1984 - 914 on Ebay with title that is not a 914... and 26 bids???? But 'Clean Title'.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1984-Porsche-914/3...4gAAOSwpp1cfX2A


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Yeah, I just messaged the seller letting him know the title is incorrect for the 914.

It's an 84.

He's also got a 924 listed. I think he just got the title pics mixed up.

So one title has the wrong VIN (obviously 944).
And the 2nd title for a real 914 doesn't match the license plate on the car.

No money shots to verify it's condition but that looks like a damn good deal sitting there. Wish it were closer. Dash is cracked, seats need reupholstering and someone modified the WW park position. Other than that it looks tight!

It's the kind of listing most people won't give a second look. Poor pictures, short description, possibly screwy paperwork. It's the kind of listing I love because of those short comings.

If I lived in the area, I'd be over at his place inspecting the cars and delving into the title status while everyone else is laughing at the seller. It may be a wild goose chase but has often been a very good use of my time.

But there's a reserve. Chances are, because of the things you mentioned, it probably won't hit the reserve.

the good deals are often camouflaged.

Hmmm...

A 74 914 listed as an 84 with plates that don't match the 84 nor 74 titles, a 79 924 listed with the 74 914's title & no plates visible anywhere, & an 84 title for a possible 3rd car 944 nowhere in sight.

Now that's one big cluster f**k!

Someone above & maybe others have PMed to him, & I did again, but I went the step further to report both ads to evil-bay that the vehicles are misrepresented by VINs, titles & plates.

It could be a scam, a case of too hurried or drunk, a case of having old cars in storage & not getting the right plates & paperwork with the correct car.

Either way, the seller needs to clean up his mess before anyone can possibly buy & register either one!

Maybe if we have a SD member on here willing to help him figure things out, you may be able to help someone or confirm a scam/problem, & also get back to the Forum to clear up what's really going on. Think of it as your good deed for the month!

Also, I'm not sure that he's got a reasonable idea of value for the reserve price. There are no rear badges for either 1.8 or 2.0, but I'd think that the current $3995 bid of 39 bids should have hit the reserve for a 1.8 in that poor condition with the work required to get it usable as even a DD. If a 2.0 then maybe it's a bit higher still (it has the center console, but that can be added or an option on a 1.8).

Cheers!
Tom
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914 title was issued 18 yrs ago. Plates change with time I would imagine

Not in CA - same plate until title & registration is changed. We don't change as the plate designs do, as do some other stated like OK.

Whomever buys these cars - even assuming the correct title gets with the proper car - will have a mell of hess to clean up with our disfunctional DMV!

And there may be huge fines & penalties due too - if the seller doesn't have them up to date on Non-Ops!


Tom
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If the title VIN matches the VIN on the car you can always just throw the plates away and DMV will issue new ones, doesn’t seem like that big of a deal

My point was that there could be title issues if there is a mismatch, & nothing with CA DMV is easy!

You generally need to turn in the old plates to DMV to get new ones - unless there are none on the car - so you can't just throw away old plates & hope that they'll issue new ones. I've been through this DMV dance before, as have many friends, & they can be complete a-holes!

Also, if it's not kept registered or on Non-Op, then you can get stuck for $1000s fo fines & penalties - on top of your sales tax, transfer & title/registration fees.

So yes it can be a big deal.

Can't speak for CA but in Nevada the vehicle can be registered to someone other than the title owner. Would explain the plate change.

If everything is wrong then of course it’s a big deal, but it is conjecture That everything is wrong. May well be the case, they well not be the case.

You have, apparently, had bad luck who has helped you at DMV. I’ve personally found them helpful, and if you use AAA the whole thing borders on being a good experience. The rules are what the rules are-if you know them it’s not especially difficult to navigate the system.

There are also approaches to dealing with back fees on cars of this vintage in California.

Edit: if the plates on the car are not the ones associated with the car they’re going to issue new ones anyway, so don’t see why that’s a showstopper.

Not trying to give you a hard time Tom, I just had different experiences and while the points you raise or important to be aware of its conjecture.

If it hasn't been registered or non-op'ed in long enough, it falls out of the system, and there are no extra penalties. Sadly, I don't remember how long it takes for that to happen.

--DD

Me thinks those that describe lots of potential problems with these cars...may be the ones most interested in them?

It sounds like that is a California problem. Doesn’t seem to be an issue with most other states. I find it’s cheaper to buy CA cars and ship than to do the metalwork on east coast cars. I’ve given my title company some funky looking titles with obviously wrong info and they just say whatever, we see it all the time and then a couple weeks later, I get the new title in the mail. They charge me a couple dollars to process over what it cost me to do myself. Money well spent.

