Hi All,

I felt it was time to help all the newby's coming into the 914 market. What to buy and what to look at. Of course everything depends on how much money you can afford. Like Bruce Anderson says "buy the best quality and year you can afford".

I looked at an ebay 75 yellow car in MI this week that sold for their asking price of $15K to a CA buyer. It was low milage car and someone got a car that could have brought $20K to the new astute buyer. I see market conditions of supply & demand working. Money collectors are coming into the market & looking at quality. They have the money & our 914's are bargins. I believe in the next (5) years we will see our 914's double in price. I'll mark my calander in 2013 to see if Iam right. We need to help our newby's because there are so many people selling cars with untrue facts. Buyer's beware, your need more 914 education.

My opinion in preference with the exception of special models & rarity.

*** All 6-cyl. cars with the vin #914....

** All 2.0 liter cars expecially the 73-74 chrome bumper cars including 75-76 2.0 liter cars.

* All the others 70-72, 75-76 with 1.7 & 1.8 liter engines.

There will always be rarity & special interest cars that have premium prices, but this is my basic list. Color, wheels, etc will always be a guide to higher prices.
Note: Especially rear fog lamps. right Eric & Pat.

Looking for input & suggestions for our newby's.

Tom

Agreed on the increasing value of the cars, not so much double in price in 5 years. $60K for a 914-6 isn't a good deal IMHO because of the options for that pricepoint.

I think the 78-89 Carreras and Boxsters will attract more interest in the next 5 years as $10-15K cars. They are tremendous values for the technology. The weak dollar, boomer demand, and fewer cars have fueled the meteoric rise in 914s but the DOA cars are still out there.

Again, I agree on increasing value though. As parts go NLA and the truly nice examples get rarer, the 914 will enjoy its sunset years like the 356. And, finally the 914 is getting the recognition it deserves.... name another P-car with its pricepoint and staying power, among the ghosts like the 924, 944, 928, and perhaps 964.

Hi Rob,

We are in basic agreement.

I should give you my today's base line prices for a premium condition 914.

6'er with a 914 Vin # Today's base price @ $25K

2.0 73-74 chrome bumper 914 @ $15K

all other's @ $10K

Now you can add extra money for special condition & rarity to these prices. So, I am saying prices are already over these base #'s and we will see double prices in 5-years. My opinion & thoughts on current market conditions.

Tom

OK so what then for the bastard child like mine who got a larger heart transplanted w/o the 'true' 914 VIN?

degreedoff,

I believe your bastard child 6'er could be worth more than the Vin# 914, because it's special with a huge following for your car. Everyone likes special 914's like yours. If I had to make a choice btwn yours & a vin # one. I'd take yours. Money well spent.

BTW: I forgot to mention NOS parts. Have you tried to purchase good parts lately. The average resto will set you back $20K to $40K in parts if you can find them.

Tom

My best buddy has a blue '74 2.0l that has had a fresh paint job and all put all back to stock. It is a very nice 914 and he is going to ask 18k for it. I will keep you posted on it but I see it going fast. It is just way too nice a 914 not to go fast and it is one of the best colors for a blue 914.

Here's a picture of it and then why he is selling it

the 700 tech tips are a good resource for any buyer.


it gives mechanical tips, and also sheds some light to the differences to each year car



i agree with the prices slowly going up, and many car collectors view the 914 as the next 356

its becoming a rare car now, and it is also quite a fun, neat car to drive



my advice for new owners is to research the car they get, and make sure they know why they are buying it. (ie, if they want concourse quality they need to know what is correct, or if they want a race car, etc)

I do welcome the new owners, and the new interest for the 914.

I'll agree that it's getting to be the time for 914s to go up in price, and I'm sure the cheap dollar and lack of other profitable investments are in part fueling the rise.

However, the other factor is that the current Porsches are depreciating so fast, they're not really a sane purchase. Look what's happening to the prices of Boxsters and 996s. You'll lose more than the price of a 914 in depreciation each year these days.

A 911, SC, Carrera, or 993 still make sense, but anything since then is money down the drain, and I think people are starting to see that. These old cars give you a great thrill for the price, and you can get your money back out of them if you're carefull. I think you'll see a continued price increase in all these old cars. The British cars are also going up, I should have kept my old TR3 and MGB as well!

George,

I agree the 911, SC, Carrera & 993 are becoming available with attractive prices, BUT maintenance costs can kill you. These cars have double, maybe triple in upkeep & maintenance costs. Our 914's cost less to maintain & still the smart Porsche to have as they get older. I'd rather work on a 914 the the newer ones.

