Chip Ganassi's race shop as it was his car. Probably had to sell as he wouldn't fit it in anymore...
It looked really nice but had an incorrect rear bumper.

As for the 1.8- 93K with the buyer's premium??? As noted above, somebody had WAY too much to drink!!

I'm not as refined as you guys nor do I know anything about current values. What really caught my eye is this is a 75-76. The lowest of 914's or so I'm told. I thought it would be a 73 or 74 2.0. Again, what do I know?

Not many people like the big rubber bumpers and at least in California the '76 needed smog equipment which can be a pain.

Lighter and nicer looking bumpers is what really makes the earlier cars more desirable I would say.

As Bruce Anderson would say, buy the latest best condition car you can find or afford.....or something like that

I think Pete hit the important factors for this sale.

A car is only original once and a 3k mile 40 yr old car is as rare as it comes. No one can recreate original nor can it be bought it at any price to add to another car.

Of the high value 914s I track, the year/model/engine size/color etc are only secondary considerations. The value is highly determined by originality and condition more than anything. There seem to be an abundance of late model 1.8s with high values. Maybe there is a reason these CA s were not driven more?

How much?????!!!!!

Well.... I just decided to NOT backdate my bumpers.

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What ?
Every car you buy is an investment.
Every one of them is for sale.... for a profit.
You are dealing very nicely with those ' real pain' guys in the 356 world.
You're crying all the way to the bank.
You've even said on this site that you've sold millions of dollars worth of cars.
Truly 'The pot calling the kettle black'

Apparently these guys haven't noticed!



https://www.pca.org/news/2017-08-29/five-in...nterey-auctions

I see you're new to this "owning a car" thing. Welcome! It can be really fun! Let us know if you have any questions, we're here to help!

Yep, brand new.
Give this beginner a couple tips please.

Yes, I sell cars, but I can complain of the changing nature of the buyer. What was once fellow Porsche lovers is quickly being replaced with Blue Chip Hunters who have no Porsche soul. So yes, I will sell them cars, for profit, this is America, but it makes it a lot less fun. I've always enjoyed getting pictures from guys after they restore their cars, or even better getting to see those cars at events all restored. Like this one, a B Coupe I sold to a judge in OH, who is now a friend. Several years after selling him the car I got to park next to it at a Registry Holiday, now that was fun! The new buyer doesn't even want to drive the car, he just wants it to "mature" so he can "cash out". The judge's car is the white one, the red one on the other side is the car they use on the TV show Vampire Diaries, it was a fun group.
So yes Rory, I'm making bank, but that's not all there is to life, or this business.

On another note, you can read the story of finding that car here on my blog, it was a wild trip.

https://unobtaniuminc.wordpress.com/2010/03...-from-the-edge/

Well said Rory, he gets flamed when he go's on here and just brushes it off ,not well thought out comments on his part.
Except for self promotion little else happens as a member that has been on here longer than me .

And now, back to your regularly scheduled self promotion.
YOU are the changing nature of buyers.
'Porsche soul' from you.....I love it.

The ironic - and sad - part about that whole deal is that it's the enthusiasm of the "Porsche Souls" - us - that attracted the Blue Chip Hunters...

Though I'm fortunate to have a car that's been an appreciating asset, the increased values do make one more reluctant to drive them as often. My 914-6 started as my daily driver back in the 70's though it now mainly sits in the garage.

Also, the comradary of Porsche owners from back in the days seems to be lacking with many of the owners of the newer cars. Luckily, these Forums are populated for the most part with 'true believers' (and luckily some new converts as well)!

Let me tell a story about buying Porsches. I went to New Jersey several years ago because a guy called me about an 1964 SC Sunroof Coupe for a good price. I drove down the next day, looked the car over for 5 minutes and said I would buy it at full asking price. While I was loading it a guy in a Mercedes kept circling the block. We, the owner and me, finally asked the guy in the Mercedes if he was lost. He asked if there was a Porsche for sale, the owner said no, he said "there was a Porsche here a few weeks ago." The owner said it was sold. The guy in the Mercedes than looks at me says "YOU!" and drives off. The guy in the Mercedes was your brother Robert. The owner then said that two brothers had come out several weeks before, weren't very nice and offered him half of his asking price, acting like they were doing him a big favor. So if this the "old buyer" versus the "new buyer", I prefer to be the new buyer, paying asking price for a good car, rather than ripping off the seller, but then that's probably been the Gallagher way of buying for decades now.
So what's my lack of a Porsche Soul, I have a large personal collection, many of which came from good Porsche friends, like my 58 Coupe that won Daytona, that came from my friend Jim Watson. Is my perceived lack of a soul because I'm not as old as you? I wasn't out ripping people off in the the 80s like the Gallagher Brothers? Well, you got me there, I wasn't ripping people off then, and I don't rip them off now. That's the reason I can fill whole trucks with Porsches, because seller's like me, trust me, and know my reputation for being fair. How many trucks have you filled Rory? I bet not many. So I think I'll stick to being a "new buyer" and go fill some more trucks.

Yes, there was a 356 C sunroof car for sale in my brother Toms neighborhood.
Tom has a Mercedes. Tom does not know Mr. Unoptanium so the exclamation 'It's you" is pure fantasy.
The seller used my brother Roberts offer as leverage for the next prospect.
All other aspects of the tale as told are adjusted to suit self promotion.
And we now return to our regularly scheduled advertising program.
I'm sure you have sentries posted at you door to keep 'Blue Chip' investors
out.

If anyone wants to read the full story and others like it, it is posted on PCA.

https://www.pca.org/news/2017-03-28/barnfin...e-vs-short-game