Hi,

My name is Jamie, and I've been lurking one the website for a while. Now I'm considering joining the club for real. I've been seriously considering buying a 914 that I've located fairly nearby. I'm now trying to convince my wife it's not such a bad idea...

Anyway, I've done a lot of reading, and feel like I have a pretty fair understanding of the cars and their trouble spots, at least as far as a non-owner. Rust issues, FI quirks, electrical gremlins that come with 35 yo cars, etc.

One question I have, however, pertains to parts availability - are there any parts that are darn near impossible to locate, whether new, used repro or refurb? How about any that are ridiculously expensive? I see, for instance, that a new MPS for D-Jet is over $1000. What else should I be aware of?

Thanks for your comments.

-Jamie

Jamie,

First off . . . Some parts like taillight lenses and targa to windshiled seals used to be impossible to find and incredibly expensive. However, places like Automobile Atlanta have gone through the expense of having these parts recreated so they are more readily available.

AA may have some hard to find parts - but I order most of my parts from PelicanParts - with that said - be careful convincing your wife as these cars are time consuming. If money is tight - a 914 can get you in domestic trouble fast. If you have money to burn - then simply ask your wife if you can have the garage space and a hobby. jim

Bleyseng sells rebuilt MPS's for around $200 a piece. The only part that I know of that is damn near impossible to come by is a targa top seal. As for the rest, everything is pretty widely available. Playing with toy cars is a money pit no matter what you do, but the 914 is one of the more cost effective ones out there, considering the performance you can get for the money. It all depends on how much you want to tweek with it. Still, there will always be some repairs with a 35 year old car. They're a blast though. Well worth it.
Mark D.
Oh, and

...parts wont be your problem...rust will.
If your not an experienced welder, make sure you have a solid car.

If you need parts, you'll find plenty of resources on this site.

Welcome to the club! Just make sure you get a straight car! You DO NOT WANT a car with serious accident history. Yes, there are some good cars out there that have been properly fixed, but as a buyer, be picky, very picky. Take your time, don't be afraid to travel to look at a car, don't be afraid to walk away (regardless of time and effort spent to check out a car), and at the same time be prepared to jump on a good car when you find it.

Generally speaking you are better off to pay more up front for a better car, than "I can save a little now and fix it up as I need", those cars typically cost more in the long run and unless you like to work on your car (many here do, me included), you will loose seat time for wrenching time and the cost differential is fractional.

A $3500 fixer upper driver could cost you two or three times that much, when you can get a really nice car for $7-10,000, or more if your budget permits. It's not unusual to find exceptional cars, already restored and ready for miles of smiles, for less than what the owner paid in restoration costs.

If you are concerned with keeping the car original, and injected, it could cost you more to keep it going, but that doesn't mean it's still an avoidance. Repair, maintenance, and restoration parts are available from a variety of sources, and you shouldn't have any problem finding what you need to keep your 914 on the road.

Good luck, and happy hunting!

Parts are relatively easy to come by. Overall they can be cheaper than many foreign vintage cars. Porsche just re-released the front targa seal a few weeks ago.

Here is an (incomplete) list of reputable parts suppliers:
Pelican Parts
Parts Heaven
Camp 914
High Performance House
Hennessey Porsche
Stoddard Porsche, etc.

I personally have not had good luck with the customer service at Auto Atlanta, but apparently some other club members are happy customers.

Regardless, I hope you enjoy your 914. Ask as many questions as possible. There are so many KNOWLEDGEABLE people that are here to help you on this board.

Konrad
72/4

Good Luck

I totally agree with Ray "RUST" find a mamber who lives close that can give the car a once over with you or call someone like George at AA who can give you advice on a buy. Mike P.S. Welcome

a 914 is a terrific econocar actually. Sure you can spend money on upgrades, but if you find the right one to buy, it will be as dependable as an old VW (duh), economical to opperate, and more unique than any usable car out there. And that "right car" will still only cost ya $5 or 6K. A $6K Kia or a $6K Porsche. You do lose air conditioning and power windows, and a Kia is a babe magnet, so that makes it a tough choice....

you should look at more than 1 car if at all possible. if you could get a member from MO to accompany you on the inspection, it wouldn't hurt. read the buyers guide at pelican. go look at the car, take a bunch of pictures, post them, and report back with the findings. don't be in TOO big of a rush.

k

Good luck. Definitely buy the most rust free car you can find. The other problems are a lot easier to deal with.

You might want to ask your wife if it is ok to have a mistress, cause thats what your buying. But this one won't tell on you. And

If your looking for a car to drive, then buy one that is already sorted out and ready to go. Don't worry, there will be plenty of things to "fix" on the best of these cars. If your looking for a project, a toy to spend many years working on, then find a deal on a fairly complete car and start having fun.

My wife had a "boy toy" 914 when I met her, so me having an old Porsche addiction is fairly easy for her to take.

Welcome... You will enjoy the hobby and the insanity that goes with 914 ownership.

Listen to the advice of everyone here.. but remember, at the end of the day, it is YOUR car. Do what YOU want to it!!!

Won't tell on you? Wait 'till she opens the credit card bill! Sometimes think a mistress would be cheaper. Well, maybe not, but the trail would be the same.

Not only are many parts available, there is a vast online community right here and many illustrated articles on "how to" do individual repairs.

When I was looking to buy my most recent car, after not having one on the road since 1991, a member here outlined some of the reasons why a 914 is so special:

Many cars still out there
Two seater
Great handling
Four wheel disc brakes (OK, maybe not the very best brakes)
Air cooled with no radiator/liquid cooling system woes
Easy to work on (OK, maybe not the whole engine)
Parts fairly cheap (especially compared to 911, etc)
Fuel injected
Convertible
Five speed manual
Two trunks, lots of room for a sports car
Roomy interior
And built when cars were actually put together by people and not robots
Good examples don't cost an arm and a leg especially compared to other sports cars

F'rinst: when I got my car back it had a new but defective ignition switch. With a replacement in hand, I was able to check the Pelican (pelicanparts.com) site for a tutorial on replacement and had the new switch installed in about an hour!

I don't think (if you have any mechanical inclination at all) that you have to be afraid of this car. It's a rewarding experience, that's why I'm on my fourth.

Good luck! It's a good illness to catch.

Paul

Thanks for all the helpful comments. I'll be sure to put up some pics when I make the plunge!