T

this one already seems too expensive...

i also expect quite a few 914s will wind up back in europe. the weak dollar sure helps and bringing them up to road worthyness is afforable. for a 30 year+ old sports car there is still a bounty of both new and used parts available. the same return to 'home country' situation occured in the late 80's with the datsun roadsters. even very rough cars fetched a healthy premium. retro sells. the early datsun (not nissan) z cars will be the next wave.

k

the datsun z's and the 914-4's are about on par for prices today, and the last 5-10 year trend shows they are both maturing very similarly.


i imagine both will be seeing a jump up on prices too as they become more of a 'collectable' car status.


i personally like both cars

(i have the 914, and my buddy has a very nice 260z, so we tend to cruise around with both cars)

as I learned this weekend the EU raised up the import taxes on 30+ years old cars recently
obviously they found out that due to the weak dollar pretty much 30+ cars came over the big pond and that's a good chance to get more money for the state's purse

Gustl

Yeah, yeah - note taken on the rear "thingy"!

So, here is what I would offer to the newby (and I hate that expression).

No words of new wisdom here, though. Just my major points:

1.)Buy more than you afford, but only slightly, because the prices ARE on the rise.

2.)Make certain it's a righteous buy - there are plenty of us here to help with that. Do NOT allow someone to sell you a sows ear for a silk purse price. Ask for help here - you'll get it! Unfortunately, there are slimebags out there that want to take you & some of them are very good at it. Repeat - come here for help.

3.) Decide what you want to do with the car. Daily driver, garage queen investment, conversion vehicle (shudder!!!, but that's just me)? If you pick a good 914 to start with, and have even minor mechanical capabilities (or are ready to learn), it will be a fun daily driver. These are very simple cars, when left in the factory state. For those younger drivers - don't expect A/C (rare), TCS or any of the contemporary crap. You'll need to learn how to drive a 914 at speed. It's actually very easy.

4.) Take extreme care of your purchase. Washing & detailing are the easy/fun things. You need to realize that these are "vintage" cars. They require valve adjustments, plugs, points, condensors on a regular basis (like every 3-5K miles!). The parts are cheap & easy to replace. Valve adjustment is a pain, but easy & requires zero parts (except tools). Also recognize that rubber parts on these cars are usually very old & need to be replaced - especially FI rubber parts. Once again, it won't break the bank, but it's the nature of the beast. Be religous about caring for your purchase & it will reward you with many years of grins.

5.) This is where I expect to flamed to death! If your looking at a 914 as an investment, and there are worse, keep it as close to stock as possible. And, keep it roadworthy. Adding a contemporary stereo system won't destroy its value, but putting a Suby or V8 or any non-Porsche engine in it is the kiss of death. You'll NEVER recoup your investment. But, if you want an investment with positive returns - keep it stock. Look, they made so few of these things, and most have been restored (at least partially), it only makes reasonable sense from an investment stanpoint. Stock 914's will increase in value. Customs are the dream of the customizer, with no regard to investment return.

That's my humble opinion on the basics.

I would urge anyone who's never owned one, and is contemplating a 914 to use THIS site as a means of help. Many of us have owned these beasts from new. Many are even better educated in these cars than those who've owned them since new. Ask for help. If you find one you're interested in, ask someone here to inspect it for you. Except in rare circumstances, we'll usually do this for nothing, or maybe a burger. We're here to help you, the "914 challenged", as well as to promote the marque. We mean this!

Pat

Newby Alert!!!!

Yes, we all want to help you get into the 914 hobby. There is never a dumb question to ask. We all really want to help you. There are so many un-informed seller's out there you need to know what your buying.

This is a fun club of.

Tom

Just to add my 2 cents:

If you love to tinker with cars and get your hands dirty on wrench time, the 914 is the car for you. In CA, no cumbersome SMOG test issues, so you can really get in elbows deep. Additionally, if the NOS (New Old Stock) parts aren't available, they are probably being manufactured by folks in the Member Vendor section, Pelican, AutoAtlanta, Jake Raby site, etc.

HOWEVER, If you are the "take it to the shop" kind of person, this car can get expensive real fast. This is not to minimize the talants and experience many of these shops can provide, it's just that their time IS valuable, and that you are going to pay for that time.

The main thing to remember is that this is not a BBS, this is truely a community. I say that because of the outpouring of assistance that is consistantly offered to newbys and old timers alike.

Have fun and remember what is told to me on almost a daily basis; "There are no stupid questions, only stupid people..."

BTW it's ... "newbie"

Then by your reasoning, it's not GUMBY, it's Gumbie???

West Coast spelling rules apply...

Eric

When I hear this it makes me wonder...what market are you guys talking about???

15k for a 4 cylinder....I dont see that market at all.
I rarely see one trade for more than 10k.

I have a car here in storage that is almost a perfect 73 with a freshly rebuilt 2.0 liter with Dells and the right cam. Getting more than 10k would be amazing.

Here is a car in the Northeast with zero rust (I can prove that)
Its had loads of money put into it and the current owner knows that he will take a financial hit when selling this car.

15k, I have to laugh. The market is not there yet.
If the car has less than 30k and that could be proven, sure.
Otherwise we all know these cars have seen many road miles and I just dont see 15k for a 4 cylinder as a real number.