The license doesn’t match the title versus the plates in the photo and Ca. License year sticker appears to be orange. The orange Ca year stickers are 2003, 08, 13, 18. I’m betting this is an older person trying to sell off unused vehicles as no longer in use due to the sellers age and just maybe a bit of old age senility. Just of course a old man gussying.

Good catch here @wes
The other license plate sticker says MAY so the 914 title doesn't belong to this car.

The magic number is 7 years Dave, then it usually drops off the CA-DMV system.

I found that out when trying to get to the microfilm records back to the OO who I bought my 73 2L from back in 1975 using the DMV's Info Request form/process, but my Non-Op had lapsed in `92, so they had no records anymore.

Back in 1992 DMV Sacto HQ gave me 2 bad choices for being a week late (renewal date was 12/26 & they never mailed the `92 notice) - new plates & some high additional fees, or huge penalties to keep my original blue/yellow plates. Since it's not been driveable since 1985, I've just stored it in my garage since then, & will tackle the DMV at the point when it's restored/repaired & ready to put back on the road.

Currently DMV does have the regs to charge the penalties plus interest for non-registered cars, & some folks have been able to get around them - including taking the car out of state to re-register, then "importing" it back into CA, but that requires that you have a clean & correct title.

Because I have all of my prior reg cards 1975-92, the original plates that match the reg & title, & the car has been in my possession from 12/26/7 to present & stored off-street - I possibly have a good chance of getting my registration restarted with my original plates - but who knows at what cost!
It certainly won't be the few dollars that Mark E. is used to paying!

This seller appears to have a set of mismatched titles, plates, month stickers, etc. which won't be an easy fix for a buyer taking the car on faith.

DMV tends to change their policy as the state's tax needs change - with heavy penalties added when they're hungry, & waivers when they're trying to rope in unlicensed owners under their occasional amnesty programs.

So I'm in a similar position as this seller - but I'll be keeping mine, not selling like this guy is doing. The seller will be best served to get his own title & registration issues cleared up prior to selling, then he can do a clean & clear title transfer as required by CA law - no matter which state the buyer is in. If not, the buyer has recourse, & the seller can be criminally charged - even if he's an old guy.

And watch that senile old guy commentary Wes - as I resemble that remark!

And for Steinkamp & others thinking along his lines - NO I'm not a prospective buyer of yet more problems of yet another 914 that needs a lot of TLC!

I'm providing my cautions to those who may want to buy it, since it keeps coming up on new topics 3-4+/- times already.

At best there are paperwork & plate issues to be resolved - while at worst it could be a scam or selling a stolen car, etc.

So I'm suggesting that anyone interested in buying the car - even if you live in NV or PA/DE where apparently they don't check the national DVM registry & register any old thing - exercise caution in any prospective purchase.

Also give the crap quality of the few pix - ask for more pix or better yet, go inspect the car.

I'd hate to see this become another horror story of what went wrong with yet another sight unseen evil-bay purchase of a problem 914, that we see posted on 914world every so often.


Tom
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Sorry Tom didn’t know anyone older than me was here! I’ve forgotten way I’m in the bathroom!

No Wes -

I don't think that I'm older than you, but I do suffer the half-zymers scourge!

I WISH I could forget my way to the bathroom sometimes!

And then there's that ole "Geesh, I used to be able to lift that, or do that, or get under there, or bend over, etc., etc. easily" BS!

No apologies needed, as I was just you!

Cheers to we in the "Old Farts Club"!
Tom
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One of the great things about this forum. A real mix of enthusiasts. There's us old folks (I'm 71), lots of much younger fanatics. Those that want a purely bone stock car, a good driver, one modified appropriately, and outlaws like me with V8 power. All different views, opinions, needs, and everyone with something to contribute. And all get along (sometimes grudgingly ).

This is not true of other car sites I frequent. Maybe not true of most. Congrats 914World!

Just happened to notice this as well when I was checking eBay. Interesting.

I’ve often thought the 914 to be a newer years cheap sports car, certainly not the same but similar to the model A’S of the fifty’s and early 60’s. You can engineer an unbelievabl number of engines in for more power. How many oddball body configurations! They were cheep and easy to find. Now we’ve been introduced to a newer crowd that want a perfect all original like new Porsche 914.

I've made the same comparison Wes, having helped my Uncle do a 32 rumble seat roadster into a Chevy Vette suspension & 327 FI street rod back in the `60's.

But of note - the Model A's were only 20-30 years old in the 1950s - 60s using an mid-point average 1930s-ish build date; while our 914s are now 45 - 50 years old & still going strong, even if a tad susceptible to the tin-worm!


Cheers!
Tom
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