I read the Excellence market value report and I just dont agree.
Look a the classifieds here and at the Club site...look at what things have SOLD for on Ebay...15k is rare and not the norm.

The norm for a clean car seems to be just a bit higher than 5k
I would say 5-7k would buy a very clean car, and even a 73 2.0 liter.

If I am wrong, please show me 10 examples, not just one. This shows a market turn. Currently I can see probably 30 cars for under 7k and alot of them are quite nice.
Rich

I agree! I have been watching the Ebay Sales for the last 9 months and I have seen VERY CLEAN low mileage examples sell for $15K+, but they are few and far between. A nice daily driver with no rust or other issues can bring up to $8K, but most average cars are selling for ~$5K-6K.

15k 2.0 are very real, Just as real as mid 30k to mid 40k real sixes. And yes, you can document the sales. I think some people's perception of "nice" is skewed...

A Delphi green 73 2.0 was sold at BJ this spring for 16k+ and it was only a #3 condition car!

A concour winning 71 Six traded hands recently for 45k. A nice original signal orange six sold for 38k.

A very modified (forgot the year) Fat Performance 2.5L engined car just sold on Ebay for 12k.

A Yellow 75 2.0 that nice, but not drive it out and win awards nice just sold for 14,500...

I could go on and on...

Ferg

Im not gonna nit pick..I would love the see the market really go up drastically, but the reality is that what you are quoting are rare examples.
Leave the 914/6 out of the discussion..its unique.
Barrett Jackson cars are always over priced.
One yellow 75 2.0 14.5k....where and more details.

The average car, no special motor, just a clean car, clean driver will not go over 7-8k right now.

Here is a great place for a barometer.
http://www.camp914.com/cars/yel11.29.html

Rich

Yellow car...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/31-113-ACTU...1QQcmdZViewItem

To me a 7-8k is gonna need another at least 7-8 to make it what I would want so buy the best to start...

I don't think the cars I posted are way "out there" and that's just a small snippet from the last couple of months. Sixes aside 914's are not rare cars and lately, the "nice" ones are starting to appear from hiding.

Ferg

No flame this, simply expressing a different point of view.

"If you're looking at a 914 as an investment... keep it as close to stock as possible." No argument IF you're looking at it as an investment, but hey, isn't having fun the whole raison d'etre for a 914? If you can't have fun with it what's the point? If I wanted an automotive investment I'd spend my weekends polishing a fuddy old Packard or some other boring lump. Screw the ROI, I'm in this for the grins!!! Yeah horsepower!!!

That's cool! It's your 914. Do with it as you wish. I was merely imparting a point of view. Lack of flame appreciated! Have fun!
Pat

With a few exeptions, I think this thread has digressed from it's original point.

That point being - how do we help the "newbies" get into the market?

Yep, there have been many references to eBay. And, just when did eay start driving the 914 resale market? Look at the majority of car offered. Most are beaters at best. We aren't helping the newbies with that.

Let's discuss deals between knowledgeable factions, Further, let's discuss the disparity between dollars & euros, and why so many US featured 914's are changing soil.

Well... I dunno about that statement... I learned more about 914's and how they work with my first 3900 dollar car, than any other

I'm always dishing out advice when it comes to buying cars, not just 914's, when friends ask for it or not A beater is ok, if it's sound, and meets a price point, but it's gotta have good bones.

Best thing a 914 buying virgin could do would bring a club member along.

Ferg

The dollar / euro relationship is simple. As a result of the fiscal policies of our administration, the dollar has lost about a third of its value relative to the euro.
Five years ago a European resident would pay E5000.00 for a $5000.00 U.S. based 914. Right now, that same person only needs E3400.00 to buy a $5000.00 car. Historically, European cars have sold in the U.S. for less than they cost in Europe. There is a letter in the current (May) issue of Road & Track from an English reader noting that a new BMW M3 lists for $65,000.00 in the U.S. (probably exclusive of Sales Tax) and the same car lists for $114,000.00 (probably inclusive of Value Added Tax) in England. There are lots of reasons why cars are cheaper here (more efficient sales system, size of market etc.)
There are also many more 914s here than there are in Europe. Partly because here the car was always sold as ( and perceived to be) a Porsche and not a glorified VW that a halfway decently set up MGB could easily outrun. And partly because safety inspections in Europe are far more stringent than those here and many more cars were failed and scrapped.
So now, owners with good 914s will have a far wider market for their cars.
Curiously, there seems to be a 914-6 in Poland being offered for sale on U.S. eBay. Is this guy nuts or what?
Chris

I am wondering whether our current economic conditions may cause 914 prices to stagnate or rise this summer - maybe even fall? It seems like in spring the prices usually shoot up as people get excited to pick up a fun summer car - the next few months are the time to watch what things go for, I think.

Two silver '73 2.0's in the classifieds right now look like bargains to me:

$11,500 in canada: http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=82406

$6900 at CAMP 914: http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=82344